Ultrasonic cleaning and decontaminating device applied to camera and camera module applied by ultrasonic cleaning and decontaminating device

Abstract

According to the ultrasonic cleaning and decontaminating device applied to the camera, the piezoelectric ceramic is integrated below the front-end lens of the lens, and the piezoelectric ceramic piece is connected to the ZIF connector on the circuit board assembly through the FPC, so that the electrical connection stability and the process manufacturability are greatly improved, the piezoelectric material can be powered through the FPC to realize high-frequency vibration, and the ultrasonic cleaning and decontaminating device applied to the camera can be applied to the camera. By the adoption of the device, the problem that an ultrasonic cleaning device is not high in control precision can be solved, frost or ice or stains on the camera lens can be rapidly removed, a driver can conveniently use and observe the camera lens, the performance of the camera is improved, and the visual field of the driver is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of lenses, and particularly to an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera and a camera module to which the same is applied. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, with the continuous improvement of the intelligent level of automobiles, the usage amount of in-vehicle cameras generally reaches 10 - 20 on a whole vehicle. At the same time, the clarity and capabilities of camera perception are directly related to driving safety. However, after rain or snow weather, the camera is often hindered by rain or snow, frost or ice will appear on the camera lens, and even be blocked by stains mixed with mud and water, which will cause the images collected by the camera to be blurred, thus affecting driving safety. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the problem that the existing camera devices cannot clean the lens surface in time, the present invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera, which can not only solve the problem of low control precision of the ultrasonic cleaning device, but also quickly remove the frost, ice or stains on the camera lens, facilitate the use and observation of the driver, improve the performance of the camera, and improve the driver's field of vision.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera, including a lens barrel, a front lens, a gland and a circuit board assembly. An installation cavity is provided on the front side of the lens barrel, the front lens is arranged in the installation cavity, the gland is matched with the front end of the lens barrel to lock the front lens on the lens barrel, the circuit board assembly is arranged on the rear side of the lens barrel, and further includes a piezoelectric ceramic abutted against the front lens. A ZIF connector is provided on the circuit board assembly, and the piezoelectric ceramic is electrically connected to the ZIF connector through an FPC. The piezoelectric ceramic is used to convert the electrical signal transmitted by the FPC into mechanical energy, and then drive the front lens to vibrate.

[0005] For the ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera as described above, the FPC includes 6 pins, and 3 pins are used as a contact solder joint, which are respectively marked as positive signal and negative signal.

[0006] For the ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera as described above, the circuit board assembly includes a PCBA-1 board and a PCBA-2 board which are stacked and electrically connected in sequence from front to back, and the ZIF connector is arranged on the rear end face of the PCBA-2 board.

[0007] For the ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera as described above, current and voltage sensors are respectively provided on the PCBA-1 board and the PCBA-2 board.

[0008] An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic is disposed in the installation cavity, and there is a spacing between the piezoelectric ceramic and the lens barrel.

[0009] An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above, wherein a stepped portion is provided in the installation cavity, the outer side of the front lens abuts against the stepped portion, and the upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic is bonded to the lower surface of the front lens.

[0010] An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above, wherein a wire passing groove communicating with the installation cavity is formed in the inner wall of the lens barrel, and the FPC passes through the wire passing groove and extends to the rear end or side end of the lens barrel.

[0011] An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic is annular, its outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the front lens, and its inner diameter is larger than the light passing aperture of the front lens.

[0012] An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above, when the piezoelectric ceramic drives the front lens to vibrate, the maximum amplitude of the front lens in the lens axis direction is smaller than the sensitivity of the lens itself.

[0013] Another object of the present application is to provide an imaging module, including a housing and an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as described above disposed in the housing.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: The present application provides an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera. By integrating the piezoelectric ceramic under the front lens of the lens, the piezoelectric ceramic sheet is connected to the ZIF connector on the circuit board assembly by the FPC, which greatly improves the electrical connection stability and the manufacturing process. The piezoelectric material can be powered by the FPC to achieve high-frequency vibration, driving the front lens to clean the dirt on the lens surface. By adopting the above device, not only can the problem of low control accuracy of the ultrasonic cleaning device be solved, but also the frost, ice or stains on the camera lens can be quickly removed, which is convenient for the driver to use and observe, improves the performance of the camera, and improves the driver's field of view. Description of the Drawings

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2It is an exploded schematic view of an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 It is a bottom view of an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional schematic view of an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 5 It is an exploded schematic view of a camera module in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle of a camera module in an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0017] As Figure 1-6 shown, the present application provides an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera, which includes a lens barrel 1, a front lens 2, a gland 3 and a circuit board assembly 7. An installation cavity 10 is provided on the front side of the lens barrel 1, the front lens 2 is arranged in the installation cavity 10, the gland 3 is matched with the front end of the lens barrel 1 to lock the front lens 2 on the lens barrel 1. It further includes a piezoelectric ceramic 4 and an FPC 5. There is also a piezoelectric ceramic 4 in contact with the front lens 2. A ZIF connector 70 is provided on the circuit board assembly 7, and the piezoelectric ceramic 4 is electrically connected to the ZIF connector 70 through the FPC 5. The piezoelectric ceramic 4 is used to convert the electrical signal transmitted by the FPC 5 into mechanical energy, and then drive the front lens 2 to vibrate.

