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US-12621552-B2 - Camera module capable of acquiring an accurate image

US12621552B2US 12621552 B2US12621552 B2US 12621552B2US-12621552-B2

Abstract

One embodiment of a camera module may comprise: a lens barrel provided with at least one lens; a holder to which the lens barrel is coupled; a printed circuit board coupled on the bottom of the holder to face the lens; an adhering portion coupling the holder and the printed circuit board; an opening portion opening a portion of a first space formed through the coupling of the printed circuit board and the holder; and a housing coupled with the holder, wherein a second space separated from the first space may be formed through the coupling of the holder and the housing, and the opening portion may communicate the first space with the second space.

Inventors

  • Myoung Jin An

Assignees

  • LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20231218
Priority Date
20150608

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A camera module comprising: a lens barrel on which at least one lens is disposed; a holder on which the lens barrel is disposed; a substrate coupled to the holder and on which an image sensor is disposed; an adhesive element disposed on an upper surface of the substrate to couple the holder and the substrate; a first space formed below the holder by coupling the holder and the substrate; and an opening through the adhesive member, wherein the opening connects the first space and an outside of the camera module, and wherein the opening opens a portion of the first space in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens.
  2. 2 . The camera module according to claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a first protrusion protruded from a lower portion of the holder in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the lens, and the adhesive member and the opening are disposed between the first protrusion and the upper surface of the substrate.
  3. 3 . The camera module according to claim 2 , wherein the opening is at least one hole penetrating the first protrusion in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the lens.
  4. 4 . The camera module according to claim 3 , wherein the hole has a width of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.
  5. 5 . The camera module according to claim 1 , comprising a housing that accommodates the substrate therein and coupled to the holder; and a second space formed outside of the first space by coupling the holder and the housing, and wherein the opening connects the first space and the second space.
  6. 6 . The camera module according to claim 5 , wherein the holder includes a second protrusion protruded in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, and the housing is coupled to the second protrusion.
  7. 7 . The camera module according to claim 6 , wherein the housing overlaps with the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
  8. 8 . A camera module comprising: a substrate on which an image sensor is disposed; a holder disposed on the substrate; a lens barrel disposed above the holder and on which at least one lens is disposed; an adhesive member disposed in a closed curve on an upper surface of the substrate to couple the holder and the substrate; a first space formed below the holder by coupling the holder and the substrate; a housing accommodating the substrate therein and coupled to the holder; and an opening formed through a portion of an area formed by the closed curve of the adhesive member on the upper surface of the substrate to open a portion of the first space in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, wherein the holder includes a second protrusion protruded from an outer surface of the holder in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, and the housing is coupled to the second protrusion.
  9. 9 . The camera module according to claim 8 , wherein the holder includes a first protrusion protruded from a lower portion of the holder in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the lens, and the adhesive member and the opening are disposed between the first protrusion and the upper surface of the substrate.
  10. 10 . The camera module according to claim 8 , comprising a second space formed outside the first space by coupling the holder and the housing, wherein the opening connects the first space and the second space.
  11. 11 . The camera module according to claim 8 , wherein the housing overlaps with the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
  12. 12 . A camera module comprising: a lens barrel on which at least one lens is disposed; a holder on which the lens barrel is disposed; a substrate on which an image sensor is disposed and coupled to a lower portion of the holder; a housing coupled to the holder; a first space formed below the holder by coupling the holder and the substrate; and a second space formed outside the first space by coupling the holder and the housing, wherein the holder includes a first protrusion protruding in a first direction parallel to an optical axis of the lens, and a second protrusion protruding in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, and wherein the first protrusion includes an opening connecting the first space and the second space.
  13. 13 . The camera module according to claim 12 , wherein the opening is at least one hole penetrating the first protrusion in the second direction.
  14. 14 . The camera module according to claim 13 , wherein the hole has a width of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.
