Camera Module Ball Support Layout to Prevent Lens Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
In camera modules, especially in mobile communications terminals, the size differences in ball bearings used for lens module movement can cause tilt during focus adjustment, leading to resolution degradation due to manufacturing precision challenges.
Innovation Solution
The camera module design incorporates a housing with a driving unit, including a magnet, coil, and yoke, which generates an attractive force to press first and second ball members. These ball members have differently sized balls arranged in the optical axis direction, ensuring consistent contact with the lens module and housing to prevent tilt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ball bearings of uniform size are used to support lens module movement, then manufacturing precision is improved, but it becomes difficult to accommodate size variations in the ball bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different receiving spaces with different lengths in the optical axis direction. The first receiving space has a different length than the second receiving space, allowing each space to accommodate ball bearings of different sizes appropriately. This resolves the contradiction by making the support structure adaptable to size variations while maintaining manufacturing precision for each individual ball bearing position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of receiving space length to accommodate size variations in ball bearings. By setting the first receiving space and second receiving space to have different lengths, the system can adapt to different ball bearing sizes without compromising the precision of individual ball bearing manufacturing. This parameter change allows the system to handle variability while maintaining overall precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ball bearings with size differences are used, then adaptability to manufacturing variations is improved, but tilt occurs during lens module movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different receiving spaces with different lengths in the optical axis direction. The first receiving space has a different length than the second receiving space, allowing each space to accommodate ball bearings of different sizes appropriately. This resolves the contradiction by making the support structure adaptable to size variations while maintaining manufacturing precision for each individual ball bearing position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry by making the first receiving space and second receiving space have different lengths. This asymmetric design allows the system to accommodate size variations in ball bearings while maintaining proper alignment and preventing tilt during lens module movement. The asymmetric configuration ensures that ball bearings of different sizes are properly positioned to maintain stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the size difference between ball bearings is not controlled, then ease of manufacture is improved, but it becomes difficult to predict which balls will contact the lens module
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different receiving spaces with different lengths in the optical axis direction. The first receiving space has a different length than the second receiving space, allowing each space to accommodate ball bearings of different sizes appropriately. This resolves the contradiction by making the support structure adaptable to size variations while maintaining manufacturing precision for each individual ball bearing position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by designing the receiving spaces to automatically accommodate ball bearings of different sizes without requiring external intervention or complex detection systems. The different lengths of the receiving spaces self-adjust to the size variations in the ball bearings, making the contact points predictable based on the geometric configuration rather than requiring measurement or detection of each ball bearing's exact size.
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
This design effectively prevents tilt during lens module movement by ensuring the center of action of the attractive force remains within the support region defined by the ball members' contact points, thereby maintaining image resolution and focus accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a driving unit including a magnet disposed on the lens module and a coil disposed to face the magnet
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of ball bearings may contact the lens module and roll in the optical axis direction to support the lens module
Data Source
AI summary
A camera module includes a housing accommodating a lens module, a driving unit including a magnet disposed on the lens module and a coil disposed to face the magnet, a yoke generating attractive force with the magnet, a first ball member accommodated in a first receiving space disposed between the lens module and the housing, and pressed by the attractive force, and a second ball member accommodated in a second receiving space disposed between the lens module and the housing, and pressed by the attractive force. A length of the first receiving space in an optical axis direction is different from a length of the second receiving space in the optical axis direction.