By Movable Refractive Structure Patents (Class 359/557)
  • Patent number: 11630320
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a movable body that includes an optical module, a frame body radially outward of the movable body, and support portions that swingably support the movable body with respect to the frame body. Each of the support portions includes a guide portion between the movable body and the frame body to support the movable body, and a preload portion that pushes the guide portion toward the movable body. A radially inner end portion of the preload portion is connected to a radially outer end portion of the guide portion. A radially outer end portion of the preload portion is supported by the frame body. One of the movable body and the guide portion includes a first convex surface, and the other includes a first concave surface in contact with the first convex surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sazai, Tomohiro Egawa, Takayuki Iwase, Genki Tanaka, Tsutomu Arai, Shinji Minamisawa, Takeshi Sue
  • Patent number: 11609411
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a lens assembly that receives external light, which is used by a camera module to capture a still image and/or a moving picture, in a first direction, a housing forming an outer portion of the camera module, a first support disposed inside the housing and disposed in a second direction away from the lens assembly, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; and a second support including at least a portion protruding in the second direction while surrounding the lens assembly, wherein the first support and the second support are disposed in the second direction away from the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kwangseok Byon, Byungkwon Kang, Hyunho Yu
  • Patent number: 11604332
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device and an electronic apparatus capable of adjusting a focus position and an image stabilization position with high accuracy. There are provided a lens that converges object light, an imaging element that photoelectrically converts the object light received from the lens, a circuit base that includes a circuit configured to output a signal received from the imaging element to an outside, an actuator that drives the lens with a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) waveform in at least either one of an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction, and plural detection units that are so disposed as to face plural first coils included in the actuator, and detect magnetic fields generated by the first coils. The present technology is applicable to an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuji Kimura, Yuki Urano
  • Patent number: 11598974
    Abstract: An optical element driving mechanism is provided. The optical element driving mechanism includes a fixed portion, a first blade, a transmission assembly, and a driving assembly. The first blade is movable relative to the fixed portion. The transmission assembly is movable relative to the fixed portion. The driving assembly is used for driving the transmission element to move relative to the fixed portion. The transmission element brings the first blade to move relative to the fixed portion when the transmission element is driven by the driving assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Hsiao-Hsin Hu, He-Ling Chang, Chao-Hsi Wang, Chao-Chang Hu
  • Patent number: 11592644
    Abstract: In a state in which a position sensor for focusing is viewed in the direction of an optical axis, a line connecting the position sensor for focusing to the optical axis is set as a first reference line and a line orthogonal to the first reference line and passing through the optical axis is set as a second reference line. The position sensor for focusing is disposed in a first region of the first region and a second region partitioned by the second reference line. An X-direction VCM and a Y-direction VCM are arranged in the second region. The influence of magnetism from the X-direction VCM and the Y-direction VCM on the position sensor for focusing is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11586051
    Abstract: An optical image stabilizing (OIS) module and a camera module are provided. The OIS module includes a driving holder provided on a bottom surface of a housing, a driving frame comprising a reflection member and supported on an inner wall of the driving holder, a driving part configured to provide a driving force to move the driving holder and the driving frame, wherein the driving holder is configured to move in one or more of a linear direction and a rotational direction on the bottom surface of the housing to move the reflection member in a first axial direction, perpendicular to an optical axis, and the driving frame is configured to move in one or more of the linear direction and the rotational direction on the inner wall of the driving holder to move the reflection member in a second axial direction, perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Kyung Kim, Nam Ki Park, Ta Kyoung Lee, Bong Won Jeong, Young Bok Yoon
  • Patent number: 11579398
    Abstract: An optical element driving mechanism is provided and includes a movable portion and a fixed portion. The movable portion includes a carrier for carrying an optical member with a first optical axis. The fixed portion has a top surface, a first side surface and a second side surface. The top surface extends in a direction that is parallel to the first optical axis. The first side surface and the second side surface extend in a direction that is not parallel to the first optical axis from the edge of the top surface and face different sides of the optical member. The shortest distance between the optical member and the first side surface is shorter than the shortest distance between the optical member and the second side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chien-Yu Kao, Chen-Hsien Fan, Chih-Wei Weng, Chao-Chang Hu, Che-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 11579462
