Camera lens suspension with enhanced auto-focus electrical interconnection

Abstract

A camera lens assembly is described. The camera lens assembly includes a support member. The camera lens assembly further includes a moving member having a main planar surface and an AF terminal pad at or near the main planar surface, where the moving member is mounted to the support member. And the camera lens assembly includes an auto-focus assembly having an AF terminal pad, in which the auto-focus assembly is mounted to the moving member, and the AF terminal pad of the auto-focus assembly is electrically connected to the AF terminal pad of the moving member.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese Patent Application No. 201780059621.9, filed on August 22, 2017. Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 682,456, filed August 21, 2017, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 378,001, filed August 22, 2016, the entire contents of each of these patent documents are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention generally relates to camera lens mounts, such as those integrated into mobile devices such as telephones and tablets. In particular, this invention relates to mounts that include an autofocus system. Background Technology

[0004] Camera lens optical image stabilization (OIS) components are generally known and disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent 9,366,879 to Miller and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016 / 0154251 to Ladwig, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and used for all purposes. Embodiments include a moving member mounted to a support member. A base may be mounted to the side of the support member opposite to the moving member. These types of OIS components may have a lens mount to which an autofocus (AF) component or system is mounted (e.g., to the moving member). Electrical connection to the AF system is achieved by electrically connecting (e.g., solder or conductive adhesive) terminal pads on the AF component to terminal pads on the OIS component. In such patents as the Miller patent, the Ladwig publication, and this document… Figure 1 In the embodiments shown, the terminal pads on the AF assembly are located above the lowest part of the assembly or the base, and the terminal pads 102 on the OIS assembly 101 are located on pads or "gooseneck" structures / formations above the main plane surface of the moving member. The location of the AF electrical connection between the OIS and AF assemblies thus extends over the shape memory alloy (SMA) wires of the OIS assembly while still being accessible from the outside, allowing the lens mount manufacturer to make the electrical connection. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A camera lens assembly is described. The camera lens assembly includes a support member. The camera lens assembly also includes a moving member having a main planar surface and an AF terminal pad located on or near the main planar surface, wherein the moving member is mounted to the support member. Furthermore, the camera lens assembly includes an autofocus assembly having an AF terminal pad, wherein the autofocus assembly is mounted to the moving member, and the AF terminal pad of the autofocus assembly is electrically connected to the AF terminal pad of the moving member.

[0006] Other features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example rather than limitation, in which similar reference numerals denote similar elements, and in the drawings: Figure 1 Several views of an optical stabilization assembly including terminal pads on a gooseneck structure are shown; Figure 2A -B illustrates an OIS assembly including terminal pads according to an embodiment; Figure 3 The OIS motion component terminal according to an embodiment is shown; Figure 4 An OIS assembly including terminal pads according to another embodiment is shown; Figure 5 An embodiment with an OIS motion member AF terminal is shown according to an example; Figure 6 Terminal pads according to an embodiment are shown; and Figure 7 A terminal pad according to another embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention include an OIS and an AF assembly having an OIS-AF electrical interconnect structure located on or near the main planar surface of the OIS moving member. The interconnect structure includes AF terminal pads on the OIS and AF assemblies, which are electrically connected by, for example, solder or conductive adhesive.

[0009] Figure 2A and Figure 2BOne embodiment is shown in which terminal pads on the AF assembly and OIS assembly are located on or near the plane of the OIS motion member plate, close to the inner diameter (ID) of the plate, and at a location on the plate not covered by a base layer (e.g., stainless steel) of the OIS assembly base or support member. As shown, the stainless steel layer 202 and polyimide / insulating layer 204 of the motion member 218 have openings that provide bottom or rear entrances to the terminal pads 206 on the motion member 218, the stainless steel layer 202 being the main planar surface of the motion member 218. The terminal pads 206 on the motion member 218, formed of a conductor layer, have openings 208 defined by edges that also provide entrances to the terminal pads 210 on the AF assembly 212. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal pads 206 on the motion member 218 are "horseshoe" shaped to position at least a portion of the motion member terminal 206 coplanarly adjacent to the AF assembly terminal 210. Therefore, the terminal pads 206 of the moving member 218 are located at or near the main plane surface of the moving member 218. In this embodiment, the terminal pads 206 have a portion extending beyond the insulating layer of the moving member 218, and this portion may have an edge defining an opening through the conductive material layer.

[0010] In other embodiments (not shown), the terminal pads of the OIS assembly may have through-holes surrounded by a conductive material of the terminal pads and located above the terminal pads of the AF assembly. The terminal pads 206 on the motion member 218 may be coupled to traces as shown in Miller's patents and Ladwig's disclosures. The terminal pads of the OIS and AF assemblies are electrically connected by solder or conductive adhesive 214, which can be applied from the bottom side of the OIS assembly (i.e., from the side opposite the motion member of the AF assembly, through the base layer of the OIS base 216 and the support member). The mass of the solder or conductive adhesive 214 will be superimposed on the motion member terminal pads 206 and the AF terminal pads 210.

