CAMERA MODULE

A camera module includes a housing; cover covering the housing and including a protrusion guide on a side wall of the cover; a folded module disposed in the housing and configured to reflect incident light; a lens module through which the reflected light passes disposed in the housing; an image sensor module mounted on the housing and configured to detect the light passing through the lens module; a reinforcing plate disposed on an outer surface of the side wall of the cover so that one edge of the reinforcing plate is adjacent to the protrusion guide; and a module circuit board disposed outside the housing and including a connection portion connected to the image sensor module, and a fixing substrate connected to the connection portion and disposed on the reinforcing plate, wherein the connection portion is bent to enable the fixing substrate to be disposed on the reinforcing plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0080824 filed on Jun. 30, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a camera module.

2. Description of Related Art

A camera module has become a basic feature in portable electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet PCs, and laptop computers, and its application range is gradually increasing. As the portable electronic devices are down-sized and thinned according to market demands, the camera module applied thereto is also required to be down-sized and thinned.

Apart from the down-sizing and thinning requirements thereof, there is also a demand for improvements in the performance of the camera module, and for this purpose, an auto focus function, a zoom function, a shake (hand shake) correction function, and other functions are added thereto, but there is a limit to down-sizing and thinning the camera module based on an existing structure.

Recently, in order to solve this problem, a camera module including a folded module in which a plurality of lenses are arranged in a longitudinal direction or a width direction rather than a thickness direction of the portable electronic device and that changes a path of incident light by using a reflective member has been proposed.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, a camera module includes a housing including an inner space; a cover covering the housing and including a side wall covering a side surface of the housing, and a protrusion guide protruding outward from the side wall of the cover; a folded module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a reflective member configured to change a path of light incident from outside the camera module in a light incidence direction by reflecting the light in an optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing; a lens module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a lens barrel, and a plurality of lenses disposed in the lens barrel and arranged in the optical axis direction so that the light reflected by the reflective member in the optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing passes through the plurality of lenses; an image sensor module mounted on the housing and including an image sensor configured to detect the light passing through the plurality of lenses; a reinforcing plate disposed on an outer surface of the side wall of the cover so that one edge of the reinforcing plate is adjacent to the protrusion guide; and a module circuit board disposed outside of the housing and including a connection portion connected to the image sensor module, and a fixing substrate connected to the connection portion and disposed on the reinforcing plate so that the reinforcing plate is interposed between the fixing substrate and the outer surface of the side wall of the cover, wherein the connection portion is bent to enable the fixing substrate to be disposed on the reinforcing plate.

The cover may be a metal shield can.

The protrusion guide may be formed by bending one edge of a cutout partly cut out of the side wall of the metal shield can to protrude outward from the side wall of the metal shield can.

The reinforcing plate may be a rigid metal plate.

The camera module may further include a conductive adhesive disposed between the reinforcing plate and the outer surface of the side wall of the metal shield can to adhere the reinforcing plate to the outer surface of the side wall of the metal shield can and ground the module circuit board to the metal shield can.

The protrusion guide protruding outward from the side wall of the cover may be spaced apart from the image sensor module in the optical axis direction, and the fixing substrate may be disposed on the outer surface of the side wall of the cover between the image sensor module and the protrusion guide.

The reinforcing plate may include a first edge parallel to the light incidence direction and adjacent to the connection portion; and a second edge parallel to and facing the first edge and adjacent to the protrusion guide.

The housing may include a boss pin protruding through a cutout partially cut out of the side wall of the cover, and the reinforcing plate may include a pin fixing groove accommodating the boss pin.

The reinforcing plate may include a first edge parallel to the light incidence direction and adjacent to the connection portion; a second edge parallel to and facing the first edge; and a guide groove formed in the second edge, recessed toward a center of the reinforcing plate in a planar direction of the reinforcing plate perpendicular to the light incidence direction, and accommodating the protrusion guide.

A length of the protrusion guide parallel to the light incidence direction may be shorter than a length of the second edge parallel to the light incident direction.

