JP2010085698A - Assembly method and camera module - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembling method of a camera module having a configuration in which a screw for adjusting the position of a photographing lens in a lens holder is omitted, and a camera module in which a dimension in an optical axis direction is shortened by using the assembling method. I will provide a.
In step S301, an adhesive is applied to an adhesion surface of at least one of a lens holder 10 and an element holder 11 to the other. In step S302, before the adhesive AH1 is cured, the lens holder is arranged such that the imaging element 110 fixed to the element holder 11 is arranged at a predetermined position and posture with respect to the photographing lens 100 held by the lens holder 10. The position and orientation of the element holder 11 with respect to 10 are adjusted. In step S303, the adhesive AH1 applied in step 201 is changed to the state in which the position and orientation of the element holder 11 with respect to the lens holder 10 are adjusted in the adjustment step 202. Allow to cure.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera module that forms an image of a subject on an image sensor with a photographing lens and generates image data representing the subject on the image sensor.

  Most recent mobile phones have a built-in camera module (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5).

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a camera module 1.

  FIG. 1 shows a top view of the camera module 1, four side views as seen from the four side surfaces of the top view of the camera module 1, and an AA arrow view of the top view.

  A camera module 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a lens holder 10 and an element holder 11.

  The lens holder 10 is provided with a lens frame 101 that holds the photographing lens 100, and a screw SCR that is screwed to the lens frame 101 and the lens holder 10 is formed. On the other hand, the position of the lens frame 101 in the optical axis direction is adjusted.

  On the other hand, the element holder 11 includes a substrate 111 on which the image sensor 110 is mounted, and an infrared cut filter 112 that blocks the incidence of infrared rays on the image sensor 111.

  When assembling the camera module of FIG. 1, the conductive adhesive AH1 is applied to the region of the lens holder 10 that circulates the image forming side opening 102 and the element holder 11 is bonded and fixed to the lens holder 10. Thereafter, the lens frame 101 is manually rotated to adjust the position of the photographing lens 100 in the lens frame in the optical axis direction with respect to the lens holder 10, and the camera module 1 is assembled.

  By the way, recent mobile phones are actively being reduced in size and thickness. Therefore, in the future, unless the camera module 1 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is further reduced in size and thickness, the camera module 1 shown in FIG. 1 may not be mounted inside the mobile phone.

Therefore, it is conceivable to further reduce the size and thickness of the camera module 1 in FIG. 1 by omitting the focus adjustment screw SCR shown in FIG. 1 and integrating the lens frame 101 and the lens holder 10. However, if the screw SCR of the lens holder 10 and the lens frame 101 shown in FIG. 1 is omitted, the camera module 1 of FIG. 1 is assembled and the image sensor is in focus after the element holder 11 is bonded and fixed to the lens holder 10. Therefore, it becomes impossible to set the taking lens 100 in the lens frame at a position where an image can be formed. However, unless the lens holder 10 and the screw SCR of the lens frame 101 shown in FIG. 1 are omitted, the camera module cannot be further reduced in size and thickness.
JP 2008-28838 A JP 2007-274230 A JP 2006-250964 A JP 2006-217310 A JP 2006-208427 A

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a camera module assembling method that enables further miniaturization and thinning, and a camera module that is miniaturized and thinned by using the assembling method. With the goal.

An optical unit of the present invention that achieves the above object is a method of assembling a camera module, comprising: a lens holder that holds a photographic lens; and an element holder that is fixedly bonded to the imaging side of the lens holder by fixing the imaging element. ,
An application step of applying an adhesive to an adhesion surface of at least one of the lens holder and the element holder to the other; and
An adjustment step for adjusting the position and orientation of the element holder with respect to the lens holder so that the imaging element fixed to the element holder is disposed at a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the photographing lens held by the lens holder;
And a curing step for curing the adhesive applied in the application step while the position and posture of the element holder with respect to the lens holder are adjusted in the adjustment step.

  According to the assembling method of the present invention, the position of the element holder relative to the lens holder is adjusted in the adjusting step by fixing the position of the photographing lens by utilizing the flexibility of the adhesive applied in the applying step. Then, the adhesive is cured with the position and orientation of the element holder adjusted in the curing step being left unchanged.

  In other words, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the lens frame is moved using the screw SCR and the photographing lens is set at a position where an image of a focused subject can be formed on the image sensor. However, in the present invention, the flexibility of the adhesive is increased. The imaging element is set at the focal position of the imaging lens by adjusting the position and orientation of the imaging element while fixing the imaging lens by using it.

  With such a configuration, the camera module can be further reduced in size and thickness by omitting the screw of FIG.

Here, the camera module of the present invention that achieves the above object is a camera module including a lens holder that holds a photographic lens, and an element holder that is fixedly bonded to the imaging side of the lens holder by fixing the imaging element. ,
The element holder is bonded and fixed in a state where the image pickup element fixed to the element holder is adjusted to a position and posture that coincides with the imaging surface of the photographing lens held by the lens holder. To do.

