Camera units and electronic devices

Abstract

To enable the thickness or height to be suppressed, and improve the appearance quality of an electronic apparatus to be mounted.SOLUTION: A camera unit provided herein is the one attached to the housing of an electronic apparatus, and comprises a housing having a body part extending in cylindrical form and a camera module accommodated in the body part. The housing includes a first shaft part protruding in the axial direction from a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction of the body part and formed in a smaller diameter than the body part, and a second shaft part protruding from a second end face on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the body part and formed in a smaller diameter than the body part. The camera unit includes a first bearing component provided with a shaft hole into which the first shaft part is inserted so as to be capable of relative rotation and an attachment part to the housing of the electronic apparatus, and a second bearing component provided with a shaft hole into which the first shaft part is inserted so as to be capable of relative rotation and an attachment part to the housing of the electronic apparatus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera unit and an electronic device equipped with the camera unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices such as notebook PCs or tablet PCs are provided with a camera, for example, on the side of the display (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-008025 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned camera is a so-called in-camera, which is installed so as to be able to capture only the operator side using the electronic device. However, depending on the conditions of use of the electronic device, it is desirable for the camera to be able to capture the side opposite the display, i.e., be usable as a so-called out-camera. In this case, it is assumed to use a rotatable camera unit in which the camera unit is rotatably supported on the housing of the electronic device. If a rotatable camera unit is installed, the display angle and the camera angle can be adjusted separately, thereby achieving both easy-to-view display and good camera image quality.

[0005] However, a rotating camera unit requires a mechanism for rotatably mounting it on the housing of an electronic device. This means that such a camera unit tends to have a complex structure and is prone to increase in thickness and height. This can result in a decrease in the appearance quality of the housing of an electronic device equipped with a camera unit, for example, by increasing the width of the bezel surrounding the display.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology, and aims to provide a camera unit that can reduce thickness and height and improve the appearance quality of the electronic device in which it is installed, and an electronic device equipped with such a camera unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A camera unit according to a first aspect of the present invention is a camera unit to be attached to the housing of an electronic device, and comprises: a housing having a main body portion extending cylindrically; and a camera module accommodated in the main body portion; the housing has: a first shaft portion protruding axially from a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion; and a second shaft portion protruding axially from a second end face on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion; and further comprises: a first bearing part having an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the housing of the electronic device and an attachment portion for attachment to the housing of the electronic device; and a second bearing part having an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the housing of the electronic device and an attachment portion for attachment to the housing of the electronic device.

[0008] An electronic device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a display mounted thereon, and a camera unit attached to the housing and arranged along one edge of the display, the camera unit comprising a housing having a cylindrically extending main body portion, a first shaft portion protruding axially from a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion, and a second shaft portion protruding axially from a second end face on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion, a camera module accommodated in the main body portion, a first bearing part having an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the main body portion and an attachment portion for the housing, and a second bearing part having an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the main body portion and an attachment portion for the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the above-described aspects of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the thickness and height, and improve the appearance quality of the electronic device to which the device is to be mounted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electronic device according to an embodiment, viewed from above. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the camera unit attached to the cover member and its surrounding area. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the cover member shown in FIG. 3 to which a bezel member, a display, and a glass plate are attached. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is an enlarged perspective view of one shaft portion and its surrounding area. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the shaft portion shown in FIG. 5A in a state where a bearing part is connected to the shaft portion. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line VIA-VIA in FIG. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit shown in FIG. 6A rotated 180 degrees. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VIIA-VIIA in FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the camera unit shown in FIG. 7A rotated 180 degrees. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a camera unit according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A camera unit and an electronic device according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] 1 is a plan view of an electronic device 10 according to one embodiment, viewed from above. The electronic device 10 includes a system main body 12 and a lid 14. The electronic device 10 of this embodiment is a clamshell notebook PC in which the system main body 12 and the lid 14 are connected by a hinge 16 so that they can rotate relative to each other. Electronic devices to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to notebook PCs, and examples include various information devices such as tablet PCs, smartphones, and portable game consoles.

