Background
With the increasing demand of users, manufacturers have increasingly higher design requirements for mobile phone products, and one of the important design requirements is a comprehensive screen.
In order to conform to the development trend of the comprehensive screen, the transparent hole on the front face of the mobile phone needs to be reduced, and the scheme adopted at present mainly cancels the front-mounted breathing lamp and other designs so as to ensure the whole screen ratio. However, this approach comes at the cost of sacrificing functionality, while increasing the screen duty cycle, but affecting the user experience.
Therefore, the technical problem that the requirements of functions such as a breathing lamp and the like and the screen duty ratio cannot be considered currently exists.
Content of the application
The present application has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an image capturing module and an electronic apparatus that overcome or at least partially solve the above-mentioned problems.
In a first aspect, the present application provides a camera module, including:
An image pickup section including a circuit substrate, a photosensitive element, and a lens, and a light emitting section including a light emitting element and a light guiding structure;
the light emitting element is fixed on the outer surface of the image pickup part, and light rays emitted by the light emitting element are guided by the light guide structure and emitted out of the image pickup module from the direction opposite to the front surface of the lens.
Optionally, the light emitting surface of the light emitting element faces the light guide structure, and the light emitting element is fixed on the circuit substrate or fixed in an edge area of the front surface of the lens.
Optionally, the light guide structure is fixed on the inner wall of the electronic device provided with the camera module, and comprises a reflecting structure and a light guide part, when the camera module is arranged on the electronic device, the light transmission area of the light guide part is opposite to the front center area of the lens, when the camera module is arranged on the electronic device, the light emitting surface of the light emitting element faces to the reflecting structure, and the reflecting structure reflects the light emitted by the light emitting element into the light guide part, and reflects the light from the light transmission area of the light guide part after the light is reflected inside the light guide part.
Optionally, the light guide structure is fixed on the outer surface of the image pickup part, and comprises a light inlet part and a light guide part, wherein the light inlet part is covered on the light emitting element, the light guide part at least partially covers the lens, and a light transmission area of the light guide part is opposite to the front central area of the lens, wherein light rays emitted by the light emitting element enter the light guide part from the light inlet part and are reflected inside the light guide part and then are emitted from the light transmission area of the light guide part.
The light-emitting element is fixed on the circuit substrate, the light guide structure is a light guide cover, the light incident part is an end face of the light guide cover, the light guide part is a part except the end face, the light guide cover is fixed on the circuit substrate or the lens, the light-sensitive element and the lens are both arranged in a space surrounded by the light guide cover and the circuit substrate, wherein light rays emitted by the light-emitting element enter the light guide cover through the end face of the light guide cover and are reflected inside the light guide cover and then are emitted from a light transmission area of the light guide cover.
Optionally, the light emitting element is fixed on an edge area of the front surface of the lens, and the light guiding structure is fixed on the lens and is a light guiding plate or a light guiding cover.
Optionally, edge areas of the inner surface and the outer surface of the light guide part are coated with light blocking layers, wherein light emitted by the light emitting element enters the light guide part from the light inlet part, and is reflected by the light blocking layers and then emitted from a light transmission area of the light guide part.
Optionally, the light-emitting element is fixed on the outer surface of the lens or the outer surface of the support of the camera module, and the camera module further comprises a three-dimensional circuit which is positioned on the outer surface of the lens or the outer surface of the support and is prepared by adopting a laser direct molding technology, wherein the three-dimensional circuit is connected with the light-emitting element and the circuit substrate to realize the electric signal connection of the light-emitting element and the circuit substrate, or a flexible board which is positioned on the outer surface of the lens or the outer surface of the support and is connected with the light-emitting element and the circuit substrate to realize the electric signal connection of the light-emitting element and the circuit substrate.
Optionally, when the photosensitive element is in a photosensitive state, the light emitting element is in a non-light emitting state, when the light emitting element is in a light emitting state, the photosensitive element is in a non-light sensing state, and the image pickup part further comprises a light filter, wherein the light filter is positioned between the photosensitive element and the lens.
In a second aspect, the present application further provides an electronic device, where the electronic device includes any one of the camera modules in the first aspect.
