Auto-focus camera module with flexible printed circuit extension
AssigneeNan Chang O-Film Optoelectronics Technology Ltd
InventorsEddie Azuma, Chih Yen Liu, Emerson Yu, David Hsieh, Josh Tsai, Peter Pietrangelo
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Abstract
A compact camera module is coupled at an image sensor end to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and an FPC extension segment and is configured such that, upon folding the FPC onto the housing, one or more electrical contact pads disposed on the subject side of the optical train are coupled electrically with contact pads on the FPC extension segment from which MEMS actuator control signals are transmittable directly from the FPC to the MEMS lens actuator.
Claims17
An auto focus digital camera module, comprising:
- a housing;
- an image sensor within the housing;
- an optical train within the housing aligned with the image sensor defining an optical path and comprising multiple lenses including at least one movable lens coupled to a lens actuator configured to move the at least one movable lens along the optical path to focus a subject onto the image sensor that is disposed within an auto-focus range of the camera module;
- a flexible printed circuit (FPC) including a sensor segment coupled to the image sensor to power the camera module and to carry electronic signals that include digital images captured by the image sensor;
- and
- wherein the FPC further comprises an extension segment that includes electrical contact pads configured to electrically couple to lens actuator contact pads to carry lens actuator control signals when the FPC is folded around the camera module from the sensor end to the object end.
A compact camera module for an auto focus digital camera, the compact camera module comprising:
- a housing configured to contain imaging optics and digital electronics for capturing and transmitting images and to shield electronic components from electromagnetic interference (EMI);
- an image sensor;
- an optical train coupled and aligned with the image sensor and configured to define an optical path to focus a subject onto an image sensor that is disposed at the focal plane of the optical train;
- a flexible printed circuit (FPC) coupled to the image sensor to carry electronic signals that include digital images captured by the image sensor;
- and
- a light leak baffle coupled to the flexible printed circuit and defining a baffle aperture a predetermined distance from the image sensor such that upon folding the FPC onto the housing the light leak baffle is disposed at the subject side of the optical train and the baffle aperture overlaps the optical path.
A compact camera module for an auto focus digital camera, the compact camera module comprising:
- an image sensor;
- an optical train coupled and aligned with the image sensor including multiple lenses including at least one movable lens configured to define an optical path to focus a subject onto the image sensor which is disposed at the focal plane of the optical train;
- a MEMS actuator coupled to the at least one movable lens and configured to move said at least one movable lens through an auto-focus range of the compact camera module;
- a compact camera module housing configured to shield the optical train, MEMS actuator and image sensor contained therein from electromagnetic interference (EMI);
- a flexible printed circuit (FPC) coupled to the image sensor to carry electronic signals that include digital images captured by the image sensor;
- and
- wherein the FPC includes an extension segment that is configured such that, upon folding the FPC onto the housing, one or more electrical contact pads disposed on the subject side of the optical train are coupled electrically with contact pads on the FPC extension segment from which MEMS actuator control signals are transmittable directly from the FPC to the MEMS lens actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.