[0013] The system main body 12 has a flat, box-shaped housing. A keyboard 18 and a touchpad 19 are provided on the top 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 housed.

[0014] The cover 14 has a flat box-shaped housing 20 that is thinner than the system main body 12. The housing 20 has a display 22 and a camera unit 24 mounted thereon.

[0015] In the following description of the housing 20 and the camera unit 24, the left-right direction is referred to as the X1 and X2 directions, the height direction as the Y1 and Y2 directions, and the thickness direction (depth direction) as the Z1 and Z2 directions, based on the direction in which the operator views the display 22 from the front. The X1 and 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.

[0016] The housing 20 is composed of a cover member 26 and a bezel member 28 (see also FIG. 6A).

[0017] The cover member 26 is a plate-like member that forms the back surface (Z2-side surface) of the housing 20. The back surface of the display 22 is supported 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 body 14. The display 22 is installed so that a 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 22. The bezel member 28 is provided so as to surround the peripheral portion of the display surface 22a of the display 22. The bezel member 28 may be provided integrally with the cover member 26.

[0018] The outer peripheral side surface of the housing 20 is formed by a standing wall 29. The standing wall 29 is composed of a Z2-side portion that stands in the Z1 direction from the outer peripheral edge of the cover member 26 and a Z1-side portion that stands in the Z2 direction from the outer peripheral edge of the bezel member 28 (see also FIGS. 4 and 6A). The standing wall 29 may be provided on only one of the cover member 26 or the bezel member 28.

[0019] The standing wall 29 has a recessed portion 29a provided in approximately the center of a portion that forms the Y1-side side surface of the housing 20. The recessed portion 29a is formed by recessing a portion of the standing wall 29 in a direction toward the Y1-side edge (edge 22b) of the display 22, i.e., in the Y2 direction. The recessed portion 29a has a bottom wall 29a1 that extends along the X direction and 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 installing the camera unit 24 in the recessed portion 29a, the camera unit 24 is disposed so as to be embedded in the bezel member 28 along the edge 22b of the display 22.

[0020] The display surface 22a of the display 22 is covered with 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 decorative frame that covers only the surface of the bezel member 28 may be used.

[0021] Next, the camera unit 24 will be described.

[0022] The camera unit 24 is a rotatable camera unit supported relative to the housing 20 and rotatable about 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 rear of the housing 20 (Z2 direction) (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The angle of the camera unit 24 can be adjusted separately from the angle of the display 22 adjusted by the hinge 16 of the cover 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 camera angle independently, achieving both easy display visibility and high-quality camera images. The rotation range of the camera unit 24 may be less than 180 degrees or greater than 180 degrees.

[0023] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit 24. Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the camera unit 24 and its peripheral parts attached to the cover member 26. Fig. 4 is a schematic front view of the cover member 26 shown in Fig. 3 with the bezel member 28, the display 22, and the glass plate 30 attached thereto.

[0024] 2 to 4, camera unit 24 includes housing 32, a pair of bearing components 34, 35, a camera module 36, and a pair of microphone modules 38, 39. Unless otherwise specified, the structure, arrangement, etc. of the components of camera unit 24 will be described below based on an orientation in which lens 36a of camera module 36 faces the front of housing 20 (Z1 direction), that is, a rotational position in which lens 36a faces the same direction as display surface 22a of display 22.

[0025] The housing 32 has a cylindrical main body 40 extending in the X direction and a pair of shafts 41, 42 provided at both longitudinal ends of the main body 40. The housing 32 is a metal part made of, for example, aluminum or steel, but may also be a resin part.

[0026] The main body 40 is a cylindrical body with a roughly circular outer periphery, and defines an elongated space 40a inside that extends along the axial direction (X direction). The main body 40 may be a rectangular tube with a polygonal outer periphery, but a cylindrical shape is preferable to reduce the effective outer diameter during rotation. A slightly recessed flat surface 40b is provided on the Z1-side surface of the main body 40. The flat surface 40b is a flat surface that is aligned with the XY directions and extends over roughly the entire length of the main body 40 in the longitudinal direction.