In another general aspect, a camera module includes a housing including an inner space; a cover covering the housing and including a side wall covering a side surface of the housing, and a protrusion guide protruding outward from the side wall of the cover; a folded module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a reflective member configured to change a path of light incident from outside the camera module in a light incidence direction by reflecting the light in an optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing; a lens module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a lens barrel, and a plurality of lenses disposed in the lens barrel and arranged in the optical axis direction so that the light reflected by the reflective member in the optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing passes through the plurality of lenses; an image sensor module mounted on the housing and including an image sensor configured to detect the light passing through the plurality of lenses; and a module circuit board disposed outside of the housing and including a connection portion connected to the image sensor module, and a fixing substrate connected to the connection portion and disposed on an outer surface of the side wall of the cover, wherein the connection portion is bent to enable the fixing substrate to be disposed on the outer surface of the side wall of the cover, and the fixing substrate includes a guide groove formed in one edge of the fixing substrate and accommodating the protrusion guide.

The cover may be a metal shield can.

The protrusion guide may be formed by bending one edge of a cutout partly cut out of the side wall of the metal shield can to protrude outward from the side wall of the metal shield can.

The fixing substrate may include a ground pattern exposed on a surface of the fixing substrate facing the outer surface of the side wall of the metal shield can, and the camera module may further include a conductive adhesive disposed between the ground pattern and the outer surface of the side wall of the metal shield can to adhere the fixing substrate to the outer surface of the side wall of the metal shield can and ground the module circuit board to the metal shield can.

The fixing substrate may include a third edge parallel to the light incidence direction and adjacent to the connection portion: and a fourth edge parallel to and facing the third edge, wherein the guide groove may be formed in the fourth edge and recessed toward a center of the fixing substrate in a planar direction of the fixing substrate perpendicular to the light incidence direction.

The camera module may further include a rigid reinforcing plate disposed on a surface of the fixing substrate facing away from the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

In another general aspect, a camera module includes a housing including an inner space; a cover covering the housing and including a side wall covering a side surface of the housing, and a protrusion guide protruding outward from the side wall of the cover; a folded module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a reflective member configured to change a path of light incident from outside the camera module in a light incidence direction by reflecting the light in an optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing; a lens module disposed in the inner space of the housing and including a lens barrel, and a plurality of lenses disposed in the lens barrel and arranged in the optical axis direction so that the light reflected by the reflective member in the optical axis direction in the inner space of the housing passes through the plurality of lenses; an image sensor module mounted on the housing and including an image sensor configured to detect the light passing through the plurality of lenses; and a module circuit board disposed outside of the housing and including a connection portion connected to the image sensor module, and a fixing substrate connected to the connection portion and supported on an outer surface of the side wall of the cover at a position determined by the protrusion guide, wherein the connection portion is bent to enable the fixing substrate to be supported on the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

The camera module may further include a reinforcing plate disposed between the fixing substrate and the outer surface of the side wall of the cover, wherein the fixing substrate may be disposed on the reinforcing plate.

The camera module may further include a conductive adhesive adhering the reinforcing plate to the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

The housing may include a boss pin protruding through a cutout partially cut out of the side wall of the cover, the reinforcing plate may include a pin fixing groove formed in an edge of the reinforcing plate parallel to the light incidence direction and accommodating the boss pin, and a width of the pin fixing groove in a direction parallel to the light incidence direction may be greater than a width of the boss pin in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction and less than a length of the protrusion guide in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction.

The reinforcing plate may include a guide groove formed in an edge of the reinforcing plate parallel to the light incidence direction and accommodating the protrusion guide, and a width of the guide groove in a direction parallel to the light incidence direction may be greater than a length of the protrusion guide in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction and less than a length of the reinforcing plate in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction.

The fixing substrate may include a guide groove formed in an edge of the fixing substrate parallel to the light incidence direction and accommodating the protrusion guide, and a width of the guide groove in a direction parallel to the light incidence direction may be greater than a length of the protrusion guide in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction and less than a length of the fixing substrate in the direction parallel to the light incidence direction.

The camera module may further include a conductive adhesive adhering the fixing substrate to the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

The fixing substrate may include a ground pattern exposed on a surface of the fixing substrate facing the outer surface of the side wall of the cover, and the conductive adhesive may adhere the ground pattern to the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

The camera module may further include a rigid reinforcing plate disposed on a surface of the fixing substrate facing away from the outer surface of the side wall of the cover.

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The drawings may not be to scale, and the relative sizes, proportions, and depictions of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The phrase “in a plan view” or “on a plane” means viewing a target portion from the top, and the phrase “in a cross-sectional view” or “on a cross-section” means viewing a cross-section formed by vertically cutting a target portion from the side.

