BALL-BEARING RETAINERS FOR CAMERA LENS SUSPENSION

• Main Authors: MILLER, Mark A, WOLTER, Raymond R, JENNEKE, Richard R, ANDERSON, Donald M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 19.06.2019
• Subjects: BLASTING; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; PRINTED CIRCUITS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A suspension assembly for a camera lens element includes a support member with a wire attach structure and a moving member coupled to the support member. The moving member includes a plate, flexure arms extending from the plate and coupled to the support member, and a wire attach structure. A bearing supports the plate of the moving member for movement with respect to the support member. The bearing includes a spacer portion extending from one of the support member and the plate of the moving member, and a polymer interface surface portion slidably engaged with the other of the support member and the plate of the moving member. A smart memory alloy wire is coupled to and extends between the wire attach structures of the support member and the moving member.