Vcm lens and electronic device for achieving focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking

Abstract

This invention discloses a VCM lens and electronic device that achieves focus and focus switching through mechanical locking. It includes a lens assembly that can move along the optical axis under the action of a focusing drive mechanism to achieve autofocus; and a latch that can move in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis under the action of a locking drive mechanism to press the lens assembly against a base to achieve focus. This invention provides an autofocus lens with both autofocus and focus-fixing functions. When the lens needs to focus, the locking mechanism responsible for the focus-fixing function is de-energized, and the AF coil is energized, generating a Lorentz force that drives the lens carrier to displace along the optical axis. When the lens needs to be focused, the locking mechanism is activated when the focal length is adjusted to a suitable state for target shooting, and the AF coil is immediately de-energized to stop autofocus once the carrier is locked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of periscope lens technology, and in particular relates to a VCM lens and electronic device that achieves focus and focus switching through mechanical locking. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of consumer electronics and professional imaging technology, the application scenarios of portable imaging systems such as drone aerial photography, action camera recording, and law enforcement recorder evidence collection are becoming increasingly widespread. These devices place higher demands on the focusing accuracy and stability of camera modules. In mobile shooting electronic products, the core of the camera module's focusing function is to drive the lens to shift along the optical axis, adjusting the relative position of the object distance and image distance, thereby making the subject clear. Currently, most portable imaging devices on the market use autofocus (AF) camera modules. These modules can automatically complete the focusing operation according to the changes in the distance between the subject and the lens, greatly improving the convenience of daily shooting.

[0003] However, in the specific working scenarios of the aforementioned portable imaging systems, existing autofocus technology has gradually revealed significant limitations. For example, when drones perform long-distance mapping tasks, they need to continuously and stably acquire images of designated areas, requiring the lens focal length to remain fixed to avoid mapping data deviations. In extreme sports such as skiing and surfing, users of action cameras need to lock onto specific angles for shooting. If the lens remains in autofocus mode, frequent focus drift due to violent device shaking can affect image clarity. During mobile law enforcement operations, law enforcement recorders need to capture key targets such as identification documents and on-site details with a fixed focus to ensure accurate evidence collection, but the dynamic adjustment characteristics of autofocus can lead to blurred target images. Furthermore, in some professional shooting scenarios, such as outdoor live streaming, continuously moving shooting equipment also requires a fixed focal length to maintain image stability, and existing autofocus modules cannot meet the needs of this type of "fixed focal length shooting."

[0004] The shortcomings of existing autofocus technology are also reflected in energy consumption and environmental adaptability. On the one hand, the autofocus module needs to be continuously powered to maintain the lens at a specific focal length, which not only consumes a lot of power, but also the continuous focusing drive action is prone to causing slight lens shake, further affecting image stability. On the other hand, in extreme environments, existing autofocus modules lack a physical locking structure and rely solely on electronic drive to maintain the focal length. This makes them susceptible to lens displacement due to external interference or temperature changes, which in turn causes focus shift, producing a rolling shutter effect and failing to guarantee image quality. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a VCM lens and electronic device that achieves focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking, which partially solves or alleviates the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, and can fix the lens through mechanical locking to achieve fixed focus shooting.

[0006] To solve the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention specifically adopts the following technical solution: The first aspect of this utility model is to provide a VCM lens that achieves focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking, including a lens assembly that can move along the optical axis under the action of a focusing drive mechanism to achieve autofocus; and a latch that can move in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis under the action of a locking drive mechanism to press the lens assembly against the base to achieve fixed focus.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a resilient reset mechanism for resetting the latch.

[0008] Furthermore, the buckle includes a buckle body and power units disposed on both sides of the buckle body. The part of the power unit that contacts the lens assembly has a contact surface that is consistent with the outer contour of the lens assembly. The power unit is provided with a limiting part that cooperates with the base.

[0009] Furthermore, a friction pair is provided on the contact surface of the power unit to increase the friction between it and the lens assembly.

[0010] Furthermore, the elastic reset mechanism includes a spring sheet, the two ends of which are fixed to the base, and a positioning hole is opened in the middle; the positioning hole cooperates with the positioning post on the buckle for positioning.

[0011] Furthermore, the lens assembly includes a lens and a carrier for supporting the lens; an auxiliary sliding mechanism is provided between the carrier and the base.

