Camera module and electronic device comprising same

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module may be provided. The camera module may comprise: a camera housing; a lens assembly including at least one lens and a lens barrel; a reflecting and refracting member which is supported by the camera housing and changes the path of the light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; an image sensor; a carrier assembly having a shape which at least partially surrounds the reflecting and refracting member; a driving member which moves the carrier assembly in a first direction and a direction crossing the first direction, or rotates the carrier assembly around the first direction; and a shock alleviator formed on at least one of a surface facing the reflecting and refracting member in the carrier assembly or a surface facing the carrier assembly in the reflecting and refracting member.

Description

Camera module and electronic device including same

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a camera module and an electronic device including the same.

[0002] As digital camera manufacturing technology has advanced, electronic devices equipped with compact, lightweight camera modules have become commercially available. With camera modules integrated into electronic devices that users typically carry with them (e.g., mobile terminals), users can conveniently utilize a variety of functions, including not only taking photos and videos, but also video calling and augmented reality. Typically, a camera module may include a lens assembly and an image sensor.

[0003] The camera module can perform an image stabilization function for image correction in response to disturbances. Here, disturbances may be, for example, artifacts such as blurring of images acquired through the camera module due to slight hand tremors when a user takes a photo or records a video. The image stabilization function, for example, the shake (or hand shake) correction function, can prevent or mitigate shaking of captured images or videos by moving the lens assembly or image sensor included in the camera module on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis to compensate for limited movement of the electronic device due to a fixed device or the user's grip. To this end, the camera module can include at least one coil and a magnet. The coil to which a current is applied can generate an electromagnetic force through electromagnetic interaction with the magnet, and the camera module can perform the shake correction function using the generated electromagnetic force. Various methods can be applied to correct shake using electromagnetic force, such as lens shift, which moves the lens assembly, image sensor shift, which moves the image sensor, prism shift, which moves the prism, and module tilt, which tilts the camera module.

[0004] The above information may be provided as background information to aid in understanding the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module may be provided. The camera module may include a camera housing; a lens assembly including at least one lens and a lens barrel; a reflective and refractive member supported by the camera housing and configured to change a path of light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; an image sensor; a carrier assembly having a shape at least partially surrounding the reflective and refractive member; a driving member configured to move the carrier assembly in a first direction, a direction crossing the first direction, or to rotate the carrier assembly about the first direction; and a shock alleviator formed on at least one surface of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module may be provided. The camera module may include a camera housing; a lens assembly including at least one lens and a lens barrel; a reflective and refractive member supported by the camera housing and changing a path of light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; an image sensor having an imaging surface facing a first direction and converting light incident on the imaging surface into an electrical signal; a carrier assembly having a shape that at least partially surrounds the reflective and refractive member, the carrier assembly including a first carrier that moves horizontally in at least two directions intersecting each other in a plane perpendicular to the first direction and a second carrier that moves vertically along the first direction; a driving member including a magnet disposed on the carrier assembly and a coil disposed at a position corresponding to the magnet, the driving member providing a driving force for horizontal movement of the first carrier and vertical movement of the second carrier. A shock alleviator may be formed on at least one of a portion of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member or a portion of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0007] The above-described aspects or other aspects, configurations and / or advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be further clarified by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment, according to one embodiment.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a camera module according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a portion of the interior of a camera module projected according to one embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of a camera module including reflective and refractive elements, according to one embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 6b is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 6c is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 6d is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 6e is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between components of a camera module including reflective and refractive members according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a camera module in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly according to one embodiment, wherein the second carrier (e.g., the AF carrier) is omitted.

[0023] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module in which a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) is arranged inside a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module in which a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) is arranged inside a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a reflective and / or refractive member having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0032] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a reflective and / or refractive member having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0033] Throughout the attached drawings, similar reference numbers may be assigned to similar parts, components and / or structures.

[0034] The camera module can move in three axes (e.g., X, Y, and Z axes) including components that reciprocate in two directions substantially perpendicular to the optical axis direction when performing an optical image stabilization (OIS) function and components that reciprocate in the optical axis direction when performing an auto focus (AF) function. To enable such movement, the camera module can include a plurality of carriers and a driving member that adopts a ball bearing method including, for example, a guide ball.

[0035] High-magnification camera modules, such as telephoto camera modules, have a long back focal length (BFL) of the lens, which makes the distance from the image sensor to the lens far. Therefore, when such a camera module is mounted, the thickness of the electronic device may increase. Therefore, in order to implement a camera module with a long focal length in a limited space, a folded camera that can bend the path of light at least once by using a member such as a prism has been disclosed. Meanwhile, in a typical camera module, the lens may protrude from the exterior of the electronic device. In the case of a lens shift method in which the driving members for performing the auto-focus function or shake correction function move the lens, the periphery of the lens may also have a structure that protrudes from the exterior of the electronic device. In contrast, in the case of an image sensor shift method in which the driving members for performing the auto-focus function or shake correction function move the lens, the driving members for performing the auto-focus function or shake correction function do not protrude from the exterior of the electronic device, which may be advantageous in terms of having a more elegant design and increasing space efficiency.

[0036] In a curved camera module adopting an image sensor shift method, one side of the carrier assembly must be left empty for the arrangement of the reflective and refractive elements. Therefore, when the carrier assembly is viewed from above, its shape may be roughly a "U-structure." This "U-structure" may be structurally more vulnerable to deformation due to twisting than a "ㅁ-structure." Alternatively, if an external impact such as a drop or vibration is applied, the actuating element may come into contact with the reflective and refractive elements. This may cause a deterioration in the performance of the camera module.

[0037] In the present disclosure, a camera module and an electronic device including the same can be provided, which are intended to prevent performance degradation due to contact between a driving member and a reflective and refractive member even when an external impact such as a drop or vibration is applied to a curved camera module adopting an image sensor shift method.

[0038] The technical problems to be achieved in the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains from the description below.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment, according to one embodiment.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)). The processor (120) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (140)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of an electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) and perform various data processing or operations.According to one embodiment, as at least a part of data processing or calculation, the processor (120) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in the volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in the non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor), or an auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together therewith. For example, when the electronic device (101) includes the main processor (121) and the auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0041] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, in the electronic device (101) itself where artificial intelligence is performed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0042] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0043] The program (140) may be stored as software in the memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0044] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0045] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0046] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. In one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0047] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), or output sound through an audio output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0048] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0049] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0050] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0051] A haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. In one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0052] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0053] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0054] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0055] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0056] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0057] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. In one embodiment, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0058] In one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0059] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0060] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0061] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0062] In the detailed description below, the length direction of the electronic device (101) may be defined as the 'Y-axis direction', the width direction as the 'X-axis direction', and / or the height direction (thickness direction) as the 'Z-axis direction'. In the detailed description below, references to the length direction, the width direction, and / or the height direction (or thickness direction) may indicate the length direction, the width direction, and / or the height direction (or thickness direction) of the electronic device. In some embodiments, with respect to the direction in which a component is oriented, 'negative / positive (- / +)' may be mentioned together with the rectangular coordinate system illustrated in the drawing. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the front of the electronic device (101) or the housing (201) may be defined as the 'surface facing the -Z-axis direction', and the rear side may be defined as the 'surface facing the +Z-axis direction'. According to one embodiment, the arrangement relationship in the height direction of a component or another component, i.e., the reference of up / down, may follow the +Z-axis direction / -Z-axis direction. That is, when a component is said to be arranged on top of another component, it may mean that the component is arranged in the +Z-axis direction with respect to the other component, and when a component is said to be arranged under another component, it may mean that the component is arranged in the -Z-axis direction with respect to the other component. Meanwhile, it should be noted that even if a component is arranged on top or below another component, it does not mean that the entire component is located on top or below all of the components of the other component. For example, a part of a component may be arranged on top of a part of another component, but another part of the component may be arranged below another part of the other component. In one embodiment, when a component is said to be 'viewed from above', it may mean that the component is viewed in the -Z-axis direction from a position spaced apart from the component by a predetermined height.In one embodiment, the fact that a component is oriented in a 'direction' may be understood to include not only that the component is oriented in the 'same direction as the direction' but also that the component is oriented in a 'direction parallel to the direction'. It should be noted that in the following description, when a component is said to overlap (or stacked) with another component, the description of the arrangement relationship in the height direction described above may be applied. In the description of the direction, if 'yin / yang (- / +)' is not described, it may be interpreted to include both the + direction and the - direction unless defined separately. For example, 'Z-axis direction' may be interpreted to include both the +Z direction and the -Z direction. Similarly, 'X-axis direction' may be interpreted to include both the +X direction and the -X direction, and 'Y-axis direction' may be interpreted to include both the +Y direction and the -Y direction. However, in the XYZ spatial coordinate system illustrated in the drawing, if 'yin / yang (- / +)' is not indicated on an axis, the axis may be interpreted as pointing in the + direction. In describing a direction, pointing toward any one of the three axes of the orthogonal coordinate system may include pointing in a direction parallel to the axis. Hereinafter, in the description to be described later, the 'first direction' may mean the Z-axis direction or a direction parallel to the Z-axis. It should be noted that the above description is based on the orthogonal coordinate system illustrated in the drawing for the sake of brevity of description, and the description of such directions or components does not limit the various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment may include a housing (201) including a front surface (201a), a rear surface (201b), and a side surface (201c) surrounding a space between the front surface (201a) and the rear surface (201b). In one embodiment (not shown), the housing (201) may refer to a structure forming a portion of the front surface (201a) of FIG. 2 and the rear surface (201b) and the side surface (201c) of FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the front surface (201a) may be formed by a substantially transparent front plate (202) (e.g., a glass plate including various coating layers, or a polymer plate). The rear surface (201b) may be formed by a rear plate (211). The rear plate (211) may be formed of, for example, glass, ceramic, polymer, metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel (STS), or magnesium), or a combination of at least two of the above materials. The side surface (201c) may be formed of a side bezel structure (or “side member”) (212) that is coupled to the front plate (202) and the rear plate (211) and includes metal and / or polymer. In some embodiments, the front plate (202) and the side bezel structure (212) may be formed as one body and include the same material. Alternatively, the rear plate (211) and the side bezel structure (212) may be formed as one body and include the same material (e.g., a metal material such as glass or aluminum, or a ceramic). In one embodiment, the front surface (201a) and / or the front plate (202) may be interpreted as a part of the display (210). According to one embodiment, the housing (201) may include a front plate (202) and a back plate (211).

[0064] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include at least one of a display (210), an audio module (203, 204, 205) (e.g., the audio module (170) of FIG. 1), a sensor module (e.g., the sensor module (176) of FIG. 1), a camera module (206, 207) (e.g., the camera module (180) of FIG. 1), a key input device (216, 217) (e.g., the input module (150) of FIG. 1), and a connector hole (213, 214) (e.g., the connection terminal (178) of FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the electronic device (101) may omit at least one of the components (e.g., the connector hole (214)) or may additionally include other components.

[0065] In one embodiment, the display (210) may be visually exposed through, for example, a substantial portion of the front plate (202). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the display (210) may be exposed through the front plate (202) forming the front surface (201a). In one embodiment, the display (210) may be a flexible display or a foldable display.

[0066] In one embodiment, the surface (or front plate (202)) of the housing (201) may include a screen display area formed by visually exposing the display (210). As an example, the screen display area may include the front surface (201a).

