A camera module

Abstract

The application discloses a camera module, comprising: a photosensitive chip; a lens assembly comprising an object-side lens and an image-side lens, the image-side lens being arranged inside the object-side lens to form a nested structure; a circuit board, the photosensitive chip being arranged on the circuit board, the circuit board being provided with an aperture pad; a variable aperture comprising a rotor assembly, a stator assembly, a transmission driving structure and a control module, the control module comprising an aperture circuit board, the aperture circuit board having a main body and an extension part, the extension part being formed with a welding interface part at one end away from the main body, and a plurality of pads being arranged on the welding interface part; wherein the variable aperture is arranged between the object-side lens and the image-side lens, the extension part extending along the gap between the image-side lens and the object-side lens and being electrically connected to the aperture pad on the circuit board through the welding interface part. The technical scheme improves the anti-vibration, high-temperature resistance and waterproof performance in a vehicle-mounted environment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicle-mounted camera modules, in particular to a camera module with a variable aperture. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of automobile intelligence and automatic driving technology, the imaging performance requirements of vehicle-mounted cameras under various complex lighting conditions are increasingly improved. In particular, L3 and above level automatic driving systems need to work continuously and stably in night tunnel scenes of 0.1 lx to strong light backlight scenes. Traditional fixed aperture camera modules (such as F2.0~2.8) have insufficient signal-to-noise ratio in weak light environments and are prone to overexposure in strong light environments, making it difficult to meet the imaging needs of complex lighting conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce variable aperture technology.

[0003] However, the existing variable aperture technology directly applied to the vehicle-mounted environment faces many challenges. First, the vehicle-mounted environment has strict requirements such as frequent vibration, wide temperature range (-40℃~85℃), waterproof and dustproof, and the aperture mechanism of traditional consumer electronics products cannot meet the vehicle-grade reliability standards. Second, the existing separate aperture motor scheme has the problems of complex magnetic circuit, complex structure, but low reliability.

[0004] In particular, the traditional aperture circuit board adopts a horizontal surface mount welding method, and the solder joints directly bear the vertical vibration stress, which is prone to fatigue fracture under continuous bumpy road conditions. In addition, the traditional aperture circuit board has too small a pad spacing, which accelerates the flow of solder and the growth of tin whiskers in high temperature environments, increasing the risk of short circuit; organic volatile substances in the sealed space may deposit between the pads to form a conductive channel, reducing the insulation performance, which may cause the aperture system to be triggered incorrectly, affecting road safety.

[0005] Therefore, a variable aperture technology specifically designed for vehicle-mounted environments is needed, which can ensure optical performance while having excellent anti-vibration, high-temperature resistance, waterproof and dustproof reliability features. SUMMARY

[0006] The purpose of the present application is to provide a camera module to solve the problem of insufficient reliability of vehicle-mounted camera modules in harsh environments in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical scheme adopted by the present application is as follows:

[0008] A camera module, comprising:

[0009] a photosensitive chip;

[0010] a lens assembly comprising an object side lens and an image side lens, the image side lens being disposed inside the object side lens to form a nested structure;

[0011] A circuit board, the photosensitive chip is arranged on the circuit board, and the circuit board is provided with an aperture pad;

[0012] The variable aperture comprises a stator assembly, a rotor assembly, a transmission driving structure and a control module, the control module comprises an aperture circuit board, the aperture circuit board has a body and an extension, the extension forms a welding interface part at one end away from the body, and a plurality of pads are arranged on the welding interface part;

[0013] The variable aperture is arranged between the object side lens and the image side lens, the extension extends along the gap between the image side lens and the object side lens and is electrically connected to the aperture pad on the circuit board through the welding interface part.

[0014] Further, the circuit board has four long sides and at least one inwardly recessed edge, the length of the inwardly recessed edge is less than that of the four long sides.

[0015] Further, the circuit board comprises a protruding part, and a plurality of aperture pads are arranged on the protruding part.

[0016] Further, the arrangement direction of the plurality of aperture pads is arranged at an angle with the long side of the circuit board.

[0017] Further, the pads of the welding interface part are arranged vertically with the aperture pads of the circuit board.

[0018] Further, the solder filling between the pads of the welding interface part and the aperture pads forms a three-dimensional triangular area structure.

[0019] Further, the stator assembly comprises a base, a side wall part and an aperture upper cover, the side wall part has at least one planar side wall, and the planar side wall abuts against the inner wall of the object side lens.

[0020] Further, the side wall part and the aperture upper cover jointly form a semi-enclosed cavity, and the extension extends out of the semi-enclosed cavity.

[0021] Further, the extension extends downward after extending out of the semi-enclosed cavity.

[0022] Further, the rotor assembly comprises a rotating carrier and at least two variable aperture blades, the rotating carrier is sleeved on the base and rotates through the transmission driving structure, and the variable aperture is arranged on the rotating carrier and synchronously opens and closes with the rotation thereof.

[0023] Further, a housing is further included, the housing has a side wall opening, and the extension is electrically connected to the circuit board through the side wall opening.

[0024] Further, the welding interface part is rectangular, and the number of the plurality of pads is at least three, arranged along the end edges of the welding interface part.

