Imaging unit

Abstract

To provide an imaging unit capable of reducing the influence of the rotation of a lens module on a flexible printed board.SOLUTION: An imaging unit 1 includes: a body substrate 10; a lens module 20 including an imaging element mounted on the body substrate 10; and a flexible printed board 30 including a wiring electrically connected to the imaging element inside. The flexible printed board 30 includes bent parts 40 and 50 extending in a Z direction as a whole, while being bent from the body substrate 10. The bent part 40 includes: a plurality of span parts 42 extending in an X direction and arranged side by side in the Z direction; and a connection part 46 connecting the span parts 42 adjacent to each other in the Z direction. The bent part 50 includes: a plurality of span parts 52 extending in a Y direction and arranged side by side in the Z direction; and a connection part 56 connecting the span parts 52 adjacent to each other in the Z direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging unit. [Background technology]

[0002] In many cameras, the influence of camera shake during shooting is reduced by configuring the lens module including the image sensor to be movable in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera body. In such cameras, a flexible printed circuit board that can flexibly deform is used to ensure a connection between the image sensor and external electronic components even if the lens module moves (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] In recent years, in order to achieve more advanced image stabilization, it has been considered to configure the lens module to be rotatable around pitch and yaw relative to the camera body, in addition to moving the lens module within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. However, since the above-mentioned conventional flexible printed circuit board is based on the premise that the lens module moves within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, when the lens module rotates around yaw or pitch, not only does the flexible printed circuit board become twisted and its durability decreases, but the load acting on the flexible printed circuit board changes between when it rotates around pitch and when it rotates around yaw, resulting in multiple resonance points and making it difficult to control the resonance points. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-122020 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems with the conventional technology, and has an object to provide an imaging unit that can reduce the effect of rotation of a lens module on a flexible printed circuit board. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging unit capable of reducing the influence of rotation of a lens module on a flexible printed circuit board. The imaging unit includes a main body substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a lens module including at least one lens having an optical axis along a first direction and an imaging element mounted on the first surface of the main body substrate, and a flexible printed circuit board including wiring electrically connected to the imaging element of the lens module. The flexible printed circuit board includes a first bent portion that bends from the main body substrate and extends as a whole in the first direction, and a second bent portion that bends from the main body substrate and extends as a whole in the first direction. The first bent portion has a first width along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second bent portion has a second width along a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The first bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board includes a plurality of first span portions extending in the third direction and arranged side by side in the first direction, a first base end portion connecting the base portion and one of the plurality of first span portions, and at least one first connection portion connecting adjacent first span portions in the first direction. The second bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board includes a plurality of second span portions extending in the second direction and arranged side by side in the first direction, a second base end portion connecting the base portion and one of the plurality of second span portions, and at least one second connection portion connecting adjacent second span portions in the first direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the flexible printed circuit board has a first bent portion and a second bent portion that bend from a base portion and extend in a first direction as a whole, so that even when the imaging element rotates around an axis along the second direction (e.g., the pitch axis) or around an axis along a third direction (e.g., the yaw axis), the load on the entire flexible printed circuit board can be kept small due to flexible deformation caused by bending of the first bent portion and the second bent portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an imaging unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the imaging unit shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a right side view of the imaging unit shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the imaging unit shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an imaging unit according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. In Figs. 1 to 4, identical or corresponding components are denoted with the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. In addition, in Figs. 1 to 4, the scale and dimensions of each component may be exaggerated, and some components may be omitted. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish components from each other, and do not indicate a specific order or sequence.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an imaging unit 1 in one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a right side view, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view. As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the imaging unit 1 in this embodiment has a main substrate 10 in the form of a rectangular plate extending along the XY plane, a lens module 20 mounted on one surface 12 (first surface) of the main substrate 10, and a flexible printed circuit board 30 attached to the other surface 14 (second surface) of the main substrate 10. The lens module 20 has a housing 26 that houses at least one lens 22 and an imaging element 24 mounted on the surface 12 of the main substrate 10. Examples of such an imaging element 24 include a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. The lens 22 has an optical axis P along the Z direction (first direction). In this embodiment, in order to reduce the effect of camera shake during shooting on the image sensor 24, the main body substrate 10 and the lens module 20 are configured to be rotatable around the X axis (e.g., yaw axis) and Y axis (e.g., pitch axis) relative to an external substrate or electronic device. Note that in this embodiment, for convenience, the +Z direction in Fig. 1 will be referred to as "up" or "upward" and the -Z direction will be referred to as "down" or "downward".

