Apple Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Nicholas D Smyth

Scott Wallace Miller

Alfred N Mireault

Shashank Sharma

Zachary W Birnbaum

Hiran R Rathnasinghe

Nitin Kumar Chennupati

Brad Vaughn Johnson

David K Myers

Shujun Tang

Martin J Auclair

Julien C Vittu

Jian Ouyang

Rummel R Adriano

Justin C Brunnett

Matthew D Hill

Phillip R Sommer

Daniel T Nguyen

Brian A Argyres

Hao Zheng

Jason T Weaver

Lindsay M Alanen

Steven Webster

Samuel M Hyatt

Douglas Stuart Brodie

Kevin Garrison

Reynaldo Vincent H Sta Agueda

Ross A Williams

Jeffrey P Bosco

Wai Shing Sin

A camera includes a base housing an image sensor. The base is adhered to an optics holder that holds optical components of the camera. The optics holder is located in a recess of the base component and includes a horizontal flange extending outward from an upper portion of vertical perimeter walls of the optical components holder. The horizontal flange redirects adhesive horizontally during assembly (may include an active alignment process) of the camera, and the horizontal adhesive adheres the flange to an upper horizontal ledge of the base. An exposed portion of the adhesive between the horizontal flange and the upper horizontal ledge of the base may be cured via ultraviolet light to prevent shifting of the optics holder during transport of the camera to a thermal curing process. A lower portion of a vertical interior wall of the base may include another ledge that redirects adhesive during assembly.

Robust mounting for folded optics assembly

Camera assemblies that include a lens module, a camera housing enclosing the lens module, and an actuator module coupled to the lens module. The lens module includes at least one lens element disposed along an optical axis and a lens barrel at least partially surrounding the at least one lens element. The lens barrel includes a flange that defines, at an intersection with the at least one lens element, an input aperture through which light enters the lens module. The flange has a height that varies in a direction from the input aperture to an outer edge of the flange. The actuator module is configured to rotate the lens module around axes orthogonal to the optical axis with respect to the camera housing.

Camera assemblies with a flanged lens module

A camera may include an optical components holder to hold optical components (e.g., one or more lenses and a light folding element) of the camera. The optical components holder may be formed using an insert-molding processor including a metal frame. One portion of the metal frame may form an upper wall of a portion of the optical components holder that holds the light folding element. Another portion of the metal frame may be at least partially exposed from a side wall adjacent the upper wall of the portion of the optical components holder. In addition, the camera may include a protection structure to protect the optical components holder from colliding with another component of the camera or a mobile multipurpose device.

Insert molded optics holder

Various embodiments include an image sensor package for a camera with sensor shift actuation. The camera may include one or more actuators (e.g., a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator) for moving the image sensor package relative to a lens group of the camera. The image sensor package may include an image sensor and a substrate. The image sensor may be electrically connected to a ledge surface of a lower portion of the substrate, via one or more wire bond electrical interconnects.

Image sensor package for camera with sensor shift actuation

A camera comprising: a camera enclosure; an optomechanical assembly fixedly coupled to the camera enclosure; an image sensor assembly movably coupled to the camera enclosure, the image sensor assembly comprising: a substrate, an image sensor coupled to the substrate, a flexible printed circuit board coupled to the substrate, a conductive stiffener plate coupled to the flexible printed circuit board, and a passive heat exchanger thermally coupled to the image sensor to dissipate heat away from the image sensor.

Sensor temperature reducer for a sensor shift camera architecture

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements. The suspension arrangements may include leaf springs attached to a carrier structure for the lens.

Camera with folded optics having moveable lens

Various embodiments include a camera having an actuator with one or more moving coils and a dynamic flex circuit. In some embodiments, the camera may include a movable frame that is fixedly coupled with a lens group or an image sensor. The actuator may be a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that moves the movable frame relative to one or more stationary structures of the camera. The VCM actuator may include a coil coupled with the movable frame, and a magnet coupled with the stationary structure(s). The dynamic flex circuit may be configured to provide an electrical connection between the coil and the stationary structure(s), and a portion of the dynamic flex circuit may provide service loop to allow motion of the movable frame enabled by the VCM actuator.

Camera actuator with moving coils and dynamic flex circuit

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.

Folded camera with actuator for moving optics

A camera module for a portable electronic device includes an actuator assembly with at least one coil segment. The coil segment includes a dielectric substrate with two surfaces. Over each surface is formed a trace that follows a path defining a multi-turn coil. The coils of each side of the dielectric are conductively coupled together to define a single inductor/coil. The two-layer coil segment can be encapsulated as a component suitable for pick-and-place and/or SMT manufacturing. In many constructions, the actuator assembly includes a stack of coil segments, coupled together in series or parallel.

Compact multilayer actuator coils for camera modules of portable electronic devices

A device may have a multi-camera system including one or more camera modules. At least one camera module may include one or more lenses, an image sensor, and a chassis structure. The camera module may include a bearing structure including one or more stages moving on a plurality of rolling elements to allow the lenses and/or the image sensor to move in one or more directions. The chassis structure may form a limit for a span distance or length of a group of rolling elements. A portion of the chassis structure may include an opening to provide extra space to allow the span distance or length of the group of rolling elements to be extended, so as to reduce effects of raceway indentations on the rolling elements to the camera module performance.

Chassis cut-out to improve reliability and performance for cameras including bearing structures

A camera including a camera enclosure; an optomechanical assembly fixedly coupled to the camera enclosure; a sensor assembly having an image sensor and an electronic component mounted to a substrate that is movably coupled to the camera enclosure; a voice coil motor having a base coupled to the optomechanical assembly and a carrier coupled to the sensor assembly that is operable to cause a displacement of the sensor assembly relative to the optomechanical assembly; and a displacement limiter coupled to the base or the carrier to limit an unintended displacement of the sensor assembly.

Shock limiters and dampers for improved camera reliability

Various embodiments include a dynamic flex circuit that may be used in a camera with a moveable image sensor. The dynamic flex circuit may include one or more fixed end portions, a moveable end portion, and an intermediate portion. In some embodiments, the fixed end portion may be connected to another flex circuit of the camera. The moveable end portion may be coupled with the moveable image sensor. The intermediate portion may be configured to allow the moveable end portion to move with the moveable image sensor. Some embodiments include a reinforcement arrangement that reinforces one or more portions of the dynamic flex circuit.

Dynamic flex circuit for camera with moveable image sensor

A camera module may have an optical assembly, an image sensor, and a frame, where the frame includes a reinforcement member and a base member that collectively form a sidewall of the frame. The reinforcement member defines a portion of the sidewall of the frame, a peripheral edge, and an opening. The base member may define another portion of the sidewall and extend through the opening and surround the peripheral edge of the reinforcement member. The optical assembly may be coupled to the sidewall of the frame.

Camera modules with interlocked frames

Various embodiments include a camera having one or more end stop bumpers. In some embodiments, the end stop bumper(s) may be at least partially disposed between a suspension platform of a camera and a lateral end stop defined by a stationary structure of the camera. The end stop bumper(s) may be configured to cushion movement of the suspension platform as the suspension platform approaches the lateral end stop. In some embodiments, the end stop bumper(s) may be part of a suspension spring structure coupled to the suspension platform.

Camera with end stop bumper

Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Nicholas D Smyth