[0027] A camera hole 44 is formed through the flat surface 40b, which 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, each with a smaller diameter than the camera hole 44, are formed near both ends in the longitudinal direction. A lens plate 48, which hides the camera hole 44, is fixed to the flat surface 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, which 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. An operation knob 50a of a camera shutter 50 is movably inserted through the elongated hole 48c. The camera shutter 50 is sandwiched between the lens plate 48 and the flat surface 40b so as to be slidable in the X direction. The camera shutter 50 can be slid between an open position that exposes the camera hole 44 and a closed position that closes it by operating the operation knob 50a in the X direction. The camera shutter 50 may be omitted.

[0028] A pair of microphone holes 45b, 46b are formed through the outer wall surface of the main body 40, also on the Y2 side surface. The microphone holes 45b, 46b are small holes with the same diameter as or slightly larger than the microphone holes 45a, 46a. With the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the main body 40 as the reference, the microphone hole 45b is located at approximately the same position as the microphone hole 45a, and the microphone hole 46b is located at approximately the same position as the microphone hole 46a. The axial direction (penetration direction) of the microphone holes 45b, 46b is perpendicular to the axial direction (penetration direction) of the microphone holes 45a, 46a. The microphone holes 45a, 45b communicate with the same microphone module 38 and can collect sound into the microphone module 38. The microphone holes 46a, 46b communicate with the same microphone module 39 and can collect sound into the microphone module 39.

[0029] The shaft portions 41 and 42 are cylindrical bodies with a smaller diameter than the main body portion 40, and are arranged coaxially on the axis of the main body portion 40. One of the shaft portions 41 protrudes in the X2 direction from an end face 40c on one side (X2 side) in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 40. The other shaft portion 42 protrudes in the X1 direction from an end face 40d on the other side (X1 side) in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 40.

[0030] Fig. 5A is an enlarged perspective view of one shaft portion 41 and its surroundings, Fig. 5B is a perspective view of the shaft portion 41 shown in Fig. 5A in a state where a bearing component 34 is connected to the shaft portion 41.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5A, one shaft portion 41 is inserted into a shaft hole 56a of the bearing component 34 so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft portion 41. The shaft portion 41, together with the bearing component 34, constitutes a rotation shaft portion 51 on the X2 side of the camera unit 24 (see FIG. 5B). The shaft portion 41 has a cable insertion hole 53 that passes through 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 the microphone modules 38, 39 is inserted through the cable insertion hole 53.

[0032] Shaft portion 41 is bifurcated by a cleft 55 extending axially from its tip. Cleft 55 is formed by a pair of slit-like notches located opposite each other in the circumferential direction of shaft portion 41. Cleft 55 enables shaft portion 41 to generate a biasing force F in the diameter direction, as indicated by the dashed-dotted arrow in FIG. 5A.

[0033] The shaft portion 41 is divided by the split 55 so that one portion has a longer protruding length than the other portion. The tips of the one portion form a pair of stopper surfaces 55a, 55b that face approximately in the Z1 direction. The stopper surfaces 55a, 55b are spaced apart at an angle slightly greater than 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the shaft portion 41. This allows the stopper surfaces 55a, 55b to lock a stopper piece 56b of a bearing component 34 (described later) within a rotation range of, for example, 180 degrees.

[0034] The other shaft portion 42 is inserted into the shaft hole 56a of the bearing part 35 so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft portion 42. The shaft portion 42, together with the bearing part 35, constitutes the rotation shaft portion 52 on the X1 side 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 bilaterally symmetrical. Therefore, for the shaft portion 42, components that are the same as or similar to those of the shaft portion 41 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. That is, the shaft portion 42 also has a cable insertion hole 53, a slit 55, and stopper surfaces 55a, 55b.

[0035] The cable insertion hole 53 may be formed in only one of the shaft portions 41, 42. However, providing the cable insertion hole 53 in both of the shaft portions 41, 42 has the advantage that each cable insertion hole 53 can be used when there are a large number of cables 54 connected to the camera module 36 and the microphone modules 38, 39 or when the cables are thick.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 32 can have a structure in which a housing member 32A and a housing member 32B are connected together and are split vertically along the axial direction.

