	US 12,149,827 B2
	Camera actuator including balls disposed in a mover and camera module including same
Young Bae Jang, Seoul (KR); Sung Guk Lee, Seoul (KR); Dae Sik Jang, Seoul (KR); and Jin Kwan Jeong, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/754,702
Filed by LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Oct. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/KR2020/013727 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 8, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2021/071277, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2019-0124801 (KR), filed on Oct. 8, 2019; application No. 10-2019-0128082 (KR), filed on Oct. 15, 2019; and application No. 10-2019-0173177 (KR), filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0080560 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 5/335 (2011.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01); H04N 23/68 (2023.01)

CPC H04N 23/687 (2023.01) [H04N 23/55 (2023.01)]

18 Claims

1. A camera actuator comprising:

a housing;

a mover on which an optical member is seated and that is disposed in the housing;

a first ball and a second ball disposed between the housing and the mover; and

a driving unit disposed in the housing and configured to drive the mover,

wherein:

wherein the mover includes a first mover outer surface, a second mover outer surface facing the first mover outer surface, and a third mover outer surface disposed between the first mover outer surface and the second mover outer surface,

wherein the mover includes a first-first protrusion extending toward the housing, a first-second protrusion extending toward the housing, and a first-third protrusion extending toward the housing,

wherein the first-first protrusion is disposed on the first mover outer surface,

wherein the first-second protrusion is disposed on the second mover outer surface,

wherein the first-third protrusion is disposed on the third mover outer surface,

wherein the first-first protrusion includes a first recess,

wherein the first-second protrusion includes a second recess,

wherein the first-third protrusion includes a third recess,

wherein the first recess includes a first side surface and a first bottom surface in contact with the first side surface,

wherein the first ball is disposed in the first recess, and at least a portion of the first recess is spaced apart from the first ball,

wherein the second recess includes a second side surface and a second bottom surface in contact with the second side surface,

wherein the third recess includes a third side surface and a third bottom surface in contact with the third side surface, and

wherein the second ball is disposed in the third recess, and at least a portion of the third recess is spaced apart from the second ball.