[0067] In one embodiment (not shown), the electronic device (101) may include a recess or opening formed in a portion of a screen display area (e.g., front surface (201a)) of the display (210), and may include at least one of an audio module (205), a sensor module (not shown), a light-emitting element (not shown), and a camera module (206) aligned with the recess or opening. In one embodiment (not shown), the electronic device (101) may include at least one of an audio module (205), a sensor module (not shown), a camera module (206), a fingerprint sensor (not shown), and a light-emitting element (not shown) on a back surface of the screen display area of ​​the display (210).

[0068] In one embodiment (not shown), the display (210) may be coupled to or disposed adjacent to a touch sensing circuit, a pressure sensor capable of measuring the intensity (pressure) of a touch, and / or a digitizer that detects a magnetic field-type pen input device (215) (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0069] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the key input device (216, 217) may be disposed in the side bezel structure (212).

[0070] According to one embodiment, the audio module (203, 204, 205) may include, for example, a microphone hole (203) and a speaker hole (204, 205). The microphone hole (203) may have a microphone disposed therein for acquiring external sound, and in some embodiments, multiple microphones may be disposed so as to detect the direction of the sound. The speaker hole (204, 205) may include an external speaker hole (204) and a receiver hole (205) for calls. In some embodiments, the speaker hole (204, 205) and the microphone hole (203) may be implemented as a single hole, or a speaker may be included without the speaker hole (204, 205) (e.g., a piezo speaker). The audio modules (203, 204, 205) are not limited to the above structure, and may be designed in various ways, such as by mounting only some audio modules or adding new audio modules, depending on the structure of the electronic device (101).

[0071] According to one embodiment, a sensor module (not shown) may generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to, for example, an internal operating state of the electronic device (101) or an external environmental state. The sensor module (not shown) may include, for example, a first sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a proximity sensor) and / or a second sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the front (201a) of the housing (201), and / or a third sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a heart rate monitor (HRM) sensor) and / or a fourth sensor module (not shown) (e.g., a fingerprint sensor) disposed on the rear (201b) of the housing (201). In some embodiments (not shown), the fingerprint sensor may be disposed on the front (201a) (e.g., the display (210)) as well as the rear (201b) of the housing (201). The electronic device (101) may further include at least one sensor module (not shown), for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor (not shown). The sensor module (not shown) is not limited to the above structure, and may be designed in various ways, such as by mounting only some sensor modules or adding new sensor modules, depending on the structure of the electronic device (101).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the camera modules (206, 207) may include, for example, a front camera module (206) disposed on the front (201a) of the electronic device (101), a rear camera module (207) disposed on the rear (201b), a flash (208), and / or an IR sensor (209). The camera modules (206, 207) may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and / or an image signal processor. The flash (208) may include, for example, a light-emitting diode or a xenon lamp. The camera modules (206, 207) are not limited to the above structure, and may be designed in various ways, such as by mounting only some camera modules or adding new camera modules, depending on the structure of the electronic device (101).

[0073] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a plurality of camera modules (e.g., a dual camera or a triple camera) each having different properties (e.g., an angle of view) or functions. For example, the rear camera module (207) may include a plurality of camera modules including lenses having different angles of view. For example, the plurality of camera modules may include at least one of a wide-angle camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera, or an infrared (IR) camera (e.g., a time of flight (TOF) camera, a structured light camera). Further, for example, the plurality of camera modules may include an optical zoom camera with adjustable magnification. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may be configured to operate a designated camera module or another camera module among the plurality of camera modules based on a user's selection or under a pre-designated environment. According to one embodiment, the IR camera may be operated as at least a part of a sensor module. For example, the TOF camera may be operated as at least a part of a sensor module (not shown) for detecting a distance to a subject.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the camera module (206, 207) of the present disclosure may include a vertical camera module and / or a folded camera module. The vertical camera module may be a camera module in which the path of light incident on the lens assembly to reach the image sensor is formed in a straight line without being bent. In contrast, the folded camera module may be a camera module in which the path of light incident on the lens assembly to reach the image sensor is bent at least once. The folded camera module may typically include a reflective and refractive member (e.g., a reflective and refractive member (304) of FIG. 5) that allows light to be reflected and refracted at least once. The reflective and refractive member may include, for example, a prism or a mirror. In the criteria for distinguishing between direct and curved cameras, whether the path through which light reaches the image sensor is bent may be based not on whether the light is bent by each lens included in the lens assembly, but on whether the light is bent by the reflective and refractive member (e.g., the reflective and refractive member (304) of FIG. 5). According to one embodiment, the rear camera module (207) may include a plurality of camera modules (e.g., a dual camera module or a triple camera module), and some of the plurality of cameras (e.g., a wide-angle camera module) may be implemented as a direct camera module, and other some (e.g., a telephoto camera module) may be implemented as a curved camera module. In addition, according to an embodiment, the front camera module (206) may be implemented as an under display camera (UDC) module.

[0075] In one embodiment, the key input devices (216, 217) may be disposed on a side surface (201c) of the housing (201). In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may not include some or all of the above-mentioned key input devices (216, 217), and the key input devices (216, 217) that are not included may be implemented in other forms, such as soft keys, on the display (210). In some embodiments, the key input devices (216, 217) may include a sensor module (not shown) disposed on the rear surface (210B201b) of the housing (210201).

[0076] According to one embodiment, a light-emitting element (not shown) may be disposed, for example, on the front surface (201a) of the housing (201). The light-emitting element (not shown) may provide, for example, status information of the electronic device (101) in the form of light. In one embodiment, the light-emitting element (not shown) may provide, for example, a light source that is linked to the operation of the front camera module (206). The light-emitting element (not shown) may include, for example, a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared (IR) LED, and / or a xenon lamp.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the connector holes (213, 214) may include a first connector hole (213) that can accommodate, for example, a connector (e.g., a USB connector) for transmitting and receiving power and / or data with an external electronic device or a connector (e.g., an earphone jack) for transmitting and receiving audio signals with an external electronic device, and / or a second connector hole (214) that can accommodate a storage device (e.g., a subscriber identification module (SIM) card, a secure digital (SD) memory card). According to one embodiment, the first connector hole (213) and / or the second connector hole (214) may be omitted. The connector holes (213, 214) are not limited to the above structure, and may be designed in various ways, such as by mounting only some connector holes or adding new connector holes, depending on the structure of the electronic device (101).

[0078] A pen input device (215) (e.g., a stylus pen) can be inserted or removed into the interior of the housing (201) through a hole formed on a side of the housing (201) and can include a button to facilitate removal. A separate resonance circuit is built into the pen input device (215) so that it can be linked with an electromagnetic induction panel (e.g., a digitizer) included in the electronic device (101). The pen input device (215) can include an EMR (electro-magnetic resonance) method, an AES (active electrical stylus), and an ECR (electric coupled resonance) method.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the camera modules (206, 207) and / or the sensor modules (not shown) may be arranged so as to be in contact with the external environment through a designated area of ​​the display (210) and the front plate (202) in the internal space of the electronic device (101). For example, the designated area may be an area in the display (210) where no pixels are arranged. As another example, the designated area may be an area in the display (210) where pixels are arranged. When viewed from above the display (210), at least a portion of the designated area may overlap with the camera modules (206, 207) and / or the sensor modules. As another example, some sensor modules may be arranged so as to perform their functions without being visually exposed through the front plate (202) in the internal space of the electronic device.

[0080] The electronic device (101) disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3 has a bar-type or plate-type exterior, but is not limited thereto. For example, the illustrated electronic device may be a part of a rollable electronic device or a foldable electronic device. The term "rollable electronic device" may refer to an electronic device whose display is capable of bending deformation, such that at least a portion thereof is wound or rolled, or can be stored inside a housing (e.g., the housing (210) of FIG. 2). Depending on the user's needs, the rollable electronic device can be used by expanding the screen display area by unfolding the display or exposing a wider area of ​​the display to the outside. The term "foldable electronic device" may refer to an electronic device that can be folded so that two different areas of the display face each other or face opposite to each other. Typically, in a portable state, a foldable electronic device has a display that is folded so that two different areas face each other or are in opposite directions, and in an actual use state, a user can unfold the display so that the two different areas form a substantially flat surface. In one embodiment, the electronic device (101) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be interpreted to include not only portable electronic devices such as smartphones, but also various other electronic devices such as notebook computers and home appliances.

[0081] The electronic device (101) of the present disclosure may include a camera module (300, 400, 500) described below.

[0082] Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a camera module according to one embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the interior of a camera module according to one embodiment.

[0083] The camera module (300) of FIGS. 4 and 5 may include a camera housing (301), a lens assembly (302), an image sensor (303), a carrier assembly (305), and at least one substrate. The at least one substrate may include, for example, a first substrate (311), a second substrate (313), and a connecting portion (312). In the camera module (300) of FIGS. 4 and 5, the carrier assembly (305) may refer to a laminated structure for moving the image sensor (303) by the operation of a plurality of driving members (360).

[0084] Here, the camera module (300) may include a refractive optical system (refractive optical system) configured to allow the direction of light to be bent at least twice. A camera module (300) including such a refractive optical system may be referred to as a 'folded camera'. To enable the folded camera to bend the direction of light at least twice, the camera module (300) may include a reflection and refractive member (304) capable of reflecting and / or refracting the direction of light at least twice between a lens assembly (302) including at least one lens and an image sensor (303). In the present disclosure, 'reflection and refractive', or 'reflection and / or refractive' may be interpreted to have substantially the same meaning. Light passing through the 'refractive and refractive member' of the present disclosure may be only reflected, only refracted, or both reflected and refracted along its path of travel. In one embodiment, the 'reflective and refractive member' of the present disclosure may be simply referred to as a 'member'. Alternatively, the 'reflective and refractive member' of the present disclosure may be simply referred to as a 'mirror', a 'prism', or a 'mirror and prism'. In 'reflection and refraction', the reflection and refraction of light may not necessarily occur once each. When light is reflected by a reflective member (e.g., a mirror), the light may be interpreted as being refracted when the light's propagation path is viewed as a whole. Conversely, when the light's propagation path is refracted by a refractive member (e.g., a prism), the light may be interpreted as being reflected on the surface of the refractive member.

[0085] The camera housing (301) is a part that substantially forms the exterior of the camera module (300), and may include a base member (301a) and a cover member (301b). The base member (301a) may correspond to the base of the camera housing (301). The cover member (301b) may be a part that is combined with the base member (301a) to form a space in which various components are mounted inside the camera housing (301). According to one embodiment, if there is a component that generates electromagnetic waves inside the space formed by the camera housing (301), the camera housing (301) may provide a shielding structure for shielding the electromagnetic waves. For example, when the driving member (360) includes a voice coil motor (VCM) that generates driving force using an electric field or a magnetic field, at least one of the base member (301a) and the cover member (301b) may include an electromagnetic shielding structure. The electromagnetic shielding structure can prevent an electric field or magnetic field from entering from outside the camera housing (301) and interfering with the voice coil motor, or an electric field or magnetic field from leaking out from the voice coil motor and interfering with other electronic components in the electronic device (101). Referring to FIG. 4, according to one embodiment, a side wall may be formed to at least partially surround components accommodated inside the cover member (301b), but additionally or alternatively, a side wall may be formed on the base member (301a). In this way, the camera housing (301) is not limited to a specific shape and may have various shapes depending on the embodiment.