[0037] When the XY plane passing through the axis of the housing 32 is used as a reference, the housing member 32A is approximately half of the housing 32 on the Z1 side, and the housing member 32B is approximately half of the housing 32 on the Z2 side. Therefore, the housing member 32A includes a body member 40A that forms approximately half of the body portion 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. The housing member 32B includes a body member 40B that forms approximately half of the body portion 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.

[0038] Camera module 36, microphone modules 38 and 39, and a substrate 60 (described later) are fixed to, for example, main body member 40B. Shaft portion 41 is divided into shaft members 41A and 41B at a position where it passes through gap 55. Shaft portion 42 is also divided into shaft members 42A and 42B at a position where it passes through gap 55. Stopper surfaces 55a and 55b are provided on, for example, shaft members 41B and 42B.

[0039] The divided housing members 32A, 32B 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, 42, respectively, so that the divided end faces of the housing members 32A, 32B can be tightly joined together without rattle. The sleeves 59 are press-fitted into the shaft portions 41, 42 in the protruding direction, closer to the bases (toward the end faces 40c, 40d) than the bearing components 34, 35. This improves the joining strength of the housing members 32A, 32B. Furthermore, the sleeves 59 are prevented from interfering with the generation of the biasing force F due to the cracks 55.

[0040] 2 to 5B, bearing components 34 and 35 respectively support shaft portions 41 and 42 so as to be relatively rotatable, thereby constituting rotational shaft portions 51 and 52 of camera unit 24. Bearing components 34 and 35 also function as brackets for attaching camera unit 24 to housing 20 (cover member 26) (see FIG. 3).

[0041] One bearing component 34 has a cylindrical portion 56 in which a shaft hole 56a is formed, and an attachment portion 57. The bearing components 34 and 35 are metal components made of, for example, aluminum or steel, but may also be resin components.

[0042] The tubular portion 56 is a portion that serves as a bearing for the shaft portion 41. The tubular portion 56 is a cylindrical body, and an axial hole 56a passes through it along the axial direction (X direction). The shaft portion 41 is inserted into the axial hole 56a with almost no gap so as to be rotatable relative to the axial hole 56a. At this time, the shaft portion 41 can be coupled to the axial hole 56a so as to be able to slide and rotate smoothly and without rattle due to a diametrical biasing force F generated by elastic deformation caused by the crack 55. There is a predetermined sliding resistance between the axial hole 56a and the shaft portion 41, and this sliding resistance becomes a rotational torque of the camera unit 24 relative to the housing 20.

[0043] The cylindrical portion 56 is formed with a stopper piece 56b that protrudes radially inward from the Z2-side end of the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole 56a. The stopper piece 56b can selectively come into contact with the stopper surfaces 55a, 55b of the shaft portion 41 when the shaft portion 41 rotates relative to the shaft hole 56a, thereby defining the range of rotation of the shaft portion 41. In this embodiment, the shaft portion 41 can rotate 180 degrees relative to the bearing component 34. For example, the stopper piece 56b comes into contact with one stopper surface 55a at a rotation angle (0 degrees) when the lens 36a faces the Z1 direction (see FIG. 5B), and comes into contact with the other stopper surface 55b at a rotation angle (180 degrees) when the lens 36a faces the Z2 direction.

[0044] The mounting portion 57 is a plate piece formed by protruding approximately half of the Z2-side portion of the X2-side end face of the cylindrical portion 56 in the X2 direction, bending it toward the Z1 side, and then bending it again toward the X2 side. The tip of the mounting portion 57 is formed of a flat plate extending along the XY directions, and a mounting hole 57a is formed through the plate in its thickness direction (Z direction). For example, the position of the mounting hole 57a in the Z direction approximately coincides with the axis of the shaft portion 41. This allows 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 into the mounting hole 57a (see FIG. 3).

[0045] The bearing component 34 has an axial hole 56a arranged coaxially 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 from this gap G to the outside.

