# Patent

## Title
Camera module

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera module, the module including: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR filter; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material; a spacer arranged on an upper surface of the lower spring plate and forming a staircase structure by a rib wrapping a periphery of the lower spring plate to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate; a lens actuator including a bobbin, and a yoke; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator; and a cover attached to an upper surface of the upper spring plate.

## Background
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is the U.S. national stage application of International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2011/008648, filed Nov. 14, 2011, which claims priority to Korean Application Nos. 10-2010-0125731, filed Dec. 9, 2010, and 10-2010-0127053, filed Dec. 13, 2010, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The teachings in accordance with exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to a camera module, and more particularly to a camera module configured to have a tolerance to an electrostatic damage.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, a compact small-sized camera module is applied to various multimedia fields including notebook type personal computers, camera phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), smart phones and toys, and to image input equipment including monitoring cameras and information terminals.
A PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of a camera module is manufactured being embedded with various electronic elements, and the electronic elements are generally configured with integrated modules on the PCB. The integrated module used for mobile terminals is exposed to severe radio interference, which in turn results in abnormal function to the electronic elements forming the integrated module.
Under the circumstance where the radio interference causes an abnormal function to the electronic elements forming the integrated module, a metal shield can is generally utilized to prevent the radio interference. The metal shield serves to alleviate the radio interference ill affecting the electronic elements and to protect the electronic elements against an outside shock.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view for explaining a problem faced by a conventional camera module. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional camera module includes a PCB (11) mounted with an image sensor (12), a base (20) on the PCB (11), upper and lower spring plates (30, 60), a spacer (40), a cover (70), a lens assembly and a lens actuator (50) and a shield can (80).
The lower spring plate (30) in the conventional camera module that is electrically connected to the PCB (11) forms a layer and may be protruded to outside. The shield can (80) is generally provided with a conductive metal material, such that the lower spring plate (30) and the shield can (80) may be short-circuited, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Furthermore, a short-circuit may be generated between the lower spring plate (30) and a conductive structure even in a camera module free from the shield can (80), if the structure assembled for the camera module is configured with conductive materials.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
The present invention is to provide a camera module directed to solve the aforementioned problems or disadvantages by preventing the camera module from being short-circuited with outside conductive materials.
Technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not restricted to the above-mentioned, and any other technical problems not mentioned so far will be clearly appreciated from the following description by skilled in the art.
Solution to Problem
An object of the invention is to solve at least one or more of the above problems and/or disadvantages in whole or in part and to provide at least the advantages described hereinafter. In order to achieve at least the above objects, in whole or in part, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, and in one general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera module, the camera module comprising: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR (infrared) filter, and accommodated with a connection lead therein, and corner pillar portions each erected at a corner portion of the plated portion; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material, and connected to the connection lead of the base for coupling with an upper surface of the plated portion; a spacer arranged on an upper surface of the lower spring plate and forming a staircase structure by a rib wrapping a periphery of the lower spring plate to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate; a lens actuator including a bobbin elastically supported by the lower spring plate and accommodated inside a lens assembly, and a yoke wrapping the bobbin and coupled among the corner pillar portions of the base and stacked at an upper surface of the spacer; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator to supportively apply a pressure to the lens actuator; and a cover attached to an upper surface of the upper spring plate and formed thereon with a hole.
Preferably, the camera module is further comprising a shield can of an enclosure formed thereon with a hole and a bottom-opened inner space, accommodating the lens actuator at the inner space, and secured at a bottom end to an upper surface of the PCB.
Preferably, the shield can and the PCB are fixed by an adhesive.
Preferably, the adhesive is a conductive epoxy.
Preferably, the lower spring plate is formed with an upwardly-protruding yoke terminal to supply an electric power to the lens actuator.
In another general aspect of the present invention, there is provide a camera module, the camera module comprising: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR (infrared) filter, and corner pillar portions each erected at a corner portion of the plated portion; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material, and coupled to an upper surface of the plated portion of the base; a lens actuator including a bobbin elastically supported by the lower spring plate and accommodated inside a lens assembly, and a yoke wrapping the bobbin and coupled to an upper surface of the base; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator to supportively apply a pressure to the lens actuator; and a cover arranged on an upper surface of the upper spring plate, coupled to a corner pillar portion of the base and formed thereon with a hole, wherein an upper surface of the plated portion of the base is formed with an accommodation structure inwardly staircased for accommodating the lower spring plate.
Preferably, the camera module is further comprising a shield can of an enclosure formed thereon with a hole and a bottom-opened inner space, accommodating the lens actuator at the inner space, and secured at a bottom end to an upper surface of the PCB.
Preferably, the shield can and the PCB are fixed by an adhesive.
Preferably, the adhesive is a conductive epoxy.
Preferably, the camera module is further comprising a spacer between the lower spring plate and the lens actuator.
Preferably, the lower spring plate is formed with an upwardly-protruding yoke terminal to supply an electric power to the lens actuator.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
A camera module according to the present invention has an advantageous effect in that an occurrence of short-circuit with outside conductive material is prevented to alleviate damage to the camera module caused by short-circuit through structural change to a spacer, thereby dispensing with formation of additional parts.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explaining a problem of a conventional camera module;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a coupled state between a staircase-formed spacer and a lower spring plate;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a coupled state between a staircase-formed base of a camera module and a lower spring plate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the lower spring plate of FIGS. 3 and 4.



BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The following description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the following teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein are further intended to explain modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such, or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the present invention.
The disclosed embodiments and advantages thereof are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings. Other features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be or will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included within the scope of the disclosed embodiments, and protected by the accompanying drawings. Further, the illustrated figures are only exemplary and not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, or process in which different embodiments may be implemented. Accordingly, the described aspect is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope and novel idea of the present invention.
It will be understood that the terms “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. That is, the terms “including”, “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, or variants thereof are used in the detailed description and/or the claims to denote non-exhaustive inclusion in a manner similar to the term “comprising”.
Furthermore, “exemplary” is merely meant to mean an example, rather than the best. It is also to be appreciated that features, layers and/or elements depicted herein are illustrated with particular dimensions and/or orientations relative to one another for purposes of simplicity and ease of understanding, and that the actual dimensions and/or orientations may differ substantially from that illustrated. That is, in the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers, regions and/or other elements may be exaggerated or reduced for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout and explanations that duplicate one another will be omitted. Now, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Words such as “thereafter,” “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended to limit the order of the processes; these words are simply used to guide the reader through the description of the methods.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other elements or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first region/layer could be termed a second region/layer, and, similarly, a second region/layer could be termed a first region/layer without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the general inventive concept. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Now, the camera module according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a camera module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a coupled state between a staircase-formed spacer and a lower spring plate, FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a coupled state between a staircase-formed base of a camera module and a lower spring plate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the lower spring plate of FIGS. 3 and 4.
Referring to FIG. 2, a camera module according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a PCB (110), an image sensor (120), a base (200), upper and lower spring plates (300, 600), a spacer (400), a lens assembly and a lens actuator (500), a cover (700), and a shield can (800).
The PCB (110) is mounted with the image sensor (120), and coupled to the base (200) and a lower surface of the can (800). The image sensor (120) is mounted with an image pickup device for converting light incident through a lens formed at a lens assembly (510) positioned at an upper surface of the image sensor (120) to an electrical signal.
The base (200) mounted on the PCB (110) is formed at a lower center thereof with an opening mounted with an IR filter (220) filtering an infrared, and includes a plated portion accommodating a connection lead, and a corner pillar portion (230) perpendicularly formed at a corner portion of the plated portion. The lower spring plate (300) formed with a conductive material is connected to a connection lead of the base (200) and coupled to an upper surface of the plated portion.
The spacer (400) is arranged at an upper surface of the lower spring plate (300), formed with a stair-cased structure by a rib encompassing a periphery of the lower spring plate (300) to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate (300). The conductive lower spring plate (300) is accommodated by the stair-cased structure formed by the rib (see A in FIG. 2) to prevent the conductive material from being exposed to an external surface of the spacer (400), whereby the lower spring plate (300) and an outside conductive material from being short-circuited. The difference created by the structure can be more distinctively shown in comparison with the prior art of FIG. 1. In case of structure of FIG. 1, a periphery of the lower spring plate (30) is structurally exposed to an external surface of the spacer (40), the structure of which can generate an occurrence of short-circuit with an outside conductive material, whereas the rib structure of spacer (400) according to the present invention has an effect of completely removing the occurrence of short-circuit.
Now, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower spring plate (300) is formed with an upwardly protruding yoke terminal (310). The yoke terminal (310) is inserted into a connection hole of a yoke (540) at the lens actuator (500), and the lower spring plate (300) is electrically connected to the PCB (110) through a connection lead inside the base (210) to allow the lens actuator (500) to be provided with an electric power.
The lens actuator (500) includes a lens assembly (510), a bobbin (520) accommodating the lens assembly (510), a coil wound on a periphery of the bobbin (520) and the yoke (540), which are elements for vertically driving the lens assembly (510). The upper spring plate (600) is coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator (500) to supportively apply a pressure to the lens actuator (500). The cover (700) is attached to an upper surface of the upper spring plate (600) and is formed at an upper center thereof with a center hole.
The shield can (800), an enclosure formed at a upper center thereof with a hole and a bottom-opened inner space, accommodates the lens actuator (500) at the inner space, and fixed at a bottom end to an upper surface of the PCB (110) by an adhesive. The adhesive may include a conductive epoxy, but is not limited thereto.
MODE FOR THE INVENTION
FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a coupled state between a staircase-formed base of a camera module and a lower spring plate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the lower spring plate formed with an upwardly protruding yoke terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
An upper surface of a plated portion of a base (210) according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed with an accommodation structure inwardly formed with staircases to accommodate the lower spring plate (300) (see ‘A’ of FIG. 2). In a case the lower spring plate (300) is accommodated in the accommodation structure, the conductive lower spring plate (300) is accommodated by the staircases at an upper surface of the plated portion of the base (210) to structurally prevent from exposing to an external surface of the base (210), whereby the lower spring plate (300) is prevented from being short-circuited with an external conductive material.
The difference created by the structure can be more distinctively shown in comparison with the prior art of FIG. 1. In case of structure of FIG. 2, a periphery of the lower spring plate (30) is structurally exposed to an external surface of the base (21), the structure of which can generate an occurrence of short-circuit with an outside conductive material, whereas the inwardly staircased accommodation structure according to the present invention has an effect of completely removing the occurrence of short-circuit.
Now, referring to FIG. 5, the lower spring plate (300) is formed with an upwardly protruding yoke terminal (310). The yoke terminal (310) is inserted into a connection hole of a yoke (540) at the lens actuator (500), and the lower spring plate (300) is electrically connected to a circuit of the PCB (110) to allow the lens actuator (500) to be provided with an electric power.
That is, the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is comprising a stair-cased structure formed at the base (210), and other structures make no big difference from those of the first exemplary embodiment, such that an overlapped explanation is omitted.
The previous description of the present invention is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is not intended to limit the examples described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The camera module according to the present invention has an industrial applicability in that the novel idea of the present invention can be applied to a small-sized camera module using a voice coil motor as an automatic focus adjusting unit.