[0086] The lens assembly (302) may include at least one lens aligned along an optical axis (OI) (e.g., the optical axis (OI) of FIG. 6A, which will be described later). Here, the optical axis (OI) may be illustrated as a line (virtual line) connecting the centers of the lenses (or the centers of the multiple lenses when there are multiple lenses) in a drawing of an optical system including the camera module (300). For example, the optical axis may be illustrated as a line passing through the center of curvature of the surface of the first lens (e.g., the first lens) from the object side (O) toward the subject side, and the center of curvature of the surface of the last lens (e.g., the nth lens) from the object side toward the image side (I). In another example, the optical axis may be illustrated as a line passing through the centers of the image sensors as well as the multiple lenses. According to one embodiment, the optical axis may be understood as a 'rotational center axis' that does not change in optical performance when rotated around the axis. In addition, in the present disclosure, the optical axis (OI) may mean not only a straight line parallel to the Z-axis or the Z-axis direction, but also an imaginary line that is bent at least once. In the following description, when a component is said to move in the optical axis direction, the 'optical axis direction' may be understood as the direction in which light is incident on the image sensor (303). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, for a camera module (300) having an optical axis (OI) extending from the lens assembly (302) and the reflective and refractive member (304) to the image sensor (303), the 'optical axis direction' may be understood as the Z-axis direction or the direction parallel to the Z-axis from the optical axis (OI).

[0087] The lens assembly (302) may be at least partially accommodated within the camera housing (301). In one embodiment, the lens assembly (302) may be at least partially accommodated within the camera housing (301) while being surrounded by a barrel structure. The lens(es) included in the lens assembly (302) may be arranged in an appropriate number according to the specifications required by the camera module (300) or the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) for externally incident light. The number of lenses included in the lens assembly (302) may not be limited to any particular embodiment. In one embodiment, the lens assembly (302) may be arranged in a form that partially protrudes toward the outside of the camera housing (301) while being at least partially accommodated within the camera housing (301). In one embodiment, the lens assembly (302) may be fixedly arranged in the camera housing (301). In this state, the lens assembly (302) can focus or guide light emitted from or reflected by the subject into the camera housing (301).

[0088] The image sensor (303) may be configured to detect light reflected and / or refracted by the reflective and refractive member (304) and incident on the imaging surface (img). For example, light incident from the outside of the camera module (300) may be detected by the image sensor (IS) via the lens assembly (302) and the reflective and refractive member (304), and the electronic device (101) may acquire an image of a subject based on a signal or information detected through the image sensor (IS). In one embodiment, when the image sensor (303) is enlarged, the optical performance of the camera module (300) may be further improved. The image sensor (303) may include a sensor such as a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor or a charge coupled device (CCD). The image sensor (303) is not limited thereto, and may include, for example, various elements that convert an image of a subject into an electrical image signal. The image sensor (303) can obtain an image of the subject by detecting brightness information, gradation ratio information, color information, etc. of the subject from light passing through the lens assembly (302).

[0089] The electronic device (101) may include a camera module (300) equipped with an auto focus (AF) function and / or an optical image stabilization (OIS) function. This may improve the quality of an image acquired by the camera module (300). The camera module (300) of the present disclosure may perform an auto focus operation and / or an optical image stabilization operation using an image sensor shift method. In a camera module using a lens shift method, when performing an auto focus operation and / or an optical image stabilization operation, the lens barrel (302b) may move and the image sensor may be fixed in its position. In contrast, in a camera module using an image sensor shift method, the position of the image sensor (303) may be variable. In the camera module (300) of the image sensor shift type, when performing an auto-focus adjustment operation, the image sensor (303) can be shifted in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the camera module (300). In the camera module (300) of the image sensor shift type, when performing a shake correction operation, the image sensor (303) can be shifted in the length direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) or width direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the camera module (300).

[0090] According to one embodiment, an image sensor (303) may be arranged on one surface of a base member (301a). In this case, the base member (301a) may be driven while being separated from a cover member (301b), which is another part of the camera housing (301). According to another embodiment, the base member (301a) and the image sensor (303) may be placed at a predetermined distance from each other, and at this time, a form in which the position of the base member (301a) is fixed while only the position of the image sensor (303) is variable may be applied. The image sensor (303) of the present disclosure may be moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and / or Z-axis directions by the driving member (360). As will be described in detail below, the driving member (360) includes a first driving member (361), a second driving member (362), and a third driving member (363), and can allow the image sensor (303) to move independently in the three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) of the spatial coordinates shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0091] The image sensor (303) may be disposed on one surface of the first substrate (311). According to one embodiment, the first substrate (311) is a printed circuit board on which an electronic component (e.g., the image sensor (303)) is disposed on at least one surface, and may have a plate shape that is parallel to a plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis among the spatial coordinate axes illustrated in FIG. 4 (hereinafter, referred to as an “XY plane”). According to one embodiment, the first substrate (311) may be disposed to be spaced apart from the housing (301) (e.g., the base member (301a)). An electric signal may be applied to the image sensor (303) through the first substrate (311), or image-related data acquired from the image sensor (303) may be transmitted to another component (e.g., an image signal processor). According to one embodiment, a surface facing the -Z-axis direction of the first substrate (311) may be formed to face the base member (301a), and an image sensor (303) may be disposed on a surface facing the +Z-axis direction (first direction). The image sensor (303) and / or the first substrate (311) may be connected to a second substrate (313) for electrical connection with other components (e.g., an image signal processor). Although not shown in the drawing, at least one component (e.g., an image signal processor, a memory, a voice coil motor (VCM) driver IC (integrated chip), etc.) may be disposed on the first substrate (311), and may be connected to other components (e.g., a processor) disposed outside the camera housing (301) via a connector (314) disposed on the second substrate (313). According to one embodiment, the second substrate (313) may be fixed in position with respect to the camera housing (301). When the first substrate (311) moves while the second substrate (313) is fixed, the relative position between the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (313) may change.A connection portion (312) may be provided between the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (313), thereby forming a type of substrate assembly (310). According to one embodiment, the connection portion (312) may be implemented as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). When the connection portion (312) is an FPCB, the electrical connection between the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (313) may be maintained more stably. According to one embodiment, a slit may be formed in the connection portion (312) to reduce and / or prevent damage.

[0092] The camera module (300) may include a carrier assembly (305) that guides the image sensor (303) and / or the first substrate (311) to reciprocate along a first direction (+Z-axis direction) and / or in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (Y-axis direction or X-axis direction). The carrier assembly (305) may be at least partially coupled to the first substrate (311) within the camera housing (301). The image sensor (303) disposed on the first substrate (311) by the carrier assembly (305) may move along the first direction (+Z-axis direction) and may also reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (Y-axis direction or X-axis direction). The carrier assembly (305) will be described in more detail below with reference to the following embodiments of FIG. 7.

[0093] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the interior of a camera module including a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment. FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment. FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment. It should be noted that FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are provided to aid in understanding of each component included in the camera module, and that component(s) included in the camera module but not necessary for the description may be omitted.

[0094] The lens assembly (302) included in the camera module (300) may include one lens or a combination of multiple lenses. The multiple lenses may be arranged in a state aligned with the image sensor (303) on the optical axis (OI). For example, three lenses (302a) are illustrated in FIG. 6A, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As illustrated in FIG. 7, which will be described below, a smaller number of lenses (e.g., two lenses) may be arranged, or a larger number of lenses (e.g., four or more lenses) may be arranged. The lens(es) (302a) arranged in the lens assembly (302) may be surrounded by a lens barrel (302b) and coupled to one side of the camera housing (301).

[0095] The reflective and refractive member (304) may be placed between the lens assembly (302) and the image sensor (303). Light incident on the lens assembly (302) from the outside may be reflected at least twice through the reflective and refractive member (304) and focused or aligned onto the image sensor (303). This allows the optical system from the lens assembly (302) to the image sensor (303) to be miniaturized. A camera having this structure may be referred to as a 'lens lead type camera'. FIG. 6A illustrates a camera module (300) in which light incident on the lens assembly (302) is reflected and / or refracted twice while passing through the reflective and refractive member (304). However, the number of times the light is reflected and / or refracted while passing through the reflective and refractive member (304) is not limited thereto. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6d described below, embodiments are shown in which light is reflected and / or refracted twice, while in the embodiments of FIG. 6c and 6e described below, embodiments are shown in which light is reflected and / or refracted four times. Although not depicted in the drawings, embodiments in which light is reflected and / or refracted three times and / or embodiments in which light is reflected and / or refracted five or more times may also be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0096] The reflective and refractive member (304) may include a prism, a mirror that reflects light, and / or an aperture. For example, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be provided with a prism on one side and a mirror on the other side, so that light incident on the reflective and refractive member (304) may be reflected and / or refracted while passing through the prism and mirror. Also, for example, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be configured to have at least two faces formed as prisms to reflect and / or refract light. In one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be formed by a combination of a plurality of prisms and / or mirrors. In one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be formed by a combination of a plurality of prism pieces and / or mirror pieces. For example, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be formed by a combination of prism pieces and / or mirror pieces having a triangular and / or square cross-section to form a single reflective and refractive member (304).

[0097] Referring to FIGS. 6a, 6b, and 6c, the reflective and refractive member (304) may include an incident surface (304a) on which light passing through the lens assembly (302) is incident, a first reflective surface (304b) inclined with the incident surface (304a), and a second reflective surface (304c) inclined with the incident surface (304a) and formed spaced apart from the first reflective surface (304b).

[0098] The incident surface (304a) may be a surface through which light passing through the lens assembly (302) first enters the reflective and refractive member (304). According to one embodiment, the incident surface (304a) may be formed at a predetermined distance in the upward direction from the nth lens (e.g., the third lens of FIG. 6A) closest to the upper side of the lens assembly (302). According to one embodiment, the incident surface (304a) may be parallel to the front (e.g., the surface facing the -Z axis) and the rear (e.g., the surface facing the +Z axis) of the electronic device, respectively. The optical axis (OI) may be orthogonal to the incident surface (304a). According to one embodiment, an opening is formed in at least a portion of the incident surface (304a), or a prism capable of transmitting light is formed to transmit light. The first reflective surface (304b) may be a surface on which light incident on the incident surface (304a) is first reflected and / or refracted. The reflective and refracting member (304) may include a second reflective surface (304c) formed at an angle to the incident surface (304a) (or the exit surface (304d)) and spaced apart from the first reflective surface (304b).

[0099] The reflective and refractive member (304) may include an exit surface (304d) through which light passing through the reflective and refractive member (304) is emitted. According to one embodiment, an opening is formed in at least a portion of the exit surface (304d), or a prism capable of transmitting light is formed to transmit light. The exit surface (304d) may face the image sensor (303) in a state parallel to the image sensor (303). According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member (304) may be surrounded by a driving member (360), and in this case, the driving member (360) may be disposed at a position adjacent to the exit surface (304d).

[0100] Light incident perpendicularly to the incident surface (304a) of the reflective and refractive member (304) can pass through an internal space (e.g., an optical waveguide) surrounded by the incident surface (304a), the first reflective surface (304b), the second reflective surface (304c), and the exit surface (304d) of the reflective and refractive member (304) and be emitted perpendicularly to the exit surface (304d). According to one embodiment, reflection of light can occur in a portion of the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304b) other than a portion through which light transmits (e.g., an aperture). According to one embodiment, the incident surface (304a) of the reflective and refractive member (304) may be referred to as the 'first surface', the first reflective surface (304b) as the 'second surface', the second reflective surface (304c) as the 'third surface', and the exit surface (304d) as the 'fourth surface'.

