Abstract: A camera module includes upper and lower leaf springs having a stable load characteristic and a holder displaceably held by the leaf springs so that the holder can be stably displaced within a magnetic circuit. The upper spring 5 has an outer annular portion 5a, an inner annular portion 5b provided inside the outer annular portion 5a so as to be displaceable with respect to the outer annular portion 5a and attached to the holder 9, and a plurality of bridge portions 5c coupled between the outer annular portion 5a and the inner annular portion 5b. The camera module further includes a bridge portion supporting member 4 for supporting a part of at least one of the plurality of bridge portions so that a load characteristic of the leaf spring can be changed.

Abstract: A camera module includes a lens unit which constitutes an optical system of the camera module; a holder which houses the lens unit and is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit, and the coil having a hollow cylindrical portion; a coil having a cylindrical form and provided around the cylindrical portion of the holder; a yoke and magnets provided on the yoke for providing a magnetic field to the coil; upper and lower leaf springs for supporting the holder so that the holder is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; and an imaging element provided below the lens unit. The holder has coil holding portions to which the coil is fitted for fixedly providing the coil around the cylindrical portion of the holder without using an adhesive.

Abstract: A camera module includes a lens unit which constitutes an optical system of the camera module; a holder which houses the lens unit and is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; a coil provided on the holder; a yoke and magnets provided on the yoke for providing a magnetic field to the coil; a flexible printed circuit board to which the lead wires are connected for supplying an electrical current to the lead wires, the flexible printed circuit board having an insulating sheet portion and a pattern portion; a leaf spring for supporting the holder so that the holder is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; a base for supporting the holder when no electrical current is supplied to the coil; and an imaging element provided below the lens unit.

Abstract: A camera module includes a holder provided with a lens unit and displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; a coil formed from a wound wire having both end portions serving as lead wires, and provided on the holder; a yoke and magnets for providing a magnetic field to the coil; a flexible printed circuit board for supplying an electrical current to the lead wires; and upper and lower leaf springs for supporting the holder so that the holder is displaceable along the optical axis direction. Each of the upper and lower springs includes an outer annular portion, an inner annular portion provided inside the outer annular portion and attached to one of the cylindrical end portions of the holder, and a plurality of bridge portions coupled between the outer annular portion and the inner annular portion.

Abstract: A camera module that can be used in small-sized electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, camera-equipped cellular phones is provided. The camera module includes a lens unit which constitutes an optical system of the camera module; a holder which houses the lens nit and is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit; a coil provided on the holder; a yoke and magnets provided in the yoke for providing a magnetic field to the coil; at least one leaf spring for supporting the holder; and an imaging element provided below the lens unit. The at least one leaf spring includes an outer annular portion which is attached to the yoke, an inner annular portion which is provided inside the outer annular portion though a predetermined spacing and is attached to the holder, and a plurality of bridge portions which are coupled between the outer annular portion and the inner annular portion so as to resiliently support the inner annular portion with respect to the outer annular portion.

