Apple Inc.

Himesh Patel

Phillip R Sommer

Qiang Yang

Kai Min

Anup K Sharma

Peng Chen

Ho Seop Jeong

Sai Harsha Jandhyala

Roshan Murthy

Pavle Stojanovic

A camera includes a lens carrier to which lens(es), defining an optical axis, are mounted. The lens carrier and the lens(es) are movable along the optical axis. The camera includes an autofocus (AF) damping structure for dampening motion of the lens carrier and the lens(es) in a direction along the optical axis. The camera includes a flexure platform having a dynamic platform to which an image sensor and a substrate are connected for movement together with the dynamic platform, a static platform connected to a static portion of the camera, and multiple flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform. The camera includes electronic component(s) and a volume of space vertically aligned with the AF damping structure and extending from the AF damping structure to the substrate. The volume of space does not include a mounting location of the electronic component(s).

Flexure module component configurations for camera with moveable image sensor

A camera system may include a lens group having one or more lenses and a substrate assembly having an image sensor and one or more other components mounted to the image sensor. The lens group may be movable relative to the image sensor, e.g., to implement an autofocus function. The substrate may include one or more recesses so as to reduce the height of the substrate at the recesses relative to other parts of the substrate. The recesses may be formed at locations specifically selected according to a height clearance requirement between the lens group and the substrate assembly. One or more components distinct from the image sensor may be mounted to the substrate inside the recesses.

Substrate with recesses for components placement

A flexure for a camera module is provided. The flexure includes a dynamic platform to which an image sensor is connected such that the image sensor moves with the dynamic platform. The flexure also includes a static platform connected to a static portion of the camera. The flexure further includes a plurality of flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform. The plurality of flexure arms includes a first flexure arm including one or more signal traces having a first impedance and a base layer having a first width. The plurality of flexure arms includes a second flexure arm including one or more signal traces having a second impedance and a base layer having a second width. The first impedance is greater than the second impedance. The first width is less than the second width. The second flexure arm routes image data from the image sensor.

Variable flexure arm sizes for flexure module of camera with moveable image sensor

Various embodiments include sensor shift flexure arrangements for improved signal routing. For example, a camera with sensor shift actuation may include a flexure for suspending an image sensor from a stationary structure of the camera, and for allowing motion of the image sensor enabled by one or more actuators of the camera. The flexure may be configured to convey electrical signals between the image sensor and a flex circuit in some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the flexure may include a stack of layers comprising an electrical grounding portion that has an additional conductive layer adjacent to a base layer, which may reduce the overall resistivity of a ground current return path. In some embodiments, the flexure may additionally or alternatively include an impedance adjusting feature configured to adjust the impedance of an electrical signal pad used to connect the flexure with another component of the camera.

Sensor shift flexure arrangements for improved signal routing

A flexure for a camera includes a dynamic platform to which an image sensor and a substrate are connected such that the image sensor and the substrate move together with the dynamic platform. A driver associated with an actuator to move the image sensor relative to a lens group is mounted to the substrate. The flexure also includes a static platform connected to a static portion of the camera, a plurality of flexure arms that mechanically connect the dynamic platform to the static platform, a routing layer and a base layer both at least partially forming the dynamic platform, the static platform, and the plurality of flexure arms, and at least one segmentation region extending through the base layer and configured to physically isolate a return current from the driver and through the base layer from a return current from the image sensor and through the base layer.

Camera module flexure with segmented base layer

A camera may include a printed circuit board (PCB) that may include at least one coil and at least one position sensor. The coil may be embedded at least partially inside the PCB at a first side of the PCB, whilst the position sensor may be attached to the PCB at a second side opposite the first side. The PCB may include an aperture through the PCB at a location corresponding to the position sensor to enhance sensing of the position sensor. The PCB may further include at least one recess inside which the position sensor may be attached to the PCB.

Printed circuit board with embedded coil and position sensor

Various embodiments include a hybrid sensor shift platform comprising a multi-core substrate for a camera. The hybrid sensor shift platform may be coupled with an image sensor. The camera may include one or more actuators configured to move the hybrid sensor shift platform together with the image sensor. The multi-core substrate may be coupled with one or more other substrates to form the hybrid sensor shift platform. For example, the hybrid sensor shift platform may include a multi-core organic substrate and a ceramic substrate in various embodiments.

Hybrid sensor shift platform with multi-core substrate for camera

Various embodiments include sensor shift flexure arrangements for improved signal routing. For example, a camera with sensor shift actuation may include a flexure for suspending an image sensor from a stationary structure of the camera, and for allowing motion of the image sensor enabled by one or more actuators of the camera. The flexure may be configured to convey electrical signals between the image sensor and a flex circuit in some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the flexure may include a stack of layers comprising a conductive layer and an electrical grounding. The conductive layer may include a signal pad region and a signal trace region. A distance between at least one section of the signal pad region and the electrical grounding may be greater than a distance between at least a section of the signal trace region and the electrical grounding.

Variable polyimide thickness to control pad impedance

Various embodiments include flex circuit arrangements for a camera with sensor shift actuation. Some embodiments include a flexure-circuit hybrid structure. Some embodiments include an actuation-module flex circuit hybrid structure. In some embodiments, the hybrid structures may include different portions that share multiple layers of a plurality of stacked layers. In some embodiments, one portion of a hybrid structure may include one or more layers that are different from the layers in another portion of the hybrid structure.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Himesh Patel