Optical element driving device

Abstract

To provide an optical element driving device capable of suppressing occurrence of a foreign matter.SOLUTION: An optical element driving device 100 comprises: a base member 18; an optical element holding member 2; three balls 11 arranged between the base member 18 and the optical element holding member 2; magnetic attraction means MA that generates force for attracting the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18 each other; and driving means DM that moves the optical element holding member 2 to the base member 18 in a Y-axis direction. The magnetic attraction means MA includes a magnet 8 for attraction fixed to the optical element holding member 2, and a magnetic member 13 provided on the base member 18. Another magnetic member 17 provided on the base member 18 is arranged apart from the magnet 8 for attraction in the Y-axis direction so that repulsive force acts between the magnet 8 for attraction and the magnetic member 17. A protrusion 18W is provided in contact with the optical element holding member 2 moved in the Y-axis direction on the base member 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an optical element driving device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a drive device is known that uses magnets and coils to move an optical element, such as a lens, attached to a drive frame relative to a fixed part (see Patent Document 1). This drive device is configured to move the drive frame along the optical axis direction using the magnets and coils. This drive device also has a coil spring that presses the drive frame against the fixed part along the optical axis direction in an initial state where no current is supplied to the coil. The coil spring can prevent undesired movement of the drive frame in the initial state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-043703 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in this drive device, repeated contact between the coil spring and other members may result in the generation of foreign matter such as wear particles.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical element driving device that can suppress the generation of foreign matter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An optical element driving device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fixed side member including a support member, an optical element holding member having a through hole passing through in the vertical direction in which an optical element can be placed, at least three balls arranged between the support member and the optical element holding member in the vertical direction, magnetic attraction means for generating a force attracting the optical element holding member and the support member arranged with the balls sandwiched between them in the vertical direction, and drive means for moving the optical element holding member relative to the support member in a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the magnetic attraction means includes an attraction magnet fixed to the optical element holding member and a magnetic member provided on the support member so that an attraction force acts between the attraction magnet and the magnetic member, the optical element holding member is supported by the support member via the ball so as to be unable to rotate in a vertical direction; The fixed side member has another magnetic member, which is positioned at a distance from the attracting magnet in the first direction so that a magnetic force acts between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member, and the fixed side member is provided with a regulating portion that abuts against the optical element holding member moving in the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The optical element driving device described above can suppress the generation of foreign matter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an optical element driving device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the optical element driving device of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lower member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a bottom view of an optical element holding member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fixed-side member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 2A to 2C are three-view diagrams of a magnetic system that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ball receiving structure. [Figure 8] 2 is a top view of a driving magnet, an attracting magnet, a ball, and a magnetic member that constitute the optical element driving device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another example of an optical element driving device. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 10 is an exploded perspective view of a lower member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a bottom view of an optical element holding member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is an exploded perspective view of a fixed-side member that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are three-view diagrams of a magnetic system that constitutes the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. [Figure 15] 10 is a top view of a driving magnet, an attracting magnet, a ball, and a magnetic member that constitute the optical element driving device of FIG. 9. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An optical element driving device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the optical element driving device 100. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the optical element driving device 100, which is composed of a case 4 and a lower member LB, showing the case 4 separated from the lower member LB. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lower member LB, showing the movable member MB separated from the fixed member FB. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the optical element holding member 2 that constitutes the optical element driving device 100. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the fixed member FB.

[0010] 1 to 5, X1 represents one direction of the X axis constituting the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and X2 represents the other direction of the X axis. Furthermore, Y1 represents one direction of the Y axis constituting the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and Y2 represents the other direction of the Y axis. Similarly, Z1 represents one direction of the Z axis constituting the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and Z2 represents the other direction of the Z axis. In FIG. 1, the X1 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the front side (front face side) of the optical element driving device 100, and the X2 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the rear side (rear face side) of the optical element driving device 100. Furthermore, the Y1 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the left side of the optical element driving device 100, and the Y2 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the right side of the optical element driving device 100. Furthermore, the Z1 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the upper side of the optical element driving device 100, and the Z2 side of the optical element driving device 100 corresponds to the lower side of the optical element driving device 100. The same applies to other members in other figures.

[0011] The optical element driving device 100 is a device for moving an optical element OE as shown in FIG. 2 on a virtual plane parallel to the XY plane. In FIG. 2, for clarity, the optical element OE is depicted as having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but it may have other shapes, such as a cylindrical shape. For clarity, the optical element OE is not shown in figures other than FIG. 2. The optical element OE may be a lens body, a mirror, a prism, a diffraction grating, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, an imaging element, or an optical filter. The lens body is a cylindrical lens barrel equipped with at least one lens. In this embodiment, the optical element OE is a lens body. Therefore, hereinafter, the upper side of the optical element driving device 100 may be referred to as the "subject side," and the lower side of the optical element driving device 100 may be referred to as the "imaging element side."

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical element driving device 100 includes a case 4, which is a part of a fixed-side member FB, and a lower-side member LB.

[0013] The case 4 is a cover member that covers the lower member LB. In this embodiment, the case 4 is made by performing punching, drawing, etc. on a plate material made of a non-magnetic metal such as austenitic stainless steel. Because it is made of a non-magnetic metal, the case 4 does not have an adverse magnetic effect on the driving means DM (described later) that uses electromagnetic force.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the case 4 has a covered rectangular cylindrical shape that defines a storage section 4S. Specifically, the case 4 has a substantially rectangular cylindrical outer wall 4A and a substantially rectangular annular, flat top plate 4B that is continuous with the upper end (the end on the Z1 side) of the outer wall 4A. A substantially rectangular through-hole 4K is formed in the center of the top plate 4B. The outer wall 4A includes a first side plate 4A1 to a fourth side plate 4A4. The first side plate 4A1 and the third side plate 4A3 face each other, and the second side plate 4A2 and the fourth side plate 4A4 face each other. The second side plate 4A2 and the fourth side plate 4A4 extend perpendicular to the first side plate 4A1 and the third side plate 4A3. As shown in FIG. 1, the case 4 is bonded to a base member 18 with an adhesive to form a housing HS together with the base member 18.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the lower member LB includes a coil 9, a magnetic sensor 10, a magnetic member 13, a non-magnetic member 14, an insulating substrate 15, a magnetic member 17, and a base member 18, which are part of the fixed member FB, as well as a ball 11 and a movable member MB.

[0016] The balls 11 are configured to support the movable member MB movably in a direction parallel to the Y-axis relative to the fixed member FB. In this embodiment, the balls 11 are spherical rolling elements made of a hard material such as resin, ceramic, or metal, and include first to third balls 11A to 11C. The balls 11 are arranged between a recess 18S serving as an upward recess formed in the base member 18 and a recess 2S serving as a downward recess formed in the optical element holding member 2 (see the upper diagram in FIG. 4). Specifically, the first ball 11A is arranged between the first recess 18S1 and the first recess 2S1 (see the upper diagram in FIG. 4). The second ball 11B is arranged between the second recess 18S2 and the second recess 2S2 (see the upper diagram in FIG. 4). The third ball 11C is arranged between the third recess 18S3 and the third recess 2S3 (see the upper diagram in FIG. 4). With this configuration, the movable member MB is supported by the balls 11 so as to be movable in a direction parallel to the Y-axis relative to the fixed member FB.

