Drive unit, camera module, and camera mounting device

Abstract

The present invention provides a drive unit, a camera module, and a camera mounting device that can improve the stability of the operation of the holding part while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product. [Solution] The drive device comprises a holding part capable of holding an optical element, a housing part that houses the holding part, a magnet provided on one of the holding part and the housing part, and a coil provided on the other of the holding part and the housing part, and a drive unit that moves the holding part relative to the housing part. The holding part has a first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided, and a second wall that sandwiches the holding part of the optical element in the holding part, and the second wall is configured to have the same weight as the first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drive device, a camera module, and a camera-mounted device.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a small camera module is mounted on a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. Such a camera module has an autofocus function (hereinafter referred to as "AF function", AF: Auto Focus) that automatically focuses when shooting a subject, and a shake correction function (hereinafter referred to as "OIS function", OIS: Optical Image Stabilization) that optically corrects shake (vibration) generated during shooting to reduce image blur. A lens drive device having these functions is applied.

[0003] A lens drive device having an AF function and an OIS function includes an autofocus drive unit (hereinafter referred to as "AF drive unit") for moving the lens unit in the optical axis direction, and a shake correction drive unit (hereinafter referred to as "OIS drive unit") for swinging the lens unit in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction.

[0004] Such a drive unit is known to have a coil and a magnet for operating a movable unit (holding unit) that holds an optical element. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a magnet is provided at the central portion of the holding unit, and a coil is provided at a portion corresponding to the central portion of the housing portion that houses the holding unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, the drive unit is sometimes placed on only one side of the holding unit to consider the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product. When the drive unit is placed on only one side of the holding unit, the weight balance of the holding unit may be poor, which in turn may affect the operation of the holding unit.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a drive device, a camera module, and a camera mounting device that can improve the stability of the operation of the holding part while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The drive device according to the present invention is A holding part capable of holding an optical element, A housing section for housing the aforementioned holding section, A drive unit having a magnet provided in one of the holding portion and the housing portion, and a coil provided in the other of the holding portion and the housing portion, which moves the holding portion relative to the housing portion, Equipped with, The holding portion has a first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided, and a second wall that sandwiches the holding portion of the optical element in the holding portion. The second wall is configured to have the same weight as the first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided.

[0009] The camera module according to the present invention is The above-mentioned drive unit, The lens part, An imaging unit that captures the image of the subject formed by the aforementioned lens unit, It is equipped with.

[0010] The camera-equipped device according to the present invention is A camera-equipped device which is an information device or a transport device, The above camera module and, The system includes an image processing unit that processes image information obtained by the camera module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the stability of the operation of the holding portion while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1A] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a smartphone equipped with a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a smartphone equipped with a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the camera module. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view of the housing, the optical path bending module, and the lens module. [Figure 4] It is an exploded perspective view of the housing and the substrate portion. [Figure 5] It is a view of the camera module seen from the + side in the Z direction. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the substrate portion. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the optical path bending module. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the optical path bending module. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view of the optical path bending module. [Figure 10] It is an exploded perspective view of the prism holding portion, the ball guide, the ball, and the biasing spring. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of the lens module. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view of the lens module. [Figure 13] It is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the first groove and the second groove and the support shaft. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view of the lens module. [Figure 15] It is a diagram for explaining a modification example. [Figure 16] It is a diagram for explaining a modification example. [Figure 17] This is a diagram illustrating a variation. [Figure 18] This is a diagram illustrating a variation. [Figure 19A] This diagram shows an automobile as a camera-mounted device equipped with an in-vehicle camera module. [Figure 19B] This diagram shows an automobile as a camera-mounted device equipped with an in-vehicle camera module. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the camera module and camera mounting device described later in the embodiments are examples of the drive device, camera module, and camera mounting device according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Furthermore, the drive device, camera module, and camera mounting device according to the present invention may include all of the configurations described later, or may omit some of the configurations.

[0014] Camera module 1 is installed in, for example, smartphone M (see Figures 1A and 1B), mobile phones, digital cameras, notebook computers, tablet devices, portable game consoles, and thin camera-equipped devices (such as in-vehicle cameras). Smartphone M has a dual camera consisting of two rear cameras OC1 and OC2. In this embodiment, camera module 1 is applied to the rear camera OC2.

[0015] Hereinafter, each component constituting the camera module 1 of this embodiment will be described based on its state as assembled in the camera module 1. Furthermore, when describing the structure of the camera module 1 of this embodiment, the orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) shown in each figure will be used.

