Camera module including image stabilization unit and electronic device including same

Abstract

An electronic device according to one embodiment includes at least one camera module. The camera module includes a lens housing including an image stabilization unit, an autofocus driving unit, a lens system, and an image sensor along an optical axis. The image stabilization unit includes: an optical member for reflecting incident light and emitting reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical member holder in which the optical member is disposed and which is arranged to be rotatable about a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch driving unit disposed within the lens housing so as to provide a force for rotating the optical member holder about a pitch axis; a yaw driving unit disposed within the lens housing so as to provide a force for rotating the optical member holder about a yaw axis; and a centering unit provided between the lens housing and the optical member holder so as to provide a centering force of the optical member holder. The centering unit includes: a centering magnet disposed on the optical member holder and including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke disposed in the lens housing, disposed to face the second surface while being spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface. In addition, various embodiments identified by the specification are possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a structure of an image stabilization unit of a camera module provided in an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] An electronic device may have at least one camera module disposed on its front surface or rear surface. The at least one camera module may include a two-fold or more high-magnification zoom camera function. When a camera module with a high-magnification zoom camera function is disposed in a housing of an electronic device, it may protrude from an outer surface of the housing due to a long focal length of the optical system.

[0003] The camera module with a high-magnification zoom function bends the optical axis once by using an optical member so that the optical axis of the lens and the viewing angle for photographing are formed at a right angle, and the camera module can be mounted in a housing of an electronic device.

[0004] The camera module with the high-magnification zoom function may include an image stabilization unit. The image stabilization unit may be corrected by shifting the lens system or moving the prism along one axis. Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical issues

[0006] However, a camera module that bends an optical axis by using an optical member such as a prism may adopt a method of rotating a prism holder as an image stabilization method, and thus it may be difficult to ensure stability of the prism holder and high current consumption may occur.

[0007] In particular, this type of camera module may have torque generated in the prism holder even when the power is turned off, and therefore, there may be a factor that makes the centering of the prism holder unstable or high current consumption may occur. For example, when the center of mass of the moving part of the camera module moves away from the rotation axis, torque to rotate may be generated due to gravity, and more driving force may be required and current consumption may further increase.

[0008] Furthermore, when the power is off, the optical member such as the prism may be disposed to be biased toward one side of the prism holder, and may collide with the stopper even in response to a shake or a small impact, thereby becoming structurally fragile.

[0009] Solution to the problem

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a camera module including an image stabilization unit to reduce current consumption, and an electronic device including the same.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module and an electronic device including the same are provided, which can reduce the centering current consumption caused by a centering unit that provides a restoring force caused by an asymmetric centering magnet and / or an asymmetric centering yoke.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a camera module including an image stabilization unit having a mass balancer provided in an optical member holder to achieve stability and reduce current consumption, and an electronic device including the same.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device includes at least one camera module, wherein the camera module includes a lens housing, the lens housing includes an image stabilization unit, an autofocus drive unit, a lens system and an image sensor along an optical axis, wherein the image stabilization unit includes: an optical component configured to reflect incident light and output reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical component holder having an optical component arranged therein and arranged to be rotatable relative to a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the pitch axis; a yaw drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the yaw axis; and a centering unit arranged between the lens housing and the optical component holder to provide a centering force for the optical component holder, wherein the centering unit includes: a centering magnet arranged in the optical component holder and including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke arranged in the lens housing and arranged to face the second surface, spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface.

[0014] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module has a centering magnet and / or a centering yoke formed in an asymmetric structure, so that an image stabilization unit of the camera module may be stable and current consumption may be reduced.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module has a mass balancer provided in an optical member holder, so that an image stabilization unit may be stable even when power is turned off, and current consumption may be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a front surface of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a rear surface of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main internal portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an internal structure of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 6a is a cross-sectional view showing a camera module cut along a lateral direction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 6b is a perspective view showing a lens driving unit of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figures 10 to 12 is a perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig.13 is a perspective view showing a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Fig.14 is a view schematically showing the arrangement of a centering unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Fig.15 is a graph showing a comparison between when the centering yoke is a planar yoke and when the centering yoke is a circular yoke, as a graph showing a change in magnetic centering force without considering errors of the center of mass and the center of rotation of the moving part of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Fig.16 is a perspective view showing a mass balancer provided on an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Fig.17 It is shown Fig.16 A view of one side of

[0033] Fig.18 is a graph showing a change in return torque when the center of mass of the optical member holder is considered according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Fig.19 is a perspective view showing a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Fig.21 is a view schematically showing an arrangement of a centering unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0037] Fig. 22 is a view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] With regard to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the various embodiments are not intended to limit the present disclosure to a specific embodiment, and include various modifications, equivalents and / or substitutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the front surface of the electronic device according to the embodiment. Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 A perspective view of a rear surface of an electronic device.

