Camera Module with Premolded Lens Housing and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A novel digital camera module includes an image capture device, a circuit substrate, a lens unit and a housing that is mounted to the circuit substrate before the image capture device is mounted to the circuit substrate. In one particular embodiment, the housing is formed onto the circuit substrate via molding. The housing includes a bore to receive the lens unit, with the diameter of the bore being larger than the diagonal of the image capture device such that image capture device can be mounted to the circuit substrate through the bore. In another particular embodiment, the circuit substrate includes an aperture so as to facilitate the flip-chip bonding of the image capture device. The order in which the image capture device and the housing are coupled to the circuit substrate helps prevent damage to the image capture device during the mounting of the housing to the circuit substrate.

1 . A digital camera module comprising:
 a pre-fabricated circuit substrate;   a lens housing formed on said pre-fabricated circuit substrate; and   an image capture device mounted on said circuit substrate; and wherein   said lens housing allows said image capture device to be mounted on said circuit substrate after said lens housing is formed on said circuit substrate; and   said lens housing is formed on a first surface of said circuit substrate and said image capture device is mounted on a second surface of said circuit substrate opposite said first surface.   
     
     
         2 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said circuit substrate defines an aperture; and   said image capture device is mounted so that light passing through said aperture impinges on a light-sensitive portion of said image capture device.   
     
     
         3 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein said lens housing is formed from a material capable of withstanding an attachment process used to mount said image capture device on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The digital camera module of  claim 3 , wherein said lens housing is formed from a resin. 
     
     
         5 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein said lens housing is molded on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein said circuit substrate includes at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer. 
     
     
         7 . The digital camera module of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said lens housing is formed on said insulating layer; and   said image capture device is coupled to at least one electrical contact of said conductive layer.   
     
     
         8 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said circuit substrate is made of a first material; and   said lens housing is formed from a second material different than said first material.   
     
     
         9 . The digital camera module of  claim 1 , wherein said camera module is free of adhesive between said circuit substrate and said lens housing. 
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing a camera module comprising:
 providing an image capture device;   providing a pre-fabricated circuit substrate;   forming a lens housing on said pre-fabricated circuit substrate; and   mounting said image capture device on said circuit substrate after said lens housing is formed on said circuit substrate; and wherein   said step of forming said lens housing on said circuit substrate includes forming said lens housing on a first surface of said circuit substrate; and   said step of mounting said image capture device on said circuit substrate includes mounting said image capture device on a second surface of said circuit substrate opposite said first surface of said circuit substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said circuit substrate defines an aperture; and   said step of mounting said image capture device including mounting said image capture device such that light passing through said aperture impinges on a light-sensitive portion of said image capture device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of forming said lens housing includes forming said lens housing from a material capable of withstanding an attachment process used to mount said image capture device on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said lens housing is formed from a resin. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of forming said lens housing includes molding said lens housing on said pre-fabricated circuit substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of providing said pre-fabricated circuit substrate includes providing a circuit substrate having at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 said step of forming said lens housing includes forming said lens housing on said insulating layer of said circuit substrate; and   said step of mounting said image capture device on said circuit substrate includes electrically coupling said image capture device to at least one electrical contact of said conductive layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said circuit substrate is made of a first material; and   said lens housing is formed from a second material different than said first material.   
     
     
         18 . A method for manufacturing a plurality of camera modules comprising:
 providing a pre-fabricated circuit substrate including a plurality of individual camera module circuit boards;   forming a plurality of housings on said pre-fabricated circuit substrate, each of said housings being formed on an associated one of said individual camera module circuit boards;   providing a plurality of image capture devices; and   mounting said plurality of image capture devices on respective ones of said individual camera module circuit boards after said housings are formed on said associated individual camera module circuit boards; and wherein   said step of forming said plurality of housings on said circuit substrate includes forming said housings on a first surface of said circuit substrate; and   said step of mounting said image capture devices onto respective ones of said individual camera module circuit boards includes mounting said image capture devices on a second surface of said circuit substrate opposite said first surface of said circuit substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 each of said individual camera module circuit boards defines an aperture; and   said step of mounting said image capture devices includes mounting each of said image capture devices such that light passing through said aperture impinges on a light sensitive portion of said image capture device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of forming said plurality of housings includes forming each of said housings from a material capable of withstanding an attachment process used to mount said image capture devices on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said material is a resin. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of forming said plurality of housings includes molding said plurality of housings on said pre-fabricated circuit substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of said individual camera module circuit boards includes at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said step of forming said plurality of housings includes forming each of said housings on said insulating layer of said respective one of said individual camera module circuit boards; and   said step of mounting said plurality of image capture devices includes coupling each of said image capture devices to at least one electrical contact of said conductive layer of said respective one of said individual camera module circuit boards.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 said pre-fabricated circuit substrate is made of a first material; and   said plurality of housings is formed from a second material different than said first material.   
     
     
         26 . A camera module workpiece comprising:
 a pre-fabricated circuit substrate including a plurality of individual camera module circuit boards;   a plurality of lens housings formed on said circuit substrate, each of said lens housings being formed on an associated one of said individual camera module circuit boards; and   a plurality of image capture devices mounted on said circuit substrate, each of said image capture devices being mounted on a respective one of said individual camera module circuit boards; and wherein   said plurality of lens housings allows said plurality of image capture devices to be mounted on said circuit substrate after said plurality of lens housings is formed on said circuit substrate; and   said plurality of lens housings is formed on a first surface of said circuit substrate and said plurality of image capture devices is mounted on a second surface of said circuit substrate opposite said first surface.   
     
     
         27 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein:
 each of said individual camera module circuit boards defines an aperture; and   each of said image capture devices is mounted such that light passing through said aperture of said respective individual camera module circuit board impinges on a light-sensitive portion of said image capture device.   
     
     
         28 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein said plurality of lens housings is formed from a material capable of withstanding an attachment process used to mount said plurality of image capture devices on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         29 . The workpiece of  claim 28 , wherein said plurality of lens housing is formed from a resin. 
     
     
         30 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein said plurality of lens housings is molded on said circuit substrate. 
     
     
         31 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein each of said individual camera module circuit boards includes at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer. 
     
     
         32 . The workpiece of  claim 31 , wherein:
 each of said lens housings is formed on said insulating layer of said associated individual camera module circuit board; and   each of said image capture devices is coupled to at least one electrical contact of said conductive layer of said respective individual camera module circuit board.   
     
     
         33 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein:
 said circuit substrate is made of a first material; and   said plurality of lens housings is formed from a second material different then said first material.   
     
     
         34 . The workpiece of  claim 26 , wherein said workpiece is free of adhesive between said circuit substrate and each of said plurality of lens housings.