Abstract: Provided are a lens driving device, a camera device, and an electronic apparatus that are capable of smoothly guiding a lens support. A lens driving device (10) includes a lens support (22) configured to support a lens, a frame member (30) surrounding a periphery of the lens support (22), and a plurality of guiding mechanisms (52a to 52a) configured to guide the lens support (22) relative to the frame member (30) in a freely movable manner. Each of the plurality of guiding mechanisms (52a to 52d) includes a first guiding portion (62a to 62d) formed in the frame member (30), a second guiding portion (64a to 64d) formed in the lens support (22), and balls (24a to 24d) arranged between the first guiding portion (62a to 62d) and the second guiding portion (64a to 64d). The first guiding portion (62b) is formed with use of a first frame member (30a) and a second frame member (30b) that are separate members.

Abstract: A lens driving device includes: a lens carrier for fixing a lens barrel to the inside thereof; a driving unit for moving the lens carrier along an optical axis direction of the lens barrel; and an elastic supporter for supporting the lens carrier so as to move freely along the optical axis direction of the lens barrel; wherein the lens carrier has an opening which opens toward a direction intersecting the optical axis direction of the lens barrel and through which opening the lens barrel is inserted.

Abstract: The lens driving device includes: a housing, a lens holder, and first and second spring members that support the lens holder at both sides of the lens holder in an optical axis direction; wherein the first and second spring member each has a housing side fixing member fixed to the housing, a lens holder side fixing member fixed to the lens holder, and elastic arms therebetween. A first connecting point connecting the elastic arm with the housing side fixing member and a second connecting point connecting the elastic arm with the lens holder side fixing member are arranged offset to each other in a circumferential direction and an offset direction of the second connecting point to the first connecting point in the first spring member and an offset direction of the second connecting point to the first connecting point in the second spring member are opposite.

Abstract: A lens driving device includes: a lens carrier for fixing a lens barrel to the inside thereof; a driving unit for moving the lens carrier along the optical axis direction of the lens barrel; and an upper leaf spring and a lower leaf spring attached to the lens carrier in a manner that a surface of the each upper leaf spring and lower leaf spring is oriented orthogonal to the optical axis direction at an upper part and a lower part of the lens carrier and so that the lens carrier is supported in a manner to move freely in the optical axis direction of the lens barrel; wherein the lens carrier has an opening through which the lens barrel can be inserted from the direction intersecting the optical axis direction of the lens barrel.

Abstract: An autofocus camera is provided which restrains and corrects any tilt that may occur in the optical axis direction without the need of providing any additional new sensors for that purpose. The autofocus camera includes an image sensor for receiving light from an object and converting the light into corresponding electrical signals, a lens driving device having a lens for focusing the light from the object upon said image sensor, and a control portion for causing said lens driving device to adjust any tilt that may occur in the optical axis in response to the electrical signals received from said image sensor. The control portion is operated to cause the lens driving device to adjust any tilts of the optical axis with respect to the image sensor in the orthogonal directions with each other, so that the resolution signals at the predetermined positions of said image sensor can be maximized.

Abstract: The vibration producing device includes a driving shaft being placed under slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of the driving shaft for causing the driving shaft to be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements, a casing for supporting at least either the driving shaft or the slight rapid vibratory movement producing member in such a manner that the driving shaft can be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, and a weight member to be coupled with the driving shaft in order to permit the weight member to move in its axial direction under the slight rapid vibratory movements of the driving shaft, wherein the casing is vibrated by allowing the weight member to be moved forwards and backwards alternately along the driving shaft in its axial direction.

Abstract: A linear driving device includes a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of a driving shaft which causes said driving shaft to be moved in said an axial direction, a casing for supporting at least either said driving shaft or said slight rapid vibratory movements producing member so that said driving shaft can be moved in said axial direction; and a moving body to be coupled with said driving shaft so that said moving body can be moved in the axial direction. When said moving body moves from one end side toward the other end side of said driving shaft, a part of said moving body which forms the surface facing the other end side opposite to said one end of said moving body may hit against a component which stops said moving body from moving further toward the other end side of said driving shaft.