[0101] Here, the emission surface (304d) from which light is emitted may be formed spaced apart from the incident surface (304a) from which light is incident. According to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6 a, 6b, and 6c, the emission surface (304d) may be formed parallel to each other while being spaced apart from the incident surface (304a) by a predetermined distance in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction). According to one embodiment, according to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6 a, 6b, and 6c, the incident surface (304a) and the emission surface (304d) may face in opposite directions, and the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) may face in opposite directions.

[0102] In an embodiment where light is reflected twice inside the reflective and refractive member (304) as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the angle at which the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) are inclined with respect to the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304d) may be greater than the angle at which the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) are inclined with respect to the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304d) as shown in FIG. 6c, in an embodiment where light is reflected four times inside the reflective and refractive member (304). For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 6a and 6b, the angle at which the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) are inclined with respect to the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304d) may be 45 degrees, and in the embodiment of FIG. 6c, the angle at which the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) are inclined with respect to the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304d) may be less than 45 degrees (e.g., 30 degrees).

[0103] According to one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be a hexahedron having a parallelogram cross-sectional shape, in which the incident surface (304a) and the exit surface (304d) are substantially parallel, and the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c) are substantially parallel. Depending on the embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (304) may also be referred to as a hexahedron having a rhombus cross-sectional shape or a rhomboid cross-sectional shape. In addition, the shape of the reflective and refractive member (304) may vary. For example, two or more triangular prisms may be combined to form a reflective and refractive member (304) having substantially one body.

[0104] The above reflective and refractive member (304) may be supported by the camera housing (301). For example, the camera housing (301) may include a base member (301a) and a cover member (301b) that provide a space in which the reflective and refractive member (304) is accommodated. In one embodiment, the camera housing (301) may further include an optical holder (301c) for supporting the lens assembly (302) and the reflective and refractive member (304). For example, one side of the optical holder (301c) may be provided to support the lens assembly (302), and the other side may be provided to support the reflective and refractive member (304). Additionally or alternatively, the camera housing (301) may include at least one auxiliary support member (301d, 301e). In one embodiment, the auxiliary support members (301d, 301e) may be formed integrally with the optical holder (301c). For example, at least one auxiliary support member (301d, 301e) may be disposed adjacent to the first reflective surface (304b) and / or the second reflective surface (304c) of the reflective and refractive member (304) to support the first reflective surface (304b) and the second reflective surface (304c). The auxiliary support members (301d, 301e) may include a first auxiliary support member (301d) that supports the first reflective surface (304b) and a second auxiliary support member (301e) that supports the second reflective surface (304c). The position of the reflective and refractive member (304) may be fixed while being supported by the optical holder (301c) and / or the auxiliary support members (301d, 301e). However, even if the reflective and refractive member (304) is supported by the optical holder (301c) and / or the auxiliary support member (301d, 301e) in this way, when a strong impact such as dropping is applied to the electronic device, a collision may occur between the reflective and refractive member (304) and the surrounding parts (e.g., carrier assembly (305)).The present disclosure may provide a camera module and an electronic device including the same that are intended to prevent performance degradation due to contact between such components, for example, a carrier assembly (305) and a reflective and refractive member (304).

[0105] FIG. 6d is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment. FIG. 6e is a diagram illustrating an optical axis passing through a reflective and refractive member according to one embodiment.

[0106] Referring to FIGS. 6D and 6E, a camera module (e.g., camera module (300) of FIG. 6A) may include a reflective and refractive member (404) having a trapezoidal (e.g., equilateral trapezoidal) cross-section in which an incident surface and an exit surface are spaced apart from each other but are substantially positioned on a single plane. The reflective and refractive member (404) may include a prism, a mirror that reflects light, and / or an aperture. A description of the reflective and refractive member (404) may be omitted to the extent that it overlaps with the embodiments described above in FIGS. 6A to 6C.

[0107] The reflective and refractive member (404) may include an incident surface (404a) on which light passing through the lens assembly (402) is incident, a first reflective surface (404b) inclined with the incident surface (404a), and a second reflective surface (404c) inclined with the incident surface (404a) and spaced apart from the first reflective surface (404b). In addition, the reflective and refractive member (404) may include a third reflective surface (404d).

[0108] The incident surface (404a) may be a surface through which light passing through the lens assembly (402) first enters the reflective and refractive member (404). According to one embodiment, the incident surface (404a) may be formed at a predetermined distance in the upward direction from the nth lens (e.g., the third lens of FIG. 6A) closest to the upper side of the lens assembly (402). According to one embodiment, the incident surface (404a) may be parallel to the front (e.g., the surface facing the -Z axis) and the rear (e.g., the surface facing the +Z axis) of the electronic device, respectively. The optical axis (OI) may be orthogonal to the incident surface (404a). According to one embodiment, an opening is formed in at least a portion of the incident surface (404a), or a prism capable of transmitting light is formed to transmit light. In the embodiments of FIGS. 6d and 6e, light may not only be incident through the incident surface (404a), but may also be emitted through the incident surface (404a). In one embodiment, the incident surface (404a) may include a first transmissive portion (404aa) through which light is incident and a second transmissive portion (404ab) through which light is emitted. In one embodiment, light reflection may occur in a portion of the incident surface (404a) other than the portion through which light is transmitted (the first transmissive portion (404aa) and the second transmissive portion (404ab)). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member (404) may be surrounded by a driving member (e.g., the driving member (360) of FIG. 6a), wherein the driving member (360) may be disposed adjacent to the second transmissive portion (404ab).

[0109] The first reflective surface (404b) may be a surface where light incident on the incident surface (404a) is first reflected and / or refracted. The second reflective surface (404c) may be a surface where light is reflected and / or refracted immediately before the light is emitted. The third reflective surface (404d) may be a surface where light is reflected and / or refracted multiple times (e.g., four times), as illustrated in FIG. 6e, for example.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the incident surface (404a) of the reflective and refractive member (404) may be referred to as the 'first surface', the first reflective surface (404b) as the 'second surface', the second reflective surface (404c) as the 'third surface', and the third reflective surface (404d) as the 'fourth surface'.

[0111] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between components of a camera module including reflective and refractive members according to one embodiment.

[0112] Note that in the embodiment of FIG. 7, component(s) included in the camera module but not necessary for the description may be omitted.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 7, the camera module (300) may include a carrier assembly (305) which is a stacked structure of a first carrier (320), a second carrier (330), and a third carrier (340). According to one embodiment, the first carrier (320), the second carrier (330), and the third carrier (340) may be stacked with guide balls disposed between each element. Accordingly, relative movement between the elements constituting the carrier assembly (305) may be implemented. A driving member (360) may be disposed around the carrier assembly (305) to transmit driving force to the reflective and refractive members (304) in three directions, respectively. The driving member (360) may include a plurality of driving member(s) (361, 362, 363).

[0114] The first carrier (320) may be laminated on the first substrate (311) on which the image sensor (303) is disposed. According to one embodiment, the first carrier (320) may be disposed so as to at least partially surround the image sensor (303) on a surface of the first substrate (311) facing the first direction (+Z-axis direction). However, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and when a hole is provided in the first substrate (311), the image sensor (303) may be disposed on a surface of the first substrate (311) facing the opposite direction (-Z-axis direction) to the first direction. In this case, the first carrier (320) may not surround the image sensor (303). According to one embodiment, the first carrier (320) may be coupled with the first substrate (311) and move as one body. The first carrier (320) is formed in a plate shape that is generally parallel to the XY plane, and can be configured to be combined with the first substrate (311) and move in a direction parallel to at least one of the three axes of the orthogonal coordinate system.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the second carrier (330) may be arranged to face one side of the first carrier (320). According to one embodiment, the second carrier (330) may not be fixedly coupled to the first carrier (320), but may be coupled in a changeable position relative to the first carrier (320). According to one embodiment, the third carrier (340) may be arranged to face one side of the second carrier (330). According to one embodiment, the third carrier (340) may not be fixedly coupled to the second carrier (330), but may be coupled in a changeable position relative to the second carrier (330). The arrangement of the second carrier (330) with respect to the first carrier (320), the arrangement of the third carrier (340) with respect to the first carrier (320), and / or the arrangement of the third carrier (340) with respect to the second carrier (330) may vary depending on the embodiment. According to one embodiment, the third carrier (340) may be omitted (e.g., the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 19 below). The arrangement relationship of the first carrier (320), the second carrier (330), and the third carrier (340) will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings of FIG. 8 and below.

[0116] Referring to FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7, the driving member (360) may include at least one coil and at least one magnet arranged to at least partially face the at least one coil. At this time, the at least one magnet may be arranged to face the at least one coil in a direction (e.g., the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction) intersecting the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction), or may be arranged to face the at least one coil in a direction toward the optical axis direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction). The driving member (360) may be provided in multiple numbers. According to one embodiment, the driving member (360) may include a first driving member (361), a second driving member (362), and a third driving member (363). At this time, the first driving member (361) may be an auto focus (AF) driving member for adjusting the focus of the camera module (300), and the second driving member (362) and the third driving member (363) may be optical image stabilization (OIS) driving members for compensating for shaking (or shaking) of the camera module (300).

[0117] In Fig. 7, the carrier assembly (305) is illustrated as having a rectangular shape with approximately four sides, but this is merely a simplified illustration for convenience of explanation, and the shapes of the carrier assembly (305) and the first carrier (320), the second carrier (330), and the third carrier (340) constituting the carrier assembly (305) may vary depending on the embodiment. In addition, in Fig. 7, the reflection and refractive member (304), the first carrier (320), the third carrier (340), and the second carrier (330) are illustrated as being sequentially stacked along the Z-axis direction, but the arrangement and / or shape of the component(s) may vary depending on the embodiment. For example, as will be described later in the drawings of Fig. 8 and below, the camera module (300) may include a carrier assembly (305) that surrounds the reflection and refractive member (304) in an approximately 'U' shape in at least three lateral directions. According to one embodiment, the first driving member (361), the second driving member (362), and the third driving member (363) may also be arranged in an approximately 'U' shape corresponding to the arrangement and / or shape of the carrier assembly (305). At this time, the remaining one side of the carrier assembly (305) may be formed as an open space. In addition, the reflective and refractive member (304) may be arranged in a state of being laid down parallel to the XY plane from above the carrier assembly (305) across the open space.

[0118] The camera module (300) may include, as components of the carrier assembly (305), an auto-focus carrier (which may be referred to as an 'AF carrier') that moves the image sensor (303) along a first direction, and an optical image stabilization carrier (which may be referred to as an 'OIS carrier') that moves the image sensor (303) in a direction intersecting the first direction. According to one embodiment, the optical image stabilization carrier (OIS carrier) may allow the image sensor (303) to move horizontally in at least two directions intersecting each other in a plane perpendicular to the first direction. Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B , the first carrier (320) and the second carrier (330) may be an OIS carrier and an AF carrier, respectively.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the camera module (300) may further include a middle guide carrier (or middle carrier). According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly (305) may be configured to include an OIS carrier, an AF carrier, and a middle guide carrier. For example, the middle guide carrier may be provided to assist the OIS operation of the OIS carrier. The OIS operation of the present disclosure may mean an operation of moving horizontally in at least two directions intersecting each other in a plane perpendicular to a first direction. When the OIS carrier moves horizontally in one direction perpendicular to the first direction, the middle guide carrier may be provided to move horizontally in another direction perpendicular to the first direction. According to one embodiment, the directions in which the OIS carrier and the middle guide carrier move may also be orthogonal. The middle guide carrier may be stacked with the OIS carrier via a guide ball, and may be configured to move relative to the OIS carrier by the operation of the driving member (360). Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the third carrier (340) may be a middle guide carrier.

