US 11,750,929 B2
Camera with image sensor shifting
Shashank Sharma, San Francisco, CA (US); and Scott W. Miller, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/566,463.
Application 17/566,463 is a continuation of application No. 17/112,411, filed on Dec. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,223,766.
Application 17/112,411 is a continuation of application No. 16/036,838, filed on Jul. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,863,094, issued on Dec. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/533,611, filed on Jul. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0124249 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/68 (2023.01); G02B 27/64 (2006.01); H02K 41/035 (2006.01); G02B 7/08 (2021.01); G03B 3/10 (2021.01); G03B 5/00 (2021.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/687 (2023.01) [G02B 7/08 (2013.01); G02B 27/646 (2013.01); G03B 3/10 (2013.01); G03B 5/00 (2013.01); H02K 41/0354 (2013.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/57 (2023.01); H04N 23/6815 (2023.01); G03B 2205/0007 (2013.01); G03B 2205/0069 (2013.01); H02K 2201/18 (2013.01); H04N 23/6812 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camera, comprising:
a lens comprising one or more lens elements;
an image sensor configured to capture light passing through the lens and convert the captured light into image signals;
a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator, comprising:
magnets; and
a coil structure, including:
an autofocus (AF) coil to shift the image sensor along an optical axis of the camera to provide AF, wherein the AF coil is located below, above, or both below and above the magnets; and
a flexure arrangement to guide motion of the coil structure and image sensor in a controlled manner.