[0017] The coil 9 is one of the components constituting the drive means DM, and is fixed to the base member 18 so as to face the drive magnet 5, another component constituting the drive means DM, with a gap in the vertical direction. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the coil 9 is a wound type coil. However, the coil 9 may also be a laminated type or a film type. Furthermore, the coil 9 may also be formed by combining multiple coils.

[0018] The magnetic member 13 is one of the components constituting the magnetic attraction means MA (described below), and is fixed to the base member 18 so as to face the drive magnet 5 and the attraction magnet 8, which are other components constituting the magnetic attraction means MA, with a gap between them in the vertical direction, and so as to magnetically attract each of the drive magnet 5 and the attraction magnet 8. In the illustrated example, the magnetic member 13 includes a first magnetic member 13A, a second magnetic member 13B, and a third magnetic member 13C adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the base member 18. The magnetic member 13 is a plate-shaped member made of, for example, iron or magnetic stainless steel.

[0019] The non-magnetic member 14 is one of the components constituting the attenuation means AM (described below). The non-magnetic member 14 is fixed to the base member 18 so as to face each of the attracting magnets 8, which are other components constituting the attenuation means AM, at a vertical interval, and to function as an eddy current induction plate that generates eddy currents when each of the attracting magnets 8 moves. Typically, the non-magnetic member 14 is made of a metal with higher conductivity than the magnetic member 13 and is provided above the magnetic member 13. In the illustrated example, the non-magnetic member 14 is a plate-shaped member made of aluminum, a non-magnetic metal, and includes a first non-magnetic member 14A adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the first magnetic member 13A and a second non-magnetic member 14B adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the second magnetic member 13B. The non-magnetic member 14 may be made of another non-magnetic metal, such as copper, or a non-metallic non-magnetic conductor.

[0020] In the illustrated example, the first magnetic member 13A and the first non-magnetic member 14A have the same shape and size in a plan view. The second magnetic member 13B and the second non-magnetic member 14B have the same shape and size in a plan view. The first magnetic member 13A and the second magnetic member 13B have the same shape and size in a plan view. The thickness of the first magnetic member 13A is smaller than the thickness of the first non-magnetic member 14A, and the thickness of the second magnetic member 13B is smaller than the thickness of the second non-magnetic member 14B.

[0021] The magnetic member 17 is one of the components constituting the biasing means BM (described later) and is disposed so as to face each of the attracting magnets 8, which are other components constituting the biasing means BM, at a distance in the Y-axis direction and so as to mutually exert magnetic forces on each of the attracting magnets 8. In the illustrated example, the magnetic member 17 is a rectangular parallelepiped permanent magnet magnetized with two poles, the inner side (Y1 side) being magnetized as the south pole and the outer side (Y2 side) being magnetized as the north pole. In FIG. 3, the portion magnetized as the north pole is indicated by a dot pattern. The same applies to the drive magnet 5 and the attracting magnet 8. Specifically, the magnetic member 17 includes a first magnetic member 17A and a second magnetic member 17B adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the base member 18. The attracting magnets 8 and the magnetic member 17 are disposed so that the south pole portions of the attracting magnets 8 and the magnetic member 17 face each other.

[0022] The driving means DM includes a coil 9 provided on the base member 18, and a driving magnet 5 arranged at a distance from the coil 9 so as to face the coil 9 in the Z-axis direction.

[0023] The optical element driving device 100, which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is mounted on, for example, a main substrate (not shown). The coil 9 is connected to a current supply source via an insulating substrate 15 and the main substrate. When a current flows through the coil 9, the driving means DM generates an electromagnetic force in a direction parallel to the Y axis.

[0024] For example, when the optical element OE is a lens body, the optical element driving device 100 can realize a shift function (image stabilization function) by utilizing an electromagnetic force generated by the driving means DM in a direction parallel to the Y axis to move the lens body as the optical element OE in a direction parallel to the Y axis.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the movable member MB includes an optical element holding member 2, a driving magnet 5, and an attracting magnet 8.

[0026] In this embodiment, the drive magnet 5 is a rectangular parallelepiped permanent magnet magnetized with two poles, with the inside (Y2 side) magnetized to the south pole and the outside (Y1 side) magnetized to the north pole. The drive magnet 5 is arranged at a distance from the coil 9 so as to face the coil 9 in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, the drive magnet 5 is arranged so that its inside portion faces the inner linear portion of the coil 9 and its outside portion faces the outer linear portion of the coil 9. The drive magnet 5 may be magnetized with the north pole on the inside (Y2 side) and the south pole on the outside (Y1 side). Alternatively, the drive magnet 5 may be composed of a combination of multiple permanent magnets.

[0027] The drive magnet 5 also functions as a detection magnet for detecting displacement of the optical element OE. Specifically, the drive magnet 5 functions as a detection magnet for detecting displacement of the optical element OE in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the drive magnet 5 is disposed at a distance from the magnetic sensor 10 so as to face the magnetic sensor 10 in the Z-axis direction.

[0028] The attracting magnet 8 is one of the members that make up the magnetic attracting means MA. In the illustrated example, the attracting magnet 8 is fixed to the optical element holding member 2 so as to face the magnetic member 13 in the vertical direction with the non-magnetic member 14 sandwiched therebetween, so that a magnetic attraction force acts between the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 13. Specifically, the attracting magnet 8 includes a first attracting magnet 8A that is arranged at a distance from the first magnetic member 13A so as to face the first magnetic member 13A in the vertical direction, and a second attracting magnet 8B that is arranged at a distance from the second magnetic member 13B so as to face the second magnetic member 13B in the vertical direction.

[0029] The optical element holding member 2 is configured to be able to hold the optical element OE, the driving magnet 5, and the attracting magnet 8. In this embodiment, the optical element holding member 2 is formed by injection molding a synthetic resin such as a liquid crystal polymer (LCP). As shown in FIG. 3, the optical element holding member 2 includes a through-hole 2K formed to extend parallel to the Z-axis. The optical element OE is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 2K with an adhesive.

[0030] Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the optical element holder 2. Specifically, the upper view of Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the optical element holder 2 when the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, and the ball 11 are not arranged, and the lower view of Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the optical element holder 2 when the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, and the ball 11 are arranged.

[0031] Specifically, the optical element holding member 2 is a substantially rectangular ring-shaped frame. The four sides 2E constituting the frame include a first side 2E1 to a fourth side 2E4. A protruding portion 2F that protrudes to the right (Y2 direction) is provided on the third side 2E3.

[0032] As shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 4, a recess 2P recessed in the Z1 direction is provided on the end surface of the lower side (Z2 side) of the optical element holder 2, which is on the imaging element side. As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 4, an attracting magnet 8 is housed in the recess 2P. In the illustrated example, the attracting magnet 8 is fixed to the optical element holder 2 with an adhesive. Specifically, the recess 2P includes a first recess 2P1 that houses a first attracting magnet 8A and a second recess 2P2 that houses a second attracting magnet 8B. The first recess 2P1 is provided at a fourth corner 2C4, which is one of the four corners 2C of the optical element holder 2, and the second recess 2P2 is provided at a third corner 2C3, which is another of the four corners 2C of the optical element holder 2.

