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JP-7856206-B1 - Spring components, camera modules, and electronic devices

JP7856206B1JP 7856206 B1JP7856206 B1JP 7856206B1JP-7856206-B1

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a spring member, a camera module, and electronic equipment that can suppress vibration disturbances and improve rigidity of the spring. [Solution] The spring member for the camera module has a first surface 10S1 and a second surface 10S2, and comprises a spring portion 13 including three or more thin wires 13A arranged along a first direction D1 in a cross section perpendicular to the first surface 10S1. The outer thin wire 13A1 has a first surface which is the side opposite to the side facing the inner thin wire 13A2, and the first surface has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to a straight line extending along the first direction D1 through the central part of the second direction D2 in the outer thin wire 13A1. The inner thin wire 13A2 has a side which faces the other thin wires and has an uneven shape. [Selection Diagram] Figure 2

Inventors

  • 永野 里佳奈
  • 道 浩之

Assignees

  • ＴＯＰＰＡＮホールディングス株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20251031

Claims (14)

  1. A spring component for a camera module, It has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, The spring portion comprises three or more thin wires arranged along a first direction in a cross section perpendicular to the first surface, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction in the cross section is the second direction. In the arrangement of the thin lines, the thin lines located at both ends in the first direction are outer thin lines, and the thin lines sandwiched between the outer thin lines are inner thin lines. The outer nanowire has a first side surface which is the side surface opposite to the side surface facing the inner nanowire, and the first side surface has a shape that is symmetrical in the cross-section with respect to a straight line that extends along the first direction through the central part of the outer nanowire in the second direction. The inner thin wire is a spring member having a side surface that faces another thin wire and has an uneven shape.
  2. A spring component for a camera module, It has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, The spring portion comprises three or more thin wires arranged along a first direction in a cross section perpendicular to the first surface, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction in the cross section is the second direction. In the arrangement of the thin lines, the thin lines located at both ends in the first direction are outer thin lines, and the thin lines sandwiched between the outer thin lines are inner thin lines. The outer nanowire has a first side surface which is the side surface opposite to the side surface facing the inner nanowire, and in the cross-section, the straight line passing through the center position in the first direction of the outer nanowire is the center line, and the length along the first direction from the first side surface to the center line decreases from both ends in the second direction of the outer nanowire toward the center. The inner thin wire is a spring member having a side surface that faces another thin wire and has an uneven shape.
  3. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the cross-section, the straight line passing through the center position in the first direction of the outer thin wire is the center line, and the length along the first direction from the first side surface to the center line is smallest at the center in the second direction.
  4. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the cross-section, a straight line passing through the center position in the first direction of the outer thin wire is the center line, and the first side surface has an arc shape that is recessed toward the center line.
  5. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side surface of the outer thin wire facing the inner thin wire is a second side surface, and the second side surface has an uneven shape.
  6. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the centroid of the outer nanowire in the cross-section is located in the central part of the outer nanowire in the second direction.
  7. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the outer nanowires located at both ends in the first direction, the first side surface of one of the outer nanowires has a shape that is the inverse of the first side surface of the other outer nanowire in the first direction.
  8. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the cross-section, the uneven shape of the side surface of the inner thin wire includes three or more bending points.
  9. The spring member according to claim 5, wherein in the cross-section, the uneven shape of the second side surface of the outer thin wire includes three or more bending points.
  10. The side surface of the outer nanowire facing the inner nanowire is the second side surface. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the cross-section, the straight line passing through the center position in the first direction of the outer thin wire is the center line, and the position in the second direction of the point where the length along the first direction from the first side surface to the center line is smallest and the position where the length along the first direction from the second side surface to the center line is smallest are different from each other.
  11. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spring member comprises any one selected from the group consisting of stainless steel alloy, beryllium copper, nickel-tin copper, phosphor bronze, Corson alloy, and titanium copper.
  12. The spring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spring member comprises a base material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel alloy, beryllium copper, nickel-tin copper, phosphor bronze, Corson alloy, and titanium copper, and a copper layer located on at least one of two surfaces of the base material.
  13. A camera module comprising the spring member according to claim 1 or 2.
  14. An electronic device comprising the camera module described in claim 13.