[0016] When the camera-mounted device is actually taking pictures, the camera module 1 is mounted such that, for example, the X direction corresponds to the left-right direction of the camera-mounted device, the Y direction corresponds to the up-down direction of the camera-mounted device, and the Z direction corresponds to the front-back direction of the camera-mounted device.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the camera module 1 comprises a housing 2, an optical path bending module 3, a lens module 4, an image sensor module 5, and a substrate 6.

[0018] The housing 2 is a housing that accommodates the optical path bending module 3 and the lens module 4. The housing 2 is configured as a box shape with an opening on the positive side in the Z direction, by which the wall portion 331 (see Figure 3, etc.), described later, is attached, allowing light from the subject to enter from the positive side in the Z direction. The optical path bending module 3 and the lens module 4 are arranged side by side in the X direction within the housing 2. The image sensor module 5 is attached to the positive end of the housing 2 in the X direction.

[0019] As shown by the dashed line α (also called the first optical axis) in Figure 2, light from the subject (incident light) enters the prism 31 of the optical path bending module 3 from the Z-direction + side (positive side) of the camera module 1. As shown by the dashed line β (also called the second optical axis) in Figure 2, the light enters the prism 31 (see Figure 2) by bending at the optical path bending surface and is guided to the lens portion 41 of the lens module 4, which is located on the X-direction + side. The subject image formed by the lens portion 41 is then captured by the image sensor module 5 (see Figure 2), which is located on the X-direction + side of the lens module 4.

[0020] The optical path bending module 3 incorporates a configuration that enables optical image stabilization (OIS). In other words, the optical path bending module 3 has a camera shake correction function. Details of the optical path bending module 3 will be described later.

[0021] Lens module 4 incorporates a configuration that enables autofocus (AF). In other words, lens module 4 has an autofocus function. Details of lens module 4 will be described later.

[0022] The image sensor module 5 is positioned on the X-direction + side of the lens module 4 (lens section 41). The image sensor module 5 is composed of an image sensor such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) type image sensor or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) type image sensor. The image sensor of the image sensor module 5 captures the subject image formed by the lens section 41 and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the subject image. A substrate section 6 is electrically connected to the image sensor module 5, and power is supplied to the image sensor module 5 and the electrical signal of the subject image captured by the image sensor module 5 is output via the substrate section 6. Such an image sensor module 5 can employ a conventionally known structure.

[0023] Furthermore, the circuit board 6 is equipped with a control unit (not shown). The control unit includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The CPU reads a program corresponding to the processing content from the ROM, loads it into the RAM, and works in cooperation with the loaded program to centrally control the optical path bending module 3 and the lens module 4, etc.

[0024] Next, the structure of the housing 2 and the circuit board 6 will be described.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the housing 2 has a bottom wall 21, a first side wall 22, a second side wall 23, and a third side wall 24. The bottom wall 21 is a wall that forms the bottom surface of the housing 2 and is configured in a substantially rectangular shape.

[0026] The first region, extending from the negative end of the bottom wall 21 in the X direction to near the center in the X direction, is the region where the optical path bending module 3 is positioned. The first region is provided with an opening 211 for the position of the first coil 611, which will be described later. The opening 211 is rectangular in shape. The opening 211 is covered from the negative side in the Z direction by the substrate portion 6 (the first substrate 61, which will be described later) (see also Figure 4).

[0027] The second region of the bottom wall 21, excluding the first region (the region from near the center in the X direction of the bottom wall 21 to the positive end in the X direction), is the region where the lens module 4 is placed. The second region is provided with grooves 212 in which the support shafts 213 are placed. There are two grooves 212, each extending in the X direction. The two grooves 212 are arranged side by side in the Y direction.

[0028] The support shaft 213 is an axial member extending in the X direction and is a support part that supports the lens module 4 by being positioned between the bottom wall 21 and the lens module 4.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, two yokes 214 are provided on the back side (the negative side in the Z direction) of the bottom wall 21. Each of the two yokes 214 is provided at each of the ends on both sides in the Y direction of the region corresponding to the second region.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the first side wall 22 is a side wall provided along the positive end in the Y direction of the bottom wall 21. The first side wall 22 is provided with a protruding wall 221 that protrudes from a portion near the center in the X direction.

