The present application relates to an optical element module using a polymer actuator element, and an image pickup device that makes hand movement correction or focus and zoom adjustment using the optical element module.
A hand movement correcting function has recently been becoming a standard in a digital camera with increase in the number of pixels and improvement in functionality. An optical hand movement correction, in particular, has recently been incorporated in addition to a digital hand movement correction (for example, see Japanese Application No. 09-243320, hereinafter “Patent Document 1”).
In the case of optical hand movement correction, however, an actuator mechanism using magnetism such as a linear motor as in the example of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 or the like is mainly employed. Therefore, the size of a module as a whole is increased, and it is difficult to make the size of a camera smaller.
In addition, a camera included in a portable telephone has been increased in the number of pixels, and is thus likely to need a hand movement correction in the future. However, it is very difficult for an actuator mechanism now in use to be of such a size as to be included in a portable telephone and be provided with an optical hand movement correcting function.
To address these problems, image pickup devices provided with a hand movement correcting function using a polymer actuator have recently been proposed (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 2007-129295 and 2007-147843, hereinafter “Patent Documents 2 and 3,” respectively). However, the image pickup devices in Patent Documents 2 and 3 tilt the whole of a casing to which an image pickup optical system and an image pickup element are attached using a displacement of a polymer actuator. Thus, a space for tilting the whole of the casing is required, and the devices as a whole are not sufficiently miniaturized.