  According to the camera module of the present invention, when assembled by the assembling method of the present invention, there is no need to provide an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the image pickup element at the focal position of the photographic lens. Small and thin. When the camera module is further reduced in size in this way, the camera module of the present invention can be mounted on a mobile phone that is further reduced in size and thickness.

  Here, the adhesive is preferably a conductive adhesive.

  If it does so, a shield performance can be given to the adhesion surface between the lens holder and the element holder.

  The lens holder may hold the photographic lens fixedly, and the lens holder may hold the photographic lens movably in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment. The lens holder may further hold an actuator that moves the photographing lens in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment.

  According to the present invention, a camera module assembling method that enables further miniaturization and thinning, and a camera module that is miniaturized and thinned by using the assembling method are realized.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a camera module to which the present invention is applied.

  FIG. 2 shows a top view of the camera module 2, four side views as seen from the four side surfaces of the top view of the camera module, and a view taken along the line AA in the top view.

  FIG. 2 shows an example in which the camera module 2 is further reduced in size and thickness by integrating the lens frame 101 and the lens holder 10 of FIG. 1 with the screw SCR of FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 1, focus adjustment is performed by manually rotating and moving the lens frame 101 back and forth along the optical axis. However, in the example of FIG. 2, the adhesion surface between the lens holder 20 and the element holder 21. The focus adjustment is performed by adjusting the position and posture of the element holder 21 with respect to the lens holder 20 by using the flexibility before the adhesive AH1 applied to is cured.

  The configuration will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

  The camera module 2 shown in FIG. 2 includes a lens holder 20 and an element holder 21.

  The lens holder 20 holds the photographing lens 200 fixedly. The element holder 21 has a substrate 211 on which the image sensor 210 is mounted and an infrared cut filter that blocks the incidence of infrared rays on the image sensor 210. 212 is held.

  When assembling the camera module 2 of FIG. 2, the conductive adhesive AH1 is applied over the entire area around the imaging side opening 202 of the lens holder 20, and the element holder 11 is bonded and fixed to the lens holder 10. When the conductive adhesive AH1 immediately after being bonded and fixed is in a flexible state, the position and orientation of the imaging element 210 fixed to the element holder 21 is the imaging plane of the photographing lens 200 held by the lens holder 20 Is adjusted to a position and posture that match. Thereafter, the conductive adhesive is cured in a state in which the element holder 21 is adjusted to a position and posture that coincide with the imaging plane of the photographing lens 200.

  If the screw SCR mechanism for focus adjustment in FIG. 1 can be eliminated in this manner, the camera module 2 in FIG. 2 can be further reduced in size and thickness.

  FIG. 3 is an assembly flow showing an assembly method of the camera module 2 of FIG.

  First, in the application step of step S301, the adhesive AH1 (see FIG. 1) is applied to the adhesion surface of at least one of the lens holder 20 and the element holder 21 to the other. Note that a conductive adhesive is used as the adhesive AH1 at this time.

  In the next adjustment step S302, before the adhesive AH1 is cured, the imaging element 210 fixed to the element holder 21 is arranged at a predetermined position and posture with respect to the photographing lens 200 held by the lens holder 20. Then, the position and posture of the element holder 21 with respect to the lens holder 20 are adjusted. At this time, the camera module 2 is made to face a predetermined chart, and the position and posture of the element holder 21 in the optical axis direction and the optical axis orthogonal direction are adjusted while observing an image from the image signal from the image sensor 210.

  In the final curing step S303, the adhesive AH1 applied in the application step 301 is cured while the position and orientation of the element holder 21 with respect to the lens holder 20 are adjusted in the adjustment step 302.

  When the camera module 2 of FIG. 2 is assembled by the assembling method of FIG. 3, the position and posture of the element holder 11 with respect to the photographic lens is utilized by utilizing the flexibility of the conductive adhesive AH1 before the conductive adhesive AH1 is cured. Adjusted. For this reason, the double frame structure of the lens frame 101 and the lens holder 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is avoided, and the lens frame and the lens holder can be integrated into the lens holder 20 so that the camera module of FIG. 1 can be further reduced in size and thickness.

  In the future, in order to further reduce the size and thickness of the camera module, it is expected that the dimension a of the adhesion region in FIG. 2 will be narrowed. If it does so, it will be in the state where sufficient adhesive force cannot be obtained only by apply | coating a conductive adhesive to an adhesion | attachment area | region.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the second embodiment.

  In the configuration of FIG. 4, the dimension “a” of the adhesion region that goes around the imaging side opening 202 of the lens holder 20 is changed to a dimension “b” that is narrower than that of the camera module of FIG. 3, thereby further reducing the size and thickness of the camera module 3. 3 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  When the dimension “a” of the adhesion area in FIG. 3 is changed to a dimension “b” narrower than the dimension “a”, a sufficient adhesion force may not be obtained only with the conductive adhesive AH1 applied to the adhesion area. As shown in FIG. 4, the second adhesive AH2 may be applied to the four discrete points in the circumferential direction that goes around the image forming side opening of the lens holder 20 to increase the adhesive force.