Abstract: A camera module having a holder including a leans unit and upper and lower leaf springs for displaceably supporting is provided. Each of the leaf springs has an outer annular portion, an inner annular portion, and bridge portions couple between the outer annular portion and the inner annular portion for resiliently support the inner annular portion with respect to the outer annular portion. The inner annular portion of the lower leaf spring is attached to an lower cylindrical end portion of the holder mechanically and reliably, and the inner annular portion of the upper leaf spring is attached to the upper cylindrical end portion of the holder in a state that the inner annular portion is fixedly held between an upper cylindrical end portion of the holder and a stopper.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator is provided with a yoke 320 that comprises an inner cylindrical portion 321 defining an insertion bore 35 through which a hollow body portion of a holder is adapted to be received and an outer cylindrical portion 322 provided outside of the inner cylindrical portion with a predetermined spacing left between the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion by a connecting portion 324. Four tab-shaped portions 325 are integrally formed with an end surface of the outer cylindrical portion 322 of the yoke in such a manner that the tab-shaped portions remain flush with the end surface of the outer cylindrical portion and extend outwardly from the outer cylindrical portion. The tab-shaped portions 325 are so formed as to leave a concave portion 327 between the adjacent tab-shaped portions. This assures that the tab-shaped portion 325 can make contact with a leaf spring in a broader area, thus enabling the leaf spring to be reliably bonded to the yoke 320.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator 1 is provided with a yoke 300 that comprises an inner cylindrical portion 301 defining an insertion bore through which a hollow body portion of a holder is adapted to be received and an outer cylindrical portion 302 provided outside of the inner cylindrical portion 301 with a predetermined spacing left between the inner cylindrical portion 301 and the outer cylindrical portion 302 by a connecting portion, and the yoke 300 is constructed so as to receive a coil 20 in the space of a predetermined gap. The outer cylindrical portion 302 is formed into a generally polygonal cylindrical shape and inner surfaces of the outer cylindrical portion 302 define a plurality of magnet mounting surfaces each having a planar shape. A generally flat plate shape permanent magnet 41 is mounted on each of these magnet mounting surfaces 303.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator includes a cover which is provided with elastic tabs in addition to protrusions to which a stopper attached to a holder with a lens unit abuts when the holder is excessively displaced by, for example, a fall of an electronic equipment provided with the autofocus actuator. The protrusions are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening formed in the cover, and the elastic tabs are also provided on the peripheral edge of the opening. Each of the elastic tab has one end which is supported on the cover and the other end which protrudes from the peripheral edge of the opening in a cantilever manner so that the other end makes abutment with the stopper attached to the holder before the stopper makes contact with the protrusions to thereby absorb a shock applied to the holder.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator is provided by which it is possible to easily confirm that a holder and a yoke do not make contact with each other even when the space between the holder and the yoke is made as small as possible in order to improve shock resistance. The autofocus actuator includes light transmission holes for confirming a space between an inner peripheral surface of an inner cylindrical portion of the yoke and an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion of the holder provided with a lens unit and being capable of adjusting its position in the optical axis direction by supplying electrical power to a coil secured to the holder. The light transmission holes are provided at predetermined positions of a flange portion of the holder and a stopper for attaching a leaf spring to the holder, respectively, so that light can pass therethrough.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator includes a cover which is provided with elastic tabs in addition to protrusions to which a stopper attached to a holder with a lens unit abuts when the holder is excessively displaced by, for example, a fall of an electronic equipment provided with the autofocus actuator. The protrusions are provided on the peripheral edge of an opening formed in the cover, and the elastic tabs are also provided on the peripheral edge of the opening. Each of the elastic tab has one end which is supported on the cover and the other end which protrudes from the peripheral edge of the opening in a cantilever manner so that the other end makes abutment with the stopper attached to the holder before the stopper makes contact with the protrusions to thereby absorb a shock applied to the holder.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator is provided by which it is possible to easily confirm that a holder and a yoke do not make contact with each other even when the space between the holder and the yoke is made as small as possible in order to improve shock resistance. The autofocus actuator includes light transmission holes for confirming a space between an inner peripheral surface of an inner cylindrical portion of the yoke and an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion of the holder provided with a lens unit and being capable of adjusting its position in the optical axis direction by supplying electrical power to a coil secured to the holder. The light transmission holes are provided at predetermined positions of a flange portion of the holder and a stopper for attaching a leaf spring to the holder, respectively, so that light can pass therethrough.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator is provided with a yoke 320 that comprises an inner cylindrical portion 321 defining an insertion bore 35 through which a hollow body portion of a holder is adapted to be received and an outer cylindrical portion 322 provided outside of the inner cylindrical portion with a predetermined spacing left between the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion by a connecting portion 324. Four tab-shaped portions 325 are integrally formed with an end surface of the outer cylindrical portion 322 of the yoke in such a manner that the tab-shaped portions remain flush with the end surface of the outer cylindrical portion and extend outwardly from the outer cylindrical portion. The tab-shaped portions 325 are so formed as to leave a concave portion 327 between the adjacent tab-shaped portions. This assures that the tab-shaped portion 325 can make contact with a leaf spring in a broader area, thus enabling the leaf spring to be reliably bonded to the yoke 320.

