Leveling Auxiliary Unit for Reducing Image Sensor Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly tilt angle between the image sensor and the sensor holder in portable devices' imaging modules is increased, leading to decreased image quality due to their shared datum plane, which is not effectively addressed by existing auto-focus and optical zoom technologies.
Innovation Solution
The image capturing module incorporates an image sensing unit, an optical auxiliary unit, and a leveling auxiliary unit, where the leveling auxiliary unit includes a light-transmitting leveling substrate supported by micro support bodies or spacers, ensuring the housing frame contacts and abuts against this substrate, thereby aligning the assembly tilt angles to reduce the tilt angle between the housing frame and the image sensing chip, ensuring flatness and improved image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the image sensor and sensor holder are disposed on the same datum plane, then the assembly structure is simplified, but the assembly tilt angle increases and image quality decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A light-transmitting leveling substrate is introduced as an intermediary component between the image sensor and the sensor holder. This substrate includes a flat top surface that provides a reference plane for mounting the lens assembly, while micro support bodies adjust the positioning to reduce the assembly tilt angle, thereby improving image quality without significantly complicating the overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The leveling substrate provides a locally improved flat reference surface (second alignment base level) that is distinct from the image sensor's alignment base level. This local quality enhancement at the lens mounting interface allows for reduced tilt angle while maintaining the simplified overall assembly structure
2Ease of manufacture
If the image sensor and sensor holder are disposed on the same datum plane, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the image quality decreases due to increased assembly tilt angle
Solution Approach 1:
The leveling substrate serves as a manufacturing intermediary that decouples the datum plane requirement. The substrate's flat top surface provides the necessary reference plane for precision assembly, while the micro support bodies accommodate variations in the underlying structure, making the manufacturing process feasible without significantly increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The micro support bodies enable adjustment of the vertical position and orientation parameters of the leveling substrate relative to the image sensor. By changing these geometric parameters, the assembly tilt angle is reduced to an acceptable range while maintaining ease of manufacture
3Strength
If adhesive materials are applied to the image sensing chip, then the leveling substrate is supported, but adhesive materials may contact conductive pads and cause defects
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensing chip is designed with spatially differentiated regions: an image sensing area, conductive pads, and a support contacting area. Adhesive materials are applied only to the support contacting area, which is deliberately separated from the conductive pads. This local quality differentiation ensures both adequate support strength and electrical connection reliability by preventing adhesive contamination of the conductive pads
4Manufacturing precision
If the housing frame directly contacts the leveling substrate, then the assembly tilt angle is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The light-transmitting leveling substrate acts as a mediating structural element between the housing frame and the image sensor. The substrate's flat top surface directly contacts the housing frame, providing a stable reference plane that reduces assembly tilt angle. While this adds a component, it avoids the need for complex adjustment mechanisms or precision machining of the housing frame itself
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 reduces the assembly tilt angle, ensuring the flatness and alignment of the housing frame relative to the image sensing chip, thereby enhancing image quality by maintaining the alignment base levels and preventing contact between adhesive materials and conductive pads, thus improving the overall performance of the imaging module.
Implementation Method 1
each adhesive material is formed by mixing adhesive glue and a plurality of micro support bodies
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing module for reducing assembly tilt angle includes an image sensing unit, an optical auxiliary unit and a leveling auxiliary unit. The image sensing unit includes a carrier substrate and an image sensing chip disposed on the carrier substrate and electrically connected to the carrier substrate. The optical auxiliary unit includes a housing frame disposed on the carrier substrate to cover the image sensing chip and a lens assembly disposed inside the housing frame and above the image sensing chip. The leveling auxiliary unit includes a plurality of adhesive materials disposed on the image sensing chip and a light-transmitting leveling substrate supported above the image sensing chip by the adhesive materials. The housing frame directly contacts and downwardly abuts against the light-transmitting leveling substrate, and each adhesive material is formed by mixing adhesive glue and a plurality of micro support bodies.