The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 19, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 02, 2007
Lothar R. Westerweck, San Jose, CA (US);
Albert John Y. Chua, San Jose, CA (US);
Bahram Afshari, Los Altos, CA (US);
Dennis R. Berube, Cranston, RI (US);
John W. Toor, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Elaine B. Bogue, Dunstable, MA (US);
Lothar R. Westerweck, San Jose, CA (US);
Albert John Y. Chua, San Jose, CA (US);
Bahram Afshari, Los Altos, CA (US);
Dennis R. Berube, Cranston, RI (US);
John W. Toor, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Elaine B. Bogue, Dunstable, MA (US);
Flextronics AP LLC, Broomfield, CO (US);
Abstract
A novel digital camera module includes an image capture device, a lens unit including a body, a housing including an opening for receiving the lens unit and positioning the lens unit with respect to the image capture device, and a contaminant trap formed by an isolated annular space between the lens unit and the opening of the housing. In a particular embodiment, the opening of the housing includes surfaces having at least two different perimeters, the smaller of which slidably engages the outer surface of the lens unit. The contaminant trap collects and contains any contaminants before they reach vulnerable components such as the image capture device and/or other optical components within the camera module.