US 12,149,830 B2
Dynamic flex circuit for camera with moveable image sensor
Nicholas D. Smyth, San Jose, CA (US); Jian Ouyang, Shenzhen (CN); Scott W. Miller, Los Gatos, CA (US); Samuel M. Hyatt, San Jose, CA (US); Martin Auclair, Campbell, CA (US); and Phillip R. Sommer, Newark, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/167,788.
Application 18/167,788 is a continuation of application No. 17/202,252, filed on Mar. 15, 2021, granted, now 11,595,582.
Application 17/202,252 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/025,957, filed on Sep. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,223,765, issued on Jan. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/906,038, filed on Sep. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0188853 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/68 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/687 (2023.01) [H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A camera, comprising:
one or more optical elements;
an image sensor;
an actuator to move the image sensor relative to the one or more optical elements;
a flex circuit, formed of one or more flex circuit materials, to convey electrical signals between the image sensor and a stationary structure of the camera, wherein the flex circuit comprises:
a first straight region;
a second straight region; and
a bend region extending from the first straight region to the second straight region; and
wherein the flex circuit is configured such that motion of the image sensor enabled by the actuator causes the first straight region to move relative to the second straight region; and
wherein the bend region is wider or thicker than the first straight region or the second straight region, so as to reinforce or stiffen the bend region relative to the first straight region or the second straight region.