Camera module and intelligent terminal

Abstract

The invention provides a camera module. The camera module comprises a lens assembly, a VA assembly, an AF assembly, an OIS assembly and an imaging chip assembly, the VA assembly, the AF assembly and the OIS assembly are connected, the lens assembly is arranged in the AF assembly, and the imaging chip assembly is arranged in the OIS assembly; the lens assembly is used for collecting optical signals, the imaging chip assembly is used for converting the optical signals collected by the lens assembly into electronic signals, the VA assembly is used for forming an aperture of the lens assembly and adjusting the size of the aperture, and the AF assembly is used for driving the lens assembly to move so as to carry out AF operation. The OIS assembly is used for driving the imaging chip assembly to move so as to carry out OIS operation. The invention further provides an intelligent terminal comprising the camera module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of camera technology, and in particular, relates to a camera module and a smart terminal having the camera module. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, various commonly used intelligent terminals, such as smart phones, tablet computers, etc., are usually equipped with built-in camera modules to realize shooting functions anytime and anywhere. With the continuous improvement of the overall technical level in the field of intelligent terminals, the functions of built-in camera modules of intelligent terminals are becoming more and more perfect. Many of them have added automatic focus (Automatic Focus, hereinafter referred to as AF) function, optical image stabilization (Optical Image Stabilization, hereinafter referred to as OIS) and variable aperture (Variable Aperture, hereinafter referred to as VA) function to improve the shooting effect of the camera module and broaden the applicable occasions of the camera module.

[0003] When performing AF and OIS operations on the camera module, a driving device, such as a voice coil motor, is usually used to drive the lens of the camera module to move. For camera modules with VA functions, since the VA mechanism used to adjust the aperture is usually assembled with the lens, the lens and the VA mechanism need to be driven simultaneously when performing AF and OIS operations, resulting in a heavy burden on the driving device, which increases energy consumption and easily reduces the service life. Especially for the built-in camera module of the smart terminal, since the size of the built-in camera module is much smaller than that of an independent camera device, the power of its driving device is also significantly smaller. When driving the lens and the VA mechanism at the same time, the burden is heavier, which may lead to a decrease in the response speed of the AF and OIS operations.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a camera module with a more novel structure and a smart terminal with the camera module built in to solve the above-mentioned defects in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide a camera module with a more novel structure and a smart terminal having the camera module, so as to solve the problem that the built-in camera module of the existing smart terminal needs to drive the lens and VA mechanism at the same time when performing AF operation and OIS operation, which causes a heavy burden on the driving device, increases energy consumption and easily reduces the service life.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a camera module, including a lens assembly, a VA assembly, an AF assembly, an OIS assembly, and an imaging chip assembly; the VA assembly, the AF assembly and the OIS assembly are connected, the lens assembly is installed in the AF assembly, and the imaging chip assembly is installed in the OIS assembly; the lens assembly is used to collect optical signals, and the imaging chip assembly is used to convert the optical signals collected by the lens assembly into electronic signals, the VA assembly includes a VA coil separately arranged from the lens assembly, a VA base connected to the lens assembly, a VA magnet assembly rotatably mounted on the VA base, and a blade assembly mounted on the VA base and the VA magnet assembly for forming an aperture of the lens assembly, the VA coil and the VA magnet assembly are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the blade assembly to move to adjust the size of the aperture; the AF assembly is used to drive the lens assembly to move for AF operation, and the OIS assembly is used to drive the imaging chip assembly to move for OIS operation.

[0007] In some embodiments, the VA magnet assembly includes a VA magnet bracket and a VA magnet mounted on the VA magnet bracket, and the blade assembly is mounted on the VA magnet bracket; the VA coil and the VA magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the VA magnet bracket to rotate, thereby driving the blade assembly to move to adjust the size of the aperture.

[0008] In some embodiments, the VA assembly further includes a first circuit board assembly and a first circuit board bracket, the first circuit board assembly is arranged around the first circuit board bracket, and the VA coil is installed inside the first circuit board assembly and is electrically connected to the first circuit board assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments, the VA assembly also includes a blade cover fixedly connected to the VA base, the VA magnet assembly and the blade assembly are installed between the blade cover and the VA base, the blade cover is movably mounted in the first circuit board bracket, the VA magnet bracket is rotatably mounted in the VA base, and the VA base is fixedly connected to the lens assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments, the blade assembly includes a plurality of blades, each of the blades is provided with a guide post hole and a guide post groove spaced apart from each other, the VA magnet bracket is provided with a first guide post, the VA base is provided with a second guide post, the first guide post is inserted into the guide post hole, and the second guide post is inserted into the guide post groove; when the VA magnet bracket rotates relative to the VA base, the first guide post and the second guide post limit the moving direction of the blade, so that the blade expands outward or tightens inward along the arc direction, thereby adjusting the size of the aperture.

[0011] In some embodiments, the VA base is at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material that can be attracted by the VA magnet. In some embodiments, the AF assembly includes an AF carrier, an AF coil, an AF magnet, and an AF base; the lens assembly and the AF coil are mounted on the AF carrier, the AF carrier is movably mounted inside the AF base, and the AF magnet is mounted on the AF base; the AF coil and the AF magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the AF carrier and the lens assembly to move for AF operation.

