Electronic equipment and camera units

Abstract

To reduce a gap between an imaging direction of a camera and a sound collection direction of a microphone to enable efficient sound collection.SOLUTION: An electronic device includes: an enclosure equipped with a display; and a camera unit which is rotatably supported by the housing and provided along one edge part of the display. The camera unit includes: a housing supported in a manner that enables rotation relative to the housing; a camera module housed in the housing; and a microphone module housed in the housing. On an outer wall surface of the housing, a camera hole for transmitting light to the camera module and a first microphone hole which is provided so as to face in the same direction with the camera hole and used to collect sound in the microphone module are formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device including a camera unit and a camera unit.

Background Art

[0002] Electronic devices such as notebook PCs or tablet PCs include a camera and a microphone, for example, on the side of a display (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The above-described camera is a so-called in-camera installed so as to be able to photograph only the operator side using the electronic device. Also, the microphone is installed so as to face the operator side using the electronic device together with the camera.

[0005] By the way, depending on the usage conditions of the electronic device, it is desired that the camera can also be used as a so-called out-camera that photographs the side opposite to the display. In this case, it is assumed that a rotary camera unit that supports the camera unit rotatably with respect to the housing of the electronic device is used. When a rotary camera unit is mounted, the display angle and the camera angle can be adjusted individually, so that both the visibility of the display and the quality of the camera image can be achieved simultaneously.

[0006] However, even when the camera is used as an out-camera by a rotary camera unit, the microphone embedded in the housing still faces the front side of the housing. Therefore, there are cases where the microphone cannot efficiently collect the voice of the person being photographed by the camera.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to provide an electronic device and a camera unit that enable efficient sound collection by reducing the discrepancy between the shooting direction of the camera and the sound collection direction of the microphone. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An electronic device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a housing on which a display is mounted, and a camera unit rotatably supported by the housing and provided along one edge of the display, wherein the camera unit comprises a housing rotatably supported with respect to the housing, a camera module housed in the housing, and a microphone module housed in the housing, wherein the outer wall surface of the housing has a camera hole for transmitting light to the camera module and a first microphone hole provided so as to face the same direction as the camera hole for collecting sound in the microphone module.

[0009] A camera unit according to a second aspect of the present invention is a camera unit to be attached to the housing of an electronic device, comprising: a housing having a rotating shaft portion that is rotatably supported with respect to the housing; a camera module housed in the housing; and a microphone module housed in the housing, wherein the outer wall surface of the housing has a camera hole for transmitting light to the camera module; a first microphone hole provided so as to face the same direction as the camera hole and for collecting sound in the microphone module; and a second microphone hole provided so as to face a different direction from the first microphone hole and for collecting sound in the microphone module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the discrepancy between the camera's shooting direction and the microphone's sound collection direction is reduced, enabling efficient sound collection. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a top view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the camera unit and its surrounding area attached to the cover member. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic front view showing the cover member shown in Figure 3 with the bezel member, display, and glass plate attached. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is an enlarged perspective view of one of the shaft sections and its surrounding area. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is a perspective view showing the shaft portion shown in Figure 5A with the bearing components connected. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the VIA-VIA line in Figure 4. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit shown in Figure 6A, rotated 180 degrees. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the VIIA-VIIA line in Figure 4. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit shown in Figure 7A, rotated 180 degrees. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit according to a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the camera unit and electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment, as viewed from above. The electronic device 10 includes a system main body 12 and a lid body 14. The electronic device 10 of the present embodiment is a clamshell-type notebook PC in which the system main body 12 and the lid body 14 are relatively rotatably connected by a hinge 16. The electronic devices to which the present invention is applicable are not limited to notebook PCs, and various information devices such as tablet PCs, smartphones, or portable game machines can be exemplified.

[0014] The system main body 12 includes a flat box-shaped housing. A keyboard 18 and a touch pad 19 are provided on the upper surface of the system main body 12. Inside the system main body 12, various electronic components such as a board on which a CPU and the like are mounted, a storage device, a battery device, and an antenna are accommodated.

[0015] The lid body 14 includes a flat box-shaped housing 20 that is thinner than the system main body 12. The housing 20 is equipped with a display 22 and a camera unit 24.

[0016] Hereinafter, with respect to the housing 20 and the camera unit 24, the left-right direction will be referred to as the X1, X2 directions, the height direction as the Y1, Y2 directions, and the thickness direction (depth direction) as the Z1, Z2 directions, with reference to the direction in which the operator visually recognizes the display 22 from the front. The X1, X2 directions may be collectively referred to as the X direction, and the Y1, Y2 directions and the Z1, Z2 directions may also be similarly referred to as the Y direction and the Z direction.

