IP Library Granted Patent US 7,649,703
Granted Patent B2
US 7,649,703 · App. 11/346,233 · Granted Jan 19, 2010

Lens driving apparatus

Assignees: Shicoh Engineering Co., Ltd.; Shicoh Motor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,649,703
App. No.
11/346,233
Granted
Jan 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lens driving apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a substantially cylindrical yoke 3 ; a base 5 to which the yoke 3 is attached; a carrier 7 having a lens; a coil 10 ; and a magnet 13 , wherein the carrier 7 is moved in a direction of an optical axis of a lens by electromagnetic force generated by passing current through the coil 10 , the base 5 is substantially square-shaped as viewed from a plane, the yoke 3 is placed at an inner position of the base 5 , the yoke 3 has an outer peripheral wall 3 a and an annular inner peripheral wall 3 b to be spaced to each other, each magnet is placed between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall and at a position corresponding to a base corner portion of the base 5 , and a space between the outer peripheral wall 3 a and the inner peripheral wall 3 b positioned at a base side portion 3 e is made narrower than a space between the outer peripheral wall 3 a and the inner peripheral wall 3 b positioned at the base corner portion.

Claims (33)

1. A lens driving apparatus comprising:

a substantially cylindrical yoke;

a base to which the yoke is attached;

a carrier having a lens;

a coil provided on the carrier; and

four magnets,

wherein the carrier is moved in a direction of an optical axis of the lens by electromagnetic force generated by passing current through the coil,

wherein the base is substantially square-shaped as viewed from a plane,

wherein the yoke is placed at an inner position of the base,

wherein the yoke has an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall spaced apart from each other, the inner peripheral wall being annularly shaped,

wherein each of the magnets is placed between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall, and at a position corresponding to a respective corner portion of the base, and

wherein a space between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall positioned at each of a plurality of side portions of the base is made narrower than a space between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall positioned at each of the corner portions of the base.

2. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the outer peripheral wall of the yoke is substantially square-shaped as viewed from the plane,

wherein the outer peripheral wall has arc-wall portions, being placed at positions corresponding to the corner portions of the base and being substantially arc-shaped as viewed from the plane, and a flat wall portion being formed between the arc-wall portions and being flat as viewed from the plane, and

wherein each of the magnets, being arc-shaped as viewed from the plane, is fixed onto an inner peripheral side surface of a respective one of the arc-wall portions of the outer peripheral wall.

3. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the outer peripheral wall of the yoke has an engage projection portion that positions the base.

4. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the outer peripheral wall of the yoke is substantially square-shaped as viewed from the plane, and

wherein each of the magnets, being substantially triangularly shaped as viewed from the plane, is fitted into a respective corner portion of the outer peripheral wall of the yoke.

5. The lens driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outer peripheral wall of the yoke has an engage projection portion that positions the base.

6. A lens driving apparatus comprising:

a substantially cylindrical yoke;

a base to which the yoke is attached;

a carrier having a lens;

a coil provided on the carrier; and

four magnets,

wherein the carrier is moved in a direction of an optical axis of the lens by electromagnetic force generated by passing current through the coil,

wherein the base is substantially square-shaped as viewed from the plane,

wherein the yoke is placed at an inner position of the base,

wherein the yoke has an outer peripheral wall, being substantially square-shaped as viewed from the plane, and an opening portion, being arc-shaped as viewed from the plane, where the carrier is moved,

wherein each of the magnets, being substantially triangularly shaped as viewed from the plane, is fitted into a respective corner portion of the outer peripheral wall of the yoke, and

wherein an inner wall of the yoke is formed in a standing condition on only edges of the opening portion where the magnets oppose.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2021
From: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD; SHICOH MOTOR (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
To: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058070/0106 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2021
From: NEW SHICOH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO.,LTD.
Reel/Frame 057980/0709 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2013
From: SHICOH CO., LTD.
To: NEW SHICOH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 030277/0057 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 14, 2010
From: SHICOH ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
To: SHICOH CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024678/0882 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2006
From: SHIRAKI, MANABU; SEKIGUCHI, NAOKI
To: SHICOH ENGINEERING CO., LTD.; SHICOH MOTOR (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 017544/0571 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2005-306933 · Oct 21, 2005 · national
JP 2005-328433 · Nov 14, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070091199A1 · Apr 26, 2007