[0011] The flexible printed circuit board 30 electrically connects the imaging element 24 of the lens module 20 to an external board or electronic device (not shown), and includes wiring (not shown) therein that is electrically connected to the imaging element 24. The flexible printed circuit board 30 electrically connects the imaging element 24 to the external board or electronic device while flexibly deforming, even when the main body board 10 and the lens module 20 rotate around the X-axis and Y-axis to reduce the effects of camera shake. The structure of the flexible printed circuit board 30 will be described in detail below.

[0012] 1 to 4, the flexible printed circuit board 30 has a base portion 32 connected to the surface 14 of the main substrate 10, and two bent portions 40, 50 that bend from the base portion 32 and extend in the −Z direction as a whole. The base portion 32 has a fixing portion 33 fixed to the surface 14 of the main substrate 10, a folded portion 34 folded back from the fixing portion 33, and a heat dissipation sheet 35 fixed between the fixing portion 33 and the folded back portion 34. For example, a heat dissipation sheet containing graphite can be used as the heat dissipation sheet 35. An adhesive sheet or adhesive material may be disposed between the fixing portion 33 and the folded back portion 34.

[0013] The bent portion 40 (first bent portion) is formed by alternately bending strip-shaped portions having a certain width W1 (see FIG. 3) along the Y direction (second direction). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the bent portion 40 includes a plurality of span portions 42A-42J (first span portions) arranged side by side in the Z direction, a base end portion 44 (first base end portion) connecting the folded portion 34 and the span portion 42A, a plurality of connection portions 46A-46I (first connection portions) connecting the span portions 42A-42J adjacent to each other in the Z direction, and a terminal portion 48 connected to an external board or electronic device. Hereinafter, the plurality of span portions 42A-42J may be collectively referred to as the "span portion 42", and the plurality of connection portions 46A-46I may be collectively referred to as the "connection portion 46".

[0014] The connecting portions 46A to 46I are arranged alternately in the X direction (third direction) with respect to the span portions 42A to 42J aligned in the Z direction. More specifically, the first connecting portion 46A is arranged on the -X side of the span portions 42A and 42B, the second connecting portion 46B is arranged on the +X side of the span portions 42B and 42C, the third connecting portion 46C is arranged on the -X side of the span portions 42C and 42D, the fourth connecting portion 46D is arranged on the +X side of the span portions 42D and 42E, the fifth connecting portion 46E is arranged on the -X side of the span portions 42E and 42F, the sixth connecting portion 46F is arranged on the +X side of the span portions 42F and 42G, the seventh connecting portion 46G is arranged on the -X side of the span portions 42G and 42H, the eighth connecting portion 46H is arranged on the +X side of the span portions 42H and 42I, and the ninth connecting portion 46I is arranged on the -X side of the span portions 42I and 42J. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the lengths of the multiple span portions 42 along the X direction are the same. Moreover, the centers of these span portions 42 in the X direction are aligned with the center of the main substrate 10 in the X direction.

[0015] In addition, the connecting portions 46A to 46I are formed so that their lengths along the Z direction gradually increase going downward from the base portion 32. For example, the Z direction length of the connecting portion 46B is longer than the Z direction length of the connecting portion 46A, and the Z direction length of the connecting portion 46C is longer than the Z direction length of the connecting portion 46B.

