Drive device, camera module, and camera-equipped device

Abstract

This drive device comprises: a holding part; a housing part; a drive part that has a drive magnet and a coil, and moves the holding part with respect to the housing part; a support part that movably supports the holding part; and a biasing magnet that is for biasing the holding part toward the support part, the biasing magnet being disposed so as to sandwich an optical-element holding space in the holding part between the biasing magnet and the drive part.

Description

Drive device, camera module, and camera-mounted device

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

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

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

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

[0005] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-124842

[0006] By the way, the drive unit may be arranged only on one side of the holding unit in consideration of the magnetic influence on other components of the mounted product. Since the magnet of the drive unit may be used not only for the operation of the holding unit but also for the biasing purpose of the housing unit, when the drive unit (magnet) is arranged only on one side of the holding unit, only one side of the holding unit is biased by the housing unit. Therefore, the holding unit is likely to tilt to one side, which may affect the operation of the holding unit.

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

[0008] The drive device according to the present invention comprises: a holding portion capable of holding an optical element; a housing portion for housing the holding portion; a drive unit having a drive magnet and a coil for moving the holding portion relative to the housing portion; a support portion for movably supporting the holding portion; and a biasing magnet for biasing the holding portion toward the support portion, the biasing magnet being arranged so as to sandwich the holding space for the optical element in the holding portion between itself and the drive unit.

[0009] The camera module according to the present invention comprises the above-mentioned drive device, a lens unit, and an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject formed by the lens unit.

[0010] The camera-mounted device according to the present invention is a camera-mounted device which is an information device or a transport device, and comprises the above-mentioned camera module and an image processing unit which processes image information obtained by the camera module.

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

[0012] This figure shows a smartphone equipped with a camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows a smartphone equipped with a camera module according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the camera module. This is an exploded perspective view of the housing, optical path bending module, and lens module. This is an exploded perspective view of the housing and substrate. This is a view of the camera module from the + side in the Z direction. This is a perspective view of the substrate. This is a perspective view of the optical path bending module. This is a perspective view of the optical path bending module. This is a cross-sectional view of the optical path bending module. This is an exploded perspective view of the prism holder, ball guide, ball, and biasing spring. This is a perspective view of the lens module. This is a perspective view of the lens module. This is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the first groove, the second groove, and the support shaft. This is a cross-sectional view of the lens module. This is a diagram for explaining a modified example. This is a diagram for explaining a modified example. This is a diagram for explaining a modified example. This is a diagram for explaining a modified example. This is a diagram for explaining a modified example. This is a diagram of an automobile as a camera mounting device equipped with an in-vehicle camera module. This is a diagram of an automobile as a camera mounting device equipped with an in-vehicle camera module.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0039] The first substrate 61 is a substrate provided at a position covering the opening 211 portion of the bottom wall 21 from the - side in the Z direction of the bottom wall 21. A first coil 611 is disposed on the first substrate 61 and extends into the opening 211. That is, the first coil 611 is located at the - side position in the Z direction of the optical path bending module 3 on the bottom wall 21 (see FIG. 5).

[0040] The second substrate 62 is a substrate provided so as to cover the entire third side wall 24 from the - side in the Y direction of the third side wall 24 and is connected to the - side end portion of the first substrate 61 in the Y direction. A second coil 621 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first region of the second substrate 62. The second coil 621 is disposed at a position that enters the space between the second portion 242 and the third portion 243. (See FIG. 5). A third coil 622 is disposed at a position corresponding to the second region of the second substrate 62. The third coil 622 is disposed at a position that enters the space between the first portion 241 and the second portion 242 (see FIG. 5).

[0041] Next, the details of the optical path bending module 3 will be described.

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

[0043] The prism holder 32 is a holder that holds the prism 31. The prism holder 32 is configured to be swingable about a first axis parallel to the Y direction and a second axis parallel to the Z direction. That is, as the prism holder 32 swings, the prism 31 held by the prism holder 32 swings, enabling correction of runout in the rotational direction about the first axis and correction of runout in the rotational direction about the second axis.

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

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

[0046] The + side surface of the support wall portion 321 in the X direction is a mounting surface 321A on which the prism 31 is mounted, and is inclined so as to be located on the - side in the Z direction as it goes in the + side in the X direction.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 9, a concave portion 321B is provided in the central portion (the portion corresponding to the support portion 332 of the ball guide 33) on the - side surface of the support wall portion 321 in the X direction. The concave portion 321B has a cylindrical shape with a length that allows the support portion 332 to enter. The tip portion of the concave portion 321B is configured in a substantially conical shape and serves as a ball arrangement portion 321C where the balls 34 are arranged.

[0048] Further, a concave portion is formed on the - side surface of the support wall portion 321 in the Z direction so that the first magnet 323 can be arranged. The concave portion is provided at a position corresponding to the opening 211 of the bottom wall 21 of the housing 2 described above, and the first magnet 323 is arranged inside.

