US 11,982,867 B2
Camera actuator for lens and sensor shifting
Shashank Sharma, San Francisco, CA (US); Douglas S. Brodie, Los Gatos, 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 Mar. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/189,973.
Application 18/189,973 is a continuation of application No. 17/145,100, filed on Jan. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,614,597.
Application 17/145,100 is a continuation of application No. 15/940,661, filed on Mar. 29, 2018, granted, now 10,890,734, issued on Jan. 12, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/478,487, filed on Mar. 29, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0236387 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 7/09 (2021.01); H02P 25/034 (2016.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01)
CPC G02B 7/09 (2013.01) [H02P 25/034 (2016.02); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camera, comprising:
a lens that defines an optical axis;
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:
a magnet; and
a plurality of coils;
a sensor shift platform coupled to the image sensor such that the image sensor is moveable together with the sensor shift platform;
flexures to mechanically connect one or more dynamic components of the camera to one or more static components of the camera, wherein the one or more dynamic components include the sensor shift platform; and
a coil holder coupled with at least one autofocus (AF) coil of the plurality of coils, such that the at least one AF coil is positioned in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis, between the magnet and at least a portion of the coil holder;
wherein to move the image sensor or the lens in a direction parallel to the optical axis, the VCM actuator is configured to cause the at least one AF coil to magnetically interact with the magnet.