US-20260129295-A1 - CAMERA MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING SAME

US20260129295A1US 20260129295 A1US20260129295 A1US 20260129295A1US-20260129295-A1

Abstract

A camera module is provided. The camera module includes a lens assembly including at least one lens, an optical refractive member disposed at a path of light passing through at least a part of the at least one lens, an image sensor for converting the light received through the at least one lens and the optical refractive member into an electrical signal, a housing for accommodating the optical refractive member and the image sensor, a first driving unit for moving the image sensor within an internal space formed by the housing along a first direction in which a distance between the optical refractive member and the image sensor is changed, and a second driving unit for moving the image sensor along at least one of a second direction or a third direction which is different from the second direction with respect to the housing. The first driving unit may include a first carrier for transporting at least a part of the second driving unit which accommodates the image sensor along the first direction, and at least one first sphere interposed between the first carrier and the housing and disposed to move the first carrier along the first direction with respect to the housing.

Inventors

Sewon Kim
Jaekyu SHIM
Kihuk LEE

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251229
Priority Date: 20230626

Claims (20)

1 . A camera module comprising: a lens assembly comprising at least one lens; an optical refractive member disposed at a path of light passing through at least a part of the at least one lens; an image sensor for converting the light received through the at least one lens and the optical refractive member into an electrical signal; a housing for accommodating the optical refractive member and the image sensor; a first driving unit for moving the image sensor within an internal space formed by the housing along a first direction in which a distance between the optical refractive member and the image sensor is changed; and a second driving unit for moving the image sensor along at least one of a second direction or a third direction which is different from the second direction with respect to the housing, wherein the first driving unit comprises: a first carrier for transporting at least a part of the second driving unit which accommodates the image sensor along the first direction, and at least one first sphere interposed between the first carrier and the housing and disposed to move the first carrier along the first direction with respect to the housing.
2 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the first driving unit comprises: a first magnet disposed on a first side of the first carrier, and a first coil disposed to face the first magnet.
3 . The camera module of claim 2 , wherein the first carrier comprises at least one first guide portion, disposed on the first side of the first carrier, for guiding the at least one first sphere to move along the first direction.
4 . The camera module of claim 3 , wherein the first driving unit comprises at least one second sphere, disposed between the housing and the first carrier, for allowing movement of the first carrier, wherein the first carrier comprises at least one second guide portion for guiding the at least one second sphere to move along the first direction on the first side of the first carrier, and wherein the first carrier comprises at least one elastic member, formed between the first guide portion and the second guide portion, having lower rigidity than other portions of the first side of the first carrier.
5 . The camera module of claim 3 , wherein the first driving unit comprises at least one second sphere, disposed between the housing and the first carrier, for allowing movement of the first carrier, wherein the first carrier comprises at least one second guide portion for guiding at least one second sphere to move along the first direction on the first side of the first carrier, and wherein the first magnet is disposed between the at least one first guide portion and the at least one second guide portion.
6 . The camera module of claim 5 , further comprising: a first yoke disposed to face the first magnet, and a second yoke facing the first magnet and disposed between the first yoke and the at least one first sphere, wherein the second yoke is disposed at a position biased toward the at least one first sphere relative to the at least one second sphere.
7 . The camera module of claim 5 , wherein a size of the at least one first sphere has a first size, and wherein a size of the at least one second sphere has a second size smaller than the first size.
8 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the second driving unit comprises: a second carrier, coupled with the image sensor, for transporting the image sensor along at least one of the second direction or the third direction, and at least one third sphere disposed between the first carrier and the second carrier to allow the second carrier to move on the first carrier.
9 . The camera module of claim 8 , wherein the second carrier is for transporting the image sensor along the second direction, and wherein the second driving unit further comprises a third carrier for transporting the second carrier coupled with the image sensor in the third direction and at least one fourth sphere disposed between the second carrier and the third carrier.
10 . The camera module of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first carrier or the third carrier comprises at least one third guide portion for guiding the at least one third sphere to move along the third direction on the first carrier, and wherein at least one of the second carrier or the third carrier comprises at least one fourth guide portion for guiding the fourth sphere to move along the second direction on the third carrier.
11 . The camera module of claim 8 , wherein the second driving unit comprises: a second magnet disposed on a first side of the second carrier, a third magnet disposed on a second side of the second carrier, a second coil disposed to face the second magnet, and a third coil disposed to face the third magnet, and wherein the first side of the first carrier faces in an opposite direction to the second side of the second carrier.
12 . The camera module of claim 1 , further comprising: a fourth carrier for accommodating the optical refractive member, wherein the fourth carrier comprises an opening disposed between the optical refractive member and the image sensor, and wherein the optical refractive member is disposed to refract the path of the light such that the light passing through the optical refractive member enters the image sensor through the opening.
13 . The camera module of claim 12 , wherein the first carrier transports the image sensor along the first direction by a first distance based on the opening, wherein the image sensor is disposed apart from the opening by a second distance which is greater than the first distance to be spaced apart from the opening by a specific distance, if transported by the first carrier along the first direction by the first distance, and wherein the second distance is equal to or greater than 0.4 mm.