[0017] The housing 20 is composed of a cover member 26 and a bezel member 28 (see also FIG. 6A).

[0018] The cover member 26 is a plate-shaped member that forms the back surface (Z2 side surface) of the housing 20. The display 22 is supported on its back surface by the inner surface of the cover member 26. The display 22 is made of liquid crystal or organic EL and occupies most of the front surface of the lid 14. The display 22 is positioned so that the display surface 22a that displays images faces the front surface (Z1 side surface) of the housing 20. The bezel member 28 is a frame that surrounds the periphery of the display surface 22a of the display 22. The bezel member 28 is provided so as to surround the peripheral edge of the display surface 22a of the display 22. The bezel member 28 may be provided integrally with the cover member 26.

[0019] The outer periphery of the housing 20 is formed by vertical walls 29. The vertical wall 29 consists of a Z2 side portion that rises in the Z1 direction from the outer periphery edge of the cover member 26 and a Z1 side portion that rises in the Z2 direction from the outer periphery edge of the bezel member 28 (see also Figures 4 and 6A). The vertical wall 29 may be provided on only one of the cover member 26 or the bezel member 28.

[0020] The vertical wall 29 has a recessed portion 29a located approximately in the center of the part that forms the Y1 side surface of the housing 20. The recessed portion 29a is formed by recessing a part of the vertical wall 29 in the direction toward the Y1 side edge (edge ​​22b) of the display 22, i.e., in the Y2 direction. The bottom wall 29a1 of the recessed portion 29a, which is aligned with the X direction, is close to the edge 22b of the display 22. The recessed portion 29a forms an installation space for the camera unit 24 relative to the Y1 side edge of the housing 20. By being installed in the recessed portion 29a, the camera unit 24 is positioned as if it were embedded in the bezel member 28 along the edge 22b of the display 22.

[0021] The display surface 22a of the display 22 is covered by a glass plate 30 fixed to the Z1 side surface of the bezel member 28. The glass plate 30 covers the display surface 22a and forms most of the front surface of the housing 20. Instead of the glass plate 30, a frame-shaped decorative frame that covers only the surface of the bezel member 28 may be used.

[0022] Next, we will describe the camera unit 24.

[0023] The camera unit 24 is a rotary camera unit supported in a state that allows it to rotate relative to the housing 20 around a rotation axis along the X direction. The camera unit 24 can capture images in any direction within a range of approximately 180 degrees, from the front of the housing 20 (Z1 direction) through the Y1 direction to the back of the housing 20 (Z2 direction) (see Figures 6A and 6B). The camera unit 24 can be angle-adjusted independently of the angle adjustment of the display 22 by the hinge 16 of the lid 14. Therefore, the actual angle adjustment range of the camera unit 24, when combined with the angle adjustment range of the display 22 (e.g., 180-degree range), is greater than 180 degrees. In this way, the electronic device 10 can adjust the display angle and the camera angle individually, thus achieving both good display visibility and good camera image quality. The rotation range of the camera unit 24 may be less than 180 degrees or greater than 180 degrees.

[0024] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit 24. Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the camera unit 24 and its surrounding area attached to the cover member 26. Figure 4 is a schematic front view of the cover member 26 shown in Figure 3 with the bezel member 28, display 22, and glass plate 30 attached.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the camera unit 24 comprises a housing 32, a pair of bearing components 34 and 35, a camera module 36, and a pair of microphone modules 38 and 39. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the structure and arrangement of the components of the camera unit 24 will be described based on the orientation in which the lens 36a of the camera module 36 faces the front of the housing 20 (Z1 direction), that is, the rotational position in which the lens 36a faces the same direction as the display surface 22a of the display 22.

[0026] The housing 32 has a cylindrical main body portion 40 extending in the X direction, and a pair of shaft portions 41 and 42 provided at both ends of the main body portion 40 in the longitudinal direction. The housing 32 is a metal part such as aluminum or steel, but it may also be a resin part.

[0027] The main body 40 is a cylindrical body with a substantially circular outer circumference, and forms a long space 40a inside that extends along the axial direction (X direction). The main body 40 may also be a rectangular tube with a polygonal outer circumference, but it is preferable to be cylindrical in order to suppress the effective outer diameter during rotation. A slightly recessed surface 40b is provided on the Z1 side surface of the main body 40. The surface 40b is a flat surface along the XY direction and extends along substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the main body 40.