[0012] In some embodiments, the OIS component includes a second circuit board assembly, an OIS magnet assembly and an OIS coil assembly, the OIS magnet assembly includes an OIS magnet bracket and an OIS magnet mounted on the OIS magnet bracket, the OIS coil assembly includes an OIS coil carrier and an OIS coil mounted on the OIS coil carrier, the OIS coil carrier is relatively movably connected to the OIS magnet bracket via the second circuit board assembly, the imaging chip assembly includes a chip packaging unit for converting the optical signal collected by the lens assembly into an electronic signal, and the chip packaging unit is mounted in the OIS coil carrier; the OIS coil and the OIS magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the OIS coil carrier and the chip packaging unit to move to perform OIS operation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second circuit board assembly includes a main board body, a connecting frame arranged around the outer edge of the main board body and having elasticity, and a first connecting plate and a second connecting plate parallel to the main board body, wherein the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate are connected to the main board body via the connecting frame; the OIS magnet bracket is connected to the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate, and the OIS coil carrier is connected to the main board body.

[0014] Another aspect of the present application further provides a smart terminal, which includes the camera module described in any one of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the camera module and the smart terminal having the camera module provided by the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application can achieve more superior technical effects, for example: (1) The first circuit board assembly, VA coil, and first circuit board bracket in the VA mechanism are separately arranged from the lens assembly, and it is not necessary to drive these components in the VA mechanism at the same time when performing AF operation; and when performing OIS operation, it is only necessary to drive the chip packaging unit to move, and it is not necessary to drive the lens assembly and the VA mechanism at the same time; this effectively reduces the driving load from both AF and OIS aspects, which helps to save energy, improve the adjustment speed and extend the service life. (2) The second circuit board assembly is formed as a rectangular box as a whole, which is used to accommodate the OIS magnet assembly, the OIS coil assembly and the chip packaging unit and provide electrical connection for them, and at the same time, the OIS coil assembly and the chip packaging unit can be restored to move during the OIS process through the elastic connection frame formed by itself; this can make the overall structural design simpler and more compact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a camera module provided by one embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the camera module after preliminary decomposition is shown.

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the decomposed VA components in the camera module shown.

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram of a VA blade assembly in a VA assembly is shown.

[0021] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the lens assembly and the disassembled AF assembly in the camera module shown.

[0022] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the disassembled OIS component and imaging chip component in the camera module shown.

[0023] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of the second circuit board assembly is shown.

[0024] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of the OIS coil assembly is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the description of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0026] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a camera module with a more novel structure and a smart terminal having the camera module, so as to solve the problem that the built-in camera module of the existing smart terminal needs to drive the lens and VA mechanism at the same time when performing AF operation and OIS operation, which causes a heavy burden on the driving device, increases energy consumption and easily reduces the service life.

[0027] Please see first Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 According to one aspect of the present application, a camera module is provided, which can be used in smart terminals such as smartphones and tablet computers as a built-in camera module of the smart terminal.

[0028] The camera module includes a lens assembly 1, a VA assembly 2, an AF assembly 3, an OIS assembly 4, and an imaging chip assembly 5.

[0029] The lens assembly 1 may be an existing lens assembly for a built-in camera module of a smart terminal, including a lens barrel with a generally cylindrical or truncated cone outer contour, and a lens fixedly mounted inside the lens barrel. The specific features of each part of the lens assembly 1 may refer to the prior art and need not be described here.

[0030] The VA assembly 2 includes a first circuit board assembly 21, a VA coil 22, a first circuit board bracket 23, a blade cover 24, a gasket assembly 25, a blade assembly 26, a VA ball assembly 27, a VA magnet assembly 28, and a VA base 29. The first circuit board assembly 21 can be made of a flexible printed circuit (FPC), including a long and bendable main body 211 and a lead-out portion 212 connected to one end of the main body 211. There can be multiple VA coils 22, which are installed on the same side surface of the main body 211 at intervals and are electrically connected to the first circuit board assembly 21. The VA coil 22 adopts a runway-shaped coil in this embodiment, and can also adopt other appropriate shapes in other embodiments; its specific type can adopt a winding coil or a flexible printed coil (FP-coil). The first circuit board bracket 23 is cylindrical, and is provided with a receiving hole 230 for the VA coil 22 to be embedded. The size of the outer surface of the first circuit board bracket 23 corresponds to the main body 211 of the first circuit board assembly 21 . The main body 211 is bent and fits on the outer surface of the first circuit board bracket 23 , and the VA coil 22 is embedded in the accommodating hole 230 of the first circuit board bracket 23 .

[0031] The blade upper cover 24 includes an annular flat plate-shaped upper cover body 241 and an upper cover leg 242 connected to the same side surface of the upper cover body 241. The upper cover leg 242 is preferably in the shape of a plate, perpendicular to the upper cover body 241 in the length direction, and bent into an arc shape with the same curvature as the upper cover body 241 in the width direction, so that the outer contour of the upper cover leg 242 is flush with the outer edge of the upper cover body 241. In this embodiment, there are multiple upper cover legs 242, which are connected to the same side surface of the upper cover body 241 at intervals. The blade upper cover 24 is movably sleeved in the first circuit board bracket 23.

