Blade opening and closing device and electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides a leaf opening and closing device and an electronic device that can maintain a leaf at a prescribed position even when an external load acts. The leaf opening and closing device has a base member, a cover plate that covers a portion of the base member, and a leaf member that is disposed between the base member and the cover plate. The leaf member is movable between a closed position that closes an opening of the cover plate and an open position that opens the opening. The leaf opening and closing device also has an actuator that moves the leaf member between the open position and the closed position, a stop member that is configured to be movable between a locked position in which a protruding portion thereof is positioned on a movement path of the leaf member and an unlocked position in which the entirety thereof is withdrawn from the movement path when the leaf member is positioned in the open position and the closed position, and a voice coil motor that moves the stop member from the locked position toward the unlocked position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to blade opening and closing devices and electronic devices, and more particularly to blade opening and closing devices capable of opening and closing openings via blade components. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, cameras have been integrated into various electronic devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, and drones. In these cameras, the lens opening is usually always open, meaning they are often in a state where they can take pictures. In such cases, if a malicious third party operates the camera, it is possible to obtain unwanted images or videos and use them for criminal purposes.

[0003] In particular, recently, there has been an increase in electronic devices with built-in cameras connecting to networks such as the Internet. However, these network-connected devices could be remotely operated by malicious programs without the user's knowledge. Remote operation of electronic devices could potentially lead to the taking of photos or videos without the user's knowledge, and the transmission of these images or videos to external sources. Therefore, from the perspective of protecting user privacy, it is desirable to be able to disable such mechanisms as camera-based photography without the user's intention.

[0004] As a mechanism for cutting off photography by a camera, a mechanism that opens and closes the blades between the lens and the subject, similar to the shutter mechanism used in cameras in the past (for example, see Patent Document 1), can be considered. However, it is also considered that in the event of vibration, impact, or other external forces, the blades may open unintentionally due to the external load, thus making it impossible to cut off photography by the camera.

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-288327 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention was made in view of the problems of the prior art, and its object is to provide a blade opening and closing device that can keep the blade in a specified position even when an external load is applied, and an electronic device having the blade opening and closing device.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a blade opening and closing device is provided that can hold a blade in a predetermined position even under an external load. The blade opening and closing device includes: a base member having a receiving space for a lens unit; a cover plate covering at least a portion of the base member; and a blade member disposed between the base member and the cover plate. An opening is formed on the cover plate along the optical axis of the lens unit. The blade member is movable between a closed position (closing the opening) and an open position (opening the opening). The blade opening and closing device further includes: an actuator that moves the blade member between the open position and the closed position; a stop member configured such that, when the blade member is in at least one of the open and closed positions, the stop member is movable between a locked position where at least a portion of the stop member is on the movement path of the blade member or the actuator, and an unlocked position where the entire stop member is retracted from the movement path; and a voice coil motor that moves the stop member at least from the locked position toward the unlocked position. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the blade opening and closing device, module substrate, and lens unit together in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the blade opening and closing mechanism.

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A top view of the blade opening and closing device after the cover plate has been removed.

[0011] Figure 4 It is shown schematically. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the blade opening and closing device.

[0012] Figure 5A It is shown schematically. Figure 2 A top view showing an example of the operation of the actuator.

[0013] Figure 5B It is shown schematically. Figure 2 A top view showing an example of the operation of the actuator.

[0014] Figure 6A It is a schematic representation of the passage Figure 5A A top view showing the position of the blade component that moves due to the actuator.

[0015] Figure 6B It is a schematic representation of the passage Figure 5BA top view showing the position of the blade component that moves due to the actuator.

[0016] Figure 7 It is shown Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the stop component and voice coil motor of the blade opening and closing device.

[0017] Figure 8A It is shown schematically. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view showing the position of the stop component in the indicated state.