The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the invention has at least the following technical effects or advantages:
According to the camera module and the electronic device provided by the embodiment of the application, the light-emitting element is fixed on the outer surface of the camera part of the camera module, and the light guide structure is arranged to guide light to be emitted, so that the camera and the light-emitting functions can be realized at the same time without increasing the size of the module. And because the light does not need to pass through the lens of the image pickup part, the light is directly guided by the light guide structure to be emitted from the direction opposite to the front surface of the lens, the weakening of the light by the lens can be avoided, and the light emission quantity of the light-emitting element is considered on the basis of ensuring that the sensing element is opposite to the center of the lens to obtain high-quality imaging quality.
The foregoing description is only an overview of the present invention, and is intended to be implemented in accordance with the teachings of the present invention in order that the same may be more clearly understood and to make the same and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more readily apparent.
Detailed Description
For the purpose of making the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more apparent, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present application, but not all embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the application without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the application.
Example 1
In this embodiment, there is provided an image capturing module, as shown in fig. 1 to 5, including:
An image pickup section including a circuit substrate 1, a photosensitive element 2, and a lens 4, and a light emitting section including a light emitting element 5 and a light guiding structure 6;
The light emitting element 5 is fixed on the outer surface of the image pickup part, and the light emitted by the light emitting element 5 is guided by the light guide structure and emitted out of the image pickup module from the direction opposite to the front surface of the lens 4, so that the light path of the light obtained by the light receiving element 2 of the image pickup module can be basically overlapped, and the light emitting element 5 and the light receiving element 2 can emit and obtain the light through the same transparent hole after the image pickup module is installed into the electronic equipment. And the structure of the camera shooting part is not required to be changed, and only the light emitting part is required to be processed on the outer surface of the camera shooting part, so that the processing technology is simplified.
It should be noted that, the camera module may be installed in electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a detector or an intelligent watch, and the fixing manner between the components of the camera module may be attachment, clamping or thread fixing. The photosensitive element 2 may be a photosensitive chip, and the light emitting element 5 may be a light emitting element such as an LED or a photocoupler, which are not limited herein, and are not listed here.
Next, each component of the camera module and its connection mode provided in this embodiment are described in detail respectively:
First, an image pickup section is described.
The image pickup section in the image pickup module provided in the present embodiment includes a circuit substrate 1, a photosensitive element 2, and a lens 4. A filter 3 may be further included, and the filter 3 may be located between the photosensitive element 2 and the lens 4.
The photosensitive element 2 is fixed on the circuit substrate 1, and specifically can be fixed by glue adhesion or by a buckle structure. The photosensitive element 2 is electrically connected with the circuit substrate 1, so that the electronic equipment provided with the camera module can control the opening, adjustment and closing of the functions of the photosensitive element 2 through the circuit substrate 1, and the specific electrical signal connection mode can be bonding connection of gold wires 11 and the like.
As shown in fig. 1-3, the camera module may further include a bracket 7, where the bracket 7 is fixed on the circuit substrate 1, and specifically may be fixed by glue or by a fastening structure. The optical filter 3 and the lens 4 are fixed on the bracket 7 so as to be relatively fixed on one side of the circuit substrate 1. Specifically, the optical filter 3 is attached or fastened to the support 7, and faces the front surface of the photosensitive element 2, and is spaced from the photosensitive element 2 by a certain space. The lens 4 is fixed to the outside of the optical filter 3 with a certain space from the optical filter 3. To ensure the imaging effect, the center lines of the photosensitive element 2, the optical filter 3 and the lens 4 may be arranged to coincide.
Preferably, the lens 4 and the bracket 7 can be fixed by threads, so that the lens 4 can be adjusted to an optimal height in a rotating way, and the lens 4 is fixed on the top of the bracket 7 by glue.
Of course, in the implementation process, as shown in fig. 4, the bracket 7 may be omitted to reduce the assembly steps, a support structure 41 is designed at the edge of the lens 4, the lens 4 is directly attached or fastened to the circuit substrate 1 by the support structure 41, the optical filter 3 is fixed on the support structure 41 of the lens 4, and a certain space is spaced from the central main body region of the lens 4.
Next, the light emitting section is described.
The light emitting part in the camera module provided in this embodiment includes a light emitting element 5 and a light guiding structure 6. The light emitting surface of the light emitting element 5 faces the light guiding structure 6, so that light enters the light guiding structure 6 to guide the light, the emitted light coincides with the path of the light received by the image pickup part, and when the image pickup module is mounted to the electronic device, the light emitting element 5 and the light sensing element 2 can share the transparent hole.