[0011] Figure 3 An embodiment with an OIS motion component terminal is shown, which is structurally similar to... Figure 2A and Figure 2B The terminals shown in the embodiments. Figure 3In this embodiment, the terminal pads 306 on the OIS motion member 306 are positioned adjacent to each other at locations spaced radially outward from the OIS base 316, the OIS support member 308, and the OIS motion member 306. The terminal pads of the AF assembly are also positioned adjacent to each other. The stainless steel layers 302 of the OIS base 316, the OIS support member, and the OIS motion member, as well as the polyimide insulating layer 318 of the OIS motion member, have openings 322 to provide bottom-side entrances to the terminal pads 310 on the OIS motion member 306 and the AF assembly. Additionally, openings 320 in the stainless steel layers 302 of the OIS base 316 and the OIS support member 308 provide entrances to the terminal pads 310 and the openings 322. The terminal pads on the OIS motion member and the AF assembly are positioned relative to each other and can be combined with the above description. Figure 2A and Figure 2B The embodiments described are interconnected in a manner similar to those described above.

[0012] Figure 4Another embodiment is shown in which the terminal pads on the AF assembly and OIS assembly are located on or near the plane of the OIS motion member plate, close to the inner diameter (ID) of the plate, and at a location on the plate not covered by the base layer (e.g., stainless steel) of the OIS assembly base 416 or support member 402. As shown, the OIS motion member AF terminal pad 410 is located above a portion of the motion member stainless steel layer 424 (with a polysilicon layer 418 disposed between the terminal pad 410 and the stainless steel layer 424). In the illustrated embodiment, the OIS motion member terminal pad 410 is located above the stainless steel island 426. In other embodiments (not shown), the OIS motion member terminal pad is located above a non-isolated portion of the motion member stainless steel layer. Plating solder may be applied to the motion member terminal pad 410. The terminal pad 406 of the AF assembly 430 is located on the assembly at a position that contacts the motion member terminal pad 410 when the AF assembly 430 is mounted to the OIS assembly 432. A bottom-side inlet of the stainless steel portion 424, opposite the motion component terminal pad 410, leading to the motion component 404, allows the heating nozzle 440 to contact the stainless steel layer, thereby heating and reflowing the solder on the motion component terminal pad 410 to electrically connect the motion component 404 and the AF terminal pad 406. In other embodiments, the motion component terminal 410 and the AF terminal 406 may be structurally and electrically connected by a conductive adhesive. The terminal pad 410 on the motion component 404 may be coupled to a trace using techniques known in the art, such as those disclosed in Miller's patents and Ladwig's disclosures. According to this embodiment, to facilitate the reflow of the solder by the heating nozzle 440, the AF terminal pad 406 is electrically connected to a spring metal island 426 directly beneath it, which the heating nozzle 440 contacts. This provides maximum heat transfer rate to the solder.

[0013] Figure 5 An embodiment with an OIS motion component AF terminal is shown, which is structurally similar to... Figure 4 The terminals shown in the embodiments. Figure 5 In this embodiment, the terminal pads 510 of the OIS motion component 504 are located radially spaced outward from the OIS base, the OIS support component 508, and the plate of the OIS motion component 504. The terminal pads 510 on the OIS motion component 504 and the terminal pads 506 on the AF assembly 530 are positioned relative to each other and can be combined with the above. Figure 4 The embodiments described are interconnected in a manner similar to those described above.

[0014] Figure 6A terminal pad according to an embodiment is shown. The terminal pad 610 is formed in a "horseshoe" shape and may be located on the inner diameter of an OIS moving member such as described herein. The terminal pad 610 includes an inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602 isolated from a stainless steel layer 604. For this embodiment, the stainless steel layer is etched using techniques known in the art to form a void in the stainless steel layer having a horseshoe shape and forming the inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602.

[0015] Terminal pad 610 includes a conductive pad 606 formed on a stainless steel layer 604 and extending beyond the stainless steel layer 604 into a horseshoe-shaped void formed in the stainless steel layer 604 and the internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602. In this embodiment, the conductive pad 606 defines a void 603. The conductive pad 606 is coupled to a conductive trace 608. The conductive pad 606 and the conductive trace 608 may be part of a conductive layer of the OIS moving member. In some embodiments, the conductive trace 606 is copper. Those skilled in the art will understand that other conductive materials may be used.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the terminal pad 610 includes a gold-plated portion 612 of a conductive pad 606. The conductive pad 606 is configured to contact another terminal pad (e.g., the terminal pad of an AF assembly described herein). According to this embodiment, an internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602 is configured to serve as a barrier to prevent any unintentional solder or conductive epoxy from causing a short circuit between the AF terminal pad and the stainless steel layer 604 (e.g., the plate metal of a moving member). Therefore, the internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602 makes the manufacture of electrical connections easier and more reliable.