  Up to this point, the lens holder 20 has a configuration in which the lens 200 is fixedly held. However, the present invention is also applied to a camera module having a configuration in which an actuator that moves the photographing lens 200 in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment is held. Applies.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the third embodiment.

  FIG. 5 (a) shows a conventional configuration for comparison, and FIG. 5 (b) shows an example to which the present invention is applied.

  In the camera module 3 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the lens holder 30 holds the photographing lens 300 movably in the optical axis direction, and the lens holder 30 further includes the photographing lens. The actuator ACT for moving 300 in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment is held. In this example, an example is shown in which the actuator ACT is composed of a coil CO1, a yoke Y1 made of a magnetic material, and a magnet MG.

  First, a conventional configuration will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

  The camera module 3 shown in FIG. 5A includes a lens holder 30 and an element holder 31.

  The element holder 31 includes a substrate 311 on which the image sensor 310 is mounted, and an infrared cut filter 312 that blocks the incidence of infrared rays on the image sensor 310.

  On the other hand, the lens holder 30 is provided with a carrier 302 for allowing the lens frame 301 to move. The lens frame 301 is screwed into the carrier 302 and receives the manual rotation so that the lens frame 301 moves. It is configured. The carrier 302 is held by the lens holder 30 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction by being urged by the leaf springs SP1 and SP2 from the front-rear direction along the optical axis direction.

  A magnet MG is connected to the carrier 302, and a coil CO1 is provided against the magnet MG. The coil CO1, the magnet MG, and the yoke Y1 constitute a magnetic circuit, and when a current is passed through the coil CO1, the carrier 302 connected to the magnet MG is either left or right in the figure against the bias of the leaf springs SP1 and SP2. It is configured to move in either direction.

  In adhering and fixing the element holder 31 to the lens holder 30, first, the conductive adhesive AH 3 is provided over the entire adhering region around the image forming side opening 303 for emitting the light beam that has passed through the photographing lens 300 of the lens holder 30. Is applied and the element holder 31 is bonded and fixed. After that, the lens frame 301 is manually rotated, and the photographing lens 300 fixed and held on the lens frame 301 is set at a position where an object focused on the fixed image sensor can be imaged. . In this way, the initial focus adjustment is performed when the camera module is manufactured. For this reason, conventionally, a screw portion SCR for focus adjustment is provided as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, in the configuration of FIG. 5B, the screw SCR of FIG. 5A is omitted, and the carrier 302 is integrated with the lens frame 301A, so that the camera module 3 can be further reduced in size and thickness. ing. In FIG. 5B, as in the first embodiment, the conductive adhesive AH3 applied to either one of the adhesion surface of the lens holder 30 and the contact surface of the element holder 31 is soft before it is cured. The image sensor 310 is set at the focal position of the photographic lens 300 by adjusting the position and orientation of the element holder 31 in the state.

  If the screw SCR in FIG. 5A can be omitted in this way, the camera module 3 can be further reduced in size and thickness as shown in FIG. The camera module 3 shown in FIG. 5B can be mounted on the mobile phone.

  In FIG. 5B, the adhesive region is narrowed in the same manner as in the second embodiment, and the second adhesive AH4 is used because only the conductive adhesive AH3 cannot provide a sufficient adhesive force. An example is shown in which the adhesive force is increased by being applied to three discrete locations of the imaging side opening 302.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a camera module assembling method that enables further miniaturization and a camera module that is miniaturized by using the assembling method.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional camera module. It is a figure which shows the structure of the camera module to which this invention was applied. It is an assembly flow which shows the assembly method of the camera module of FIG. It is a figure explaining 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 2 3 3A Camera module 10 20 30 Lens holder 100 200 300 Shooting lens 11 21 31 Element holder AH1 Conductive adhesive AH2 Adhesive having a stronger adhesive force than the conductive adhesive
SP1 SP2 leaf spring

Claims (5)

In a method of assembling a camera module comprising a lens holder that holds a photographic lens, and an element holder that is fixedly bonded to the imaging side of the lens holder by fixing the imaging element.
An application step of applying an adhesive to an adhesive surface to at least one of the lens holder and the element holder;
An adjustment step of adjusting the position and orientation of the element holder relative to the lens holder so that the imaging element fixed to the element holder is disposed at a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the photographing lens held by the lens holder; ,
And a curing step for curing the adhesive applied in the application step while the position and orientation of the element holder with respect to the lens holder are adjusted in the adjustment step. In a camera module comprising a lens holder that holds a photographic lens, and an element holder that is fixedly bonded to the imaging side of the lens holder with the imaging element fixed,
The element holder is bonded and fixed in a state where the image pickup element fixed to the element holder is adjusted to a position and posture that coincides with the imaging surface of the photographing lens held by the lens holder. Camera module.   The camera module according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.   The camera module according to claim 2, wherein the lens holder is configured to fix and hold the photographing lens.   The lens holder holds the photographing lens movably in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment, and the lens holder further includes an actuator for moving the photographing lens in the optical axis direction for focus adjustment. The camera module according to claim 2, wherein the camera module is held.

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