It should be noted that, the light emitting element 5 provided in this embodiment may be fixed on the circuit board 1, for example, at an edge region, or the light emitting element 5 may be fixed at an edge region of a front surface of the lens 4, where the front surface is a surface of the lens 4 facing the transparent hole of the electronic device on which the lens is mounted, that is, a surface receiving light. The light guide structure 6 of this embodiment may be fixed to the outer surface of the image pickup unit and the image pickup unit as a unit, or may be fixed to the inner wall of the electronic device on which the image pickup module is mounted, and may be provided in a set corresponding to the mounting position of the image pickup unit, respectively, as will be described below.
First, the light guiding structure 6 is fixed to the inner wall of the electronic device on which the camera module is mounted.
As shown in fig. 1, the light guide structure includes a reflective structure 61 and a light guide portion 62. When the camera module is installed in the electronic device, the light transmitting area of the light guiding portion 62 is opposite to the front central area of the lens 4, and may be specifically a structure such as a light guiding plate or a light guiding cover, and may specifically be attached to or fastened to the inside or the inner wall of the electronic device, when the electronic device includes the screen 101, the light guiding portion 62 is located below the screen 101, and a protective layer 102 (e.g. a glass layer) may be further disposed on the outer surface of the screen 101. The reflecting structure 61 is fixed at a position corresponding to the light guide 62, and may be a prism, a metal sheet, or the like. The light emitting surface of the light emitting element 5 faces the reflecting structure 61, and the reflecting structure 61 is disposed at a position and at an angle sufficient to reflect the light emitted from the light emitting element 5 into the side of the light guiding portion 62. The reflecting structure 61 reflects the light emitted from the light emitting element 5 into the light guide 62, and emits the light from the light transmitting region of the light guide 62 after being internally reflected by the light guide 62.
The light emitting element 5 may be fixed to the circuit board 1, and outside the area where the lens 4 or the holder 7 is mounted, the light emitting element 5 and the circuit board 1 may be electrically connected, specifically, may be connected by bonding with a conductive material, or may be connected by bonding, which is not limited herein.
The light blocking layer 64 (thick line area in the drawing) is coated on the edge areas of the upper and lower surfaces of the light guiding portion 62, and the light blocking layer 64 is not coated on the central light transmitting area of the light guiding portion and the side or end surface area for receiving light, so as to be light-transmitting, so that the parasitic light interference during imaging of the photosensitive element 2 is avoided. The light blocking layer 64 may be a black ink layer, a metal layer, or the like, and the light transmitting region of the light guide 62 having no light blocking layer at the center may be determined according to the photosensitive region size of the photosensitive element 2. The light emitted from the light emitting element 5 enters from the side edge 621 of the light guide portion 62, is reflected by the light blocking layer 64 inside the light guide portion 62, and then exits from the light transmitting region where the light blocking layer is absent in the center of the light guide portion 62.
For example, as shown in fig. 1, the light guide portion 62 is a light guide plate, the reflective structure 61 is disposed in a region opposite to a side edge of the light guide plate and is located above the light emitting element 5, when the light emitting element 5 emits light, the light is emitted onto a reflective surface of the reflective structure 61 as shown by an arrow in the figure, then reflected to the side edge of the light guide plate into the light guide plate, reflected inside the light guide plate, and emitted from a light-transmitting region without a blocking layer in the center of the light guide plate, so as to realize a function of emitting light as required, such as a breathing lamp, a warning lamp, and the like.
Of course, when the light emitting element 5 is fixed on the lens or the bracket, the light guiding structure 6 may be fixed in the electronic device mounted with the camera module as shown in fig. 1, and only the positions of the light emitting element 5, the reflecting structure 61 and the light guiding portion 62 need to be matched, so that the limitation of the mounting positions of the light emitting element 5 and the light guiding portion 62 by adopting the arrangement mode of the reflecting structure is smaller, and the applicable device environment is wider.
Second, the light guiding structure 6 is fixed to the outer surface of the image pickup section.
As shown in fig. 2 to 5, the light guiding structure 6 may be fixed to the circuit board 1, or may be fixed to the lens 4 or the bracket 7. The light guide structure 6 includes a light incident portion 63 and a light guide portion 62, wherein the light incident portion 63 covers the light emitting element 5, so that light emitted from the light emitting element 5 can enter the light guide structure 6 from the light incident portion 63. The light guide 62 at least partially covers the lens 4, and its central light-transmitting region is fixed to the front central region of the lens 4, so as to protect the lens 4 while providing light guiding effect. The light emitted from the light emitting element 5 enters the light guide portion 62 from the light entrance portion 63, is reflected by the inside of the light guide portion 62, and then exits from the central light-transmitting region of the light guide portion 62.