[0025] Further, the object side lens includes an object side lens barrel having an upper section and a lower section, an inner wall diameter of the upper section being smaller than an outer diameter of the variable aperture, and an inner wall diameter of the lower section being larger than an outer diameter of the image side lens.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] The vertical welding structure is adopted, solder filling forms a three-dimensional triangular area, converts shear stress into compressive stress, and significantly improves the fatigue resistance in a vibrating environment;

[0028] Through the design of the built-in variable aperture in the lens assembly, the overall sealing performance is improved, effectively preventing dust and moisture from entering;

[0029] The differentiated design of the protruding part and the inwardly recessed edge of the circuit board maximizes the welding functional area while minimizing the non-functional area interference;

[0030] The abutment design of the planar side wall and the inner wall of the object side lens provides reliable radial positioning and prevents the variable aperture from deviating in a bumpy environment.

[0031] The technical solution is particularly suitable for vehicle-mounted environments and can work stably in a wide temperature range of -40°C to 85°C, with excellent anti-vibration, high-temperature resistance, waterproof and dustproof, and other vehicle-grade reliability characteristics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of the present application, but not limit the present application.

[0033] Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the vehicle-mounted camera module in some embodiments of the present application.

[0034] Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the variable aperture and the lens assembly in some embodiments of the present application.

[0035] Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the variable aperture and the circuit board in some embodiments of the present application.

[0036] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the circuit board in some embodiments of the present application.

[0037] Figure 5 The schematic diagram of the variable aperture in some embodiments of the present application.

[0038] Figure 6 A schematic view of the electrical connection between the vehicle-mounted camera module and the circuit board in some embodiments of the present application.

[0039] Figure 7 A schematic view of the base in some embodiments of the present application.

[0040] Figure 8 A schematic view of the rotor assembly in some embodiments of the present application.

[0041] Figure 9 A schematic view of the variable aperture cross-section in some embodiments of the present application.

[0042] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are only illustrative and are used to assist in understanding the concept of the present application. The proportions, sizes, shapes, relative positions and other details should not be understood as limiting the present application. The scope of protection of the present application should be based on the description in the claims.

[0043] The drawings shown are only schematic views of one or more possible embodiments of the present application, and are intended to facilitate understanding of the core idea of the present application. Those skilled in the art should understand that the specific structures, connection relationships, layouts and the like shown in the drawings can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the concept of the present application. The actual implementation of the present application is not limited to the specific details shown in the drawings.

[0044] In the drawings: 10, photosensitive chip; 20, lens assembly; 21, object-side lens; 211, object-side lens barrel; 212, object-side lens; 22, image-side lens; 221, image-side lens barrel; 222, image-side lens; 30, variable aperture; 31, mechanical module; 311, stator assembly; 3111, stator housing; 31111, aperture upper cover; 31112, support rod; 3112, base; 3113, side wall portion; 31131, first side wall portion; 31132, second side wall portion; 31133, third side wall portion; 31134, fourth side wall portion; 31135, flat side wall; 312, rotor assembly; 3121, variable aperture blade; 31211, first blade; 31212, second blade; 3122, rotating carrier; 31221, connecting rod; 313, transmission drive structure; 3131, ball structure; 32, drive module; 321, planar magnet; 322, coil; 33, control module; 331, aperture circuit board; 3311, extension; 33111, solder interface portion; 40, circuit board; 41, aperture pad; 42, lens bonding surface; 43, photosensitive chip pad; 44, inwardly-retracted edge; 45, long side; 46, protruding portion; 50, housing; 51, side wall groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in connection with the drawings which show the embodiments according to the present application. It should be understood that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments described in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without any creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the present application have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in the specification of the present application is only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present application. The terms "comprise", "contain", "have", "include", "possess" and "comprising", "containing", "having", "including", "possessing" and the like as used in the specification and in the claims of the present application and the above description of drawings are open-ended terms that are intended to mean that the following elements are present in the compositions, methods, articles, or devices, but not excluding the presence of one or more other elements. The terms "first", "second", and the like as used in the specification and in the claims of the present application and the above description of drawings are used to identify different objects, and are not used to describe a particular order or a primary and secondary relationship. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise stated, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more.

[0047] As described above, it should be emphasized that when the term "comprise / comprising" is used in the specification, it is used to explicitly indicate the presence of the features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups of features, integers, steps, components. As used in the present application, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0048] The term "and / or" in the present application is only a description of the association relationship between the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " in the present application generally represents an "or" relationship between the front and rear associated objects.

[0049] In some existing technologies, the lens and the variable aperture motor are designed separately. In this design, the aperture blade inherent frequency is coupled with the road excitation frequency band in a bumpy environment, causing harmonic resonance and accelerating wear and tear. When the vehicle continuously passes through the deceleration belt, the bumpy road causes the blade connecting shaft to fatigue and break, the aperture is stuck at the maximum aperture, and the image is overexposed in strong light, resulting in failure.

[0050] Further, the traditional vehicle-mounted camera module aperture circuit board uses horizontal surface mount welding, and the solder joints directly bear the Z-direction vibration stress. In the case of continuous bumpy road, the reliability of the camera module is affected.