FIG.1illustrates a perspective view of an appearance of a camera module according to an embodiment, andFIG.2illustrates a schematically exploded perspective view of the camera module illustrated inFIG.1.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2, a camera module100according to the present embodiment may include a folded module110, a lens module120, and an image sensor module130. The folded module110and the lens module120are accommodated in an inner space of a housing101. A cover103partially surrounds upper and side surfaces of the housing101, and partially forms an exterior of the camera module100. The cover103may be a metal shield can.

The folded module110may be configured to change a path of light entering from the outside. Incident light entering the camera through an opening103aof the cover103may be reflected toward the lens module120by the folded module110. In the present embodiment, the folded module110includes a reflective member111, and the reflective member111may be provided in a form of, for example, a prism or a mirror.

The lens module120includes a carrier121movably provided in the inner space of the housing101in an optical axis (z-axis in the drawing) direction, and a lens barrel122fixed to the carrier121and having at least one lens therein. The light reflected from the folded module110is refracted while passing through the lens module120. The light passing through the lens module120is incident on an image sensor131. When the lens module includes a plurality of lenses, the plurality of lenses may be arranged in the optical axis direction.

The camera module100according to the present embodiment may provide an auto focus (AF) function and an optical image stabilization (OIS) function. Hereinafter, examples of structures of an AF driver and an OIS driver implementing the AF function and the OIS function will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the AF function and the OIS function may be implemented by known various structures of the AF driver and the OIS driver, and the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

The lens module120may reciprocate along the optical axis to adjust a focal distance or implement the zoom function. The AF driver may be disposed at a side portion of the lens module120. In the present embodiment, an AF magnet126amay be installed in the lens module120, and an AF coil126cmay be disposed at a position opposite to the AF magnet126a. The lens module120may move along the optical axis by an electromagnetic interaction between the AF coil126cand the AF magnet126a. The AF coil126cmay be mounted on a substrate105that is attached to the housing101, and the housing101may have an opening106so that the AF coil126cand the AF magnet126amay face each other.

For smooth driving, ball members123may be disposed between the lens module120and a bottom surface101bof the housing101. The lens module120and the bottom surface101bof the housing101may include guide grooves124for partially accommodating the ball members123. The guide grooves124extend in a direction parallel to the optical axis, and a movement direction of the ball members123is limited to a movement direction of the guide groove124(that is, the optical axis direction).

The OIS function may be implemented by rotating the folded module110about an axis perpendicular to the optical axis. For example, when the optical axis is referred to as a first axis, the first axis may be parallel to the z-axis of the drawing, a second axis may be an axis perpendicular to the optical axis and parallel to the incident light and may be parallel to the y-axis of the drawing, and a third axis may be an axis perpendicular to the optical axis and the second axis and may be parallel to the x-axis of the drawing.

The folded module110may include an OIS driver configured to rotate the reflective member111with respect to the housing101about the second axis and the third axis that are perpendicular to the optical axis. The OIS driver may include a first OIS driver configured to rotate the reflective member111about the second axis perpendicular to the optical axis, and a second OIS driver configured to rotate the reflective member111about the third axis perpendicular to the optical axis and orthogonal to the second axis.

The OIS driver rotates the reflective member111around the second axis and/or the third axis so that shaking of the image formed on the image sensor131due to the shaking of the camera module100may be optically corrected.

The first OIS driver may be disposed at both sides of a movable holder112. The first OIS driver may include a first OIS magnet116amounted on both sides of the movable holder112and a first OIS coil116cdisposed at a portion facing the first OIS magnet116a. The first OIS coil116cis fixedly coupled to the housing101, and due to an electromagnetic interaction between the first OIS coil116cand the first OIS magnet116a, the movable holder112may rotate with respect to the housing101about the second axis perpendicular to the optical axis.

In addition, the second OIS driver may be disposed adjacent to the first OIS driver at both sides of the movable holder112. The second OIS driver may include a second OIS magnet117amounted on both sides of the movable holder112and a second OIS coil117cdisposed at a portion facing the second OIS magnet117a. The second OIS coil117cis fixedly coupled to the housing101, and due to an electromagnetic interaction between the second OIS coil117cand the second OIS magnet117a, the movable holder112may rotate with respect to the housing101about the third axis perpendicular to the optical axis.