[0032] The gasket assembly 25 includes an upper gasket 251 and a lower gasket 252. In this embodiment, the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252 are both annular flat plates and have a plurality of spaced notches (not numbered in the figure) on the outside. The upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252 are arranged in parallel and aligned with each other, so that the notches on their outsides are aligned with each other one by one. The upper cover legs 242 of the blade upper cover 24 pass through these notches and are connected to the VA base 29. The blade assembly 26 includes a plurality of blades 260, which are clamped between the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252 and can move in a direction parallel to the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252. Please refer to Figure 4The shape of the blade 260 is generally a water drop shape that is bent toward one side, and a plurality of blades 260 are arranged end to end in an annular structure; the concave side edge of each blade 260 faces the inner side of the annular structure, and the tip of each blade 260 is arranged close to the concave side edge of the adjacent rear blade 260, so that the concave side edges of the plurality of blades 260 together form an annular through hole, which is used as the aperture of the lens assembly 1. Each blade 260 is also provided with a guide post hole 261 and a guide post groove 262 that are spaced apart from each other, the guide post hole 261 is preferably a through hole that passes through the blade 260, and the guide post groove 262 is preferably an arc-shaped through groove that passes through the blade 260; the guide post hole 261 of each blade 260 is exposed from the mutually aligned notches on the outer sides of the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252, and one end of the guide post groove 262 of each blade 260 is exposed from the annular hole in the center of the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252. The upper gasket 251 is installed parallel to the upper cover body 241 on a side surface of the upper cover body 241 connected to the upper cover legs 242 , so that the gasket assembly 25 and the blade assembly 26 are surrounded by the plurality of upper cover legs 242 .

[0033] The VA ball assembly 27 includes a plurality of VA balls 270, and the VA balls 270 are preferably magnetic balls. The VA magnet assembly 28 includes a VA magnet bracket 281 and a VA magnet 282. The VA magnet bracket 281 is cylindrical, and a plurality of first guide pillars 283 corresponding to the guide pillar holes 261 of the plurality of blades 260 are arranged at intervals on one end surface thereof, and a plurality of VA ball grooves 284 corresponding to the plurality of VA balls 270 are arranged at intervals on the inner side surface thereof. The outer diameter of the VA magnet bracket 281 is smaller than the inner diameter of the upper cover leg 242 of the blade upper cover 24, and the blade upper cover 24 is covered on the VA magnet bracket 281, and a plurality of upper cover legs 242 are arranged around the VA magnet bracket 281, so that after the upper cover leg 242 is connected to the VA base 29, the VA magnet assembly 28 and the blade assembly 26 can be installed between the blade upper cover 242 and the VA base 29.

[0034] In this embodiment, the VA magnet 282 is a permanent magnet, which is mounted on the outer surface of the VA magnet bracket 281. There can be multiple VA magnets 282, and their number and mounting positions correspond to the number and mounting positions of the VA coils 22. Since the first circuit board assembly 21 and the VA coil 22 are mounted on the outside of the blade cover 24 through the first circuit board assembly bracket 23, the VA coil 22 is arranged in the magnetic field of the corresponding VA magnet 282. In the present embodiment, the VA magnet 282 is preferably installed in a manner designed to protrude on the outer surface of the VA magnet bracket 281, and the distance between the outer surface of the VA magnet 282 and the central axis of the VA magnet bracket 281 is greater than the outer diameter of the upper cover body 241 of the blade upper cover 24, and the upper cover support feet 242 of the blade upper cover 24 are inserted between adjacent VA magnets 282; in addition, the distance between adjacent VA magnets 282 is designed to be greater than the width of the upper cover support feet 242, thereby allowing the VA magnet bracket 281 to carry the VA magnet 282 to rotate to a certain extent around the axis of the VA magnet bracket 281 in the blade upper cover 24, thereby driving each blade 260 to move to adjust the aperture. In other embodiments, the installation method of the VA magnet 282 can also be designed so that the outer surface of the VA magnet 282 is smaller than the inner diameter of the upper cover leg 242 of the blade upper cover 24, thereby allowing the VA magnet bracket 281 to carry the VA magnet 282 in the blade upper cover 24 and rotate around the axis of the VA magnet bracket 281 to any extent. The end surface of the VA magnet bracket 281 provided with the first guide column 283 abuts against the lower gasket 252, and the first guide column 283 is respectively inserted into the corresponding guide column hole 261 exposed from the outer notch of the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252. Each VA ball 270 is rotatably installed in the corresponding VA ball groove 284, and is clamped between the VA magnet bracket 281 and the VA base 29 to facilitate the relative rotation of the two.