[0051] In the prior art, the gap between the traditional aperture circuit board pads is too small, which can accelerate the flowability of the solder in a high temperature environment and significantly increase the growth rate of tin whiskers, which may increase the risk of short circuit between solder joints. In addition, organic volatile substances in the sealed space may deposit between the pads, forming a conductive channel and reducing the insulation performance between the pads. These problems may cause the aperture signal to trigger the automatic emergency braking system, increasing the possibility of false positives.

[0052] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 The vehicle-mounted camera module disclosed in some embodiments of the present application includes a photosensitive chip 10, a lens assembly 20, a variable aperture 30, a circuit board 40, and a housing 50. The photosensitive chip 10 is disposed on the circuit board 40 and electrically connected to the circuit board 40. The lens assembly 20 has an optical axis, and the lens assembly 20, the photosensitive chip 10, and the variable aperture 30 are coaxially assembled along the optical axis. The lens assembly 20 is used to converge and image external light. In some embodiments of the present application, the lens assembly 20 is disposed in the housing 50 and further includes an object side lens 21 and an image side lens 22, wherein the object side lens 21 is the optical element closest to the object side end; the image side lens 22 is disposed on the light exit side of the object side lens 21, i.e. the image side, and both are coaxially disposed along the optical axis. In some embodiments of the present application, the variable aperture 30 is disposed between the object side lens 21 and the image side lens 22, and the variable aperture 30 has a variable aperture, the center of which is passed through by the optical axis of the lens assembly 20, for dynamically adjusting the light aperture.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4 , Figure 6As shown, the circuit board 40 is mounted in the housing 50, and the lens assembly 20 is disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board 40. The housing 50 is the outermost structure of the camera module, and is used to accommodate and protect all the internal components. The housing 50 has at least one annular inner wall, which is substantially cylindrical, and the inner diameter of the annular inner wall is substantially centered on the optical axis. The photosensitive chip 10, at least part of the lens assembly 20, the variable aperture 30, and the circuit board 40 are disposed in the annular inner wall of the housing 50. In some embodiments of the present application, the top surface of the circuit board 40 is larger than the bottom outer diameter of the lens assembly 20, and is disposed at the bottom end of the lens assembly 20 to integrate electronic components and power supply, and to provide ports for the electrical connection of other components.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, the circuit board 40 is substantially rectangular, and has four side long edges 45. In the corner regions of the circuit board 40, i.e., between adjacent long edges 45, there are inwardly recessed edges 44 corresponding to the corner positions of the circuit board 40 and protrusions 46. In some alternative embodiments, the inwardly recessed edges 44 correspond to multiple corner positions of the circuit board 40. In other words, among the four corner positions of the circuit board 40, the protrusions 46 are regions of the circuit board 40 that are less recessed or not recessed relative to other corner positions. The protrusions 46 of the circuit board 40 further have at least three aperture pads 41 disposed on the surface facing the lens assembly 20, which are used to provide electrical connection for the variable aperture 30.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present application, the aperture pads 41 are disposed at the protrusions 46 formed by the intersection of the two side long edges 45 of the circuit board 40, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of aperture pads 41 is disposed at an angle with respect to the long edges 45 of the circuit board 40, so as to further increase the width of the aperture pads 41 and the gap between adjacent aperture pads 41, realize the parallel arrangement of the plurality of pads, meet the minimum safety distance required by the process of solder paste printing and reflow soldering, and reduce the risk of bridging.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present application, the inwardly recessed edges 44 enable the circuit board 40 to avoid contact with other components in the direction of the non-conductive region as much as possible, avoid stress on the circuit board 40 in other directions, and reduce the impact of severe vibration in a bumpy environment.

[0057] Further, with reference to Figure 4As shown, the three inwardly-recessed edges 44 are respectively recessed inwardly from the corresponding long edges 45 to the inside of the circuit board 40 in a way of chamfer or arc transition, forming a local avoiding area in the radial plane perpendicular to the lens optical axis. This asymmetric design takes into account both functionality and space optimization: on the one hand, the inwardly-recessed edges 44 effectively avoid mechanical interference between the circuit board 40 and the peripheral devices such as the lens barrel, the sensor bracket, etc., providing a tolerance space for the whole machine assembly; on the other hand, the inwardly-recessed area reduces the material usage of the circuit board 40 in the non-critical direction, reducing the thermal stress and bending stress caused by temperature changes or mechanical vibration. Compared with the traditional rectangular board with four straight angles, this design significantly improves the anti-shock performance of the circuit board 40 under harsh working conditions, prolonging the fatigue life of the solder joints. Through the differential layout of the protrusions 46 and the inwardly-recessed edges 44, the circuit board 40 maximizes the space of the soldering functional area and minimizes the interference of the non-functional area, ensuring the reliability of electrical connection while improving the compactness and environmental adaptability of the overall structure.

