Apple Inc.

California Institute of Technology

Xu Wang

Aurelien R Hubert

Bin Xu

Demetri Psaltis

A ball bearing sensor shift arrangement for a camera may include one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators that include the fixed magnets, optical image stabilization (OIS) coils, and/or one or more autofocus (AF) coils. The ball bearing sensor shift arrangement may be coupled with an image sensor of the camera, and may include carrier frames configured to move on ball bearings so as to enable motion of the image sensor in multiple degrees-of-freedom (DOF). An OIS carrier frame(s) may be coupled with the OIS coils, which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera. An AF carrier frame may be coupled with the AF coil(s), which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis.

Ball bearing sensor shift arrangement for camera with fixed magnets

Various embodiments include a locking mechanism for a camera. The locking mechanism may be used to provide a clamping force that prevents one or more components of the camera from moving along one or more axes in some examples. According to various embodiments, the locking mechanism may include a ferromagnetic plate fixedly attached to a carrier (e.g., a lens carrier, an image sensor carrier, etc.), an electromagnet for electromagnetically interacting with the ferromagnetic plate, and a flexure to which the electromagnet may be attached. The flexure may further be attached to a stationary structure of the camera. In some embodiments, the camera may be operable such that, in a lock mode of the camera, the electromagnet is electrically driven to generate a magnetic field that attracts the ferromagnetic plate, thereby providing a clamping force that prevents the carrier from moving along an optical axis of the camera.

Camera focus locking mechanism

A system of beam steering using electrical operation. A first system provides a grating and a liquid crystal material. When the liquid crystal is unenergized, there is a mismatch between the liquid crystal and the grating, causing the grating to diffract the light in a specified direction. The liquid crystal is energized to match its index of refraction to the grating. Then, the light is not diffracted by the grating, and hence travels in a different direction then it would when the liquid crystal was not energized. Another, finer system, forms electrically generated gratings using a liquid crystal material.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Xu Wang