    Abstract: There are provided a reflecting module for optical image stabilization (OIS) and a camera module including the same. The reflecting module for OIS includes a housing to which a board is coupled, the housing including an opening, a moving holder disposed in an internal space of the housing, an elastic member fixedly coupled to the housing to support the moving holder so that the moving holder is movable, a reflecting member provided on the movable holder, and a driving part including a plurality of magnets provided on the moving holder, and a plurality of coils provided on the board and respectively opposing the plurality of magnets, wherein the plurality of coils are disposed to oppose the plurality of magnets through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong Won Jeong, Jae Kyung Kim, Young Bok Yoon, Hyun Kag Park
  • Patent number: 11579463
    Abstract: There are provided a reflecting module for optical image stabilization (OIS) and a camera module including the same. The reflecting module for OIS includes a housing to which a board is coupled and including a through-hole, a moving holder connected to the housing by an elastic member, a reflecting member provided on the moving holder, and a driving part providing driving force to the moving holder to move the moving holder relatively with respect to the housing, wherein the elastic member includes a housing fixing part fixed to the housing and a holder fixing part fixed to the moving holder, wherein the driving part includes a magnet provided on the moving holder and a coil provided on the board and opposing the magnet, and wherein the coil is disposed to oppose the magnet through the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong Won Jeong, Jae Kyung Kim, Young Bok Yoon, Hyun Kag Park
  • Patent number: 11579397
    Abstract: A periscope optical module is provided. The periscope optical module includes a first optical element, a second optical element, and a third optical element. The first optical element has a first optical axis. The second optical element corresponds to the first optical element and adjusts a forward direction of a light. The third optical element has a second optical axis. The third optical element corresponds to the second optical element. The light passes through the first optical element, the second optical element, and the third optical element consecutively. The first optical axis is not parallel to the second optical axis. A minimum size of the first optical element in a direction that is perpendicular to the first optical axis is larger than a maximum size of the third optical element in a direction of the first optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chen-Er Hsu, Chin-Hsien Lee, Chih-Wei Weng
  • Patent number: 11573394
    Abstract: A lens moving apparatus is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Jin Jung, Sang Jun Min
  • Patent number: 11570364
    Abstract: An optical member driving device is provided that includes a fixed portion with an accommodation space for a lens device, and a movable portion, which has a holding portion for holding an image sensor, and is rockably supported at a position on a rear side of the lens device. The movable portion includes an FPC having a main body portion connected to the image sensor and a connecting portion for connecting the main body portion and an external device and a coil substrate which is fixed on a front surface of the main body portion of the FPC and on which a coil is formed. The connecting portion has a base end portion which rises from a predetermined position on an edge of the main body portion to a front side. The base end portion is opposed to a side surface of the coil substrate with an adhesive interposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tatsuki Wade, Masahiro Akatsu
  • Patent number: 11567286
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a camera module comprising: a bobbin, which has a through-hole formed therein; a lens module, which is accommodated in the through-hole and is coupled to the bobbin; a protrusion formed to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the lens module; and a recess formed to be recessed from the inner peripheral surface of the bobbin so as to accommodate at least a part of the protrusion, wherein the recess comprises a first guide portion, which extends downwards from the upper end of the bobbin, and a second guide portion, which extends so as to slope from the first guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Yeon Han, Young Taek Oh
  • Patent number: 11567339
    Abstract: A shake correction optical unit with a shake correction function may cause a movable body including an optical module to swing around an X axis and a Y axis that are perpendicular to an optical axis L. A flexible printed board may include a second folded portion drawn from the movable body in a +Y direction, and bent in a direction of the optical axis L and folded once; and a first folded portion bent to extend from the second folded portion in the +Y direction and folded once. At least one of the second folded portion or the first folded portion may be thus easily bendable when the movable body swings in either direction around the X axis or around the Y axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu Arai, Shinji Minamisawa, Takeshi Sue
  • Patent number: 11561378
    Abstract: An imaging lens includes a first lens; a second lens; a third lens; a fourth lens; a fifth lens; a sixth lens; a seventh lens; an eighth lens having positive refractive power; and a ninth lens, arranged in this order from an object side to an image plane side. The imaging lens has a total of nine lenses. The eighth lens has at least one aspheric surface. The ninth lens is formed in a shape so that a surface thereof on the image plane side has an aspherical shape. The seventh lens has a specific thickness near an optical axis thereof. The eighth lens has a specific thickness near an optical axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO VISIONARY OPTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 11543673