[0120] The present disclosure may include embodiments in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is disposed inside a second carrier (430) (e.g., an AF carrier) and embodiments in which a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) is disposed inside the first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier). In addition, the present disclosure also discloses a structure in which a buffer member is applied to each of these embodiments.

[0121] First, with reference to the camera module (400) illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 15 (e.g., the camera module (300) illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7), an embodiment in which the first carrier (420) is disposed inside the second carrier (430) will be described in detail. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 15, when the first carrier (420) is disposed inside the second carrier (430), the first carrier (420) may be configured to move dependently according to the movement of the second carrier (430).

[0122] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment, wherein a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier). FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a camera module according to one embodiment, wherein a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier).

[0123] Referring to FIG. 8, the camera module (400) may include a camera housing (401), an image sensor (403), a first carrier (420), a second carrier (430), and / or a driving member (460). Here, the camera module (400) may further include a third carrier (440). In addition, the camera module (400) may include at least one substrate (e.g., the first substrate (311), the second substrate (313) of FIGS. 4 and 5) and / or at least one flexible circuit board (e.g., the connecting portion (312) of FIGS. 4 and 5). In describing the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 15, the descriptions of the components described above through the descriptions of FIGS. 1 to 7 may be applied, and redundant descriptions of the components (e.g., the lens assembly) may be omitted below.

[0124] The camera housing (401) may include a base member (401a) and a cover member (401b), and may substantially form the exterior of the camera module (400). The camera housing (401) is not limited to a specific shape and may have various shapes depending on the embodiment.

[0125] An image sensor shift method may be applied to the camera module (400). The image sensor (403) of the present disclosure may be moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and / or Z-axis directions by a driving member (460) while being placed on, for example, a first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5). The driving member (460) may provide a driving force to allow the image sensor (403) and the first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) to move independently in each of the three axes of the spatial coordinates illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0126] The camera module (400) may include a carrier assembly (405) that guides the image sensor (403) and the first substrate (e.g., the substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) to reciprocate in a first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) and / or in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction or the X-axis direction). The carrier assembly (405) may be accommodated within the camera housing (401). The image sensor (403) may be disposed on the first substrate (e.g., the substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) and may reciprocate in the first direction by the carrier assembly (405) or reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Here, the carrier assembly (405) may be composed of a first carrier (420), a second carrier (430), or may be composed of a first carrier (420), a second carrier (430), and a third carrier (440).

[0127] The first carrier (420) may be laminated on a first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5). Referring to FIG. 8, the first carrier (420) may be positioned to at least partially surround the image sensor (403) on a surface of the first substrate facing the +Z-axis direction. According to one embodiment, the first carrier (420) may be fixedly coupled to the first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) and may move as one body.

[0128] The first carrier (420) is formed in a plate shape that is generally parallel to the XY plane, and may be configured to be movable in a direction parallel to at least one of the three axes of the illustrated rectangular coordinate system. The first carrier (420) may have an opening formed in the center and may include a plate (421) surrounding the opening. According to one embodiment, a filter (not shown) may be placed in the opening. For example, an IR Cut filter for blocking infrared (IR) rays may be placed as the filter, and the IR Cut filter may overlap with the image sensor (403) when placed in the opening.

[0129] The first carrier (420) may include a first protruding guide portion (422) and a second protruding guide portion (423) extending from a surface (421a) facing the +Z-axis direction of the first plate (421). A second magnet (462b) may be arranged on the first protruding guide portion (422), and a third magnet (463b) may be arranged on the second protruding guide portion (423). The second magnet (462b) and the third magnet (463b) may be arranged while standing on the first protruding guide portion (422) and the second protruding guide portion (423), respectively, so that a magnetic field is formed in a direction (e.g., a Y-axis direction and an X-axis direction) intersecting the first direction (e.g., a Z-axis direction).

[0130] The third carrier (440) may be stacked on the first carrier (420). According to one embodiment, the third carrier (340) may be disposed on a surface of the first carrier (420) facing the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction). According to one embodiment, the third carrier (440) may not be fixedly coupled to the first carrier (420), but may be coupled so that their relative positions can be changed. According to one embodiment, the third carrier (440) may be formed as a 'U'-shaped frame extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction). According to one embodiment, a third guide ball (B3) may be disposed between the third carrier (440) and the first carrier (420). The third guide ball (B3) can support the third carrier (440) while minimizing friction when the relative position between the third carrier (440) and the first carrier (420) changes. Using the third guide ball (B3), the third carrier (440) can perform a linear reciprocating motion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (X-axis direction and / or Y-axis direction) while being placed on the first carrier (420).

[0131] The first carrier (420) and the third carrier (440) may be disposed inside the second carrier (430). The second carrier (430) may be stacked on the third carrier (440). According to one embodiment, the second carrier (430) may be disposed on a surface of the third carrier (440) facing the first direction (+Z-axis direction). According to one embodiment, the second carrier (430) may not be fixedly coupled to the third carrier (440), but may be coupled in a manner such that their relative positions can be changed. According to one embodiment, a second guide ball (B2) may be disposed between the second carrier (430) and the third carrier (440). The second guide ball (B2) may support the second carrier (430) while minimizing friction when the relative positions between the second carrier (430) and the third carrier (440) change. The third carrier (440) can reciprocate linearly in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (X-axis direction and / or Y-axis direction) using the second guide ball (B2) while being stacked under the second carrier (430). The second carrier (430) can include a second plate (431) including a surface facing the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) and a side wall (432) extending from the second plate (431) in the first direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction). A cover member (401b) can be arranged on the second plate (431) of the second carrier (430), and the side wall (432) of the second carrier (430) can be at least partially wrapped by a side wall extending from the base member (401a) and / or the cover member (401b) of the housing (401). A first guide ball (B1) may be placed between the second carrier (430) and the cover member (401b). For example, a first recess (434) is formed in the side wall (432) of the second carrier (430), and a plurality of first guide balls (B1) may roll on the first recess (434).Although not shown separately in the drawing, a separate second recess (not shown) may be formed at a position corresponding to the first recess (434) on the inner surface of the cover member (401b) facing the second carrier (430). In addition, a first guide ball (B1) may be seated and / or received between the first recess (434) and the second recess (not shown). The second carrier (430) may reciprocate linearly along the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) using the first guide ball (B1) inside the housing (401). A first magnet (461b) may be arranged on one surface of the side wall (432) of the second carrier (430). The above first magnet (461b) may be placed on the side wall (432) of the second carrier (430) so that a magnetic field is formed in a direction (e.g., Y-axis direction and X-axis direction) crossing the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction).

[0132] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 together, a plurality of coils (461a, 462a, 463a) included in the driving member (460) may be arranged at positions corresponding to a plurality of magnets (461b, 462b, 463b) around the carrier assembly (405). According to one embodiment, the plurality of coils (461a, 462a, 463a) may be arranged on the inner surface of the cover member (401b), the optical holder (e.g., 301c of FIGS. 6a and 6b), and / or the auxiliary support member (e.g., 301d, 301e of FIGS. 6a and 6b). The positions at which the plurality of coils (461a, 462a, 463a) are arranged may vary depending on the embodiment. According to one embodiment, the first driving member (461) may be configured to move the first magnet (461b) in a first direction (e.g., in the Z-axis direction) when current flows through the first coil (461a). As a result, the first driving member (461) may cause the second carrier (430) to reciprocate linearly along the first direction (e.g., in the Z-axis direction). Here, the first driving member (461) may be a Lorentz-type driving member to which Fleming's left-hand rule is applied between the first coil (461a) and the first magnet (461b). According to another embodiment, the second driving member (462) and the third driving member (463) may be configured to move the second magnet (462b) and the third magnet (463b) in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction) when current flows through the second coil (462a) and the third coil (463a), respectively. The second driving member (462) and / or the third driving member (463) may cause the second carrier (430) to reciprocate linearly along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction).Here, the second driving member (462) and the third driving member (463) may be solenoid-type driving members in which Ampere's right-hand rule is applied between the second coil (462a) and the second magnet (462b) and between the third coil (463a) and the third magnet (463b), respectively. Whether the first driving member (461), the second driving member (462) and / or the third driving member (463) is applied as a Lorenz type or a solenoid type may be variously set based on the arrangement of the coils and magnets included in each driving member. For example, an embodiment in which the first driving member (461) is implemented as a solenoid type and the second driving member (462) and / or the third driving member (463) are implemented as a Lorenz type may also be applied.

[0133] According to one embodiment, a first opening (O1) may be formed on one side of the base member (401a), a second opening (O2) may be formed on one side of the second carrier (430), a third opening (O3) may be formed on one side of the third carrier (440), and a fourth opening (O4) may be formed on one side of the cover member (401b). The first opening (O1), the second opening (O2), the third opening (O3), and the fourth opening (O4) may be integrated into one opening (O) when the base member (401a), the first carrier (420), the third carrier (440), the second carrier (430), and the cover member (401b) are sequentially laminated and assembled. A reflective and refractive member (404) may be placed at a position where an opening (O) is formed in the carrier assembly (405), and a driving member (460) may be provided at a position where the opening (O) is not formed.

[0134] According to one embodiment, the camera module (400) may further include a frame (470). The frame (470) may be disposed inside the camera housing (401). According to one embodiment, the frame may be disposed on the back surface of the first carrier (420). The frame (470) may include a horizontal frame (471) that is at least partially parallel to the camera housing (401) and a vertical frame (472) that protrudes from the horizontal frame (471). The frame (470) may be coupled to the second carrier (430) using the vertical frame (472). For example, a fastening portion (433) may be provided on a side wall (432) of the second carrier (430), and the vertical frame (472) may be fastened to the fastening portion (433), thereby firmly fixing the first carrier (420) to the second carrier (430), thereby preventing the first carrier (420) from being separated from the carrier assembly (405). Through the frame (470), the first carrier (420) can be prevented from being displaced beyond a preset range. If the first carrier (420) is displaced beyond a preset range, the guide ball (e.g., the second guide ball (B2) and / or the third guide ball (B3)) may be displaced from the recess (e.g., the third recess (444), the fourth recess (not shown), the fifth recess (not shown) and / or the sixth recess (424)). However, by providing the frame (470), the guide ball may also be prevented from being displaced. In another embodiment, a stopper (not shown) may be arranged on the frame (470). By including the stopper, the frame (470) may provide an effect of absorbing and / or dispersing a shock applied to the carrier assembly (405) and reducing joint noise when the carrier assembly (405) moves linearly in the first direction (+Z-axis direction).

[0135] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to one embodiment, wherein a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is positioned inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier). FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly according to one embodiment, wherein the second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) is omitted.

