Aperture module and camera device comprising same

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to provide an aperture module and a camera device comprising same, the aperture module being capable of accurately controlling the amount of light incident on a camera lens, and reducing a light amount deviation due to a positional tolerance that occurs when a blade operates, thereby preventing image quality degradation due to the light amount deviation.

Description

Aperture module and camera device including the same

[0001] The present invention relates to an aperture module and a camera device including the same, and more particularly, to an aperture module and a camera device including the same that can reduce light quantity deviation due to positional tolerance that occurs when a blade operates due to manufacturing tolerance and / or assembly tolerance of the blade.

[0002] Camera devices are devices that capture images or videos of subjects, and are installed on portable devices, drones, vehicles, and other devices. To enhance image quality, camera devices may have image stabilization (IS) functions, such as optical image stabilizers (OIS) and autofocus (AF), which compensate for or prevent image shaking caused by the user's movements. Camera devices require a configuration capable of adjusting the amount of incident light according to the surrounding environment or shooting conditions.

[0003] The aperture module controls the movement of the blades to adjust the amount of light entering the camera. Due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances of the blades included in the aperture module, positional tolerances can occur when controlling blade movement. These positional tolerances can cause variations in the amount of light entering the image sensor. This can degrade the image quality of the camera device.

[0004] The present invention aims to provide an aperture module and a camera device including the same that can reduce light quantity deviation due to positional tolerance that occurs when a blade operates.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide an aperture module and a camera device including the same that can prevent image quality from being deteriorated due to light quantity deviation.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an aperture module capable of accurately controlling the amount of light incident on a camera lens and a camera device including the same.

[0007] In order to achieve this purpose, the aperture module according to the present invention comprises: a blade mounting portion having a first opening overlapping a lens and a plurality of pivot pins protruding in the direction of an optical axis in a plurality of areas; a plurality of blades pivoting around the pivot pins; and a blade driving portion having a second opening overlapping the lens and the first opening and having a plurality of driving pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis to provide a driving force to the plurality of blades, the blades including an elastic portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in an outer area of ​​the blade and coming into contact with the blade mounting portion.

[0008] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the blades can be arranged in a circular manner in the blade driving unit.

[0009] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the blade may include a plurality of recesses in an outer region of the blade at a position spaced from the elastic member.

[0010] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the end portion of the elastic portion in contact with the blade mounting portion may have a shape having a curve.

[0011] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the end portion of the elastic portion in contact with the blade mounting portion may have a semicircular shape.

[0012] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the blade mounting portion may include a plurality of protrusions that protrude toward the first opening and come into close contact with the elastic portion.

[0013] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the plurality of protrusions may be formed in the same number as the blades.

[0014] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the elastic part moves in the second opening direction by elasticity when the aperture is closed and maintains a state of being in close contact with the protrusion.

[0015] In order to increase the amount of light incident through the lens in the aperture module according to the present invention, when the blade rotates, the end portion of the elastic portion moves in the opposite direction of the second opening due to elasticity.

[0016] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the protrusion includes a slope formed on a path along which the elastic portion moves.

[0017] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the blade has a pivot pin hole coupled to the pivot pin, and has a blade slot for reciprocating movement of the driving pin.

[0018] In the aperture module according to the present invention, the blade may be made of polyester resin (PET).

[0019] A camera device according to the present invention comprises: a housing having an internal space; a lens driving module accommodated in the internal space of the housing; and an aperture module disposed inside the lens driving module to control light incident on the lens driving module, wherein the aperture module comprises: a blade mounting portion having a first opening overlapping a lens and a plurality of pivot pins protruding in a direction of an optical axis in a plurality of areas; a plurality of blades pivoting around the pivot pins; and a blade driving portion having a second opening overlapping the lens and the first opening and having a plurality of driving pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis to provide a driving force to the plurality of blades, the blade including an elastic portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in an outer area of ​​the blade and coming into contact with the blade mounting portion.

[0020] The aperture module according to the present invention and the camera device including the same can reduce light quantity deviation due to positional tolerance that occurs when a blade operates, thereby preventing image quality from being deteriorated due to light quantity deviation, and can exhibit the effect of improving image quality by accurately controlling the amount of light incident on a camera lens.

[0021] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an aperture module according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of a blade mounting portion included in an aperture module according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of part “A” of Figure 2.

[0024] Figure 4 is a plan view of one blade included in the aperture module according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a blade drive unit included in an aperture module according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 is an example diagram showing a state in which a blade is coupled to a blade drive unit.

[0027] Fig. 7 is an exemplary diagram showing a state in which a blade mounting portion is combined with the combined state illustrated in Fig. 6.

