There is provided a piezoelectric actuator apparatus capable of moving an object to be driven at high velocity by using a piezoelectric element to apply a force to a driving member coupled to the object to be driven by a predetermined frictional force.

A piezoelectric actuator apparatus 100 is controlled and driven by inputting a driving voltage having a PWM waveform to a piezoelectric element 101 to which an inductor 27 and a resistor 28 are connected in series. The piezoelectric actuator apparatus 100 increases the velocity of the object to be driven 106 by adjusting respective values of the inductance L.sub.0 and the resistance R.sub.0 to control damping ratios, amplitudes, and resonance frequencies of the respective vibrations of the piezoelectric mechanical resonance and the piezoelectric electrical resonance, and inducing a response of the driving member 102 closer to sawtooth waves.

One embodiment of a lens driving apparatus may comprise: a bobbin having a first coil disposed on the outer circumferential surface thereof; a position detection sensor which is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin and which moves together with the bobbin; a first magnet disposed opposite to the first coil; a housing for supporting the first magnet; upper and lower elastic members which are coupled to the bobbin and the housing; and a plurality of wirings which are disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin so as to electrically connect at least one of the upper or lower elastic members with the position detection sensor.

A folded camera may include folded optics arrangement positioned optically in front of an image sensor. The folded optics arrangement may include one or more light-folding elements and a lens group having one or more lens elements. Light may pass through the folded optics arrangement, within which the light be folded or redirected by the light-folding element, to focus on an image plane on the image sensor. The folded camera may include a shape-memory actuator having one or more shape-memory elements, whose lengths and/or shapes may be controlled by regulating individual temperatures of the shape-memory elements. The shape-memory actuator may move the lens group relative to the image sensor to implement various autofocus (AF) functions. The folded camera may include a voice coil motor (VCM) which may be controlled to move the image sensor relative to the lens group to perform various optical image stabilization (OIS) functions.

An optical mechanism is provided. The optical mechanism includes an immovable part, a movable part, a drive assembly, and a guidance assembly. The movable part is connected to an optical element. The movable part is movable relative to the immovable part. The drive assembly drives the movable part to move relative to the immovable part. The guidance assembly guides the movable part to move along a first axis.

A camera module includes a housing assembly, a driving assembly received in the housing assembly, and a lens assembly received in the driving assembly and including at least one lens aligned in a first direction. The driving assembly includes a first magnetic member fixed to one side surface of the driving assembly and driven in the first direction. The housing assembly includes a first coil disposed to face the first magnetic member and configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a first signal to drive the first magnetic member and a first position sensor disposed at one side of the first coil and configured to measure a position of the first magnetic member. The first position sensor is disposed to be partially overlapped with a first virtual expansion area formed by expanding the first magnetic member in a direction that uniformly maintains spacing from the first coil.

A camera module includes a housing assembly, a driving assembly received in the housing assembly, and a lens assembly received in the driving assembly and including at least one lens aligned in a first direction. The driving assembly includes a first magnetic member fixed to one side surface of the driving assembly and driven in the first direction. The housing assembly includes a first coil disposed to face the first magnetic member and configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a first signal to drive the first magnetic member and a first position sensor disposed at one side of the first coil and configured to measure a position of the first magnetic member. The first position sensor is disposed to be partially overlapped with a first virtual expansion area formed by expanding the first magnetic member in a direction that uniformly maintains spacing from the first coil.

The present invention relates to a camera module, the module including: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR filter; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material; a spacer arranged on an upper surface of the lower spring plate and forming a staircase structure by a rib wrapping a periphery of the lower spring plate to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate; a lens actuator including a bobbin, and a yoke; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator; and a cover attached to an upper surface of the upper spring plate.

The present invention relates to a camera module, the module including: a PCB; an image sensor mounted on the PCB and formed with an image pickup device; a base mounted on the PCB and including a plated portion formed at a lower center with an opening mounted with an IR filter; a lower spring plate formed with a conductive material; a spacer arranged on an upper surface of the lower spring plate and forming a staircase structure by a rib wrapping a periphery of the lower spring plate to supportively apply a pressure to the lower spring plate; a lens actuator including a bobbin, and a yoke; an upper spring plate coupled to an upper surface of the lens actuator; and a cover attached to an upper surface of the upper spring plate.

Disclosed is a voice coil motor, the motor including a mover having a bobbin equipped with a lens and a coil block secured to an outer circumference of the bobbin; a stator having a magnet that is disposed in such a way as to face the coil block; elastic members coupled to a lower end of the bobbin and connected to both ends of the coil block; a base supporting the elastic members and the stator; and a cover can covering the mover, the stator and the base, with an opening being formed in the cover can to expose the lens therethrough, wherein each of the elastic members includes a terminal portion that extends between the cover can and a side surface of the base, the terminal portion including a short-circuit prevention portion so as to inhibit a short-circuit between the terminal portion and the cover can.

Disclosed is a voice coil motor, the motor including a mover having a bobbin equipped with a lens and a coil block secured to an outer circumference of the bobbin; a stator having a magnet that is disposed in such a way as to face the coil block; elastic members coupled to a lower end of the bobbin and connected to both ends of the coil block; a base supporting the elastic members and the stator; and a cover can covering the mover, the stator and the base, with an opening being formed in the cover can to expose the lens therethrough, wherein each of the elastic members includes a terminal portion that extends between the cover can and a side surface of the base, the terminal portion including a short-circuit prevention portion so as to inhibit a short-circuit between the terminal portion and the cover can.