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function includes a gimbal mechanism swingably supporting a movable body and including a connection mechanism including a spherical body and a support part contacted with the spherical body. The movable body includes a holding part holding a gimbal frame receiving member including a plate part fixed with the spherical body and a pair of protruded parts protruded to the support part side. The holding part is formed in a cut-out recessed part including a rear wall face, a pair of side wall faces, and a bottom wall face. When viewed in the optical axis direction, a pair of the protruded parts overlaps the support part. The movable body includes a facing wall part facing a pair of the protruded parts, and a separated distance between the facing wall part and the protruded parts is narrower than a thickness of the support part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 11536982
    Abstract: An anti-vibration optical device includes an objective lens group provided on one side of a housing, an eyepiece group provided on another side of the housing, an image blur corrector housed into the housing to be located between the objective lens group and the eyepiece group and including an erecting prism, a gimbal mechanism rotatably supporting the erecting prism and an actuator for rotating the erecting prism via the gimbal mechanism, a first angular velocity detection sensor configured to detect a first angular velocity, which is an angular velocity of the housing, a second angular velocity detection sensor configured to detect a second angular velocity, which is an angular velocity of the erecting prism, and a controller configured to control the actuator on the basis of the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KAMAKURA KOKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruo Itoh, Kazuya Miyaji
  • Patent number: 11513312
    Abstract: A lens drive device, including a lens support, a coil winded at a periphery of the lens support; a screening can is covered outside the lens support; a driving magnets is respectively provided on opposite two inner sidewalls of the screening can; a Printed Circuit Board board (PCB board) is provided on a sidewall at another side of the screening can; a Hall chip is provided on the PCB board; a Hall magnet back gasket and a Hall magnet are provided at corresponding positions of the lens support; and the PCB board and the Hall chip thereon and the Hall magnet form a lens position detection unit. Since the driving magnets and the Hall magnet are not hindered to each other in a configuration structure, no obstacle is produced to assembly work, and the further miniaturization and thinning of the lens drive device also become possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Shanghai Billu Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianhua Wang, Gaofeng Gong, Xiaoliang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11503211
    Abstract: A suspension assembly is described. A suspension assembly including a support member configured to receive at least a first circuit member. The first circuit member including at least a trace. The first circuit member disposed on the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Mark A. Miller
  • Patent number: 11493780
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function has a shake correction function for correcting a shake of an optical module. The optical unit with a shake correction function includes: a movable body including the optical module; a fixed body disposed outward of the movable body in a radial direction with respect to an optical axis of the optical module; and a support part disposed between the movable body and the fixed body in the radial direction and structured to support the movable body such that the movable body is swingable relative to the fixed body. The movable body and the support part or the support part and the fixed body have, in a pair, a swing mechanism structured to allow the movable body to swing relative to the fixed body. The swing mechanism includes a protruded spherical portion and a recessed spherical portion that is larger in radius of curvature than the protruded spherical portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Genki Tanaka, Tomohiro Egawa, Takayuki Iwase, Kazuhiro Sazai, Tsutomu Arai, Shinji Minamisawa, Takeshi Sue
  • Patent number: 11493727
    Abstract: An optical system is provided, including a fixed assembly, a plurality of movable members, and a plurality of driving assemblies respectively connected to the movable members. The movable members are connected to an optical element and movable relative to the fixed assembly. The driving assemblies respectively drive the movable members to move relative to the fixed assembly in different time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Yi-Chun Cheng, Chao-Chang Hu, Che-Wei Chang, Chih-Wen Chiang, Tsung-Tung Li, Sin-Jhong Song
  • Patent number: 11480810
    Abstract: A lens moving apparatus includes a housing for supporting a first magnet, a bobbin, which includes a first coil provided on an outer surface thereof and which moves in a first direction, a support member, which is disposed over one side surface of the housing, and which supports the bobbin and the housing such that the bobbin and the housing are movable in second and/or third directions, which are perpendicular to the first direction, a second coil, which is disposed over the housing, and which is spaced apart from the support member by a predetermined distance and which generates an electromagnetic force to move the support member in the second and/or third directions, and a printed circuit board disposed over the second coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Guk Lee, Sang Jun Min, Tae Jin Jung
  • Patent number: 11480291
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic gimbal with camera and mounting configuration. The gimbal can include an inertial measurement unit which can sense the orientation of the camera and three electronic motors which can manipulate the orientation of the camera. The gimbal can be removably coupled to a variety of mount platforms, such as an aerial vehicle, a handheld grip, or a rotating platform. Moreover, a camera can be removably coupled to the gimbal and can be held in a removable camera frame. Also disclosed is a system for allowing the platform, to which the gimbal is mounted, to control settings of the camera or to trigger actions on the camera, such as taking a picture, or initiating the recording of a video. The gimbal can also provide a connection between the camera and the mount platform, such that the mount platform receives images and video content from the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriaki Saika, Ryan Harrison, Joshua Todd Druker, Himay Rashmikant Shukla, Nenad Uzunovic, Edward Gordon Russell, Gary Fong
