Annular Light Shielding Member With Asymmetric Etched Aperture
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of light shielding members using metal base materials often results in strain, wrinkling, and exposure of metallic gloss at cut surfaces, leading to deterioration in light shielding performance, particularly affecting the imaging performance by causing flare and ghosting in camera modules.
Innovation Solution
An annular light shielding member is formed with a ridge on its outer peripheral surface, which is protruded radially and positioned off-center in the thickness direction, using photoetching to create a tapered opening with a larger diameter on the front surface than the rear surface, enhancing handleability and optical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If punching process is used to produce light shielding members, then productivity is improved, but strain and wrinkling occur causing deterioration in light shielding performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical punching process with a photoetching process to produce light shielding members. This substitution eliminates the mechanical contact that causes strain and wrinkling, thereby maintaining surface quality and light shielding performance while still achieving efficient production through the photoetching method.
2Ease of manufacture
If cutting process is used to produce light shielding members, then ease of manufacture is improved, but metallic gloss is exposed at cut surfaces causing deterioration in light shielding performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cutting process with photoetching to eliminate the exposure of metallic gloss at surfaces. The photoetching process produces smooth surfaces without the rough edges and metallic reflections that occur with mechanical cutting, thereby maintaining light shielding performance while keeping the manufacturing process simple and efficient.
3Manufacturing precision
If isotropic photoetching from front and rear surfaces is used, then aperture formation is achieved, but ridge formation at penetration meeting point causes deterioration in handleability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the photoetching process by making the etching depth from the front surface different from that of the rear surface. This asymmetric etching prevents the formation of a ridge at the penetration meeting point, thereby improving handleability while still achieving accurate aperture formation. The asymmetric design eliminates the symmetric ridge that would otherwise interfere with assembly operations.
4Manufacturing precision
If photoetching is used to form through holes, then manufacturing precision is improved, but side etching in perpendicular direction makes it difficult to form perpendicular holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric photoetching from front and rear surfaces with different etching depths to counteract the isotropic side etching effect. By controlling the etching parameters asymmetrically, the process achieves perpendicular hole formation despite the inherent side etching of isotropic photoetching, thereby maintaining both manufacturing precision and correct hole orientation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved handleability and maintains or enhances light shielding performance by reducing the impact of strain and metallic gloss exposure, while ensuring accurate aperture formation and minimizing flare and ghosting issues in camera modules.
Implementation Method 1
using photoetching to create a tapered opening with a larger diameter on the front surface than the rear surface
Data Source
AI summary
A light shielding member formed of an annular metal base material includes a front surface, a rear surface facing away from the front surface, and an outer peripheral surface connecting the front and rear surfaces in an outer periphery of the light shielding member. The outer peripheral surface includes a ridge that is protruded outward furthest therein in a radial direction of the light shielding member, in a cross section that is parallel to a plane perpendicular to the front surface.