[0046] The other bearing component 35 may have the same configuration as the above-described one bearing component 34, except that it is bilaterally symmetrical. Therefore, for the bearing component 35, components that are the same or similar to those of the bearing component 34 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. That is, the bearing component 35 also has a cylindrical portion 56 provided with a shaft hole 56a and a stopper piece 56b, and an attachment portion 57 provided with an attachment hole 57a. The bearing component 35 also has a predetermined sliding resistance between the shaft hole 56a and the shaft component 42, and this sliding resistance becomes a rotational torque of the camera unit 24 relative to the housing 20. This sliding resistance may be set to occur only between the shaft component 41 and the bearing component 34 or between the shaft component 42 and the bearing component 35.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the camera module 36 is housed in the space 40a of the main body 40. The camera module 36 has a central focusing lens 36a and an image sensor 36b that converts light incident through the lens 36a into an electrical signal and transmits the data. The camera module 36 is, for example, a digital camera capable of capturing video and still images. The camera module 36 is mounted on the Z1-side surface of the circuit board 60. The circuit board 60 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape extending substantially the entire length of the space 40a in the longitudinal direction. The circuit board 60 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the housing 32 using fasteners such as screws or double-sided adhesive tape. The circuit board 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 facial recognition, an illuminance sensor that can detect the brightness of the surrounding environment, or the like.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, the microphone modules 38 and 39 are housed in a space 40a of the main body 40 and are mounted on the Z1 side surface of the substrate 60.

[0049] One microphone module 38 is provided near the X2-side end of the substrate 60. The microphone module 38 has a microphone 38a and a microphone cover 38b (see also FIG. 7A). The microphone 38a is, for example, a MEMS microphone formed by shielding a MEMS chip or IC chip having a diaphragm, and is mounted on the substrate 60. As shown in FIG. 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 to the Z1-side surface and a communication hole 38b2 that opens to the Y2-side surface.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7A , the main body 40 may have a flat surface 40e on the Z1-side inner wall surface located behind the flat surface 40b, and a flat surface 40f on the Y2-side inner wall surface perpendicular to the flat surface 40b. A microphone hole 45a is formed in the flat surface 40e, and a microphone hole 45b is formed in the flat surface 40f. The edge of the communication hole 38b1 is in close contact with the flat surface 40e, thereby communicating with the microphone hole 45a, thereby connecting the microphone hole 45a to the cavity 38c. The edge of the communication hole 38b2 is in close contact with the flat surface 40f, thereby connecting the microphone hole 45b to the cavity 38c. This allows external sound that passes through the microphone holes 45a and 45b to pass through the communication holes 38b1 and 38b2, pass through the cavity 38c, and be smoothly collected by the microphone 38a.

[0051] The other microphone module 39 is provided near the X1 side end of the substrate 60. The microphone module 39 may have the same configuration as the above-mentioned one microphone module 38, except that it is bilaterally symmetrical. Therefore, for microphone module 39, components that are the same as or similar to those of microphone module 38 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. That is, microphone module 39 also has a microphone 38a, a microphone cover 38b, a cavity 38c, and communication holes 38b1, 38b2, and faces flat surfaces 40e, 40f of main body 40. Camera unit 24 may be equipped with only one of microphone modules 38, 39, or may be equipped with three or more microphone modules.

[0052] Next, the rotational operation of the camera unit 24 and its effects will be described.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 6A, when the camera unit 24 is in the 0-degree position with the lens 36a facing in the Z1 direction, the shooting direction of the camera module 36 faces approximately the same direction as the display surface 22a of the display 22. Therefore, the camera module 36 can be suitably used as an in-camera that shoots an image of the operator viewing the display 22 (see shooting direction C indicated by the dashed-dotted line in the figure). Note that the camera unit 24 can also be adjusted to a more optimal shooting angle by tilting it slightly up and down with a fingertip from the 0-degree position. In other words, the camera unit 24 may be configured to allow angle adjustment by tilting it slightly downward from the 0-degree position, and the same is true for the 180-degree position shown in FIG. 6B.

