# US 2019/0320098 A1 · Image acquiring device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0320098 A1 - Document ID: US20190320098A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/059,845 - Filed: 2018-08-09 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Hyungjoo KANG; Dongryeol Lee; Salkmann Ji; Samnyol Hong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190320098A1 ## CPC - G02B 3/14: of variable focal length - F03G 7/06143: {Wires} - F03G 7/0665: {controlled displacement, e.g. by using a lens positioning actuator} - G02B 3/12: Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses - G02B 7/023: {permitting adjustment} - H04N 13/296: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof - 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 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - 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) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Disclosed is an image acquiring device, including a liquid lens having a shape changed by pressurization, a membrane provided to one surface of the liquid lens, the membrane forming a pressurization surface, a pressurizing member provided to an outside of the membrane, and a support wire provided across a prescribed region of an outer surface of the pressurizing member, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward the membrane by contracting by conduction, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward an opposite side of the membrane by expanding. Accordingly, the present invention solves a problem of a mismatched focus in a close-up photo and minimizes an increasing volume of the image acquiring device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image acquiring device, comprising: a liquid lens having a shape varied by pressurization; a membrane provided to one surface of the liquid lens so as to form a pressurization surface; a pressurizing member provided to an outside of the membrane; and a support wire provided across a prescribed region of an outer surface of the pressurizing member, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward the membrane by contracting by conduction, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward an opposite side of the membrane by expanding. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image acquiring device of claim 1, wherein the support wire includes shape-memory-alloy having a length contracting in response to application of current. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image acquiring device of claim 2, wherein the pressurizing member is provided onto the one surface of the liquid lens so as to form a ring shape, wherein a pair of insertion recesses parallel to each other are formed on both sides of the one surface of the ring shape, and wherein the support wire is fitted into the pair of the insertion recesses so as to pressurize the both sides of the pressurizing member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image acquiring device of claim 3, wherein the pair of the insertion recesses are provided in form of parallel straight lines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image acquiring device of claim 3, wherein the support wire is fixed in a polygonal shape including at least 6 line segments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The image acquiring device of claim 3, wherein the support wire is provided as a single body so as to pass through the pair of the insertion recesses. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image acquiring device of claim 6, wherein an anode having one end of the support wire connected thereto and a cathode having the other end of the support wire connected thereto are provided to one side of the pair of the insertion recesses. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image acquiring device of claim 7, further comprising: a case having the liquid lens installed therein; and a fixing portion provided to the case, the fixing portion provided to each of both sides of a pair of the insertion recesses, wherein the fixing portion comprises a first fixing member fixing one end and the other end of the support wire and a second fixing member fixing a prescribed region of a center of the support wire. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image acquiring device of claim 8, further comprising an elastic member provided to the case so as to form a restoration force for spacing the pressurizing member apart from the liquid lens. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image acquiring device of claim 1, wherein the pressurizing member is formed of metal material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image acquiring device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one lens located in rear of an optical path of the liquid lens; and a lens body tube fixing the at least one lens. ### Claim 12 An image acquiring device, comprising: a liquid lens having a refractive index varied by pressurization; a membrane provided to one surface of the liquid lens so as to form a pressurization surface; a pressurizing member provided to an outside of the membrane; a support wire provided across a prescribed region of an outer surface of the pressurizing member, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward the membrane by contracting by conduction, the support wire moving the pressurizing member toward an opposite side of the membrane by expanding; and a lens controller controlling the support wire to contract or expand in a manner of applying a current to the support wire or interrupting the current, wherein the lens controller applies the current to the support wire in response to a first external signal for decreasing a focal distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image acquiring device of claim 12, further comprising: at least one lens located in rear of an optical path of the liquid lens; and an image sensor located in rear of the optical path of the at least one lens, wherein the lens controller applies a current strength to the support wire step by step in response to a second external signal for a 3D image and controls the image sensor to acquire a plurality of images in response to a state that the current strength is changed step by step.