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US 12,699,278 B2Granted
Folded optics camera with tilt actuator
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJian Ouyang, Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott W. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and a tilt actuator. In some embodiments, the camera may include a folded optics arrangement that may include a prism and a lens group. In some embodiments, an actuator arrangement of the camera may include one or more actuators for tilting the prism about multiple axes. Furthermore, the actuator arrangement may include one or more actuators for translating the lens group along an axis. In some embodiments, the camera may include a bearing suspension arrangement that may allow for controlled movement of the prism and/or the lens group according to the motion enabled by the actuator arrangement.
Claims20
A camera, comprising:
- a folded optics arrangement to fold a path of light, the folded optics arrangement comprising a prism;
- an image sensor to capture light that has passed through the prism;
- an actuator arrangement to tilt the prism about a plurality of axes to provide optical image stabilization (OIS) motion of an image on the image sensor;
- and
- a bearing suspension arrangement comprising stages configured to move on ball bearings,
- such that the stages suspend the prism from a base structure and allow motion of the prism enabled by the actuator arrangement, wherein the stages comprise:
- a lower stage configured to tilt about a first axis using a first set of ball bearings between the lower stage and the base structure and beneath the lower stage in a direction parallel to the first axis;
- and
- an upper stage above the lower stage and configured to tilt about the first axis and a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the upper stage includes a first magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis and a second magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage about the second axis;
- and
- a flex circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of bend portions at which the flex circuit is folded to wrap around at least a portion of the base structure;
- and
- a plurality of straight portions, comprising:
- a first straight portion comprising a first inner surface located beside the upper stage to provide a first coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the first magnet to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis;
- and
- a second straight portion comprising a second inner surface located beneath the lower stage to provide a second coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the second magnet to tilt the upper stage about the second axis.
14 more elements
A device, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- memory storing program instructions executable by the one or more processors to control operations of a camera;
- the camera, comprising:
- a folded optics arrangement to fold a path of light, the folded optics arrangement comprising a prism;
- an image sensor to capture light that has passed through the prism;
- an actuator arrangement to tilt the prism about a plurality of axes to provide optical image stabilization (OIS) motion of an image on the image sensor;
- and
- a bearing suspension arrangement comprising stages configured to move on ball bearings, such that the stages suspend the prism from a base structure and allow motion of the prism enabled by the actuator arrangement, wherein the stages comprise:
- a lower stage configured to tilt about a first axis using a first set of ball bearings between the lower stage and the base structure and beneath the lower stage in a direction parallel to the first axis;
- and
- an upper stage above the lower stage and configured to tilt about the first axis and a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the upper stage includes a first magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis and a second magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage about the second axis;
- and
- a flex circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of bend portions at which the flex circuit is folded to wrap around at least a portion of the base structure;
- and
- a plurality of straight portions, comprising:
- a first straight portion comprising a first inner surface located beside the upper stage to provide a first coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the first magnet to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis;
- and
- a second straight portion comprising a second inner surface located beneath the lower stage to provide a second coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the second magnet to tilt the upper stage about the second axis.
16 more elements
An optics system, comprising:
- a folded optics arrangement to fold a path of light, the folded optics arrangement comprising a prism;
- an actuator arrangement to tilt the prism about a plurality of axes to provide optical image stabilization (OIS) motion of an image on an image sensor;
- and
- a bearing suspension arrangement comprising stages configured to move on ball bearings,
- such that the stages suspend the prism from a base structure and allow motion of the prism enabled by the actuator arrangement, wherein the stages comprise:
- a lower stage configured to tilt about a first axis using a first set of ball bearings between the lower stage and the base structure and beneath the lower stage in a direction parallel to the first axis;
- and
- an upper stage above the lower stage and configured to tilt about the first axis and a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the upper stage includes a first magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis and a second magnet for the actuator arrangement configured to tilt the upper stage about the second axis;
- and
- a flex circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of bend portions at which the flex circuit is folded to wrap around at least a portion of the base structure;
- and
- a plurality of straight portions, comprising:
- a first straight portion comprising a first inner surface located beside the upper stage to provide a first coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the first magnet to tilt the upper stage and the lower stage about the first axis;
- and
- a second straight portion comprising a second inner surface located beneath the lower stage to provide a second coil for the actuator arrangement to interact with the second magnet to tilt the upper stage about the second axis.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.