# US 12,216,395 B2 · Optical unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,395 B2 - Document ID: US12216395B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/298,028 - Filed: 2019-04-15 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30 - Assignees: Nidec Sankyo Corporation - Applicants: Nidec Sankyo Corporation - Inventors: Shinji Minamisawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216395B2 ## CPC - G03B 5/06: Swinging lens about normal to the optical axis - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - G02B 7/04: with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification - G03B 5/00: Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing - 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 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 23/57: Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices - H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)} - G03B 2205/0015: by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis - G03B 2205/0023: by tilting or inclining one or more optical elements with respect to the optical axis - H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position} - H05K 2201/055: Folded back on itself - H05K 2201/10121: Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H05K 2203/167: Using mechanical means for positioning, alignment or registration, e.g. using rod-in-hole alignment - 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) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An optical unit is provided and includes: a movable body having an optical module; a fixed body; a support mechanism turnably supporting the movable body with respect to the fixed body; a flexible circuit board whose one end is connected with a connection part provided in the movable body and which is disposed on a side in a first intersecting direction intersecting an optical axis direction with respect to the movable body; and a positioning part being disposed on the side in the first intersecting direction with respect to the movable body and positioning an other end of the flexible circuit board in the optical axis direction. The flexible circuit board is folded to be overlapped with each other when viewed in the optical axis direction. A position in the optical axis direction of a turning axis is located within a range from the connection part to the positioning part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical unit comprising: a movable body comprising an optical module having an object side; a fixed body, having an extended part extended from an inner side to an outer side along a first intersecting direction that intersects an optical axis direction; a support mechanism which turnably supports the movable body with respect to the fixed body with one or a plurality of directions intersecting the optical axis direction as a direction of a turning axis; a flexible circuit board whose one end is connected with a connection part provided in the movable body and which is disposed on the extended part at the inner side in the first intersecting direction intersecting the optical axis direction with respect to the movable body; a positioning part which is disposed on the extended part at the outer side in the first intersecting direction with respect to the movable body and positions an other end of the flexible circuit board in the optical axis direction; and a cover, which covers at least a part of the flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is folded so as to be overlapped with each other when viewed in the optical axis direction; a position in the optical axis direction of the turning axis is located within a range from the connection part to the positioning part; the cover, which is the extended part, includes a first wall part, a second wall part and a third wall part that cover the at least a part of the flexible circuit board in three directions other than an opposite side to the object side; the positioning part is integrally formed with the fixed body; the fixed body is provided with the positioning part which positions the flexible circuit board in a Z-axis direction that is the optical axis direction; the positioning part is a plate-shaped member which is attached to the first wall part so as to form a space and the other end of the flexible circuit board is positioned in the Z-axis direction by passing the other end through the space; the first wall portion is configured to cover the connection part of flexible circuit board, the positioning part and a region between the connection part and the positioning part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein a number of folding times of the flexible circuit board is once or twice. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein a number of folding times of the flexible circuit board is an even number of times. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the position in the optical axis direction of the turning axis is located at a position different from the positioning part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the position in the optical axis direction of the positioning part is different from a position of the connection part in the optical axis direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the fixed body comprises no wall part which intersects the first intersecting direction between the connection part and the positioning part on the side in the first intersecting direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises a branch region which is branched in an extended direction directing from the one end toward the other end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optical unit according to claim 7, wherein the branch region is provided so that the flexible circuit board is bilaterally symmetrical along the first intersecting direction when viewed in the extended direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The optical unit according to claim 7, wherein the positioning part is structured so that the flexible circuit board is fixed to the fixed body in a state that movement in the first intersecting direction of the flexible circuit board is allowed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a turning drive mechanism structured to turn the movable body with respect to the fixed body, wherein the turning drive mechanism is disposed at a position except the side in the first intersecting direction with respect to the movable body.