Camera module and driving device thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are a camera module and a driving device thereof. The driving device comprises a base, a carrier movably mounted on the base, and a driving assembly mounted between the base and the carrier, wherein the driving assembly comprises at least one magnet and at least one coil. The driving assembly is configured to drive the carrier to move relative to the base, and the arrangement direction of the magnet and the coil is consistent with the movement direction of the carrier relative to the base. The driving device can improve the driving stability by reasonable arrangement of the magnet and the coil.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 202310580697.3, filed on May 22, 2023, entitled "Camera Module and Driving Device Thereof". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of camera modules, and more particularly to a camera module and its driving device. Background Technology

[0003] As living standards improve, consumers have increasingly higher demands for the camera functions of camera modules in mobile phones, tablets, and other terminal devices. For example, they require camera modules to achieve functions such as focusing, zooming, and image stabilization. Taking focusing as an example, the camera module is required to drive the optical lens or image sensor to move and adjust the relative position between the optical lens and the image sensor in order to clearly capture target objects at different distances.

[0004] The driving device used to move optical lenses or image sensors is a crucial factor affecting the driving effect. Electromagnetic drive is a commonly used method, mainly utilizing the combination of magnets and coils to drive the object. However, existing electromagnetic drive schemes for driving optical lenses or image sensors have some problems with the arrangement of components, which not only affect the driving stability but also the structural complexity of the driving device.

[0005] Specifically, in existing electromagnetic driving schemes for driving optical lenses or photosensitive chips, the driving device drives the driven object to move up and down along the optical axis. Magnets and coils are typically positioned radially along the driven object (e.g., front, rear, left, right), not axially (e.g., above or below). The magnets and coils are arranged radially along the driven object, perpendicular to its direction of movement (i.e., the optical axis). Since the radial direction of the magnets aligns with the optical axis, the driven object is driven to move radially along the magnets. This results in uneven force distribution on the surface of the driven object facing the coils. In the radial direction of the coils (i.e., along the optical axis), the portion farther from the coils experiences weaker or no force. As the driven object moves away from the magnets and coils along the optical axis, the weaker or unforced portion expands, leading to a smaller force-bearing area along the optical axis, which affects driving stability.

[0006] Furthermore, the electromagnetic drive schemes described above place high demands on the magnets, resulting in a high structural complexity and manufacturing cost for the drive device. Specifically, in these schemes, the side of the magnet facing the coil needs to have two magnetic poles, and the distribution area of ​​these two poles needs to be precisely set. For example, the distribution areas of the two poles need to be equal. In some schemes, a non-magnetic region is also required between the two poles. This places high demands on the precision of the magnetizing equipment used to magnetize the magnet, and may even require the use of bidirectional magnetizing equipment, ultimately leading to a high cost for the drive device.

[0007] Therefore, a new type of driving solution is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One advantage of this application is that it provides a camera module and its driving device, wherein the driving device of the camera module can drive the driven object more stably.

[0009] Another advantage of this application is that it provides a camera module and its driving device, wherein the driving device has low requirements for magnets, thereby reducing its manufacturing cost.

[0010] Another advantage of this application is that it provides a camera module and its driving device, wherein the driving device can improve its driving stability by reasonably arranging its components.

[0011] Other advantages and features of this application will become apparent from the following description and can be realized by means and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

[0012] To achieve at least one of the above advantages, this application provides a driving device comprising:

[0013] Base;

[0014] A carrier movably mounted on the base; and

[0015] A drive assembly installed between the base and the carrier, the drive assembly including at least one magnet and at least one coil;

[0016] The driving component is configured to drive the carrier to move relative to the base, and the arrangement direction of the magnets and the coils is consistent with the direction of movement of the carrier relative to the base.

[0017] In the driving device according to this application, the magnet and the coil are arranged opposite to each other in a height direction set by the driving device, the driving component is configured to drive the carrier to move relative to the base in a height direction set by the driving device, the carrier is adapted to mount an optical lens so as to drive the optical lens to move in a height direction set by the driving device when it is driven to move, the optical lens is provided with an optical axis, and the height direction set by the driving device is consistent with the optical axis direction of the optical lens.

[0018] In the driving device according to this application, the magnet and the coil are arranged opposite to each other in a height direction set by the driving device, the driving component is configured to drive the carrier to move relative to the base in a height direction set by the driving device, the carrier is adapted to mount a photosensitive chip so as to drive the photosensitive chip to move in a height direction set by the driving device when it is driven to move.

[0019] In the drive device according to this application, the S pole and N pole of the magnet are opposite each other in the height direction of the drive device.

[0020] In the driving device according to this application, the side of the magnet facing the coil has only one magnetic pole.

[0021] In the driving device according to this application, the coil is fixed to the base and the magnet is fixed to the carrier.

[0022] In the driving device according to this application, the base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body, the coil is fixed to the upper surface of the base body, and the magnet is fixed to the lower surface of the carrier.

[0023] In the driving device according to this application, the base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body, the carrier has opposing upper and lower end faces, and a carrier sidewall extending between the upper and lower end faces, the carrier sidewall being opposite to the upper extension sidewall, and the driving device further includes a support member mounted between the upper extension sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier.