[0016] The bent portion 50 (second bent portion) is formed by alternately bending strip-shaped portions having a certain width W2 (see FIG. 2) along the X direction (third direction). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the bent portion 50 includes a plurality of span portions 52A-52J (second span portions) arranged side by side in the Z direction, a base end portion 54 (second base end portion) connecting the folded portion 34 and the span portion 52A, a plurality of connection portions 56A-56I (second connection portions) connecting the span portions 52A-52J adjacent to each other in the Z direction, and a terminal portion 58 connected to an external board or electronic device. Hereinafter, the plurality of span portions 52A-52J may be collectively referred to as "span portions 52", and the plurality of connection portions 56A-56I may be collectively referred to as "connection portion 56".

[0017] The connecting portions 56A to 56I are arranged alternately in the Y direction (second direction) with respect to the span portions 52A to 52J aligned in the Z direction. More specifically, the first connecting portion 56A is disposed on the -Y side of the span portions 52A and 52B, the second connecting portion 56B is disposed on the +Y side of the span portions 52B and 52C, the third connecting portion 56C is disposed on the -Y side of the span portions 52C and 52D, the fourth connecting portion 56D is disposed on the +Y side of the span portions 52D and 52E, the fifth connecting portion 56E is disposed on the -Y side of the span portions 52E and 52F, the sixth connecting portion 56F is disposed on the +Y side of the span portions 52F and 52G, the seventh connecting portion 56G is disposed on the -Y side of the span portions 52G and 52H, the eighth connecting portion 56H is disposed on the +Y side of the span portions 52H and 52I, and the ninth connecting portion 56I is disposed on the -Y side of the span portions 52I and 52J. As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the lengths of the multiple span portions 52 along the Y direction are the same.

[0018] In addition, the connecting portions 56A to 56I are formed so that their lengths along the Z direction gradually increase going downward from the base portion 32. For example, the Z direction length of the connecting portion 56B is longer than the Z direction length of the connecting portion 56A, and the Z direction length of the connecting portion 56C is longer than the Z direction length of the connecting portion 56B.

[0019] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the multiple span portions 42 of the bending portion 40 have the same length in the X direction, and this length is approximately equal to the width W2 of the bending portion 50 in the X direction. Similarly, as shown in Fig. 3, the multiple span portions 52 of the bending portion 50 have the same length in the Y direction. However, the multiple span portions 42 of the bending portion 40 may have different lengths in the X direction, and the multiple span portions 52 of the bending portion 50 may have different lengths in the Y direction.

[0020] The main body substrate 10 and the lens module 20 are configured to be rotatable around the X-axis and the Y-axis as described above, but the flexible printed circuit board 30 in this embodiment has the bent portions 40, 50 that bend from the base portion 32 and extend in the -Z direction as a whole. Therefore, even if the main body substrate 10 and the lens module 20 (the image pickup element 24) rotate around the Y-axis (for example, the pitch axis), the load on the entire flexible printed circuit board 30 can be kept small due to the flexible deformation caused by the bending of the bent portion 40. Similarly, even if the main body substrate 10 and the lens module 20 rotate around the X-axis (for example, the yaw axis), the load on the entire flexible printed circuit board 30 can be kept small due to the flexible deformation caused by the bending of the bent portion 50. Thus, according to the imaging unit 1 of this embodiment, even if the main body substrate 10 and the lens module 20 rotate around the X-axis and the Y-axis, the load on the entire flexible printed circuit board 30 can be kept small.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the base end 44 and the connection portion 46 of the bending portion 40 each extend straight in the Z direction and extend approximately perpendicular to the span portion 42 extending in the X direction, but they may not extend approximately perpendicular to the span portion 42. For example, they may be curved and not extend straight in the Z direction. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the base end 54 and the connection portion 56 of the bending portion 50 each extend straight in the Z direction and extend approximately perpendicular to the span portion 52 extending in the Y direction, but they may not extend approximately perpendicular to the span portion 52. For example, they may be curved and not extend straight in the Z direction. In a simulation by the present inventors, it was found that a high load reduction effect can be obtained by forming multiple U-shaped shapes as in this embodiment.