[0041] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to an embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a housing 110 including a first surface (or front surface) 110A, a second surface (or rear surface) 110B, and a side surface 110C surrounding a space between the first surface 110A and the second surface 110B. In another embodiment (not shown), the housing may refer to a housing formed Figure 1The structure of a portion of the first surface 110A, the second surface 110B, and the side surface 110C. According to an embodiment, the first surface 110A may be formed by a front surface plate 102 having at least a portion that is substantially transparent (e.g., a glass plate or a polymer plate including various coatings). The second surface 110B may be formed by a substantially opaque rear surface plate 111. The rear surface plate 111 may be formed of, for example, coated or tinted glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS) or magnesium) or a combination of at least two of the above materials. The side surface 110C may be formed by a side surface frame structure (or "side surface member") 118, which is coupled to the front surface plate 102 and the rear surface plate 111 and includes metal and / or polymer. In a certain embodiment, the rear surface plate 111 and the side surface frame structure 118 may be formed integrally with each other and may include the same material (e.g., a metal material such as aluminum).

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the front surface plate 102 may include two first regions 110D that are bent from the first surface 110A toward the rear surface plate 111 and extend seamlessly and are disposed on both ends of the long edge of the front surface plate 102. Figure 2 ), the rear surface plate 111 may include two second areas 110E, which are bent from the second surface 110B toward the front surface plate 102 and extend seamlessly, and are arranged on both ends of the long edge. In a certain embodiment, the front surface plate 102 (or the rear surface plate 111) may include only one of the first areas 110D (or the second areas 110E). In another embodiment, a portion of the first area 110D or the second area 110E may not be included. In the above embodiment, when observed from the side of the electronic device 100, the side surface frame structure 118 may have a first thickness (or width) on the side surface not including the above-mentioned first area 110D or the second area 110E, and may have a second thickness thinner than the first thickness on the side surface including the first area 110D or the second area 110E.

[0043] According to an embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include at least one of the display 101, the audio modules 103, 107, 114, the sensor modules 104, 116, 119, the camera modules 105, 112, 113, the key input device 117, the light emitting element 106, and the connector holes 108, 109. In a certain embodiment, the electronic device 100 may omit at least one of the components (e.g., the key input device 117 or the light emitting element 106), or may additionally include other components.

[0044] According to an embodiment, for example, the display 101 may be exposed through a large portion of the front surface plate 102. In a certain embodiment, at least a portion of the display 101 may be exposed through the front surface plate 102 forming the first surface 110A and the first region 110D of the side surface 110C. In a certain embodiment, a corner of the display 101 may be formed to have substantially the same shape as the outer boundary of the front surface plate 102 adjacent thereto. In another embodiment (not shown), a gap between the outer boundary of the display 101 and the outer boundary of the front surface plate 102 may be formed substantially equally so that the exposed area of ​​the display 101 is extended.

[0045] In another embodiment (not shown), a recess or an opening may be formed on a portion of the screen display area of ​​the display 101, and the electronic device may include at least one of the audio module 114, the sensor module 104, the camera module 105, and the light emitting element 106 aligned with the recess or the opening. In another embodiment (not shown), the electronic device may include at least one of the audio module 114, the sensor module 104, the camera module 105, the fingerprint sensor 116, and the light emitting element 106 disposed on the rear surface of the screen display area of ​​the display 101. In another embodiment (not shown), the display 101 may be coupled to a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor for measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer for a stylus for detecting a magnetic field method, or may be disposed adjacent to a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor for measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer for a stylus for detecting a magnetic field method. In a certain embodiment, at least a portion of the sensor modules 104, 119 and / or at least a portion of the key input device 117 may be disposed on the first area 110D and / or the second area 110E.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the audio module 103, 107, 114 may include a microphone hole 103 and speaker holes 107, 114. The microphone hole 103 may have a microphone disposed therein to obtain external sound, and in a certain embodiment, the microphone hole may have a plurality of microphones disposed therein to detect the direction of the sound. The speaker holes 107, 114 may include an external speaker hole 107 and a receiver hole 114 for communication. In a certain embodiment, the speaker holes 107, 114 and the microphone hole 103 may be implemented by one hole, or a speaker may be included without including the speaker holes 107, 114 (e.g., a piezoelectric speaker).

[0047] According to an embodiment, the sensor modules 104, 116, 119 may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to an internal operating state or an external environmental state of the electronic device 100. The sensor modules 104, 116, 119 may include, for example, a first sensor module 104 (e.g., a proximity sensor) and / or a second sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the first surface 110A of the housing 110 and / or a third sensor module 119 (e.g., an HRM sensor) and / or a fourth sensor module 116 (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the second surface 110B of the housing 110. The fingerprint sensor may be disposed not only on the first surface 110A (e.g., the display 101) of the housing 110, but also on the second surface 110B. The electronic device 100 may further include a sensor module (not shown), for example, at least one of a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illumination sensor 104.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the camera modules 105, 112, 113 may include a first camera device 105 disposed on a first surface 110A of the electronic device 100 and a second camera device 112 and / or a flash 113 disposed on a second surface 110B. The camera modules 105, 112 may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. The flash 113 may include, for example, a light emitting diode or a xenon lamp. In a certain embodiment, two or more lenses (an infrared camera, a wide-angle lens, and a telephoto lens) and an image sensor may be disposed on one surface of the electronic device 100.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the key input device 117 may be provided on the side surface 110C of the housing 110. In another embodiment, the electronic device 100 may not include a part or all of the key input device 117 mentioned above, and the key input device 117 not included may be implemented in other forms such as soft keys on the display 101. In a certain embodiment, the key input device may include a sensor module 116 provided on the second surface 110B of the housing 110.