[0031] The second side wall 23 is a side wall provided along the positive end in the X direction of the bottom wall 21, and is the part to which the image sensor module 5 is attached. The second side wall 23 is provided with an opening 231 through which light from the lens section 41 (the subject image formed by the lens section 41) passes.

[0032] The third side wall 24 is a side wall provided along the Y-side end of the bottom wall 21 and is a wall that sandwiches the optical path bending module 3 and the lens module 4 between it and the first side wall 22. The third side wall 24 has a first portion 241, a second portion 242, and a third portion 243.

[0033] The first portion 241 is the portion of the third side wall 24 that is located on the most positive side in the X direction and is connected to the negative end of the second side wall 23 in the Y direction.

[0034] The second part 242 is located near the center in the X direction of the third side wall 24 and is spaced apart from the first part 241 in the X direction. The third coil 622, which will be described later, is located in the space between the first part 241 and the second part 242, which corresponds to the second region.

[0035] Furthermore, the second portion 242 is provided with a protruding wall 244 that protrudes from the portion of the first side wall 22 that faces the protruding wall 221. The protruding wall 221 of the first side wall 22 and the protruding wall 244 of the second portion 242 are located at the boundary between the first region and the second region of the bottom wall 21, and restrict the lens module 4 from moving too far towards the first region.

[0036] The third portion 243 is the part of the third side wall 24 located on the X-side, and is spaced apart from the second portion 242 in the X direction. The second coil 621, which will be described later, is located in the space between the second portion 242 and the third portion 243, which corresponds to the first region.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the X-side end of the bottom wall 21 is positioned to protrude further to the X-side than the X-side end of the first side wall 22 and the X-side end of the third portion 243. The wall portion 331 of the ball guide 33, which will be described later, is located at this X-side end of the bottom wall 21.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the substrate portion 6 is attached to the housing 2 and, together with the housing 2, constitutes a housing for the optical path bending module 3 and the lens module 4. The substrate portion 6 has a first substrate 61 and a second substrate 62.

[0039] The first substrate 61 is a substrate provided on the bottom wall 21 from the Z-side, covering the opening 211 of the bottom wall 21. The first coil 611 is arranged on the first substrate 61 and extends into the opening 211. In other words, the first coil 611 is located on the Z-side of the optical path bending module 3 on the bottom wall 21 (see Figure 5).

[0040] The second substrate 62 is a substrate provided to cover the entire third side wall 24 from the Y-side of the third side wall 24 and is connected to the Y-side end of the first substrate 61. The second coil 621 is positioned in a location corresponding to the first region of the second substrate 62. The second coil 621 is positioned in the space between the second portion 242 and the third portion 243 (see Figure 5). The third coil 622 is positioned in a location corresponding to the second region of the second substrate 62. The third coil 622 is positioned in the space between the first portion 241 and the second portion 242 (see Figure 5).

[0041] Next, we will describe the details of the optical path bending module 3.

[0042] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the optical path bending module 3 comprises a prism 31 (see Figure 3), a prism holder 32, a ball guide 33, a ball 34 (see Figure 9), a biasing spring 35, and a weight 36.

[0043] The prism holder 32 is a holder that holds the prism 31. The prism holder 32 is configured to swing around a first axis parallel to the Y direction and a second axis parallel to the Z direction. In other words, as the prism holder 32 swings, the prism 31 held by the prism holder 32 swings, making it possible to correct runout in the rotational direction around the first axis and runout in the rotational direction around the second axis.

[0044] The prism holder 32 is made of synthetic resin and has a support wall 321 and a pair of side walls 322. The prism holder 32 is also provided with a first magnet 323 and a second magnet 324 for driving the prism holder 32.

[0045] The support wall portion 321 is a wall portion on which the prism 31 is mounted, and it faces the first region of the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2 on the negative side in the Z direction, and faces the wall portion 331 of the ball guide 33 on the negative side in the X direction.

[0046] The positive side of the support wall portion 321 in the X direction is the mounting surface 321A on which the prism 31 is mounted, and it is inclined so that it is located towards the negative side in the Z direction as it moves toward the positive side in the X direction.

[0047] As shown in Figure 9, a recess 321B is provided in the central portion of the X-side surface of the support wall portion 321 (corresponding to the support portion 332 of the ball guide 33). The recess 321B has a cylindrical shape with a length sufficient for the support portion 332 to fit into. The tip of the recess 321B is configured in a substantially conical shape and serves as the ball placement portion 321C where the ball 34 is positioned.