[0054] 7A, in the 0-degree attitude, the microphone hole 45a (46a) of the microphone module 38 (39) faces in substantially the same direction (Z1 direction) as the shooting direction of the camera module 36. In other words, the sound collection direction using the microphone hole 45a (46a) of the microphone module 38 (39) coincides with the shooting direction of the camera module 36 (see the sound collection direction S indicated by the dashed-dotted line in the figure). Therefore, the microphone module 38 (39) can efficiently collect the voice of the person being photographed by the camera module 36.

[0055] On the other hand, when using the camera unit 24 as an in-camera, as shown in FIG. 7A , the separate microphone hole 45b (46b) for collecting sound into the microphone module 38 (39) faces closely to the bottom wall 29a1 of the recessed portion 29a. That is, in the 0-degree orientation, the microphone hole 45b (46b) is blocked by the bottom wall 29a1, resulting in almost no sound being collected. In this way, the electronic device 10 automatically blocks the microphone hole 45b (46b) that is not needed when the electronic device 10 is in in-camera mode. This prevents the unused microphone hole 45b (46b) from picking up ambient noise and improves the sound collection efficiency of the microphone hole 45a (46a). Note that blocking the microphone hole 45b (46b) in this manner functions satisfactorily not only when the axial direction of the microphone hole 45b (46b) is perfectly perpendicular to the axial direction of the microphone hole 45a (46a), but also when the axial direction is slightly off-perpendicular.

[0056] 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 a state in which camera unit 24 is rotated 180 degrees clockwise in the figures from the 0-degree position shown in Figures 6A and 7A. Of course, camera unit 24 can be set to any angle between the 0-degree position and the 180-degree position by the rotational torque generated at rotation shafts 51 and 52, and can also be used to capture images and collect sound.

[0057] 6B, in the 180-degree attitude, the shooting direction of camera module 36 faces substantially opposite (Z2 direction) to display surface 22a of display 22. In other words, camera module 36 can be suitably used as an out-camera that shoots images on the side opposite to the operator who views display 22 (see shooting direction C indicated by the dashed dotted line in the figure).

[0058] 7B, in the 180-degree position, the microphone hole 45a (46a) of the microphone module 38 (39) faces in 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 hole 45a (46a) of the microphone module 38 (39) coincides with the shooting direction of the camera module 36 (see sound collection direction S1 indicated by the dashed-dotted line in the figure). Therefore, the microphone module 38 (39) can efficiently collect the voice of the person being photographed by the camera module 36.

[0059] Furthermore, when the camera unit 24 is used as an external camera, as shown in FIG. 7B , the microphone hole 45b (46b) for collecting sound into the microphone module 38 (39) is 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 hole 45b (46b) of the microphone module 38 (39) faces between the operator and the shooting direction (see the sound collection direction S2 indicated by the dashed line in the figure). Therefore, the microphone module 38 (39) can also collect sounds from the operator and his / her surroundings through the microphone hole 45b (46b). As a result, for example, conversations between the operator operating the electronic device 10 and another person in the shooting direction of the external camera can be efficiently collected through the two microphone holes 45a (46a) and 45b (46b). The axial direction of the microphone holes 45b and 46b does not have to be perpendicular to the axial direction of the microphone holes 45a and 46a; for example, in FIG. 7B, the microphone holes 45b (46b) may face in an oblique direction midway between the Y1 direction and the Z1 direction.

[0060] As described above, camera unit 24 of the present embodiment includes housing 32 having main body 40 extending cylindrically, and camera module 36 housed in main body 40. Housing 32 has shafts 41, 42 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, each of which has a smaller diameter than main body 40. Camera unit 24 further includes bearing components 34, 35 provided with shaft holes 56a into which shafts 41, 42 are inserted so as to be rotatable relative to one another, and with mounting portions 57 for mounting to housing 20.