[0058] In this embodiment, the main function of the aperture pad 41 is to provide a soldering port for the variable aperture 30, and its specific shape and position can be adjusted according to actual conditions. Those skilled in the art can adjust the implementation method according to the principle and their own needs.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, the circuit board 40 further comprises a lens bonding surface 42 corresponding to the edge of the bottom surface of the shell 50 and facing the bottom surface of the lens assembly 20, for bonding with the bottom end of the shell 50. The lens bonding surface 42 is in the shape of a circular ring, and the lens bonding surface 42 has a gap. The gap position of the lens bonding surface 42 corresponds to the aperture pad 41.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present application, the circuit board 40 further comprises a photosensitive chip pad 43. In some embodiments of the present application, the photosensitive chip pad 43 is arranged inside the lens bonding surface 42, for soldering and fixing the photosensitive chip 10 to the circuit board 40, ensuring that the center of the photosensitive chip 10 is aligned with the optical axis.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 3 In some embodiments of the present application, the photosensitive chip 10 is fixed on the photosensitive chip pad 43 of the circuit board 40, located at the bottom of the shell 50, for converting optical signals into electrical signals.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments of the present application, the image-side lens 22 further comprises an image-side lens barrel 221 and at least one image-side lens 222. The image-side lens barrel 221 is in the shape of a cylinder and is arranged above the circuit board 40. The at least one image-side lens 222 is arranged on the inner wall of the top side of the image-side lens barrel 221. Light passes through the image-side lens 222 and reaches the photosensitive chip 10. The variable aperture 30 is arranged on the top side of the image-side lens 222 and abuts against the image-side lens barrel 221 of the image-side lens 222. The object-side lens 21 further comprises an object-side lens barrel 211 and an object-side lens 212. The object-side lens barrel 211 is in the shape of a sleeve. The object-side lens barrel 211 extends along the optical axis and has an upper section and a lower section. The inner wall of the upper section is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the variable aperture 30. An annular step is arranged on the inner wall of the region connecting the upper section and the lower section. The upper surface of the annular step is used to support the object-side lens 212. The inner wall of the lower section of the object-side lens barrel 211 is larger in diameter than the outer wall of the image-side lens 22. That is, the image-side lens 22 is arranged inside the object-side lens 21, forming an inner-outer nested structure. The lower surface of the annular step of the inner wall of the object-side lens barrel 211 and the upper surface of the image-side lens 22 together form a cavity for accommodating the variable aperture 30. In some embodiments of the present application, the variable aperture 30 is arranged between the image-side lens barrel 221 and the object-side lens barrel 211, further improving the sealing performance of the camera module and avoiding the aging of components due to long-term rain erosion, further improving the overall reliability and service life.

[0063] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the shell 50 is in the shape of a sleeve. The inner wall of the shell 50 is larger in diameter than the outer wall of the object-side lens 21, allowing the object-side lens 21 to be nested in the inner wall of the shell 50, providing further fixation and protection for the object-side lens 21. In some embodiments of the present application, the shell 50 is further provided with a sealing ring, which can effectively prevent liquid and dust from entering from the gap between the shell 50 and the lens assembly 20. The sleeve design of the lens assembly 20 and the shell 50 can fix the variable aperture 30 in the cavity formed by the lens assembly 20, effectively avoiding the problems of dust and liquid entering due to long-term exposure of the variable aperture 30, effectively improving the reliability of the variable aperture 30.

[0064] As Figure 3 , Figure 5As shown in some embodiments of the present application, the variable aperture 30 has a substantially annular shape, and its variable aperture is used to adjust the incident light flux through the central region of the lens assembly 20. The variable aperture 30 includes a mechanical module 31, a driving module 32, and a control module 33. The mechanical module 31 is used to realize the physical adjustment of the aperture, the driving module 32 is used to provide driving power, and the control module 33 is used to receive external control signals and regulate the working state of the driving module 32, thereby realizing accurate control of the opening and closing of the aperture. The mechanical module 31 further includes a stator assembly 311, a rotor assembly 312, and at least two variable aperture blades 3121. The rotor assembly 312 rotates relative to the stator assembly 311 under the action of the driving module 32, driving the variable aperture blades 3121 to move synchronously and change the size of the central aperture.