[0048] Furthermore, a recess is formed on the Z-side surface of the support wall portion 321, in which the first magnet 323 can be placed. The recess is provided at a position corresponding to the opening 211 in the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2 described above, and the first magnet 323 is placed inside it.

[0049] Furthermore, the first coil 611 is located in the opening 211, and the first magnet 323 and the first coil 611 constitute a voice coil motor. The first magnet 323 and the first coil 611 drive the prism holder 32 so as to swing the prism holder 32 around the first axis A1. The first axis A1 is an axis parallel to the Y direction.

[0050] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the pair of side walls 322 are provided at both ends of the prism holder 32 in the Y direction, sandwiching the mounting surface 321A of the prism holder 32 in the Y direction. In other words, the pair of side walls 322 have a first wall 322A and a second wall 322B that sandwich the portion of the prism holder 32 that holds the prism 31. The prism 31 is positioned in the space enclosed by the pair of side walls 322 and the mounting surface 321A.

[0051] As shown in Figure 8, of the pair of side wall portions 322, a recess is formed on the surface of the first wall 322A on the Y-side opposite to the mounting surface 321A (the Y-side), allowing for the placement of the second magnet 324. The recess is provided at a corresponding position between the second portion 242 and the third portion 243 of the third side wall 24, and the second magnet 324 is positioned inside it.

[0052] Furthermore, a second coil 621 is located between the second section 242 and the third section 243, and the second magnet 324 and the second coil 621 constitute a voice coil motor. The second magnet 324 and the second coil 621 drive the prism holder 32 so as to swing the prism holder 32 around the second axis A2 (see Figure 9). The second axis A2 is an axis parallel to the Z direction.

[0053] As shown in Figure 10, the ball guide 33 is a part that guides and supports the ball 34 for swinging the prism holder 32, and is fixed to the X-side end of the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2. The ball guide 33 has a wall portion 331 and a support portion 332.

[0054] The wall portion 331 constitutes a wall facing the negative side in the X direction of the prism holding portion 32 (support wall portion 321). The wall portion 331 is fixedly positioned on the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2 so as to be exposed from the housing 2, and constitutes the negative side wall in the X direction of the housing 2.

[0055] The support portion 332 is provided projecting from the central part of the wall portion 331 toward the + side in the X direction. The tip of the support portion 332 is the part that supports the ball 34.

[0056] The support portion 332 is positioned within the recess 321B of the prism holding portion 32 described above. The ball 34 at the tip of the support portion 332 is positioned in contact with the wall surface of the ball placement portion 321C within the recess 321B.

[0057] This allows the prism holder 32 to pivot around the ball 34, that is, around the first axis A1 and the second axis A2.

[0058] Furthermore, by being supported by the support portion 332 of the ball guide 33 in this way, the prism holder 32 is positioned in a floating state relative to the housing 2 (see Figure 9). In other words, the support portion 332 supports the prism holder 32 so that it floats relative to the housing 2.

[0059] The biasing spring 35 is a leaf spring made of a conductive material. The biasing spring 35 is positioned between the support wall 321 of the prism holder 32 and the wall 331 of the ball guide 33 so as to be able to bias the prism holder 32 toward the rear (the negative side in the X direction).

[0060] The biasing spring 35 has a central portion 351, a fixed portion 352, and a connecting portion 353. The central portion 351 is located in the central part of the biasing spring 35 in the Y direction and is fixedly positioned in the part corresponding to the recess 321B on the X-side of the prism holding portion 32. A hole 351A is formed in the central portion 351 through which the support portion 332 of the ball guide 33 passes.

[0061] The fixing portion 352 is a part that is fixed to the housing 2 and is provided on both sides of the central portion 351 in the Y direction. The fixing portion 352 is fixed to the X-side end of the third portion 243 of the first side wall 22 and the third side wall 24 of the housing 2.

[0062] The connecting portion 353 is the part that connects the central portion 351 and each fixing portion 352, and generates a force that biases the prism holding portion 32 backward. As a result, the ball 34 is sandwiched between the ball placement portion 321C and the support portion 332 within the recess 321B.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, on the side of the pair of side walls 322 opposite to the mounting surface 321A of the second wall 322B on the positive side in the Y direction, a recess is formed so that a weight 36 can be placed. The weight 36 is placed in the recess of the second wall 322B on the positive side in the Y direction of the pair of side walls 322.