[0028] Figure 8 is an enlarged view of part “B” of Figure 7.

[0029] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the “C” portion of Figure 8.

[0030] Figure 10 is an exemplary diagram showing a state in which the aperture of the aperture module according to the present invention is fully open.

[0031] Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the “D” portion of Figure 10.

[0032] Figure 12 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a camera device according to the present invention.

[0033] With respect to the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the text, specific structural and functional descriptions are merely exemplified for the purpose of explaining the embodiments of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in the text.

[0034] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and takes various forms. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific disclosed forms, but rather to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0035] While terms like "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a "first component."

[0036] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but there may also be other components in between. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between. Other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "directly between" or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to", should be interpreted similarly. Similarly, "disposed on" can mean disposed directly on the surface of another component or disposed above the surface by a distance.

[0037] The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprises" or "has" indicate the presence of a disclosed feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be construed in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0039] Meanwhile, if a particular embodiment can be implemented differently, the functions or operations specified within a particular block may occur in a different order than specified in the flowchart. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be performed substantially simultaneously, or, depending on the related functions or operations, the blocks may be performed in reverse order.

[0040] Hereinafter, an aperture module and a camera device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0041] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an aperture module according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a blade mounting portion included in an aperture module according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion “A” of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a plan view of one blade included in an aperture module according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a blade driving portion included in an aperture module according to the present invention.

[0042] As illustrated, the aperture module (1000) according to the present invention includes a blade (200) disposed on the upper portion of a blade driving unit (300) and a blade mounting portion (100) on which the blade (200) is mounted. A stator assembly having a ball bearing structure including a magnet and a ball supporter may be included on the lower portion of the blade driving unit (300) and the upper portion of the blade mounting portion (100) so that each component including the blade is precisely engaged and moves. Since a technical feature of the present invention is to eliminate the positional tolerance of the blade (200) in order to precisely control the amount of light incident through a camera lens, a detailed description thereof will be omitted, and the operation of components closely related to the blade (200) will be described.

[0043] The blade mounting portion (100) has a first opening (OH1) overlapping with the lens and includes a plurality of pivot pins (110) protruding toward the blades (200) arranged downward in the direction of the optical axis (OA) in a plurality of areas.

[0044] The blade (200) rotates around the pivot pin (110) and pivots. The blade (200) has a pivot pin hole (220) formed in a body (210) having a portion of a curved surface. The pivot pin (110) of the blade mounting portion (100) is inserted into and coupled to the pivot pin hole (220). The blade (200) includes a blade slot (240) that provides a path for the driving pin (320) of the blade driving portion (300) to reciprocate. The blade (200) includes an elastic portion (230) that extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (OA) in the outer region of the body (210) and comes into contact with the blade mounting portion (100).

[0045] The blade (200) has a plurality of recesses (250) formed on the outer portion of the blade body (210) in the direction toward the outside from the first opening (OH1) of the blade mounting portion (100), that is, in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction. The recesses (250) include a first recess (251) located close to the elastic portion (230), and a second recess (252) located further from the elastic portion (230) than the first recess (251). The first recess (251) and the second recess (252) are formed in a shape in which each inner inclined surface has a curvature. At this time, the second recess (252) is dug deeper than the first recess (251) so that the curvature of the inner inclined surface is formed to be greater than the curvature of the inner inclined surface of the first recess (251).

[0046] The first recess (251) in contact with the protrusion (120) does not have a maximum aperture formed by the blade (200) because the blade (200) is not opened to the maximum by the protrusion (120). That is, when the blade (200) is pushed inward, the maximum amount of light cannot be obtained by the first recess (251). The second recess (252) in contact with the pivot pin (110) does not have a maximum aperture formed by the blade (200) because the blade (200) is not opened to the maximum by the neighboring pivot pin (110). That is, when the blade (200) is pushed inward, the maximum amount of light cannot be obtained by the first recess (251).

[0047] The blade (200) can be made of an elastic polyester resin (PET) material. It is designed so that the elastic motion of the elastic part (230) can be maintained.

[0048] The blade mounting portion (100) includes a plurality of protrusions (120) that protrude in a direction toward the first opening (OH1), i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (OA), and come into close contact with the elastic portion (230) of the blade (200).

[0049] In this embodiment, six blades (200) are arranged in a circular manner, but this is only an embodiment and the present invention is not limited thereto. The blade mounting portion (100) may be provided with a plurality of protrusions (120) that are in close contact with the blades (200). It is preferable that the protrusions (120) are formed in the same number as the blades (200).