[0065] As shown in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 5 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown in some embodiments of the present application, the mechanical module 31 includes a stator assembly 311, which is a precision reference component, used to be fixedly installed in the housing 50 and provide guidance and support for other moving components; a rotor assembly 312, which is a driven moving component, movably connected with the stator assembly 311, rotates relative to the stator assembly 311 under the action of driving force, and drives the variable aperture blades 3121 to open and close; and a transmission driving structure 313, which is arranged between the stator assembly 311 and the rotor assembly 312, used to guide the rotational motion, reduce friction, and improve motion stability. In some optional embodiments, the transmission driving structure 313 is preferably a ball structure 3131, which can also be implemented as a roller, a sliding bearing, or a magnetic levitation guiding structure to adapt to different vibration environments and service life requirements.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present application, the stator assembly 311 further includes a stator shell 3111, which is arranged at the top of the stator assembly 311 and is composed of an aperture upper cover 31111 and a support rod 31112, serving as a top cover for the mechanical module 31. The aperture upper cover 31111 is an annular plate structure arranged at the top of the stator assembly 311, and its inner edge extends downward to form an annular flange, which covers the top of the rotor assembly 312 to form a top sealing structure for preventing dust and water from entering the internal moving area. The support rod 31112 is at least two circumferentially uniformly distributed columnar structures that penetrate the aperture upper cover 31111 and extend downward, used to fix the stator assembly 311 to the housing 50 and provide an electrical wiring channel. In some preferred embodiments, the support rod 31112 and the aperture upper cover 31111 are connected by laser welding or precision thread connection to form a rigid structure as a whole, thereby improving the anti-vibration performance.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present application, the stator assembly 311 further comprises a base 3112 in the form of a ring-shaped disc structure located at the bottom of the variable aperture 30, with a hollow cylindrical structure extending upward from the central region, the outer wall of the cylindrical structure is provided with a ring-shaped ball track that accommodates the balls in the transmission drive structure 313 and cooperates with the corresponding grooves on the bottom of the rotor assembly 312 to form a low-friction rotating pair. The interface of the ring-shaped ball track is preferably "V" shaped or "U" shaped to achieve bidirectional positioning of the balls and prevent axial movement. The base 3112 is made of aluminum alloy or stainless steel, and the surface is treated with anodization or chrome plating to improve wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, the base 3112 is further provided with a plurality of fixing holes in the form of threaded holes or through holes for rigid connection with the shell 50 by screws or buckles. In vehicle applications, the number of fixing holes is 3-6, evenly distributed on the base 3112, ensuring that the stress caused by vibration during vehicle driving is evenly distributed, avoiding local fatigue fracture.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present application, the stator assembly 311 is further provided with a side wall portion 3113 composed of at least two bosses extending upward from the outer edge of the base 3112 to the direction of the aperture upper cover 31111, which together with the aperture upper cover 31111 forms a semi-closed cavity structure for accommodating the rotor assembly 312, the drive module 32 and other internal elements. The side wall portion 3113 is precisely machined to ensure a tight fit with the inner wall of the shell 50, preventing dust and moisture from entering and reducing the impact of external vibration on internal elements.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present application, the side wall portion 3113 includes a first side wall portion 31131, a second side wall portion 31132, a third side wall portion 31133 and a fourth side wall portion 31134, which are respectively located at the four quadrant positions of the outer edge of the base 3112 and are distributed symmetrically in the circumferential direction.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present application, each unit of the support rod 31112 is arranged in the side wall portion 3113 and connected with the aperture upper cover 31111 through the side wall portion 3113 to fix the stator housing 3111, the base 3112 and the side wall portion 3113.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present application, the side wall portion 3113, the base 3112 and the aperture cover 31111 are further inwardly tapered towards the optical axis at the edge coinciding portion, forming a stepped structure which is embedded in the corresponding groove on the inner wall of the housing 50, achieving axial positioning and radial centering. This structure not only improves the assembly precision, but also enhances the impact resistance of the overall structure.

[0073] In the present embodiment, the side wall portion 3113 forms a semi-enclosed cavity together with the aperture cover 31111, which protects the internal precision movement components from dust, oil and moisture. Those skilled in the art can adjust the number, height and distribution angle of the side wall portion 3113 according to the actual space layout and heat dissipation requirements, such as using a continuous annular side wall or an asymmetric distribution structure, to optimize the structural strength and weight balance.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present application, the outer wall of the side wall portion 3113 abuts the inner surface of the object side lens barrel 211 and is provided with at least two inwardly tapered planes, and the included angle between two adjacent planes is obtuse, so that the outer wall of the semi-enclosed cavity is an irregular cylindrical shape with several corners, rather than a traditional cylindrical shape.

[0075] Compared with the ring design of traditional variable aperture, in some embodiments of the present application, the inner wall of the object side lens barrel 211 can be provided with several inwardly tapered planes according to the shape of the outer wall of the side wall portion 3113 to fit the outer wall of the side wall portion 3113, so that the friction between the outer wall of the side wall portion 3113 and the inner wall of the object side lens barrel 211 is further improved, further improving the stability of the variable aperture 30, ensuring the normal operation of the variable aperture 30 in a strong vibration environment, and also improving the positioning accuracy of the variable aperture 30 during assembly and production.

[0076] As shown in Figure 3 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 In some embodiments of the present application, the rotor assembly 312 includes a rotating carrier 3122 and at least two variable aperture blades 3121. The rotating carrier 3122 is a circular structure that is sleeved around the outer periphery of the cylindrical structure of the base 3112 and is smoothly rotated around the optical axis by the transmission drive structure 313. The variable aperture blades 3121 are hinged to the rotating carrier 3122 and are synchronously opened and closed with the rotation of the rotating carrier 3122, thereby adjusting the size of the central aperture. The rotating angle of the rotating carrier 3122 has a nonlinear correspondence with the aperture F number, and precise light adjustment is achieved by the control module 33.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present application, the bottom of the rotating carrier 3122 is provided with an annular groove that cooperates with the annular ball track above the base 3112 to accommodate a plurality of balls, forming a rolling bearing structure to reduce friction loss and ensure smooth long-term operation and low noise characteristics, especially suitable for scenarios with high requirements for vehicle-mounted silence.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present application, the top end of the rotating carrier 3122 is provided with at least two connecting rods 31221, each of which is symmetrically distributed about the optical axis and extends upward to support and guide the opening and closing action of the variable aperture blade 3121.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present application, the end of the connecting rod 31221 is provided with a fine adjustment screw hole, which is an internally threaded hole for installing a miniature adjustment screw. By rotating the adjustment screw, the axial position or angle of the connecting rod 31221 can be adjusted slightly, thereby calibrating the initial closed position of the variable aperture blade 3121 to ensure that multiple blades fit seamlessly when fully closed and avoid light leakage. The fine adjustment structure is used for precise alignment before shipment to improve product consistency.