[0064] The weight 36 is made of a non-magnetic or weakly magnetic metal and has approximately the same weight as the second magnet 324 provided on the first wall 322A described above. In other words, by including the weight 36 in the second wall 322B, the second wall 322B is configured to have the same weight as the first wall 322A on which the second magnet 324 is provided.

[0065] In this context, "same weight" means that the weights of the first wall 322A containing the second magnet 324 and the second wall 322B containing the weight 36 are exactly the same, but also include cases where there is a slight difference in weight.

[0066] Incidentally, in a configuration where a magnet is provided on only one side of the holding part in the Y direction, and not on the other side in the Y direction, the part on the Y side becomes heavier than the part on the other side in the Y direction. This can potentially affect the operation of the holding part. In particular, in a configuration where the holding part is positioned to float relative to the housing, the increased weight on one side in the Y direction will have a greater impact on the oscillating motion of the holding part around the first and second axes.

[0067] In this embodiment, the second wall 322B is configured to have the same weight as the first wall 322A on which the second magnet 324 is provided, thereby improving the weight balance in the Y direction of the prism holding section 32. As a result, the operation of the prism holding section 32 can be stabilized.

[0068] Furthermore, by simply providing the weight 36, the weight balance of the prism holder 32 in the Y direction can be improved, thus stabilizing the operation of the prism holder 32 with a simple configuration.

[0069] Furthermore, since the weight 36 is non-magnetic or weakly magnetic, the magnetic force on the positive side of the Y-direction of the camera module 1 where the weight 36 is located can be made weaker than the magnetic force on the negative side of the Y-direction of the camera module 1. As a result, the magnetic influence on components located on the positive side of the Y-direction of the camera module 1 can be reduced in the product on which the camera module 1 is mounted.

[0070] In other words, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the operational stability of the prism holding section 32 while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the weight 36 was provided on the second wall 322B to make the weight of the first wall 322A and the second wall 322B the same, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second wall may be constructed from a different material than the first wall to make the second wall the same weight as the first wall.

[0072] Furthermore, depending on the thrust required by the device, it is possible to reduce the size (weight) of the second magnet. Therefore, even in a configuration where there is no weight on the second wall, the weight difference between the first wall containing the second magnet and the second wall may be negligible. In such cases, a configuration in which a recess for placing a weight is not formed on the second wall is also acceptable.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the prism holding portion 32 was supported by the ball guide 33 and positioned in a floating state relative to the housing 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. The prism holding portion may be supported by a member other than the ball guide (for example, a spring member, etc.) and positioned in a floating state relative to the housing 2.

[0074] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described a driving device for driving the prism 31 as an optical element, the optical element to be driven may be an optical element other than a prism, such as a mirror or a lens.

[0075] Next, we will explain the details of lens module 4.

[0076] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the lens module 4 includes a lens section 41, a lens holding section 42, a drive magnet 43, and a biasing magnet 44.

[0077] The lens section 41 is a lens unit that houses a lens inside and is positioned at a location corresponding to the region through which the light bent by the prism 31 passes.

[0078] The lens holder portion 42 is the part that holds the lens portion 41 and is located in the second region of the housing 2. The lens holder portion 42 has a bottom portion 421 and a pair of side portions 422.

[0079] The bottom portion 421 is the part that constitutes the bottom surface of the lens holding portion 42, and has a length corresponding to the length of the lens portion 41 in the X direction, and is configured to be long enough to move in the X direction within the second region of the housing 2.

[0080] Furthermore, a first groove 421A and a second groove 421B are provided on the underside (the negative side in the Z direction) of the bottom portion 421.

[0081] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the first groove 421A is a groove extending in the X direction and is configured in a V-shape that is open to the negative side in the Z direction. The second groove 421B is a groove extending in the X direction and is configured such that its length in the Y direction is greater than the length of the first groove 421A in the Y direction.

[0082] The first groove 421A and the second groove 421B are positioned to correspond to two grooves 212 formed in the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2. The first groove 421A is positioned opposite to the groove 212 located near the negative end in the Y direction of the bottom wall 21. The second groove 421B is positioned opposite to the groove 212 located near the positive end in the Y direction of the bottom wall 21.

[0083] A support shaft 213 is positioned between each of the first groove 421A and the second groove 421B and each of the two grooves 212. Since the length of the first groove 421A and the second groove 421B in the X direction is longer than the length of the support shaft 213 in the X direction, the lens holder 42 moves in the X direction by sliding on the support shaft 213 within the range of the first groove 421A and the second groove 421B.

