	US 12,204,164 B2
	Camera assembly mounted to a mounting surface of a camera enclosure
Lalit Anil Palve, Seattle, WA (US); Karlton David Powell, Lake Stevens, WA (US); Rhishikesh A. Sathe, Bothell, WA (US); and Marlo Elizabeth Castillo, Kenmore, WA (US)
Assigned to MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed by Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed on May 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/316,628.
Prior Publication US 2022/0357546 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 7/02 (2021.01); G02B 13/06 (2006.01); G03B 17/12 (2021.01)

CPC G02B 7/021 (2013.01) [G02B 7/026 (2013.01); G02B 13/06 (2013.01); G03B 17/12 (2013.01)]

20 Claims

1. An assembly for inclusion in a camera, the assembly comprising:

a camera module, the camera module comprising:

a lens barrel having a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, the lens barrel comprising:

a lens positioned in an interior of the lens barrel, the lens having an optical axis;

a flange at the first end of the lens barrel, the flange having a planar surface that faces the second end of the lens barrel; and

a grip region that extends from the flange towards the second end of the lens barrel, wherein a center of gravity of the camera module is within the grip region of the lens barrel; and

a lens holder coupled to the lens barrel at the second end of the lens barrel, the lens holder comprises a pin that extends from the lens holder towards the first end of the lens barrel; and

a retaining mechanism, wherein the retaining mechanism is configured to hold the camera module at the grip region of the lens barrel to constrain translation of the camera module relative to the retaining mechanism in a plane that is orthogonal to the optical axis, wherein the retaining mechanism has a planar surface that abuts the planar surface of the flange of the lens barrel to constrain translation of the camera module relative to the retaining mechanism along the optical axis of the lens, wherein the retaining mechanism has an extension that extends towards the lens holder and engages with the pin, and further wherein engagement of the extension with the pin constrains rotation of the camera module relative to the retaining mechanism about the optical axis of the lens.

10. A method for mounting an assembly to a mounting surface of a camera enclosure, the method comprising:

forming a camera module, wherein forming the camera module comprises:

coupling a first end of a lens barrel to a lens holder, wherein the lens barrel includes a lens that has an optical axis;

forming the assembly, wherein forming the assembly comprises:

placing the camera module into a retaining mechanism, wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a V-block and a planar surface, wherein the camera module is placed in the retaining mechanism such that a grip region of the lens barrel is in contact with surfaces of the V-block and the planar surface is in contact with a planar flange of the lens barrel, the planar flange is located at the second end of the lens barrel, and further wherein an extension of the retaining mechanism engages with a pin of the lens holder to constrain rotation of the camera module relative to the retaining mechanism about the optical axis of the lens;

fastening a lens retainer to the retaining mechanism, wherein the lens retainer has a gasket, wherein the gasket is in contact with the grip region of the lens barrel when the lens retainer is fastened to the retaining mechanism, and further wherein coupling between the camera module and the surfaces of the V-block and the camera module and the gasket constrains translation of the camera module relative to the retaining mechanism in directions orthogonal to the optical axis; and

mounting the assembly to the mounting surface of the camera enclosure subsequent to forming the assembly.