[0050] According to an embodiment, for example, the light emitting element 106 may be disposed on the first surface 110A of the housing 110. For example, the light emitting element 106 may provide status information of the electronic device 100 in the form of light. In another embodiment, the light emitting element 106 may provide a light source interlocked with the operation of the camera module 105. The light emitting element 106 may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared LED (IR LED), and a xenon lamp.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the connector holes 108, 109 may include a first connector hole 108 and / or a second connector hole (e.g., a headphone jack) 109, the first connector hole 108 accommodating a connector (e.g., a USB connector) for exchanging power and / or data with an external electronic device, and the second connector hole 109 accommodating a connector for exchanging audio signals with an external electronic device.

[0052] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a main internal portion of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] refer to Figure 3 According to an embodiment, the electronic device 300 may include a side frame structure 310, a first support member 311 (e.g., a bracket), a front surface plate 320, a display 330, a printed circuit board 340, a battery 350, a second support member 360 (e.g., a rear shell), an antenna 370, and a rear surface plate 380. In a certain embodiment, the electronic device 300 may omit at least one of the components (e.g., the first support member 311 or the second support member 360), or may additionally include other components. At least one of the components of the electronic device 300 may be different from Figure 1 or Figure 2 At least one of the components of the electronic device 100 is the same or similar, and a redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the first support member 311 may be provided in the electronic device 300 to be connected to the side frame structure 310, or may be formed integrally with the side frame structure 310. The first support member 311 may be formed of a metal material and / or a non-metal material (e.g., a polymer). The first support member 311 may have one surface coupled to the display 330 and another surface coupled to the printed circuit board 340. The processor, memory, and / or interface may be mounted on the printed circuit board 340. The processor may include, for example, one or more of a central processing device, an application processor, a graphics processing unit, an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor.

[0055] Depending on the implementation, the memory may include, for example, volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the interface may include, for example, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, and / or an audio interface. The interface may electrically or physically connect the electronic device 300 to an external electronic device, and may include a USB connector, an SD card / MMC connector, or an audio connector.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the battery 350 is a device for supplying power to at least one component of the electronic device 300, and may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery or a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell. At least a portion of the battery 350 may be disposed on substantially the same plane as the printed circuit board 340. The battery 350 may be integrally disposed in the electronic device 300, or may be attachably and detachably disposed in the electronic device 300.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the antenna 370 may be disposed between the rear surface plate 380 and the battery 350. The antenna 370 may include, for example, a near field communication (NFC) antenna, a wireless charging antenna, and / or a magnetic secure transmission (MST) antenna. The antenna 370 may perform short-range communication with an external device, or may wirelessly transmit and receive power required for charging. In another embodiment, the antenna structure may be formed by a portion of the first support member 311 and / or the side frame structure 310, or a combination thereof.