[0136] FIG. 10 is a drawing briefly showing the arrangement relationship of the carrier assembly (405) and the reflective and refractive member (404), and for convenience, the third carrier (440) may be omitted in FIG. 10. The third carrier (440) described above through the embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 may be provided, for example, as a middle guide carrier to assist the driving of the first carrier (420). Therefore, depending on the embodiment, the third carrier (440) may be omitted or substantially integrated into the first carrier (420). FIG. 11 is a drawing showing the first carrier (420) and the third carrier (440) in more detail in an embodiment further including the third carrier (440), and for convenience, the second carrier (430) may be omitted. In describing the embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11, the descriptions of the components described above through the descriptions of FIGS. 1 to 9 may be applied, and redundant descriptions of the components (e.g., lens assembly) may be omitted below.

[0137] The camera module (400) may include a second carrier (430) (e.g., an AF carrier) that moves linearly in a first direction (e.g., a Z-axis direction) to perform an auto-focus function, and a first carrier (420) (e.g., an OIS carrier) that moves linearly in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., an X-axis direction and / or a Y-axis direction) to perform an image stabilization function. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the first carrier (420) is illustrated as being disposed on the second carrier (430), but this is merely to conceptually represent that the first carrier (420) is accommodated within the second carrier (430), and it is to be noted that this does not necessarily represent that the first carrier (420) is disposed on the second carrier (430). Referring to FIG. 10, the first carrier (420) may move in a direction intersecting the first direction together with the image sensor (403) as an OIS carrier. The second carrier (430) is an AF carrier and can move along the first direction, and when the second carrier (430) is driven, the first carrier (420) can also move dependently.

[0138] As illustrated in FIG. 11, when a third carrier (440) is further included, the third carrier (440) may have a frame shape extending in a direction (e.g., X-axis direction and / or Y-axis direction) intersecting the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction). The third carrier (440) may be placed in a lying state on the first carrier (420). The third carrier (440) may be formed as a 'U'-shaped frame that does not interfere with the first protruding guide portion (422) and the second magnet (462b) of the first carrier (420), and the second protruding guide portion (423) and the third magnet (463b). For example, the third carrier (440) may include a first arm (441), a second arm (442) extending from one end of the first arm (441), and a third arm (443) extending from the other end of the first arm (441).

[0139] A third recess (444) may be formed on a surface facing the first direction (e.g., +Z-axis direction) of the third carrier (440) at each end of the first arm (441), the second arm (442), and the third arm (443), and a fourth recess (not shown) may be formed on a surface facing the opposite direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction). The third recess (444) and the fourth recess (not shown) may be formed at corresponding positions on surfaces facing opposite directions with respect to the third carrier (440). The third recess (444) and the fourth recess (not shown) may be formed so that the second guide ball (B2) and the third guide ball (B3) can roll while being seated and / or accommodated, respectively. Although not shown separately in the drawing, in the second carrier (430), a separate fifth recess (not shown) may be formed at a position corresponding to the third recess (444) on a surface facing the third carrier (440), so that the second guide ball (B2) may be seated and / or received. Similarly, in the first carrier (420), a sixth recess (424) may be formed at a position corresponding to the fourth recess (not shown) on a surface (421a) facing the third carrier (440). The third recess (444) and the fourth recess (not shown) may each be formed in plurality, and according to one embodiment, the plurality of third recesses (444) may all have the same shape, and the plurality of fourth recesses (not shown) may also all have the same shape. For example, all of the plurality of third recesses (444) may be V-shaped grooves dug in one direction (e.g., X-axis direction). The fifth recess (not shown) of the second carrier (430) may be grooved in the same direction as the third recess (444) of the third carrier (440). Alternatively, all of the plurality of fourth recesses (not shown) may be V-shaped grooves dug in a different direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) from the third recesses (444).The sixth recess (424) of the first carrier (420) may be grooved in the same direction as the fourth recess (not shown) of the third carrier (440). However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. According to one embodiment, an embodiment may also be applied in which the V-shaped grooves dug in the third recess (444) and the fifth recess (not shown) face the Y-axis direction, and the V-shaped grooves dug in the fourth recess (not shown) and the sixth recess (424) face the X-axis direction. The above-described embodiment is for a case in which the third carrier (440) is provided as illustrated in FIG. 11. In an embodiment in which the third carrier (440) is not provided as illustrated in FIG. 10, the third guide ball (B3) and the recesses for accommodating the same (e.g., the fourth recess and the sixth recess (424)) may be omitted. If the third carrier (440) is not provided as in FIG. 10, the camera module (400) may be configured to perform the OIS operation using the second guide ball (B2). For example, if the third carrier (440) is not provided, the third recess (444) that accommodates the second guide ball (B2) may be formed as a circular groove having a larger diameter than the second guide ball (B2) rather than a V-groove. According to one embodiment, if the third recess (444) is formed as a circular groove having a larger diameter than the second guide ball (B2), the first carrier (420) may be capable of performing not only the OIS operation of horizontally moving in at least two directions intersecting the first direction with respect to the second carrier (430) via the second guide ball (B2) but also the operation of rotating around the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction).

[0140] In the structure illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the applied reflective and refractive member (404) is a hexahedron having a parallelogram cross-section, and can be arranged so that the exit surface faces the image sensor (403). Therefore, when an external force is applied to the camera module (400), the exit surface of the reflective and refractive member (404) or the vertex portion between the exit surface and the second reflective surface (404c) may collide with the carrier assembly (405). For example, the third carrier (440) formed in a 'U' shape may be particularly vulnerable to structural distortion. Therefore, the third carrier (440) and / or the reflective and refractive member (404) facing it may be at risk of being damaged or permanently deformed due to an impact caused by an external force.

[0141] In order to prevent the camera module from being damaged or permanently deformed due to an impact from an external force, the present disclosure may provide a camera module (400) having a shock alleviator formed thereon.

[0142] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a carrier assembly having a buffer member according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a carrier assembly having a buffer member according to one embodiment.

[0143] The buffer member of the present disclosure may be formed on at least one of a portion (or surface) of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member, or a portion (or surface) of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0144] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the camera module (400) may include a buffer member (445) formed on a surface of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member (404). The buffer member (445) of the present disclosure may include various elastic materials. For example, the buffer member (445) may include rubber, urethane, and / or various elastic synthetic resin materials. For example, as a method for forming the buffer member (445) in the carrier assembly, the buffer member (445) may be manufactured in the form of a small clip and fitted to a component included in the carrier assembly (e.g., the third carrier (440)), or a method of injection molding with different materials may be applied when manufacturing a component included in the carrier assembly (e.g., a recess). In addition, various manufacturing methods may be applied.

[0145] The surface facing the reflective and refractive member (404) on which the buffer member (445) is mounted in the carrier assembly may be set in consideration of the shape and arrangement of the reflective and refractive member (404). In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the reflective and refractive member (404) is a hexahedron with a parallelogram cross-section and is arranged so that the exit surface faces the image sensor (403), and therefore, in consideration of this, the buffer member (445) may be provided on the third carrier (440).

[0146] The buffer member (445) may include a plurality of buffer members (445-1, 445-2, 445-3), and the plurality of buffer members (445-1, 445-2, 445-3) may be arranged in consideration of the movement direction of the first carrier (420) and / or the third carrier (440). According to one embodiment, the first buffer member (445-1) may be arranged on the first arm (441) of the third carrier (440), the second buffer member (445-2) may be arranged on the second arm (442), and the third buffer member (445-3) may be arranged on the third arm (443). According to one embodiment, the second buffer member (445-2) and the third buffer member (445-3) may be disposed at the ends of the second arm (442) and the third arm (443), respectively. Here, the first buffer member (445-1) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the third carrier (440) and the reflective and refractive member (404) collide on the X-axis, and the second buffer member (445-2) and the third buffer member (445-3) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the third carrier (440) and the reflective and refractive member (404) collide on the Y-axis.

[0147] According to the present disclosure, by providing a buffer member (445) as described above, it is possible to prevent damage and / or deformation of the optical part (e.g., reflective and refractive member (404)) and carrier assembly (405) within the camera module (400).

[0148] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module in which a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier) is arranged inside a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member according to one embodiment.

[0149] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the camera module (400) may include a buffer member (435, 445) formed on a surface facing the reflective and refractive member (404) in the carrier assembly. Unlike the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the reflective and refractive member (404) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 may be a hexahedron having a trapezoidal cross-section in which the incident surface and the exit surface are formed on substantially the same plane. For example, the reflective and refractive member illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 may be a hexahedron having an equilateral trapezoidal cross-section. In the carrier assembly (405) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the buffer members (435, 445) may be provided on the second carrier (430) and the third carrier (440).

[0150] The buffer member (435, 445) may include a plurality of buffer members (435, 445-2, 445-3), and the plurality of buffer members (435, 445-2, 445-3) may be arranged in consideration of the movement direction of the first carrier (420) and / or the third carrier (440). According to one embodiment, the first buffer member (435) may be arranged at a portion corresponding to the emission surface and the second reflection surface of the reflective and refractive member (404) in the second carrier (430), the second buffer member (445-2) may be arranged on the second arm (442) of the third carrier (440), and the third buffer member (445-3) may be arranged on the third arm (443) of the third carrier (440). According to one embodiment, the second buffer member (445-2) and the third buffer member (445-3) may be disposed at the ends of the second arm (442) and the third arm (443), respectively. Here, the first buffer member (435) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the second carrier (430) and the reflective and refractive member (404) collide on the X-axis, and the second buffer member (445-2) and the third buffer member (445-3) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the third carrier (440) and the reflective and refractive member (404) collide on the Y-axis.

[0151] As described above, FIGS. 12 to 15 illustrate an embodiment of a camera module (400) in which a buffer member (435, 445) is formed on a carrier assembly. According to the present disclosure, an embodiment may also be included in which a buffer member is provided on a surface of a reflective and refractive member (404) that faces the carrier assembly (405) rather than the carrier assembly. In the case in which a buffer member is provided on a surface of the reflective and refractive member (404) that faces the carrier assembly (405), the carrier assembly (405) may not be provided with a buffer member at a corresponding position.

[0152] Next, an embodiment in which a second carrier (430) is disposed inside a first carrier (520) will be described in detail with reference to the camera module (500) illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 19 (e.g., the camera module (300) of FIGS. 4 to 7 and / or the camera module (400) of FIGS. 8 to 15). In the embodiment of FIGS. 16 to 19, when the second carrier (530) is disposed inside the first carrier (520), the second carrier (530) may be configured to move dependently according to the movement of the first carrier (520).

[0153] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a camera module in which a second carrier (e.g., an AF carrier) is arranged inside a first carrier (e.g., an OIS carrier), according to one embodiment.

[0154] Referring to FIG. 16, the camera module (500) may include a camera housing (501), an image sensor (503), a first carrier (520), a second carrier (530), and / or a driving member (560). In addition, the camera module (500) may include at least one substrate (e.g., the first substrate (311), the second substrate (313) of FIGS. 4 and 5) and / or at least one flexible circuit board (e.g., the connecting portion (312) of FIGS. 4 and 5). In describing the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 19, the descriptions of the components described above through the descriptions of FIGS. 1 to 15 may be applied, and redundant descriptions of the components (e.g., the lens assembly) may be omitted below.

[0155] The camera housing (501) may include a base member (501a) and a cover member (501b), and may substantially form the exterior of the camera module (500). The camera housing (501) is not limited to a specific shape and may have various shapes depending on the embodiment.

