CAMERA MODULE WITH HEATING FUNCTION AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

Provided is a camera module with a heating function. The camera module with the heating function includes a lens barrel including a lens accommodation portion in which a plurality of lenses including an outermost lens are accommodated; and a heating part formed by injecting a heating composition to the lens barrel, wherein an inner diameter of the lens accommodation portion is 50 mm or less, and the heating part is provided on the lens barrel opposed to an upper surface of the outermost lens and generates heat when power is applied.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a camera module and more particularly, to a camera module with a heating function and a manufacturing method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Thanks to the dramatic development of electronic and communication technology, the miniaturization and the high performance of a camera module have been significantly advanced, and as a result, a high-performance compact camera module has been commonly mounted on portable devices such as smart phones and tablet PCs.

In addition, for various purposes, a camera module has been mounted even in various mobile means such as an automobile and a motorcycle.

Meanwhile, when the camera module is exposed to the outside, due to a temperature deviation or the like, a lens part, a lens protection window, or the like may be humid, and due to the moisture, there was a problem that the quality of a photographed image is deteriorated, a malfunction of the camera module occurs, or the life of the camera module is shortened.

To solve the problem, in the related art, a method of using a heating line such as a coil was also proposed, but there was a limit in terms of the efficiency of a manufacturing process, the competitiveness of manufacturing costs, or the like.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera module with a heating function capable of implementing at least one effect of improvement of manufacturing efficiency, reduction of manufacturing costs, and extension of a product life by providing a heating function to the camera module.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for a camera module with a heating function capable of implementing at least one effect of improvement of manufacturing efficiency, reduction of manufacturing costs, and extension of a product life by providing a heating function to the camera module.

Technical Solution

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a camera module with a heating function including: a lens barrel including a lens accommodation portion in which a plurality of lenses including an outermost lens are accommodated; and a heating part formed by injecting a heating composition to the lens barrel, wherein an inner diameter of the lens accommodation portion is 50 mm or less, and the heating part is provided on the lens barrel opposed to an upper surface of the outermost lens and generates heat when power is applied.

A thickness of the heating part may be 200 μm or less and a deviation between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the heating part may be 10 μm or less.

A protrusion portion may be provided on the lens barrel opposed to the upper surface of the outmost lens, wherein the protrusion portion may be provided to be spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel and the heating part may be provided between the protrusion portion and the inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel.

The upper surface of the outermost lens may be in contact with a bottom surface of the protrusion portion and a bottom surface of the heating part.

The camera module may further include an electrode provided in the lens barrel to be electrically connected to the heating part; and a holder coupled with the lens barrel and provided with a power line electrically connected with the electrode. Wherein, the lens barrel may include a body portion of which the lens accommodation portion is provided on an inner circumference surface and a male screw portion is provided on an outer circumference surface; and a head portion which has a through hole provided in the center and has an outer circumferential surface having a larger diameter than an outer circumferential surface of the body portion.

Further, one end of the electrode may be provided at a lower side of the body portion and the other end of the electrode may be in contact with the heating part.

Further, one end of the electrode may be exposed to the outside of the head portion and the other end of the electrode may be in contact with the heating part.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing method for a camera module with a heating function including: injecting a heating composition to a lens barrel having an inner diameter of 50 mm or less; and forming a heating part by curing the injected heating composition.

Wherein, the lens barrel may include a body portion of which a lens accommodation portion is provided on an inner circumference surface and a male screw portion is provided on an outer circumference surface; and a head portion which has a through hole provided in the center and has an outer circumferential surface having a larger diameter than an outer circumferential surface of the body portion.

The injecting of the heating composition may be performed by injecting the heating composition toward a portion where the head portion and the lens accommodation portion meet inside the body portion while the lens barrel is rotated.

Further, a protrusion portion and a recess portion may be provided on the bottom surface of the head part and the heating composition injected to the recess portion may be cured to form the heating part.

The heating ink may be injected on a portion other than the heating part on a surface where the heating composition is injected while a masking is provided.

The masking may be provided by a double injection method and may be removed after injection of heating ink is terminated.

Advantageous Effects

According to the camera module with the heating function of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement at least one effect of improvement of manufacturing efficiency, reduction of manufacturing costs, and extension of a product life by providing the heating function to the camera module.

BEST MODE FOR THE INVENTION

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for accomplishing the same will be more clearly understood from exemplary embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. The present embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention may not only be complete, but also may fully provide the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout the whole specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, singular forms include even plural forms unless the context indicates otherwise. The terms ‘comprise’ and/or ‘comprising’ used herein mean that aforementioned components, steps, operations, and/or elements do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more of other components, steps, operations, and/or elements.

In addition, embodiments described herein will be described with reference to cross-sectional views and/or plan views as ideal exemplary diagrams of the present invention. In the drawings, a detail size, a shape, a thickness, a curvature, and the like of each of components are exaggerated or illustrated for an effective description of the technical contents, and the form thereof may be modified by a tolerance or the like.