[0033] Furthermore, a recess 2R recessed in the Z1 direction is provided on the lower (Z2 side) end face of the first side portion 2E1, as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 4. A drive magnet 5 is housed in the recess 2R, as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 4. In the illustrated example, the drive magnet 5 is fixed to the optical element holding member 2 with an adhesive. The recess 2R is open not only downward but also on the side (on the left side (Y1 side), which is the radially outer side in the illustrated example). However, the recess 2R may be configured not to be open on the side (radially outer side).

[0034] As shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 4, a recess 2S is provided on the lower (Z2-side) end face of the optical element holding member 2 as a downward recess recessed in the Z1 direction. As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 4, the recess 2S accommodates the upper portion of the ball 11. In the illustrated example, the recess 2S includes a first recess 2S1 that accommodates the upper portion of the first ball 11A, a second recess 2S2 that accommodates the upper portion of the second ball 11B, and a third recess 2S3 that accommodates the upper portion of the third ball 11C. The first recess 2S1 is provided on the lower (Z2-side) end face of the third side 2E3, the second recess 2S2 is provided on the lower (Z2-side) end face of the second side 2E2, and the third recess 2S3 is provided on the lower (Z2-side) end face of the fourth side 2E4. Specifically, the first recess 2S1 is provided on the lower (Z2 side) end face of a protruding portion 2F that protrudes rightward from the right side face of the optical element holding member 2.

[0035] The lower portions of the first to third balls 11A to 11C are housed in recesses 18S (see FIG. 3) that are upward recesses formed on the upper surface of the base member 18. At least one of the recesses 2P and 2R may be a through-hole that passes through the optical element holding member 2 in the vertical direction.

[0036] The base member 18 is formed by injection molding using a synthetic resin such as a liquid crystal polymer. In this embodiment, the base member 18 has a generally rectangular outline in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 5, and a through-hole 18K in the center. The coil 9, the insulating substrate 15 on which the magnetic sensor 10 is mounted, the magnetic member 13, and the non-magnetic member 14 are fixed with adhesive to the upper surface of the base member 18, which is the surface facing the object (the surface on the Z1 side). The through-hole 18K corresponds to the through-hole 2K of the optical element holding member 2. The upper surface of the base member 18 is also formed with a recess 18U for accommodating the magnetic member 13. The recess 18U includes a first recess 18U1 for accommodating the first magnetic member 13A, a second recess 18U2 for accommodating the second magnetic member 13B, and a third recess 18U3 for accommodating the third magnetic member 13C. The upper surface of the base member 18 is also formed with a protrusion 18P to which the coil 9 is fixed. The protrusion 18P protrudes upward so as to enter the coil hole of the coil 9.

[0037] 3, an abutment portion 2T that protrudes leftward is provided on the left side surface of the optical element holding member 2, and a protrusion portion 18W that protrudes upward is provided on the top surface of the base member 18. The protrusion portion 18W functions as a restriction portion that restricts movement of the optical element holding member 2 in the Y-axis direction relative to the base member 18. In other words, the abutment portion 2T of the optical element holding member 2 and the protrusion portion 18W of the base member 18 constitute a stopper mechanism ST. The stopper mechanism ST is a mechanism for restricting leftward movement of the optical element holding member 2 relative to the base member 18, and includes a first stopper mechanism ST1 and a second stopper mechanism ST2.

[0038] The first stopper mechanism ST1 is made up of a first contact portion 2T1 formed on the left side surface of the optical element holding member 2 and a first protrusion 18W1 formed on the front left part of the top surface of the base member 18. The second stopper mechanism ST2 is made up of a second contact portion 2T2 formed on the left side surface of the optical element holding member 2 and a second protrusion 18W2 formed on the rear left part of the top surface of the base member 18.

[0039] The first abutment portion 2T1 is configured to abut against the first protrusion 18W1 of the base member 18 when the optical element holding member 2 moves to the left (Y1 direction) beyond a predetermined position, and the second abutment portion 2T2 is configured to abut against the second protrusion 18W2 of the base member 18 when the optical element holding member 2 moves to the left (Y1 direction) beyond a predetermined position.

[0040] The magnetic sensor 10 is configured to be able to detect the position of the optical element OE. In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 10 is provided so as to be able to detect the displacement in the Y-axis direction of the optical element holding member 2 to which the optical element OE is fixed. In the illustrated example, as shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic sensor 10 has four terminals each soldered to an insulating substrate 15. The insulating substrate 15 is then fixed to a base member 18 with an adhesive.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the magnetic sensor 10 includes a Hall element, and is configured to be able to detect the position of the movable member MB including the drive magnet 5 by measuring the output voltage of the Hall element, which varies depending on the magnitude of the magnetic field that the Hall element receives from the drive magnet 5. However, the magnetic sensor 10 may also be configured to detect the position of the optical element OE by using a magnetoresistive element such as a giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR) element, a semiconductor magnetoresistive (SMR) element, an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) element, or a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) element.

[0042] Further, recesses 18S are formed on the upper surface of the base member 18 as upward recesses for accommodating the balls 11. Specifically, the base member 18 is formed with three recesses 18S (first recess 18S1 to third recess 18S3) for accommodating three balls 11 (first ball 11A to third ball 11C).

[0043] Further, a recess 18R is formed on the upper surface of the base member 18 as an upward recess for accommodating the magnetic member 17. Specifically, the base member 18 is formed with two columnar portions that protrude upward, and the two columnar portions are formed with two recesses 18R (first recess 18R1 and second recess 18R2) for accommodating the two magnetic members 17 (first magnetic member 17A and second magnetic member 17B).

[0044] Next, the positional relationship of the driving magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, the coil 9, the magnetic sensor 10, the magnetic member 13, the non-magnetic member 14, and the magnetic member 17 that constitute the magnetic system will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 6. Figure 6 is a three-view diagram (front view, top view, and right side view) of the magnetic system mounted on the optical element driving device 100 of Figure 1.

[0045] The magnetic system is a system that utilizes magnetic force and includes damping means AM, biasing means BM, driving means DM, magnetic attraction means MA, and position detection means PD.

[0046] The driving means DM is a means for driving the optical element OE in the XY plane. In the illustrated example, the driving means DM is configured to move the optical element OE along the Y-axis direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the driving means DM includes a coil 9 provided on the base member 18 and a driving magnet 5 arranged at a distance from the coil 9 so as to face the coil 9 in the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the driving magnet 5 and the coil 9 are arranged so as to face each other with a small gap in between in the Z-axis direction.

[0047] When a current flows through the coil 9 as indicated by the dashed arrow AR1, the optical element holding member 2 (drive magnet 5) moves leftward (in the Y1 direction) relative to the base member 18 while being guided by a ball guide structure including the ball 11, which will be described later. When a current flows through the coil 9 as indicated by the dashed arrow AR2, the optical element holding member 2 (drive magnet 5) moves rightward (in the Y2 direction) relative to the base member 18 while being guided by the ball guide structure. This is because a Lorentz force acts on charged particles moving within the conductive wire that makes up the coil 9 fixed to the base member 18, and the drive magnet 5 is moved leftward or rightward by the reaction force.