  15. 15 . The camera module according to claim 13 , wherein the hole has a cross-section of any one of a circular shape, an oval shape, a square shape, and a polygonal shape.
  16. 16 . The camera module according to claim 12 , wherein the opening is a path for discharging air in the first space toward the second space.
  17. 17 . The camera module according to claim 12 , wherein the housing is coupled to the second protrusion.
  18. 18 . The camera module according to claim 12 , wherein the first protrusion includes a lower surface facing the substrate, and the lower surface of the first protrusion and the upper surface of the substrate are connected by a first adhesive.
  19. 19 . The camera module according to claim 18 , wherein the lower surface of the first protrusion and the upper surface of the substrate are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/929,913, filed Sep. 6, 2022; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/135,149, filed Dec. 28, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,470,231, issued Oct. 11, 2022; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/665,420, filed Oct. 28, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,911,655, issued Feb. 2, 2021; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/735,076, filed Dec. 8, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,498,937, issued Dec. 3, 2019; which is the U.S. national stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2016/006030, filed Jun. 8, 2016, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2015-0080414, filed Jun. 8, 2015, and 10-2016-0017308, filed Feb. 15, 2016, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments relate to a camera module having a structure that is capable of inhibiting the focal distance between a lens and an image sensor from deviating from a design range in an assembly process, or inhibiting some elements from being deformed or damaged. BACKGROUND ART The disclosure described in this part merely provides background information related to embodiments, and does not constitute the related art. Camera modules may be mounted in vehicles for various purposes. For example, a camera module, which is capable of securing the view behind a vehicle when parking the vehicle, may be mounted on the rear of the vehicle. In addition, in recent years, a camera module may also be used in a vehicle black box, which is very useful in tracking details of an accident, the reason of an accident, and the like when a traffic accident occurs. In addition, there is the case where a camera module is used as a recognition device for clearly and easily grasping the situation in a blind spot, which is difficult to see with the naked eye by a vehicle driver or a passenger. The manufacture of a so-called “smart car”, i.e. a vehicle equipped with, for example, a collision warning system for detecting in advance the possibility of a collision ahead of or behind the vehicle while driving to prepare for the collision or a collision avoidance system for allowing a control device mounted in the vehicle to directly avoid a collision between vehicles that are driving, without intervention by a driver, has recently gradually increased, and the development of related technologies is increasing. The use of a camera module, which serves to recognize the external situation of such a smart car, is increasing, and thus the production and technical development of vehicle camera modules are on the rise. A camera module may be configured such that a lens and an image sensor are disposed at opposite positions in an optical-axis direction. When assembling the camera module, the lens and the image sensor are disposed so that the focal distance therebetween is within a design range. However, the focal distance may deviate from the design range in the process of assembling the camera module, which is a problem that this needs to be solved. In addition, some elements may be deformed or damaged in the process of assembling the camera module, which also needs to be solved. Technical Object Thus, embodiments relate to a camera module having a structure that is capable of inhibiting the focal distance between a lens and an image sensor from deviating from a design range in an assembly process or inhibiting some elements from being deformed or damaged, and that is also capable of allowing the lens and the image sensor to be aligned parallel to each other. Technical objects to be achieved by embodiments are not limited to the technical objects as mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical objects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. Technical Solution According to one embodiment, a camera module includes a lens barrel having at least one lens, a holder coupled to the lens barrel, a printed circuit board coupled to a lower portion of the holder so as to face the lens, an adhesive element configured to couple the holder and the printed circuit board to each other, an opening configured to open a portion of a first space, which is defined via coupling of the printed circuit board and the holder, and a housing coupled to the holder, wherein the first space is separated from a second space, which is defined via coupling of the holder and the housing, and wherein the first space and the second space communicate with each other through the opening. The printed circuit board may be coupled to an image sensor, and the image sensor may be disposed in the first space. The adhesive element may have one side surface disposed so as to be exposed to the second space. A coupling portion of the holder and the housing may be disposed closer to the lens than the adhesive element in a first