[0050] The elastic portion (230) of the blade (200) may have a terminal portion (231) that is in close contact with the protrusion (120) and may be formed in a shape having a curve. The elastic portion (230) of the blade (200) may also have a terminal portion (231) that is in close contact with the protrusion (120) and may be formed in a semicircular shape. The blade (200) is arranged in an annular manner in the blade drive portion (300).

[0051] A second opening (OH2) is formed at the center of the blade driving unit (300) to overlap the lens and the first opening (OH1). A plurality of driving pins (320) are formed in the body (310) having the second opening (OH2) formed at the center, which protrude toward the blades (200) in the direction of the optical axis (OA) and provide driving force to the plurality of blades (200). A first guide slot (140) is formed in the blade mounting portion (100), and a second guide slot (330) is formed in the blade driving unit (300).

[0052] Fig. 6 is an exemplary drawing showing a state in which a blade is coupled to a blade driving unit, and Fig. 7 is an exemplary drawing showing a state in which a blade mounting unit is coupled to the coupling state shown in Fig. 6.

[0053] As illustrated, it can be seen that the plurality of driving pins (320) are inserted into and coupled to each blade slot (240) of the blade (200). In this state, the blade driving unit (300) is rotatably coupled to the blade mounting portion (100). At this time, the pivot pin (110) formed in the blade mounting portion (100) is inserted into the pivot pin hole (220) formed in the body (210) of the blade (200) to support the blade (200).

[0054] Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of part "B" of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of part "C" of Fig. 8. The elastic part (230) of the blade (200) is in close contact with the protrusion (120) of the blade mounting part (100) when the aperture is closed, i.e., in the initial state. The elastic part (230) of the blade (200) is made of elastic PET, and is pushed and moved in the direction of the second opening (OH2) and perpendicular to the optical axis (OA) by the force provided by the protrusion (120), thereby maintaining a state of being in close contact with the protrusion (120). At this time, the end portion (231) of the elastic portion (230) is arranged to overlap with the protrusion (120) of the blade mounting portion (100) by the amount of the "T" portion, thereby providing elasticity that allows the elastic portion (230) of the blade (200) and the protrusion (120) of the blade mounting portion (100) to maintain a firmly adhered state.

[0055] Fig. 10 is an exemplary view showing a state in which the aperture of the aperture module according to the present invention is fully open, and Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the “D” portion of Fig. 10.

[0056] In the initial state illustrated in Fig. 8, the end portion (231) of the elastic portion (230) of the blade (200) is in close contact with the protrusion (120) of the blade mounting portion (100). Each of the plurality of blades (200) can move. Alternatively, the plurality of blades (200) can move or rotate within a preset range to perform a pivotal operation. In a state where the pivot pin (110) of the blade mounting portion (100) is inserted into the pivot pin hole (220) of the blade (200), the body (210) of the blade can only rotate around the pivot pin (110). As the blade driving portion (300) rotates, the driving pin (320) moves between the blade slots (240) formed in the body (210) of the blade (200). The overlapping area of ​​the blades (200) changes according to the movement of the driving pin (320). That is, as the driving pin (320) inserted into the blade slot (240) moves, the plurality of blades (200) may be folded toward the optical axis or, conversely, the blades may be spread outward.

[0057] The diameter of the opening formed by the blades (200), i.e., the space for controlling the amount of light incident on the camera lens, can be varied by the movement or pivoting motion of the plurality of blades (200). The opening may also be expressed as a “hollow”, “inlet”, or “inlet hole”.

[0058] As the driving pin (320) moves along the blade slot (240) formed in the blade (200), the elastic part (230) of the blade (200) moves along the inclined part (121) formed on one side of the protrusion (120) while being in close contact with the protrusion (120) of the blade mounting part (100). At this time, due to the elasticity of the elastic part (230), the terminal part (231) of the elastic part (230) moves in a state of being in close contact with the inclined part (121) of the protrusion (120). When the driving pin (320) reaches the end of the blade slot (240), the terminal part (231) of the elastic part (230) finally leaves the inclined part (121) and reaches a position adjacent to the magnet insertion part (130) formed on one side of the blade mounting part (100). At this time, the opening formed by the blade (200) can have a maximum size. Therefore, the maximum amount of light can enter the camera lens.

[0059] The maximum size of the opening formed by the operation of the blade (200) may be greater than or equal to 60 percent (%) and less than or equal to 90 percent (%) of the effective diameter of the lens. Alternatively, the maximum size of the opening may be greater than or equal to 70 percent (%) and less than or equal to 80 percent (%) of the effective diameter of the lens. In this case, the lens may be the first lens located at the uppermost side.