[0080] In this embodiment, the connecting rod 31221 not only provides a rotating fulcrum for the variable aperture blade 3121, but also serves as a motion guide to ensure that the blade moves along a predetermined trajectory during opening and closing, avoiding jamming or eccentric wear. The length, diameter, and direction angle of the connecting rod 31221 can be optimized according to the size and opening angle of the variable aperture blade 3121 to achieve a balance between maximum open aperture area and minimum closed gap.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present application, the variable aperture blade 3121 is an arc-shaped sheet structure formed by at least two sub-blades or integrally stamped. The end of each blade is provided with a shaft hole, and the variable aperture blade 3121 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the connecting rod 31221 to form a rotating pair through a shaft sleeve or self-lubricating bushing, ensuring flexible rotation and avoiding shaking.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present application, the variable aperture blade 3121 includes a first blade 31211 and a second blade 31212, which are arranged alternately and overlap or separate during rotation to form a variable aperture. The center of the shaft hole is located on the blade rotation trajectory circle to ensure that all blades rotate synchronously and the aperture changes uniformly. The edge of the blade is provided with a chamfer or a circular arc transition to reduce airflow disturbance or collision noise.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present application, the blade is made of high-strength, low-friction coefficient material to ensure that it is not easily worn during frequent opening and closing. The surface of the blade is treated in a special way to increase wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

[0084] In the present embodiment, the number of variable aperture blades 3121 is at least two, and the more the number, the closer the aperture type when closed to the prototype, and the higher the imaging quality. Those skilled in the art can flexibly select the number, shape and connection method of the blades according to the lens aperture grade, corresponding speed and cost requirements, to optimize the aperture adjustment range and dynamic response performance.

[0085] In some embodiments of the present application, the mechanical module 31 further comprises a transmission driving structure 313 arranged between the rotor assembly 312 and the stator assembly 311 for reducing the friction between the rotor assembly 312 and the stator assembly 311, improving the rotation stability, ensuring the smooth and accurate opening and closing action of the variable aperture blades 3121, and the core function is to convert sliding friction into rolling friction, significantly reducing the starting torque and running resistance, and improving the system response speed ratio and energy efficiency ratio.

[0086] In some embodiments of the present application, the transmission driving structure 313 comprises a ball structure 3131 composed of a plurality of balls of the same size, which is arranged in the track formed by the annular groove of the inner wall of the base 3112 and the groove corresponding to the rotating carrier 3122. By rolling the balls in the track, the friction is effectively dispersed, the energy loss is reduced, the transmission efficiency is improved, and the high-precision movement of the rotating carrier 3122 and the variable aperture blades 3121 is ensured, thereby realizing the stability and clarity of the imaging system.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the ball structure 3131 functions to convert the friction between the base 3112 and the rotating carrier 3122 into rolling friction, reduce energy loss, and improve transmission efficiency. Those skilled in the art can optimize the number of balls and the track design according to actual needs, or use other ways to reduce the friction between the base 3112 and the rotating carrier 3122 to further improve the system performance.

[0088] The driving module 32 is arranged inside the mechanical module 31, close to the base 3112, for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the movement of the mechanical module 31. The driving module 32 comprises a planar magnet 321 and a coil 322. The planar magnet 321 is an annular permanent magnet with a magnetization direction along the radial or axial direction, attached to the bottom outer periphery or inner periphery of the rotating carrier 3122 to form a rotating magnetic field source. The coil 322 is a printed circuit board coil or a wound coil, fixed on the base 3112, and maintains a constant air gap with the planar magnet 321 to form a brushless motor structure.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present application, the planar magnet 321 is a three-segment structure, each being an equal-length magnet uniformly attached to the bottom of the rotating carrier 3122.

[0090] In the present embodiment, the planar magnet 321 and the coil 322 constitute a flat outer rotor motor. By controlling the direction and magnitude of the current in the coil 322, a rotating magnetic field is generated to drive the planar magnet 321 and the rotating carrier 3122 to rotate. Those skilled in the art can adjust the number of magnet segments, the winding method of the coil, and the driving frequency to optimize the torque output and energy consumption.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the number of turns, wire diameter, and arrangement of the coil 322 need to be matched with the magnetic field strength and distribution of the planar magnet 321 to ensure efficient magnetic force transmission and smooth torque. Those skilled in the art can optimize electromagnetic parameters through finite element simulation to reduce eddy current loss and heat generation, and improve the stability of the system in high temperature environments.