[0059] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an internal structure of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6a is a cross-sectional view showing a camera module cut in a lateral direction. Figure 6b is a perspective view showing a lens driving unit of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] refer to Figures 4 to 6b According to the embodiment, at least one camera module 40 may be provided in an electronic device (eg, Figure 1 , Figure 2 The camera module 40 may be disposed on a front surface area and / or a rear surface area of ​​the electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 1 . According to an embodiment, the camera module 40 may be a camera module 40 having a high magnification zoom camera function of two times or more among the camera modules 40 provided in the mobile electronic device. For example, the camera module 40 may perform a high magnification zoom function of 2 to 100 times.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the camera module 40 may be a type of camera module that forms an optical path by bending the optical axis once using the optical member 432. For example, the optical member 432 may include a reflective member such as a prism or a reflective mirror. The bending angle of the optical axis may be about 90 degrees.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the camera module 40 may include an optical member holder 43 for mounting the optical member 432 and the image stabilization units m2, c2, m3, c3. According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may have an optical member mounting recess 430 formed thereon so that the optical member 432 is mounted therein. For example, the optical member mounting recess 430 may have an open space in the shape of a triangular prism.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the camera module 40 may include a lens housing 41 to accommodate a plurality of optical components. The lens housing 41 may include an upper lens housing 410 and a lower lens housing 412. The upper lens housing 410 may have an opening 411 formed thereon to have an entrance lens 45 installed therein.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the lens housing 41 may include an autofocus unit m1, c1, an image stabilization unit m2, c2, m3, c3, an image sensor s, a lens system 422, and a flexible printed circuit board 44 along the optical axis. According to an embodiment, the optical path of the camera module 40 may include a path in which light entering through the entrance lens 45 bends its optical axis by about 90 degrees through the optical member 432, then passes through the lens system 422, and finally reaches the image sensor s. The entrance lens 45 through which the image light first enters may be omitted from the camera module. According to an embodiment, the autofocus unit 422 may provide a driving force for autofocusing of the lens system 422. Reference numeral 420 may indicate an upper lens frame coupled to the lens system.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the camera module 40 may be divided into a fixed part and a moving part. The fixed part may include a lens housing 41, and the moving part may include an optical component holder and a lens system that moves for autofocus and / or image stabilization within the fixed part.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the autofocus unit may include at least one autofocus magnet m1 and at least one autofocus coil c1. The autofocus units m1, c1 may provide a driving force to move the lens system 422 in the optical axis direction within the lens housing 41. The autofocus unit may further include an upper lens frame 420. The upper lens frame 420 may have a light emitting lens disposed therein, and the lens system 422 may have a plurality of lenses including at least one concave lens and / or convex lens disposed therein.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the image stabilization unit disposed opposite to the entrance lens 45 of the lens housing 41 may include a pitch drive unit m2, c2, a yaw drive unit m3, c3, and a centering unit (e.g., as shown in FIG. 6 ) 50. According to an embodiment, the pitch drive unit m2, c2 may be disposed on one surface of the optical member holder 43, and the yaw drive unit m3, c3 may be disposed on another surface adjacent to the one surface. For example, the pitch drive unit m2, c2 and the yaw drive unit m3, c3 may be disposed to form a right angle with each other.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the pitch drive units m2, c2 may include a pitch magnet m2 and a pitch coil c2. The pitch magnet m2 may be disposed on the optical component holder 43, and the pitch coil c2 may be disposed on the flexible printed circuit board 44. According to an embodiment, the pitch magnet m2 and the pitch coil c2 may be disposed to face each other, thereby providing a rotational force relative to the pitch axis. According to an embodiment, the yaw drive units m3, c3 may include a yaw magnet m2 and a yaw coil c3. The yaw magnet m3 may be disposed on the optical component holder 43, and the yaw coil c3 may be disposed on the flexible printed circuit board 44. According to an embodiment, the yaw magnet m3 and the yaw coil c3 may be disposed to face each other, thereby providing a rotational force relative to the yaw axis.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 44 may be disposed along the side surface of the lower lens housing 41 to electrically connect the autofocus coil c1, the pitch coil c2, and the yaw coil c3 to the circuit board 460. The flexible printed circuit board 44 may be constrained to the lower lens housing 41 by a fixing structure. For example, the fixing structure may include a fixing protrusion 413 formed on the side surface of the lower lens housing 412 and a fixing hole 441 formed on the flexible printed circuit board 44 to insert the fixing protrusion 413 therein.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may have an optical member mounting recess 430 to mount an optical member 432 (e.g., a prism) thereon. The optical member 432 (a prism in a triangular prism shape) may be mounted on the mounting recess 430 to reflect and emit incident light toward the image sensor. For example, the light emission direction may be bent by about 90 degrees from the incident light.

[0071] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 8, a rotation guide 437 may be additionally assembled with the optical member holder 43 having the optical member 432 mounted thereon. The rotation guide 437 may be coupled to the optical member holder 43 to guide rotation of the optical member holder around the yaw axis.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may have a pivot ball b disposed therein to rotate along the pitch axis. The pivot balls b may be disposed symmetrically with respect to the rotation guide. According to an embodiment, the pivot ball b may be positioned between the optical member holder 43 and the rotation guide 437 so that the optical member holder 43 is rotatable with respect to the pitch axis. For example, the pivot ball b may be one ball disposed symmetrically with respect to the other.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may be provided to be rotatable relative to the yaw axis by the rotation guide 437 and the guide ball b2. According to an embodiment, the guide ball b2 may be provided between the rotation guide 437 and the lower lens housing (eg, Figure 5 4 and 5. In some embodiments, the guide grooves 438 are formed on the bottom surface of the rotating guide 437 to accommodate the guide balls b2. In some embodiments, the guide grooves 438 are formed to be symmetrical to each other and may have a curved shape with a curvature. For example, a plurality of guide balls b2 may be provided, and the plurality of guide balls b2 may be arranged to be symmetrical to each other.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may have a mounting recess 431 formed on one surface thereof so that the yaw magnet m3 is disposed thereon.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 43 may include a centering unit 50. According to an embodiment, the centering unit 50 may be a driving unit that provides a restoring force to stably center the optical member holder 43 with respect to the pitch axis and the yaw axis, thereby minimizing centering current consumption for image stabilization.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the centering unit 50 may include a centering magnet 51 and a centering yoke 52, and the centering magnet 51 has an attraction to the centering yoke 52. According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 51 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the optical member holder 43, and the centering unit 50 may be disposed in the lower lens housing 412. The centering magnet 51 may be spaced apart from the centering yoke 52 by a predetermined distance, and may be disposed parallel thereto to face each other. For example, the centering magnet 51 may be provided with any one structure in a combination of magnets having one pole (N pole or S pole) or two poles (N pole and S pole). For example, the centering yoke 52 may be formed into a plate shape by a metal sheet, and may extend to a length facing the centering magnet 51.