[0035] The VA base 29 includes a first stage 291, a second stage 292 and a third stage 293, wherein the first stage 291, the second stage 292 and the third stage 293 are all cylindrical and have increasing outer diameters. The first stage 291, the second stage 292 and the third stage 293 are coaxially arranged in sequence, and the three are connected together or integrally formed. A plurality of second guide posts 290 corresponding to the guide post grooves 262 of the plurality of blades 260 are arranged at intervals on the end surface of the first stage 291. The outer diameter of the second stage 292 corresponds to the inner diameter of the VA magnet bracket 281, and the outer diameter of the third stage 293 corresponds to the outer diameter of the VA magnet bracket 281. The VA magnet bracket 281 is sleeved outside the second stage 292, and the VA ball 270 is rollably sandwiched between the VA magnet bracket 281 and the second stage 292, and the rolling of the VA ball 270 allows the VA magnet bracket 281 to rotate relative to the second stage 292. The first stage 291 extends out of the VA magnet bracket 281, and a plurality of second guide posts 290 extend into the annular holes in the center of the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252, and each second guide post 290 extends into the corresponding guide post slot 262 exposed from the annular holes in the center of the upper gasket 251 and the lower gasket 252. The upper cover leg 242 is fixed to the third stage 293. In some embodiments, the VA base 29 is preferably at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material that can be attracted by the VA magnet 282, for example, it can be made by embedding metal in plastic, so that it can attract each other with the VA magnet assembly 28 to prevent separation during assembly.

[0036] When the VA assembly 2 is working, the first circuit board assembly 21 obtains power from the outside through the lead-out portion 212, and supplies the power supply voltage to the VA coil 22. After the VA coil 22 is energized, it is subjected to electromagnetic thrust in the magnetic field of the corresponding VA magnet 282. Since the VA coil 22 is fixed relative to the VA base 29, and the VA magnet assembly 28 can rotate relative to the VA base 29, the reaction force of the electromagnetic thrust will drive the VA magnet 282 and the VA magnet bracket 281 to rotate around the central axis of the VA magnet bracket 281, and the VA ball 270 can provide assistance for the rotation. As the VA magnet bracket 281 rotates, each first guide column 283 will drive the corresponding blade 260 to move, and the moving direction of each blade 260 will be restricted by the guide column slot 262 and the second guide column 290, so that the blade 260 is expanded outward or tightened inward along the arc direction, so that the aperture surrounded by multiple blades 260 is expanded or reduced, thereby realizing the VA adjustment operation. By changing the direction of the power supply voltage supplied to the VA coil 22, the blades 260 can be controlled to extend outward and retract inward respectively, thereby achieving the purpose of expanding and reducing the aperture.

[0037] Please also read Figure 5The AF assembly 3 includes a first shell 31 , an AF carrier 32 , an AF suction piece 33 , an AF coil 34 , an AF magnet 35 , an AF base 36 , a spring assembly 37 , and an AF ball assembly 38 .

[0038] The first housing 31 is shaped roughly like a rectangular box with an open bottom, and includes a rectangular flat plate-shaped first top wall 311 and a rectangular frame-shaped first frame 312, and the first frame 312 is vertically connected to the bottom edge of the first top wall 311. A lens hole 310 is provided in the middle of the first top wall 311. The first circuit board bracket 23 is also fixed on the first housing 31, for example, it can be fixedly arranged around the lens hole 310. The AF carrier 32 is shaped roughly like a frame with a rectangular outer contour and a circular inner contour. The first housing 31 is covered outside the AF carrier 32 to accommodate the AF carrier 32 in the first housing 31, and a part of the lens assembly 1, for example, the rear end is fixed in the AF carrier 32, and the front end of the lens assembly 1 extends from the first housing 31 through the lens hole 310. A recessed embedding portion 313 corresponding to the lead-out portion 212 of the first circuit board assembly 21 can also be provided on one side of the first frame 312.