[0028] A camera hole 44 is formed through a plane 40b that forms part of the outer wall surface of the main body 40, approximately in the center in the longitudinal direction, and microphone holes 45a and 46a, smaller in diameter than the camera hole 44, are formed through the plane 40b near both ends in the longitudinal direction. A lens plate 48 that covers the camera hole 44 is fixed to the plane 40b with double-sided adhesive tape or the like. The lens plate 48 is, for example, a strip-shaped glass plate. Holes 48a and 48b that communicate with the microphone holes 45a and 46a are formed near both ends in the longitudinal direction of the lens plate 48. A rectangular elongated hole 48c is formed near the center of the lens plate 48. The operating knob 50a of the camera shutter 50 is movably inserted through the elongated hole 48c. The camera shutter 50 is sandwiched between the lens plate 48 and the plane 40b so as to be slidable in the X direction. The camera shutter 50 can be slid between an open position that opens the camera hole 44 and a closed position that closes it by operating the operating knob 50a in the X direction. Camera shutter 50 may be omitted.

[0029] A pair of microphone holes 45b and 46b are formed through the outer wall surface of the main body 40, including on the Y2 side surface. Microphone holes 45b and 46b are small holes of the same diameter as or slightly larger than microphone holes 45a and 46a. With respect to the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the main body 40, microphone hole 45b is in approximately the same position as microphone hole 45a, and microphone hole 46b is in approximately the same position as microphone hole 46a. The axial direction (through direction) of microphone holes 45b and 46b is perpendicular to the axial direction (through direction) of microphone holes 45a and 46a. Microphone holes 45a and 45b communicate with the same microphone module 38 and can collect sound in the microphone module 38. Microphone holes 46a and 46b communicate with the same microphone module 39 and can collect sound in the microphone module 39.

[0030] The shaft portions 41 and 42 are cylindrical bodies with a smaller diameter than the main body portion 40 and are coaxially arranged on the axis of the main body portion 40. One shaft portion 41 protrudes in the direction of X2 from one end face 40c (X2 side) in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 40. The other shaft portion 42 protrudes in the direction of X1 from the other end face 40d (X1 side) in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 40.

[0031] Figure 5A is an enlarged perspective view of one of the shaft portions 41 and its surrounding area. Figure 5B is a perspective view of the shaft portion 41 shown in Figure 5A with the bearing component 34 connected to it.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2 to 5A, one shaft portion 41 is inserted into the shaft hole 56a of the bearing component 34 so as to be rotatable relative to it. Together with the bearing component 34, the shaft portion 41 constitutes the X2 side rotating shaft portion 51 of the camera unit 24 (see Figure 5B). The shaft portion 41 has a cable insertion hole 53 that passes through it along the axial direction. The cable insertion hole 53 communicates with the space 40a of the main body portion 40. A cable 54 connected to the camera module 36 and microphone modules 38, 39 is inserted through the cable insertion hole 53.

[0033] The shaft portion 41 is divided into two branches by a crack 55 extending axially from its tip. The crack 55 is formed by a pair of slit-shaped notches located opposite each other in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 41. The shaft portion 41 can generate a diametrical biasing force F, indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 5A, through the crack 55.

[0034] The shaft portion 41 is formed such that the protruding length of one portion is greater than that of the other portion, which is divided by the crack 55. The tip of this one portion forms a pair of stopper surfaces 55a and 55b, each facing approximately in the Z1 direction. The angle between the stopper surfaces 55a and 55b is set to be slightly greater than 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 41. As a result, the stopper surfaces 55a and 55b can engage the stopper piece 56b of the bearing component 34, which will be described later, within a rotation range of, for example, 180 degrees.

[0035] The other shaft portion 42 is inserted into the shaft hole 56a of the bearing component 35 so as to be rotatable relative to it. Together with the bearing component 35, the shaft portion 42 constitutes the X1 side rotating shaft portion 52 of the camera unit 24. The shaft portion 42 may have the same configuration as the one shaft portion 41 described above, except that it is symmetrical. Therefore, for the shaft portion 42, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as or similar to those of the shaft portion 41, and a detailed explanation is omitted. That is, the shaft portion 42 also has a cable insertion hole 53, a slit 55, and stopper surfaces 55a, 55b.

[0036] The cable insertion hole 53 may be formed in only one of the shaft portions 41 and 42. However, if the cable insertion hole 53 is provided in both the shaft portions 41 and 42, there is an advantage in that each cable insertion hole 53 can be used when there are many cables 54 connected to the camera module 36 and the microphone modules 38 and 39, or when the cables are thick.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, the housing 32 can have a structure in which a housing member 32A and a housing member 32B, which are vertically divided along the axial direction, are connected.