[0024] In the driving device according to this application, the support member includes at least one ball and at least one groove located between the upper extended sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier, and at least one slider and at least one slide groove located between the upper extended sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier, wherein the ball is rotatably disposed in the groove and the slider is slidably disposed in the slide groove.

[0025] In the driving device according to this application, the support member includes a first groove and a second groove, the first groove being formed on the upper sidewall, the second groove being formed on the carrier sidewall, the ball being rotatably disposed between the first groove and the second groove, the slider being fixed to the carrier sidewall, and the sliding groove being formed on the upper sidewall.

[0026] In the drive device according to this application, the support member is disposed only on one side of the carrier between the base.

[0027] In the driving device according to this application, the driving device further includes a magnetic attractor mounted on the upper sidewall, such that the carrier on which the magnet is mounted moves toward the upper sidewall while moving along the height direction set by the driving device.

[0028] In the driving device according to this application, the height of the magnetic attractor is greater than the sum of the travel distance of the magnet and the height of the magnet itself.

[0029] In the driving device according to this application, the driving device further includes a driving circuit board, at least a portion of which is located between the upper sidewall and the magnetic attractor, the magnetic attractor being fixed to the driving circuit board.

[0030] In the driving device according to this application, the driving device further includes a driving circuit board and a conductive element mounted on the base, one end of the conductive element facing the driving circuit board and the other end facing the coil, the conductive element being mounted on the base in a manner that it is embedded in the base.

[0031] In the driving device according to this application, the driving circuit board has a circuit board connection slot corresponding to the conductive element, and the base has a coil connection slot located between the conductive element and the coil.

[0032] In the driving device according to this application, the base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body, the driving circuit board and the coil are located on opposite sides of the upper extension sidewall, the conductive element is embedded in the base body of the base, one end of the conductive element is located inside the upper extension sidewall and the other end is located outside the upper extension sidewall.

[0033] In the driving device according to this application, the driving device further includes a driving circuit board and a position sensing element mounted on the base. The base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body. The driving circuit board is mounted on the upper extension sidewall, and the position sensing element is mounted on the side of the driving circuit board facing the magnet.

[0034] In the driving device according to this application, the carrier has a mounting cavity adapted to mount the optical lens, the longitudinal central axis of the mounting cavity being aligned with the optical axis set by the optical lens and offset from the longitudinal central axis of the carrier.

[0035] According to another aspect of this application, this application provides a camera module comprising:

[0036] Photosensitive components;

[0037] An optical lens held in the light-sensitive path of the photosensitive element; and

[0038] The drive device as described above.

[0039] The further objectives and advantages of this application will become fully apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0040] These and other objects, features and advantages of this application are fully apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0041] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0042] Figure 1 The figure shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 2 The figure shows a perspective view of the driving device for the camera module according to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 3 An exploded view of the driving device for the camera module according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0045] Figure 4 The figure shows a disassembly diagram of the driving device of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0046] Figure 5 The illustration shows another disassembled schematic diagram of the driving device of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Figure 6 The figure shows a partial structural schematic diagram of the driving device for the camera module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0048] Figure 7 The illustration shows another partial structural schematic diagram of the driving device for the camera module according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0050] Exemplary camera module

[0051] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a camera module according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated, comprising: a photosensitive component 10, an optical lens 20, and a driving device 30, wherein the optical lens 20 is held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive component 10 so that the photosensitive component 10 can receive light emitted from the optical lens 20 for imaging, and the driving device 30 is used to drive the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 in the photosensitive component 10.

[0052] Specifically, in the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the photosensitive component 10 includes a chip circuit board 11 and a photosensitive chip 12 electrically connected to the chip circuit board 11. The chip circuit board 11 forms the mounting substrate for the photosensitive component 10. The chip circuit board 11 can be implemented as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a reinforced flexible printed circuit board (PFC). In some examples, a reinforcing plate (not shown) can be provided below the chip circuit board 11. The reinforcing plate can be implemented as a steel sheet, that is, a steel sheet can be provided below the chip circuit board 11 to strengthen the chip circuit board 11 and improve the heat dissipation performance of the photosensitive component 10.

[0053] The photosensitive surface of the photosensitive chip 12 faces the optical lens 20 to receive light emitted from the optical lens 20. The specific implementation of the photosensitive chip 12 being electrically connected to the chip circuit board 11 is not limited to this application. In one specific example, the photosensitive chip 12 is fixed to the side of the chip circuit board 11 facing the optical lens 20, and the photosensitive chip 12 is electrically connected to the chip circuit board 11 via leads. In another specific example of this application, the photosensitive chip 12 is fixed to the chip circuit board 11 with conductive adhesive, and the conductive adhesive also enables an electrical connection with the chip circuit board 11.

[0054] like Figure 1As shown, the photosensitive component 10 also includes at least one electronic component 13. The electronic component 13 can be implemented as a passive electronic device such as a capacitor or resistor, or an active electronic device such as a diode or a memory chip. At least one of the electronic components 13 can be disposed on the side of the chip circuit board 11 facing the optical lens 20.