[0048] The position detection means PD is a means for detecting the position of the optical element OE fixed to the optical element holding member 2 in a virtual plane parallel to the XY plane. In the illustrated example, the position detection means PD is configured to be able to detect the position of the optical element OE in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the position detection means PD is configured to include a drive magnet 5 and a magnetic sensor 10 that are arranged at an interval from each other in the up-down direction.

[0049] The magnetic attraction means MA is a means for generating a magnetic force that attracts two members to each other. In the illustrated example, the magnetic attraction means MA is configured to generate a magnetic attraction force that attracts the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18 to each other in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). Specifically, the magnetic attraction means MA includes a drive magnet 5, an attraction magnet 8, and a magnetic member 13. More specifically, the magnetic attraction means MA includes a first magnetic attraction means MA1, a second magnetic attraction means MA2, and a third magnetic attraction means MA3, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0050] The first magnetic attraction means MA1 is configured to exert a magnetic attraction force between the first attracting magnet 8A and the first magnetic member 13A, which are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The second magnetic attraction means MA2 is configured to exert a magnetic attraction force between the second attracting magnet 8B and the second magnetic member 13B, which are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The third magnetic attraction means MA3 is configured to exert a magnetic attraction force between the drive magnet 5 and the third magnetic member 13C, which are spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0051] With this configuration, the magnetic attraction means MA can attract the optical element holder 2 and the base member 18 to each other. Specifically, the recess 2S formed in the lower surface of the optical element holder 2 is pressed against the upper portion of the ball 11. The lower portion of the ball 11 is accommodated in the recess 18S formed in the upper surface of the base member 18. Therefore, the magnetic attraction means MA can stably maintain a state in which the optical element holder 2 and the upper portion of the ball 11 are in contact with each other, and the lower portion of the ball 11 and the base member 18 are in contact with each other.

[0052] In the illustrated example, each of the first ball 11A to third ball 11C constituting the balls 11 is sandwiched between the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18 in a state in which it can roll in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the optical element holding member 2 can move parallel to the Y-axis without rotating (tilting) around the X-axis and without rotating (tilting) around the Y-axis.

[0053] In the optical element driving device 100, the distance between the first magnetic member 13A and the first attracting magnet 8A in the Z-axis direction and the distance between the second magnetic member 13B and the second attracting magnet 8B in the Z-axis direction are the same. However, these distances are shorter than the distance between the third magnetic member 13C and the drive magnet 5 in the Z-axis direction. This is because the magnetic forces of the first attracting magnet 8A and the second attracting magnet 8B are the same, while the magnetic force of the drive magnet 5 is stronger than the magnetic forces of the first attracting magnet 8A and the second attracting magnet 8B. In other words, by adjusting the respective distances, the magnetic attraction forces generated by the first magnetic attraction means MA1, the second magnetic attraction means MA2, and the third magnetic attraction means MA3 can be made to be approximately the same.

[0054] The damping means AM is a means for damping the movement of the optical element holding member 2 moved by the driving means DM. In the illustrated example, the damping means AM is configured to generate a force that damps the reciprocating movement of the optical element holding member 2 along the Y axis, which is brought about by the biasing means BM and the driving means DM. Specifically, the damping means AM includes an attracting magnet 8 and a non-magnetic member 14. More specifically, the damping means AM includes first damping means AM1 and second damping means AM2, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0055] The first attenuation means AM1 is configured to exert a magnetic repulsion force between the first attracting magnet 8A and the first non-magnetic member 14A, which are arranged at an interval in the vertical direction. The second attenuation means AM2 is configured to exert a magnetic repulsion force between the second attracting magnet 8B and the second non-magnetic member 14B, which are arranged at an interval in the vertical direction.

[0056] With this configuration, the damping means AM can damp the movement of the optical element holding member 2 relative to the base member 18.

[0057] The biasing means BM is a means for generating a magnetic force between two members in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). In the illustrated example, the biasing means BM is configured to generate a force that presses the optical element holder 2 against the base member 18 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). Specifically, the biasing means BM includes an attracting magnet 8 and a magnetic member 17, and is configured to press the optical element holder 2 (attracting magnet 8) leftward against the base member 18 (magnetic member 17) by utilizing a repulsive force acting between the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17. More specifically, the biasing means BM includes a first biasing means BM1 and a second biasing means BM2, as shown in FIG. 3 .

[0058] The first biasing means BM1 is configured to apply a magnetic repulsive force between the first attracting magnet 8A and the first magnetic member 17A, which are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction. The second biasing means BM2 is configured to apply a magnetic repulsive force between the second attracting magnet 8B and the second magnetic member 17B, which are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction.

[0059] With this configuration, the biasing means BM can abut the left end face (end face on the Y1 side) of the abutting portion 2T of the optical element holding member 2 against the right side face (side face on the Y2 side) of the protrusion 18W of the base member 18. Therefore, the biasing means BM can stably maintain the state in which the optical element holding member 2 is pressed against the base member 18 in the Y-axis direction.

[0060] In the illustrated example, the biasing means BM is configured to maintain a state in which the right side surface (the side surface on the Y2 side) of the protrusion 18W of the base member 18 and the left end surface (the end surface on the Y1 side) of the contact portion 2T of the optical element holding member 2 are in contact with each other in the initial state of the optical element driving device 100. Note that the initial state of the optical element driving device 100 refers to the state of the optical element driving device 100 when no current is supplied to the coil 9. The position of the optical element holding member 2 when the optical element driving device 100 is in the initial state is also referred to as the "initial position."

[0061] Alternatively, the biasing means BM may be configured to press the optical element holder 2 (attracting magnet 8) against the base member 18 (magnetic member 17) by utilizing the attractive force acting between the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17. In this case, the magnetic member 17 may be a permanent magnet or a magnetic material that is not a permanent magnet. Specifically, the biasing means BM may be a magnetic material that is not a permanent magnet, fixed to the fixed-side member FB (base member 18) so as to face the attracting magnet 8 to the left of the attracting magnet 8 and be able to attract the attracting magnet 8 to the left.

[0062] Next, the ball holding structure will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ball holding structure. Specifically, the left diagram of Fig. 7 shows a cross-section of the optical element holding member 2, second ball 11B, and base member 18 on an imaginary plane parallel to the XZ plane and including dashed line L1 in the lower diagram of Fig. 4. The right diagram of Fig. 7 shows a cross-section of the optical element holding member 2, third ball 11C, and base member 18 on an imaginary plane parallel to the XZ plane and including dashed line L2 in the lower diagram of Fig. 4.

[0063] The ball containing structure is a structure for containing the ball 11. Specifically, the ball containing structure is composed of a pair of wide grooves that do not restrict the movement direction of the ball 11 and two pairs of narrow grooves that restrict the movement direction of the ball 11.

