JP2005354150A - Imaging apparatus and mobile terminal provided with the imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus in a stage of a unit before being assembled with a mobile terminal wherein even when a package of the unit is under an external force, the imaging device is not damaged and no image defect due to dust or the like is caused. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus includes: the imaging device for applying photoelectric conversion to an object light; an image optical system; a stand arranged between the image optical system and the imaging device and formed with a leg pressed into contact with the imaging device; and an outer frame member for surrounding the surround of at least the imaging device and the stand, and the stand is biased in a direction of the imaging device by elastic member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus suitable for incorporation in a mobile terminal.

  Conventionally, small and thin imaging devices have been mounted on small and thin portable terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), which allows not only audio information but also image information to a remote location. It is possible to transmit to each other. As an image pickup element used in these image pickup apparatuses, a solid-state image pickup element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) type image sensor is used.

As an imaging device mounted on a mobile phone or a PDA, an imaging device and an imaging lens that include an imaging lens integrated with a package (holder) and are assembled by bringing a part of the imaging lens into contact with the imaging device. An image pickup apparatus is disclosed in which a part of the image pickup element is brought into contact with an image pickup element and bonded, and an imaging lens and a gap are provided to bond a package (holder) to a substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-9-284617

  The imaging device described in Patent Document 1 described above has the following problems.

  An image forming lens that is integrated with a package (holder) and that is assembled with a part of the image forming lens in contact with the image sensor is subjected to external force on the package at the stage of the unit prior to being incorporated into the portable terminal. Then, this external force is transmitted to the image sensor that is in contact via a part of the imaging lens, and the image sensor may be damaged particularly when the external force applied in the optical axis direction is large.

  This problem also applies to the case where a part of the imaging lens is bonded to the image sensor and bonded, and the imaging lens and the gap are provided and the package (holder) is bonded to the substrate. When an external force to be generated is applied to the package, the image sensor may be similarly damaged. Further, in this case, there is a problem that an image defect occurs when dust or the like enters the inside through the gap and adheres to the image sensor.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus in which an image pickup element is not damaged even when a package receives an external force and an image defect due to dust or the like does not occur at the stage of an image pickup apparatus unit before being incorporated in a portable terminal. It is intended to obtain.

  Said subject is solved by the following means.

  1) An image sensor that photoelectrically converts subject light, an imaging optical system that guides the subject light to an imaging area of the image sensor, and a leg that is disposed between the imaging optical system and the image sensor and contacts the image sensor An imaging device comprising: a pedestal formed with a portion; and an outer frame member surrounding at least the imaging element and the pedestal, wherein the pedestal is urged toward the imaging element by an elastic member. apparatus.

  2) The imaging device according to 1), wherein the elastic member is a coil spring or a rubber member.

  3) A portable terminal comprising the imaging device of 1) or 2).

  According to the present invention, the imaging element includes the pedestal that is disposed between the imaging optical system and the imaging element and has a leg portion that contacts the imaging element, and the outer frame member that surrounds at least the imaging element and the pedestal. It is possible to isolate the space with the surface from the outside and prevent the intrusion of dust, and when an external force is applied to the outer frame member by urging the pedestal toward the image sensor by the elastic member, this The elastic member absorbs this external force, and it is possible to obtain an image pickup apparatus in which no external force is applied to the image pickup device.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile phone T which is an example of a mobile terminal provided with the imaging device of the present invention.

  In the mobile phone T shown in the figure, an upper housing 71 as a case having display screens D1 and D2 and a lower housing 72 having operation buttons P are connected via a hinge 73. The imaging device S is built below the display screen D2 in the upper casing 71, and is arranged so that the imaging device S can capture light from the outer surface side of the upper casing 71.

  Note that the position of the imaging device may be disposed above or on the side of the display screen D2 in the upper casing 71. Of course, the mobile phone is not limited to a folding type.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present invention. This imaging apparatus 100 is built in the position of the imaging apparatus S shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the outer surface of the image pickup apparatus 100 includes a printed circuit board 11 on which an image pickup element is mounted, a connector 17 for connecting to another control board of the mobile terminal, an outer frame member 12, and a lid member 14. Has been. On the printed circuit board 11, various electrical components such as resistors and capacitors are mounted (not shown).

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a schematic internal structure of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present invention. This figure shows a section taken along the line GG shown in FIG.

  In the figure, the outside of the imaging device 100 is composed of a printed board 11, an outer frame member 12, and a lid member 14. The outer frame member 12 is bonded and fixed to the printed circuit board 11 with an adhesive B on the outer periphery thereof. The adhesive B is applied so as to seal the inside of the image pickup apparatus 100 as well as fix it.