[0061] In this manner, the camera unit 24 is supported by bearing components 34, 35 on the small-diameter shafts 41, 42 provided at both ends of the cylindrically extending main body 40, and can be fixed to the housing 20 of the electronic device 10 via the mounting portions 57 of these bearing components 34, 35. This simplifies the structure of the rotation shafts 51, 52 of the camera unit 24, allowing its thickness in the Z direction and its height in the Y direction to be minimized. For example, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5B, the outer diameter of the camera unit 24 in its axial direction is kept within the outer diameter of the main body 40. This minimizes the thickness and height of the camera unit 24, allowing the housing 20 of the electronic device 10 incorporating the camera unit 24 to be made smaller and thinner. In particular, the camera unit 24 is disposed along the edge 22b of the display 22 together with the bezel member 28. This allows the width of the bezel member 28 surrounding the periphery of the display 22 to be narrowed, improving the appearance quality of the electronic device 10.

[0062] The electronic device 10 of this embodiment also includes a housing 20 that mounts a display 22, and a camera unit 24 that is rotatably supported by the housing 20 and is provided along an 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 is formed with a camera hole 44 for transmitting light to the camera module 36, and a microphone hole 45a (46a) that faces in the same direction as the camera hole 44 and collects sound into the microphone module 38 (39). Note that "the camera hole 44 and the microphone hole 45a (46a) facing in the same direction" means that the axial directions of the camera hole 44 and the microphone hole 45a (46a) are perfectly aligned, and some degree of misalignment is permitted.

[0063] Therefore, when the electronic device 10 uses the camera unit 24 as an out-camera that captures an image in a direction different from the display surface 22a side, for example, 180 degrees away, the microphone hole 45a (46a) faces the same direction as the image capturing direction of the camera module 36. This allows the microphone module 38 (39) to efficiently collect sound, such as the voice of the person being captured by the camera module 36. In other words, it is possible to reduce the difference between the image capturing direction of the camera module 36 and the sound collection direction of the microphone module 38 (39), enabling efficient sound collection.

[0064] In the present embodiment, camera unit 24 is provided on the outer wall surface of housing 32 with microphone hole 45b (46b) that faces in a different direction from microphone hole 45a (46a) and is used to collect sound into microphone module 38 (39). This allows camera unit 24 to efficiently collect not only the voice of the person being photographed when used as an out-camera, but also the voice of an operator viewing display 22, for example.

[0065] The camera unit 24 of this embodiment includes a housing 32 formed by connecting two separate housing members 32A and 32B. This allows the substrate 60 and camera module 36 to be easily installed in the housing 32, resulting in high assembly efficiency. The housing members 32A and 32B can be connected by a sleeve 59 that is press-fitted onto the shaft portions 41 and 42. This allows the camera unit 24 to more easily and with greater strength connect the two separate housing members 32A and 32B. Furthermore, the sleeve 59 provides better space efficiency than connecting the housing members 32A and 32B with screws or the like, and has almost no effect on the thickness or height of the camera unit 24.

[0066] The housing 32 may be configured in a manner other than the configuration using the vertically split housing members 32A, 32B shown in FIG.

[0067] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a modified camera unit 62. In Figure 8, the same reference symbols as those shown in Figures 1 to 7 indicate the same or similar configurations, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted as they have the same or similar functions and effects.

[0068] The camera unit 24 shown in FIG. 2 has a housing 32 configured by connecting vertically divided housing members 32A and 32B. In contrast, the camera unit 62 shown in FIG. 8 has a housing 64 configured differently from the housing 32. The housing 64 is configured by connecting a housing member 64A and a housing member 64B. One housing member 64A has a main body portion 40 and a shaft portion 42 integrally formed with an end face 40d of the main body portion 40. The X2-side end of the main body portion 40 of the housing member 64A is open to a space 40a, and does not have an end face 40c. The other housing member 64B has a shaft portion 41 protruding from the end face 40c and a fitting portion 65.

