Optical Unit Voice Coil Motor Orthogonal Magnet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical units with autofocus or motor-driven zoom functions using voice coil motors face challenges in miniaturization and precise movement of movable parts, leading to potential tilting and inefficiencies in lens positioning.
Innovation Solution
The optical unit design incorporates a fixed part with a cylindrical shape and a movable part with a cylindrical sliding surface, utilizing a voice coil motor with magnets polarized orthogonal to the axis, allowing for efficient and precise movement of the movable part relative to the fixed part, thereby minimizing size and weight while maintaining accurate alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a voice coil motor is used to drive a movable part in conventional optical units, then the lens positioning function is achieved, but the device size cannot be sufficiently miniaturized and tilting of the movable part occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet is arranged with its polarization direction orthogonal to the optical axis (in the radial direction) instead of parallel to it. This dimensional change in magnetic field orientation enables the voice coil motor to generate sufficient driving force in a more compact axial configuration, miniaturizing the optical unit while the sliding surface maintains alignment stability
Solution Approach 2:
A sliding surface is introduced between the movable part and the fixed part to act as an intermediary element. This sliding surface constrains the movable part's motion, preventing tilting and ensuring accurate alignment while the orthogonal magnet arrangement provides the driving force
2Volume of moving object
If the movable part is arranged radially inside the fixed part, then compact configuration is achieved, but precise movement control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding surface acts as a precision guide between the radially arranged movable part and fixed part. It mediates the movement, ensuring that the movable part follows the exact optical axis trajectory while maintaining compact radial arrangement, thus achieving both miniaturization and precise positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The magnet's polarization direction is changed to orthogonal (radial) orientation, which alters the force generation characteristics of the voice coil motor. This parameter change enables precise control of the movable part's axial movement within the compact radial configuration
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 enables miniaturization of the optical unit, suppresses tilting of the movable part, and enhances driving efficiency, allowing for quick and accurate movement of the movable part, which is essential for applications like endoscopes requiring compact and efficient zooming capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a voice coil motor that is capable of relatively moving the movable part with respect to the fixed part in the axial direction by using a coil arranged on the fixed part and a magnet arranged on the movable part
Data Source
AI summary
An optical unit 1 includes a voice coil motor 10 which can relatively move a movable part 3 with respect to a fixed part 2 in the axis C direction by using a coil 11 arranged on the fixed part 2 and a magnet 12 arranged on the movable part 3, wherein the movable part 3 includes a movable-side sliding surface which can slide over an inner periphery of the fixed part 2, and a distance L1 from a position closest to an object side to a position closest to an image side of the movable-side sliding surface in the axis C direction of the movable part 3 is greater than a distance from an emission surface of the object-side fixed lens group Gf held by the fixed part 2 to an incident surface of the image-side fixed lens group Gb held by the fixed part 2.