[0039] A first AF ball groove 321 is formed at both ends of one side of the AF carrier 32. The two first AF ball grooves 321 are parallel to each other and run in the same direction as the thickness of the AF carrier 32. When the lens assembly 1 is fixed in the AF carrier 32, the direction of the first AF ball groove 321 is in the same direction as the optical axis of the lens assembly 1. Figure 1 The Z-axis direction shown in is consistent. At least part of the area between the two ball grooves 321 of the side surface is recessed to form an installation area 322 corresponding to the AF suction piece 33 and the AF coil 34. The AF suction piece 33 is made of ferromagnetic material and fixedly attached to the bottom surface of the installation area 320; the AF coil 34 adopts a runway-shaped coil in this embodiment, and other appropriate shapes can also be adopted in other embodiments, and its specific type can be a winding coil or FP-coil, etc. The AF coil 34 is fixedly embedded in the installation area 320, so that the AF suction piece 33 is clamped between the AF carrier 32 and the AF coil 34. In this embodiment, the AF suction piece 33 can preferably also be formed into a runway-shaped frame shape corresponding to the shape of the AF coil 34, and a protruding sleeve portion 323 is formed in the middle of the bottom surface of the installation area 322. The shape and size of the sleeve portion 323 correspond to the central through holes of the AF suction piece 33 and the AF coil 34. When the AF suction piece 33 and the AF coil 34 are fixed to the AF carrier 32 in the above manner, the AF suction piece 33 and the AF coil 34 can be sequentially sleeved on the sleeve portion 323 to improve the accuracy and stability of the installation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the AF magnet 35 is a bar-shaped or sheet-shaped permanent magnet, and its shape and size correspond to the AF coil 34. The shape of the AF base 36 is roughly a rectangular frame, and the AF magnet 35 is fixedly mounted on the inner side of a frame edge of the AF base 36. Since the AF base 36 is only equipped with the AF magnet 35 on one of its four frame edges, the magnetic field interference between the AF magnet 35 and the VA magnet 28 can be minimized; in some embodiments, the number of VA magnets 28 can also be reduced, and the installation position of the VA magnet 28 can be made as far away from the AF magnet 35 as possible to further reduce the magnetic field interference between the two. The two ends of the inner surface of the frame edge of the AF base 36 where the AF magnet 35 is installed are respectively provided with a recessed second AF ball groove 361, and the position, shape and size of the second AF ball groove 361 correspond to the above-mentioned two first AF ball grooves 321. The first shell 31 is covered on the outside of the AF base 36 and fixed to the AF base 36. The AF carrier 32 equipped with the AF suction piece 33 and the AF coil 34 is sleeved in the AF base, and the AF coil 34 is aligned with the AF magnet 35, and the two first AF ball grooves 321 are respectively aligned with the two second AF ball grooves 361. The spring assembly 37 includes springs 370, which are made of elastic and conductive materials such as metal or conductive rubber, and the number is preferably more than two. The AF carrier 32 is connected to the AF base 36 through the springs 370, so that the AF carrier 32 is suspended in the AF base 36. Based on the elasticity of the springs 370, the AF carrier 32 can move relative to the AF base 36 when subjected to external force, and after the external force is eliminated, it will return to the initial position driven by the elastic force of the springs 370. Based on the conductivity of the springs 370, the AF carrier 32 can also establish an electrical connection with the AF base 36 through the springs 370. The AF ball assembly 38 includes a plurality of AF balls 380 , which are preferably magnetic balls and are rollably mounted between each set of first AF ball grooves 321 and second AF ball grooves 361 that are aligned with each other.

[0041] When the AF assembly 3 is working, according to the prior art, an external power supply voltage is provided to the AF base 36, and the power supply voltage is provided from the AF base 36 to the AF carrier 32 through the spring 370, and applied to the AF coil 34. After the AF coil 34 is energized, it is subjected to electromagnetic thrust in the magnetic field of the AF magnet 35, and thus moves relative to the AF magnet 35 under the drive of the electromagnetic thrust, and further drives the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 fixed in the AF carrier 32 to move relative to the AF base 36. In this embodiment, the direction in which the AF coil 34 can drive the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 to move is set to be in the direction of the optical axis of the lens assembly 1, for example Figure 1, that is, consistent with the direction of the Z axis shown in , that is, consistent with the direction of the first AF ball groove 321 and the second AF ball groove 361; in this way, when the AF coil 34 is energized, the AF ball 380 will not hinder the electromagnetic thrust of the AF coil 34 from driving the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 to move along the optical axis direction of the lens assembly 1, and can also roll in the first AF ball groove 321 and the second AF ball groove 361, providing assistance and guidance for the movement of the AF carrier 32 relative to the AF base 36. During the above-mentioned actuation process, the AF suction piece 33 is always attracted by the AF magnet 35, driving the AF carrier 32 to generate a tendency to move toward the AF magnet 35, so that the AF ball 380 is stably clamped between the first AF ball groove 321 and the second AF ball groove 361, preventing the AF ball 380 from falling off. Through the above-mentioned actuation method, the position of the focal plane of the lens assembly 1 can be adjusted to achieve the AF function.

[0042] Furthermore, by adjusting the direction, magnitude and duration of the current in the AF coil 34, the direction, magnitude and duration of the electromagnetic thrust received by the AF coil 34 can be adjusted accordingly, thereby adjusting the direction, speed and amplitude of the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 driven by the AF coil 34 to achieve precise AF operation. When the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 move driven by the AF coil 34, the spring 370 will undergo elastic deformation; when the lens assembly 1 needs to be reset after the AF operation is completed, the AF coil 34 is stopped from being energized, and the AF coil 34 is no longer subjected to the electromagnetic thrust, and the spring 370 can restore its initial shape, driving the AF carrier 32 and the lens assembly 1 back to their initial positions.

[0043] Please also read Figure 6 The OIS assembly 4 includes a second housing 41 , a second circuit board assembly 42 , an OIS magnet assembly 43 , an OIS ball assembly 44 , an OIS coil assembly 45 , and an OIS base assembly 46 . The imaging chip assembly 5 includes a chip packaging unit 51 and a chip connector 52 .

[0044] The second housing 41 is shaped like a rectangular box with an open bottom, and includes a second rectangular top wall 411 and a second rectangular frame 412. The second frame 412 is vertically connected to the bottom edge of the second top wall 411. A first light hole 410 is opened in the middle of the second top wall 411.

