Lens driving apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A lens driving apparatus includes a spring suspension system and an electromagnetic force generator. The spring suspension system may include a pair of leaf springs, a stationary rigid body sandwiched between the pair of springs, and a lens holder suspended by the pair of springs within a central bore of the rigid body. The electromagnetic force generator may include a coil holder holding a coil and a magnet holder holding at least one magnet. The spring suspension system and the electromagnetic force generator are connected to and spatially separated from each other by a spacer. A method for manufacturing a lens driving apparatus is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a lens driving apparatus comprising:
 (a) separately forming a panel of spring suspension systems connected to one another by a plurality of first bridges, each spring suspension system comprising a pair of leaf springs, a stationary rigid body sandwiched between the pair of leaf springs, and a lens holder suspended by the pair of leaf springs within a central bore of the rigid body;   (b) separately forming a panel of electromagnetic force generators connected to one another by a plurality of second bridges, each electromagnetic force generator comprising a coil holder holding a coil and a magnet holder holding at least one magnet;   (c) stacking the panel of spring suspension systems and the panel of electromagnetic force generators together by a single-directional vertical assembly process; and   (d) cutting the plurality of first and second bridges to produce a plurality of lens driving apparatuses, wherein the spring suspension system and the electromagnetic force generator are connected to and spatially separated from each other by a spacer.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of separately forming the panel of spring suspension systems comprising:
 (a) forming a panel of first leaf springs connected to one another by a plurality of third bridges;   (b) forming a panel of rigid bodies connected to one another by a plurality of fourth bridges;   (c) forming a panel of lens holders connected to one another by a plurality of fifth bridges;   (d) forming a panel of second leaf springs connected to one another by a plurality of sixth bridges; and   (e) stacking the panels of first leaf springs, rigid bodies, lens holders and second leaf springs one on top of the other by a single-directional vertical assembly process to thereby form the panel of spring suspension systems.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of separately forming the panel of electromagnetic force generators comprising:
 (a) forming a panel of coil holders connected to one another by a plurality of seventh bridges with a coil on each coil holder;   (b) forming a panel of magnet holders connected to one another by a plurality of eighth bridges with at least one magnet on each magnet holder; and   (c) stacking the panel of coil holders and the panel of magnet holders together by a single-directional vertical assembly process to thereby form the panel of electromagnetic force generators.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the panel of spring suspension systems and the panel of electromagnetic force generators are made of a first material, and the first and second bridges are made of a second material which is different from the first material. 
     
     
         5 . A method for manufacturing a lens driving apparatus formed of a number of components, the method comprising:
 (a) separately forming a panel for each component by connecting a plurality of each of the components together by a plurality of bridges;   (b) stacking the separately formed panels for each component one on top of the other to thereby form a panel of lens driving apparatus; and   (c) cutting away the bridges of the panels for each component to form a plurality of separated individual lens driving apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the components and the bridges are made of different materials.