[0156] An image sensor shift method may be applied to the camera module (500). The image sensor (503) of the present disclosure may be moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and / or Z-axis directions by a driving member (560) while being placed on, for example, a first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5). As will be described in detail below, the driving member (560) may provide a driving force to allow the image sensor (503) and the first substrate (e.g., substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) to move independently in each of the three axes of the spatial coordinates illustrated in FIG. 16.

[0157] The camera module (500) may include a carrier assembly (505) that guides the image sensor (503) and the first substrate (e.g., the substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) to reciprocate in a first direction (+Z-axis direction) or a direction opposite to the first direction (-Z-axis direction) and / or in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (-X-axis direction or +X-axis direction, and / or -Y-axis direction or +Y-axis direction). The carrier assembly (505) may be accommodated in the camera housing (501). The image sensor (503) may be disposed on the first substrate (e.g., the substrate (311) of FIGS. 4 and 5) and may reciprocate in the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) by the carrier assembly (505), or additionally or alternatively, may reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., X-axis direction and / or Y-axis direction). Here, the carrier assembly (505) may include a first carrier (520) and a second carrier (530). Depending on the embodiment, the camera module (500) may also include a middle guide carrier (e.g., the third carrier (440) of FIG. 8), although FIGS. 16 to 19 illustrate embodiments in which the middle guide carrier is not included.

[0158] The first carrier (520) may be stacked up on the base member (501a). According to one embodiment, the first carrier (520) may be disposed on a surface of the base member (501a) facing the first direction (+Z-axis direction). According to one embodiment, the first carrier (520) may not be fixedly coupled to the base member (501a), but may be coupled so that their relative positions can be changed. According to one embodiment, the first carrier (520) may be formed as a 'U'-shaped frame extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction). According to one embodiment, a second guide ball (B2) may be disposed between the first carrier (520) and the base member (501a). The second guide ball (B2) can support the first carrier (520) while minimizing friction when the relative position between the first carrier (520) and the base member (501a) changes. By using the second guide ball (B2), the first carrier (520) can perform a linear reciprocating motion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction) while being placed on the base member (501a). A recess (e.g., a third recess) that accommodates the second guide ball (B2) and supports the rolling motion of the second guide ball (B2) can be formed in the base member (501a). For example, in an embodiment in which the camera module (500) is not provided with a middle guide carrier as illustrated in FIG. 16, the recess that accommodates the second guide ball (B2) can be formed as a circular groove having a larger diameter than the second guide ball (B2). At this time, the first carrier (420) may be capable of performing not only an OIS operation of horizontally moving in at least two directions (e.g., X-axis and / or Y-axis direction) intersecting the first direction with respect to the camera housing (501) via the second guide ball (B2), but also an operation of rotating around the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction).If the camera module (500) has a middle guide carrier, the embodiment of the recess having the V-shaped groove in the X-axis direction and the V-shaped groove in the Y-axis direction described above can be applied through the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0159] The second carrier (530) may be arranged to be surrounded by the first carrier (520). According to one embodiment, the second carrier (530) may not be fixedly coupled to the first carrier (520), but may be coupled so that their relative positions can be changed. According to one embodiment, a first guide ball (B1) may be arranged between the second carrier (530) and the first carrier (520). The first guide ball (B1) may support the second carrier (530) while minimizing friction when the relative positions between the second carrier (530) and the first carrier (520) change. Using the first guide ball (B1), the second carrier (530) may perform a linear reciprocating motion along the first direction (Z-axis direction) with respect to the first carrier (520). The second carrier (530) may include a second plate (531) having a surface facing a first direction (+Z-axis direction) and a side wall (532) extending from the second plate (531) in the first direction (e.g., -Z-axis direction). A reflective and refractive member (504) may be disposed on the second plate (531) of the second carrier (530). The side wall (532) of the second carrier (530) may be at least partially wrapped by a side wall extending from a base member (501a) and / or a cover member (501b) of the housing (501). Using the first guide ball (B1), the second carrier (530) may reciprocate linearly in the first direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) within the housing (501). For example, a first recess (534) is formed in a side wall (532) of a second carrier (530), and a plurality of first guide balls (B1) can roll on the first recess (534). According to one embodiment, a second recess that can accommodate the first guide balls (B1) can also be formed in a side wall of the first carrier (520).

[0160] In the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 19, coil(s) (561a, 562a, 563a) of the driving member (560) may be disposed on the second carrier (530) and the base member (501a), and magnet(s) (561b, 562b, 563b) may be disposed on the first carrier (520). Referring to FIG. 16, the magnet(s) (561b, 562b, 563b) disposed on the first carrier (520) may be disposed in an upright position facing the X-axis-facing side of the second carrier (530) (e.g., 561b), or may be disposed in a lying position facing the Z-axis-facing side of the base member (501a) (e.g., 562b, 563b). In response to this, the coil (561a) disposed on the second carrier (530) may be disposed in an upright position facing the surface of the first carrier (520) facing the X-axis, or the coil(s) (562a, 563a) disposed on the base member (501a) may be disposed in a laid-down position facing the back surface of the first carrier (520). According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the first driving member (561) may be a solenoid-type driving member to which Ampere's right-hand rule applies between the first coil (561a) and the first magnet (561b). The first driving member (561) may cause the first carrier (520) to reciprocate linearly along the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction). The second driving member (562) and the third driving member (563) may be Lorentz-type driving members in which Flaming's left-hand rule is applied between the second coil (562a) and the second magnet (562b) and between the third coil (563a) and the third magnet (563b), respectively. The second driving member (562) and / or the third driving member (563) may cause the second carrier (530) to reciprocate linearly along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction).As with the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 15, in the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 19, whether the first driving member (561), the second driving member (562), and / or the third driving member (563) is of the Lorenz type or the solenoid type can be variously set based on the arrangement of the coils and magnets included in each driving member. For example, an embodiment in which the first driving member (561) is implemented as the Lorenz type and the second driving member (562) and / or the third driving member (563) is implemented as the solenoid type is also possible.

[0161] According to one embodiment, a first opening (O1) may be formed on one side of the base member (501a), a second opening (O2) may be formed on one side of the second carrier (530), a third opening (O3) may be formed on one side of the first carrier (520), and a fourth opening (O4) may be formed on one side of the cover member (501b). In addition, the first opening (O1), the second opening (O2), the third opening (O3), and the fourth opening (O4) may be integrated into one opening (O) when the base member (501a), the first carrier (520), the second carrier (530), and the cover member (501b) are sequentially laminated and assembled. A reflective and refractive member (504) may be placed at a position where the above opening (O) is formed, and a driving member (560) may be provided at a position where the above opening (O) is not formed.

[0162] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module having an AF carrier disposed inside an OIS carrier according to one embodiment. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly according to one embodiment.

[0163] FIGS. 17 and 18 are drawings briefly showing the arrangement relationship between the carrier assembly (505) and the reflective and refractive member (504). In describing the embodiment of FIGS. 17 and 18, the description of the components described above through the description of FIGS. 10 and 11 may be applied, and redundant descriptions of the components may be omitted below.

[0164] The camera module (500) may include a second carrier (530) (e.g., an AF carrier) that moves linearly in a first direction (e.g., a Z-axis direction) to perform an auto-focus function, and a first carrier (520) (e.g., an OIS carrier) that moves linearly in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (e.g., an X-axis direction and / or a Y-axis direction) to perform a shake correction function. In the camera module (500) according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 18, the second carrier (530) may be accommodated inside the first carrier (520).

[0165] Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18 together, the first carrier (520) may have a frame shape extending in a direction (e.g., the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction) intersecting the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction). The first carrier (520) may be laid down on the base member (501a). In the structure illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the second carrier (530) may move along the first direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) with respect to the camera housing (501), and the first carrier (520) may move along a direction (e.g., the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the second carrier (530).

[0166] In the structure illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the reflective and refractive member (504) applied is a hexahedron having a parallelogram cross-section shape, and can be arranged so that the exit surface faces the image sensor (503). Therefore, when an external force is applied to the camera module (500), the exit surface of the reflective and refractive member (504) or the vertex portion between the exit surface and the second reflective surface (504c) may hit the carrier assembly (505). In the embodiments of FIGS. 16 to 19, the reflective and refractive member (504) may be a hexahedron having a trapezoidal cross-section in which the entrance surface and the exit surface are formed on substantially the same plane, similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0167] The second carrier (530) with the opening formed has a roughly 'U' shape when viewed from above, and thus is at risk of being damaged or permanently deformed by an impact from an external force. The reflective and refractive member (504) facing the second carrier (530) is also at risk of being damaged or permanently deformed by an impact from an external force.

[0168] In order to prevent the camera module from being damaged or permanently deformed due to an impact from an external force, the present disclosure may provide a camera module (500) having a shock alleviator formed therein.

[0169] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a carrier assembly having a buffer member, according to one embodiment.

[0170] The buffer member of the present disclosure may be formed on at least one surface of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member, or on a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0171] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, the camera module (500) may include a buffer member (535) formed on a surface of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member (504). The buffer member (535) of the present disclosure may include various elastic materials. For example, the buffer member (535) may include rubber, urethane, and / or various elastic synthetic resin materials. For example, as a method for forming the buffer member (535) in the carrier assembly, the buffer member (535) may be manufactured in the form of a small clip and fitted to a component included in the carrier assembly (e.g., the second carrier (530)), or a method of injection molding with different materials may be applied when manufacturing a component included in the carrier assembly (e.g., a recess). In addition, various manufacturing methods may be applied.

[0172] The surface facing the reflective and refractive member (504) on which the buffer member (535) is mounted in the carrier assembly may be set in consideration of the shape and arrangement of the reflective and refractive member (504). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, the reflective and refractive member (504) is a hexahedron with a parallelogram cross-section and is arranged so that the exit surface faces the image sensor (503), and therefore, taking this into consideration, the buffer member (535) may be provided on the second carrier (530).

[0173] For example, the buffer member (535) may include a plurality of buffer members (535-1, 535-2, 535-3, 535-4), and the plurality of buffer members (535-1, 535-2, 535-3, 535-4) may be arranged in consideration of the direction of movement of the second carrier (530). Here, the first buffer member (535-1) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the second carrier (530) and the reflective and refractive member (504) collide on the X-axis, and the second buffer member (535-2) and the third buffer member (535-3) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the second carrier (530) and the reflective and refractive member (504) collide on the Y-axis. Additionally, the fourth buffer member (535-4) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the second carrier (530) and the reflective and refractive member (504) collide on the Z-axis.

[0174] According to the present disclosure, by providing a buffer member (535) as described above, it is possible to prevent damage and / or deformation of the optical part (e.g., reflective and refractive member (504)) and carrier assembly (505) within the camera module (500).

[0175] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a reflective and / or refractive member having a buffer member, according to one embodiment. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a reflective and / or refractive member having a buffer member, according to one embodiment. Fig. 20 may illustrate an optical holder, an auxiliary support member coupled with the reflective and / or refractive member. Fig. 21 may illustrate an auxiliary support member, excluding the optical holder, coupled with the reflective and / or refractive member.

[0176] In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 15, a buffer member (435; 445) is provided in the carrier assembly (405) of the camera module (400), and in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 19, a buffer member (535) is provided in the carrier assembly (505) of the camera module (500). Referring to FIGS. 8 to 15, a plurality of buffer members (435; 445) may be provided in a portion of the carrier assembly (405) facing the reflective and refractive member (404), and referring to FIGS. 16 to 19, a plurality of buffer members (535) may be provided in a portion of the carrier assembly (505) facing the reflective and refractive member (504). In addition to or as an alternative to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 15 or 16 to 19, a buffer member may also be provided in the reflective and refractive member.