Description

This disclosure relates to spring components, camera modules, and electronic devices. Camera modules in electronic devices with cameras, such as tablet devices and smartphones, are equipped with drive mechanisms to enable autofocus and zoom. Two types of drive mechanisms are known: lens drive mechanisms and sensor drive mechanisms. Lens drive mechanisms include a spring member that allows for changing the position of the lens in the optical axis direction. In contrast, sensor drive mechanisms include a spring member that allows for changing the position of the image sensor in the optical axis direction (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-059345Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-170170 Figure 1 is a plan view showing the structure of a spring member.Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure along the line II-II in Figure 1.Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the outer nanowire.Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the inner nanowire.Figure 5 shows the effect of air resistance on the outer thin wire.Figure 6 shows the effect of air resistance on the outer thin wire.Figure 7 is a process diagram showing one step in the manufacturing method of a spring member.Figure 8 is a process diagram showing one step in the manufacturing method of a spring member.Figure 9 is a process diagram showing one step in the manufacturing method of a spring member.Figure 10 is a process diagram showing one step in the manufacturing method of a spring member.Figure 11 is a process diagram showing one step in the manufacturing method of a spring member.Figure 12 is a table showing the measurement results of the width of the thin wires in the spring member of the embodiment. An embodiment of a spring member, a camera module, and an electronic device will be described with reference to the drawings. [Spring component] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the overall configuration of the spring member used in the camera module will be explained. Figure 1 schematically shows the planar structure of the spring member as viewed from a viewpoint opposite to the plane in which the spring member extends. As shown in Figure 1, the spring member 10 has a first surface 10S1 and a second surface 10S2 opposite to the first surface 10S1. The first surface 10S1 is located at one end of the spring member 10 in the thickness direction, and the second surface 10S2 is located at the other end of the spring member 10 in the thickness direction. The spring member 10 comprises an outer frame portion 11, an inner frame portion 12, and a spring portion 13. The spring portion 13 is a leaf spring. In the example shown in Figure 1, the outer frame portion 11 has an octagonal shape, and the inner frame portion 12 has a circular shape. The inner frame portion 12 is located within the region defined by the outer frame portion 11. The spring portion 13 connects the inner frame portion 12 to the outer frame portion 11. The shapes of the outer frame portion 11 and the inner frame portion 12 may be changed according to the shapes of other components of the drive mechanism of the camera module on which the spring member 10 is mounted, i.e., components other than the spring member 10. The spring portion 13 comprises multiple thin wires 13A. Viewed from a viewpoint opposite to the plane on which the spring member 10 expands, each thin wire 13A has a linear shape extending along the plane on which the spring member 10 expands, and multiple thin wires 13A are arranged in parallel. Each thin wire 13A is part of the metal foil forming the spring member 10. The spring portion 13 may have a structure in which a single wire has multiple bends, making it appear as if multiple thin wires 13A are lined up, or it may have multiple thin wires 13A that are independent of each other and lined up. In the example shown in Figure 1, adjacent thin wires 13A are connected to each other by bends. In a lens-driven mechanism, a spring member 10 is positioned on one side of the lens in the optical axis direction. Alternatively, two spring members 10 are positioned to sandwich the lens in the optical axis direction. The position of the lens changes as the position of the inner frame 12 relative to the outer frame 11 changes in each spring member 10. This allows the lens-driven mechanism to compensate for camera shake. In contrast, in a sensor-driven drive mechanism, the spring member 10 is positioned on one side of the image sensor in the optical axis direction of the lens. Alternatively, two spring members 10 are positioned so as to sandwich the image sensor in the optical axis direction of the lens. The position of the image sensor changes as the position of the inner frame 12 relative to the outer frame 11 changes in each spring member 10. This makes it possible to correct camera shake using a sensor-driven drive mechanism. The electronic device on which the camera module equipped with the