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AppleGranted patentCameras & imagingInterest 4/10

Apple patents camera part that keeps lenses steady while focusing

Apple describes a design for the tiny motor that moves a camera lens to focus. It uses a specific shape for a metal plate to balance the force on small ball bearings, preventing the lens from wobbling or tilting during movement.

Why it mattersThis improves the stability of autofocus in cameras, which could lead to sharper photos and smoother video focus adjustments in future devices.

In the filing’s own words

Various embodiments include a device (e.g., a camera or other type of device) that optimizes a preload force for a ball bearing voice coil motor (VCM) actuator in order to achieve a stable ball bearing contact. To optimize the preload force, a plate may be placed and/or shaped in a way that causes the center of the preload force to be at a location that results in stable ball bearing contact (e.g., to prevent dynamic tilt/rocking of a frame/carrier during movement). In embodiments, the device includes a flexure (flexible circuit) to supply a drive current to the ball bearing VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the ball bearing VCM actuator is used in a camera device to move an image sensor of a carrier, relative to a lens, to provide focus and/or autofocus (AF) functionality.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A camera, comprising: a shield can that houses components of the camera; a carrier fixedly coupled with at least one component of the camera; and a ball bearing voice coil motor (VCM) actuator to move the carrier relative to the shield can, the ball bearing VCM actuator comprising: a coil; a magnet; a first plurality of ball bearings aligned along a first track and a second plurality of ball bearings aligned along a second track, wherein the first and second track are respectively formed by one or more portions of the carrier and one or more portions of a stationary structure of the camera, and wherein the ball bearings are configured to allow motion of the carrier along the first and second tracks, and wherein the first and second plurality of ball bearings are located between the magnet and a preload plate; and the preload plate, wherein the preload plate is magnetically attracted to the magnet to cause a preload force, and wherein the preload plate is configured to cause a center of the preload force to be at a location of the preload plate such that the preload force is shared among two of the first plurality of ball bearings and one of the second plurality of ball bearings, and wherein the location of the center of the preload force prevents a portion of the preload force from being shifted to another of the second plurality of ball bearings during the motion of the carrier.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Preload force optimization for stable ball bearing contact
Patent number
US12744434B1
Application number
18885417
Filed
Sep 13, 2024
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

H02K 11/0141 Electricity & electronicsH02K 11/215 Electricity & electronicsH02K 41/0354 Electricity & electronicsH04N 23/54 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.