Abstract: A driving member, a linear driving device using the driving member, a camera device and an electronic device are provided. The driving member (10) includes a deformable thin plate (16) having a flexible thin plate (12) capable of expanding and contracting itself under the applied voltage and an elastic thin plate (14) having at least one side thereof rigidly fixed to the flexible thin plate (12) and a driving shaft (30) having its one axial end rigidly fixed to the deformable thin plate (16) and being capable of undergoing displacements that are operatively associated with the deformation of the deformable thin plate (16), wherein the driving shaft (30) has the lateral side portion (32) of the one axial end thereof rigidly fixed to the corresponding inner side portion of a through hole formed on the deformable thin plate (16).

Abstract: A lens driving device including: a lens holder; a coil mounted on the lens holder; at least one magnet disposed around the coil; a first and second spring members which support the lens holder at the both sides thereof in the optical axis direction so that the lens holder can move freely in the both directions of the optical axis of the lens in an initial state of no electric current to the coil; and an abutment surface to which the lens holder abuts when the lens holder moves toward one spring member against a biasing force of the one spring member; wherein the lens holder is exhorted a biasing force by the other spring member from the side of the other spring member to the side of the one spring member in the optical axis direction when the lens holder abuts against the abutment surface. Thus the lens driving device can support a lens holder in a stable fashion.

Abstract: An autofocus camera is provided which restrains and corrects any tilt that may occur in the optical axis direction without the need of providing any additional new sensors for that purpose. The autofocus camera includes an image sensor for receiving light from an object and converting the light into corresponding electrical signals, a lens driving device having a lens for focusing the light from the object upon said image sensor, and a control portion for causing said lens driving device to adjust any tilt that may occur in the optical axis in response to the electrical signals received from said image sensor. The control portion is operated to cause the lens driving device to adjust any tilts of the optical axis with respect to the image sensor in the orthogonal directions with each other, so that the resolution signals at the predetermined positions of said image sensor can be maximized.

Abstract: An autofocus camera is provided which restrains and corrects any tilt that may occur in the optical axis direction without the need of providing any additional new sensors for that purpose. The autofocus camera includes an image sensor for receiving light from an object and converting the light into corresponding electrical signals, a lens driving device having a lens for focusing the light from the object upon said image sensor, and a control portion for causing said lens driving device to adjust any tilt that may occur in the optical axis in response to the electrical signals received from said image sensor. The control portion is operated to cause the lens driving device to adjust any tilts of the optical axis with respect to the image sensor in the orthogonal directions with each other, so that the resolution signals at the predetermined positions of said image sensor can be maximized.

Abstract: A lens driving device in which the lens holder is employed, a camera device and an electronic device are also disclosed. The lens holder includes portions formed as having the respective different outer circumferential diameters between the upper side and the lower side of the vertical direction and provided in predetermined areas located in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential wall of the lens holder around which a coil is to be wound, and a flanged portion that protrudes from the outer circumferential wall of the lens holder toward the radially outward side, wherein the diametrically larger portion among the portions formed as having the respective different outer circumferential diameters between the upper side and the lower side of the vertical direction and the flanged portion are arranged so that they can be spaced away from each other by a predetermined gap.

Abstract: A linear driving device includes a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of a driving shaft which causes said driving shaft to be moved in said an axial direction, a casing for supporting at least either said driving shaft or said slight rapid vibratory movements producing member so that said driving shaft can be moved in said axial direction; and a moving body to be coupled with said driving shaft so that said moving body can be moved in the axial direction. When said moving body moves from one end side toward the other end side of said driving shaft, a part of said moving body which forms the surface facing the other end side opposite to said one end of said moving body may hit against a component which stops said moving body from moving further toward the other end side of said driving shaft.

Abstract: The vibration producing device includes a driving shaft being placed under slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of the driving shaft for causing the driving shaft to be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements, a casing for supporting at least either the driving shaft or the slight rapid vibratory movement producing member in such a manner that the driving shaft can be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, and a weight member to be coupled with the driving shaft in order to permit the weight member to move in its axial direction under the slight rapid vibratory movements of the driving shaft, wherein the casing is vibrated by allowing the weight member to be moved forwards and backwards alternately along the driving shaft in its axial direction.