[0018] Figure 8B It schematically shows the stop component from Figure 8A The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the state after the state has been moved.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a laptop computer as an electronic device in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Label Explanation

[0021] 1: Blade opening and closing device; 2: Module substrate; 3: Lens unit; 10: Base component; 14: Support shaft; 15: Guide part; 16: Through insertion hole; 20: Actuator; 21: Yoke; 22: Coil base; 23: Coil; 24: Rotor magnet; 25: Rod component; 26: Connecting part; 30: Separator plate; 31: Opening; 33: Through insertion hole; 40: Cover plate; 41: Opening; 50: Blade component; 51: Engaging pin; 52: Engaging hole; 53: Engaging edge part; 60: Connecting component; 61: Shaft hole; 62: Pin engagement hole; 63: Rod engagement hole; 70: Stop component; 71: Base; 72: Protrusion; 80: Voice coil motor; 82: Flexible printed circuit board; 83: Coil; 84: Magnet; 85: First yoke; 86: Second yoke (force application part). Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following is for reference Figures 1 to 9 The embodiments of the blade opening and closing device of the present invention will be described in detail. Figures 1 to 9 In this context, identical or equivalent constituent elements are labeled with the same number, omitting redundant descriptions. Additionally, in... Figures 1 to 9 In this document, there are instances where the scale and dimensions of each component are exaggerated, or where some components are omitted. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish the components from each other and do not indicate a specific position or order.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the blade opening and closing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is an exploded 3D diagram. Figure 3This is a top view showing the condition after the cover plate has been removed. Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the blade opening and closing device 1. In this embodiment, the blade opening and closing device 1 is mounted, for example, on a camera module assembled into an electronic device; specifically, it is mounted on a module substrate 2 provided with a lens unit 3. In this embodiment, for convenience, ... Figure 1 The +Z direction is called "up" or "above", and the -Z direction is called "down" or "below".

[0024] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the blade opening and closing device 1 includes: a base component 10 mounted on a module substrate 2; an actuator 20 disposed on the base component 10; a partition plate 30 placed on the base component 10; a cover plate 40 covering the upper part of the base component 10; a blade component 50 disposed between the cover plate 40 and the partition plate 30; and a connecting component 60 connecting the actuator 20 and the blade component 50. A generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped storage space S is formed in the base component 10, and a lens unit 3 (see reference 2) mounted on the module substrate 2 is stored inside this storage space S. Figure 1 ).

[0025] On the separator 30 and the cover plate 40, openings 31 and 41 are respectively formed on the optical axis P of the lens unit 3. The opening 31 of the separator 30 functions as the opening (aperture) that determines the amount of light incident on the lens unit 3. Therefore, the separator 30 is sometimes also referred to as an aperture plate. Alternatively, the separator 30 may be omitted, and in the case where the separator 30 is omitted, the opening 41 of the cover plate 40 functions as the aforementioned aperture.

[0026] A plurality of pin holes 42 and 43 are formed on the cover plate 40. The cover plate 40 is installed on the base component 10 by inserting pins 11 and 12 formed on the base component 10 into these pin holes 42 and 43. In addition, a hook portion 44 is formed on the cover plate 40. The cover plate 40 is fixed to the base component 10 by engaging the hook portion 44 with the engaging claw 13 formed on the base component 10. In addition, the fixing means of the cover plate 40 is not limited to those shown in the figure. For example, screws or the like can also be used to fix the cover plate 40 to the base component 10.

[0027] A partition plate 30 is disposed on the +Z direction side (above) of the base component 10, and a pin hole 32 is formed on the partition plate 30 for the pin 12 of the base component 10 to pass through and be inserted. A connecting component 60 is disposed on the -Z direction side (below) of the partition plate 30. The base component 10 has a support shaft 14 extending in the Z direction, and a shaft hole 61 is formed in the connecting component 60 for the support shaft 14 to be inserted. By inserting the support shaft 14 of the base component 10 into the shaft hole 61 of the connecting component 60, the connecting component 60 can rotate about the support shaft 14.

[0028] The blade component 50 is disposed on the +Z direction side (above) of the partition plate 30. The base component 10 has guide portions 15 extending from both edges in the Y direction along the +Z direction, and the blade component 50 is disposed between these guide portions 15. Thus, the blade component 50 is configured to be able to move in the X direction (opening and closing direction) while being guided by the guide portions 15 of the base component 10 inside the blade chamber formed between the partition plate 30 and the cover plate 40.