[0022] Although the bending portion 40 of this embodiment has nine connecting portions 46, the number of connecting portions 46 is not limited to this. For example, the bending portion 40 may have only one connecting portion 46, but a higher load reduction effect can be obtained by arranging multiple connecting portions 46 alternately in the X direction with respect to the multiple span portions 42 as in this embodiment. The same can be said for the connecting portion 56 of the bending portion 50.

[0023] According to a simulation by the present inventors, it was found that the more the bending portions 40, 50 are bent at positions closer to the rotation center of the main substrate 10 and the lens module 20, the more the load reduction effect on the entire flexible printed circuit board 30 is enhanced. Therefore, in this embodiment, the connection portions 46, 56 of the bending portions 40, 50 that are closer to the main substrate 10 are shorter in length along the Z direction. That is, the length along the Z direction is shorter in the order of the connection portions 46I, 46H, 46G, 46F, 46E, 46D, 46C, 46B, and 46A, and the length along the Z direction is shorter in the order of the connection portions 56I, 56H, 56G, 56F, 56E, 56D, 56C, 56B, and 56A.

[0024] In this embodiment, the center position in the X direction of the span portion 42 of the bending portion 40 is aligned with the center position in the X direction of the main substrate 10. On the other hand, the center position in the Y direction of the span portion 52 of the bending portion 50 is shifted in the Y direction from the center position in the Y direction of the main substrate 10. Therefore, the bending portion 40 can reduce the load on the flexible printed circuit board 30 caused by rotation about the Y axis more effectively than the bending portion 50. For this reason, the flexible printed circuit board 30 of this embodiment is particularly effective in cases where rotation about the Y axis occurs more frequently than rotation about the X axis, or where the degree of rotation about the Y axis is greater than the degree of rotation about the X axis.

[0025] 4, in this embodiment, the projections of the bent portions 40 and 50 onto the main substrate 10 are within the range of the main substrate 10. That is, when viewed from the Z direction, the bent portions 40 and 50 are within the range of the main substrate 10. Therefore, the footprint of the imaging unit 1 in this embodiment in the XY plane is small, and the imaging unit 1 can be installed even in a narrow space.

[0026] In this embodiment, the width W1 (first width) of the bending portion 40 and the width W2 (second width) of the bending portion 50 are the same, but the width W1 of the bending portion 40 and the width W2 of the bending portion 50 do not necessarily have to be the same and may be different.

[0027] As described above, the imaging unit according to the present invention can employ the following configuration.

[0028] [Configuration 1] a main body substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a lens module including at least one lens having an optical axis along a first direction and an imaging element mounted on the first surface of the main body substrate; A flexible printed circuit board including wiring electrically connected to the imaging element of the lens module, a first bent portion that is bent from the main substrate and extends in the first direction as a whole, the first bent portion having a first width along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second bent portion that is bent from the main substrate and extends in the first direction as a whole, the second bent portion having a second width along a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction; A flexible printed circuit board including: Equipped with The first bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board is a plurality of first span portions extending in the third direction, the plurality of first span portions being arranged side by side in the first direction; at least one first connection portion connecting the first span portions adjacent to each other in the first direction; Including, The second bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board is a plurality of second span portions extending in the second direction and arranged side by side in the first direction; at least one second connection portion connecting between the second span portions adjacent to each other in the first direction; Including, Imaging unit.

[0029] [Configuration 2] The imaging unit of configuration 1, wherein the at least one first connection portion and the at least one second connection portion each extend in the first direction.

[0030] [Configuration 3] 3. The imaging unit according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the lengths of the first span portions along the third direction are the same.

[0031] [Configuration 4] 4. The imaging unit according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the lengths of the second span portions along the second direction are the same.