The first OIS coil116cand the second OIS coil117care attached to the substrate105, and the substrate105is fixed to the housing101. The housing101may include openings106so that the first OIS coil116cand the first OIS magnet116amay face each other, and the second OIS coil117cand the second OIS magnet117amay face each other.

The image sensor module130may include the image sensor131and a substrate132on which the image sensor131is mounted. An image is formed on an image forming surface (or an upper surface) of the image sensor131, and in response to this, the image sensor131generates an image signal of the formed image, and the image signal may be transmitted to an external circuit through the substrate132. The image sensor module130may be fixed to the housing101through the substrate132.

The image sensor module130may be connected to a module circuit board150extending outside the housing101for connection to an external circuit or device. The module circuit board150includes a connection portion152and a fixing substrate154, and the connection portion152may be connected to the image sensor module130, and the fixing substrate154may be attached to an outer surface of the cover103covering the outside of the housing101.

Hereinafter, the configuration and attachment structure of the module circuit board150according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference toFIG.3toFIG.5.

FIG.3illustrates a partial perspective view of a state in which a module circuit board of the camera module shown inFIG.1is attached to a cover, andFIG.4illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV′ ofFIG.3.

Referring toFIG.3andFIG.4, in the camera module100according to the present embodiment, the module circuit board150may be extended from the image sensor module130to be fixed to the outer surface of the cover covering the outside of the housing101, and may be further extended to be connected to an external circuit or device.

That is, the module circuit board150includes the connection portion152and the fixing substrate154that are connected to each other, and in this case, the connection portion152may be connected to the substrate132of the image sensor module130, and the fixing substrate154may be fixed to an outer surface of the cover103covering the outside of the housing101. In addition, the module circuit board150may include a flexible circuit portion156extending from the fixing substrate154and a connector substrate157connected thereto to be connected to an external circuit or device (not shown). The external circuit or device may be a circuit connected to electronic components in an electronic device in which the camera module100according to the present embodiment is mounted.

The cover103includes a side wall103bcovering a side surface of the housing101, and a protrusion guide1032may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall103b. The cover103may be a metal shield can, and the protrusion guide1032may be formed by bending one edge of a cutout103cpartially cut out of the side wall103bof the metal shield can to the outside.

The fixing substrate154of the module circuit board150may be attached to an outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103by bending the connection portion152, and in this case, a reinforcing plate161may be interposed between the fixing substrate154and the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103. The reinforcing plate161may be made of a rigid metal plate and fixed to one surface of the fixing substrate154, and a conductive adhesive163may be disposed on one surface of the reinforcing plate161facing the side wall103bof the cover103. Accordingly, the fixing substrate154may be attached by the conductive adhesive163by interposing the reinforcing plate161between the fixing substrate154and the outer surface of the cover103that is a metal shield can so that a ground connection of the module circuit board150may be made.

The protrusion guide1032may be disposed on the side wall103bof the cover103and spaced apart from the image sensor module130in the optical axis direction, and in this case, the protrusion guide1032may be configured to be adjacent to one edge of the reinforcing plate161. The reinforcing plate161includes a first edge that is parallel to the light incident direction (the second axis direction, the y-axis direction of the drawing) and is adjacent to the connection part152, and a second edge that is parallel to and faces the first edge. When the fixing substrate154is attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103, the second edge of the reinforcing plate161may be installed to be adjacent to the protrusion guide1032. Accordingly, the fixing substrate154of the module circuit board150may be disposed between the image sensor module130and the protrusion guide1032. Thus, the protrusion guide1032may be utilized to guide a fixing position of the fixing substrate154.

On the other hand, the housing101may include a boss pin1015protruding outward, and the boss pin1015may be exposed to the outside through the cutout103cpartially cut out of the side wall103bof the cover103. A height at which the boss pin1015protrudes outward may be set to protrude more than the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103, and the protruding height may be set at about the same level as the protrusion guide1032of the cover103.