[0055] Optionally, the photosensitive assembly 10 further includes a filter element 14 held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12, the filter element 14 being disposed between the optical lens 20 and the photosensitive chip 12, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it is used to filter out unwanted stray light, such as infrared light. The specific implementation of the filter element 14 being held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12 is not limited to this application. For example, the filter element 14 may be implemented as a filter film and coated on the surface of one of the optical lenses 22 of the optical lens 20 to achieve a filtering effect; as another example, the photosensitive assembly 10 may further include a bracket 15 mounted on the chip circuit board 11, the bracket 15 and the filter element 14 together forming a filter assembly. The bracket 15 includes a mounting plate and support legs extending from the mounting plate to the chip circuit board 11. The mounting plate of the bracket 15 has a through hole corresponding to the photosensitive chip 12 in the optical axis direction set by the camera module. The filter element 14 is held on the photosensitive path of the photosensitive chip 12 by being mounted at the through hole of the bracket 15. In this embodiment, the optical lens 20 is provided with an optical axis L, and the optical axis direction set by the camera module is consistent with the extension direction of the optical axis L set by the optical lens 20.

[0056] The bracket 15 can be implemented as a plastic bracket, which is attached to the chip circuit board 11 by an adhesive, or it can be integrally formed on the chip circuit board 11. In other examples of embodiments of this application, the bracket 15 can also be implemented as a metal bracket, or a bracket combining metal and plastic, which is not limited to this application.

[0057] In this embodiment, the optical lens 20 includes a lens barrel 21 and at least one optical lens 22 mounted within the lens barrel 21. The optical lens 22 is arranged in the lens barrel 21 along the optical axis direction defined by the optical lens 20, such as... Figure 1 As shown. The number of optical lenses 22 can be one or more. As those skilled in the art should know, the resolving power of the optical lens 20 is proportional to the number of optical lenses 22 within a certain range. That is, the higher the resolving power, the more optical lenses 22 there are.

[0058] In specific implementations, the optical lens 20 can be implemented as an integrated lens or a split lens. When the optical lens 20 is implemented as an integrated lens, the optical lens 20 includes a lens barrel 21, and all the optical lenses 22 are installed in a lens barrel 21. When the optical lens 20 is implemented as a split optical lens 20, all the optical lenses 22 are grouped, and each group of optical lenses 20 is installed in at least two lens barrels 21 to form at least two lens units. The at least two lens units are fixed along the optical axis to form the optical lens 20.

[0059] In this embodiment, the driving device 30 mainly adjusts the relative position between the optical lens 20 and the photosensitive chip 12 by driving the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 to move, thereby achieving optical focusing. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the driving device 30 includes a base 31, a carrier 32 movably mounted on the base 31, and a driving component 33 mounted between the base 31 and the carrier 32; wherein, the driving component 33 is configured to drive the carrier 32 to move relative to the base 31 along a height direction set by the driving device 30, the carrier 32 being adapted to mount the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12, so that when driven to move, it drives the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 to move along the height direction set by the driving device 30, wherein the height direction set by the driving device 30 is consistent with the optical axis direction of the optical lens 20.

[0060] Optionally, the driving device 30 is fixed to the photosensitive component 10, and the driving component 33 of the driving device 30 is configured to drive the carrier 32 to move relative to the base 31 along a height direction set by the driving device 30. The optical lens 20 is mounted on the carrier 32 and is driven by the carrier 32 to move along a height direction set by the driving device 30. Alternatively, the driving device 30 is fixed to the optical lens 20, and the driving component 33 of the driving device 30 is configured to drive the carrier 32 to move relative to the base 31 along a height direction set by the driving device 30. The photosensitive chip 12 is mounted on the carrier 32 and is driven by the carrier 32 to move along a height direction set by the driving device 30.

[0061] In a specific example of this application, the base 31 includes a base body 311 and an upper extension sidewall 312 extending upward from the base body 311. Optionally, the upper extension sidewall 312 extends upward from the outer edge of the base body 311 to form the upper extension sidewall 312. The base body 311 has opposing upper and lower surfaces, and a light-transmitting hole 301 penetrating the upper and lower surfaces of the base body 311, the light-transmitting hole 301 corresponding to the photosensitive chip 12 in the optical axis direction to allow light to pass through and reach the photosensitive chip 12.

[0062] Optionally, the base 31 further includes a shielding wall 314, which protrudes from the upper surface of the base body 311 and surrounds the light-transmitting hole 301. The shielding wall 314 can enhance the structural strength of the base body 311 and also prevent dust from entering the photosensitive component 10.

[0063] The carrier 32 has an opposing upper end face 340 and a lower end face 350, and a mounting cavity 303 extending between the upper end face 340 and the lower end face 350 of the carrier 32. The mounting cavity 303 corresponds to the light-transmitting aperture 301 in the optical axis direction to allow light to pass through and reach the photosensitive chip 301. The mounting cavity 303 is adapted to mount the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12.

[0064] It is worth mentioning that, in the scheme where the driving device 30 drives the photosensitive chip 12 to move, the photosensitive chip 12 can be mounted separately on the carrier 32, or the photosensitive component 10 can be mounted entirely on the carrier 32. That is, when the carrier 32 is driven to move, the carrier 32 drives the photosensitive component 10 to move along the height direction set by the driving device 30, so as to realize the movement of the photosensitive chip 12 in the height direction set by the driving device 30.

[0065] In this embodiment, the driving component 33 drives the carrier 32 to move via electromagnetic drive. Accordingly, the driving component 33 includes at least one magnet 331 and at least one coil 332.