## Claims

1. A camera module, the camera module comprising:
an image sensor;
a PCB (printed circuit board) mounted with the image sensor;
a base disposed at an upper side of the PCB;
an actuator including a bobbin disposed over the base and a coil disposed on the bobbin,
wherein the bobbin is configured to move in a vertical direction;
an upper spring and a lower spring configured to support the bobbin;
a lens assembly coupled to the bobbin;
a shield can covering the actuator, the upper spring, and the lower spring; and
a protrusion protruded on the base and disposed between the lower spring and the shield can in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the lower spring is spaced apart from the shield can and the protrusion is disposed within the shield can;
wherein the lower spring includes two springs spaced apart from each other;
wherein the two springs are coupled to an upper surface of the base and is electrically connected to the PCB;
wherein the shield can, the protrusion, and the lower spring are overlapped in the horizontal direction;
and
wherein the shield can extends lower than a lower surface of the lower spring in the vertical direction and is connected to the PCB by an adhesive.

2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a conductive epoxy.

3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the actuator further includes a yoke.

4. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed on the actuator.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a square-shaped opening at a center thereof, and wherein a filter is coupled to a lower surface of the base around the opening.

6. The camera module of claim 1, wherein a height of the protrusion corresponds to a thickness of the lower spring.

7. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between a lateral surface of a periphery of the lower spring and an inner lateral surface of the shield can, in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, is longer than the shortest distance between a lateral surface of the base and the inner lateral surface of the shield can in the horizontal direction.

8. A camera module, the camera module comprising:
an image sensor;
a PCB (printed circuit board) mounted with the image sensor;
a base;
an actuator including a bobbin disposed over the base and a coil disposed on the bobbin, wherein the bobbin is configured to move in a vertical direction;
an upper spring and a lower spring configured to support the bobbin;
a lens assembly coupled to the bobbin;
a shield can covering the actuator, the upper spring, and the lower spring; and
a protrusion protruded on the base and disposed between the lower spring and the shield can in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the lower spring is spaced apart from the shield can and the protrusion is disposed within the shield can;
wherein the lower spring includes two springs spaced apart from each other;
wherein the two springs are disposed on an upper surface of the base and electrically connected to the coil;
wherein the shield can, the protrusion, and the lower spring are overlapped in a horizontal direction; and
wherein the shield can is connected to the PCB by a conductive adhesive.

9. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the protrusion is integrally formed with the base.

10. The camera module of claim 8, wherein an upper surface of the protrusion is formed higher than an upper surface of the lower spring.

11. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the lower spring and the shield can are electrically insulated from each other.

12. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the base further includes a plate portion formed inside the protrusion and having the lower spring disposed thereon.

13. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the protrusion is formed at an upper surface of the base at a height higher than a thickness of the lower spring.

14. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the protrusion of the base wraps around a perimeter of the lower spring.

15. The camera module of claim 8, further comprising a cover disposed on the actuator.

16. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the base comprises a square-shaped opening at a center thereof, and wherein a filter is coupled to a lower surface of the base around the opening.

17. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the lower spring is a conductor configured to supply electric power to the actuator.

18. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the lower spring is spaced apart from an edge of the base at a predetermined distance when viewed from a top, such that the lower spring is spaced apart from the edge of the base in the horizontal direction.

19. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the lower spring is formed with a terminal to be electrically connected to a circuit of the PCB.

20. The camera module of claim 19, wherein the terminal is connected to the PCB after protruding into the base.

21. The camera module of claim 20, wherein the terminal is not protruded from an edge of the camera module when viewed from a top, such that the terminal is not protruded from the edge of the camera module in the horizontal direction.

22. An electronic element comprising the camera module recited in claim 8.

23. The camera module according to claim 8, wherein the shield can extends lower than a lower surface of the lower spring in the vertical direction.