Abstract:
A camera module includes an image sensor, a lens assembly mounted on the image sensor, and a shell defining a receiving space. The image sensor and the lens assembly are accommodated in the receiving space. The lens assembly is fixedly engaged in the shell.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to camera modules, and particularly to a wafer level package (WLP) camera module. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     WLP camera modules have been used in portable electronic devices e.g., mobile phones. However, the WLP camera modules are structurally weak. The structure of the WLP camera modules may be damaged if struck, or even if roughly handled, thus reducing the imaging quality of the WLP camera modules. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new camera module, which can overcome the above-mentioned limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a camera module according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the camera module, taken along the line II-II of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a camera module  100  according to one embodiment includes an image sensor  10 , a lens assembly  30  mounted on the image sensor  10 , and a shell  50 . 
     The image sensor  10  is made by the wafer level package process. The image sensor  10  may be a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. 
     The lens assembly  30  is also made by the wafer level package process. The lens assembly  30  includes one or more lenses. 
     The shell  50  is substantially a hollow cuboid. The shell  50  includes a top wall  51  and a peripheral wall  53 . The top wall  51  and the peripheral wall  53  cooperatively form a receiving space  510 . The image sensor  10  and the lens assembly  30  are in the receiving space  510 . The top wall  51  is substantially square, and defines a central through hole  511  which allows the ingress of light into the camera module  100 , to strike the image sensor  10 . The top wall  51  further includes an identification area  513  at a corner. The identification area  513  is for indicating the electrical polarity of the camera module  100 . The peripheral wall  53  extends perpendicularly from the edges of the top wall  51 . The peripheral wall  53  includes four sidewalls  531  and a fixing part  533 . At least one sidewall  531  includes a main body  5311  and an engaging part  5313 . The engaging part  5313  is for engaging with the lens assembly  30 , thus holding the lens assembly  30  in the shell  50  steadily. The engaging part  5313  is convex in shape, protruding inwards towards the receiving space  510 . The engaging part  5313  is arc-shaped in cross-section. The engaging part  5313  is protruding from the main body  5311  towards the receiving space  510  of the shell  50 . The fixing part  533  flares out from the bottom end of the four sidewalls  531 . The fixing part  533  is for coupling with a printed circuit board (not shown) so that the camera module  100  is mounted on the printed circuit board. 
     In the present embodiment, only two opposite sidewalls  531  include engaging parts  5313 , and each of the two opposite sidewalls  531  includes two engaging parts  5313 , spaced as approximated in  FIG. 1 . The other opposing pair of the sidewalls  531  may include engaging parts  5313 . The total number of the engaging parts of a sidewall  531  may be one, or three, or more. 
     The shell  50  may be made of copper, copper alloy, or plastic. The shell  50  may be soldered to the printed circuit board. 
     In the present embodiment, the shell  50  covers and protects the image sensor  10  and the lens assembly  30 . Accordingly, the vulnerability to shock and vibration, and structural strength of the camera module  100  is improved, and therefore the stability and performance of the camera module  100  is improved. When the shell  50  is made of metal, this will improve the antistatic defences of the camera module  100  and enhance the imaging quality. 
     While various embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art), are also covered. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.