[0066] As mentioned earlier, the existing electromagnetic drive schemes for driving the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 have some problems with the arrangement of components, which not only affect the driving stability but also the structural complexity of the drive device 30. Specifically, in the existing electromagnetic drive schemes for driving the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12, the drive device 30 drives the driven object to move up and down along the optical axis L, and the magnet 331 and coil 332 are usually arranged in the radial direction of the driven object. In this way, the area of ​​the driven object subjected to force in the optical axis direction is small, which will affect the driving stability. In addition, in the above-mentioned electromagnetic drive scheme, the requirements for the magnet 331 are high, which makes the structural complexity of the drive device 30 high and the manufacturing cost high.

[0067] Based on this, this application proposes to solve the above problems by adjusting the arrangement of the magnet 331 and the coil 332. Specifically, in the embodiments of this application, the magnet 331 and the coil 332 are arranged opposite to each other in the height direction set by the driving device 30, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the arrangement direction of the magnets 331 and the coils 332 is consistent with the direction of movement of the carrier 32 relative to the base 31. The axial direction of the magnets 331 and the axial direction of the coils 332 are consistent with the optical axis direction, which increases the force-bearing area of ​​the driven object, i.e., the carrier 32, in the optical axis direction. This improves the driving stability of the driving device 30, enabling the driving device 30 to drive the carrier 32 to move more stably along the optical axis direction, thereby making the carrier 32 more stably drive the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 to move along the optical axis direction.

[0068] In existing technologies, achieving the same or similar driving requires the magnet to have at least two magnetic poles on the side facing the coil. For stable driving, the distribution area of ​​these two magnetic poles needs to be precisely set; for example, the distribution areas of the two magnetic poles need to be equal. In some solutions, a non-magnetic region is also required between the two magnetic poles. This places high demands on the precision of the magnetizing equipment, and sometimes even requires the use of bidirectional magnetizing equipment, ultimately leading to high costs for the driving device. It is worth noting that in some embodiments of this application, the side of the magnet 331 facing the coil 332 has only one magnetic pole; that is, the coil 332 only needs to face one magnetic pole of the magnet 331. This places lower requirements on the magnet 331, which only needs unidirectional magnetization, thus reducing its manufacturing cost. Accordingly, in the embodiments of this application, the side of the magnet 331 facing the coil 332 has only one magnetic pole. In one example, the side of the magnet 331 facing the coil 332 is the N pole; in another example, the side of the magnet 331 facing the coil 332 is the S pole.

[0069] In this embodiment, the coil 332 is fixed to the base 31, and the magnet 331 is fixed to the carrier 32. Notably, the base 31 provides a relatively flat mounting platform for the coil 332. The magnetic pole orientation of the magnet 331 is consistent with the movement direction of the carrier 32. In this embodiment, this is manifested as follows: the magnetic pole orientation of the magnet 331 is consistent with the height direction set by the driving device 30; the S and N poles of the magnet 331 are opposite to each other in the height direction set by the driving device 30; and the magnetic pole orientation of the magnet 331 is consistent with the optical axis direction; the S and N poles of the magnet 331 are opposite to each other in the optical axis direction. The line connecting the S and N poles of the magnet 331 extends in the same direction as the optical axis. That is, the line connecting the S and N poles of the magnet 331 extends in the same direction as the optical axis, or the angle between the line connecting the S and N poles of the magnet 331 and the optical axis is less than a preset angle, which is less than or equal to 90 degrees, for example, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, etc. It is also worth mentioning that in this embodiment, the magnet 331 has only one N pole and one S pole, thereby reducing the cost of the magnet.

[0070] For example, along the optical axis, the S pole of the magnet 331 is the point of strongest magnetism at its upper end, and the N pole of the magnet 331 is the point of strongest magnetism at its lower end; or, the N pole of the magnet 331 is the point of strongest magnetism at its upper end, and the S pole of the magnet 331 is the point of strongest magnetism at its lower end. The direction of the magnetic pole arrangement of the magnet 331 corresponds to the winding direction of the coil 332 and the direction of current flow.

[0071] When the coil 332 is energized, it generates a magnetic field that interacts with the magnet 331, driving the magnet 331 to move along the height direction set by the driving device 30. The magnet 331 drives the carrier 32 to move closer to or further away from the base 31 along the height direction set by the driving device 30. The carrier 32 drives the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12 to move, thereby adjusting the distance between the optical lens 20 and the photosensitive chip 12 to achieve optical focusing.

[0072] It should be understood that in a modified embodiment of this application, the magnet 331 can be fixed to the base 31, and the coil 332 can be fixed to the carrier 32.

[0073] In this application embodiment, the specific installation method of the coil 332 and the magnet 331 is not limited to this application. In a specific example of this application, the upper surface of the base body 311 is opposite to the lower surface of the base 31, the coil 332 is fixed to the upper surface of the base body 311, and the magnet 331 is fixed to the lower surface of the base 31. Further, the coil 332 is directly fixed to the upper surface of the base body 311, and no circuit board is provided between the coil 332 and the base body 311, thereby improving the flatness of the coil 332 installation and reducing the tilt of the coil 332.