[0029] The actuator 20 includes a yoke 21 made of magnetic material, a coil base 22, a coil 23 wound around the yoke 21 and the coil base 22, a rotor magnet 24 rotatably mounted on a shaft (not shown) extending from the base member 10 in the +Z direction, and a rod member 25 connected to the rotor magnet 24. In this embodiment, the yoke 21 is thin and flat in the Z direction, having a U-shape including two arms 21A and 21B. The coil 23 is wound around one arm 21A. The rotor magnet 24 is disposed between the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21 and is composed of magnets with different magnetic poles along the circumferential direction. The rod member 25 has a connecting portion 26 extending in the +Z direction outside the radial direction of the rotor magnet 24.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the coil base 22 has a terminal 27 protruding in the +Y direction, on which the end of the coil 23 is wound. For example, as Figure 1 As shown, the end of the coil 23 is fixed to the terminal plate 28, which is made of metal plate, on the terminal 27 by solder 90. The terminal plate 28 extends parallel to the XZ plane and has a connecting portion 29 at its end on the module substrate 2 side (-Z direction side). This connecting portion 29 is electrically connected to the contacts of the module substrate 2 by solder (not shown). In this way, the coil 23 of the actuator 20 is electrically connected to the wiring (not shown) in the module substrate 2 via the terminal plate 28.

[0031] Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a top view schematically illustrating an example of the operation of the actuator 20. In the actuator 20 of this embodiment, when an energized current is supplied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20 via the wiring of the module substrate 2, the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21 are magnetized into opposite magnetic poles, and the rotor magnet 24 is rotated by the attraction of the magnetic force of the arms 21A and 21B.

[0032] For example, when current is applied to the coil 23 of actuator 20 in one direction, such as... Figure 5AWhen the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21 are magnetized, the magnetic poles of the rotor magnet 24 are attracted by the opposite magnetic poles of the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21, causing the rotor magnet 24 to rotate clockwise. As a result, the rod member 25 rotates clockwise around the rotor magnet 24.

[0033] In addition, in terms of... Figure 5A When the current is applied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20 in the opposite direction, the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21, as... Figure 5B As shown, the rotor magnet 24 is magnetized, and its magnetic poles are attracted by the opposite magnetic poles of the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21, causing the rotor magnet 24 to rotate counterclockwise. Consequently, the rod member 25 rotates counterclockwise around the rotor magnet 24.

[0034] Return to Figure 2 A rod engagement hole 63 is formed on the connecting member 60 to engage with the connecting portion 26 of the rod member 25. The minimum width of the rod engagement hole 63 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the connecting portion 26 of the rod member 25 of the actuator 20. The connecting portion 26 of the rod member 25 of the actuator 20 is inserted into the rod engagement hole 63 of the connecting member 60. Thus, the connecting portion 26 of the rod member 25 engages with the rod engagement hole 63 of the connecting member 60, and when the rod member 25 rotates about the rotor magnet 24 as described above, the connecting member 60 rotates about the support shaft 14 of the base member 10.

[0035] The blade component 50 has a locking pin 51 extending in the -Z direction, and a locking hole 62 is formed on the connecting component 60 to engage with the locking pin 51. The minimum width of the locking hole 62 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the locking pin 51 of the blade component 50. The locking pin 51, extending from the blade component 50 in the -Z direction, passes through the opening 34 formed in the partition plate 30 and is inserted into the locking hole 62 of the connecting component 60. Thus, the locking pin 51 of the blade component 50 engages with the locking hole 62 of the connecting component 60. When the connecting component 60 rotates about the support shaft 14 of the base component 10, the locking pin 51 of the blade component 50, which is engaged with the locking hole 62 of the connecting component 60, moves. At this time, as described above, the blade component 50 is guided by the guide portion 15 of the base component 10, and therefore the blade component 50 moves in the X direction.

[0036] Figure 6A It is shown schematically. Figure 1This is a top view showing the position of the blade component 50 in the indicated state. In this position, the blade component 50 does not close the opening 31 of the partition plate 30 and the opening 41 of the cover plate 40; rather, openings 31 and 41 are open. That is, light from the outside passes through the opening 31 of the partition plate 30 and the opening 41 of the cover plate 40 and directly enters the lens of the lens unit 3, thus enabling imaging using the lens unit 3. Hereinafter, Figure 6A The positions of the rotor magnet 24 and the blade component 50 shown are referred to as the "open positions".

