Sony Corporation

Mitsuru Ichikawa

Satoshi Imai

Takahiro Okabe

Fujio Kanai

Atsushi Horidan

Takatoshi Uneme

Yasutaka Takahashi

Atsushi Okita

Makoto Tanahashi

Masashi Nishimoto

Tsutomu Asawa

Noritoshi Eguchi

Satoru Yoshioka

A camera module advantageous in simplifying an assembly process is provided. A camera moduleincludes a barrel unithaving a housing space S; a lens holding unitwhich holds an imaging optical system, which is housed in the housing space S, and which is supported such that the lens holding unitis movable along an optical axis of the imaging optical system; an image pickup elementwhich is disposed in the barrel unitand which picks up an object image guided by the imaging optical system; and a driving unitwhich moves the lens holding unitalong the optical axis of the imaging optical system. The barrel unitincludes an inner barrelin which the housing space S is formed and an outer barreldisposed outside the inner barrel. A retaining plateincludes a front plate portionA and two side plate portionsB. The retaining plateclamps the inner barreland the outer barrelin the optical axis direction in the state in which the front plate portionA retains a front end of the outer barreland distal ends of the two side plate portionsB retain the rear end-face wall

Camera module

A lens holding member () is molded by filling a molten synthetic resin from a gate of a mold into a product cavity, and a portion corresponding to the gate of the mold for molding remains thereon as a gate portion (). By mounting a coil () on a rear cylindrical face (), an adhesive filling recess () that opens in a direction parallel to an optical axis of an image pickup optical system () is defined by a center face (), side faces () standing from both sides of the center face (), an outer face (), and an inner peripheral surface of the coil (). The gate portion () is provided on the center face () of the adhesive filling recess (). By filling the adhesive filling recess () with adhesive B, an outer peripheral portion of the lens holding member () and an inner peripheral portion of the coil () are bonded together, and the gate portion () is buried in the adhesive B. These provide a camera module that is advantageous in effectively preventing dust from being generated from the gate portion without necessitating any special treatment process.

A camera module () that is advantageous in increasing the endurance and impact resistance is provided. The camera module () includes a barrel unit (), a lens holding unit (), springs (), an image pickup element (), and a driving unit (). The barrel unit () includes a front barrel () and a rear barrel (). The driving unit () moves the lens holding unit () along an optical axis of an imaging optical system (), and includes magnets () and coils (). The two magnets () are disposed on the lens holding unit () at positions having the optical axis therebetween and extend parallel to a single imaginary plane which passes through the optical axis. The coils () are respectively disposed on the barrel unit () at two positions where the coils () face the magnets ().

A camera module includes a rear lens barrel, a front lens barrel assembled to the rear lens barrel, the front lens barrel and the rear lens barrel together forming a housing space, a lens holder that holds an imaging optical system and is housed in the housing space, a guiding mechanism that movably supports the lens holder along the optical axis of the imaging optical system, and a driving unit that moves the lens holder along the optical axis of the imaging optical system, the driving unit including a magnet provided in the lens holder and a coil that faces the magnet. The rear lens barrel has a bottom wall that faces the housing space. The coil includes first and second coils disposed in the rear lens barrel on opposite sides of the optical axis in the housing space.

A lens unit includes a lens barrel, an imaging system arranged therein; a movable part having a movable lens, moved in an optical axis with respect to the lens barrel; a linear actuator for moving the movable part in the optical axis direction; and a biasing plate spring having a holding section that holds the movable part, spring sections that can be resiliently deformed and bias the movable part in the optical axis direction, and attached sections that are attached to the lens barrel, the thickness direction of the plate spring coinciding with the optical axis, wherein the holding section of the biasing plate spring is formed into a circular arc; and at least a portion of the spring sections of the plate spring are formed into a shape extending in a direction substantially along the holding section on the outer peripheral side of the holding section.

Lens unit and imaging apparatus

A lens unit includes a lens barrel having an imaging optical system arranged therein and a movable unit having a movable lens, the movable unit being movable in an optical axis direction with respect to the lens barrel. The lens barrel includes a first member and a second member adapted to be coupled together in a coupling direction. Fixing pieces are provided on the first member and the second member, respectively, and fixing means is filled between the fixing pieces when the first member and the second member are coupled together. The respective fixing pieces are provided in positions at which a force is applied in a direction in which the fixing means is compressed by the respective fixing pieces when a force is applied to the first member and the second member in a direction in which the first member is released from the second member.

Lens unit and imaging device

A portable electronic device such as a portable personal computer has a first part such as a main unit incorporating a heat-generating component, e.g., a CPU, a second part such as a display unit, and a connector for pivotally connecting the first and second parts. The connector includes hinges that provide mechanical connection between the first and the second parts, while conducting heat from the heat-generating component in the first part to the second part, so that the heat is dissipated from the second part. The electronic device this has enhanced heat dissipation without being required to have a greater size.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Mitsuru Ichikawa