Abstract: A lens driving device in which the lens holder is employed, a camera device and an electronic device are also disclosed. The lens holder includes portions formed as having the respective different outer circumferential diameters between the upper side and the lower side of the vertical direction and provided in predetermined areas located in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential wall of the lens holder around which a coil is to be wound, and a flanged portion that protrudes from the outer circumferential wall of the lens holder toward the radially outward side, wherein the diametrically larger portion among the portions formed as having the respective different outer circumferential diameters between the upper side and the lower side of the vertical direction and the flanged portion are arranged so that they can be spaced away from each other by a predetermined gap.

Abstract: A driving member, a linear driving device using the driving member, a camera device and an electronic device are provided. The driving member (10) includes a deformable thin plate (16) having a flexible thin plate (12) capable of expanding and contracting itself under the applied voltage and an elastic thin plate (14) having at least one side thereof rigidly fixed to the flexible thin plate (12) and a driving shaft (30) having its one axial end rigidly fixed to the deformable thin plate (16) and being capable of undergoing displacements that are operatively associated with the deformation of the deformable thin plate (16), wherein the driving shaft (30) has the lateral side portion (32) of the one axial end thereof rigidly fixed to the corresponding inner side portion of a through hole formed on the deformable thin plate (16).

Abstract: An autofocus camera is provided which restrains and corrects any tilt that may occur in the optical axis direction without the need of providing any additional new sensors for that purpose. The autofocus camera includes an image sensor for receiving light from an object and converting the light into corresponding electrical signals, a lens driving device having a lens for focusing the light from the object upon said image sensor, and a control portion for causing said lens driving device to adjust any tilt that may occur in the optical axis in response to the electrical signals received from said image sensor. The control portion is operated to cause the lens driving device to adjust any tilts of the optical axis with respect to the image sensor in the orthogonal directions with each other, so that the resolution signals at the predetermined positions of said image sensor can be maximized.

Abstract: In the lens driving device of the present invention, at least two second coils are disposed at a 90 degree interval in a circumferential direction of a first coil wound around an outer circumference of a lens support in the circumferential direction, at least four magnets are provided at an inner circumferential side of a circumferential wall of a yoke and are provided at even intervals about the circumferential direction of the first coil, each magnet being provided so that an inner circumferential face is the same magnetic pole and opposes an outer circumferential face of the first coil, and in addition is opposite the second coil at the position of providing the second coil. When the lens support is moved in the optical axis direction, an electric current flows in the first coil, and when the lens support is moved in an X-Y direction orthogonal to the optical axis, a predetermined electric current flows in a predetermined second coil.

Abstract: A lens driving device, an autofocus camera and a camera-equipped mobile terminal are provided that can correct movement of a lens in an optical axis direction and tilt of an optical axis, and reduce the dimension thereof in the optical axis direction. The device includes: a lens support 5 for supporting a lens at an inner circumference; a plurality of coils 19a to 19d disposed at regular intervals in a circumferential direction on an outer periphery of the lens support 5; a base 8 that supports the lens support 5 so as to move freely in an optical axis direction of the lens; and a magnet portion 17 provided on the base 8 and facing each of the coils 19a to 19d, in which an electric current of equal current value is applied to each of the coils 19a to 19d when moving the lens support 5 in the optical axis direction, and current values of the electric current applied to predetermined coils 19a to 19d are varied when correcting tilt of the optical axis of the lens.

Abstract: In a linear driving device 7, in which a driving shaft 21 vibrates in an axial direction by a vibration member 17, as a result of which a movable body 3 that is frictionally contact with the driving shaft 21 slides along the axial direction of the driving shaft 21, the vibration member 17 includes a piezoelectric element 23 and a vibrator 19 made of a metal plate having elasticity; the vibrator 19 is fixed to the piezoelectric element 23 by superimposing plate faces thereof; the driving shaft 21 has a trunk 25 along which the movable body 3 slides, and an end portion 26 to be fixed to the vibrator 19; a base surface 24 of the end portion 26 abuts with and is fixed to the vibrator 19; and an area of the base surface 24 is smaller than a cross sectional area of the trunk 25.