[0038] With respect to the XY plane passing through the axis of the housing 32, housing member 32A is approximately half of the housing 32 on the Z1 side, and housing member 32B is approximately half of the housing 32 on the Z2 side. Therefore, housing member 32A includes a main body member 40A that forms approximately half of the main body 40 on the Z1 side, and shaft members 41A and 42A that form approximately half of the shaft portions 41 and 42 on the Z1 side. Housing member 32B includes a main body member 40B that forms approximately half of the main body 40 on the Z2 side, and shaft members 41B and 42B that form approximately half of the shaft portions 41 and 42 on the Z2 side.

[0039] The camera module 36, microphone modules 38 and 39, and the circuit board 60 (described later) are fixed to the main body member 40B, for example. The shaft portion 41 is divided into shaft member 41A and shaft member 41B at the point where it passes through the crack 55. The shaft portion 42 is also divided into shaft member 42A and shaft member 42B at the point where it passes through the crack 55. The stopper surfaces 55a and 55b are provided on the shaft members 41B and 42B, for example.

[0040] The housing members 32A and 32B, thus divided, can be connected using, for example, a pair of left and right sleeves 59, 59. The sleeves 59 are, for example, metal rings. The sleeves 59 are fitted onto the shaft portions 41 and 42 respectively, allowing the housing members 32A and 32B to be joined together without rattling, with their divided end faces in close contact. The sleeves 59 are press-fitted in the direction of protrusion of the shaft portions 41 and 42, closer to the root side (end faces 40c, 40d side) than the bearing components 34 and 35. This improves the joint strength of the housing members 32A and 32B. Furthermore, the sleeves 59 prevent the generation of biasing force F due to the crack 55 from being hindered.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 to 5B, the bearing components 34 and 35 support the shaft portions 41 and 42 respectively so that they can rotate relative to each other, thereby constituting the rotating shaft portions 51 and 52 of the camera unit 24. The bearing components 34 and 35 also function as brackets for attaching the camera unit 24 to the housing 20 (cover member 26) (see Figure 3).

[0042] The bearing component 34 has a cylindrical portion 56 in which a shaft hole 56a is formed, and a mounting portion 57. The bearing components 34 and 35 are metal parts such as aluminum or steel, but they may also be resin parts.

[0043] The cylindrical portion 56 is the bearing portion for the shaft portion 41. The cylindrical portion 56 is a cylindrical body, and an axle hole 56a passes through it along the axial direction (X direction). The shaft portion 41 is inserted into the axle hole 56a with almost no gap so that it can rotate relative to it. At this time, the shaft portion 41 can be connected to the axle hole 56a smoothly and without rattle by the diametrical biasing force F generated by the elastic deformation caused by the crack 55. There is a predetermined sliding resistance between the axle hole 56a and the shaft portion 41, and this sliding resistance becomes the rotational torque of the camera unit 24 against the housing 20.

[0044] The cylindrical portion 56 has a stopper piece 56b that protrudes inward in the diameter direction from the Z2 side end of the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole 56a. The stopper piece 56b can selectively contact the stopper surfaces 55a and 55b of the shaft portion 41 when the shaft portion 41 rotates relative to the shaft hole 56a, and defines the rotatable range of the shaft portion 41. In this embodiment, the shaft portion 41 is rotatable 180 degrees relative to the bearing component 34. For example, the stopper piece 56b contacts one stopper surface 55a when the lens 36a is facing the Z1 direction (0 degrees) (see Figure 5B), and contacts the other stopper surface 55b when the lens 36a is facing the Z2 direction (180 degrees).

[0045] The mounting portion 57 is a plate piece formed by projecting approximately half of the X2-side end face of the cylindrical portion 56 towards the Z2 direction, then bending it towards the Z1 direction, and further bending it towards the X2 direction. The tip of the mounting portion 57 is formed of a flat plate along the XY direction, and a mounting hole 57a is formed through it in the thickness direction (Z direction). For example, the arrangement of the mounting hole 57a in the Z direction substantially coincides with the axis of the shaft portion 41. This enables the bearing component 34 to have a thin structure in which the mounting portion 57 does not protrude in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the camera unit 24. A screw 58 for fixing the camera unit 24 to the housing 20 (cover member 26) is inserted through the mounting hole 57a (see Figure 3).