[0078] Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] refer to Fig. 9 According to an embodiment, the centering unit 50 may be a driving source rotatable relative to the pitch axis P and the yaw axis Y, and may include a centering magnet 51 including a first surface 51a facing a first direction (e.g., an upward direction) ① and a second surface 51b facing a second direction (e.g., a downward direction) ② opposite to the first direction ①. The first surface 51a may be a planar surface, and the second surface 51b may be a curved surface. According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 51 may have a semi-cylindrical shape and may protrude in the second direction ②. According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 51 may extend along the pitch axis P. For example, the centering magnet 51 may be a monopole (e.g., N pole or S pole) magnet, or may include a structure of a combination of two-pole magnets (N pole and S pole).

[0080] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke 52 may be a metal member extending in the direction of the pitch axis P and arranged in parallel with the centering magnet 51 to face each other, and may include a center portion 520 and two end portions 522. The center portion 520 may be spaced apart from the centering magnet 51 by a first distance d1, and the two end portions 522 may be spaced apart from the centering magnet 51 by a second distance d2, respectively. According to an embodiment, the centering unit 50 may have a center portion 520 and two end portions 522 formed integrally with each other, and may have a step shape between the center portion 520 and the two end portions 522.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke 52 may further include a shielding yoke 53. According to an embodiment, the shielding yoke 53 may be installed to increase the centering force and block the leakage magnetic flux. According to an embodiment, the shielding yoke 53 may extend along the pitch axis P and may be arranged parallel to the centering yoke 52 to face each other. For example, the shielding yoke 53 may have a flat plate shape and may be made of a non-magnetic material.

[0082] According to the embodiment, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the structure in which the centering magnet 51 is provided in the optical member holder 43 and the centering yoke 52 is provided in the lower lens housing 412. The centering magnet 51 may be provided in the lower lens housing 412 and the centering yoke 52 may be provided in the optical member holder 43.

[0083] Figures 10 to 12 is a perspective view showing an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0084] refer to Figures 10 to 12, the optical component holder 43 is from Figure 7 and Figure 8 An optical member holder 63 is a modification of the optical member holder 43 shown in FIG. 4 , and may have a basic structure similar to that of the optical member holder 43 .

[0085] According to the implementation mode, the “ The "-shaped rotation guide 637 is coupled to the optical member holder 63 on which the optical member 632 is mounted. According to an embodiment, a pivot ball b may be provided to allow the optical member holder 63 to be rotatable along the pitch axis. The pivot ball (eg, Figure 8 The pivot balls b1 shown in FIG. 6A and B may be provided on the rotating guide 637 to be symmetrical with each other. According to an embodiment, the pivot ball b1 may be positioned between the optical member holder 63 and the rotating guide 637 to make the optical member holder 63 rotatable relative to the pitch axis. For example, one pivot ball b1 may be provided on the rotating guide 637 to be symmetrical with the other.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the optical component holder 63 may be arranged to be rotatable relative to the yaw axis by a rotating guide 637 and a guide ball b2. According to an embodiment, the guide ball b2 may be arranged between the rotating guide 637 and the lower lens housing 41 so that the rotating guide 637 is rotatable relative to the yaw axis. According to an embodiment, a guide recess 638 may be formed on the bottom surface of the rotating guide 637 to accommodate the guide ball b2. According to an embodiment, the guide groove 638 may be formed to be symmetrical to each other and may be curved with a curvature. For example, a plurality of guide balls b2 may be provided, and the plurality of guide balls may be arranged to be symmetrical to each other.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may have a mounting recess formed on one surface thereof to have a pitch magnet m2 disposed thereon and a mounting recess formed on another surface adjacent to the one surface to have a yaw magnet m3 disposed thereon. According to an embodiment, the pitch magnet m2 may be disposed to face the pitch coil c2, and the yaw magnet m3 may be disposed to face the yaw coil c3.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may include a centering unit 70. According to an embodiment, the centering unit 70 may be a driving unit that provides a restoring force to stably center the optical member holder 63 with respect to the pitch axis and the yaw axis, thereby minimizing centering current consumption for image stabilization.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the centering unit 70 may include a centering magnet 71 and a centering yoke 72, and the centering magnet 71 has an attractive force on the centering yoke 72. According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 71 may be disposed on the bottom surface of the optical member holder 73, and the centering yoke 72 may be disposed on the lower lens housing (e.g., Figure 5 The centering magnet 71 may be spaced apart from the centering yoke 72 by a predetermined distance and may be disposed to face the centering yoke.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may include a mass balancer 636. The mass balancer 636 may include a mass balancer mounting portion 634 and a mass balancer member 635. According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may include mass balancer mounting portions 634 that are symmetrical to each other, and the mass balancer member 635 may be disposed on the mass balancer mounting portions 634.