[0018] An embodiment of the present application provides an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera. By integrating the piezoelectric ceramic under the front lens of the lens, the piezoelectric ceramic sheet is connected to the ZIF connector on the circuit board assembly through the FPC, which greatly improves the electrical connection stability and the manufacturing process. The piezoelectric material can be powered by the FPC to achieve high-frequency vibration, driving the front lens to clean the dirt on the lens surface. By adopting the above device, not only can the problem of low control accuracy of the ultrasonic cleaning device be solved, but also the frost, ice or stains on the camera lens can be quickly removed, which is convenient for the driver to use and observe, improves the performance of the camera, and improves the driver's field of vision.

[0019] As a further limitation of the present application, in order to limit the driving current and driving voltage, a suitable transfer FPC is selected. The FPC 5 includes 6 pins, and 3 pins are used as a contact solder joint, which are respectively marked as positive signal and negative signal to drive the piezoelectric ceramic to oscillate forward and backward, so as to drive the piezoelectric transducer to vibrate quickly in the positive and negative directions, achieving the effect of oscillating and removing sewage.

[0020] Further, the circuit board assembly 7 includes a PCBA-1 board 71 and a PCBA-2 board 72 that are stacked and electrically connected in sequence from front to back. It is composed of two combined rigid PCB boards. The two rigid PCB boards are respectively fixed on the front and rear cases by screws and are connected by a floating connector in the middle. The ZIF connector 70 is provided on the rear end face of the PCBA-2 board 72. A current and voltage sensor is placed on each of the two PCBs at different positions inside the module, which can more accurately sense the current change inside the camera module, so as to perform negative feedback processing on the piezoelectric transducer and prevent the PCBA and piezoelectric ceramics from being burned out due to excessive current and voltage.

[0021] Further, the piezoelectric ceramic 4 is disposed in the installation cavity 10 and abuts against the first lens 2, and there is a gap between the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and the lens barrel 1. One end of the FPC 5 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and the other end extends to the rear side of the lens barrel 1. The piezoelectric ceramic 4 is used to convert the electrical signal transmitted by the FPC 5 into mechanical energy, and then drive the front lens 2 to vibrate. The gap between the piezoelectric ceramic and the lens barrel can avoid affecting the imaging clarity of the optical lens. The camera module of the present application has an additional ultrasonic cleaning function compared with the traditional camera module, and can realize the cleaning of rainwater and dust.

[0022] Further, the piezoelectric ceramic 4 is annular, its outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the front lens 2, and its inner diameter is larger than the light passing aperture of the front lens 2. This design can avoid the piezoelectric ceramic from affecting the lens imaging. In a specific embodiment of the present application, the upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic 4 is bonded to the lower surface of the front lens 2. The upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic ring of the present application is bonded to the front lens 2 by glue. A stepped portion 101 is provided in the installation cavity 10, and the outside of the front lens 2 abuts against the stepped portion 101. The front lens 2 abuts against the stepped surface of the lens barrel 5, and glue is applied at the top to ensure the front sealing performance. At this time, the piezoelectric ceramic 2 is in a suspended state, and there is a gap between the piezoelectric ceramic and the lens barrel, reducing the vibration transmitted to the lens module 8 through the lens barrel and improving the imaging quality.

[0023] Further, both electrodes of the piezoelectric ceramic 4 are led to its lower surface, and the piezoelectric ceramic 4 and the FPC 5 are bonded by welding or conductive glue. Specifically, power supply is obtained by connecting to the ZIP connector of the PCBA-2 inside the camera module through the FPC or wire. The piezoelectric ceramic sheet is connected to the ZIF connector on the driving board through the FPC, which greatly improves the electrical connection stability and the manufacturing process. The present invention can not only solve the problem of low control accuracy of the ultrasonic cleaning device, but also quickly remove the frost, ice or stains on the camera lens, facilitating the use and observation of the driver, improving the performance of the camera, and improving the driver's field of vision.

[0024] In a specific embodiment of the present application, a wire groove 11 communicating with the installation cavity 10 is formed in the inner wall of the lens barrel 1. The FPC 5 passes through the wire groove 11 and extends to the rear end or side end of the lens barrel 1, and the power supply wire or FPC 3 extends out from the bottom of the lens barrel through the internal slotting of the lens barrel 5.