[0064] Furthermore, two pairs of narrow grooves that regulate the movement direction of the ball 11 constitute a ball guide structure. The ball guide structure is a structure that guides the movement direction of the ball 11. In the illustrated example, the ball guide structure is configured to guide the movement of the ball 11 along the Y-axis direction.

[0065] Specifically, the pair of wide grooves in the ball accommodating structure is a combination of an upward-facing second recess 18S2 formed on the upper surface of the base member 18 and a downward-facing second recess 2S2 formed on the lower surface of the optical element holding member 2, as shown in the left diagram of Figure 7.

[0066] In addition, in the pair of wide grooves in the ball accommodating structure, as shown in the left diagram of Figure 7, the second ball 11B is sandwiched between the second recess 18S2 and the second recess 2S2, while contacting the second recess 2S2 at one contact point CP1 and contacting the second recess 18S2 at one contact point CP2.

[0067] That is, in the pair of wide grooves in the ball receiving structure, as shown in the left diagram of Fig. 7, the width of the opening (open end) of second recess 2S2 in the X-axis direction and the width of the opening (open end) of second recess 18S2 in the X-axis direction are both formed to be larger than diameter D1 of second ball 11B. In addition, the width D2 of the bottom surface of second recess 2S2 in the X-axis direction and the width D3 of the bottom surface of second recess 18S2 in the X-axis direction are both formed to be larger than diameter D1 of second ball 11B.

[0068] As shown in the right diagram of Fig. 7, one pair of the two pairs of narrow grooves in the ball holding structure is a combination of an upward third recess 18S3 formed in the upper surface of the base member 18 and a downward third recess 2S3 formed in the lower surface of the optical element holding member 2. In addition, the other pair of the two pairs of narrow grooves (not shown in Fig. 7) is a combination of an upward first recess 18S1 (see Fig. 5) formed in the upper surface of the base member 18 and a downward first recess 2S1 (see the upper diagram of Fig. 4) formed in the lower surface of the optical element holding member 2.

[0069] 7, in one pair of the two pairs of narrow grooves in the ball holding structure, the third ball 11C is held between the third recess 18S3 and the third recess 2S3 so as to contact the third recess 2S3 at two contact points CP11 and CP12 and to contact the third recess 18S3 at two contact points CP13 and CP14. In another pair (not shown) of the two pairs of narrow grooves in the ball holding structure, the first ball 11A is held between the first recess 18S1 and the first recess 2S1 so as to contact the first recess 2S1 at two contact points and to contact the first recess 18S1 at two contact points.

[0070] That is, in one pair of the two pairs of narrow grooves in the ball containing structure, as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 7, the width of the opening (open end) of the third recess 2S3 in the X-axis direction and the width of the opening (open end) of the third recess 18S3 in the X-axis direction are both formed to be larger than the diameter D11 of the third ball 11C. Furthermore, the width D12 of the bottom surface of the third recess 2S3 in the X-axis direction and the width D13 of the bottom surface of the third recess 18S3 in the X-axis direction are both formed to be smaller than the diameter D11 of the third ball 11C. In other words, the third recess 2S3 and the third recess 18S3 are both configured so that the distance between the two opposing side surfaces in the X-axis direction increases toward the open end (opening). The same is true for the other pair of the two pairs of narrow grooves in the ball containing structure (not shown in FIG. 7).

[0071] The two pairs of narrow grooves in this ball receiving structure, that is, the ball guide structure, restricts the ball 11 from moving along the X-axis direction, while guiding it so that it moves along the Y-axis direction.

[0072] Next, the positional relationship between the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, the ball 11, and the magnetic member 17 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a top view of the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, the ball 11, and the magnetic member 17 that constitute the optical element driving device 100.

[0073] The first triangle TR1 indicated by the dashed line is a triangle formed by connecting the center of the drive magnet 5 and the center of each of the two attracting magnets 8 (the first attracting magnet 8A and the second attracting magnet 8B). The center of each member is, for example, the center of gravity of that member. The same applies to the following description.

[0074] The second triangle TR2 indicated by the dashed line is a triangle formed by connecting the centers of the three balls 11 (the first ball 11A, the second ball 11B, and the third ball 11C). The second triangle TR2 is oriented in a substantially opposite direction to the first triangle TR1.

[0075] In the illustrated example, first ball 11A is located outside first triangle TR1 and is arranged to face the third side TR1T of first triangle TR1. Second ball 11B is located outside first triangle TR1 and is arranged to face the first side TR1F of first triangle TR1. Third ball 11C is located outside first triangle TR1 and is arranged to face the second side TR1S of first triangle TR1.

[0076] Point CG1 is the center of gravity of first triangle TR1, and point CG2 is the center of gravity of second triangle TR2. In the illustrated example, points CG1 and CG2 are both located within the overlapping area of ​​first triangle TR1 and second triangle TR2. For clarity, in Figure 8, a cross pattern is added to the overlapping area of ​​first triangle TR1 and second triangle TR2.

[0077] With this arrangement, the optical element holding member 2 is supported in a balanced manner on the base member 18 via the three balls 11 without rotating around the three axes of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, without moving parallel to the X-axis and Z-axis, and able to move parallel to the Y-axis.

[0078] With the above-described configuration, the optical element driving device 100 has the advantage of being able to suppress the generation of foreign matter, compared to a configuration in which a return means (biasing means) that returns the optical element holding member (movable-side member) to its initial position is realized using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft. This is because the biasing means BM that moves the optical element holding member 2 in the first direction (Y-axis direction) relative to the support member (base member 18) is realized using magnetic force. In other words, with this configuration, the biasing means BM that returns the optical element holding member 2 to its initial position is realized without using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft.

[0079] Next, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 15, an optical element driving device 100A, which is another example of the optical element driving device 100, will be described. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the optical element driving device 100A and corresponds to FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the optical element driving device 100A, which is composed of a case 4 and a lower member LB, showing the case 4 separated from the lower member LB, and corresponds to FIG. 2. FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the lower member LB, showing the movable member MB separated from the fixed member FB, and corresponds to FIG. 3. FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the optical element holding member 2 constituting the optical element driving device 100A and corresponds to FIG. 4. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the fixed member FB constituting the optical element driving device 100A and corresponds to FIG. 5. FIG. 14 is a three-view diagram (front view, top view, and right side view) of a magnetic system mounted in the optical element driving device 100A and corresponds to FIG. 6. FIG. 15 is a top view of the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, the ball 11, and the magnetic member 17 that constitute the optical element driving device 100A, and corresponds to FIG.

[0080] The optical element driving device 100A differs from the optical element driving device 100 in that the stopper mechanism ST is arranged on the opposite side of the optical element OE from the driving means DM as shown in FIG. 11, with the stopper mechanism ST being arranged on the same side of the optical element OE as the driving means DM as shown in FIG. 3.

[0081] 11, in the optical element driving device 100A, the stopper mechanism ST is made up of a hole 2W provided in the third side 2E3 of the optical element holding member 2 and a protrusion 18W provided on the upper surface of the base member 18. In the optical element driving device 100, the stopper mechanism ST is made up of a contact portion 2T provided on the first side 2E1 of the optical element holding member 2 and a protrusion 18W provided on the upper surface of the base member 18, as shown in FIG.

