Abstract: A ball bearing sensor shift arrangement for a camera may include one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators that include the fixed magnets, optical image stabilization (OIS) coils, and/or one or more autofocus (AF) coils. The ball bearing sensor shift arrangement may be coupled with an image sensor of the camera, and may include carrier frames configured to move on ball bearings so as to enable motion of the image sensor in multiple degrees-of-freedom (DOF). An OIS carrier frame(s) may be coupled with the OIS coils, which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera. An AF carrier frame may be coupled with the AF coil(s), which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: A camera is provided. The camera includes an optical assembly having one or more lens defining an optical axis. The camera also includes an image sensor and an enclosure forming an exterior wall of the camera. The camera further includes an actuator assembly to move the image sensor relative to the optical assembly. In addition, the camera includes a base that is a static component of the camera, wherein the base comprises a seat that faces in a direction that is parallel to the optical axis and away from the optical assembly. The camera also includes a flexure that is attached to the seat, that suspends the image sensor from the base, and that allows motion of the image sensor enabled by the actuator assembly. In some cases, the base does not extend between the flexure and the enclosure.

Abstract: A camera may comprise a sensor-shift structure including a substrate to allow an image sensor to be movable relative to one or more lenses of the camera in one or more directions. During a drop or shock event, the substrate may experience unwanted movement and collide with a base structure in the vicinity. The camera may include one or more protection structures to prevent the substrate from directly colliding with the base structure to protect the base structure from potential damages. The protection structures may be implemented using components placed at the substrate and/or the base structure.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include mechanical iris assemblies, as well as camera modules and devices that incorporate these mechanical iris assemblies. The mechanical iris assemblies described herein include a housing, a rotor plate, a set of blade elements, and an actuator arrangement. The actuator assembly may include a voice coil actuator. In some variations, a voice coil actuator includes a magnet, a first coil, and a second coil, and a controller is configured to concurrently drive current through the first coil and the second coil in opposite directions. In other variations, a voice coil actuator includes at least one magnet and a set of arcuate-shaped coils. In still other variations, a voice coil actuator includes at least one magnet and a printed circuit that defines a coil that includes an inner trace, an outer trace, and a set of connecting traces that connect the inner trace to the outer trace.

Abstract: A ball bearing sensor shift arrangement for a camera may include one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators that include the fixed magnets, optical image stabilization (OIS) coils, and/or one or more autofocus (AF) coils. The ball bearing sensor shift arrangement may be coupled with an image sensor of the camera, and may include carrier frames configured to move on ball bearings so as to enable motion of the image sensor in multiple degrees-of-freedom (DOF). An OIS carrier frame(s) may be coupled with the OIS coils, which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera. An AF carrier frame may be coupled with the AF coil(s), which may be positioned proximate the fixed magnets and used for moving the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: A camera module includes a lens assembly, a lens holder, and an image sensor assembly. The lens assembly includes a lens barrel and multiple lens elements embedded within the lens barrel. A change of temperature causes an optical focal shift that is determined according to an optical thermal shift rate associated with an optical design of the lens assembly. The lens holder has a lens holder CTE to compensate for the optical focal shift by thermo-mechanical expansion. The change of temperature causes a length expansion of the lens holder determined at least in part according to the lens holder CTE. The image sensor assembly includes an image sensor and a substrate coupled to the image sensor, the image sensor to capture light passing through the multiple lens elements and convert the captured light into image signals. The lens holder is attached to the lens barrel and the substrate using adhesives.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a welded bracket structure for camera modules and techniques for forming such a welded bracket structure. In some embodiments, the welded bracket structure may include a first bracket and a second bracket that are welded to each other. Some embodiments include a weld joint arrangement comprising one or more weld joints for attaching the first bracket to the second bracket. Furthermore, some embodiments include an epoxy arrangement for a multi-camera system that includes the welded bracket structure and multiple camera modules.