[0012] Furthermore, the auxiliary sliding mechanism includes a ball groove I formed on the carrier and a ball groove II formed on the base; the ball groove I and the ball groove II can be combined to form a ball channel for accommodating balls, the channel being parallel to the optical axis; and also includes balls disposed within the channel.

[0013] Furthermore, of the ball groove I and ball groove II, one is a rectangular groove and the other is a V-shaped groove.

[0014] Furthermore, the ball channels are two symmetrically arranged channels, one of which has at least one ball for positioning, and the other has at least three balls for rolling. The diameters of the balls at the front and back are equal and larger than the diameter of the ball in the middle.

[0015] Furthermore, an adsorption permanent magnet is fixed on the carrier, and an adsorption steel sheet is provided on the base; the adsorption permanent magnet and the adsorption steel sheet cooperate to make the carrier hold tightly to the base during the automatic focusing process.

[0016] This invention also provides an electronic device, including the aforementioned VCM lens that achieves focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking.

[0017] Beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention provides an autofocus lens that simultaneously possesses autofocus and focus-fixing functions. When the lens needs to focus, the locking mechanism responsible for the focus-fixing function is de-energized, while the AF coil is energized, generating a Lorentz force that drives the lens carrier to displace along the optical axis. When the lens needs to fix the focus, the locking mechanism is activated and energized once the focal length is adjusted to a suitable position for the target image. Once the carrier is locked, the AF coil is immediately de-energized, stopping autofocus. Therefore, this invention offers the following advantages: Maintaining the AF drive mechanism in the same position requires more energy. By switching to a fixed focus state via the locking mechanism, the AF drive mechanism can be powered off, which not only saves power consumption but also prevents the lens from constantly being in AF mode and causing camera shake, thus achieving stable long-distance shooting results.

[0019] The locking mechanism, under the action of thrust, completely fixes the carrier at the preset focal length position, preventing focus shift due to external forces and temperature changes experienced by the terminal device in extreme shooting environments, thus ensuring image quality. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. The elements or parts in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the structure of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the locking mechanism in this utility model.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the locking drive mechanism of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the carrier and locking mechanism in operation. Figure 5 A structural diagram of the carrier, base, and locking mechanism. Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the auxiliary sliding mechanism Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the base.

[0025] Summary of attached labeling and identification: 1-Outer shell, 2-Carrier, 3-AF permanent magnet, 4-Adsorption permanent magnet, 5-Ball, 6-Spring, 7-AF coil, 8-Locking permanent magnet, 9-Locking coil, 10-Adsorption steel sheet, 12-FPC, 13-Base, 14-Snap fastener, 21-Rectangular groove, 61-Hanging ear, 131-Suspension column, 132-V-groove, 141-Snap fastener body, 142-Power unit, 143-Limiting compensation, 144-Friction pair, 145-Positioning column. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0027] In this document, suffixes such as "module," "part," or "unit" used to denote elements are used only for the purpose of illustrative purposes and have no specific meaning in themselves. Therefore, "module," "part," or "unit" can be used interchangeably.

[0028] In this document, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," "one end," and "the other end," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] In this document, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," and "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] In this document, "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items.

[0031] In this article, "multiple" means two or more, that is, it includes two, three, four, five, etc.

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) lens that achieves focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking. It includes a lens assembly that can move along the optical axis under the action of a focusing drive mechanism to achieve autofocus; it also includes a locking mechanism that can fix the lens assembly at a specific position on the optical axis to achieve fixed focus.

[0034] In this invention, the lens assembly serves as the core carrier 2 for optical imaging. It alters the relative relationship between the object distance and image distance through linear displacement along the optical axis, ultimately achieving image sharpness. The focusing drive mechanism provides controllable driving force, causing the lens assembly to make precise linear displacements along the optical axis, i.e., the optical center axis of the lens, thus achieving dynamic adjustment of the focusing distance. Specifically, in this embodiment, the focusing drive mechanism consists of an AF permanent magnet 3 fixed to the lens assembly and an AF coil 7 fixed to the base 13. By changing the direction and magnitude of the coil current, the Lorentz force drives the lens assembly to reciprocate, thereby achieving automatic focusing.