[0074] Optionally, the coil 332 can be embedded in the base 31, and the magnet 331 can also be embedded in the carrier 32 to reduce the height occupied by the coil 332 and the magnet 331. Accordingly, in this specific example, a local area of ​​the upper surface of the base body 311 is recessed downward to form an upper groove 302, and the coil 332 is fixed in the upper groove 302. In this way, the coil 332 is embedded in the base 31, and the coil 332 at least partially coincides with the base 31 in the height direction set by the driving device 30, thus reducing the height occupied by the coil 332; a local area of ​​the lower surface of the carrier is recessed upward to form a lower groove 304, and the magnet 331 is fixed in the lower groove 304 (e.g., Figure 7 As shown, the magnet 331 is embedded in the carrier 32 in such a way that the magnet 331 at least partially overlaps with the carrier 32 in the height direction set by the driving device 30, thereby reducing the height dimension occupied by the magnet 331.

[0075] In this specific example, the base 31 further includes a positioning post 313 protruding from the base body 311 for positioning the coil 332, the coil 332 surrounding the periphery of the positioning post 313. Figure 3 As shown. Specifically, the positioning post 313 is protrudingly disposed at the bottom of the upper groove 302. The cross-sectional shape of the positioning post 313 is not limited to that of this application; for example, the cross-sectional shape of the positioning post 313 may be annular, circular, semi-circular, fan-shaped, etc. The number of the positioning posts 313 is not limited to that of this application; for example, the number may be 1, 2, 3, or more.

[0076] It is worth mentioning that, in this embodiment, the driving component 33 is disposed on one side of the carrier 32. Therefore, the mounting cavity 303 is eccentrically positioned, that is, the longitudinal central axis of the mounting cavity 303 is offset from the longitudinal central axis of the carrier 32. Correspondingly, when the optical lens 20 is mounted in the mounting cavity 303, the longitudinal central axis of the optical lens 20 coincides with the longitudinal central axis of the mounting cavity 303 and is offset from the longitudinal central axis of the carrier 32.

[0077] In this embodiment, the carrier 32 has an opposing upper end face 340 and a lower end face 350, and a carrier sidewall 360 extending between the upper end face 340 and the lower end face 350, with the upper extended sidewall 312 opposite to the carrier sidewall 360. The driving device 30 further includes a support member 34, which is mounted between the upper extended sidewall 312 of the base 31 and the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32, so that the carrier 32 is stably supported during movement along the height direction set by the driving device 30.

[0078] The specific implementation of the support member 34 is not limited to this application. In a specific example of this application, the support member 34 includes at least one ball 341 and at least one groove located between the upper extension sidewall 312 of the base 31 and the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32, wherein the ball 341 is rotatably disposed in the groove.

[0079] In this specific example, the rolling grooves are respectively provided on the upper extension sidewall 312 and the carrier sidewall 360. Accordingly, the support member 34 includes a first rolling groove 342 and a second rolling groove 343. The first rolling groove 342 is formed on the upper extension sidewall 312, and the second rolling groove 343 is formed on the carrier sidewall 360. The first rolling groove 342 and the second rolling groove 343 are opposite to each other in the radial direction set by the driving device 30. The ball 341 is rotatably disposed between the first rolling groove 342 and the second rolling groove 343, wherein the radial direction of the driving device 30 is perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the driving device 30.

[0080] It should be understood that the groove may be provided only on the upper sidewall 312, or only on the carrier sidewall 360.

[0081] The number of balls 341 is not limited by this application; for example, the number of balls 341 can be 1, 2, 3, or more. When the number of balls 341 is greater than or equal to 2, preferably, at least two balls 341 are isolated to avoid interference between them. Specifically, a partition can be provided in the second groove 343 provided in the side wall 360 of the carrier to divide the second groove 343 into a first partition groove 344 and a second partition groove 345, which is equivalent to the first partition groove 344 and the second partition groove 345 sharing a partition. At least one ball 341 is provided in the first partition groove 344, and at least one ball 341 is provided in the second partition groove 345.

[0082] It should be understood that at least two partition grooves can also be formed in other ways, for example, by forming at least two partition grooves independently, with the at least two partition grooves being structurally independent and spaced apart from each other.

[0083] In this specific example, the support member 34 further includes at least one slider 346 and at least one groove 347 located between the upper extension sidewall 312 of the base 31 and the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32, such as Figure 5 As shown. Specifically, the slider 346 can be fixed to the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32, and the groove 347 can be disposed on the upper sidewall 312.

[0084] The number of sliders 346 is not limited by this application. For example, the number of sliders 346 can be 1, 2, 3, or more. The method of fixing the sliders 346 is also not limited by this application. For example, the sliders 346 can be integrally connected to the carrier 32 or adhered to the carrier 32.

[0085] It should be understood that the slider 346 can also be fixed to the upper sidewall 312 of the base 31, and the groove 347 can be disposed on the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32.

[0086] It is worth mentioning that the ball bearings 341 and the slider 346 form a support surface, which not only provides support for the carrier 32, but also guides the carrier 32 in conjunction with the roller groove and the sliding groove 347, respectively. Furthermore, in this specific example, the two ball bearings 341 and the slider 346 are arranged in a triangle, forming a relatively stable triangular support surface.

