# US 2019/0173368 A1 · Voice coil motor

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- Number: US 2019/0173368 A1
- Document ID: US20190173368A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/269,782
- Filed: 2019-02-07
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-09-03
- Assignees: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tae Jin JUNG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173368A1

## CPC

- H02K 41/0356: {moving along a straight path}
- G02B 7/08: adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
- G03B 3/10: Power-operated focusing
- 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
- G03B 2205/0069: using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- 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)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

The VCM according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a base unit, a mover including a bobbin arranged at an upper surface of the base unit and formed with a plurality of rotation prevention units along a periphery and a first driving unit arranged at a periphery of the bobbin, a stator including a yoke configured to the base unit to surround the mover and inner yoke units each extended to between the rotation prevention units, and a second driving unit oppositely arranged to the first driving unit, and an elastic member elastically supporting the mover, wherein an object occurrence preventing portion is formed between the rotation prevention unit and the inner yoke units to decrease a contact area between the rotation prevention unit and the inner yoke units.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A voice coil motor, comprising:
a base unit;
a bobbin comprising a rotation prevention unit;
a coil disposed on the bobbin;
a yoke comprising an upper plate, a lateral plate extending from the upper plate and an inner unit extending from the upper plate and disposed in the lateral plate, a magnet disposed between the coil and the lateral plate of the yoke and facing the coil; and
an elastic member coupled to the bobbin,
wherein the inner unit of the yoke is configured to be hitched by the rotation prevention unit to prevent rotation of the bobbin,
wherein a recess portion is formed in a shape of a staircase having a first depth from an upper surface of the rotation prevention unit and a second depth formed from a lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit,
wherein a first gap is formed between the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit and a lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke facing the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit, and a second gap is formed between a lateral surface of the recess portion and the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke facing the lateral surface of the recess portion, and
wherein the second gap is greater than the first gap.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke contacts the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit when the bobbin is rotated.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the recess portion is configured to reduce a contact area between the rotation prevention unit and the inner unit of the yoke by the first depth of the recess portion,
wherein the rotation prevention unit comprises a plurality of rotation prevention units, and
wherein the inner unit of the yoke comprises a plurality of inner units.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises an upper elastic member disposed on an upper surface of the bobbin and not overlapped with the recess portion in an optical axis direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises a lower elastic member disposed on a lower surface of the bobbin,
wherein the lower elastic member comprises two lower elastic members, and
wherein each of the two lower elastic members comprises an inner elastic unit coupled to the bobbin, an outer elastic unit coupled to the base unit and a connection elastic unit connecting the inner elastic unit and the outer elastic unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The voice coil motor of claim 3, wherein the recess portion is formed on each of both lateral surfaces of each of the plurality of rotation prevention units of the bobbin.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein an object collecting member is disposed on a floor surface of a groove formed by the rotation prevention unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The voice coil motor of claim 7, wherein the object collecting member comprises an epoxy resin having a viscosity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, further comprising a cover wrapping the bobbin and coupled to the base unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke comprises a first portion corresponding to the recess portion and a second portion facing the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit, and
wherein when the bobbin is rotated, the second portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke is configured to contact the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit and the first portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke does not contact the rotation prevention unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The voice coil motor of claim 10, wherein the second portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke is disposed below the first portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke, and
wherein the second portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke is disposed on the same plane as the first portion of the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The voice coil motor of claim 10, wherein a length of the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit is greater than a length of the first portion of the inner unit of the yoke in direction of an optical axis.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the inner unit of the yoke comprises an object occurrence preventing portion formed on the lateral surface of the inner unit of the yoke opposite to the lateral surface of the rotation prevention unit, and
wherein the object occurrence preventing portion of the inner unit of the yoke is formed by cutting a portion of the inner unit of the yoke.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A camera module, comprising
the voice coil motor of claim 1;
a lens coupled to the bobbin of the voice coil motor; and
an image sensor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A mobile phone comprising the camera module of claim 14.

### Claim 16

A voice coil motor, comprising:
a base unit;
a bobbin comprising a rotation prevention unit formed on an outer peripheral surface of the bobbin;
a coil disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the bobbin;
a yoke comprising an upper plate, a lateral plate extending from the upper plate and an inner unit extending from the upper plate,
a magnet disposed between the coil and the lateral plate of the yoke and facing the coil; and
an upper elastic member coupled to an upper surface of the bobbin,
wherein at least a portion of the inner unit of the yoke is disposed between the bobbin and the coil to be hitched by the rotation prevention unit to prevent rotation of the bobbin,
wherein a recess portion recessed from the upper surface of the bobbin to decrease a contact area between the rotation prevention unit of the bobbin and the inner unit of the yoke.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein the rotation prevention unit of the bobbin comprises a lateral surface comprising a first area and a second area recessed from the first area,
wherein the inner unit of the yoke comprises a lateral surface comprising a third area corresponding to the first area of the rotation prevention unit in a horizontal direction and a fourth area corresponding to the second area of the rotation prevention unit in the horizontal direction, and
wherein a distance between the second area of the rotation prevention unit and the fourth area of the inner unit of the yoke is greater than a distance between the first area of the rotation prevention unit and the third area of the inner unit of the yoke.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The voice coil motor of claim 17, wherein the fourth area of the inner unit of the yoke does not contact the rotation prevention unit of the bobbin, when the third area of the inner unit of the yoke contacts the rotation prevention unit of the bobbin by rotation of the bobbin.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The voice coil motor of claim 1, wherein a length of the first area of the rotation prevention unit is greater than a length of the second area of the rotation prevention unit in a direction of an optical axis.

### Claim 20

A voice coil motor, comprising:
a base unit;
a bobbin having a rotation prevention unit;
a coil disposed on the bobbin;
a yoke comprising an upper plate, a lateral plate extending from the upper plate and an inner unit extending from the upper plate and disposed in the lateral plate,
a magnet disposed between the coil and the lateral plate of the yoke and facing the coil; and
an elastic member coupled to the bobbin,
wherein the inner unit of the yoke is configured to be hitched by the rotation prevention unit to prevent rotation of the bobbin.