Also, the light blocking layer 64 (thick line area in the drawing) may be coated on the edge areas of the inner and outer surfaces of the light guiding portion 62, and the light transmitting area in the center of the light guiding portion 62 and the light incident portion 63 are not coated with the light blocking layer 64, and are light-transmitting, so as to avoid the parasitic light interference when the photosensitive element 2 is imaged. The light blocking layer 64 may be a black ink layer, a metal layer, or the like, and the light transmitting region of the light guide 62 having no light blocking layer at the center may be determined according to the photosensitive region size of the photosensitive element 3. The light emitted from the light emitting element 5 enters from the light entrance portion 63, is reflected by the light blocking layer 64 in the light guide portion 62, and then exits from the light transmitting region of the light guide portion 62 having no light blocking layer at the center.
For example, as shown in fig. 2 to 3, the light emitting element 5 is fixed to the edge region of the circuit board 1, and is electrically connected to the circuit board 1, specifically, may be connected by bonding or bonding with a conductive material, and is not limited thereto. The light guide structure 6 is a light guide cover, the light incident portion 63 is an end surface of the light guide cover or a region covering the light emitting element 5 on the end surface of the light guide cover, and the light guide portion 62 is a portion other than the light incident portion 63. The central light-transmitting region of the light guide cover faces the front face of the lens 4 and is fixed on the circuit substrate 1, and specifically, the fixing modes such as adhesion, clamping and the like can be adopted. The photosensitive element 2, the optical filter 3 and the lens 4 are all arranged in a space surrounded by the light guide cover and the circuit substrate 1, and the light guide cover not only provides light guide effect, but also plays roles of protecting the image pick-up part, preventing water vapor and preventing dust.
In a specific implementation process, as shown in fig. 2, a groove may be formed on the circuit substrate 1, the light emitting element 5 is placed in the groove, the end face of the light guide cover is attached to the circuit substrate 1, the end face covers the groove, and light emitted by the light emitting element 5 enters the light guide cover from the end face of the cover groove. As shown in fig. 3, a groove may be formed on an end surface of the light guide cover, the light emitting element 5 is fixed on the circuit substrate 1, the end surface of the light guide cover is attached to the circuit substrate 1, the light emitting element 5 is covered at the groove, and light emitted by the light emitting element 5 enters the light guide cover from the periphery of the groove. When the light emitting element 5 emits light, the emitted light enters the light guide cover from the light entrance 63, is reflected by the light blocking layer 64 in the light guide cover, and then is emitted from the light transmitting region without the light blocking layer in the center of the light guide cover, thereby realizing the function of emitting light as a breathing lamp, a warning lamp, or the like.
As another example, as shown in fig. 4 to 5, the light emitting element 5 is fixed to the edge region of the front surface of the lens 4, and specifically, fixing means such as adhesion or engagement may be adopted. The light guide structure 6 is adhered, clamped or fixed on the lens 4 by adopting a threaded structure, and the light transmission area of the light guide structure is opposite to the front surface of the lens 4. The light guide structure 6 may be a light guide cover, a light guide plate, or the like, and the light incident portion 63 is a region where the light guide structure 6 covers the light emitting element 5, and the light guide portion 62 is a portion other than the light incident portion 63. The light guide structure 6 not only provides light guide function, but also protects the lens 4 of the image pick-up part and prevents water vapor and dust.
In the case where the light emitting element 5 is fixed to the surface of the lens 4 or the holder 7, since the light emitting element 5 is not directly in contact with the wiring substrate 1, electrical signal connection is realized. As shown in fig. 4, a stereoscopic circuit 401 (LDS circuit) prepared by using a laser direct structuring technology may be disposed on the surface of the lens 4 and/or the bracket 7. The light-emitting element 5 is attached to the stereoscopic circuit 401 by adopting a conductive material to realize electrical signal connection, or the light-emitting element 5 is bonded with the stereoscopic circuit to realize electrical signal connection. The three-dimensional circuit 401 is connected to the circuit board 1 by using a conductive material (such as solder) or by using bonding, so as to realize the electrical signal connection between the light emitting element 5 and the circuit board 1.