  On the other hand, the inside of the image pickup apparatus 100 is constituted by the first lens 1, the second lens 2, the third lens 3, and a diaphragm arranged in these, and the image pickup optical system 50 fixed and integrated by adhesion or the like, A pedestal 7 is disposed between the imaging optical system 50 and the imaging element 8. An infrared light cut filter 9 is bonded and fixed to the base 7. This pedestal 7 is formed in a shape that covers the upper surface of the image sensor 8 with a material that blocks infrared light, or is formed with a translucent material and an infrared light cut coat is applied to the object light transmitting surface. For example, the infrared light cut filter 9 may be omitted.

  The compression coil spring 10, which is an elastic member according to the present invention, is incorporated so that the pedestal 7 is urged in the direction of the image sensor 8 and a leg portion 7 k formed integrally with the pedestal 7 is in contact with the image sensor 8. . The integrated imaging optical system 50 is urged by another compression coil spring 15 and incorporated so that convex portions 3k integrally formed at at least three locations of the flange portion of the third lens 3 abut against the pedestal 7. It is. The imaging optical system 50 is positioned in the optical axis direction via the base 7. Further, the outer edge of the base 7 is fitted with the inner edge of the outer frame member 12.

  In this way, the leg portion 7k formed integrally with the pedestal 7 is brought into contact with the imaging element 8, and the convex portion 3k formed integrally with the imaging optical system 50 is brought into contact with the pedestal 7, There is no variation in assembly, focus adjustment is not necessary, and the optical axis can be kept perpendicular to the tilted image sensor 8 even when the image sensor 8 is tilted and fixed on the printed circuit board 11.

  Further, the outer frame member 12 and the pedestal 7 bonded to the printed circuit board 11 isolate the space where the image pickup device 8 is located, and dust and the like are prevented from entering between the pedestal 7 and the image pickup device 8. Even if an external force in the optical axis direction is applied to the member 12 or the lid member 14, the external force is not transmitted to the pedestal 7 because the elastic member 10 is interposed, and the imaging element 8 is damaged by the leg portion 7k. It can be set as an imaging device without.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the outline of the internal structure of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present invention. The figure shows an example in which a rubber member is used as an elastic member for urging the base 7. In the following drawings, in order to avoid duplication of description, the same reference numerals are given to the same functional members, and only different portions will be described.

  As shown in the figure, the pedestal 7 is urged by a rubber member 16 that is an elastic member, and is incorporated so that a leg portion 7 k formed integrally with the pedestal 7 abuts on the image sensor 8. The rubber member is preferably a so-called O-ring, but is not limited thereto.

  As described above, even when a member formed of rubber is used as the elastic member, when an external force in the optical axis direction is applied to the outer frame member 12 or the lid member 14, the rubber member 16 is deformed, so that the external force Thus, the transmission of the external force to the pedestal 7 can be reduced, and the imaging device 8 can be prevented from being damaged by the leg portion 7k.

  3 and 4 are assembled in the order of the pedestal, the elastic member, and the outer frame member at a predetermined position with respect to the image pickup device mounted on the printed circuit board.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the schematic internal structure of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, the outer frame member 12 shown in FIG. 3 is divided into two parts, and the assembling order is changed.

  In the image pickup apparatus 100 shown in the figure, the outer frame member A12A is bonded and fixed at a predetermined position with respect to the image pickup element 8 mounted on the printed circuit board 11, and then the base 7 is dropped and the elastic member 10 is attached to the base 7. Then, the outer frame member B12B is assembled and fixed to the outer frame member A12A, and the base 7 is urged by the elastic member 10 in the direction of the image sensor. Even with such a configuration, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  In the present embodiment, the fixed-focus imaging device has been described. However, the contact portion of the convex portion formed on the base and the third lens is an inclined surface, and the imaging optical system is along this inclined surface. It is also possible to rotate and move away from the image sensor to enable macro photography.

  Moreover, although the example of a coil spring and a rubber member was demonstrated as an elastic member, using a leaf | plate spring, urethane, etc. does not deviate from this invention.

1 is an external view of a mobile phone that is an example of a mobile terminal including an imaging device according to the present invention. It is a perspective view of the imaging device concerning the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the outline of the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows another example of the outline of the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of the outline of the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st lens 2 2nd lens 3 3rd lens 7 Base 8 Imaging element 9 Infrared light cut filter 10 Elastic member 11 Printed circuit board 12 Outer frame member 14 Lid member

Claims (3)

An image sensor that photoelectrically converts subject light; an imaging optical system that guides the subject light to an imaging region of the image sensor; and a leg that is disposed between the image sensor and the image sensor and contacts the image sensor In the imaging device having the formed pedestal and an outer frame member surrounding at least the imaging element and the pedestal,
An imaging apparatus, wherein the pedestal is urged toward the imaging element by an elastic member. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring or a rubber member. A portable terminal comprising the imaging device according to claim 1.

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