  • Patent number: 11474326
    Abstract: An optical imaging system includes a first lens having an object-side surface that is convex; a second lens having a refractive power; a third lens having a refractive power; a fourth lens having a refractive power; a fifth lens having a refractive power and an object-side surface that is concave; and a sixth lens having a refractive power and an object-side surface that is concave, wherein the first lens through the sixth lens are sequentially disposed in numerical order from an object side of the optical imaging system toward an imaging plane, and the optical imaging system satisfies the conditional expressions 0.7<TL/f<1.0 and TL/2<f1, where TL is a distance from the object-side surface of the first lens to the imaging plane, f is an overall focal length of the optical imaging system, and f1 is a focal length of the first lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Hwa Jung, Tae Youn Lee, Yong Joo Jo
  • Patent number: 11460661
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a housing including a guide protrusion projecting from an upper surface thereof and a guide groove formed adjacent to the guide protrusion, a first magnet disposed at the housing, a bobbin on which a lens is mounted, a first coil disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the bobbin to move the bobbin by interaction with the first magnet, an upper elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing and having an end disposed in the guide groove, a damping member disposed between a side surface of the guide protrusion and a first end of the upper elastic member disposed in the guide groove, and a second coil for moving the housing by interaction with the first magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Cheol Kim, Jin Suk Han
  • Patent number: 11448860
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system includes a positive first lens group disposed at a most object side, a negative intermediate group disposed at an image side of the first lens group, a positive focusing group disposed at an image side of the intermediate group, and a positive image side group disposed at an image side of the focusing group. Upon varying magnification, a distance between the first lens group and the intermediate group, a distance between the intermediate group and the focusing group and a distance between the focusing group and the image side group are varied; and the image side group includes, in order from an object side, a positive A group, a negative B group satisfying a predetermined conditional expression with respect to the A group, and a C group, whereby excellent optical performance, high speed focusing, and other advantages are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11442287
    Abstract: An optical unit may include a movable body having an optical module, a fixed body, a support mechanism structured to swingably support the movable body, and a magnetic drive part which is provided on at least two faces of the movable body and the fixed body and is structured to swing the movable body. All faces of one of the movable body and the fixed body may be formed with a protruded part protruded to a direction where the movable body and the fixed body are faced each other, all faces of the other of the movable body and the fixed body may be formed with a contact part capable of contacting with the protruded part, and the face of the one of the movable body and the fixed body where the magnetic drive part is provided is formed with the protruded part on both sides of the magnetic drive part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 11442288
    Abstract: An optical unit with shake-correction function is provided. A movable body is supported by a fixed body via a gimbal mechanism. The fixed body includes a case surrounding the movable body. The gimbal mechanism includes a gimbal frame having a second axis-side extension part protruding in a direction of a second axis and a second connecting mechanism connecting the second axis-side extension part and the case. The second axis-side extension part includes a first portion extending in a direction of Z-axis, a bent portion bending from an end of the first portion, and a second portion extending from the bent portion in a ?Z direction. The second connecting mechanism connects the second portion and the case, and the fixed body includes an object-side end plate portion facing the bent portion from the direction of the Z axis on an outer side of the first portion in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Kasahara, Shinji Hatano
  • Patent number: 11435563
    Abstract: A zoom lens comprising, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power an interval between adjacent lens units changing and the first to fourth lens units moving during zooming. An image blur is corrected by moving a sub-unit having a negative refractive power as a whole in the third lens unit orthogonally to an optical axis. A predetermined conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Kimura, Takahiro Hatada
  • Patent number: 11428921
    Abstract: Provided is a prism device applied to a periscope lens module. The prism device includes: a bearing frame; an elastic member including first and second elastic frames; a driving member; a supporting member including a relying portion and rotatably mounted to the bearing frame through the elastic member; and a prism. The driving member drives the supporting member and the prism to rotate relative to the bearing frame. The first and second elastic frames include a first clamping portion and a second clamping portion, respectively, and the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion clamp the relying portion from two opposite sides thereof in such a manner that the supporting member is rotatable about the relying portion. Therefore, when the driving member is driven by the driving member, the prism can be driven to rotate relative to the bearing frame, thereby automatically correcting an angle of the prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: AAC Optics Solutions Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Linzhen Li, Jiliang Lu, Gang Li, Jin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11409125