[0025] Preferably, the piezoelectric ceramic 4 is made of PZT-4 material. The piezoelectric ceramic ring made of PZT-4 material is innovatively integrated under the front lens 2 in the invention. High-frequency vibration can be realized by supplying power to the piezoelectric material, driving the front lens 2 to clean the dirt on the lens surface. Compared with piezoelectric ceramics of other materials, the PZT-4 material has more stable performance and less influence on the imaging of the lens module, ensuring the imaging quality of the imaging device.

[0026] As a further limitation of the present application, when the piezoelectric ceramic 4 drives the front lens 2 to vibrate, the maximum amplitude of the front lens 2 in the axial direction of the lens is less than the sensitivity of the lens itself. This design can have no impact on the imaging clarity of the optical lens itself and improve the imaging quality.

[0027] The embodiment of the present application provides an imaging module, including a housing 6, the above ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device applied to a camera disposed on and exposed from the housing 6, and a circuit board assembly 7 disposed in the housing 6. The other end of the FPC 5 extends to the rear side of the lens barrel 1 and is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly 7. This imaging module adds an ultrasonic cleaning function compared with the traditional imaging module and can realize the cleaning of rainwater and dust; different from the current existing solutions in the industry, the present application uses an external ultrasonic lens cover device fixed at the front end of the imaging module, which is large in volume and heavy in weight. This solution only adds a piezoelectric ceramic sheet under the front lens relative to the traditional imaging module, and the volume and weight are almost unchanged.

[0028] In a specific embodiment, the housing 6 includes a front housing 61 and a rear housing 62, which are laser welded to ensure connection and sealing. The optical lens (with an ultrasonic cleaning module) is fixed on the front housing of the imaging module through the AA process. The PCBA-71 and PCBA-72 are fixed on the front housing by screws, and the two PCBA are connected and communicated with each other by a BTB connector. The power supply wire harness or FPC of the piezoelectric ceramic ring is connected to the PCBA-2 circuit board through a connector.

[0029] The working principle of this solution is as follows: When the camera module is working while connected to the host, due to dirt such as dust and rainwater on the lens surface, the picture observed by the naked eye is blurred and the imaging clarity is affected. At this time, the user can issue a cleaning instruction through the host. The camera module receives the signal, powers the piezoelectric ceramic ring through the P2 board, and drives the piezoelectric ceramic sheet to oscillate by controlling the drive chip to output an oscillation frequency waveform. Due to the inverse piezoelectric effect, the piezoelectric ceramic ring inside the optical lens resonates with the front lens at the corresponding frequency, and the dirt and water droplets on the lens surface are bounced off, cleaning the lens.

[0030] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera, comprising a lens barrel (1), a front end lens (2), a pressure cover (3) and a circuit board assembly (7), wherein a mounting cavity (10) is provided at the front side of the lens barrel (1), the front end lens (2) is arranged in the mounting cavity (10), the pressure cover (3) cooperates with the front end of the lens barrel (1) to lock the front end lens (2) on the lens barrel (1), and the circuit board assembly (7) is arranged at the rear side of the lens barrel (1), characterized in that: It also includes a piezoelectric ceramic (4) abutting against the front end lens (2); a ZIF connector (70) is provided on the circuit board assembly (7); the piezoelectric ceramic (4) is electrically connected to the ZIF connector (70) via an FPC (5); and the piezoelectric ceramic (4) is used to convert an electrical signal transmitted by the FPC (5) into mechanical energy, thereby driving the front end lens (2) to vibrate.

2. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The FPC (5) comprises 6 pins, of which 3 pins are used as a contact soldering point and are marked as positive signals and negative signals respectively.

3. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit board assembly (7) comprises a PCBA-1 board (71) and a PCBA-2 board (72) which are stacked and electrically connected in sequence from front to back, and the ZIF connector (70) is arranged on the rear end surface of the PCBA-2 board (72).

4. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 3, characterized in that: The PCBA-1 board (71) and the PCBA-2 board (72) are respectively provided with current and voltage sensors.

5. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piezoelectric ceramic (4) is arranged in the installation cavity (10), and there is a distance between the piezoelectric ceramic (4) and the lens barrel (1).

6. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: A step portion (101) is provided in the mounting cavity (10), the outer side of the front end lens (2) rests on the step portion (101), and the upper surface of the piezoelectric ceramic (4) is bonded to the lower surface of the front end lens (2).

7. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The inner wall of the lens barrel (1) is provided with a wire groove (11) which is in communication with the mounting cavity (10); the FPC (5) passes through the wire groove (11) and extends to the rear end or side end of the lens barrel (1).

8. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piezoelectric ceramic (4) is ring-shaped, with an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the front end lens (2) and an inner diameter larger than the light aperture of the front end lens (2).

9. The ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the piezoelectric ceramic (4) drives the front lens (2) to vibrate, the maximum amplitude of the front lens (2) in the lens axis is smaller than the sensitivity of the lens itself.

10. A camera module, characterized in that: It comprises a shell (6) and an ultrasonic cleaning and decontamination device for a camera as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which is arranged in the shell (6).

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