[0084] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the pair of side portions 422 are formed extending from both ends of the bottom portion 421 in the Y direction to the + side in the Z direction, and are arranged to sandwich the holding space for the lens portion 41. The lens holding portion 42 holds the lens portion 41 by surrounding it with the bottom portion 421 and the pair of side portions 422.

[0085] As shown in Figure 11, on the side of the pair of side portions 422 on the Y-side, opposite to the lens portion 41 (the Y-side), a recess is formed in which a drive magnet 43 can be positioned. The recess is located at a position corresponding to the space between the first portion 241 and the second portion 242 of the third side wall 24 of the housing 2, and the drive magnet 43 is positioned inside. In other words, the portion of the lens holding portion 42 that holds the drive magnet 43 is located on the Y-side side portion 422 of the pair of side portions 422.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, on the side surface of the pair of side surfaces 422 on the positive side in the Y direction, opposite to the lens portion 41 (the positive side in the Y direction), a recess is formed so as to accommodate the biasing magnet 44. The biasing magnet 44 is positioned inside the recess. In other words, the positive side surface 422 in the Y direction of the pair of side surfaces 422 has a holding portion for the biasing magnet 44.

[0087] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, each of the pair of side sections 422 is positioned in a location corresponding to each of the two yokes 214 located on the bottom wall 21. Therefore, by positioning the drive magnet 43 and the biasing magnet 44 on each of the pair of side sections 422, the lens holding section 42 is biased toward the bottom wall 21 (support shaft 213).

[0088] The drive magnet 43 is a drive magnet for moving the lens holder 42 in the X direction. The drive magnet 43 is positioned in a recess of the positive side portion 422 in the Y direction, so as to face the third coil 622 of the second substrate 62, which is located between the first portion 241 and the second portion 242.

[0089] As a result, the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 constitute a voice coil motor. The drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 drive the lens holder 42 so that it moves in the X direction.

[0090] Furthermore, the drive magnet 43 is arranged so that its north pole and south pole are parallel to the Y direction (the first direction in which the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 face each other). Specifically, the drive magnet 43 is composed of a magnet whose north pole faces the positive side of the Y direction and whose south pole faces the negative side of the Y direction, and a magnet whose north pole faces the negative side of the Y direction and whose south pole faces the positive side of the Y direction. The two magnets that make up the drive magnet 43 are aligned in the X direction. Figure 14 shows a cross-section of the portion of the magnet whose north pole faces the negative side of the Y direction and whose south pole faces the positive side of the Y direction.

[0091] The biasing magnet 44 is a biasing magnet for biasing the lens holding portion 42 toward the support shaft 213, and is positioned in a recess of the side portion 422 on the Y-side. The biasing magnet 44 is positioned on the side portion 422 opposite to the side portion 422 where the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 are located. In other words, the biasing magnet 44 is positioned to sandwich the holding space of the lens portion 41 in the lens holding portion 42 between the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622.

[0092] The biasing magnet 44 is arranged such that its north pole and south pole are parallel in the Z direction (the second direction in which the lens holding portion 42 and the support shaft 213 face each other). Specifically, the biasing magnet 44 is composed of a magnet in which the north pole faces the negative side of the Z direction and the south pole faces the positive side of the Z direction.

[0093] With this arrangement, the magnetic force generated from the biasing magnet 44 in the Y direction is weaker than the magnetic force generated from the drive magnet 43 in the Y direction. In other words, the biasing magnet 44 is magnetized such that its magnetic force is weaker than that of the drive magnet 43 in the Y direction where the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 face each other.

[0094] As a result, the magnetic force on the positive side of the camera module 1 in the Y direction, where the biasing magnet 44 is located, can be made weaker than the magnetic force on the negative side of the camera module 1 in the Y direction. Consequently, the magnetic influence on components located on the positive side of the camera module 1 in the mounted product can be reduced.

[0095] Furthermore, the biasing magnet 44 is positioned so as to sandwich the lens holder 42's holding space for the lens portion 41 between itself and the drive magnet 43, thereby biasing the lens holder 42 toward the support shaft 213 from both sides in the Y direction. As a result, the operation of the lens holder 42 can be stabilized.

[0096] In other words, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the operational stability of the lens holding portion 42 while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product.

[0097] Furthermore, since the support shaft 213 that supports the lens holder 42 is an axial member that extends in the direction of movement of the lens holder 42, the lens holder 42 can slide along the support shaft 213 when it moves.