[0087] The slider 346 reduces the number of balls 341, simplifying the manufacturing process and lowering costs. The top surface of the slider 346 can be either flat or curved. When the top surface of the slider 346 is flat, during the movement of the carrier 32 along the set height direction of the driving device 30, the contact area between the top surface of the slider 346 and other components is larger, resulting in a lower risk of dents in the slider 346. The risk of dents refers to the risk that the slider 346 might cause dents or deformations in other components of the driving device 30 when it impacts them. When the top surface of the slider 346 is curved, during the movement of the carrier 32 along the set height direction of the driving device 30, the contact area between the top surface of the slider 346 and other components is smaller, resulting in a higher risk of dents in the slider 346, but this makes the movement of the carrier 32 more stable.

[0088] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the support member 34 may also include two sets of ball-groove structures, replacing the slider 346 and groove 347 in this specific example with ball 341 and groove, or it may include two sets of slider-groove structures, replacing the ball 341 and groove in this specific example with slider 346 and groove 347.

[0089] The support member 34 can also be implemented as other structures, such as a slide rail-slide rod structure, that is, the support member 34 includes at least one slide rod and at least one slide rail located between the upper extension sidewall 312 of the base 31 and the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32, and the slide rod can slide along the slide rail. The slide rail can be provided on the upper extension sidewall 312 and the slide rod can be provided on the carrier sidewall 360, or the slide rod can be provided on the upper extension sidewall 312 and the slide rail can be provided on the carrier sidewall 360.

[0090] It is worth mentioning that, in this specific example, the support member 34 is only disposed between one side of the carrier 32 and the base 31. Specifically, the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32 includes a first sidewall 361, a second sidewall 362, a third sidewall 363, and a fourth sidewall 364, wherein the first sidewall 361 and the second sidewall 362 are opposite to each other, the third sidewall 363 and the fourth sidewall 364 are opposite to each other, the third sidewall 363 is located between one end of the first sidewall 361 and the second sidewall 362, and the fourth sidewall 364 is located between the other end of the first sidewall 361 and the second sidewall 362. The first sidewall 361 is located on the first side of the carrier 32, the second sidewall 362 is located on the second side of the carrier 32, the third sidewall 363 is located on the third side of the carrier 32, and the fourth sidewall 364 is located on the fourth side of the carrier 32.

[0091] The roller groove and the ball 341 are disposed at the corner between the first side wall 361 and the third side wall 363, and the slider 346 and the slide groove 347 are disposed at the corner between the first side wall 361 and the fourth side wall 364.

[0092] Accordingly, the base 31 may have the upper extension sidewall 312 provided only on one side of the base body 311. For example, the upper extension sidewall 312 may be provided only on the first side of the base body 311, forming a first upper extension wall. The first side of the base body 311 coincides with the first side of the carrier 32, and the first upper extension wall is opposite to the first sidewall 361 of the carrier 32. Alternatively, the base 31 may have the upper extension sidewall 312 provided on multiple sides of the base body 311. For example, the upper extension sidewall 312 may be provided on the second side, the third side, and the fourth side of the base body 311, respectively, forming a second, a third, and a fourth upper extension wall. The second side of the base body 311 coincides with the second side of the carrier 32, the third side of the base body 311 coincides with the third side of the carrier 32, and the fourth side of the base body 311 coincides with the fourth side of the carrier 32. The second upper extension wall is opposite to the second side wall 362 of the carrier 32, the third upper extension wall is opposite to the third side wall 363 of the carrier 32, and the fourth upper extension wall is opposite to the fourth side wall 364 of the carrier 32.

[0093] Furthermore, the support member 34 may also be distributed between other sides of the carrier 32 and the base 31. For example, the support member 34 may also include a ball 341 and a groove disposed between the second side wall 362 of the carrier 32 and the second upper extension wall of the base 31, as well as a slider 346 and a groove 347.

[0094] In this embodiment, the driving device 30 further includes a magnetic attractor 35, which is located in the radial direction of the magnet 331 and acts on the magnet 331. The radial direction of the magnet 331 refers to the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the magnetic poles of the magnet 331 are arranged. In this embodiment, the direction in which the magnetic poles of the magnet 331 are arranged is consistent with the height direction of the driving device 30, and correspondingly, the radial direction of the magnet 331 is substantially perpendicular to the height direction of the driving device 30.

[0095] In this embodiment, the magnetic suction member 35 attracts the magnet 331. The magnetic suction member 35 is mounted on the upper sidewall 312, causing the carrier 32, on which the magnet 331 is mounted, to move along the height direction set by the driving device 30 while simultaneously approaching the upper sidewall 312, clamping the ball 341 and the slider 346. The magnetic suction member 35 is spaced apart from the magnet 331. In this embodiment, the magnetic suction member 35 and the magnet 331 are separated by the upper sidewall 312; that is, at least a portion of the upper sidewall 312 is located between the magnet 331 and the magnetic suction member 35.

[0096] The magnetic attractor 35 has a specific height configuration that allows it to act on the magnet 331 throughout its entire stroke; that is, the magnetic attractor 35 maintains an attractive force on the magnet 331 throughout its movement. Preferably, the magnetic attractor 35 always covers the magnet 331 in the height direction of the driving device 30 during the movement of the magnet 331, and the height of the magnetic attractor 35 is greater than the sum of the stroke of the magnet 331 and the height of the magnet 331 itself, to ensure the magnetic attraction effect.