[0035] The locking mechanism is used to rigidly fix the lens assembly at a specific position along the optical axis through physical constraints, preventing it from shifting due to external forces such as vibration, impact, or environmental changes such as temperature deformation, thereby achieving focus locking.

[0036] Specifically, during the autofocus phase, the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state and does not interfere with the movement of the lens assembly. The focusing drive mechanism, based on the sharpness signal fed back from the imaging system, drives the lens assembly to move along the optical axis in the forward or reverse direction until the image is sharp, thus completing autofocus. When a fixed-focus shot is needed after focusing, the locking mechanism triggers a locking action, rigidly fixing the lens assembly in its current position through physical constraints. Simultaneously, the focusing drive mechanism is powered off to avoid energy waste and minor vibrations caused by continuous operation. When the focus needs to be adjusted, the locking mechanism first performs an unlocking action to release the physical constraints on the lens assembly, the focusing drive mechanism restarts, and the lens assembly moves to the new focus position. The locking mechanism then repeats the locking process.

[0037] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, the locking mechanism in this embodiment includes a latch 14, which can move in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis under the action of the locking drive mechanism, thereby pressing the lens assembly against the base 13. It also includes an elastic reset mechanism for resetting the latch 14.

[0038] The latch 14, acting as a mechanical locking actuator, converts the power of the locking drive mechanism into a vertical clamping force on the lens assembly. Through its cooperation with the base 13, it forms a rigid constraint, preventing displacement of the lens assembly along the optical axis. Specifically, the latch 14 includes a latch 14 body 141 and power units 142 disposed on both sides of the latch 14 body 141. The portion of the power unit 142 that contacts the lens assembly has a contact surface consistent with the outer contour of the lens assembly; the power unit 142 is provided with a limiting portion that cooperates with the base 13.

[0039] The power unit 142, acting as the direct output of force, applies symmetrical radial pressure to the lens assembly under the action of the locking drive mechanism, preventing the lens assembly from deviating. The contact surface, consistent with the outer contour of the lens assembly, maximizes the contact area, reduces the pressure per unit area, and forms an enveloping constraint on the lens assembly, restricting its movement and further improving stability after locking.

[0040] The limiting part is a protrusion provided on the power unit 142, which cooperates with the base 13 to rigidly limit the maximum stroke of the buckle 14. When the power unit 142 moves toward the lens assembly, the limiting part contacts the base 13 and prevents the buckle 14 from continuing to move, thus avoiding the lens assembly being crushed or the buckle 14 itself being deformed due to overdrive of the drive mechanism.

[0041] In addition, to improve stability after locking, a friction pair 144 is provided on the contact surface of the power unit 142 to increase the friction between it and the lens assembly. The friction pair 144 can be made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber or silicone. It can generate a large static friction force with the lens assembly, ensuring that the lens assembly will not move axially after locking, thereby ensuring the effect of fixed-focus shooting.

[0042] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 As shown, the locking drive mechanism includes a locking permanent magnet 8 fixed to the latch 14 and a locking coil 9 fixed to the base 13. When the locking coil 9 is energized, a repulsive Lorentz force is generated between the locking coil 9 and the locking permanent magnet 8, causing the latch 14 to move away from the locking coil 9, thereby pressing the lens assembly against the base 13 to lock the lens assembly. When refocusing is required, the locking coil 9 is de-energized, and the latch 14 is reset by the elastic reset mechanism, thereby unlocking the lens assembly.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, the elastic reset mechanism includes a spring piece 6. Both ends of the spring piece 6 are fixed to the suspension column 131 of the base 13 using lugs 61, and a positioning hole is formed in its middle. The positioning hole engages with a positioning post 145 on the buckle 14 for positioning. When the locking drive mechanism drives the buckle 14 to move towards the lens assembly, the positioning post 145 of the buckle 14 pushes the positioning hole in the middle of the spring piece 6, causing the spring piece 6 to change from its natural state to a deformed state. When the locking drive mechanism is de-energized, the electromagnetic force disappears, and the restoring force of the spring piece 6 is transmitted to the buckle 14 through the contact between the positioning hole and the positioning post 145, pushing the buckle 14 to its initial position. As the deformation decreases, the restoring force gradually decreases until the spring piece 6 returns to its natural state, and the buckle 14 returns to the unlocked position, completing the reset. For force balance, in this embodiment, the spring piece 6 is a two-piece strip, located at the upper and lower ends of the buckle 14. It is foreseeable that there can be more than two positioning posts 145 cooperating with each spring piece 6 to prevent rotation.