[0082] 11, the hole 2W is a substantially rectangular through-hole that passes through the optical element holding member 2 in the vertical direction. However, the hole 2W may also be a downward recess formed in the lower surface of the optical element holding member 2. In other words, the hole 2W does not have to pass through the optical element holding member 2 in the vertical direction.

[0083] More specifically, in the optical element driving device 100A, the hole 2W includes a first hole 2W1 and a second hole 2W2, and the protrusion 18W includes a first protrusion 18W1 and a second protrusion 18W2. The stopper mechanism ST includes a first stopper mechanism ST1 formed by the first hole 2W1 and the first protrusion 18W1, and a second stopper mechanism ST2 formed by the second hole 2W2 and the second protrusion 18W2.

[0084] In the first stopper mechanism ST1, the first protrusion 18W1 is configured so that its right side surface (the side surface on the Y2 side) is pressed against the inner wall surface on the right side (Y2 side) of the first hole 2W1 when the optical element hold member 2 moves leftward (in the Y1 direction) beyond a predetermined position. Similarly, in the second stopper mechanism ST2, the second protrusion 18W2 is configured so that its right side surface (the side surface on the Y2 side) is pressed against the inner wall surface on the right side (Y2 side) of the second hole 2W2 when the optical element hold member 2 moves leftward (in the Y1 direction) beyond a predetermined position.

[0085] 11, the biasing means BM, which is composed of the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17, is configured so that, in the initial state of the optical element driving device 100A, the right side surface (the side surface on the Y2 side) of the protrusion 18W of the base member 18 and the right inner wall surface (on the Y2 side) of the hole 2W in the optical element holding member 2 are kept in contact with each other. Note that the initial state of the optical element driving device 100A refers to the state of the optical element driving device 100A when no current is supplied to the coil 9.

[0086] Furthermore, optical element driving device 100A differs from optical element driving device 100 in that coil 9 (see FIG. 5) is attached to the upper surface of base member 18 in that coil 9 is formed on insulating substrate 15 as shown in FIG. 11.

[0087] Specifically, in the optical element driving device 100A, as shown in Fig. 11, the insulating substrate 15 is a multi-layer substrate in which a plurality of layers are laminated, on which a spiral conductive pattern constituting the coil 9 is formed. Then, as shown in Fig. 13, the magnetic sensor 10 is mounted on the lower surface of the insulating substrate 15 and housed in a recess 18B formed on the upper surface of the base member 18. Note that Figs. 13 and 14 show the coil 9 by extracting the coil formed of the conductive pattern from the insulating substrate 15.

[0088] Furthermore, the optical element driving device 100A differs from the optical element driving device 100 having the non-magnetic member 14 (attenuation means AM) in that the non-magnetic member 14 (attenuation means AM) is omitted. However, the optical element driving device 100A may be configured to have the non-magnetic member 14 (attenuation means AM). In this case, the non-magnetic member 14 may include a first non-magnetic member 14A adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the first magnetic member 13A, and a second non-magnetic member 14B adhesively fixed to the upper surface of the second magnetic member 13B.

[0089] Next, with reference to FIG. 15, the positional relationship between the drive magnet 5, the attracting magnet 8, the ball 11, and the magnetic member 17 in the optical element driving device 100A will be described.

[0090] A first triangle TR11 indicated by a broken line is a triangle formed by connecting the center of the drive magnet 5 and the center of each of the two attracting magnets 8 (first attracting magnet 8A and second attracting magnet 8B).

[0091] A second triangle TR12 indicated by a broken line is a triangle formed by connecting the centers of the three balls 11 (first ball 11A, second ball 11B, and third ball 11C).

[0092] In the illustrated example, first ball 11A is located outside first triangle TR11 and is arranged to face a third side TR11T, which is one side of first triangle TR11. Second ball 11B is located outside first triangle TR11 and is arranged to face a first side TR11F, which is the other side of first triangle TR11. Third ball 11C is located outside first triangle TR11 and is arranged to face a second side TR11S, which is the remaining side of first triangle TR11.

[0093] Point CG11 is the center of gravity of first triangle TR11, and point CG12 is the center of gravity of second triangle TR12. In the illustrated example, both points CG11 and CG12 are located within the overlapping area of ​​first triangle TR11 and second triangle TR12. For clarity, in Figure 15, a cross pattern is added to the overlapping area of ​​first triangle TR11 and second triangle TR12.

[0094] With this arrangement, the optical element holding member 2 is supported in a balanced manner on the base member 18 via the three balls 11 without rotating around the three axes of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, without moving parallel to the X-axis and Z-axis, and able to move parallel to the Y-axis.

[0095] With the above-described configuration, the optical element driving device 100A, like the optical element driving device 100, has the advantage of being able to suppress the generation of foreign matter compared to a configuration in which a biasing means for returning the optical element holding member 2 to its initial position is realized using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft. This is because the biasing means BM for moving the optical element holding member 2 in the first direction (Y-axis direction) relative to the support member (base member 18) is realized using magnetic force. In other words, in this configuration, the biasing means BM is realized without using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft.

[0096] 2 and 3, the optical element driving device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a fixed member FB including a support member (base member 18); an optical element holding member 2 having a through-hole 2K penetrating in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) in which an optical element OE can be placed; at least three balls 11 arranged between the support member (base member 18) and the optical element holding member 2; magnetic attraction means MA that generates a force attracting the optical element holding member 2 and the support member (base member 18) arranged with the balls 11 sandwiched between them in the vertical direction; and driving means DM that moves the optical element holding member 2 relative to the support member (base member 18) in a first direction (Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The magnetic attraction means MA includes an attraction magnet 8 fixed to the optical element holding member 2 and a magnetic member 13 (first magnetic member 13A and second magnetic member 13B) provided on the support member (base member 18) so that an attraction force acts between the magnetic member 8 and the attraction magnet 8. The fixed-side member FB also has a magnetic member 17 separate from the magnetic member 13. The magnetic member 17 is disposed apart from the attracting magnet 8 in the first direction so that a magnetic force (attraction or repulsion) acts between the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17. That is, the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17 constitute a biasing means BM that generates a force that moves the optical element holder 2 relative to the base member 18 in the first direction. The fixed-side member FB is provided with a restricting portion (protrusion 18W) that comes into contact with the optical element holder 2 moving in the first direction. The same applies to the optical element driving device 100A shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The support member may be a case 4.

[0097] This configuration has the advantage of being able to suppress the generation of foreign matter, compared to a configuration in which a biasing means for returning the optical element holding member 2 to its initial position is realized using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft. This is because the biasing means BM for moving the optical element holding member 2 in the first direction (Y-axis direction) relative to the support member (base member 18) is realized using magnetic force. In other words, this configuration realizes the biasing means BM for returning the optical element holding member 2 to its initial position without using a member such as a coil spring or a shaft.

[0098] This configuration also brings about the effect that the attracting magnet 8 constituting the magnetic attracting means MA can also be used as a magnet constituting the biasing means BM.

[0099] Furthermore, the magnetic member 17 may be a magnet. In this case, the magnetic force acting between the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17 is a repulsive force.