[0097] The installation method of the magnetic attractor 35 is not limited to that of this application. In a specific example of this application, the driving device 30 further includes a driving circuit board 37, at least a portion of which is located between the upper sidewall 312 and the magnetic attractor 35, and the magnetic attractor 35 is fixed to the driving circuit board 37. Specifically, the magnetic attractor 35 is fixed to the side of the driving circuit board 37 opposite to the magnet 331.

[0098] In this specific example, the driving circuit board 37 is electrically connected to the chip circuit board 11. The driving circuit board 37 is implemented as a flexible circuit board or a rigid-flex board. The driving circuit board 37 is bendable and surrounds the periphery of the base 31. A portion of the driving circuit board 37 surrounds the first side of the base body 311 and extends upward to the upper sidewall 312, while another portion surrounds the fourth side of the base body 311 and extends downward to the chip circuit board 11.

[0099] In this specific example, the base 31 includes at least one positioning protrusion 315 for positioning the drive circuit board 37, such that the drive circuit board 37 is precisely mounted on the base 31. The drive circuit board 37 has a positioning hole 371 corresponding to the positioning protrusion 315, and the positioning protrusion 315 extends into the positioning hole 371. Figure 3 As shown.

[0100] Optionally, a drive circuit board reinforcing plate 373 may be installed on the periphery of the drive circuit board 37. For example, the drive circuit board reinforcing plate 373 may be installed on the side of the drive circuit board 37 facing away from the magnet 331. That is, the drive circuit board reinforcing plate 373 may be installed on the side of the drive circuit board 37 opposite to the first side facing the base 31 and the side opposite to the fourth side facing the base 31.

[0101] In this embodiment, the driving device 30 further includes a conductive element 316 mounted on the base 31. One end of the conductive element 316 faces the driving circuit board 37 for electrical connection with the driving circuit board 37, and the other end faces the coil 332 for electrical connection with the coil 332. The coil 332 is electrically connected to the driving circuit board 37 through the conductive element 316. Figure 6 As shown.

[0102] The drive circuit board 37 and the coil 332 are located on opposite sides of the upper extension sidewall 312. The conductive element 316 is embedded in the base body 311 of the base 31, with one end of the conductive element 316 located inside the upper extension sidewall 312 and the other end located outside the upper extension sidewall 312, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown. Optionally, one end of the conductive element 316 is soldered to the drive circuit board 37, and the other end of the conductive element 316 is electrically connected to the coil 332 via a wire.

[0103] The drive circuit board 37 has a circuit board connection groove 372 corresponding to the conductive element 316, and the base 31 has a coil connection groove 370 located between the conductive element 316 and the coil 332. One end of the conductive element 316 passes through the upper extension sidewall 312 and extends to the circuit board connection groove 372 of the drive circuit board 37. The circuit board connection groove 372 serves as a welding point between the drive circuit board 37 and the conductive element 316. One end of the conductive element 316 is welded to the circuit board connection groove 372. The coil connection groove 370 provides installation space for the conductive wire connected between the conductive element 316 and the coil 332.

[0104] In this embodiment, the driving device 30 further includes a position sensing element 38 mounted on the base 31. The position sensing element 38 is adjacent to the magnet 331 and is used to acquire position change information of the magnet 331, thereby acquiring position change information of the carrier 32 and the optical lens 20 or the photosensitive chip 12. In this embodiment, the position sensing element 38 is located in the radial direction of the magnet 331, and the arrangement direction of the position sensing element 38 and the magnet 331 is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the magnet 331 and the coil 332.

[0105] In a specific example of this application, the position sensing element 38 is located on the side of the drive circuit board 37 facing the magnet 331 and is electrically connected to the drive circuit board 37. In this specific example, the position sensing element 38 is embedded in the upper extension sidewall 312, thereby reducing the lateral dimension occupied by the position sensing element 38, for example, the length dimension or the width dimension. Specifically, the upper extension sidewall 312 has opposing inner side surface 310 and outer side surface 320, the inner side surface 310 facing the magnet 331 and the outer side surface 320 facing away from the magnet 331. A local area of ​​the inner side surface 310 of the upper extension sidewall 312 is recessed outward to form a sensing groove 330, and the position sensing element 38 is at least partially located in the sensing groove 330 of the upper extension sidewall 312, thereby embedding the position sensing element 38 into the upper extension sidewall 312, such as Figure 3 As shown.

[0106] It is worth mentioning that, in a specific example of this application, the position sensing element 38, the magnetic suction element 35, and the drive circuit board reinforcement plate 373 are mounted on the drive circuit board 37 to form a drive circuit board assembly. During the assembly of the drive device 30, the drive circuit board assembly can be pre-assembled and formed. The drive circuit board assembly can be assembled as a whole on the base 31, which can simplify the assembly process.

[0107] In this embodiment, the driving device 30 further includes a cover 39 that engages with the base 31, such as... Figure 2 As shown. The cover 39 covers the carrier 32, the driving assembly 33, the supporting member 34, the driving circuit board assembly, and other components, and can play a certain role in dust prevention. The cover 39 has through holes corresponding to the optical lens 20 and the photosensitive chip 12 to allow light to pass through. Optionally, a snap-fit ​​structure is provided between the cover 39 and the base 31, so that the cover 39 is stably fastened to the base 31, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown.

[0108] In this embodiment, the drive device 30 has a relatively simple structure, fewer components, and is relatively easy to assemble. The assembly process of the drive device 30 will be described below.