As shown in fig. 5, a flexible board 501 may be provided on the surface of the lens 4 and/or the holder 7. The light emitting element 5 is attached to the flexible board 501 by adopting a conductive material to realize electrical signal connection, or the light emitting element 5 is bonded with the flexible board 501 to realize electrical signal connection. The flexible board 501 is connected to the circuit board 1 by a conductive material (such as solder) or by bonding, so as to realize electrical signal connection between the light emitting element 5 and the circuit board 1. The flexible board 501 and the circuit substrate 1 can be designed integrally, and the side flexible board 501 is folded and attached along the edge of the bracket 7 and/or the lens to extend to the position of the light-emitting element 5. It is also possible to provide that both sides of the circuit substrate 1 are flexible boards, one side is bent and then connected with the light emitting element 5, and the other side is connected with the electronic device for mounting the module.
By arranging the light-emitting element 5 fixed on the front edge of the lens 4, the distance from the light-emitting element 5 to the outside of the camera module can be reduced, and the light emission amount can be increased. The size of the light guide structure 6 can be reduced, and the weight and the total size of the module can be reduced.
Of course, in the specific implementation process, the light emitted by the light emitting element 5 is led out through the light guiding structure 6, and the implementation manner of overlapping the led-out light path and the light receiving path of the image capturing portion is not limited to the above two, and the light guiding may be implemented by providing a surrounding light blocking plate, which is not limited herein, and is not limited herein.
In a specific implementation process, in order to avoid influencing the shooting function when the light emitting element 5 emits light, it may be provided that when the light sensing element 2 is in a photosensitive state, the light emitting element 5 is in a non-light emitting state, and when the light emitting element 5 is in a light emitting state, the light sensing element 2 is in a non-light sensing state. The specific state switching control may be realized by a motherboard or a controller of the electronic device connected to the wiring substrate 1.
Based on the same application conception, the embodiment of the application also provides electronic equipment comprising the camera module of the first embodiment, and the details of the second embodiment are shown.
Example two
As shown in fig. 6, the present embodiment provides an electronic device, which includes the camera module 601 described in the first embodiment.
In the implementation process, the electronic device may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a detector, an intelligent watch, or the like, which is not limited herein and is not listed here.
In an implementation, the electronic device may include a screen 101, where the camera module 601 is located below the screen 101, and a protective layer 102 (e.g., a glass layer) may be further disposed on an outer surface of the screen 101. The light emitting element 5 in the electronic device may be a light source that performs the function of a breathing lamp. Through the image capturing module 601 provided in the first embodiment and having the light emitting element 5 and the light sensing element 2, the breathing lamp function or other functions needing to emit light of the electronic device can share the same transparent hole 602 with the image capturing function, that is, the display surface of the electronic device only needs to be provided with one transparent hole 602 to have the functions of a light collecting hole of the image capturing function and a light emitting hole of the breathing lamp and the like. Therefore, the application can better consider the functional requirements of the breathing lamp and the like and the screen duty ratio requirements, and can effectively ensure the screen duty ratio on the basis of not sacrificing the functional requirements of users and not additionally increasing the size of the camera module.
Because the electronic device described in the second embodiment of the present application is any device including the camera module described in the first embodiment of the present application, based on the camera module described in the first embodiment of the present application, a person skilled in the art can understand the specific structure and the deformation of the device, and therefore, the details are not repeated here. All devices including the camera module in the first embodiment of the present application belong to the scope of the present application.
The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the invention has at least the following technical effects or advantages:
According to the camera module and the electronic device provided by the embodiment of the application, the light-emitting element is fixed on the outer surface of the camera part of the camera module, and the light guide structure is arranged to guide light to be emitted, so that the camera and the light-emitting functions can be realized at the same time without increasing the size of the module. And because the light does not need to pass through the lens of the image pickup part, the light is directly guided by the light guide structure to be emitted from the direction opposite to the front surface of the lens, the weakening of the light by the lens can be avoided, and the light emission quantity of the light-emitting element is considered on the basis of ensuring that the sensing element is opposite to the center of the lens to obtain high-quality imaging quality.
Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that while some embodiments herein include some features but not others included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and form different embodiments.
It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, third, etc. do not denote any order. These words may be interpreted as names.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, additional variations and modifications in those embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments of the invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof, the present invention is also intended to include such modifications and variations.