[0100] This configuration has the effect of reducing overshoot that occurs when positioning the optical element holding member 2 at a desired position, because the direction of the force generated by the driving means DM and the direction of the force generated by the biasing means BM are opposite to each other.

[0101] Two attracting magnets 8 may be arranged spaced apart in a second direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, two magnetic members 17 may be arranged spaced apart in the second direction so as to face the two attracting magnets 8. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the attracting magnets 8 include a first attracting magnet 8A and a second attracting magnet 8B. The magnetic member 17 includes a first magnetic member 17A arranged spaced apart in the first direction so as to face the first attracting magnet 8A, and a second magnetic member 17B arranged spaced apart in the first direction so as to face the second attracting magnet 8B. The attracting magnets 8 are arranged such that the distance between the first attracting magnet 8A and the second attracting magnet 8B in the second direction (X-axis direction) is greater than the width (length in the X-axis direction) of the through hole 18K in the base member 18. The same applies to the example shown in FIG. 11.

[0102] This configuration brings about the effect that the biasing means BM, which is composed of the attracting magnet 8 and the magnetic member 17, can stably return the optical element holder 2 to its initial position. This configuration is because, compared to when the biasing means BM includes only either the first biasing means BM1 or the second biasing means BM2, it is possible to suppress rotation of the optical element holder 2 around the Z axis.

[0103] 3, the driving means DM may include a driving magnet 5 and a coil 9. In this case, the driving magnet 5 may be provided on the optical element holding member 2. The coil 9 facing the driving magnet 5 may be provided on the support member (base member 18). A further magnetic member (third magnetic member 13C) may be disposed below the coil 9. In this case, an attractive force acts between the further magnetic member (third magnetic member 13C) and the driving magnet 5. The same applies to the example shown in FIG. 11.

[0104] This configuration has the effect of stably sandwiching the ball 11 between the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18. This is because the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18 are attracted to each other by the three magnetic attraction means MA (first magnetic attraction means MA1 to third magnetic attraction means MA3) while the ball 11 is sandwiched between the optical element holding member 2 and the base member 18.

[0105] Furthermore, when three balls 11 are arranged between the support member (base member 18) and the optical element holding member 2, each of the three balls 11 may be arranged to be located outside the first triangle TR1 in a plan view along the up-down direction, as shown in Fig. 8. The second ball 11B, which is one of the three balls 11, may be arranged to face the first side TR1F of the first triangle TR1, the third ball 11C, which is another of the three balls 11, may be arranged to face the second side TR1S of the first triangle TR1, and the first ball 11A, which is the remaining one of the three balls 11, may be arranged to face the third side TR1T of the first triangle TR1.

[0106] The first triangle TR1 is a triangle formed by connecting the center of the drive magnet 5 and the center of each of the two attracting magnets 8. The first side TR1F of the first triangle TR1 is a side connecting the center of the drive magnet 5 and the center of the second attracting magnet 8B, which is one of the two attracting magnets 8; the second side TR1S of the first triangle TR1 is a side connecting the center of the drive magnet 5 and the center of the first attracting magnet 8A, which is the other of the two attracting magnets 8; and the third side TR1T of the first triangle TR1 is a side connecting the centers of the two attracting magnets 8.

[0107] This configuration has the effect of enabling the ball 11 to be stably sandwiched between the optical element holder 2 and the base member 18 by the three magnets (the drive magnet 5, the first attracting magnet 8A, and the second attracting magnet 8B). As a result, this configuration has the effect of stabilizing the movement of the optical element holder 2 relative to the base member 18. This is because, as shown in FIG. 8, the first triangle TR1 and the second triangle TR2 formed by connecting the centers of the three balls 11 (the first ball 11A, the second ball 11B, and the third ball 11C) overlap in approximately opposite directions. The same is true for the example shown in FIG. 15.

[0108] Furthermore, a non-magnetic member 14, which generates eddy currents when the attracting magnet 8 moves, may be provided overlapping the magnetic member 13. In this case, the non-magnetic member 14 is preferably made of a metal having a higher conductivity than the magnetic member 13, and is provided above the magnetic member 13. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the non-magnetic member 14 is made of aluminum. However, the non-magnetic member 14 may also be made of copper.

[0109] This configuration brings about the effect of being able to quickly damp the movement of the optical element holding member 2 relative to the base member 18, compared to when the non-magnetic member 14 is not provided. In other words, this configuration can enhance the damping effect of the damping means AM (the effect of damping the movement of the optical element holding member 2 moved by the driving means DM).

[0110] 11, the support member (base member 18) may be provided with a first protrusion 18W1 and a second protrusion 18W2 that protrude upward and are spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The optical element holding member 2 may be provided with a first hole 2W1 into which the first protrusion 18W1 is inserted and a second hole 2W2 into which the second protrusion 18W2 is inserted. In this case, the first protrusion 18W1 and the second protrusion 18W2 form a restricting portion that restricts movement of the optical element holding member 2 relative to the support member (base member 18) in the first direction. At least one ball 11 (first ball 11A) may be disposed between the first protrusion 18W1 and the second protrusion 18W2 in the second direction, and magnetic members 17 (first magnetic member 17A and second magnetic member 17B) may be disposed on the outer sides of the first protrusion 18W1 and the second protrusion 18W2 in the second direction, respectively. Two attracting magnets 8 (first attracting magnet 8A and second attracting magnet 8B) may be fixed to the optical element holding member 2 so as to correspond to the two magnetic members 17.

[0111] 11, a first ball 11A is disposed between the first protrusion 18W1 and the second protrusion 18W2 in the second direction, a first magnetic member 17A is disposed outside the first protrusion 18W1 in the second direction, and a second magnetic member 17B is disposed outside the second protrusion 18W2 in the second direction. A first attracting magnet 8A is fixed to the optical element holder 2 so as to correspond to the first magnetic member 17A, and a second attracting magnet 8B is fixed to the optical element holder 2 so as to correspond to the second magnetic member 17B.

[0112] This configuration reduces the dead space within the housing HS compared to when the stopper mechanism ST is formed by the abutment portion 2T of the optical element holding member 2 and the protrusion portion 18W of the base member 18 as shown in Figure 3, thereby achieving the effect of miniaturizing the optical element driving device 100A.

[0113] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications and substitutions may be applied to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the features described with reference to the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate unless technically inconsistent.