[0046] The bearing component 34 has a shaft hole 56a that is coaxially positioned with the cable insertion hole 53 of the shaft portion 41, and a gap G is formed between the cylindrical portion 56 and the mounting portion 57. The cable 54 can be pulled out to the outside through this gap G.

[0047] The other bearing component 35 may have the same configuration as the bearing component 34 described above, except that it is symmetrical. Therefore, for bearing component 35, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as or similar to those of bearing component 34, and a detailed explanation is omitted. That is, bearing component 35 also has a cylindrical portion 56 provided with a shaft hole 56a and a stopper piece 56b, and a mounting portion 57 provided with a mounting hole 57a. Bearing component 35 also has a predetermined sliding resistance between the shaft hole 56a and the shaft portion 42, and this sliding resistance becomes the rotational torque of the camera unit 24 against the housing 20. This sliding resistance may be set to occur only between the shaft portion 41 and bearing component 34, or between the shaft portion 42 and bearing component 35.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the camera module 36 is housed in the space 40a of the main body 40. The camera module 36 has a light-gathering lens 36a at its center and an image sensor 36b that converts the light incident from the lens 36a into an electrical signal for data transfer. The camera module 36 is, for example, a digital camera capable of shooting videos and still images. The camera module 36 is mounted on the Z1 side surface of the substrate 60. The substrate 60 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape that extends over substantially the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the space 40a. The substrate 60 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the housing 32 using fasteners such as screws or double-sided adhesive tape. The substrate 60 may also be fixed to the housing 32 without using these fasteners, for example, by sandwiching it between the main body members 40A and 40B. The camera module 36 may further include an infrared camera (IRLED) that can be used for face recognition, or an illuminance sensor that can detect the brightness of the surrounding environment.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the microphone modules 38 and 39 are housed in the space 40a of the main body 40 and mounted on the Z1 side surface of the circuit board 60.

[0050] One microphone module 38 is located near the X2 side end of the substrate 60. The microphone module 38 has a microphone 38a and a microphone cover 38b (see also Figure 7A). The microphone 38a is, for example, a MEMS microphone that shields a MEMS chip or IC chip having a diaphragm, and is mounted on the substrate 60. As shown in Figure 7A, the microphone cover 38b is a rubber cover material that covers the microphone 38a with a cavity 38c formed around the microphone 38a. The microphone cover 38b has a communication hole 38b1 that opens on the Z1 side surface and a communication hole 38b2 that opens on the Y2 side surface.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7A, the main body 40 may have a plane 40e on the inner wall surface on the Z1 side, located on the back side of the plane 40b, and a plane 40f on the inner wall surface on the Y2 side, perpendicular to it. A microphone hole 45a opens in plane 40e, and a microphone hole 45b opens in plane 40f. The communication hole 38b1 connects the microphone hole 45a to the cavity 38c by having its opening edge in close contact with plane 40e and communicating with microphone hole 45a. The communication hole 38b2 connects the microphone hole 45b to the cavity 38c by having its opening edge in close contact with plane 40f and communicating with microphone hole 45b. As a result, external sound that has passed through microphone holes 45a and 45b is smoothly collected by the microphone 38a through the cavity 38c via the communication holes 38b1 and 38b2.

[0052] The other microphone module 39 is located near the X1 side end of the circuit board 60. The microphone module 39 may have the same configuration as the microphone module 38 described above, except that it is symmetrical. Therefore, for the microphone module 39, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as or similar to those of the microphone module 38, and detailed explanations are omitted. That is, the microphone module 39 also has a microphone 38a, a microphone cover 38b, a cavity 38c, and communication holes 38b1, 38b2, and faces the planes 40e, 40f of the main body 40. The camera unit 24 may be equipped with only one of the microphone modules 38, 39, or it may be equipped with three or more microphone modules.

[0053] Next, the rotational movement of the camera unit 24 and its effects will be explained.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6A, when the camera unit 24 is in a 0-degree position with the lens 36a facing the Z1 direction, the shooting direction of the camera module 36 is approximately the same as the display surface 22a of the display 22. For this reason, the camera module 36 can be suitably used as an in-camera to photograph the operator's side when viewing the display 22 (see shooting direction C shown by the dashed line in the figure). The camera unit 24 can also be adjusted to a more optimal shooting angle by slightly tilting it up and down with a fingertip from the 0-degree position. In other words, the camera unit 24 may be configured to allow some downward tilting from the 0-degree position, and the same applies to the 180-degree position shown in Figure 6B.

