Image Sensor Filter Spacer Structure for Tilting Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image-sensing assemblies used in portable electronic devices, direct attachment or separation of glass filters relative to image sensors often results in tilting, which can lead to particles being imaged on the sensor area, reducing production yield.
Innovation Solution
A spacer structure with prefabricated spacers of uniform height is used to separate the filter element from the image-sensing chip by a predetermined distance, maintained through adhesive layers, preventing tilting and particle imaging, and a filling paste is used to protect the image sensing area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the glass filter is directly fixed on the image sensor through glue, then the assembly process is simple, but the glass filter would be tilted relative to the image sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spacer structure as an intermediary component between the glass filter and the image sensor. This spacer structure includes multiple spacers with adhesive layers that mediate the connection, ensuring the glass filter remains parallel to the image sensor while still allowing for a relatively simple assembly process. The spacer acts as a mediator that maintains precise positioning without requiring complex direct attachment mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the glass filter is separated from the image sensor, then the filter can be independently positioned, but the glass filter would be tilted relative to the image sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer structure serves as an intermediary that enables independent positioning of the glass filter while simultaneously ensuring parallelism. The multiple spacers distributed across the filter provide flexible positioning capability, yet their uniform height and adhesive attachment to both the filter and sensor maintain precise parallel alignment, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer structure is pre-formed with adhesive layers attached to the bottom surface before the glass filter is positioned. This preliminary preparation allows the filter to be independently positioned and adjusted, while the pre-attached spacers ensure that once positioned, the filter maintains the correct parallel alignment without requiring additional adjustment steps.
3Volume of moving object
If the filter element is close to the image sensing chip, then the module size is reduced, but particles on the filter element would be imaged on the image sensing area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension (Z-axis) by introducing spacers with specific heights to create separation between the glass filter and the image sensor. This dimensional approach allows the filter to be positioned at an optimal distance that prevents particle imaging while maintaining a compact overall module design. The spacer height is carefully selected to balance the competing requirements of size reduction and particle prevention.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple spacers with adhesive layers are used to maintain parallelism, then the filter parallelism is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the spacer structure: positioning, alignment, and attachment are all integrated into a single component system. The spacers with pre-attached adhesive layers merge the positioning and attachment functions, reducing the need for separate alignment mechanisms and simplifying the overall assembly process despite the increased precision requirements.
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 configuration ensures parallelism between the filter and image sensor, preventing particle imaging and increasing production yield by maintaining the filter's parallelism and protecting the image sensing area from external contaminants.
Implementation Method 1
each of the prefabricated spacers has a first adhesive layer formed on a top surface thereof to connect with the filter element, each of the prefabricated spacers has a second adhesive layer formed on a bottom surface thereof to connect with the non-image sensing area
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a portable electronic device and an image-capturing module thereof, and an image-sensing assembly thereof. The image-sensing assembly includes an image-sensing chip, a spacer structure, and a filter element. The image-sensing chip has an image sensing area and a non-image sensing area surrounding the image sensing area. The spacer structure is disposed on the non-image sensing area. The filter element is disposed on the spacer structure so as to separate the filter element from the image-sensing chip by a predetermined distance. The image-sensing assembly can be applied to the image-capturing module, and the image-capturing module can be applied to the portable electronic device.