# US 2018/0321503 A1 · Camera assembly providing optical image stabilisation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0321503 A1 - Document ID: US20180321503A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/770,386 - Filed: 2016-10-28 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-28 - Assignees: Cambridge Mechatronics Limited - Applicants: Cambridge Mechatronics Limited - Inventors: Andrew Benjamin David BROWN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321503A1 ## CPC - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - F03G 7/0614: {using shape memory elements} - G02B 27/646: {compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68)} - H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - F03G: SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (arrangements in connection with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60K16/00; electric propulsion with power supply in vehicles from force of nature B60L8/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A camera assembly comprises a support structure and an image sensor mounted on a carrier that is suspended on the support structure by at least one plain bearing that allows movement of the carrier and the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor. An actuator arrangement comprising plural shape memory alloy wires is arranged to move the carrier and the image sensor relative to the support structure for providing optical image stabilisation of the image captured by the image sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera assembly comprising: a support structure; an image sensor having a light-sensitive region, the image sensor being suspended on the support structure in a manner allowing movement of the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor; and plural shape memory alloy actuator wires in an arrangement capable, on selective driving thereof, of moving the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera assembly according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is supported on the support structure in a manner further allowing rotation of the image sensor about an axis orthogonal to the light-sensitive region, and the plural shape memory alloy actuator wires are in an arrangement capable, on selective driving, of rotating the image sensor about said axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera assembly according to claim 1, wherein said plural shape memory alloy actuator wires comprise a total of four shape memory alloy actuator wires. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The camera assembly according to claim 3, wherein the four shape memory alloy actuator wires are arranged on four sides of the image sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The camera assembly according to claim 3, wherein the four shape memory alloy actuator wires comprise a first pair of shape memory alloy actuator wires arranged to apply forces to the image sensor in opposite directions along a first axis lateral to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor and to apply a first torque to the image sensor, and a second pair of shape memory alloy actuator wires arranged to apply forces to the image sensor in opposite directions along a second axis lateral to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor and perpendicular to the first axis, and to apply a second torque to the image sensor in an opposite sense to the first torque. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera assembly according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is mounted on a carrier, and the plural shape memory alloy actuator wires are connected between the support structure and the carrier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a lens assembly comprising at least one lens arranged to focus an image on the light-sensitive region of the image sensor, the lens assembly being mounted to the support structure, preferably wherein the light-sensitive region of the image sensor has a diagonal length of at most 12 mm; and/or at least one plain bearing that bears the movable element on the support structure, allowing movement of the movable element relative to the support structure orthogonal to the optical axis ### Claim at position 8 -9. (canceled) ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The camera assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a control circuit arranged to drive the shape memory actuator wires; and/or a vibration sensor arranged to generate output signals representative of vibration of the camera assembly, the control circuit being arranged to drive the shape memory alloy wires in response to the output signals of the vibration sensor for driving movement of the image sensor to stabilise an image captured thereby ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 A camera assembly comprising: a support structure; an image sensor mounted on a carrier, the image sensor having a light-sensitive region; at least one plain bearing comprising a bearing surface on each of the carrier and the support structure, which bearing surfaces bear on each other so as to suspend the carrier on the support structure and allow movement of the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor; an actuator arrangement arranged to move the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, wherein: the bearing surfaces are each planar; and/or the bearing surfaces have a coefficient of friction of 0.2 or less. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a fluid disposed between the bearing surfaces, wherein: the fluid is a grease; and/or the fluid reduces the coefficient of friction between the bearing surfaces and/or has improves the thermal contact between the bearing surfaces. ### Claim at position 15 -17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a biasing arrangement that biases the bearing surfaces together, preferably wherein the biasing arrangement comprises at least one flexure, and the flexure supports electrical tracks connected to at least the image sensor. ### Claim at position 17 -20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, wherein the SMA actuator wires are inclined relative to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor for applying a biasing force that biases the bearing surfaces together. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, wherein the support structure includes a support plate formed from sheet material, and the carrier includes a moving plate formed from sheet material, the plain bearing being provided between the support plate and the moving plate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The camera assembly according to claim 22, wherein: either or both of the support plate and the moving plate is made of metal; and/or the bearing surfaces are a surface of the support plate and a surface of the moving plate ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The camera assembly according to claim 22, wherein: the plain bearing includes a bearing member fixed to one of the support plate and the moving plate, one of the bearing surfaces of the plain bearing being a surface of the bearing member and the other of the bearing surfaces of the plain bearing is a surface of the other of the support plate and the moving plate; and/or the plain bearing includes bearing members fixed to both of the support plate and the moving plate, the bearing surfaces of the plain bearing being a surface of each bearing member; and/or the or each bearing member is made of a polymer. ### Claim at position 23 -27. (canceled) ### Claim 28 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to according to claim 12, wherein: at least one of the bearing surfaces has a coating having lower friction and/or lower wear than the material of the conforming surface which is coated; and/or the actuator arrangement comprises plural shape memory alloy actuator wires connected between the support structure and the carrier in an arrangement capable, on selective driving thereof, of moving the image sensor relative to the support structure in any direction laterally to the light-sensitive region of the image sensor. ### Claim 29 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, wherein: the at least one plain bearing comprises plural plain bearings; and/or the at least one plain bearing has a total area of contact that is at least 0.2 times the area of the light-sensitive region of the image sensor; and/or the at least one plain bearing further allows rotation of the image sensor about an axis orthogonal to the light-sensitive region, and the actuator arrangement is further arranged to rotate the image sensor about said axis. ### Claim at position 26 -32. (canceled) ### Claim 33 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a lens assembly comprising at least one lens arranged to focus an image on the light-sensitive region of the image sensor, the lens assembly being mounted to the support structure, preferably wherein the light-sensitive region of the image sensor has a diagonal length of at most 12 mm. ### Claim 34 (canceled) ### Claim 35 (depends on 12) The camera assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a control circuit arranged to drive the actuator arrangement, and a vibration sensor arranged to generate output signals representative of the vibration of the camera assembly, the control circuit being arranged to drive the actuator arrangement in response to the output signals of the vibration sensor for driving movement of the image sensor to stabilise an image captured thereby. ### Claim 36 (canceled)