14 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier comprises at least one first guide portion, disposed on a first side of the first carrier, for guiding the at least one first sphere to move along the first direction, wherein a second side of the first carrier, which faces in the opposite direction to the first side of the first carrier, has a first length along the first direction, wherein the optical refractive member has a second length along the first direction, wherein the image sensor has a third length along the first direction, wherein the optical refractive member is spaced apart from the image sensor by a fourth length along the first direction, and wherein the first length is smaller than a sum of the second length, the third length and the fourth length.
15 . The camera module of claim 14 , wherein the sum of a length of the at least one first sphere along the first direction has a fifth length, wherein the first carrier is movable along the first direction by a sixth length, and wherein a sum of the fifth length and the sixth length is smaller than the first length.
16 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the first carrier has a first width along the third direction and a second width in the second direction when the first carrier is viewed in a direction toward the first carrier that is along the first direction, wherein the optical refractive member has a third width along the third direction and a fourth width along the second direction when the optical refractive member is viewed in a direction toward optical refractive member that is along the first direction, wherein the first width is smaller than the third width, and wherein the second width is greater than the fourth width.
17 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to an optical axis of the at least one lens, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis, and wherein the third direction is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis and the second direction.
18 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a base, and a side portion extending from one end of the base and restricting a movement range of the second driving unit along at least one of the second direction or the third direction.
19 . The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the camera module includes a cover for covering at least a part of the housing and restricting a movement range of the first driving unit along the first direction.
20 . The camera module of claim 19 , wherein the camera module may include at least one elastic member disposed on a surface facing the cover in the first carrier.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a continuation application, claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. § 365(c), of an International application No. PCT/KR2024/007978, filed on Jun. 11, 2024, which is based on and claims the benefit of a Korean patent application number 10-2023-0081717, filed on Jun. 26, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and of a Korean patent application number 10-2023-0099069, filed on Jul. 28, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field The disclosure relates to a camera module and an electronic device including the same. 2. Description of Related Art As digital camera manufacturing technology advances, an electronic device equipped with a small and lightweight camera module has become commercialized. As the camera module is installed in the electronic device (e.g., a mobile communication terminal) typically carried around all the time, a user may easily utilize various functions such as video call or augmented reality, as well as photo or video shooting. Recently, an electronic device including a plurality of cameras is supplied. The small electronic device including the plurality of cameras may include a folded optics camera. The folded optics camera may refract a path of light, regardless of a direction of external incident light by arranging an optical member such as an optical refractive member (e.g., a prism). For the camera module to capture an image, a focus of lens needs to be adjusted to form an accurate image on an image sensor included in the camera module. In addition, as the electronic device becomes smaller, image quality may be deteriorated by a movement of the user holding the electronic device while capturing the image. An auto focus (AF) function is a function of an optical system for automatically adjusting the focus on a subject. The electronic device may move the lens or the image sensor to focus on a subject. An optical image stabilization (OIS) technology may be adopted to improve the image quality of the captured image. The electronic device may detect a movement of the electronic device using a motion sensor included in the electronic device. The electronic device may obtain a stabilized image, by driving the lens or the image sensor to move in response to the movement of the electronic device. The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure. SUMMARY Aspects of the disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to provide a camera module and an electronic device including the same. Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments. In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a camera module is provided. The camera module includes a lens assembly including at least one lens, an optical refractive member disposed at a path of light passing through at least a part of the at least one lens, an image sensor for converting the light received through the at least one lens and the optical refractive member into an electrical signal, a housing for accommodating the optical refractive member and the image sensor, a first driving unit for moving the image sensor within an internal space formed by the housing along a first direction in which a distance between the optical refractive member and the image sensor is changed, and a second driving unit for moving the image sensor along at least one of a second direction or a third direction which is different from the second direction with respect to the housing. The first driving unit includes a first carrier for transporting at least a part of the second driving unit which accommodates the image sensor along the first direction, and at least one first sphere interposed between the first carrier and the housing and disposed to move the first carrier along the first direction with respect to the housing. In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a camera module, and at least one processor for controlling an operation of the camera module. The camera module includes a lens assembly including at least one lens, an optical refractive member, an image sensor for converting light received through the at least one lens and the optical refractive member into an electrical signal, a housing for accommodating the optical refractive member and the image sensor, a first driving unit for moving the image sensor along a first di