Abstract: An autofocus actuator 1 is provided with a yoke 300 that comprises an inner cylindrical portion 301 defining an insertion bore through which a hollow body portion of a holder is adapted to be received and an outer cylindrical portion 302 provided outside of the inner cylindrical portion 301 with a predetermined spacing left between the inner cylindrical portion 301 and the outer cylindrical portion 302 by a connecting portion, and the yoke 300 is constructed so as to receive a coil 20 in the space of a predetermined gap. The outer cylindrical portion 302 is formed into a generally polygonal cylindrical shape and inner surfaces of the outer cylindrical portion 302 define a plurality of magnet mounting surfaces each having a planar shape. A generally flat plate shape permanent magnet 41 is mounted on each of these magnet mounting surfaces 303.

Abstract: An aoutofocus actuator is provided with a yoke 30 that is constructed so as to receive a coil 20. The yoke 30 includes a plurality of permanent magnets 40 that are positioned so as to face the coil 20 with a space left therebetween. A ring-shaped magnetic member 50 is disposed on the lower surfaces of these permanent magnets 40, whereby preventing the magnetic flux from being leaked out downwards from the permanent magnets 40 at the open side of the yoke 30 which is opposite to the connecting portion 34. According to this, it becomes possible to enhance a driving force of the actuator.

Abstract: A magnetic head has at least one magnetic head unit for recording to and reproducing from a flexible rotating recording medium and a slider supporting the magnetic head unit, the magnetic head unit being attached to the slider using an adhesive, the adhesive including a filler so as to substantially match a thermal expansion rate of the adhesive to a thermal expansion rate of the slider.

Abstract: A flexible disk (10) comprises a magnetic recording medium (11) provided with a metal hub (16), a jacket consisting of upper and lower shells (12, 13) for receiving the magnetic recording medium, and upper and lower liners (14-1, 14-2) attached to inner surfaces of the upper and the lower shells, respectively. The lower shell (13) is provided with a jacket center hole (13b) to expose the metal hub on the exterior of the jacket. The lower liner has an inner peripheral part (14-2a) which is extended to a gap (&dgr;D) between the metal hub and the jacket center hole. The inner peripheral part has slits in a radial manner. In lie of the inner peripheral part, a flexible disk (10A) may further comprise an auxiliary liner (30), freely mounted on a lower liner (14A-2), for extending to the gap. In place of the auxiliary liner, the flexible disk may comprise a member for substantially filling up the gap without regulating a movement of the metal hub.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided with first and second magnetic head units and a slider on which is formed a central groove that divides the slider into first and second air bearing surfaces and which generates an air flow between a rotating magnetic disk and the first and second air bearing surfaces. Further, the magnetic head is characterized in that a distance YH from a center of a track of the first magnetic head unit to an edge of the first air bearing surface in a direction of travel of the recording medium, and a distance XH from a center of a track of the first magnetic head unit to an edge of the first air bearing surface in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the recording medium, are such that 0.01 mm≦YH≦0.1 mm and 0.01 mm≦XH0.1 mm.

Abstract: A magnetic head has a first magnetic head unit for recording and reproducing information to and from a first flexible rotating recording medium; a second magnetic head unit for recording and reproducing information to and from a second flexible rotating recording medium having a coercive force lower than a coercive force of the first flexible rotating recording medium; and a slider supporting the first and second magnetic head units, the slider having a central groove separating a first air bearing surface at which the first magnetic head unit is provided and a second air bearing surface at which the second magnetic head unit is provided, the slider generating an elevating force from an air flow generated in a space between the first and second air bearing surfaces and the flexible rotating recording medium, the first air bearing surface having a width on a leading edge side thereof perpendicular to a direction of approach of the flexible rotating recording medium and a width on a trailing edge side thereof d

Abstract: A magnetic head including first and second magnetic head units for recording to and reproducing from a first and second flexible rotating recording medium; the second flexible rotating recording medium having a coercive force lower than a coercive force of the first flexible rotating recording medium; a slider, supporting the first magnetic head unit, and having a central groove separating first and second air bearing surfaces, at which the first and second magnetic heads, respectively, are provided. The slider generates an elevating force from air currents generated in a space between the first and second air bearing surfaces and the flexible rotating recording media.