[0045] Please also read Figure 7, the second circuit board assembly 42 can be made of FPC, including a main board body 421, two first connecting arms 422, and two second connecting arms 423. The main board body 421 is a rectangular flat frame, including two mutually parallel first frame edges 421a and two mutually parallel second frame edges 421b, the first frame edges 421a and the second frame edges 421b are both straight strip flat and arranged in the same plane. A first connecting arm 422 and a second connecting arm 423 are connected to the middle of each first frame edge 421, and the two first connecting arms 422 and the two second connecting arms 423 are all led out from the first frame edge 421 to which they are connected to the same side of the main board body 421 along a direction perpendicular to the plane where the main board body 421 is located, and then extend along the outer edge of the main board body 421 to form a rectangular connecting frame 420 arranged around the outer edge of the main board body 421 and perpendicular to the plane where the main board body 421 is located. After the connection frame 420 is formed, the first connection arm 422 and the second connection arm 423 continue to extend to the same plane parallel to the main board body 421, and a first connection plate 422a is formed at the end of each first connection arm 422, and a second connection plate 423a is formed at the end of each second connection arm 423. The first connection plate 422a and the second connection plate 423a are both located in the same plane parallel to the main board body 421, and are preferably arranged opposite to the same second frame edge 421b. In the above structure of the second circuit board assembly 42, at least the connection frame 420 is elastic, so that the main board body 421 can be reversibly moved relative to the first connection plate 422a and the second connection plate 423a based on the elastic deformation of the connection frame 420. The second circuit board assembly 42 is accommodated in the second housing 41, and the surfaces of the first connection plate 422a and the second connection plate 423a facing the second housing 41 are fixedly connected to the second top wall 411 of the second housing 41, so as to suspend the second circuit board assembly 42 in the second housing 41. In other embodiments, in addition to the first connecting plate 422a and the second connecting plate 423a at the ends, other portions of the first connecting arm 422 and the second connecting arm 423 extending in the same plane parallel to the main board body 421 may also be fixedly connected to the second top wall 411 .

[0046] The OIS magnet assembly 43 includes an OIS magnet bracket 431 and an OIS magnet 432. The OIS magnet bracket 431 is in the shape of a rectangular flat plate, with a second light hole 431a in the center, and two first connection areas 431b corresponding to the two first connection plates 422a and two second connection areas 431c corresponding to the two second connection plates 423a are also provided on its surface. The OIS magnet bracket 431 is sleeved inside the second circuit board assembly 42, and its first connection area 431b is fixedly connected to the side surface of the first connection plate 422a facing away from the second shell 41 and establishes an electrical connection at the same time, and its second connection area 431c is fixedly connected to the side surface of the second connection plate 423a facing away from the second shell 41 and establishes an electrical connection at the same time. The first connection area 431b and the second connection area 431c are preferably formed as electrical connection areas recessed on the same side surface of the OIS magnet bracket 431, so that the first connection plate 422a and the second connection plate 423a can be respectively embedded and then fixed, thereby improving assembly stability and saving space. In this embodiment, the OIS magnet 432 is a bar-shaped permanent magnet, which is fixed to the other side surface of the OIS magnet bracket 431 opposite to the side surface where the first connection area 431b and the second connection area 431c are provided; in this embodiment, the number of OIS magnets 432 is preferably four, which are respectively arranged in directions parallel to the four sides of the OIS magnet bracket 431.

[0047] The OIS ball assembly 44 includes a plurality of OIS balls 440, and the OIS balls 440 are preferably magnetic balls. Figure 8, the OIS coil assembly 45 includes an OIS coil carrier 451 and an OIS coil 452. The OIS coil carrier 451 is in the shape of a rectangular frame, which is sleeved in the second circuit board assembly 42 and arranged parallel to the OIS magnet bracket 431. The bottom surface of the OIS coil carrier 451 is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the main board body 421 of the second circuit board assembly 42; in this way, based on the elasticity of the connecting frame 420, the OIS coil carrier 451 can be reversibly moved relative to the OIS magnet assembly 43 fixed on the first connecting plate 422a and the second connecting plate 423a. The OIS coil 452 adopts a runway-shaped coil in this embodiment, and other appropriate shapes can also be adopted in other embodiments. Its specific type can be a winding coil or FP-coil, etc. In this embodiment, the number of OIS coils 452 is preferably four, all of which are installed on the same side surface of the OIS coil carrier 451, and the length directions of the four OIS coils 452 are respectively parallel to the four sides of the OIS coil carrier 451. The surface of the OIS coil carrier 451 on which the OIS coil 452 is mounted is disposed toward the OIS magnet assembly 43, so that the four OIS coils 452 are aligned with the four OIS magnets 432, respectively. The OIS balls 440 are respectively rollably clamped between the relatively aligned OIS magnets 432 and the OIS coils 452, and are preferably rollably embedded in the through groove formed in the center of the racetrack-shaped OIS coil 452, so that the OIS balls 440 can roll along the length direction of the OIS coils 452. In other embodiments, a ball groove for rollably embedding the OIS balls 440 may also be provided on the surface of the OIS magnet 432, so as to more stably clamp the OIS balls 440.