[0177] Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, a buffer member (605) may be provided at a portion of a reflective and refractive member (604) (e.g., a reflective and refractive member (304) of FIGS. 4 to 7 , a reflective and refractive member (404) of FIGS. 8 to 15 , and / or a reflective and refractive member (504) of FIGS. 16 to 19 ) that faces a carrier assembly (e.g., a carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4 to 7 , a carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8 to 15 , and / or a carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16 to 19 ). However, it should be noted that in the present disclosure, the phrase "the reflective and refractive member is provided with a buffer member" includes not only "the reflective and refractive member is directly provided with the buffer member" but also "the buffer member is provided to a peripheral component coupled with the reflective and refractive member."

[0178] Referring to FIG. 20, the reflective and refractive member (604) can be combined with the optical holder (601c) and the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f). That is, the optical holder (601c) and the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f) can be arranged around the reflective and refractive member (604). In addition, the position of the reflective and refractive member (604) can be fixed while being supported by the optical holder (601c) and the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f) may include a first auxiliary support member (601d) that supports a first reflective surface (e.g., the first reflective surface (304b) of FIGS. 4 to 7) of the reflective and refractive member, and a second auxiliary support member (601e) that supports a second reflective surface (e.g., the second reflective surface (304c) of FIGS. 4 to 7). The auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f) may include a third auxiliary support member (601f) that supports a side surface of the reflective and refractive member (604). However, the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f) of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the third auxiliary support member (601f) may be omitted, or a fourth auxiliary support member other than the third auxiliary support member (601f) may be additionally provided. According to one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (604) may include a buffer member (605) disposed on a portion (e.g., the second auxiliary support member (601e)) facing the carrier assembly (e.g., the carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4 to 7 , the carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8 to 15 , and / or the carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16 to 19 ) among the auxiliary support members (601d, 601e, 601f).For example, the buffer member (605) illustrated in FIG. 20 may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when a carrier assembly (e.g., a carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4 to 7, a carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8 to 15, and / or a carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16 to 19) collides with a reflective and refractive member (604) along the X-axis.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member (604) can include a plurality of buffer members (605) disposed at a plurality of portions facing the carrier assembly (e.g., the carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4-7, the carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8-15, and / or the carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16-19). Referring to FIG. 21, the plurality of buffer members (605) can include, for example, a first buffer member (605-1) disposed on one surface of a second auxiliary support member (601e), and a second buffer member (605-2) and a third buffer member (605-3) disposed on one surface and the other surface of a third auxiliary support member (601f). The first buffer member (605-1) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the carrier assembly and the reflective and refractive member (604) collide on the X-axis, and the second buffer member (605-2) and the third buffer member (605-3) may be provided to absorb and / or reduce impact when the carrier assembly and the reflective and refractive member (604) collide on the Y-axis. Although not shown in the drawing, the reflective and refractive member (604) may further include a fourth buffer member for absorbing and / or reducing impact when the carrier assembly and the reflective and refractive member (604) collide on the Y-axis. The fourth buffer member may be disposed, for example, on a portion corresponding to a surface of the carrier assembly facing the Z-axis when the reflective and refractive member (604) faces the carrier assembly.

[0180] Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, a portion of the carrier assembly (e.g., the carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4 to 7, the carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8 to 15, and / or the carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16 to 19) that faces a portion of the reflective and refractive member (604) that is provided with a buffer member (605) may not be provided with a separate buffer member. In addition, a portion of the carrier assembly (e.g., the carrier assembly (305) of FIGS. 4 to 7, the carrier assembly (405) of FIGS. 8 to 15, and / or the carrier assembly (505) of FIGS. 16 to 19) that faces a portion of the reflective and refractive member (604) that is not provided with a buffer member (605) may be provided with a separate buffer member.

[0181] For example, referring to FIG. 20, a separate buffer member (e.g., the second buffer member (445-2) and the third buffer member (445-3) of FIG. 15, the second buffer member (535-2) and the third buffer member (535-3) of FIG. 19) may be disposed on a portion of the carrier assembly that faces a portion of the reflective and refractive member (604) that does not have a buffer member (605). As another example, referring to FIGS. 20 and 21 together, another buffer member (e.g., the fourth buffer member (535-4) of FIG. 19) may also be disposed. Electronic devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be devices of various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described devices.

[0182] The various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, each of the phrases "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among the phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0183] The term "module" used in various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integrally formed component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0184] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software (e.g., a program) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory or external memory) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium.

[0185] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be provided through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones), online distribution (e.g., downloading or uploading). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0186] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0187] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module (300; 400; 500) may be provided. The camera module (300; 400; 500) includes: a camera housing (301; 401; 501); a lens assembly (302) including at least one lens (302a) and a lens barrel (302b); a reflective and refractive member (304; 404; 504; 604) supported from the camera housing and changing the path of light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; an image sensor (303; 403; 403); a carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) having a shape that at least partially surrounds the reflective and refractive member; The carrier assembly may include a driving member (360; 460; 560) that moves the carrier assembly in a first direction, a direction perpendicular to the first direction, or rotates the carrier assembly about the first direction; and a shock alleviator (435; 445; 535; 605) formed on at least one of a portion of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member or a portion of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0188] According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) may include an auto focus carrier (AF carrier) that moves the image sensor along a first direction; and an optical image stabilization carrier (OIS carrier) that moves the image sensor in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0189] According to one embodiment, the camera module may accommodate the shake correction carrier inside the auto-focus adjustment carrier.

[0190] According to one embodiment, a first guide ball may be disposed between the auto-focus adjustment carrier and the camera housing, and a second guide ball may be disposed between the auto-focus adjustment carrier and the shake correction carrier.

[0191] According to one embodiment, the shake compensation carrier faces at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member may be formed on at least one of a surface of the shake compensation carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the shake compensation carrier.

[0192] According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) may further include a middle guide carrier (340; 440).

[0193] According to one embodiment, the middle guide carrier faces at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member may be formed on at least one of a surface of the middle guide carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the middle guide carrier.

[0194] According to one embodiment, the camera module may accommodate the auto-focus adjustment carrier inside the shake correction carrier.

[0195] According to one embodiment, a first guide ball may be disposed between the auto focus adjustment carrier and the shake correction carrier, and a second guide ball may be disposed between the shake correction carrier and the camera housing.

[0196] According to one embodiment, the auto-focus control carrier faces at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member may be formed on at least one of a surface of the auto-focus control carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the auto-focus control carrier.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) may further include a middle guide carrier (340; 440).

[0198] According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly may have a shape that surrounds the reflective and refractive member in at least three directions.

[0199] In one embodiment, the buffer member may be formed on at least one of three faces of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive members in different directions or three faces of the reflective and refractive members facing the carrier assembly.

[0200] In one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member may be a hexahedron having a cross-section that is generally parallelogram or trapezoidal.

[0201] In one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member may comprise at least two triangular prisms.

[0202] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a camera module (300; 400; 500) may be provided. The camera module (300; 400; 500) includes a camera housing (301; 401; 501); a lens assembly (302) including at least one lens (302a) and a lens barrel (302b); a reflective and refractive member (304; 404; 504 604) supported from the camera housing and changing the path of light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; an image sensor (303; 403; 403) having an imaging surface facing a first direction and converting light incident on the imaging surface into an electrical signal; A carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) having a shape that at least partially surrounds the reflective and refractive member, the carrier assembly including a first carrier (320; 420; 520) that moves horizontally in at least two directions intersecting each other in a plane perpendicular to the first direction and a second carrier (330; 430; 530) that moves vertically along the first direction; a driving member (360; 460; 560) that includes a magnet arranged on the carrier assembly and a coil arranged at a position corresponding to the magnet, and provides a driving force for the horizontal movement of the first carrier and the vertical movement of the second carrier; and a shock alleviator (435; 445; 535; 605) formed on at least one of a portion of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member or a portion of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

[0203] According to one embodiment, the camera module may be accommodated in the first carrier (320) inside the second carrier (330).

[0204] The above camera module can accommodate the second carrier (330) inside the first carrier (320).

[0205] According to one embodiment, the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) may further include a middle guide carrier (340; 440).

[0206] In one embodiment, the reflective and refractive member may be a hexahedron having a cross-section that is generally parallelogram or trapezoidal.

[0207] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device including various camera modules according to the above-described embodiments can be provided.

[0208] While this disclosure has been described by way of example and illustration, it should be understood that these various embodiments are illustrative and not limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the overall scope of this disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. In the camera module (300; 400; 500), Camera housing (301; 401; 501); A lens assembly (302) comprising at least one lens (302a) and a lens barrel (302b); A reflective and refractive member (304; 404; 504; 604) supported from the camera housing and changing the path of light passing through the lens assembly at least twice; Image sensor (303; 403; 403); A carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) having a shape at least partially surrounding the reflective and refractive elements; A driving member (360; 460; 560) that moves the carrier assembly in a first direction, a direction perpendicular to the first direction, or rotates the carrier assembly about the first direction; and A camera module including a shock alleviator (435; 445; 535; 605) formed on at least one of a portion of the carrier assembly facing the reflective and refractive member or a portion of the reflective and refractive member facing the carrier assembly.

2. In paragraph 1, The carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) is an auto focus carrier (AF carrier) that moves the image sensor along the first direction; and A camera module including an optical image stabilization carrier (OIS carrier) that moves the image sensor in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above camera module is a camera module in which the shake correction carrier is accommodated inside the auto focus adjustment carrier.

4. In paragraph 3, A first guide ball is placed between the auto focus adjustment carrier and the camera housing, A camera module having a second guide ball positioned between the auto focus adjustment carrier and the shake correction carrier.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, A camera module wherein the shake correction carrier faces at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member is formed on at least one of a surface of the shake correction carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the shake correction carrier.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, A camera module wherein the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) further includes a middle guide carrier (340; 440).

7. In paragraph 6, A camera module in which the middle guide carrier faces at least a portion of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member is formed on at least one of a surface of the middle guide carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the middle guide carrier.

8. In paragraph 1 or 2, The above camera module is a camera module in which the auto focus adjustment carrier is accommodated inside the shake correction carrier.

9. In paragraph 8, A first guide ball is placed between the auto focus adjustment carrier and the shake correction carrier, A camera module having a second guide ball positioned between the shake correction carrier and the camera housing.

10. In clause 8 or 9, A camera module in which the auto-focus control carrier faces at least part of the reflective and refractive member, and a buffer member is formed on at least one of a surface of the auto-focus control carrier facing the reflective and refractive member or a surface of the reflective and refractive member facing the auto-focus control carrier.

11. In any one of paragraphs 8 to 10, A camera module wherein the carrier assembly (305; 405; 505) further includes a middle guide carrier (340; 440).

12. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 11, A camera module in which the carrier assembly has a shape that surrounds the reflective and refractive members in at least three directions.

13. In paragraph 12, A camera module wherein the buffer member is formed on at least one of three faces facing different directions from the reflective and refractive members in the carrier assembly or three faces from the reflective and refractive members facing the carrier assembly.

14. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 13, The above reflective and refractive member is a camera module having a hexahedron with a cross section of a parallelogram or trapezoid as a whole.

15. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 14, A camera module wherein the above reflective and refractive elements include at least two triangular prisms.

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