[0017] Figure 7 A terminal pad according to another embodiment is shown. The terminal pad 710 is formed in a "horseshoe" shape and may be located on the inner diameter of an OIS moving member such as described herein. The terminal pad 710 includes an inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702 isolated from a stainless steel layer 704. For this embodiment, the stainless steel layer 704 is etched using techniques known in the art to form a gap in the stainless steel layer 704 having a horseshoe shape and forming the inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702. The inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702 includes a pad portion 705 configured to be lower in height than the rest of the inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702. The pad portion 705 is configured to receive another terminal pad to form an electrical connection between the two terminal pads (e.g., the terminal pads of an AF assembly).

[0018] Terminal pad 710 includes a conductive pad 706 formed on a stainless steel layer 704 and extending beyond the stainless steel layer 704 into a horseshoe-shaped void formed in the stainless steel layer 704. The conductive pad 706 is coupled to a conductive trace 708. According to this embodiment, the conductive pad 706 is electrically coupled to the inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702, but does not extend beyond the inner horseshoe-shaped void 703 formed in the inner stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702. The conductive pad 706 and the conductive trace 708 may be part of the conductive layer of the OIS moving member. In some embodiments, the conductive trace 706 is copper. Those skilled in the art will understand that other conductive materials may be used.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the terminal pad 710 includes a gold-plated portion 712 of an internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702, which includes a pad portion 705 of the internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 702. A conductive pad 706 is configured to contact another terminal pad (e.g., the terminal pad of an AF assembly described herein). According to this embodiment, the pad portion 705 is configured to function as a barrier to prevent any unintentional solder or conductive epoxy from causing a short circuit between the AF terminal pad and the stainless steel layer 604 (e.g., the plate metal of a moving member). Therefore, the internal stainless steel horseshoe-shaped portion 602 makes manufacturing electrical connections easier and more reliable.

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention offer significant advantages. For example, embodiments of the present invention can minimize the impact of OIS AF connections on AF assembly design. Embodiments of the present invention can mitigate problems associated with formed AF gooseneck pads (such as those in the prior art), which require clearance in the bottom of the AF assembly, resulting in a thicker AF assembly and limiting the Z-stroke of the AF assembly. Embodiments of the present invention provide space to allow the AF bottom spring to be positioned lower in the AF base, which allows for a greater AF stroke. Embodiments of the present invention can also mitigate problems associated with structural weakening and relatively low impact robustness caused by the gooseneck structure.

[0021] Specific exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes can be made thereto. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A camera lens assembly, comprising: An optical image stabilization assembly, comprising: OIS support components; OIS motion component, the OIS motion component having a stainless steel layer defining a main plane surface and an inner diameter, and a first AF terminal pad, the first AF terminal pad being positioned on the inner diameter at the main plane surface or near the main plane surface, wherein the OIS motion component is mounted to the OIS support component; and An autofocus assembly having a second AF terminal pad, wherein the autofocus assembly is mounted to the OIS motion member, and the second AF terminal pad of the autofocus assembly is electrically connected to the first AF terminal pad of the OIS motion member.

2. The camera lens assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first AF terminal pad and the second AF terminal pad are configured to use a bottom-side inlet connection method.

3. The camera lens assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stainless steel layer has a first opening region, and the OIS motion member includes an insulating layer extending over at least a portion of the first opening region, at least one of the first AF terminal pads extending from the insulating layer and over the first opening region, and having a portion extending beyond the insulating layer; the OIS motion member also includes traces extending from the at least one first AF terminal pad; and At least one of the second AF terminal pads is positioned adjacent to the at least one first AF terminal pad.

4. The camera lens assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The camera lens assembly also includes a base, and the edge of the base is positioned outward from the first opening area of ​​the stainless steel layer to provide a bottom-side entrance to the at least one first AF terminal pad and the at least one second AF terminal pad.

5. The camera lens assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The edge of the OIS support member is positioned outward from the first opening area of ​​the stainless steel layer to provide a bottom-side entrance to the at least one first AF terminal pad and the at least one second AF terminal pad.

6. The camera lens assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first opening region of the stainless steel layer is the region surrounded by stainless steel.

7. The camera lens assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The OIS support member includes a second opening region that provides a bottom-side entrance to the first opening region, the at least one first AF terminal pad, and the at least one second AF terminal pad of the stainless steel layer.

8. The camera lens assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The camera lens assembly also includes a base mounted to the OIS support member, wherein the base has an opening that provides access to a first opening region of the stainless steel layer, the at least one first AF terminal pad, and the at least one second AF terminal pad.

9. The camera lens assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The OIS motion component includes an insulating layer on the stainless steel layer, at least one of the first AF terminal pads is located on the insulating layer, and the OIS motion component further includes traces extending from the at least one first AF terminal pad; and At least one of the second AF terminal pads is positioned adjacent to the at least one first AF terminal pad.

10. The camera lens assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The camera lens assembly also includes an opening in the OIS support member to provide a bottom-side entrance to the portion of the stainless steel layer adjacent to the at least one first AF terminal pad.

Images