[0098] In a configuration where the lens is biased toward the support by a magnet, the biasing force of the magnet increases the frictional force between the lens holder 42 and the support surface.

[0099] In this embodiment, the lens holder 42 is supported on the support shaft 213 so as to be slidable. Compared to a configuration in which the lens holder contacts the entire support surface, the frictional force associated with the movement of the lens holder 42 can be reduced overall. As a result, the movement of the lens holder 42 can be made smoother, and consequently, the stability of the operation of the lens holder 42 can be further improved.

[0100] Furthermore, in the first groove 421A and the second groove 421B, which are supported by the support shaft 213, the second groove 421B, which is located on the + side in the Y direction of the lens holding portion 42, has a longer length in the Y direction than the first groove 421A, which is located on the - side in the Y direction. In other words, the first groove 421A, which is located on the side where the drive magnet 43 (drive unit) is located, is narrower in width than the second groove 421B.

[0101] Therefore, by bringing the support shaft 213 into contact with the first groove 421A, it becomes easier to position the lens holding portion 42 in the Y direction. As a result, the positional relationship between the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 can be stabilized.

[0102] Furthermore, since the first groove 421A is narrower than the second groove 421B, the support shaft 213 on which the drive magnet 43 is located can be used as the reference axis. As a result, the distance between the drive magnet 43 and the support shaft 213 that serves as the reference axis can be reduced, making it easier to stabilize the operation of the lens holding section 42.

[0103] Furthermore, since the second groove 421B is wider than the first groove 421A, even if a tolerance exists between the second groove 421B and the support shaft 213, the support shaft 213 can be positioned within the second groove 421B.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the lens holder 42 was directly supported by the support shaft 213, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the lens holder 42 may be supported by the support shaft 213 via a metal plate 421C. In other words, the lens holder 42 may have a metal plate 421C positioned between it and the support shaft 213. Figure 15 shows an example in which the first groove 421A is provided with two metal plates 421C at each of its ends in the X direction, and the second groove 421B is provided with one metal plate 421C in the center in the X direction.

[0105] According to this configuration, the support shaft 213 and the metal plate 421C come into contact, resulting in metal-to-metal contact. As a result, the coefficient of friction can be reduced compared to a configuration where metal and resin come into contact, making the movement of the lens holder 42 even smoother.

[0106] Furthermore, the lens holder 42 may be supported by a member other than the support shaft 213 (shaft member). For example, as shown in Figure 16, the support may be a rolling member 215.

[0107] The rolling member 215 is a spherical member. When the lens holder 42 moves, the rolling member 215 rotates while the lens holder 42 moves on the rolling member 215.

[0108] This configuration also makes it possible to reduce the coefficient of friction between the lens holding portion 42 and the support portion.

[0109] Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 16, two rolling members 215 are arranged in the first groove 421A on the Y-side of the lens holding portion 42, that is, on the drive portion side, and one rolling member 215 is arranged in the second groove 421B.

[0110] By providing two rolling members 215, rotation of the lens holder 42 around the rolling members 215 can be suppressed on the first groove 421A side. As a result, the positional relationship between the drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 becomes more stable, making it easier to move the lens holder 42 smoothly.

[0111] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the support portion may have both a support shaft 213 and a rolling member 215. In the configuration shown in Figure 17, the support shaft 213 is located in the first groove 421A and the rolling member 215 is located in the second groove 421B. In the configuration shown in Figure 18, the rolling member 215 is located in the first groove 421A and the support shaft 213 is located in the second groove 421B.

[0112] In the camera module 1 configured as described above, the second magnet 324 of the optical path bending module 3 and the drive magnet 43 of the lens module 4 are located on the negative side in the Y direction within the housing 2. No drive magnets are located on the positive side in the Y direction within the housing 2. In other words, the camera module 1 has both the drive unit of the optical path bending module 3 and the drive unit of the lens module 4 located only on the negative side in the Y direction within the housing 2. To put it another way, the optical path bending module 3 is attached to the lens module 4, which has another drive unit that drives the lens section 41 (another optical element) into which light from the prism 31 is introduced. The second magnet 324 and the second coil 621 are aligned with the side surface 422 (one side wall) on the negative side in the Y direction where the drive magnet 43 is provided, in the direction of light introduction to the lens section 41 (X direction).