[0032] [Configuration 5] An imaging unit described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the at least one first connection portion includes a plurality of first connection portions arranged alternately in the third direction with respect to the plurality of first span portions arranged in the first direction.

[0033] [Configuration 6] The imaging unit according to configuration 5, wherein among the plurality of first connection portions, a first connection portion located closer to the main body substrate has a shorter length along the first direction.

[0034] [Configuration 7] An imaging unit described in any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the at least one second connection portion includes a plurality of second connection portions arranged alternately in the second direction with respect to the plurality of second span portions arranged in the first direction.

[0035] [Configuration 8] The imaging unit according to configuration 7, wherein the second connection portions located closer to the main body substrate among the plurality of second connection portions have a shorter length along the first direction.

[0036] [Configuration 9] An imaging unit according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein central positions of the plurality of first span portions in the third direction are aligned with a central position of the main substrate in the third direction.

[0037] [Configuration 10] An imaging unit described in any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the central positions of the multiple second span portions in the second direction are shifted in the second direction from the central position of the main substrate in the second direction.

[0038] [Configuration 11] 11. The imaging unit according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, wherein when viewed from the first direction, the first bent portion and the second bent portion are within the range of the main body substrate.

[0039] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may be embodied in various different forms within the scope of the technical concept thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Imaging unit 10 Main Board 12th side (first side) 14th face (2nd face) 20 Lens Module 22 Lens 24 Image sensor 26 Case 30 Flexible Printed Circuit Board 32 Base 33 Attachment 34 Turning section 35 Heat dissipation sheet 40 Bending portion (first bending portion) 42A~42J Span section (first span section) 44 base end (first base end) 46A~46I Connection part (first connection part) 48 End 50 Bend (second bend) 52A~52J Span section (second span section) 54 Base end (second base end) 56A~56I Connection part (second connection part) 58 End P optical axis

Claims

1. a main body substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a lens module including at least one lens having an optical axis along a first direction and an image sensor mounted on the first surface of the main body substrate; A flexible printed circuit board including wiring electrically connected to the imaging element of the lens module, a first bent portion that is bent from the main substrate and extends in the first direction as a whole, the first bent portion having a first width along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second bent portion that is bent from the main substrate and extends in the first direction as a whole, the second bent portion having a second width along a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction; A flexible printed circuit board including: Equipped with The first bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board is a plurality of first span portions extending in the third direction, the plurality of first span portions being arranged side by side in the first direction; at least one first connection portion connecting between the plurality of first span portions adjacent to each other in the first direction; Including, The second bent portion of the flexible printed circuit board is a plurality of second span portions extending in the second direction, the plurality of second span portions being arranged side by side in the first direction; at least one second connection portion connecting between the plurality of second span portions adjacent to each other in the first direction; Including, Imaging unit.

2. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first connection portion and the at least one second connection portion each extend in the first direction.

3. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first span portions have the same length along the third direction.

4. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second span portions have the same length along the second direction.

5. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first connection portion includes a plurality of first connection portions arranged alternately in the third direction with respect to the plurality of first span portions aligned in the first direction.

6. The imaging unit according to claim 5 , wherein the first connection portions located closer to the main body substrate among the plurality of first connection portions have a shorter length along the first direction.

7. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one second connection portion includes a plurality of second connection portions arranged alternately in the second direction with respect to the plurality of second span portions aligned in the first direction.

8. The imaging unit according to claim 7 , wherein the second connection portions located closer to the main body substrate among the plurality of second connection portions have a shorter length along the first direction.

9. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein central positions of the plurality of first span portions in the third direction are aligned with a central position of the main body substrate in the third direction.

10. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein central positions of the plurality of second span portions in the second direction are shifted in the second direction from a central position of the main body substrate in the second direction.

11. The imaging unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first bent portion and the second bent portion are within a range of the main body substrate when viewed from the first direction.

Images