Auto Focus Locking Unit Cam Barrel Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number and weight of lenses in photographing apparatuses, along with higher pixel resolution, lead to increased battery consumption due to the need for stronger magnetic forces to restrict lens movement, reducing battery life.
Innovation Solution
An auto focus (AF) locking unit utilizing a rotation of a cam barrel and a locking lever with elastic force to support the lens group barrel holder, reducing the distance between the lens barrel and the AF frame, thereby minimizing the need for strong magnetic forces and conserving battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the binding force of the magnet, coil, and yoke is increased to restrict lens movement, then lens stability is improved, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lens support system is divided into two independent parts: a mechanical locking lever mechanism for primary support and a magnet-coil-yoke system for fine adjustment and shock prevention. This segmentation allows each component to operate at optimal force levels, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining lens stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking lever uses elastic force from a spring to automatically engage with the cam barrel's locking protrusion, providing passive mechanical support without requiring continuous battery-powered actuation. The system serves itself by using the lens group's own weight and the spring's elastic energy to maintain the locked position.
2Manufacturing precision
If the number of lenses and pixel resolution are increased, then photographing quality is improved, but weight and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional purely electromagnetic lens support system with a hybrid mechanical-electromagnetic system. The mechanical locking lever and cam barrel mechanism handle the bulk of the support workload, allowing the electromagnetic system to be downsized and consume less energy, even when supporting heavier high-resolution lens assemblies.
3Length of moving object
If the stroke of the lens in the optical axis direction is increased, then focusing range is improved, but the complexity of the support system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cam barrel is designed with a variable profile that provides different mechanical advantages at different positions of the lens group's stroke. During most of the travel range, the cam provides gentle guidance with minimal friction. Near the endpoints, the cam profile creates natural mechanical locks that stabilize the lens group without requiring additional active control, simplifying the overall support system despite the extended stroke.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The AF locking unit effectively supports lens movement while reducing battery consumption by using a cam barrel and locking lever mechanism, enhancing the battery life of photographing apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
a locking lever elastic member providing an elastic force in the optical axis direction to the locking lever
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an auto focus (AF) locking unit and a photo-graphing apparatus including the AF locking unit. In particular, the AF locking unit supports a lens group barrel holder that is descended by a movement of a front barrel in an optical axis direction by using a locking lever provided with an elastic force, and the photographing apparatus includes the AF locking unit. According to an embodiment, the AF locking unit supports the lens group barrel holder including lenses in the optical axis direction by using a driving force transmitted from a motor in correspondence to movements of a cam barrel and a front barrel, and the photographing apparatus includes the AF locking unit.