[0091] Fig.13 is a perspective view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0092] refer to Fig.13 ,Compare Fig. 9 , the centering unit 90 according to the embodiment may have the same centering magnet 51, but differs therefrom in the structure of the centering yoke 52. Therefore, the centering magnet 71 will not be described in detail, and only the structure of the centering yoke 72 will be described.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke 72 may be a metal component extending in the pitch axis direction and parallel to the first surface 71a of the centering magnet and arranged to face the centering magnet 71, and may have a flat plate shape. The centering yoke 72 may be arranged to face the centering magnet 51 and may be arranged to be parallel to the top surface of the centering magnet 51. Due to the centering force generated between the centering magnet 71 and the centering yoke 72, the optical component holder 63 may maintain a restoring force to maintain the centering state regardless of whether power is supplied. According to an embodiment, even when the centering magnet 71 is rotated slightly forward and backward relative to the pitch axis, the minimum distance between the second surface 71b of the centering magnet 71 and the centering yoke 72 may be substantially maintained, so that the centering force provided by the centering unit 70 is constantly maintained.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited to the structure in which the centering magnet 71 is provided in the optical component holder 63 and the centering yoke 72 is provided in the lower lens housing 412 , and the centering magnet 71 may be provided in the lower lens housing 412 and the centering yoke 72 may be provided in the optical component holder 63 .

[0095] Fig.14is a view schematically showing the arrangement of a centering unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] refer to Fig.14 The suction unit 70 may be provided to be rotatable along the pitch axis P and rotatable along the yaw axis Y. According to an embodiment, the centering unit 70 may be provided below the optical member 432. According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 71 and the centering yoke 72 constituting the centering unit 70 may be provided to face the incident light l1.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the centering unit 70 may be disposed to face the incident light l1 , but the present disclosure is not limited to this structure. For example, the suction unit 70 may be disposed to face the emitted light l2 (eg, toward the image sensor s).

[0098] Fig.15 : is a diagram showing a change in the return torque by the magnetic centering force without considering the errors of the center of mass and the center of rotation of the moving part (eg, the optical member holder 43 ) of the camera module 40 .

[0099] When the centering magnet is a planar magnet, a negative reset torque is generated except for the center. This means that when no current is applied to the coil, there is always a rotational force moving away from the center, and the rotational force is biased toward the stopper surface at one side. That is, the position of the stoppers at both ends can be stable.

[0100] When the centering magnet is a round magnet (e.g. Fig. 9 When the centering magnet 51 shown in FIG. 5 is used, a positive reset torque is generated in addition to the center. This means that the rotational force for reset increases as it moves away from the center and always moves toward the center, even when no current is applied to the coil.

[0101] Fig.16 is a perspective view showing a mass balancer provided on an optical member holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.17 yes Fig.16 Side view of the. Fig.18 is a graph showing a change in the return torque when the center of mass of the optical member holder is considered according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] refer to Figures 16 to 18 , even if the magnetic centering force is accurately centered, when an error occurs between the center of mass mc and the rotation center b1, a rotation torque occurs in proportion to the distance r, and this occurs as an initial torque, causing the centering current to increase.

[0103] In order to solve this structural problem, an optical member holder (eg, Figure 7The optical member holder 43 shown in FIG. 4 may include a mass balancer 636. According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may have at least one mass balancer 436 disposed at a point opposite to the mass center mc with respect to the rotation center rc (eg, the first sphere b1).

[0104] According to an embodiment, the mass balancer 436 may include a mass balancer mounting portion 634 formed on the optical member holder 63 and a mass balancer member 635 mounted in the mass balancer mounting portion 634. For example, the mass balancers 636 may be disposed on the optical member holder 63 symmetrically to each other.

[0105] [Table 1]

[0106]

[0107] [Table 1] shows the change in the restoring force caused by the mismatch between the center of mass b1 and the center of rotation rc. [Table 1] shows the amount of initial torque that occurs when the center of mass mc and the center of rotation rc are 0.5 mm apart from each other in a specific posture. This can be 20% of the total restoring torque.

[0108] Fig.18 : is a graph showing the change of the return torque when the center of mass is taken into consideration.

[0109] refer to Fig.18 , Fig.18 The occurrence of torque on the difference between the center of mass mc and the center of rotation rc when the moving part (e.g., the optical component holder) moves in the pitch direction is shown. Even when the center of mass mc moves away from the center mass rc and the rotation torque increases, the centering power consumption can be minimized by adding an asymmetric yoke shape and a mass balancer 436.

[0110] [Table 2]

[0111]

[0112] The above [Table 2] shows the change in torque due to the dead weight according to the presence / absence of the mass balancer 636 .

[0113] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder 63 may implement a structure for reducing or offsetting momentum by applying a mass balancer 636 member.

[0114] When the distance r from the rotation center rc of the optical member holder 43 is small, the torque may be reduced and the power consumption caused by the initial torque may be reduced. As a way to reduce r, a mass balancer 636 may be added at the opposite side of the direction of the mass center mc with respect to the rotation center rc.

[0115] When the mass balancer 636 is added to the optical member holder 63, there is an effect of reducing r as shown in [Table 2], and the torque caused by the dead weight is reduced, so the offset current used for centering can be reduced. However, this structure may cause an increase in the moment of inertia used as a rotating load, and therefore, appropriate adjustment may be required.