The reinforcing plate161may include a pin fixing groove1615to be able to accommodate the boss pin1015. That is, when the fixing substrate154is attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103, the boss pin1015may be inserted into the pin fixing groove1615. The pin fixing groove1615may be formed to be concave from the second edge of the reinforcing plate161toward a center of the reinforcing plate161in a planar direction, and may have a greater opening width than a lateral cross-section diameter of the boss pin1015. Thus, the boss pin1015may be utilized to guide the fixing position of the fixing substrate154together with the protrusion guide1032. The planar direction may be set as a direction parallel to a surface of the reinforcing plate161.

In addition, a planar area of the reinforcing plate161is formed to be smaller than that of the fixing substrate154, and thus, by interposing the reinforcing plate161, when the fixing substrate154is attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103, the reinforcing plate161may be completely covered by the fixing substrate154. Accordingly, the pin fixing groove1615formed in the reinforcing plate161is also covered by the fixing substrate154to the outside, and thus the boss pin1015may not be exposed to the outside.

FIG.5illustrates a bottom view of a state in which a module circuit board of the camera module shown inFIG.1is attached to a cover.

Referring toFIG.5, After the fixing substrate154of the module circuit board150is attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103, it may be fixed by additionally injecting an adhesive bond165between the flexible circuit portion156extending from the fixing substrate154and the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103. That is, the fixing substrate154is primarily attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103through the conductive adhesive163applied to the reinforcing plate161, and the portion thereof adjacent to the fixing substrate154of the flexible circuit portion156may be secondarily attached to the outer surface of the side wall103bof the cover103by using the adhesive bond165. Accordingly, the module circuit board150may be more firmly coupled to the side wall103bof the cover103.

FIG.6illustrates a perspective view of an appearance of a camera module according to another embodiment,FIG.7illustrates a partial perspective view of a state in which a module circuit board of the camera module shown inFIG.6is attached to a cover, andFIG.8illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII′ ofFIG.7.

Referring toFIG.6toFIG.8, in a camera module200according to the present embodiment, a module circuit board250may be extended from an image sensor module230to be fixed to the outside of a housing201, and may be further extended to be connected to an external circuit.

That is, the module circuit board250includes a connection portion252and a fixing substrate254that are connected to each other, and in this case, the connection portion252may be connected to a substrate232of the image sensor module230, and the fixing substrate254may be fixed to an outer surface of a cover203covering the outside of the housing201. In addition, the module circuit board250may include a flexible circuit portion256extending from the fixing substrate254and a connector substrate257connected thereto to be connected to an external circuit or device (not shown).

The cover203includes a side wall203bcovering a side surface of the housing201, and a protrusion guide2032may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall203b. The cover203may be a metal shield can, and the protrusion guide2032may be formed by bending one edge of a cutout203cpartially cut out of the side wall203bof the metal shield can to the outside.

The fixing substrate254of the module circuit board250may be attached to an outer surface of the side wall203bof the cover203by bending the connection portion252, and in this case, a reinforcing plate261may be interposed between the fixing substrate254and the outer surface of the side wall203bof the cover203. The reinforcing plate261may be made of a rigid metal plate and fixed to one surface of the fixing substrate254, and a conductive adhesive263may be disposed on one surface of the reinforcing plate261facing the side wall203bof the cover203. Accordingly, the fixing substrate254may be attached by the conductive adhesive263by interposing the reinforcing plate261between the fixing substrate254and the outer surface of the cover203that is a metal shield can, so that a ground connection of the module circuit board250may be made.

The protrusion guide2032may be disposed on the side wall203bof the cover203and spaced apart from the image sensor module230in the optical axis direction, and the fixing substrate254of the module circuit board250may be disposed between the image sensor module230and the protrusion guide2032. The reinforcing plate261includes a first edge that is parallel to the light incident direction (the second axis direction, the y-axis direction of the drawing) and is adjacent to the connection part152, and a second edge that is parallel to and faces the first edge, and in this case, a length of the protrusion guide2032parallel to the light incident direction may be shorter than a length of the second edge of the reinforcing plate261parallel to the light incident direction.

The reinforcing plate261includes a guide groove2614in the second edge, and the guide groove2614may be recessed toward the center of the reinforcing plate261in the planar direction to accommodate the protrusion guide2032. That is, when the fixing substrate254is attached to the outer surface of the side wall203bof the cover203, the protrusion guide2032may be inserted into the guide groove2614to be accommodated. Thus, the protrusion guide2032may be utilized to guide a fixing position of the fixing substrate254. The planar direction may be set as a direction parallel to a surface of the reinforcing plate261.