Hereinafter, a configuration and an operation effect of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a camera module100according to an embodiment of the present invention andFIG. 2is a diagram for describing a main part of the camera module100according to the embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the camera module100may include a lens barrel110, lenses, a holder130, an image sensor150, a circuit board160, etc., and particularly, in an embodiment of the present invention, includes a heating part170. The heating part170is implemented by injecting a heating composition to a predetermined position.

In one embodiment, the heating composition may include a conductive material and a resistive material. In one embodiment, the heating composition may include at least one material selected from crystalline graphite, artificial graphite, diethylene glycol, butyl, ether, acetate, carbon black, polyester resin, and mono ethylene glycol. In addition, the heating composition may include a dispersant, an adhesive enhancer, a sedimentation preventive agent, a leveling agent, an anti-foamer, and the like.

In one embodiment, the lens barrel110may include a head portion111and a body portion112, wherein a through hole113is provided in the center of the head portion111, and a lens accommodation portion114may be provided on an inner circumferential surface of the body portion112. The lens accommodation portion114may be accommodated with a lens group consisting of several lenses P2, P3, and P4including an outermost lens P1, and the lenses may move in the lens accommodation portion114to perform an operation of automatic focus control, zoom in, zoom out, and the like. On the other hand, the shape of the lens illustrated in the drawings is illustrative, and the shapes, sizes, thicknesses, positions, distances, and the like of the lenses enable various modifications not illustrated in the drawings.

In one embodiment, the holder130serves to fix and support the lens barrel110. In one embodiment, a male screw is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the body portion112of the lens barrel110, and the holder130is provided with a receiving portion provided with a female screw corresponding thereto, so that the lens barrel110may be screw-coupled to the holder130.

In one embodiment, a lower portion of the holder130may be coupled to a circuit board160. Then, the image sensor150is mounted on the circuit board160to receive light passed through the lenses P1, P2, P3, and P4and output a digital signal.

In one embodiment, an infrared filter140may be provided between the lenses P1, P2, P3, and P4and the image sensor150.

In one embodiment, the heating part170may be provided between the outermost lens P1and the head portion111.

In one embodiment, the heating part170may be provided on the lens barrel110opposed to an upper surface of the outermost lens P1.

In one embodiment, an injection or spraying process of the heating composition may be performed by an arrow direction (A-direction) illustrated inFIG. 2. When the injection process of the heating composition is completed, the heating part170may be formed by curing the heating composition. In this process, it is preferable that the heating composition is injected with a masking (not illustrated) in a portion other than the heating part170. At this time, the masking is provided by a dual injection method, and the heating composition may not be left in an unnecessary portion by removing the masking after the injection of heating ink is terminated.

In one embodiment, it is preferable that the heating composition is injected in a state in which the lens barrel110is rotated. Accordingly, the injected heating composition is uniformly spread to implement the heating part170at a constant thickness and it is advantageous to lower a thickness deviation of the heating part170to a required level.

FIG. 3is a diagram for describing an electrode180connected to a heating part170,FIG. 4is a diagram for describing a modification ofFIG. 3,FIG. 5is a diagram for describing a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 6is a diagram for describing another modification ofFIG. 3,FIG. 7is a diagram for describing a camera module100according to another embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 8is a diagram for describing a heating part170according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 9is a diagram schematically illustrating a modification ofFIG. 8,FIG. 10is a diagram schematically illustrating a connection structure between a heating part170and an electrode180according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 11is a diagram schematically illustrating a modification ofFIG. 10, andFIG. 12is a diagram schematically illustrating another modification ofFIG. 10.

Referring to the drawings, in one embodiment, a diameter R2of the lens accommodation portion114is 50 mm or less. As a result, it is difficult to provide the heating composition to the heating part170position of the present invention by using a mechanism such as a roller. On the other hand, a method of applying the heating composition by using a brush and the like may also be considered, but this method has a limit in terms of process efficiency and precision.

In one embodiment, a diameter R1of the through hole113may be appropriately determined as needed in the range of ⅕ to ⅘ of R2.

Referring toFIG. 8, when the thickness of the heating part170is too thick, it is difficult to maintain the flatness of the heating part170and the heating capability required for removing moisture is excessively exceeded. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a thickness D1of the heating part170may be implemented to 200 μm or less. On the other hand, at a current art level, a process yield is relatively low in forming a thickness of less than 1 μm by injecting and spraying the heating composition.

In one embodiment, at least a portion of the upper surface of the outermost lens P1is in contact with a bottom surface of the heating part170. Accordingly, the heating part170may perform a function of providing heat to the outermost lens P1while supporting the outermost lens P1.

In one embodiment, it is preferable that a deviation (represented by Dmax2inFIG. 8) between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness of the heating part170is 10 μm or less. If the thickness deviation of the heating part170is excessively large, the outermost lens P1may be excessively distorted from a designed value, and in this case, the distortion of an optical axis may cause various problems.