[0116] That is, a mass balancer 636 may be applied to offset the position of the center of mass mc and the amount of rotational torque caused by gravity. Figure 5 The optical member 432 (e.g., a prism) shown in FIG. 4 may have a triangular prism shape that is asymmetrical with respect to the rotation axis, and therefore, the center of mass may be shifted to the upper side (incident surface), and due to the characteristics of the camera module 40, a driving magnet is provided on the rear surface or the side surface of the camera module 40 so that the center of mass is shifted. Here, a mass balancer 636 may be provided at the lower end of the exit surface so as to be able to reduce the position of r, and the mass balancer 636 may be formed of a metal material having a high specific gravity.

[0117] Fig.19 is a perspective view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0118] refer to Fig.19 The centering unit 80 may include a planar centering magnet 81 and a centering curved yoke 82 . Fig.19 The centering unit 80 is Fig. 9 Description of the same components of the centering unit 50 is omitted to avoid duplicate description, and only different structures will be described in detail.

[0119] According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 81 may have a plate shape and may include a first surface 81a facing a first direction ① (e.g., a vertical upward direction) and a second surface 51b facing a second direction ② (e.g., a vertical downward direction) opposite to the first direction ①. For example, the first surface 51a and the second surface 51b may be planar surfaces.

[0120] According to an embodiment, the centering curved yoke 82 may include a third surface 82a facing the first direction ① and a third surface 82b facing the second direction ② opposite to the first direction ①. For example, the third surface 82a and the fourth surface 82b may be curved surfaces. The third surface 82a and the fourth surface 82b may be curved surfaces having a radius of curvature. According to an embodiment, the centering curved yoke 82 may be convex in the first direction ①.

[0121] Fig. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0122] refer to Fig. 20 The centering unit 83 may include an asymmetric centering magnet 84 and a centering bent yoke 85 . Fig. 20 The centering unit 83 and Fig. 9 Description of the same components of the centering unit 50 is omitted to avoid duplicate description, and only different structures will be described in detail.

[0123] According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 84 may include a first surface 84a facing a first direction ① (e.g., a vertical upward direction) and a second surface 84b facing a second direction ② (e.g., a vertical downward direction) opposite to the first direction ①. For example, the first surface 84a may be a planar surface, and the second surface 84b may be a curved surface. The curved surface 84b may be convex in the second direction ②.

[0124] According to an embodiment, the centering curved yoke 85 may include a third surface 85a facing the first direction ① and a fourth surface 85b facing the second direction ② opposite to the first direction ①. For example, the third surface 85a and the fourth surface 85b may be curved surfaces. The third surface 85a and the fourth surface 85b may be curved surfaces having a radius of curvature. According to an embodiment, the centering curved yoke 85 may be convex in the second direction ②.

[0125] Fig.21 is a view schematically showing the arrangement of a centering unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 22 is a perspective view illustrating a centering unit of an image stabilization unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0126] refer to Fig.21 , Fig. 22 The centering unit 86 according to the embodiment may be disposed perpendicular to the pitch axis P and the yaw axis Y and directs the emission light l2 toward the image sensor s. According to the embodiment, the centering unit 86 may include a centering magnet 87 and a centering yoke 88.

[0127] According to an embodiment, the centering magnet 87 may include a first surface 87a and a second surface 87b, the first surface 87a is arranged to face a third direction ③ perpendicular to the first direction ① and the second direction ②, and the second surface 87b is arranged to face a fourth direction ④ opposite to the third direction ③. The first surface 87a is a planar surface, and the second surface 87b having a radius of curvature may be a curved surface. The second surface 87b may protrude in the fourth direction ④. For example, when observed at a distance from the centering magnet 87 in the third direction ③, the centering magnet 87 may be circular.

[0128] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke 88 may be spaced apart from the centering magnet 87 and may face each other. According to an embodiment, the centering yoke 88 may include a third surface 88a facing the third direction ③ and a fourth surface 88b facing the fourth direction ④. The third surface 88a and the fourth surface 88b may be planar surfaces. For example, when viewed at a distance from the centering yoke 88 in the third direction ③, the centering yoke 88 may be circular.

[0129] According to an embodiment, an electronic device may include at least one camera module, wherein the camera module includes a lens housing, the lens housing including an image stabilization unit, an autofocus drive unit, a lens system and an image sensor along an optical axis, wherein the image stabilization unit includes: an optical component configured to reflect incident light and output reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical component holder having an optical component arranged therein and arranged to be rotatable relative to a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the pitch axis; a yaw drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the yaw axis; and a centering unit arranged between the lens housing and the optical component holder to provide a centering force for the optical component holder, wherein the centering unit includes: a centering magnet arranged in the optical component holder and including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke arranged in the lens housing and arranged to face the second surface, spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface.

[0130] According to an embodiment, the centering magnet may extend along the pitch axis.

[0131] According to an embodiment, the second surface may have an asymmetrical shape and may be convex in the second direction.

[0132] According to an embodiment, the centering magnet may have a substantially semi-cylindrical shape.