[0044] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, in order to make the lens assembly move more smoothly along the optical axis during autofocus, in this embodiment, the lens assembly includes a lens and a carrier 2 for supporting the lens; an auxiliary sliding mechanism is provided between the carrier 2 and the base 13; the auxiliary sliding mechanism includes a ball bearing groove I formed in the carrier 2 and a ball bearing groove II formed in the base 13; the ball bearing groove I and the ball bearing groove II can be combined to form a ball bearing channel for accommodating the ball bearing 5, the channel being parallel to the optical axis; and also includes the ball bearing 5 disposed in the channel.

[0045] Specifically, of the ball groove I and ball groove II, one is a rectangular groove 21 and the other is a V-shaped groove 132. The ball 5 is loosely attached to the two side walls of the rectangular groove 21 to utilize rolling displacement, while it is tightly attached to the two inclined surfaces of the V-shaped groove 132 to facilitate positioning.

[0046] There are gaps between the ball bearing 5 and the two side walls of the rectangular groove 21, with only the bottom lightly contacting the bottom of the groove. This allows the ball bearing 5 to roll freely along the length of the groove without any radial rigid compression, preventing excessive friction that could cause uneven rolling. Meanwhile, the ball bearing 5 is completely in contact with the two side walls of the V-shaped groove, forming a rigid constraint at two points. The inclined surface of the V-shaped groove 132 will generate a radial preload on the ball bearing 5. Even if the ball bearing 5 has a slight radial offset, the guiding force of the inclined surface can automatically pull it back to the center of the groove, achieving a self-centering effect.

[0047] More specifically, in this embodiment, the ball 5 channels are two symmetrically arranged channels, one of which has at least one ball 5 for positioning, and the other has at least three balls 5 for rolling. The diameters of the balls 5 located at the front and back are equal and larger than the diameter of the ball 5 located in the middle.

[0048] In both channels, at least one ball bearing 5 is provided as a radially stable anchor point. The rigid constraint of a single ball bearing 5 restricts the displacement of the carrier 2 along the perpendicular optical axis and its rotation around the optical axis. The single ball bearing 5 design avoids positioning conflicts caused by dimensional deviations of multiple balls bearing 5, ensuring stable positioning accuracy.

[0049] At least three ball bearings 5 ​​are arranged in a ball bearing channel as a low-resistance motion transmission unit. The three ball bearings 5 ​​are arranged in a direction parallel to the optical axis and roll through the front and rear large-diameter ball bearings 5 ​​(with the same diameter as the ball bearing 5 used for positioning). The small-diameter ball bearing 5 in the middle is used for transmission between the front and rear large ball bearings 5 ​​and does not directly participate in the sliding of the carrier 2.

[0050] It is worth noting that the auxiliary sliding mechanism in this embodiment can also be selected from spring sheet 6, shape memory alloy, or other structures; no specific limitations are imposed in this utility model.

[0051] In some embodiments, a permanent magnet 4 is fixed on the carrier 2, and a steel sheet 10 is provided on the base 13. The permanent magnet 4 and the steel sheet 10 cooperate to ensure that the carrier 2 is tightly bound to the base 13 during autofocus. Before the device is powered on or before autofocus is started, the permanent magnet 4 and the steel sheet 10 have formed a stable engagement through magnetic attraction. At this time, the carrier 2 is in a pre-clamped state, and the ball bearing 5 in the moving guide assembly is tightly constrained in the groove. During autofocus, the AF coil 7 is energized, driving the carrier 2 to move along the optical axis, and the magnetic attraction continues to act. When the carrier 2 moves, if there is a lateral tendency due to external vibration, the magnetic attraction will quickly pull the carrier 2 back. In the auxiliary sliding mechanism, the fit between the ball bearing 5 and the groove directly affects the smoothness of rolling. The magnetic attraction ensures that the groove of the carrier 2 is always tightly attached to the ball bearing 5, avoiding the ball bearing 5 from being suspended due to gaps.