[0037] When passing from Figure 6A When the state shown is such that the coil 23 of the actuator 20 is energized, causing the rotor magnet 24 to rotate counterclockwise, the connecting portion 26 of the rod member 25 engages with the rod engagement hole 63 of the connecting member 60, as shown. Figure 6B As shown, the connecting component 60 rotates clockwise around the support shaft 14. At this time, because the engaging pin 51 of the blade component 50 engages with the engaging hole 62 of the connecting component 60, thus... Figure 6B As shown, with the rotation of the connecting member 60, the blade member 50 moves in the +X direction. The blade member 50, moving in this +X direction, closes the opening 31 of the partition plate 30 and the opening 41 of the cover plate 40. That is, at this time, the blade member 50 is located on the optical axis P of the lens unit 3, and the light passing through the opening 41 of the cover plate 40 is blocked by the blade member 50. Hereinafter, Figure 6B The positions of the rotor magnet 24 and the blade component 50 shown are referred to as the "closed positions".

[0038] For example, if the blade component 50 is made of a material through which light (visible light, infrared light, etc.) captured by the lens unit 3 cannot be transmitted, then when the blade component 50 is located Figure 6B When the lens is in the closed position as shown, light passing through the opening 41 of the cover plate 40 is blocked by the blade component 50 and cannot reach the lens unit 3. Therefore, even if the lens unit 3 operates at this time, it cannot acquire an image or video, thus preventing the acquisition of unwanted images or videos by the user.

[0039] When passing from Figure 6B When the actuator 20's coil 23 is energized, causing the rotor magnet 24 to rotate clockwise, the connecting part 26 of the rod member 25 engages with the rod engagement hole 63 of the connecting part 60, causing the connecting part 60 to rotate counterclockwise around the support shaft 14. At this time, the blade member 50 moves in the -X direction through the engagement of the engagement pin 51 of the blade member 50 with the pin engagement hole 62 of the connecting part 60, reaching... Figure 6A The opening position is shown.

[0040] In this way, the actuator 20, through the power supply from the module substrate 2, causes the rotor magnet 24 to rotate between the closed position and the open position, and the blade component 50 can be moved between the closed position and the open position via the connecting part 26 of the rod component 25 and the engaging pin 51 of the blade component 50.

[0041] In this embodiment, the shape of the yoke 21 is adjusted so that the rotor magnet 24 is attracted to the yoke 21 by the magnetic force of the rotor magnet 24 even when no current is supplied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20. Specifically, in Figure 5A In the state shown, even if current is stopped from being supplied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20, the rotor magnet 24 can remain in the open position due to the magnetic force applied to the yoke 21 by the rotor magnet 24. Similarly, in Figure 5B In the state shown, even if the current to the coil 23 of the actuator 20 is stopped, the rotor magnet 24 can remain in the closed position by utilizing the magnetic force applied to the yoke 21 by the rotor magnet 24.

[0042] By adjusting the shape of the yoke 21 in this way, it is possible to prevent the blade component 50 from unintentionally moving from the open or closed position, or stopping between the open and closed positions, when no current is supplied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20. Alternatively, the shape of the yoke 21 can be adjusted so that the rotor magnet 24 is held only in one of the open or closed positions. In particular, if the rotor magnet 24 can be held in the closed position, the openings 41 and 31 are closed by the blade component 50 even when no current is supplied to the coil 23 of the actuator 20, thus preventing the acquisition of unwanted images or videos, which is preferable in this respect.

[0043] The blade opening and closing device 1 in this embodiment has a locking mechanism that can hold (lock) the blade component 50 in the open position and the closed position. When the blade component 50 is locked in the open position or the closed position by the locking mechanism, the blade component 50 cannot be moved in the X direction as described above. The locking mechanism will be described below.