[0133] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may extend along the pitch axis and may be arranged to face the centering magnet.

[0134] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may include a central portion spaced apart from the second surface by a first distance, and two end portions spaced apart from the second surface by a second distance smaller than the first distance, respectively, and formed integrally with the central portion.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may further include a shield yoke provided in the lens housing and disposed to face the second direction.

[0136] According to an embodiment, the shielding yoke may extend along the pitch axis and may be arranged parallel to the centering yoke.

[0137] According to an embodiment, the optical member holder may further include a mass balancer, and the mass balancer may be provided at a point substantially opposite to the center of mass of the optical member holder with reference to the rotation center of the optical member holder.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the mass balancer may be made of a non-magnetic material, and the mass balancers may be disposed symmetrically to each other with respect to the optical member holder.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may have a flat plate shape and may be disposed in parallel with the centering magnet to face the centering magnet.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the centering unit may be provided under the optical member holder, and may be disposed to face incident light of the camera module.

[0141] According to an embodiment, at least one camera module arranged in an electronic device is provided, wherein the camera module includes a lens housing, the lens housing including an image stabilization unit, an autofocus drive unit, a lens system and an image sensor along an optical axis, wherein the image stabilization unit includes: an optical component configured to reflect incident light and output reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical component holder having an optical component arranged therein and arranged to be rotatable relative to a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the pitch axis; a yaw drive unit arranged in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical component holder to rotate relative to the yaw axis; and a centering unit arranged between the lens housing and the optical component holder to provide a centering force for the optical component holder, wherein the centering unit includes: an asymmetric centering magnet arranged in the optical component holder and including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke arranged in the lens housing and arranged to face the second surface, spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface.

[0142] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may include a central portion spaced apart from the second surface by a first distance, and two end portions spaced apart from the second surface by a second distance smaller than the first distance, respectively, and formed integrally with the central portion.

[0143] According to an embodiment, the centering yoke may further include a shield yoke provided in the lens housing and disposed to face the second direction.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising at least one camera module, The camera module includes a lens housing, wherein the lens housing includes an image stabilization unit, an autofocus drive unit, a lens system and an image sensor along an optical axis. The image stabilization unit comprises: an optical member configured to reflect incident light and output reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical member holder having the optical member disposed therein and arranged to be rotatable with respect to a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch drive unit disposed in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical member holder to rotate relative to the pitch axis; a yaw drive unit disposed in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical member holder to rotate relative to the yaw axis; and a centering unit provided between the lens housing and the optical member holder to provide a centering force for the optical member holder, wherein the centering unit comprises: a centering magnet provided in the optical member holder and comprising a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke disposed in the lens housing and arranged to face the second surface and be spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface. 2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the centering magnet extends along the pitch axis. 3 . The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the second surface has an asymmetric shape and is convex in the second direction. 4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the centering magnet has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. 5 . The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the centering yoke extends along the pitch axis and is disposed to face the centering magnet.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the centering yoke comprises: a central portion spaced a first distance from the second surface; and two end portions, each spaced apart from the second surface by a second distance smaller than the first distance, and formed integrally with the central portion. 7 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering yoke further comprises a shield yoke provided in the lens housing and arranged to face the second direction. 8 . The electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein the shield yoke extends along the pitch axis and is disposed in parallel with the centering yoke.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the optical member holder further comprises a mass balancer, and The mass balancer is provided at a point substantially opposite to the center of mass of the optical component holder with reference to the rotation center of the optical component holder. 10 . The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the mass balancers are made of a non-magnetic material and are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the optical member holder. 11 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering yoke has a flat plate shape and is disposed in parallel with the centering magnet to face the centering magnet. 12 . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering unit is provided below the optical member holder, and is disposed to face the incident light of the camera module.

13. At least one camera module provided in an electronic device, The camera module includes a lens housing, wherein the lens housing includes an image stabilization unit, an autofocus drive unit, a lens system and an image sensor along an optical axis. The image stabilization unit comprises: an optical member configured to reflect incident light and output reflected image light to the image sensor; an optical member holder having the optical member disposed therein and arranged to be rotatable with respect to a pitch axis and a yaw axis; a pitch drive unit disposed in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical member holder to rotate relative to the pitch axis; a yaw drive unit disposed in the lens housing to provide a force allowing the optical member holder to rotate relative to the yaw axis; and a centering unit provided between the lens housing and the optical member holder to provide a centering force for the optical member holder, wherein the centering unit comprises: an asymmetric centering magnet disposed in the optical member holder and comprising a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first direction, the second surface being formed in a curved shape; and a centering yoke disposed in the lens housing and arranged to face the second surface and be spaced apart from the second surface, the centering yoke being parallel to the first surface.

14. The camera module of claim 13, wherein the centering yoke comprises: a central portion spaced a first distance from the second surface; and two end portions, each spaced apart from the second surface by a second distance smaller than the first distance, and formed integrally with the central portion. 15 . The camera module of claim 13 , wherein the centering yoke further comprises a shield yoke disposed in the lens housing and disposed to face the second direction.

Images