[0114] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the driving means DM is composed of one driving magnet 5 and one coil 9, but it may also be composed of a pair of driving magnets 5 and a pair of coils 9 arranged at a distance in the Y-axis direction.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the driving means DM is composed of the driving magnet 5 and the coil 9, but it may also be composed of a piezoelectric element, a shape memory alloy wire, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 2 Optical element holding member 2C Corner 2C1 First corner 2C2 Second corner 2C3 Third corner 2C4 Fourth corner 2E Side 2E1 First side 2E2 Second side 2E3 Third side 2E4 Fourth side 2F Projection 2K Through hole 2P Recess 2P1 First recess 2P2 Second recess 2R Recess 2S Recess 2S1 First recess 2S2 Second recess 2S3 Third recess 2T Contact portion 2T1 First contact portion 2T2 Second contact portion 2W Hole 2W1 First hole 2W2 Second hole 4 Case 4A Outer wall 4A1 First side plate 4A2 Second side plate 4A3 Third side plate 4A4 Fourth side plate 4B Top plate 4K Through hole 4S Storage section 5 Drive magnet 8 Attracting magnet 8A First attracting magnet 8B Second attracting magnet 9 Coil 10 Magnetic sensor 11 Ball 11A First ball 11B Second ball 11C Third ball 13 Magnetic member 13A First magnetic member 13B Second magnetic member 13C Third magnetic member 14 Non-magnetic member 14A First non-magnetic member 14B Second non-magnetic member 15 Insulating substrate 17 Magnetic member 17A First magnetic member 17B Second magnetic member 18 Base member 18B Recess 18K Through hole 18P Protrusion 18R Recess 18R1 First recess 18R2 Second recess 18S Recess 18S1 First recess 18S2 Second recess 18S3 Third recess 18U Recess 18U1 First recess 18U2 Second recess 18U3 Third recess 18W Protrusion 18W1 First protrusion 18W2....Second protrusion 100, 100A...Optical element driving device AM...Damping means AM1...First damping means AM2...Second damping means BM...Biasing means BM1...First biasing means BM2...Second biasing means CG1, CG2, CG11, CG12...Points CP1, CP2, CP11 to CP14...Contact points DM...Drive means FB...Fixed side member HS...Housing LB...Lower side memberMA···Magnetic attraction means MA1···First magnetic attraction means MA2···Second magnetic attraction means MA3···Third magnetic attraction means MB···Movable side member OE···Optical element PD···Position detection means ST···Stopper mechanism ST1···First stopper mechanism ST2···Second stopper mechanism TR1, TR11···First triangle TR2, TR12···Second triangle TR1F, TR11F···First side TR1S, TR11S···Second side TR1T, TR11T···Third side

Claims

1. a fixed side member including a support member; an optical element holding member having a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction in which an optical element can be placed; at least three balls arranged between the support member and the optical element holding member in the vertical direction; a magnetic attraction means for generating a force that attracts the optical element holding member and the support member, which are arranged to sandwich the ball in the vertical direction, to each other; a driving means for moving the optical element holding member relative to the support member in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, In the optical element driving device, the magnetic attraction means includes an attracting magnet fixed to the optical element holding member, and a magnetic member provided on the support member so that an attractive force acts between the attracting magnet and the magnetic member, the optical element holding member is supported by the support member via the ball so as to be unable to rotate in a vertical direction; the fixed member has another magnetic member, the other magnetic member is disposed at a distance from the attracting magnet in the first direction so that a magnetic force acts between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member; The optical element driving device is characterized in that the fixed member is provided with a restricting portion that comes into contact with the optical element holding member that moves in the first direction.

2. A fixed side member including a support member; an optical element holding member having a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction in which an optical element can be placed; at least three balls arranged between the support member and the optical element holding member in the vertical direction; a magnetic attraction means for generating a force that attracts the optical element holding member and the support member, which are arranged to sandwich the ball in the vertical direction, to each other; a driving means for moving the optical element holding member relative to the support member in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, In the optical element driving device, the magnetic attraction means includes an attracting magnet fixed to the optical element holding member, and a magnetic member provided on the support member so that an attractive force acts between the attracting magnet and the magnetic member, the fixed member has another magnetic member, the other magnetic member is disposed at a distance from the attracting magnet in the first direction so that a magnetic force acts between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member; the fixed-side member is provided with a restricting portion that comes into contact with the optical element holding member that moves in the first direction, the other magnetic member is a magnet, the magnetic force acting between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member is a repulsive force; An optical element driving device characterized by:

3. two attracting magnets are arranged spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the other magnetic members are arranged in pairs spaced apart from each other in the second direction so as to face the two attracting magnets. The optical element driving device according to claim 2 .

4. the driving means includes a driving magnet and a coil, the drive magnet is provided on the optical element holding member, the coil facing the drive magnet is provided on the support member, A further magnetic member is disposed below the coil, an attractive force acts between the further magnetic member and the drive magnet; 4. The optical element driving device according to claim 3.

5. three balls are disposed between the support member and the optical element holding member, Each of the three balls is located outside a first triangle formed by connecting the center of the drive magnet and the centers of the two attracting magnets in a plan view along the up-down direction, and the three balls are arranged such that a second triangle formed by connecting the centers of the three balls overlaps with the first triangle; The centers of gravity of the first triangle and the second triangle are located within an overlapping area between the first triangle and the second triangle.

5. The optical element driving device according to claim 4.

6. A fixed side member including a support member; an optical element holding member having a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction in which an optical element can be placed; at least three balls arranged between the support member and the optical element holding member in the vertical direction; a magnetic attraction means for generating a force that attracts the optical element holding member and the support member, which are arranged to sandwich the ball in the vertical direction, to each other; a driving means for moving the optical element holding member relative to the support member in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, In the optical element driving device, the magnetic attraction means includes an attracting magnet fixed to the optical element holding member, and a magnetic member provided on the support member so that an attractive force acts between the attracting magnet and the magnetic member, the fixed member has another magnetic member, the other magnetic member is disposed at a distance from the attracting magnet in the first direction so that a magnetic force acts between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member; the fixed-side member is provided with a restricting portion that comes into contact with the optical element holding member that moves in the first direction, a non-magnetic member in which an eddy current occurs when the attracting magnet moves, the non-magnetic member being superimposed on the magnetic member; An optical element driving device characterized by:

7. the non-magnetic member is made of a metal having a higher conductivity than the magnetic member and is provided above the magnetic member; 7. The optical element driving device according to claim 6.

8. the non-magnetic member is made of aluminum or copper; The optical element driving device according to claim 7 .

9. A fixed side member including a support member; an optical element holding member having a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction in which an optical element can be placed; at least three balls arranged between the support member and the optical element holding member in the vertical direction; a magnetic attraction means for generating a force that attracts the optical element holding member and the support member, which are arranged to sandwich the ball in the vertical direction, to each other; a driving means for moving the optical element holding member relative to the support member in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, In the optical element driving device, the magnetic attraction means includes an attracting magnet fixed to the optical element holding member, and a magnetic member provided on the support member so that an attractive force acts between the attracting magnet and the magnetic member, the fixed member has another magnetic member, the other magnetic member is disposed at a distance from the attracting magnet in the first direction so that a magnetic force acts between the attracting magnet and the other magnetic member; the fixed-side member is provided with a restricting portion that comes into contact with the optical element holding member that moves in the first direction, The support member is provided with a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion that protrude upward and are spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the optical element holding member is provided with a first hole into which the first protrusion is inserted and a second hole into which the second protrusion is inserted, the first protrusion and the second protrusion constitute the restricting portion, at least one ball is disposed between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion in the second direction, and the other magnetic member is disposed on an outer side of the first protruding portion and an outer side of the second protruding portion in the second direction, two attracting magnets are fixed to the optical element holding member so as to correspond to the two other magnetic members; An optical element driving device characterized by:

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