[0109] First, in step S110, components such as magnet 331, carrier 32, ball bearing 341, base 31, coil 332, drive circuit board assembly, and cover 39 are provided.

[0110] Then, in step S120, the semi-finished product is assembled. Specifically, the magnet 331 and the ball bearing 341 are assembled onto the carrier 32, the drive circuit board assembly and the coil 332 are assembled onto the base 31, and the carrier 32 equipped with the magnet 331 and the ball bearing 341 is mounted onto the base 31 equipped with the drive circuit board assembly and the coil 332.

[0111] Finally, in step S130, the cover 39 is fastened to the base 31.

[0112] During the assembly of the magnet 331 and the ball bearing 341 onto the carrier 32, adhesive is applied to the lower groove 304 of the carrier 32, and then the magnet 331 is attached to the lower groove 304 and the adhesive is allowed to cure. The carrier 32 is then fixed, and the second groove 343 of the carrier sidewall 360 of the carrier 32 is coated with oil. The ball bearing 341 is then placed in the second groove 343 of the carrier sidewall 360.

[0113] The drive circuit board assembly includes a drive circuit board 37, a magnetic chuck 35 mounted on the drive circuit board 37, a position sensing element 38, and a drive circuit board reinforcement plate 373. The magnetic chuck 35 and the drive circuit board reinforcement plate 373 are located on one side of the drive circuit board 37, and the position sensing element 38 is located on the other side of the drive circuit board 37, opposite to the magnetic chuck 35 and the drive circuit board reinforcement plate 373. Figure 1 As shown. During the assembly of the drive circuit board assembly and coil 332 onto the base 31, the base 31 is fixed, the drive circuit board 37 is pre-bent, adhesive is pre-applied to the drive circuit board 37 and the base 31, the drive circuit board 37 is attached to the base 31, and the adhesive is allowed to cure; one end of the conductive element 316 embedded in the base 31 is soldered to the drive circuit board 37; adhesive is applied to the upper groove 302 of the base 31, and then the magnet 331 is attached to the upper groove 302; the other end of the conductive element 316 embedded in the base 31 is electrically connected to the coil 332 via a wire.

[0114] During the process of mounting the carrier 32, which is equipped with the magnet 331 and the ball 341, onto the base 31, which is equipped with the drive circuit board assembly, the magnet 331 and the coil 332 correspond to each other in the optical axis direction of the drive device 30.

[0115] In summary, the camera module and its driving device 30 based on the embodiments of this application are explained. The driving device 30 of the camera module can drive the driven object more stably, and the structure of the driving device 30 is relatively simple, which can reduce its manufacturing cost and simplify the assembly process.

[0116] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been demonstrated and explained in the embodiments, and any variations or modifications may be made to the implementation of the present invention without departing from the stated principles.

Claims

1. A driving device, characterized in that, include: Base; A carrier that can be movably mounted on the base; A drive assembly installed between the base and the carrier, the drive assembly including at least one magnet and at least one coil; as well as Position sensing element; The arrangement direction of the position sensing element and the magnet is perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the magnet and the coil; The driving component is configured to drive the carrier to move relative to the base along a height direction set by the driving device. The carrier is adapted to mount an optical lens or a photosensitive chip so that when it is driven to move, it can drive the optical lens or the photosensitive chip to move along a height direction set by the driving device to achieve optical focusing. The magnet and the coil are arranged opposite each other in the height direction set by the driving device; the magnetic poles of the magnet are arranged in the same direction as the movement direction of the carrier.

2. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein, The position sensing element is located in the radial direction of the magnet.

3. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein, The coil is fixed to the base, and the magnet is fixed to the carrier.

4. The driving device according to claim 3, wherein, The base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body. The coil is fixed to the upper surface of the base body, and the magnet is fixed to the lower surface of the carrier.

5. The driving device according to claim 4, wherein, The driving device further includes a driving circuit board, which is mounted on the upper sidewall, and the position sensing element is mounted on the side of the driving circuit board facing the magnet.

6. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein, The base includes a base body and an upper extension sidewall extending upward from the base body. The carrier has an opposing upper end face and a lower end face, and a carrier sidewall extending between the upper end face and the lower end face, the carrier sidewall being opposite to the upper extension sidewall. The driving device further includes a support member mounted between the upper extension sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier.

7. The driving device according to claim 6, wherein, The support member includes at least one ball and at least one groove located between the upper sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier, and at least one slider and at least one groove located between the upper sidewall of the base and the carrier sidewall of the carrier, wherein the ball is rotatably disposed in the groove and the slider is slidably disposed in the groove.

8. The driving device according to claim 7, wherein, The support member includes a first groove and a second groove. The first groove is formed on the upper sidewall, and the second groove is formed on the carrier sidewall. The ball is rotatably disposed between the first groove and the second groove. The slider is fixed to the carrier sidewall, and the sliding groove is formed on the upper sidewall.

9. The driving device according to claim 6, wherein, The driving device also includes a magnetic suction element installed on the upper sidewall, so that the carrier with the magnet installed moves towards the upper sidewall while moving along the height direction set by the driving device.

10. A camera module, characterized in that, include: Photosensitive components; An optical lens held in the light-sensing path of the photosensitive component; as well as The drive device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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