[0044] like Figure 2 As shown, the base component 10 houses a stop component 70 that can move in the Z direction and a voice coil motor 80 that moves the stop component 70 in the Z direction. Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view showing the stop component 70 and the voice coil motor 80. (See attached image.) Figure 7 As shown, the stop member 70 has a rectangular frame-shaped base 71 and a protrusion 72 protruding from the base 71 in the +Z direction.

[0045] like Figure 2As shown, a through insertion hole 16 is formed on the base member 10 for the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 to be inserted through. Additionally, through insertion holes 33 and 45 are formed on the partition plate 30 and cover plate 40, respectively, for the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 to be inserted through. The stop member 70 is housed inside the base member 10 with its protrusion 72 inserted into the through insertion hole 16 of the base member 10 and the through insertion hole 33 of the partition plate 30. This stop member 70 is configured to be movable within a predetermined range along the Z direction.

[0046] The voice coil motor 80 includes: a flexible printed circuit board 82 having a connection portion 81 connected to the module substrate 2; a coil 83 mounted on the flexible printed circuit board 82; a magnet 84 housed in the base 71 of a stop member 70; a first yoke 85 consisting of a magnetic body mounted in the base 71 of the stop member 70; and a second yoke 86 consisting of a magnetic body fixed to the base member 10. The magnet 84 is disposed close to the coil 83 in the Y direction between the first yoke 85 and the second yoke 86.

[0047] The connecting portion 81 of the flexible printed circuit board 82 is electrically connected to the contact of the module substrate 2 via solder (not shown). Thus, the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80 is electrically connected to the wiring (not shown) within the module substrate 2.

[0048] The magnet 84 of the voice coil motor 80 is magnetized in a manner that has different magnetic poles in the Z direction, for example, including a first part 84A in which the surface opposite to the coil 83 is magnetized as the S pole and the surface opposite to the coil 83 is magnetized as the N pole, and a second part 84B in which the surface opposite to the coil 83 is magnetized as the N pole and the surface opposite to the coil 83 is magnetized as the S pole.

[0049] Figure 8A It is shown schematically. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view showing the position of the stop member 70 in the indicated state. Figure 8A As shown, the magnet 84 of the voice coil motor 80 is arranged opposite the coil 83 in the Y direction, and a first yoke 85 is arranged on the opposite side of the coil 83 relative to the magnet 84. This first yoke 85 has the function of making the magnetic field generated by the coil 83 act efficiently on the magnet 84.

[0050] Furthermore, a second yoke 86 is arranged on the opposite side of the coil 83 from the magnet 84. When no current is supplied to the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80, the magnet 84 is attracted to the second yoke 86 by the magnetic force of the magnet 84, therefore... Figure 8AAs shown, the stop member 70, which holds the magnet 84 inside, is lifted in the +Z direction by the magnetic attraction. Thus, the second yoke 86 in this embodiment functions as a force-applying part that applies force to the stop member 70 in the +Z direction.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, the blade component 50 has engaging holes 52 and engaging edge portions 53 that can engage with the protrusions 72 of the stop component 70, respectively. Figure 6A As shown, the engagement hole 52 of the blade component 50 is positioned above the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 when the blade component 50 is in the open position. Additionally, as... Figure 6B As shown, the engaging edge 53 of the blade component 50 is configured such that it is located on the +X direction side of the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 when the blade component 50 is in the closed position.

[0052] As described above, when no current is supplied to the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80, the magnet 84 is attracted by the second yoke 86, thus the stop member 70 is lifted in the +Z direction. When the blade member 50 is located... Figure 6A In the open position shown, the engagement hole 52 of the blade component 50 is located above the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70, so the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 protrudes upward from the through insertion hole 33 of the partition plate 30, thereby... Figure 8A As shown, it enters the engagement hole 52 of the blade component 50. That is, the stop member 70 is lifted in the +Z direction by the attraction force acting on the magnet 84 from the second yoke 86, so that the protrusion 72 moves into the engagement hole 52 located on the movement path of the blade component 50.