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable body, a gimbal mechanism swingably supporting the movable body around a first axis and a second axis, a fixed body supporting the movable body. The gimbal mechanism may include a gimbal frame, a first connection mechanism turnably connecting the movable body with the gimbal frame around the first axis, and a second connection mechanism turnably connecting the fixed body with the gimbal frame around the second axis. The first connection mechanism may include a first spherical body and a first concave curved face point-contacted with the first spherical body. The movable body may include an outer case and a protruded part protruded from the outer case at a diagonal position of the outer case in the first axis direction, and one of the first spherical body and the first concave curved face may be disposed in the protruded part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 11409124
    Abstract: A movable unit of an optical module having an image shake correction function is supported by a gimbal mechanism so as to be rotatable around a first axis R1 and a second axis R2. The movable body is driven by a shake-correction magnetic drive mechanism including magnets and fixed to the movable body. The movable body further includes a lens-moving magnetic drive mechanism to move a lens module in an optical axis direction. The lens-moving magnetic drive mechanism includes a lens-moving coil fixed to the lens module 7 and a lens-moving magnet disposed radially outward of the lens-moving coil. The magnets and also serve as the lens-moving magnet and are disposed radially outward of a triaxial intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Sue, Tadashi Takeda, Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 11402650
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function includes a movable body having an optical module, a gimbal mechanism structured to swingably support the movable body around a first axial line and a second axial line, a fixed body supporting the movable body through the gimbal mechanism, and a shake correction drive mechanism structured to swing the movable body around the first axial line and around the second axial line. The gimbal mechanism includes a gimbal frame which connects the movable body with the fixed body, the gimbal frame has a first frame portion located on one side in an optical axis direction with respect to a first end part which is an end part on the one side of the fixed body, and the movable body has a movable body protruded portion located on the one side in the optical axis direction with respect to the first end part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Sue, Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 11381724
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a camera module including a bobbin, a housing positioned at an outside of the bobbin, an elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing, a foreign object exhaust passage concavely formed at an upper surface of the housing, and an opening formed at the housing to open at least a part of the foreign object exhaust passage to an inside of the housing, wherein the foreign object exhaust passage is overlapped on at least a part of the housing-coupled elastic member to a vertical direction, whereby it is easy to wash foreign objects positioned between an elastic member and a housing to reduce an auto focus tilt defects generated after assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Hong Cho, Hee Se Lee, Jin Suk Han, In Jae Yeo
  • Patent number: 11372217
    Abstract: An image forming lens system includes an aperture stop, and an image-side lens unit group which is disposed on an image side of the aperture stop. The image-side lens unit group includes a first image-side lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second image-side lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third image-side lens unit having a negative refractive power. Any one of the first image-side lens unit, the second image side lens unit, and the third image-side lens unit is a focusing lens unit which moves along the optical axis at the time of focusing, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: 0.06<|ffo/f|<0.4 ??(1) where, f denotes a focal length of the image forming lens system at the time of focusing at an object at infinity, and ffo denotes a focal length of the focusing lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuteru Kawamura, Takashi Fujikura
  • Patent number: 11372261
    Abstract: An optical unit with shake-correction function is provided and includes: a movable body, a rotational support structure, a gimbal mechanism, a fixed body, and a rolling corrective-magnet drive structure. The rotational support structure, which supports the movable body to be rotatable around an optical axis, is rotatably supported by the gimbal mechanism around two axes intersecting with the optical axis. The rotational support structure includes a first annular groove provided on the movable body, a plate roller including a second annular groove facing the first annular groove, and multiple spherical objects inserted in the first annular groove and the second annular groove. The gimbal mechanism supports the plate roller to be rotatable. The rolling corrective-magnet drive structure, which rotates the movable body around the optical axis, includes a rolling corrective magnet on the movable body side, and two rolling corrective coils on the fixed body side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Hatano, Shogo Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11347074