[0055] As shown in Figure 7A, in the 0-degree orientation, the microphone module 38(39) has its microphone holes 45a(46a) facing approximately the same direction (Z1 direction) as the shooting direction of the camera module 36. In other words, the sound collection direction using the microphone holes 45a(46a) of the microphone module 38(39) coincides with the shooting direction of the camera module 36 (see the sound collection direction S shown by the dashed line in the figure). Therefore, the microphone module 38(39) can efficiently collect the voice of the subject being photographed by the camera module 36.

[0056] On the other hand, when the camera unit 24 is used as an in-camera, as shown in Figure 7A, the other microphone holes 45b (46b) for sound collection in the microphone module 38 (39) are located close to and facing the bottom wall 29a1 of the concave portion 29a. In other words, in the 0-degree position, the microphone holes 45b (46b) are blocked by the bottom wall 29a1, resulting in almost no sound collection. In this way, the electronic device 10 automatically closes the microphone holes 45b (46b) that are not needed when used as an in-camera. This prevents the unused microphone holes 45b (46b) from picking up ambient noise and other sounds, improving the sound collection efficiency of the microphone holes 45a (46a). Note that this closing of the microphone holes 45b (46b) can function sufficiently even if the angle is slightly off from the right angle, as well as when the axial direction of the microphone holes 45b (46b) is perfectly perpendicular to the axial direction of the microphone holes 45a (46a).

[0057] The camera unit 24 in this 0-degree position can be easily rotated with a fingertip or the like. The 180-degree position shown in Figures 6B and 7B is the state in which the camera unit 24 has been rotated 180 degrees clockwise in the figures from the 0-degree position shown in Figures 6A and 7A. The camera unit 24 can, of course, be set to any angle between the 0-degree and 180-degree positions by the rotational torque generated at the rotating shafts 51 and 52, and can be used for shooting or sound collection.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6B, in the 180-degree orientation, the shooting direction of the camera module 36 is approximately opposite to the display surface 22a of the display 22 (Z2 direction). In other words, the camera module 36 can be suitably used as an out-camera that shoots the side opposite to the operator who is viewing the display 22 (see shooting direction C shown by the dashed line in the figure).

[0059] As shown in Figure 7B, in a 180-degree orientation, the microphone module 38(39) has its microphone holes 45a(46a) facing approximately the same direction (Z2 direction) as the shooting direction of the camera module 36. In other words, the sound collection direction using the microphone holes 45a(46a) of the microphone module 38(39) coincides with the shooting direction of the camera module 36 (see the sound collection direction S1 shown by the dashed line in the figure). Therefore, the microphone module 38(39) can efficiently collect the voice of the subject being photographed by the camera module 36.

[0060] Furthermore, when using the camera unit 24 as the out-camera, as shown in Figure 7B, the additional microphone holes 45b (46b) for sound collection in the microphone module 38 (39) are positioned facing the Y1 direction, which is midway between the operator's direction (Z1 direction) and the shooting direction (Z2 direction). In other words, the sound collection direction using the microphone holes 45b (46b) of the microphone module 38 (39) is directed between the operator and the shooting direction (see the sound collection direction S2 shown by the dashed line in the figure). As a result, the microphone module 38 (39) can also collect the voices of the operator and those around them through the microphone holes 45b (46b). Consequently, for example, conversations between the operator operating the electronic device 10 and other people in the shooting direction of the out-camera can be efficiently collected using the two microphone holes 45a (46a) and 45b (46b). The axial directions of the microphone holes 45b and 46b do not have to be perpendicular to the axial directions of the microphone holes 45a and 46a. For example, in Figure 7B, the microphone holes 45b (46b) may be oriented in an oblique direction midway between the Y1 and Z1 directions.

[0061] As described above, the camera unit 24 of this embodiment comprises a housing 32 having a cylindrical main body portion 40 and a camera module 36 housed in the main body portion 40. The housing 32 has shaft portions 41 and 42 formed at both ends in its longitudinal direction, with a smaller diameter than the main body portion 40. The camera unit 24 further comprises bearing components 34 and 35, each provided with an axial hole 56a into which the shaft portions 41 and 42 are inserted so as to be rotatable relative to each other, and a mounting portion 57 for attachment to the housing 20.