[0053] In this state, even if the blade component 50 is to be moved in the X direction, the movement of the blade component 50 in the X direction is restricted because the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 engages with the engagement hole 52 of the blade component 50. That is, the blade component 50 is held (locked) in the open position by engaging the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 with the engagement hole 52 of the blade component 50. Hereinafter, the position of the stop member 70 when the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 protrudes upward from the through insertion hole 33 of the partition plate 30 and is located on the movement path of the blade component 50 is referred to as the "locked position".

[0054] Similarly, in the blade component 50 located Figure 6BIn the closed position shown, the engaging edge 53 of the blade component 50 is located on the +X direction side of the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70. Therefore, the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 protrudes upward from the through insertion hole 33 of the partition plate 30 and is located on the movement path of the blade component 50 (locked position). In this state, even if the blade component 50 is to be moved in the -X direction, the movement of the blade component 50 in the -X direction is restricted because the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 engages with the engaging edge 53 of the blade component 50. Thus, the blade component 50 is held (locked) in the closed position by the engagement of the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 with the engaging edge 53 of the blade component 50.

[0055] Thus, in this embodiment, when the blade component 50 is in the open or closed position, the stop component 70 is in the locked position, and the protrusion 72 of the stop component 70 engages with the engagement hole 52 or engagement edge 53 of the blade component 50. Therefore, even if there is vibration or impact from the outside, the blade component 50 can be prevented from moving unintentionally from the open or closed position, thereby suppressing the malfunction of the blade opening and closing device 1.

[0056] Here, when the blade component 50 is moved in the X direction as described above, the stop component 70 is moved in the -Z direction by energizing the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80. That is, when current is supplied to the coil 83, the Lorentz force generated by the current flowing in the coil 83 acts on the magnet 84. Through this Lorentz force, as... Figure 8B As shown, the stop member 70, which holds the magnet 84 inside, moves relative to the coil 83 in the -Z direction, and the protrusion 72 also retracts from the movement path of the blade member 50. Hereinafter, the position of the stop member 70 when the entire stop member 70, including the protrusion 72, retracts downward from the movement path of the blade member 50 will be referred to as the "unlocked position".

[0057] When the stop member 70 is in the unlocked position, the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 does not engage with the blade member 50, thus the blade member 50 is able to move in the X direction. Therefore, after the stop member 70 is moved to the unlocked position by energizing the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80, the blade member 50 can be moved from the open position to the closed position or from the closed position to the open position by energizing the coil 23 of the actuator 20. When the movement of the blade member 50 is completed and the current supply to the coil 83 of the voice coil motor 80 is stopped, the stop member 70 is lifted in the +Z direction by the attraction force acting on the magnet 84 from the second yoke 86, and the stop member 70 moves to the locked position. Thus, the blade member 50 is held (locked) in the open or closed position by the engagement of the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 with the engagement hole 52 or engagement edge 53 of the blade member 50.

[0058] Thus, according to this embodiment, when the blade component 50 is in the open and closed positions, by placing the stop member 70 in the locked position, the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 restricts the movement of the blade component 50, thereby holding (locking) the blade component in the open and closed positions. Therefore, even if vibration, impact, or other external forces act on the blade component 50 when it is in the open and closed positions, unintentional movement of the blade component 50 from the open and closed positions can be prevented, thereby suppressing malfunctions of the blade opening and closing device 1. Furthermore, in the event of intentional movement of the blade component 50, the stop member 70 is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position by the voice coil motor 80, thereby releasing the lock on the blade component 50. Therefore, the actuator 20 can move the blade component 50 between the open and closed positions.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second yoke 86 functions as a force-applying part that exerts an attractive force on the stop member 70 in the +Z direction by causing the magnet 84 to exert an attractive force. By providing such a force-applying part, the stop member 70 moves toward the locked position even without actuating the voice coil motor 80, thus more effectively suppressing unintentional movement of the blade member 50. Without such a force-applying part, the stop member 70 can be moved from the unlocked position to the locked position simply by actuating the voice coil motor 80.