    Abstract: An optical unit having a shake correction function may include a movable body including an optical module, a fixed body that supports the movable body via a gimbal mechanism, and a shake correction drive mechanism that swings the movable body around a first axis and a second axis intersecting each other. The shake correction drive mechanism may be disposed on two intersecting faces out of four faces of the movable body. A first flexible printed circuit board may be led out from one of the two faces, of which the shake correction drive mechanism is not disposed on either.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Minamisawa, Takeshi Sue
  • Patent number: 11347024
    Abstract: A driving apparatus, a lens unit, a device, a correction method, and a computer readable recording medium are provided, the driving apparatus including an actuator that changes a relative position between a lens section and an imaging device; a magnetic field detection section that detects magnetic field information corresponding to the relative position between the lens section and the imaging device; a storage section that stores reference information that is based on an output of the magnetic field detection section when the lens section or the imaging device is positioned at the reference position; and a control section that controls a driving amount of the actuator based on the magnetic field information and the reference information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Arata Takahashi, Yuki Uchibori
  • Patent number: 11333898
    Abstract: A camera module device is provided. The device includes a movable body configured to accommodate a lens barrel and configured to be moved in a direction of an optical axis and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a housing configured to accommodate the movable body, a first driving unit, disposed on a first surface of the movable body, and configured to generate a first driving force to move the movable body in the direction of the optical axis, a second driving unit, disposed on a second surface and a third surface of the movable body, and configured to generate driving force to move the movable body in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and a first sensing unit, disposed on a fourth surface of the movable body, and configured to detect a position of the lens barrel moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong Won Jeong, Nam Ki Park, Hong Joo Lee, Young Bok Yoon, Jung Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 11327281
    Abstract: Provided is a zoom lens consisting of, in order from object side to image side, a positive first lens unit, a negative second lens unit, a positive third lens unit and a rear lens group including a plurality of lens units in which intervals between adjacent lens units are changed during zooming. The first lens unit does not move during zooming. The third lens unit moves toward object side during zooming from wide angle end to telephoto end. The first lens unit includes three or more positive lenses. A focal length of zoom lens at wide angle end, a focal length of first lens unit, a distance from a lens surface closest to object side to an image plane, a back focus at wide angle end, and a focal length of a positive lens having a smallest refractive power among positive lenses included in first lens unit are appropriately set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Kimura
  • Patent number: 11330209
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device and an electronic device that enable highly accurate adjustment of a focus position and a camera shake correction position. The device includes: a lens that focuses subject light; an imaging element that photoelectrically converts the subject light from the lens; a circuit substrate including a circuit that externally outputs a signal from the imaging element; an actuator that drives the lens with a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) waveform in at least one of an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, or a Z-axis direction; and a detection unit that detects a magnetic field generated by a coil included in the actuator. The actuator drives the lens to move a focus, or drives the lens to reduce an influence of camera shake. The present technology can be applied to the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuji Kimura, Rei Takamori, Hirokazu Seki
  • Patent number: 11327300
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include optical aberration control for a camera system. Such a camera system may implement optical aberration control, e.g., by combining one or more variable focus devices with one or more actuators (e.g., a voice coil motor actuator) for moving a lens stack of the camera system to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) functionality. A variable focus device may have variable optical power to achieve AF, OIS, and/or introduce optical aberrations such as spherical aberration. In some implementations, the variable focus device may be driven to introduce optical aberrations, and the actuator for moving the lens stack may be driven to compensate for the optical power from the variable focus device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin A. Gross
  • Patent number: 11314042
    Abstract: An optical system (10) for image pickup includes a first refractive optical system (Si) disposed on an object side with respect to an aperture stop (St) and a second refractive optical system (S2) disposed on an image plane side with respect to the aperture stop. The first refractive optical system includes, in order from the object side (11), a first lens group (G1) with positive refractive power, a second lens group (G2) with positive refractive power, and a third lens group (G3) with negative refractive power. The second refractive optical system includes, in order from the object side (11), a fourth lens group (G4) with positive refractive power, a fifth lens group (G5) with positive refractive power, and a sixth lens group (G6) with negative refractive power. When focusing from infinity to a short distance, the second lens group and the fourth lens group move toward the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NITTOH INC.