[0060] Meanwhile, the minimum size of the opening formed by the operation of the blade (200) may be 30 percent (%) or more and less than 60 percent (%) of the effective diameter of the lens. Alternatively, the minimum size of the opening may be 30 percent (%) or more and less than 40 percent (%) of the effective diameter of the lens.

[0061] The size of the aperture formed by the operation of the blade (200) is related to the position where the aperture module is arranged between the plurality of lenses. That is, the maximum and minimum sizes of the aperture of the aperture module, the effective diameter of the lens, and the arrangement position of the aperture module must be designed so that the brightness of light incident on the lens section (or the maximum brightness of the light) is not reduced and has a desired value.

[0062] By controlling the movement of the blade (200), apertures with different sizes can be implemented, which means that the amount of light entering the camera lens is accurately controlled.

[0063] The above blade driving unit (300) may include a coupled coil placed on a fixed portion of the aperture module (1000) and a magnetic member interacting with the coil, wherein the magnetic member may be a magnet. The magnetic member may move by interacting with the coil or rotate within a preset range around the optical axis.

[0064] The magnetic member may be positioned opposite or overlapping the coil in the direction of the optical axis. The magnetic member may include at least one north pole and one south pole. The north pole and the south pole of each magnetic member may be positioned to face each other in the direction of the optical axis or may be separated.

[0065] Fig. 12 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a camera device according to the present invention. As shown, a lens driving module (200) may be accommodated in the internal space of a housing (3000) having an internal space, and an aperture module (1000) according to the present invention may be arranged in front of the lens driving module (2000) in the optical axis direction to control light incident on the lens driving module (2000).

[0066] As described above, the aperture module according to the present invention can prevent image quality from being deteriorated due to manufacturing tolerance or assembly tolerance of the blade, and can exhibit the effect of improving image quality by accurately controlling the amount of light incident on the camera lens.

[0067] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.

[0068] The mode for carrying out the invention has been sufficiently described in the above-mentioned “Best mode for carrying out the invention.”

[0069] The embodiment can be used in an aperture module and a camera device including the same, which can reduce light quantity deviation due to positional tolerance that occurs when a blade operates due to manufacturing tolerance and / or assembly tolerance of the blade.

Claims

1. A blade mounting portion having a first opening overlapping with a lens and including a plurality of pivot pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis in a plurality of areas; a plurality of blades pivotally moving around the pivot pin; and A blade driving unit including a second opening overlapping the lens and the first opening, and having a plurality of driving pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis to provide driving force to the plurality of blades, and being rotatably coupled to the blade mounting portion, An aperture module in which the blade includes an elastic member extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in an outer region of the blade and contacting the blade mounting portion.

2. An aperture module in the first paragraph, wherein the blade has a pivot pin hole coupled to the pivot pin, and has a blade slot for reciprocating movement of the driving pin.

3. In the first paragraph, the blade includes a recess in the outer area of ​​the blade at a position spaced from the elastic member, The above recess is, A first recess formed in the outer region of the blade adjacent to the end of the elastic part extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis; and An aperture module comprising a second recess formed in an outer region of the blade at a position further away from the elastic member than the first recess.

4. In the first paragraph, the blade is an aperture module made of polyester resin (PET).

5. In the first paragraph, the end portion of the elastic part in contact with the blade mounting portion is an aperture module having a shape having a curvature.

6. In the fifth paragraph, the aperture module includes a plurality of protrusions that protrude toward the first opening and are in close contact with the elastic portion.

7. In the 6th paragraph, the elastic part is an aperture module that moves in the second opening direction by elasticity when the aperture is closed and maintains a state of being in close contact with the protrusion.

8. An aperture module in which, in the 7th paragraph, the end portion of the elastic portion moves in the opposite direction of the second opening by elasticity when the blade rotates to increase the amount of light incident through the lens.

9. In the 6th paragraph, the aperture module includes a slope formed on the path along which the elastic part moves.

10. Housing; a lens driving module accommodated in the housing; and It includes an aperture module that controls light incident on the lens driving module, The above aperture module, A blade mounting portion having a first opening overlapping the lens and including a plurality of pivot pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis in a plurality of areas; a plurality of blades pivotally moving around the pivot pin; and A blade driving unit including a second opening overlapping the lens and the first opening, and having a plurality of driving pins protruding in the direction of the optical axis to provide driving force to the plurality of blades, and being rotatably coupled to the blade mounting portion, A camera device wherein the blade includes an elastic member extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in an outer region of the blade and contacting the blade mounting portion.

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