[0113] As a result, the housing 2 is configured in a way that makes it difficult for magnetism to be generated from the positive side in the Y direction. Compared to a configuration in which magnetism is easily generated from both sides in a given direction, this reduces the magnetic influence on other components within the product on which the camera module 1 is mounted.

[0114] Furthermore, in the prism holding section 32 of the optical path bending module 3, a weight 36 is provided on the opposite side of the second magnet 324, and in the lens holding section 42 of the lens module 4, a biasing magnet 44 is provided. As a result, as described above, the stability of the operation of the prism holding section 32 and the lens holding section 42 can be improved.

[0115] In other words, this embodiment makes it possible to improve the stability of the operation of the prism holding section 32 and the lens holding section 42 while reducing the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product.

[0116] In the above embodiment, the lens module 4 had the configuration described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the lens module may have a configuration other than that described above.

[0117] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the second magnet 324 was provided in the prism holding portion 32 and the second coil 621 was provided in the housing portion, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second magnet may be provided in the housing portion and the second coil may be provided in the prism holding portion.

[0118] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, a smartphone, which is a mobile terminal with a camera, was described as an example of a camera-mounted device equipped with a camera module 1. However, the present invention can be applied to a camera-mounted device having a camera module and an image processing unit that processes image information obtained by the camera module. Camera-mounted devices include information equipment and transportation equipment. Information equipment includes, for example, mobile phones with cameras, notebook computers, tablet terminals, portable game consoles, webcams, drones, and in-vehicle devices with cameras (e.g., rearview monitors, drive recorders). Transportation equipment includes, for example, automobiles and drones.

[0119] Figures 19A and 19B show a vehicle V as a camera-mounted device equipped with an in-vehicle camera module VC (Vehicle Camera). Figure 19A is a front view of vehicle V, and Figure 19B is a rear perspective view of vehicle V. Vehicle V is equipped with the camera module 1 described in the embodiment as the in-vehicle camera module VC. As shown in Figures 19A and 19B, the in-vehicle camera module VC can be mounted, for example, on the windshield facing forward or on the rear gate facing backward. This in-vehicle camera module VC is used for purposes such as a backup monitor, a drive recorder, collision avoidance control, and autonomous driving control.

[0120] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0121] 1 Camera Module 2 cabinets 21 Bottom wall 211 Aperture 212 Groove 213 Support shaft 214 York 215 Rolling member 22 First side wall 221 Projecting wall 23 Second side wall 231 Aperture 24 Third side wall 241 Part 1 242 Part 2 243 Part 3 3. Optical path bending module 31 Prisms 32 Prism holding part 321 Support wall section 321A mounting surface 321B Recess 321C Ball placement section 322 Side wall section 322A 1st wall 322B 2nd wall 323 First Magnet 324 Second Magnet 33 Ball Guide 331 Wall 332 Support part 34 balls 35. Biasing spring 351 Central part 351A hole 352 Fixed part 353 Connection part 36 weight 4 Lens Modules 41 Lens section 42 Lens holder 421 Bottom part 421A 1st groove 421B 2nd groove 422 Side part 43 Drive Magnet 44. Biased Magnet 5 Image sensor module 6. Circuit board section 61 First board 611 First coil 62 Second board 621 Second coil 622 Third Coil M Smartphone

Claims

1. A holding part capable of holding an optical element, A housing section for housing the aforementioned holding section, A drive unit having a magnet provided in one of the holding portion and the housing portion, and a coil provided in the other of the holding portion and the housing portion, which moves the holding portion relative to the housing portion, Equipped with, The holding portion has a first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided, and a second wall that sandwiches the holding portion of the optical element in the holding portion. The second wall is configured to have the same weight as the first wall on which the magnet or coil is provided. Drive unit.

2. The second wall includes a weight, The drive device according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes a support portion that supports the holding portion so that the holding portion floats above the housing portion. The drive device according to claim 1.

4. The drive device is attached to a device having another drive unit that drives another optical element into which light from the optical element is introduced. At least a portion of the other drive unit is located on one of the pair of walls that sandwich the other optical element, The drive unit is aligned with the one side wall in the direction of introducing light to the other optical element. The drive device according to claim 1.

5. The drive device according to claim 1, The lens part, The system includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject formed by the aforementioned lens unit, Camera module.

6. A camera-equipped device which is an information device or a transport device, The camera module according to claim 5, The camera module comprises an image processing unit that processes image information obtained by the camera module, A device equipped with a camera.

Images