[0092] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 9 As shown in FIG. 13, the control module 33 is arranged below the driving module 32 and is electrically connected to the coil 322 of the driving module 32 for controlling the working state of the driving module 32. The control module 33 includes a coil circuit board 331 and a control chip and peripheral elements welded on the coil circuit board 331. The coil circuit board 331 is arranged below the driving module 32 and is electrically connected to the driving module 32. The coil circuit board 331 includes a body portion and at least one extension portion 3311. The body portion is a ring-shaped circuit board with a control circuit board arranged inside. The side wall portion 3113 and the coil upper cover 31111 jointly form a semi-enclosed cavity structure, and the extension portion 3311 extends downward by 90 degrees from the semi-enclosed cavity structure.

[0093] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 13, the extension portion 3311 extends downward by 90 degrees from at least one side of the side wall portion 3113 to form a two-section coil circuit board. In some alternative embodiments, the extension portion 3311 can extend downward from the opposite measurement side. The extension portion 3311 is made of flexible printed circuit board (FPC) material and extends downward along the gap between the image side lens 22 and the object side lens 21 to the circuit board 40 through the inner wall of the shell 50 to achieve electrical interconnection between the extension portion 3311 and the circuit board 40. In some embodiments of the present application, the extension portion 3311 is hidden inside the shell 50 by extending downward along the inner wall of the object side lens barrel 211 and the shell 50, avoiding the risks of air tightness and collision in a bumpy environment.

[0094] Reference Figure 6As shown in some optional embodiments, the shell 50 is provided with a side wall groove 51 on the side corresponding to the extension part 3311. The side wall groove 51 is in the shape of a long strip or rectangle, allowing the extension part 3311 to extend downward and providing protection against collision during assembly or use. After passing through the side wall groove 51, the extension part 3311 extends from the inner wall of the shell 50 to the outer wall of the side lens barrel 221, and further extends downward to the position of the aperture pad 41 to form an electrical connection with the aperture pad 41. The edges of the side wall groove 51 are chamfered to avoid damaging the extension part 3311.

[0095] As shown in some embodiments of the present application, Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown in some embodiments of the present application, the distal end of the extension part 3311 is provided with a solder interface part 33111, which is generally rectangular or trapezoidal in shape. The distal end of the solder interface part 33111 is provided with at least three pads, each in the shape of a circle or square, corresponding one-to-one with the aperture pads 41, for realizing reliable electrical connection between the aperture circuit board 331 and the aperture pads 41.

[0096] In some embodiments of the present application, the pads at the distal end of the solder interface part 33111 are in a perpendicular butt joint state with the aperture pads 41 during installation. The pads at the distal end of the solder interface part 33111 are placed vertically with the aperture pads 41 during installation, forming a right angle between them. During soldering, solder is filled into the angle space formed by the pads at the distal end of the solder interface part 33111 and the aperture pads 41 one by one, and the solder is melted and solidified by heating, realizing firm connection between the solder interface part 33111 and the aperture pads 41. The perpendicular butt joint method increases the soldering area, improving the mechanical strength and electrical reliability of the connection.

[0097] In some embodiments of the present application, to ensure the quality of soldering, the surfaces of the pads of the solder interface part 33111 are treated with tin plating or silver plating to improve the soldering performance. The aperture pads 41 are also surface treated to ensure good wettability with the pads of the solder interface part 33111. After soldering is completed, the connection quality can be verified by visual inspection or electrical testing to ensure stable and reliable signal transmission between the extension part 3311 and the circuit board 40.

[0098] In the present embodiment, the main function of the solder interface part 33111 is to provide a platform for connection between the aperture circuit board 331 and the aperture pads 41, so the aperture pads 41 and the pads at the distal end of the solder interface part 33111 are in a one-to-one correspondence. Those skilled in the art can adjust the number and shape of the pads at the distal end of the solder interface part 33111 according to the present principles and their own needs.

[0099] Further, with reference toFigure 5 As shown, the side wall portion 3113 has at least one planar side wall 31135 that abuts the inner wall of the object side lens barrel 21, serving as a radial positioning reference to prevent the variable aperture 30 from becoming eccentric or rotating loose after installation. This design is particularly suitable for vehicle-mounted cameras that need to operate stably for a long time under frequent start-stop or bumpy road conditions. Further, the side wall portion 3113, by virtue of its design of having a planar side wall 31135 on the outer wall that abuts the object side lens barrel 211, not only provides physical support, but also increases the friction between the side wall portion 3113 and the object side lens barrel 211 through the corner design of the outer wall of the side wall portion 3113, ensuring that the variable aperture 30 does not shift under bumpy conditions, thereby improving overall reliability. Further, in addition to the shock-absorbing effect, the side wall portion 3113 also enhances the sealing performance of the entire system. The semi-closed cavity formed by the side wall portion 3113 and the aperture upper cover 31111 not only prevents dust and other impurities from entering, but also effectively blocks moisture from entering, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the overall device. At the same time, the design of the side wall portion 3113 ensures that the relative position between the rotor assembly 312 and the stator assembly 311 remains stable, which is crucial for ensuring the normal operation of the variable aperture 30, especially in a vehicle-mounted environment, where frequent vibrations can cause slight displacement of components. The side wall portion 3113 provides a stable frame to prevent this from happening.

