# US 12,015,838 B2 · Light shielding plate, camera unit, and electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,838 B2 - Document ID: US12015838B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/574,859 - Filed: 2022-01-13 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-19 - Assignees: Toppan Inc. - Applicants: Toppan Inc. - Inventors: Kiyoaki Nishitsuji; Shinichi Shimamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015838B2 ## CPC - C23F 1/04: Chemical milling - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - C23C 16/30: Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides - C23F 1/02: Local etching - G02B 1/113: using inorganic layer materials only - G02B 5/005: {Diaphragms (for cameras G03B9/02)} - G03B 9/02: Diaphragms - G03B 30/00: Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles - H04N 23/50: Constructional details - H04N 23/51: Housings - C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25 - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract A light shielding plate including a front surface located on a light incident side, a rear surface facing away from the front surface, and an aperture penetrating through the front and rear surfaces. The aperture includes a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion connected to the first aperture portion via a central opening. The first aperture portion extends from a rear opening in the rear surface toward the central opening and has a shape tapered from the rear surface toward the front surface. The second aperture portion extends from a front opening in the front surface toward the central opening and has a shape tapered from the front surface toward the rear surface. The front opening is larger than the rear opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light shielding plate made of metal, comprising: a front surface located on a light incident side; a rear surface facing away from the front surface; and an aperture penetrating through the front surface and the rear surface, wherein the aperture includes a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion connected to the first aperture portion via a central opening, the first aperture portion extending from a rear opening in the rear surface toward the central opening and having a shape tapered from the rear surface toward the front surface, the second aperture portion extending from a front opening in the front surface toward the central opening and having a shape tapered from the front surface toward the rear surface, the front opening being larger than the rear opening; and when an image of an edge of the central opening is captured in a radial direction thereof by bringing the edge into focus under imaging conditions where a depth of field is 0.4 μm, a maximum focusable length of the light shielding plate that can be in focus in a thickness direction thereof is 7.0 μm or less. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light shielding plate of claim 1, wherein the maximum focusable length of the light shielding plate is 3.0 μm or less. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light shielding plate of claim 1, wherein the maximum focusable length of the light shielding plate is 1.0 μm or more. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light shielding plate of claim 1, wherein a distance between the rear surface and the edge of the central opening is more than 0 μm and 3 μm or less in the thickness direction of the light shielding plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light shielding of claim 1, wherein a distance between the rear surface and the edge of the central opening is 30% or less the thickness of the light shielding plate in the thickness direction of the light shielding plate. ### Claim 6 A light shielding plate made of metal, comprising: a front surface located on a light incident side; a rear surface facing away from the front surface; and an aperture penetrating through the front surface and the rear surface, wherein the aperture includes a first aperture portion and a second aperture portion connected to the first aperture portion via a central opening, the first aperture portion extending from a rear opening in the rear surface toward the central opening and having a shape tapered from the rear surface toward the front surface, the second aperture portion extending from a front opening in the front surface toward the central opening and having a shape tapered from the front surface toward the rear surface, the front opening being larger than the rear opening; and when an image of an edge of the central opening is captured in a radial direction thereof by bringing the edge into focus under imaging conditions where a depth of field is 0.4 μm, a maximum focusable length of the light shielding plate that can be in focus in a thickness direction thereof is 30% or less the thickness of the light shielding plate in the thickness direction thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light shielding plate of claim 1, wherein the light shielding plate has a thickness of 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light shielding plate of claim 1, wherein the light shielding plate is made of an iron-nickel alloy or an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The light shielding plate of claim 8, wherein the light shielding plate is made of Invar or Super Invar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A camera unit including the light shielding plate of claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An electronic device including the camera unit of claim 10.