[0060] The blade component 50 does not need to block all the light incident on the lens unit 3 through the openings 41 and 31; it can be configured to block only a portion of the light incident on the lens unit 3. For example, the blade component 50 can be made of a material with low transmittance relative to the light (visible light, infrared light, etc.) captured by the lens unit 3, or a pattern (mesh or grid pattern, concentric circle pattern, etc.) can be applied to the blade component 50 using coloring, embossing, or perforation, thereby blocking a portion of the light incident on the lens unit 3. In this case, a portion of the image or picture acquired by the lens unit 3 becomes unclear or invisible, thus preventing the acquisition of unwanted images or pictures by the user.

[0061] In addition, in this embodiment, by adjusting the shape of the yoke 21 of the actuator 20 as described above, the actuator 20 can maintain the position of the blade component 50, but the blade opening and closing device 1 also has the locking mechanism described above, so it can more reliably suppress the blade component 50 from moving accidentally.

[0062] Furthermore, the blade component 50 can be configured to apply a predetermined optical effect (mosaic filtering, scattering, diffuse reflection, etc.) to the light incident on the lens unit 3 through the openings 41 and 31. In this case, since a portion of the image or picture acquired through the lens unit 3 becomes unclear or invisible, it is possible to prevent the acquisition of images or pictures that the user does not want.

[0063] When the blade component 50 is in the closed position, its outer surface is exposed to the outside through the opening 41 of the cover plate 40. Therefore, it is preferable to color the outer surface of the blade component 50 with a visually conspicuous color (e.g., red), or to implement a visually conspicuous geometric shape (star, quadrilateral, polygon, stripe pattern, etc.), marking, illustration, or other design. By implementing such a visually conspicuous coloring or design on the outer surface of the blade component 50, it is easy to confirm that the blade component 50 is in the closed position, thereby easily protecting the user from unwanted images or videos.

[0064] In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the opening 41 of the cover plate 40 and the opening 31 of the partition plate 30 are circular, but the shape of these openings 41 and 31 is not limited to circular, and can be any shape such as rectangular or elliptical.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, an example using an actuator 20 that combines a flat U-shaped yoke 21 and a rotor magnet 24 was described. However, the actuator 20 used is not limited to this; any configuration is possible as long as the blade member 50 can move between the closed and open positions. For example, in other embodiments, a voice coil motor can be used as the actuator 20 to drive the blade member 50. When using a voice coil motor with weak self-holding force of the blade member 50, the locking mechanism of the present invention can more reliably prevent the blade member 50 from accidentally opening.

[0066] In the above-described embodiment, the movement of the blade component 50 is restricted by the stop member 70 entering the movement path of the blade component 50. However, the movement of the blade component 50 can also be restricted by the stop member 70 entering the movement path of the actuator 20. For example, the stop member 70 can also be configured to move between a locked position where its protrusion 72 is located on the movement path of the lever component 25 of the actuator 20 and an unlocked position where the entire stop member 70 is retracted from the movement path of the lever component 25 of the actuator 20.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when the blade member 50 is in either the open or closed position, the stop member 70 moves to the locked position, and the protrusion 72 of the stop member 70 engages with the blade member 50 to lock the blade member 50. However, it is also possible to configure the stop member 70 to move to the locked position only when the blade member 50 is in either the open or closed position. In this case, from the viewpoint of preventing the lens unit 3 from acquiring images or videos that the user does not want, it is preferable that the stop member 70 moves to the locked position when the blade member 50 is in the closed position.

[0068] Figure 9 This figure shows a laptop computer 100 as an example of an electronic device equipped with the aforementioned blade opening / closing device 1. A camera window 120 is provided on the display section 110 of the laptop computer 100, and the blade opening / closing device 1 is assembled inside the laptop computer 100 so that the lens unit 3 is positioned corresponding to the window 120. Thus, a laptop computer 100 with camera functionality is realized.

[0069] In the above example, a laptop computer 100 is cited as an electronic device equipped with the blade opening and closing device 1. However, the blade opening and closing device of the present invention can be applied not only to laptop computers, but also to all electronic devices with camera functions such as smart speakers and home security cameras.

[0070] For example, when the power to the electronic device 100 is off or the display 110 of the laptop 100 is off, the position of the blade member 50 can be maintained solely by the actuator 20. When the power to the electronic device is on or the display 110 of the laptop 100 is on, the aforementioned locking mechanism is used to lock the position of the blade member 50, preventing accidental movement. Thus, the locking mechanism of the present invention can be switched on or off depending on the state of the electronic device equipped with the blade opening / closing device 1 and the user's intended use.