    Inventor: Akira Sawamoto
  • Patent number: 11314032
    Abstract: An optical element driving mechanism is provided, including a base, a holder movably coupled to the base for holding an optical element, a casing, a frame, a driving assembly, and an adhering member. The casing has a top wall and a plurality of side walls extending from the edge of the top wall along an optical axis of the optical element, and the top wall is closer to a light-incident end than the base. The frame is disposed on the top wall and has a frame protrusion extending toward the base. The driving assembly is configured to drive the holder to move relative to the base, and an accommodating space is formed between the base, the frame and the casing. The adhering member is disposed in the accommodating space and configured to directly adhere to the base, the frame, the casing, and the driving assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Fu-Yuan Wu, Kun-Shih Lin, Yu-Huai Liao, Yu-Cheng Lin, Yen-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11314065
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, one or two intermediate lens units having positive refractive powers, and a final lens unit having a positive power. A distance between each pair of adjacent lens units changes in zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. The one or two intermediate lens units include three or four lenses. The one or two intermediate lens units include a single lens having a positive refractive power and being closest to the image side. The final lens unit includes three or four lenses. The zoom lens satisfies specified conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 11307392
    Abstract: Provided is a variable magnification optical system comprising, in order from an object side along an optical axis, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group G4; upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 being varied, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 being varied, and a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group being varied; the third lens group G3 comprising, in order from the object side along the optical axis, a 3a-th lens group G3a having positive refractive power, an aperture S, and a 3b-th lens group G3b having positive refractive power; a lens group having negative refractive power within the 3b-th lens group G3b being used as a vibration reduction lens group and moved so as to include a component i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Satoru Shibata
  • Patent number: 11300755
    Abstract: A driving mechanism for driving an optical element to move is provided, including a movable part, a fixed part, a housing connected to the fixed part, and a buffer member. The movable part is configured to hold the optical element. The fixed part is connected to the movable part, wherein the movable part is movable relative to the fixed part. The housing has a top cover and at least a sidewall connected to the top cover. The buffer member is disposed on the housing and extends from the top cover to the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chen-Hsin Huang, Shao-Chung Chang, Shou-Jen Liu, Chen-Chi Kuo
  • Patent number: 11294157
    Abstract: A zoom optical system (ZL) comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power; a second lens group (G2) having a negative refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having a positive refractive power; and a subsequent lens group (GR), wherein upon zooming, a distance between the first lens group (G1) and the second lens group (G2) changes, a distance between the second lens group (G2) and the third lens group (G3) changes, and a distance between the third lens group (G3) and the subsequent lens group (GR) changes, the subsequent lens group (GR) comprises a focusing lens group that moves upon focusing, and the second lens group (G2) comprises a partial group that satisfies following conditional expressions, 1.40<fvr/f2<2.30, 1.80<f1/fw<3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11294172
    Abstract: An optical element driving mechanism includes a fixed module, a movable module, an optical element, a first sensing magnet, and a first sensing element. The movable module is movably connected to the fixed module. The optical element is disposed on the movable module. The first sensing magnet is disposed corresponding to the optical element, and has a polar direction. The first sensing element is disposed corresponding to the first sensing magnet for sensing displacement of the first sensing magnet relative to the fixed module in a first direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the polar direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Shu-Shan Chen, Cheng-Kai Yu
  • Patent number: 11281019
    Abstract: A lens driving device includes a base, a lens holder capable of holding a lens body, a movable support, a leaf spring that is disposed on the movable support and supports the lens holder such that the lens holder is movable along an optical axis of the lens body, a suspension wire that rises from the base along the optical axis and supports the movable support such that the movable support is movable in a direction intersecting the optical axis, and a drive mechanism that moves the movable support in the direction intersecting the optical axis. The leaf spring includes a spring body fixed to the movable support, a wire fixing part to which the suspension wire is fixed, and a first beam and a second beam that are disposed between the spring body and the wire fixing part and torsionally deformable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Otomo, Masayoshi Nakagawa, Hideaki Sato, Hidemitsu Sato