[0062] In this way, the camera unit 24 supports small-diameter shaft portions 41 and 42 provided at both ends of a cylindrical main body portion 40 with bearing components 34 and 35, and can be fixed to the housing 20 of the electronic device 10 via mounting portions 57 of these bearing components 34 and 35. As a result, the structure of the rotating shaft portions 51 and 52 of the camera unit 24 is simplified, and its thickness in the Z direction and height in the Y direction can be kept to a minimum. For example, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5B, the outer diameter of the camera unit 24 in the axial direction is kept within the range of the outer diameter of the main body portion 40. As a result, the thickness and height of the camera unit 24 are suppressed, and the housing 20 of the electronic device 10 on which it is mounted can also be made smaller and thinner. In particular, the camera unit 24 is arranged together with the bezel member 28 along the edge 22b of the display 22. As a result, the width of the bezel member 28 surrounding the display 22 of the electronic device 10 can be narrowed, improving its appearance quality.

[0063] Furthermore, the electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 20 on which a display 22 is mounted, and a camera unit 24 that is rotatably supported by the housing 20 and provided along the edge 22b of the display 22. The camera unit 24 includes a housing 32 that is rotatably supported relative to the housing 20, and a camera module 36 and a microphone module 38 (39) housed in the housing 32. The outer wall surface of the housing 32 has a camera hole 44 for transmitting light to the camera module 36, and a microphone hole 45a (46a) that is provided to face the same direction as the camera hole 44 and to collect sound in the microphone module 38 (39). Note that when the camera hole 44 and the microphone hole 45a (46a) are said to face the same direction, it means that their axial directions do not have to be perfectly aligned, but some misalignment is acceptable.

[0064] Therefore, when the electronic device 10 uses the camera unit 24 as an out-camera that captures images in a direction different from the display surface 22a, for example, 180 degrees opposite, the microphone holes 45a (46a) face the same direction as the shooting direction of the camera module 36. As a result, the microphone module 38 (39) can efficiently collect the voice of the subject being photographed by the camera module 36. In other words, the discrepancy between the shooting direction of the camera module 36 and the sound collection direction of the microphone module 38 (39) can be reduced, enabling efficient sound collection.

[0065] In this embodiment, the camera unit 24 has additional microphone holes 45b (46b) formed on the outer wall surface of the housing 32, facing in a different direction from the microphone holes 45a (46a), for sound collection by the microphone module 38 (39). This allows the camera unit 24 to efficiently collect not only the voice of the subject being filmed, but also the voice of an operator or other person viewing the display 22, for example, when used as an out-of-camera.

[0066] The camera unit 24 of this embodiment includes a housing 32 formed by connecting two divided housing members 32A and 32B. Therefore, the camera unit 24 allows for easy installation of the circuit board 60 and camera module 36 into the housing 32, and also offers high assembly efficiency. In this case, the housing members 32A and 32B can be joined by a sleeve 59 that is press-fitted into the shaft portions 41 and 42. This makes the joining of the two divided housing members 32A and 32B in the camera unit 24 even easier and provides greater strength. Furthermore, the sleeve 59 is more space-efficient than joining the housing members 32A and 32B with screws or the like, and has almost no impact on the thickness or height of the camera unit 24.

[0067] The housing 32 may be configured in a way other than using the vertically divided housing members 32A and 32B shown in Figure 2.

[0068] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a modified camera unit 62. In Figure 8, the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 7 indicate the same or similar components, and therefore, detailed explanations are omitted as they perform the same or similar functions and effects.

[0069] The camera unit 24 shown in Figure 2 has a housing 32 which is made up of two housing members 32A and 32B that are divided vertically and connected. In contrast, the camera unit 62 shown in Figure 8 has a housing 64 which has a different configuration from the housing 32. The housing 64 is made up of two housing members 64A and 64B connected together. One housing member 64A has a main body portion 40 and a shaft portion 42 which is integrally formed on the end face 40d of the main body portion 40. The X2 side end of the main body portion 40 of the housing member 64A has an open space 40a and no end face 40c. The other housing member 64B has a shaft portion 41 which is projecting from the end face 40c and a fitting portion 65.

[0070] The fitting portion 65 is a cylindrical body that protrudes in the X1 direction from the back surface on the shaft portion 41 side of the flange-shaped portion where the end face 40c is formed. The fitting portion 65 can be fitted by press-fitting into the opening at the X2 side end of the main body portion 40 of the housing member 64A. A hole 65a passes through the fitting portion 65 along the axial direction, connecting the cable insertion hole 53 of the shaft portion 41 to the space 40a of the main body portion 40. A plane 65b is formed on the Z1 side surface of the fitting portion 65, which abuts against the plane 40e of the main body portion 40 to prevent the housing member 64B from rotating relative to the housing member 64A. A support plate 66 extending in the X1 direction is integrally formed with the fitting portion 65. The support plate 66 is a strip-shaped plate that is positioned closer to the Z2 side within the space 40a and extends in the X direction. A circuit board 60 on which the camera module 36 and microphone modules 38,39 are mounted is supported on the Z1 side surface of the support plate 66.