[0048] The OIS base assembly 46 includes an OIS base 461 and a base sealing sheet 462. The OIS base 461 is a rectangular frame, and the second circuit board assembly 42 is fixed to the inner wall of the OIS base 461 through its connecting frame 420, and is electrically connected to the OIS base 461. The second housing 41 is disposed on the outside of the OIS base 461 and is fixed to the OIS base 461. The base sealing sheet 462 is a circular or annular sheet, fixed to the bottom of the OIS base 461 to define the internal space of the OIS base 461.

[0049] The chip packaging unit 51 of the imaging chip assembly 5 is fixed inside the OIS coil carrier 451 and aligned with the second light through hole 431a and the first light through hole 410. In this embodiment, the chip packaging unit 51 adopts a chip on board (COB) structure with reference to the prior art, integrating the sensor chip with the circuit board, wherein the sensor chip part can convert the optical signal into an electronic signal when receiving it, and directly output it through the circuit board part. The chip connector 52 can be made of FPC and electrically connected to the chip packaging unit 51. In this embodiment, the chip connector 52 is preferably arranged on the top wall 411 of the second shell 41, and is electrically connected to the first connecting plate 422a and the second connecting plate 423a by being embedded in the hollowed-out area on the top wall 411, so as to be electrically connected to the chip packaging unit 51 through the second circuit board assembly 42 and the OIS coil assembly 45, which is more convenient for assembly.

[0050] When the OIS assembly 4 is working, an external power supply voltage is provided to the OIS base 461 according to the prior art, and the power supply voltage is provided from the OIS base 461 to the OIS coil carrier 451 through the second circuit board assembly 42, and applied to the OIS coil 452. After the OIS coil 452 is energized, it is subjected to the electromagnetic thrust in the magnetic field of the OIS magnet 432, which drives the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 to move relative to the OIS magnet 432. In this embodiment, the directions in which the OIS coil 452 can drive the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 to move are set to two directions that are perpendicular to each other and also perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the lens assembly 1, for example Figure 1 The X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction shown in the figure are set to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the length direction of the OIS coil 452 and the rolling direction of the OIS ball 440 are also set to these two directions. In this way, when the chip packaging unit 51 is used to receive the optical signal from the lens assembly 1, the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 are driven to move by the OIS coil 452 in the above manner, so that the position deviation caused by the shaking of the lens assembly 1 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction can be compensated, and the OIS function can be realized, and the OIS ball 440 can provide assistance and limit for the movement of the OIS coil assembly 45 relative to the OIS magnet assembly 43 by rolling itself. By adjusting the direction, magnitude and duration of the current in the OIS coil 452, the direction, magnitude and duration of the electromagnetic thrust received by the OIS coil 452 can be adjusted accordingly, and then the direction, speed and amplitude of the movement of the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 driven by the OIS coil 452 can be adjusted to achieve precise OIS operation.

[0051] In addition, when the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 move driven by the OIS coil 452, the main board body 421 will move accordingly, and the connecting frame 420 will undergo elastic deformation; when the OIS operation is completed, the OIS coil 452 is powered off, and the OIS coil 452 is no longer subjected to electromagnetic thrust. The connecting frame 420 can restore its original shape based on its own elasticity, driving the main board body 421, the OIS coil carrier 451 and the chip packaging unit 51 to return to their initial positions.

[0052] When assembling the camera device, the lens assembly 1 is fixed to the AF carrier 32 of the AF assembly 3 in the above manner, and the OIS assembly 4 is assembled with the imaging chip unit 5. Then the VA assembly 2 and the AF assembly 3 are connected to each other, and the front end of the lens assembly 1 is inserted into the VA base 29 and aligned with the aperture formed by the plurality of blades 260; the OIS assembly 4 is also connected to the AF assembly 3, and the chip packaging unit 51 is aligned with the rear end of the lens assembly 2 through the second light through hole 431a and the first light through hole 410. Preferably, the lead-out portion 212 of the first circuit board assembly 21 can also be embedded in the embedding portion 313 opened on the outside of the first frame 312 and electrically connected to the first frame 312, and the end of the lead-out portion 212 is extended along the outside of the first frame 312 to be connected to the chip connector 52; in this way, the VA assembly 2, the AF assembly 3 and the OIS assembly 4 can all be electrically connected to the outside through the chip connection board 52, which is convenient for simplifying the electrical connection structure.

[0053] After the assembly is completed, the VA assembly 2 can be used to adjust the aperture of the lens assembly 1 according to the above-mentioned specific actuation mode, and then the lens assembly 1 can be used to shoot to collect optical signals, and the optical signals collected by the lens assembly 1 can be received by the chip packaging unit 51 and converted into electronic signals, which are transmitted to the outside world through the chip connection board 52. During the shooting process, the AF assembly 3 and the OIS assembly 4 can be controlled to perform AF operation and OIS operation respectively according to the above-mentioned specific actuation mode to ensure the shooting quality.