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

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pair of side wall portions 322 are provided at both ends of the prism holding portion 32 in the Y direction and sandwich the mounting surface 321A of the prism holding portion 32 in the Y direction. That is, the pair of side wall portions 322 have a first wall 322A and a second wall 322B that sandwich the holding portion of the prism 31 of the prism holding portion 32. The prism 31 is arranged in the space surrounded by the pair of side wall portions 322 and the mounting surface 321A.

[0051] As shown in Figure 8, on the first wall 322A of the pair of side walls 322, the side opposite to the mounting surface 321A (the side with a negative Y-direction) has a recess formed on it that allows a second magnet 324 to be placed. The recess is provided at a corresponding position between the second portion 242 and the third portion 243 of the third side wall 24, and the second magnet 324 is placed inside it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0112] In the camera module 1 configured as described above, the second magnet 324 of the optical path bending module 3 and the drive magnet 43 of the lens module 4 are located on the negative side in the Y direction within the housing 2. No drive magnets are located on the positive side in the Y direction within the housing 2. In other words, the camera module 1 has both the drive unit of the optical path bending module 3 and the drive unit of the lens module 4 located only on the negative side in the Y direction within the housing 2. To put it another way, the lens module 4 is attached to the optical path bending module 3, which has another drive unit that drives the prism 31 (another optical element) that introduces light into the lens section 41. The drive magnet 43 and the third coil 622 are aligned with the first wall 322A (one side wall) on which the second magnet 324 is provided, in the direction of light introduction to the lens section 41 (X direction).

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

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

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

[0116] In the above embodiment, the optical path bending module 3 had the configuration described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the optical path bending module may have a configuration other than that described above.

[0117] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the drive magnet 43 was provided in the lens holding portion 42 and the third coil 622 was provided in the housing portion, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the drive magnet may be provided in the housing portion and the third coil may be provided in the lens holding portion.

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

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

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

[0121] All disclosures in the specification, drawings, and abstract contained in the Japanese application No. 2024-190597, filed on 30 October 2024, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0122] 1 Camera module, 2 Housing, 21 Bottom wall, 211 Opening, 212 Groove, 213 Support shaft, 214 Yoke, 215 Rolling member, 22 First side wall, 221 Protruding wall, 23 Second side wall, 231 Opening, 24 Third side wall, 241 First part, 242 Second part, 243 Third part, 3 Optical path bending module, 31 Prism, 32 Prism holder, 321 Support wall, 321A Mounting surface, 321B Recess, 321C Ball placement part, 322 Side wall, 322A First wall, 322B Second wall, 323 First magnet, 324 Second magnet, 33 Ball guide, 331 Wall, 332 Support part, 34 Ball, 35 Biasing spring, 351 Center section, 351A Hole, 352 Fixing section, 353 Connecting section, 36 Weight, 4 Lens module, 41 Lens section, 42 Lens holder section, 421 Bottom section, 421A First groove, 421B Second groove, 422 Side section, 43 Drive magnet, 44 Biasing magnet, 5 Image sensor module, 6 Substrate section, 61 First substrate, 611 First coil, 62 Second substrate, 621 Second coil, 622 Third coil, M Smartphone

Claims

1. A drive device comprising: a holding portion capable of holding an optical element; a housing portion for housing the holding portion; a drive unit having a drive magnet and a coil for moving the holding portion relative to the housing portion; a support portion for movably supporting the holding portion; and a biasing magnet for biasing the holding portion toward the support portion, the biasing magnet being positioned to sandwich the holding space for the optical element in the holding portion between itself and the drive unit.

2. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the drive magnet is provided in one of the holding portion and the housing portion, the coil is provided in the other of the holding portion and the housing portion, and the biasing magnet is provided in the holding space on the side of the holding portion opposite to the holding portion of the drive magnet or the coil.

3. The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the holding portion includes a pair of side surfaces that sandwich the holding space, the holding portion for the drive magnet or the coil in the holding portion is provided on one of the pair of side surfaces, and the other side surface of the pair of side surfaces has a holding portion for the biasing magnet.

4. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing magnet is magnetized such that its magnetic force is weaker than that of the drive magnet in the first direction in which the drive magnet and the coil face each other.

5. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the drive magnet is arranged such that its north pole and south pole are parallel to the first direction, and the biasing magnet is arranged such that its north pole and south pole are parallel to the second direction, which is different from the first direction and in which the holding portion and the support portion face each other.

6. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a shaft member extending in the direction of movement of the holding portion.

7. The drive device according to claim 6, further comprising a metal plate disposed between the holding portion and the shaft member.

8. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a rolling member.

9. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device is attached to a device having another drive unit for driving another optical element that introduces light into the optical element, at least a portion of the other drive unit is located on one of a pair of walls that sandwich the other optical element, and the drive unit is aligned with the one wall in the direction of introducing light into the optical element.

10. A camera module comprising: a drive device as described in claim 1; a lens unit; and an imaging unit for capturing an image of a subject formed by the lens unit.

11. A camera-mounted device which is an information device or a transport device, comprising: a camera module as described in claim 10; and an image processing unit for processing image information obtained by the camera module.

Images