[0071] In this camera unit 62, the support plate 66 with the circuit board 60 attached is inserted into the space 40a, and the fitting portion 65 is fitted to the X2 side end of the housing member 64A. This connects the housing member 64B to the housing member 64A, allowing for the construction of a camera unit 62 similar to the camera unit 24 described above. Furthermore, by attaching the circuit board 60 etc. to the support plate 66, the installation of the camera module 36 and microphone modules 38,39 is facilitated, and fixing to the main body 40 is also made easier. Thus, the divided structures shown in Figures 2 and 8 have been exemplified considering the assembly efficiency of the housings 32,64, but it goes without saying that the housing structure is not limited to these.

[0072] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 Electronic equipment 20 cabinets 22 displays 24,62 Camera Units 29a Concave part 32,64 Housing 34,35 Bearing parts 36 Camera Modules 38,39 Microphone Module 40 Main body 41, 42 Shaft section 45a, 45b, 46a, 46b Microphone holes 51, 52 Rotating shaft section 53 Cable insertion holes 55 cracks 57 Mounting part 60 circuit boards

Claims

1. It is an electronic device, A chassis equipped with a display, A camera unit rotatably supported by the housing and provided along one edge of the display, Equipped with, The aforementioned camera unit is A housing that is rotatably supported with respect to the aforementioned housing, A camera module housed in the aforementioned housing, A microphone module housed in the aforementioned housing, Equipped with, The outer wall surface of the housing is, The camera module has an axial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation axis of the camera unit, and a camera hole for transmitting light through the camera module, A first microphone hole is provided so as to face the same direction as the camera hole, and the microphone module has a first microphone hole for collecting sound, The second microphone hole for collecting sound in the microphone module has an axis perpendicular to the axis direction of the rotation axis of the camera unit and intersects with the axis direction of the first microphone hole, A structure has been formed, The axial direction of the second microphone hole is perpendicular to the axial direction of the first microphone hole. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, The aforementioned enclosure is Vertical walls forming the outer perimeter side, By recessing a portion of the aforementioned vertical wall toward one edge of the display, a recessed portion is formed to create a space for installing the camera unit, It has, When the camera unit is set to a rotational position in which at least the camera hole and the first microphone hole are facing the same direction as the display direction of the display, the second microphone hole is positioned close to and facing the wall surface of the concave portion. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

3. It is an electronic device, A chassis equipped with a display, A camera unit rotatably supported by the housing and provided along one edge of the display, Equipped with, The aforementioned camera unit is A housing that is rotatably supported with respect to the aforementioned housing, A camera module housed in the aforementioned housing, A microphone module housed in the aforementioned housing, Equipped with, The outer wall surface of the housing is, The camera module has a camera hole for transmitting light, A first microphone hole is provided so as to face the same direction as the camera hole, and the microphone module has a first microphone hole for collecting sound, A second microphone hole is provided so as to face a different direction from the first microphone hole, and is used to collect sound in the microphone module. A structure has been formed, The axial direction of the second microphone hole is perpendicular to the axial direction of the first microphone hole. The aforementioned enclosure is Vertical walls forming the outer perimeter side, By recessing a portion of the aforementioned vertical wall toward one edge of the display, a recessed portion is formed to create a space for installing the camera unit, It has, When the camera unit is set to a rotational position in which at least the camera hole and the first microphone hole are facing the same direction as the display direction of the display, the second microphone hole is positioned close to and facing the wall surface of the concave portion. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

4. A camera unit to be attached to the casing of an electronic device, A housing having a rotating shaft portion that is rotatably supported with respect to the aforementioned housing, A camera module housed in the aforementioned housing, A microphone module housed in the aforementioned housing, Equipped with, The outer wall surface of the housing is, The camera module has an axial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation axis of the camera unit, and a camera hole for transmitting light through the camera module, A first microphone hole is provided so as to face the same direction as the camera hole, and the microphone module has a first microphone hole for collecting sound, The second microphone hole for collecting sound in the microphone module has an axis perpendicular to the axis direction of the rotation axis of the camera unit and intersects with the axis direction of the first microphone hole, A structure has been formed, The axial direction of the second microphone hole is perpendicular to the axial direction of the first microphone hole. A camera unit characterized by the following features.

5. The camera unit according to claim 4, The first microphone hole and the second microphone hole are in communication with the same microphone module. A camera unit characterized by the following features.

Images