[0052] In addition, this embodiment also includes an FPC12 (flexible circuit board), on which the AF coil 7 and locking coil 9 are mounted for unified power supply and control. To prevent foreign object intrusion, a housing 1 is also included, which can be fastened to the base 13 to form a closed state.

[0053] During operation, in the initial state, the locking coil 9 of the locking mechanism is de-energized. The elastic reset mechanism, under the action of restoring force, pulls the locking mechanism back to its initial position, preventing obstruction of the subsequent displacement of the carrier 2. When the device requires autofocus, the system activates the focusing drive mechanism, driving the carrier 2 to move the lens along the optical axis. When the shooting scene requires a fixed focal length, after autofocus is complete, the system triggers a focus fixation command, activating the locking mechanism to achieve physical locking. When the locking coil 9 on FPC12 is energized, it generates a driving force with the locking magnet of the locking mechanism, pushing the buckle 14 to overcome the resistance of the elastic reset mechanism and move towards the carrier 2 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. The power unit 142 of the buckle 14 pushes the carrier 2 toward the base 13 until the carrier 2 is close to the base 13; at this time, the friction pair 144 on the buckle 14 is in close contact with the surface of the carrier 2, and the carrier 2 is rigidly fixed at the current focal length position by friction. When the latch 14 moves with the carrier 2 to contact the base 13, the limiting part on the latch 14 abuts against the base 13 to prevent the locking mechanism from moving excessively; at the same time, the AF coil 7 is immediately de-energized and does not need to be continuously powered to maintain the focal length, which saves energy and eliminates the slight shaking caused by the continuous operation of the AF drive.

[0054] Example 2:

[0055] This invention provides an electronic device, including the aforementioned VCM lens that achieves focus and focus switching through mechanical locking.

[0056] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0057] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A VCM lens that achieves focus and fixed-focus switching via mechanical locking, characterized in that: It includes a lens assembly that can move along the optical axis under the action of a focusing drive mechanism to achieve autofocus; it also includes a latch that can move in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis under the action of a locking drive mechanism to press the lens assembly against the base to achieve focus.

2. The VCM lens of claim 1, wherein: It also includes a resilient reset mechanism for resetting the latch. 3.The VCM lens of claim 1, wherein: The buckle includes a buckle body and a power unit disposed on both sides of the buckle body. The part of the power unit that contacts the lens assembly has a contact surface that is consistent with the outer contour of the lens assembly. The power unit is provided with a limiting part that cooperates with the base.

4. The VCM lens of claim 3, wherein: The contact surface of the power unit is provided with a friction pair to increase the friction between the power unit and the lens assembly.

5. The VCM lens of claim 1, wherein: The locking drive mechanism includes a locking permanent magnet fixed on the buckle and a locking coil fixed on the base.

6. A VCM lens for switching between focus and fixed focus via mechanical locking as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic reset mechanism includes a spring sheet, both ends of which are fixed to the base, and a positioning hole is opened in the middle; the positioning hole cooperates with the positioning post on the buckle for positioning.

7. A VCM lens for switching between focus and fixed focus via mechanical locking as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The lens assembly includes a lens and a carrier for supporting the lens; an auxiliary sliding mechanism is provided between the carrier and the base; the auxiliary sliding mechanism includes a ball groove I formed on the carrier and a ball groove II formed on the base; the ball groove I and the ball groove II can be combined to form a ball channel for accommodating balls, the channel being parallel to the optical axis; and also includes balls disposed within the channel.

8. A VCM lens for switching between focus and fixed focus via mechanical locking as described in claim 7, characterized in that: Of the ball groove I and ball groove II, one is a rectangular groove and the other is a V-shaped groove; The ball bearing channels are two symmetrically arranged channels. One channel has at least one ball bearing for positioning, and the other channel has at least three balls bearing for rolling. The diameters of the balls at the front and back are equal and larger than the diameter of the ball bearing in the middle.

9. A VCM lens for switching between focus and fixed focus via mechanical locking as described in claim 7, characterized in that: An adsorption permanent magnet is fixed on the carrier, and an adsorption steel sheet is provided on the base; the adsorption permanent magnet and the adsorption steel sheet cooperate to make the carrier hold tightly to the base during the autofocus process.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that: Includes the VCM lens that achieves focus and fixed focus switching through mechanical locking as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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