[0100] In addition, in some embodiments of the present application, the design of the extension portion 3311 extending along the 90-degree rotation extension direction of the planar side wall 31135 of the side wall portion 3113 is adapted to the corner welding requirements of the circuit board 40, while using the side wall portion 3113 as a positioning reference to improve consistency during production and installation.

[0101] Further, by placing the aperture pads 41 at the angles formed by the two long sides 45 of the circuit board 40, i.e., the protruding portions 46, the width of the aperture pads 41 is increased, and the width of the corresponding welding interface portion 33111 is also increased, resulting in an increase in the spacing between the pads. This not only reduces the risk of solder creep and whisker growth, but also prevents the deposition of organic matter between the pads to form a conductive path.

[0102] Further, by expanding the width of the welding interface portion 33111, each pad can be designed to be larger, which not only increases the base area of each solder joint and improves the welding strength, but also provides sufficient clearance between the pads. Larger pads mean more stable electrical connections, especially under high temperature or high vibration conditions, which can better resist the effects of environmental stress.

[0103] Further, the application can realize automation in the assembly production process by setting the aperture pad 41 at the corner of the circuit board 40, and improve the production efficiency of the product. The wider welding interface part 33111 provides a larger operation space for the automatic welding equipment, so that the welding process is more easily controlled, and the quality problems caused by process deviation are reduced. In addition, the larger pad also facilitates the operation during manual welding, improving the production efficiency.

[0104] The application reduces the area of the circuit board 40 in the non-welding direction by setting the inwardly recessed edge 44 in the non-welding direction of the circuit board 40, avoids the mechanical stress on the circuit board 40 from the outside in a bumpy environment, improves the service life of the circuit board 40, and also reduces the self-body volume, facilitating the assembly of other components.

[0105] Further, some embodiments of the application set the variable aperture 30 between the object side lens barrel 211 and the image side lens barrel 221, so that part of the variable aperture 30 is inside the lens assembly 20, without protruding parts, improving the overall reliability of the product.

[0106] In addition, in some embodiments of the application, a 90° vertical clamping angle welding architecture is adopted, the pads of the welding interface part 33111 and the aperture pad 41 are arranged vertically, and the three-dimensional triangular area formed by the solder filling effectively converts the shear stress into compressive stress.

[0107] In summary, the design scheme of the application improves the stability and electrical reliability of the electrical connection between the variable aperture 30 and the circuit board 40 through the plane side wall 31135 positioning, aperture circuit board 331 optimization, aperture pad 41 space expansion and other technical features; optimizes the welding process compatibility, prevents solder short circuit, reduces the defect rate of product production; enhances the durability of the module in a vibration and impact environment; improves the stability of the module in extreme environments such as dust, rain and snow.

[0108] Therefore, compared with the prior art, some embodiments of the application have better sealing, shock resistance and high temperature resistance, greatly improving the reliability of the camera module, prolonging the service life, and also realizing high-precision imaging of the vehicle-mounted camera, greatly improving the reliability of the vehicle-mounted intelligent driving system.

Claims

1. A camera module, characterized in that, include: Photosensitive chip; The lens assembly includes an object-side lens and an image-side lens, wherein the image-side lens is disposed inside the object-side lens to form a nested structure; A circuit board, wherein the photosensitive chip is disposed on the circuit board, the circuit board has four long sides and at least one recessed edge, the length of the recessed edge being less than the four long sides, the circuit board includes a protrusion, and an aperture pad is disposed on the circuit board; a plurality of aperture pads are disposed on the protrusion, and the arrangement direction of the plurality of aperture pads is at an angle to the long side of the circuit board. A variable aperture includes a stator assembly, a rotor assembly, a transmission drive structure, and a control module. The control module includes an aperture circuit board, which has a body and an extension. The extension forms a welding interface at the end away from the body, and the welding interface is provided with multiple solder pads. The variable aperture is disposed between the object-side lens and the image-side lens. The extension extends along the gap between the image-side lens and the object-side lens and is electrically connected to the aperture pad on the circuit board through the welding interface. The pad of the welding interface is arranged perpendicularly to the aperture pad on the circuit board. The solder filling between the pad of the welding interface and the aperture pad forms a three-dimensional triangular structure.

2. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stator assembly includes a base, a sidewall portion, and an aperture cover. The sidewall portion has at least one planar sidewall that abuts against the inner wall of the object-side lens.

3. The camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side wall portion and the aperture cover together form a semi-closed cavity, and the extension portion extends out from the semi-closed cavity.

4. The camera module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The extension extends out of the semi-enclosed cavity and then bends downward.

5. The camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotor assembly includes a rotating carrier and at least two variable aperture blades. The rotating carrier is mounted on the base and rotates through the transmission drive structure. The variable aperture blades are mounted on the rotating carrier and open and close synchronously with its rotation.

6. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a housing having a side wall opening, through which the extension is electrically connected to the circuit board.

7. The camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The object-side lens includes an object-side lens barrel, which has an upper section and a lower section. The inner wall diameter of the upper section is smaller than the outer diameter of the variable aperture, and the inner wall diameter of the lower section is larger than the outer diameter of the image-side lens.

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