A planar area of the reinforcing plate261is formed to be smaller than that of the fixing substrate254, and thus, by interposing the reinforcing plate261, when the fixing substrate254is attached to the outer surface of the side wall203bof the cover203, the reinforcing plate261may be completely covered by the fixing substrate254. Accordingly, the guide groove2614formed in the reinforcing plate261is also covered by the fixing substrate254to the outside, and thus the protrusion guide2032may not be exposed to the outside.

FIG.9illustrates a perspective view of an appearance of a camera module according to another embodiment,FIG.10illustrates a partial perspective view of a state in which a module circuit board of the camera module shown inFIG.9is attached to a cover, andFIG.11illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI′ ofFIG.10.

Referring toFIG.9toFIG.11, in a camera module300according to the present embodiment, a module circuit board350may be extended from an image sensor module330to be fixed to the outside of a housing301, and may be further extended to be connected to an external circuit or device.

That is, the module circuit board350includes a connection portion352and a fixing substrate354that are connected to each other, and in this case, the connection portion352may be connected to a substrate332of the image sensor module330, and the fixing substrate354may be fixed to an outer surface of the cover303covering the outside of the housing301. In addition, the module circuit board350may include a flexible circuit portion356extending from the fixing substrate354and a connector substrate357connected thereto to be connected to an external circuit or device (not shown).

The cover303includes a side wall303bcovering a side surface of the housing301, and a protrusion guide3032may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall303b. The cover303may be a metal shield can, and the protrusion guide3032may be formed by bending one edge of a cutout303cpartially cut out of the side wall303bof the metal shield can to the outside.

The fixing substrate354of the module circuit board350may be attached to the outer surface of the side wall303bof the cover303by bending the connection portion352, and in this case, the fixing substrate354may include a guide groove3544in one edge thereof to accommodate the protrusion guide3032.

That is, the fixing substrate354includes a third edge that is parallel to the light incident direction and adjacent to the connection portion352and a fourth edge parallel to and facing the third edge, and the guide groove3544may be recessed from the fourth edge of the fixing substrate354toward the center of the fixing substrate354in the planar direction. Accordingly, when the fixing substrate354is attached to the outer surface of the side wall303bof the cover303, the protrusion guide3032may be inserted into the guide groove3544to be accommodated. Thus, the protrusion guide3032may be utilized to guide a fixing position of the fixing substrate354. The planar direction may be set as a direction parallel to a surface of the fixing substrate354.

The fixing substrate354may include a ground pattern3541on the surface of the fixing substrate354facing the outer surface of the side wall303bof the cover303, and it may be attached to the outer surface of the side wall303bof the cover303by interposing a conductive adhesive363therebetween. That is, since the ground pattern3541of the fixing substrate354is adhered to the cover303that is the metal shield can through the conductive adhesive363, a ground connection of the module circuit board350may be made.

The protrusion guide3032may be disposed on the side wall303bof the cover303and spaced apart from the image sensor module330in the optical axis direction, and the fixing substrate354of the module circuit board350may be disposed between the image sensor module330and the protrusion guide3032. Accordingly, the protrusion guide3032may be exposed to the outside by the guide groove3544formed in the fixing substrate354.

FIG.12illustrates a partial perspective view of a state in which a module circuit board of the camera module according to another embodiment is attached to a cover.

Referring toFIG.12, a camera module300′ according to the present embodiment includes the constituent elements of the camera module300described with reference toFIG.9toFIG.11, and it may further include a reinforcing plate366attached to the outside of a fixing substrate354of a module circuit board350′. Accordingly, duplicate descriptions of the same constituent elements will be omitted.

The fixing substrate354of the module circuit board350′ may be attached to an outer surface of a side wall303bof a cover303by bending a connection portion352of the module circuit board350′, and in this case, the fixing substrate354may include a guide groove3544in one edge thereof to accommodate a protrusion guide3032.

The reinforcing plate366may be attached to an outward-facing surface of the fixing substrate354, and the reinforcing plate366may be a rigid metal plate. By attaching the reinforcing plate366, the strength of the fixing substrate354may be further reinforced.

In the embodiments of the camera module described above, by fixing a module circuit board for connection to an external circuit or device to a cover of the camera module and grounding the module circuit board at the same time, a structure of the module circuit board may be robustly and simply implemented.