Abstract: A camera may use a multi-axis image sensor shifting system to implement both autofocus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OSI) functions. The multi-axis image sensor shifting system may include a flexure suspension arrangement and an actuator. The flexure suspension arrangement may include an inner frame, an intermediate frame, and an outer frame. The actuator may include one or more magnets, and two sets of one or more coils attached respectively to some of the frames of the flexure suspension arrangement. Current flowing through the coils may be regulated to interact with the magnetic field of the magnets to generate motive force to move an image sensor of the camera relative to a lens group in multiple directions.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an engaging arrangement that may be used to attach a lens barrel to a lens carrier of a camera. In some embodiments, the engaging arrangement may restrict movement of the lens barrel relative to the lens carrier along at least an optical axis. In various examples, the engaging arrangement may include one or more grooves and one or more protrusions. For instance, a groove may be defined by the lens barrel or the lens carrier, and a protrusion may extend from the lens barrel or the lens carrier to at least partially into the groove. In some cases, the engaging arrangement may include an adhesive positioned continuously 360 degrees around the engaging arrangement between the lens barrel and the lens carrier.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a locking mechanism for a camera. The locking mechanism may be used to provide a clamping force that prevents one or more components of the camera from moving along one or more axes in some examples. According to various embodiments, the locking mechanism may include a ferromagnetic plate fixedly attached to a carrier (e.g., a lens carrier, an image sensor carrier, etc.), an electromagnet for electromagnetically interacting with the ferromagnetic plate, and a flexure to which the electromagnet may be attached. The flexure may further be attached to a stationary structure of the camera. In some embodiments, the camera may be operable such that, in a lock mode of the camera, the electromagnet is electrically driven to generate a magnetic field that attracts the ferromagnetic plate, thereby providing a clamping force that prevents the carrier from moving along an optical axis of the camera.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera actuator having autofocus (AF) voice coil motor (VCM) with a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to a base, magnets mounted to the base, and an AF coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of a lens of the lens carrier. The magnets may include a pair of first magnets laterally spaced along a first side of the camera and a pair of second magnets laterally spaced along a second side of the camera opposite the first side. The optical image stabilization (OIS) VCM includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the base, and OIS coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: A camera includes a camera actuator having autofocus (AF) voice coil motor (VCM) with a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to a base, magnets mounted to the base, and an AF coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of a lens of the lens carrier. The magnets may include a pair of first magnets laterally spaced along a first side of the camera and a pair of second magnets laterally spaced along a second side of the camera opposite the first side. The optical image stabilization (OIS) VCM includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the base, and OIS coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in directions orthogonal to the optical axis.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for a camera module is provided. The actuator assembly includes a transversal actuator for motion of an image sensor of the camera module in one or more directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera module. The actuator assembly also includes an axial actuator for motion of the image sensor in one or more directions parallel to the optical axis of the camera module. The actuator assembly further includes a carrier retaining a portion of the transversal actuator and a portion of the axial actuator. The carrier moves with the image sensor in the one or more directions orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera module and is static relative to motion of the image sensor in the one or more directions parallel to the optical axis of the camera module.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an interlock arrangement that may be used to attach a lens barrel to a lens carrier of a camera. In some embodiments, the interlock arrangement may restrict movement of the lens barrel relative to the lens carrier along at least an optical axis. In various examples, the interlock arrangement may include one or more grooves and one or more protrusions. For instance, a groove may be defined by the lens barrel or the lens carrier, and a protrusion may extend from the lens barrel or the lens carrier to at least partially into the groove. In some cases, the interlock arrangement may include an adhesive that at least partially fills gaps within the interlock arrangement between the lens barrel and the lens carrier. According to some embodiments, the interlock arrangement may include one or more recesses that provide inlets for the adhesive to be introduced to the gaps within the interlock arrangement.

Abstract: A camera may include a multi-material base structure having at least a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions of the base structure may include different materials. The base structure may be used with one or more actuators of the camera to implement various optical image stabilization (OIS) and/or autofocus (AF) functions.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.

Abstract: A camera system includes a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit may include a first actuator. The second camera unit may include a second actuator. The first actuator may move one or more components of the first camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the first camera unit. The second actuator may move one or more components of the second camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the second camera unit. The first camera unit may be configured to capture a first image of a first visual field. The second camera unit may be configured to capture, simultaneously with the first camera unit capturing the first image, a second image of a second visual field.