[0069] The fitting portion 65 is a cylindrical body protruding in the X1 direction from the rear surface of the flange-shaped portion on the shaft portion 41 side, where the end face 40c is formed. The fitting portion 65 can be press-fitted into an opening at the X2-side end of the main body portion 40 of the housing member 64A. A hole 65a that connects the cable insertion hole 53 of the shaft portion 41 to the space 40a of the main body portion 40 penetrates the fitting portion 65 along the axial direction. A flat surface 65b is formed on the Z1-side surface of the fitting portion 65, which abuts against the flat surface 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 in the space 40a and extends in the X direction. The Z1-side surface of the support plate 66 supports the board 60 on which the camera module 36 and the microphone modules 38 and 39 are mounted.

[0070] In this type of camera unit 62, the support plate 66 with the board 60 attached thereto is inserted into the space 40a, and the fitting portion 65 is fitted into the X2 side end portion of the housing member 64A. This connects the housing member 64B to the housing member 64A, thereby forming a camera unit 62 similar to the camera unit 24 described above. Furthermore, by attaching the board 60 and the like to the support plate 66, the camera module 36 and the microphone modules 38 and 39 can be easily installed and fixed to the main body 40. As described above, the divided structures shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 have been exemplified in consideration of the assembly efficiency of the housings 32 and 64, but it goes without saying that the housing structure is not limited to these.

[0071] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0072] Although the camera unit 24 provided with the microphone modules 38 and 39 together with the camera module 36 has been exemplified above, the microphone modules 38 and 39 do not have to be provided integrally. [Explanation of symbols]

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

Claims

1. A camera unit attached to a housing of an electronic device, a housing having a cylindrically extending main body; a camera module accommodated in the main body; Equipped with The housing includes: a first shaft portion that protrudes in the axial direction from a first end surface on one side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and is formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion; a second shaft portion that protrudes in the axial direction from a second end surface on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and has a smaller diameter than the main body portion; and moreover, a first bearing component provided with an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be relatively rotatable and an attachment portion for attachment to a housing of the electronic device; a second bearing component provided with an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be relatively rotatable, and an attachment portion for attachment to a housing of the electronic device; Equipped with A camera unit characterized by:

2. 2. The camera unit according to claim 1, At least one of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion is provided with a slit extending from its tip along the axial direction, so that a biasing force can be generated in the diameter direction. A camera unit characterized by:

3. 3. The camera unit according to claim 1, The housing has a configuration in which the main body portion, the first shaft portion, and the second shaft portion are connected to a first housing member and a second housing member that are split vertically along the axial direction. A camera unit characterized by:

4. 4. The camera unit according to claim 3, a first sleeve into which the first shaft portion is press-fitted to couple a portion of the first shaft portion provided on the first housing member with another portion of the first shaft portion provided on the second housing member; a second sleeve into which the second shaft portion is press-fitted to couple a portion of the first shaft portion provided on the first housing member with another portion of the first shaft portion provided on the second housing member; Equipped with A camera unit characterized by:

5. 3. The camera unit according to claim 1, The housing includes: a first housing member provided with the main body portion and the first shaft portion formed integrally with the first end surface of the main body portion; a second housing member provided with the second shaft portion and fitted to the main body portion; have A camera unit characterized by:

6. 6. The camera unit according to claim 5, The second housing member further includes a support plate that supports the camera module and is inserted into the internal space of the main body. A camera unit characterized by:

7. 3. The camera unit according to claim 1, At least one of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion has a cable insertion hole that is formed to penetrate along its axial direction and communicates with the internal space of the main body portion, and through which a cable connected to the camera module can be inserted. A camera unit characterized by:

8. An electronic device, A housing equipped with a display, a camera unit attached to the housing and provided along one edge of the display; Equipped with The camera unit includes: a housing having a main body portion extending in a cylindrical shape, a first shaft portion protruding in an axial direction from a first end face on one side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion, and a second shaft portion protruding in the axial direction from a second end face on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and formed with a smaller diameter than the main body portion; a camera module accommodated in the main body; a first bearing component provided with an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be relatively rotatable and an attachment portion for attachment to the housing; a second bearing component provided with an axial hole into which the first shaft portion is inserted so as to be relatively rotatable and an attachment portion for attachment to the housing; Equipped with An electronic device characterized by:

Images