[0054] Compared with the prior art, the camera module provided by the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application can achieve significant beneficial technical effects, for example: (1) The first circuit board assembly 21, the VA coil 22, and the first circuit board bracket 23 in the VA mechanism 2 are separately arranged from the lens assembly 1. When performing AF operation, only the lens assembly 1 needs to be driven to move without driving these components of the VA mechanism 2 at the same time; and when performing OIS operation, only the chip packaging unit 51 needs to be driven to move without driving the lens assembly 1 and the VA mechanism 2 at the same time; thus, the driving load is effectively reduced from both AF and OIS aspects, which helps to save energy, improve the adjustment speed and prolong the service life. (2) The second circuit board assembly 42 is formed as a rectangular box as a whole, which is used to accommodate the OIS magnet assembly 43, the OIS coil assembly 45 and the chip packaging unit 51 and provide electrical connection for them, and at the same time, the OIS coil assembly 45 and the chip packaging unit 51 can be restored to move during the OIS process through the elastic connection frame 420 formed by itself; this can make the overall structural design more simplified and compact.

[0055] Another aspect of the present application provides a smart terminal, which may be, for example, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a personal computer, a wearable device, etc., and the smart terminal includes a camera module as described in the above embodiment. It can be understood that the smart terminal can also obtain the beneficial technical effects of the above aspects compared with the prior art because it includes the camera module as described in the above embodiment.

[0056] The above are only specific implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A camera module, characterized in that: The camera module includes a lens assembly, a VA assembly, an AF assembly, an OIS assembly, and an imaging chip assembly; the VA assembly, the AF assembly and the OIS assembly are connected, the lens assembly is installed in the AF assembly, and the imaging chip assembly is installed in the OIS assembly; the lens assembly is used to collect optical signals, and the imaging chip assembly is used to convert the optical signals collected by the lens assembly into electronic signals, the VA assembly includes a VA coil separately from the lens assembly, a VA base connected to the lens assembly, a VA magnet assembly rotatably mounted on the VA base, and a blade assembly mounted on the VA base and the VA magnet assembly for forming an aperture of the lens assembly, the VA coil and the VA magnet assembly are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the VA blade assembly to move to adjust the size of the aperture; the AF assembly is used to drive the lens assembly to move for AF operation, and the OIS assembly is used to drive the imaging chip assembly to move for OIS operation.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The VA magnet assembly includes a VA magnet bracket and a VA magnet mounted on the VA magnet bracket, and the blade assembly is mounted on the VA magnet bracket; the VA coil and the VA magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the VA magnet bracket to rotate, thereby driving the blade assembly to move to adjust the size of the aperture.

3. The camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The VA assembly further includes a first circuit board assembly and a first circuit board bracket. The first circuit board assembly is arranged around the first circuit board bracket. The VA coil is installed inside the first circuit board assembly and is electrically connected to the first circuit board assembly.

4. The camera module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The VA assembly also includes a blade cover fixedly connected to the VA base, the VA magnet assembly and the blade assembly are installed between the blade cover and the VA base, the blade cover is movably mounted in the first circuit board bracket, the VA magnet bracket is rotatably mounted in the VA base, and the VA base is fixedly connected to the lens assembly.

5. The camera module according to claim 4, characterized in that: The blade assembly includes a plurality of blades, each of which is provided with a guide post hole and a guide post groove spaced apart from each other, a first guide post is provided on the VA magnet bracket, and a second guide post is provided on the VA base, the first guide post is inserted into the guide post hole, and the second guide post is inserted into the guide post groove; when the VA magnet bracket rotates relative to the VA base, the first guide post and the second guide post limit the moving direction of the blade, so that the blade expands outward or tightens inward along the arc direction, thereby adjusting the size of the aperture.

6. The camera module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The VA base is at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material that is attractable by the VA magnet.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The AF assembly includes an AF carrier, an AF coil, an AF magnet and an AF base; the lens assembly and the AF coil are mounted on the AF carrier, the AF carrier is movably mounted inside the AF base, and the AF magnet is mounted on the AF base; the AF coil and the AF magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the AF carrier and the lens assembly to move to perform AF operation.

8. The camera module according to claim 1, wherein: The OIS component includes a second circuit board component, an OIS magnet component and an OIS coil component. The OIS magnet component includes an OIS magnet bracket and an OIS magnet mounted on the OIS magnet bracket. The OIS coil component includes an OIS coil carrier and an OIS coil mounted on the OIS coil carrier. The OIS coil carrier is relatively movably connected to the OIS magnet bracket via the second circuit board component. The imaging chip component includes a chip packaging unit for converting the optical signal collected by the lens component into an electronic signal. The chip packaging unit is mounted in the OIS coil carrier. The OIS coil and the OIS magnet are used to generate electromagnetic thrust to drive the OIS coil carrier and the chip packaging unit to move to perform OIS operation.

9. The camera module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second circuit board assembly includes a main board body, an elastic connecting frame arranged around the outer edge of the main board body, and a first connecting plate and a second connecting plate parallel to the main board body, the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate are connected to the main board body through the connecting frame; the OIS magnet bracket is connected to the first connecting plate and the second connecting plate, and the OIS coil carrier is connected to the main board body.

10. An intelligent terminal, characterized in that: Comprising a camera module as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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