[0071] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various different ways within the scope of its technical concept.

[0072] As described above, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a blade opening and closing device is provided that can hold a blade in a predetermined position even when an external load is applied. The blade opening and closing device includes: a base member having a storage space for housing a lens unit; a cover plate covering at least a portion of the base member; and a blade member disposed between the base member and the cover plate. An opening is formed on the cover plate along the optical axis of the lens unit. The blade member is movable between a closed position (closing the opening) and an open position (opening the opening). The blade opening and closing device further includes: an actuator that moves the blade member between the open position and the closed position; a stop member configured to move between a locked position (at least a portion of which is on the movement path of the blade member or the actuator) and an unlocked position (the entire stop member retracts from the movement path) when the blade member is in at least one of the open and closed positions; and a voice coil motor that moves the stop member at least from the locked position toward the unlocked position.

[0073] With this structure, when the blade component is in the open and / or closed position, the movement of the blade component or actuator is restricted by the stop component being in the locked position, thus holding (locking) the blade component in the open and / or closed position. Therefore, even if vibration, impact, or other external forces act on the blade component when it is in the open and / or closed position, unintentional movement of the blade component from the open and / or closed position can be prevented, thereby suppressing malfunctions of the blade opening and closing device. Furthermore, in the event of intentional movement of the blade component, the stop component is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position using a voice coil motor, thereby releasing the locking of the blade component. Thus, the blade component can be moved between the open and closed positions using the actuator.

[0074] Preferably, the blade opening and closing device further includes a force-applying part that applies force to the stop member toward the locking position. By providing such a force-applying part, the stop member will move toward the locking position even without the voice coil motor being activated, thus more effectively suppressing unintentional movement of the blade member.

[0075] Preferably, the stop member is configured to move between the locked position and the unlocked position when the blade member is in the open position and the closed position. With this configuration, the movement of the blade member can be locked in both the open and closed positions.

[0076] The aforementioned stop component may also be configured to engage with the aforementioned blade component or the aforementioned actuator.

[0077] The actuator described above may also include: a flat, U-shaped yoke having two arms; a coil wound around one of the two arms of the yoke; a rotor magnet rotatably disposed between the two arms of the yoke; and a rod member connected to the rotor magnet, the rod member having a connecting portion for connection to the blade member. By using such an actuator, the blade opening and closing device can be made compact.

[0078] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electronic device having the above-described blade opening and closing device is provided.

Claims

1. A blade opening and closing device, comprising: The base component has a storage space for accommodating the lens unit; A cover plate that covers at least a portion of the base component, and the cover plate having an opening on the optical axis of the lens unit; A blade component is disposed between the base component and the cover plate, and the blade component is movable between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; An actuator that moves the blade assembly between the open position and the closed position; A stop member is configured such that, when the blade member is in the open position and the closed position, the stop member is movable between a locked position in which at least a portion of the stop member is located on the movement path of the blade member and an unlocked position in which the entire stop member is retracted from the movement path; as well as A voice coil motor causes the stop component to move at least from the locked position toward the unlocked position. The blade component has an engaging edge portion on its outer periphery that can engage with the stop component. The stop member engages with the engaging edge of the blade member in the locked position, thereby restricting the movement of the blade member in the movement path.

2. The blade opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein, The blade opening and closing device also has a force-applying part that applies force to the stop member toward the locking position.

3. The blade opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The engaging edge engages with the stop component when the blade component is in the closed position.

4. The blade opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The blade component also has an engagement hole that can engage with the stop component. The stop member engages with the engagement hole of the blade member in the locked position to restrict the movement of the blade member in the movement path.

5. The blade opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator has: A flat, U-shaped yoke with two arms; A coil, which is wound around one of the two arms of the yoke; A rotor magnet, which is rotatably disposed between the two arms of the yoke; as well as A rod component connected to the rotor magnet, and the rod component having a connection portion connected to the blade component.

6. An electronic device, wherein, The electronic device has the blade opening and closing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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