In one embodiment, a width W1of the heating part170may be determined to (R2−R1)/2. Here, the width W1may mean up to the lens accommodation portion114. A heating material may not be in direct contact with the outermost lens P1inside the body portion112over the lens accommodation portion114, and this portion may be a portion extended for connection with the electrode180. In this meaning, in this specification, these portions are also referred to as a first extension portion171and a second extension portion172, and the like.

Referring toFIG. 9, in one embodiment, a protrusion portion116may be provided on the lens barrel110opposed to the upper surface of the outermost lens P1. At this time, the protrusion portion116may be spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel110, that is, the lens accommodation portion114. Accordingly, a kind of recess portion may be formed between the protrusion portion116and the inner circumferential surface of the lens barrel110, and the heating part170may be implemented by injecting the heating composition to the recess portion.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that the upper surface of the outermost lens P1is in contact with the bottom surface of the protrusion portion116and the bottom surface of the heating part170, and furthermore, it is preferred to be in contact with at least wide area of the upper surface of the outermost lens P1. To this end, it is preferred that a step between the bottom surface of the protrusion portion116and the bottom surface of the heating part170is also minimized.

Meanwhile, the protrusion portion116may be made of a material with relatively larger abrasion resistance than the heating part170. In one embodiment, since the heating part170is formed by injected and then curing the heating composition, when the protrusion portion116is implemented to be injection-molded integrally with the head portion111, the abrasion resistance of the protrusion portion116may be implemented to be higher than that of the heating part170. Accordingly, while the lenses including the outermost lens P1are more stably supported by the protrusion portion116, a fogging effect may be reduced by using heat generated by the heating part170.

In one embodiment, an electrode180electrically connected to the heating part170may be provided. Further, power lines131and132electrically connected to the electrode180may be provided.

In one embodiment, the electrode180may be provided in the lens barrel110, and the power lines may be provided in the holder130.

Referring toFIG. 3, a first recess portion112R1may be formed on the body portion112of the lens barrel110. In one embodiment, in the lens accommodation portion114, the body portion112is recessed in an outer circumferential direction to implement the first recess portion112R1. A first electrode181may be provided in the first recess portion112R1. The first electrode181may be implemented as a lead line, a wire, a conductive film, a conductive paste, and the like, and may also be implemented through insert molding or a double injection method. The heating part170may be implemented by injecting the heating composition in a state in which the first electrode181is already formed in the lens barrel110. Accordingly, a first extension portion171extending in a direction of the first recess portion112R1may be formed in the heating part170, and while the first extension portion171is connected with the first electrode181, power may be applied to the heating part170.

Referring toFIG. 4, it is illustrated an embodiment in which the body portion112is divided into a first body112-1and a second body112-2and a first electrode181and a second electrode182are provided in an area therebetween.

Referring toFIG. 5, one end of the electrode180is provided at a lower side of the body portion112, the other end of the electrode180is in contact with the heating part170, and the first power line131and the second power line132provided in the holder130may be connected to lower ends of the first electrode181and the second electrode182, respectively, so that a power supply line may be connected.

Referring toFIG. 6, one end of the electrode180is exposed to the outside of the head portion111, and the other end of the electrode180may be in contact with the heating part170. That is, the electrode180may not extend in a vertical direction along the body portion112. In this case, as illustrated inFIG. 7, a first power line131-1may be connected to the outer circumferential surface of the holder130or a second power line132-1passing through the inside of the holder130may be connected to the electrode180.

InFIGS. 10 to 12, the structure of the heating part170, the electrode180, and the extension portions171and172is illustrated.

Since the camera module100with the heating function according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the heating part170implemented by injecting the heating composition, it is difficult to apply the heating material with a roller, a brush, or the like, but the heating part170may be formed at a position where lens heating efficiency is relatively good. At this position, the outermost lens P1may be quickly heated even if a small amount of energy is utilized. Therefore, in the camera module100with the heating function of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement at least one effect of improvement of manufacturing efficiency, reduction of manufacturing costs, and extension of a product life by providing the heating function to the camera module100.

MODES FOR THE INVENTION

FIG. 13is a diagram for describing a camera module100according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a second recess portion112R2and a third recess portion112R3are provided in the body portion112, and a heating part270formed by injecting the heating composition therein may be provided to remove moisture.

In one embodiment, an injecting or spraying process of the heating composition may be performed by an arrow direction (B-direction) illustrated inFIG. 13. When the injection process of the heating composition is completed, the heating part270may be formed by curing the heating composition. In this process, the heating composition may be injected with a masking (not illustrated) in a portion other than the heating part270. At this time, the masking is provided by a dual injection method, and the heating composition may not be left in an unnecessary portion by removing the masking after the injection of heating ink is terminated.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A camera module with a heating function according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applied to various types of cameras such as smart phones, tablet PCs, black boxes for vehicles, drone-mounted cameras, CCTV cameras, and portable digital cameras.