Blade Open-Close Device with VCM Stopper for Camera Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera-based electronic devices lack effective mechanisms to prevent unintended image or video capture due to blades opening unintentionally under external loads such as vibrations or impacts, compromising user privacy.
Innovation Solution
A blade open-close device that includes a base housing a lens unit, a cover plate with an opening aligned with the optical axis, a movable blade, an actuator for moving the blade between opening and closing positions, a stopper for locking the blade in place, and a voice coil motor to manage the stopper's position, ensuring the blade remains locked at its position even under external loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a camera shutter with a blade is used to cover the lens aperture, then privacy protection is improved, but the blade may open unintentionally under external load such as vibration or impact
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is positioned in advance to block the blade's movement path before external vibration or impact occurs. The stopper proactively prevents the blade from moving from the closing position by occupying the space the blade would need to traverse, thus preventing unintended opening before it can happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper acts as an intermediary component between the blade and the external environment. It mediates the interaction by physically blocking the blade's path, preventing direct transmission of external vibrational forces to the blade, and thus protecting the blade position stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a stopper is added to prevent blade movement, then blade position stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism is segmented into functionally independent components: the blade for blocking light and the stopper for preventing movement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently without interfering with the other, simplifying the overall design while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the blade itself resistant to external forces or adding complex locking mechanisms to the blade, the invention inverts the approach by placing a separate stopper in the blade's movement path. This passive blocking approach is simpler than active locking mechanisms while achieving the same stability goal.
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 device effectively prevents unintended image or video capture by ensuring the blade remains securely in its position, reducing malfunctions and maintaining user privacy by blocking or allowing the lens aperture as needed.
Implementation Method 1
a voice coil motor that moves the stopper at least from the lock position toward the unlock position
Data Source
AI summary
A blade open-close device retains a blade at a predetermined position under an external load. A blade open-close device includes a base, a cover plate covering part of the base, and a blade located between the base and the cover plate. The blade is movable between a closing position to cover an opening in the cover plate and an opening position to uncover the opening. The blade open-close device further includes an actuator that moves the blade between the opening position and the closing position, a stopper movable between a lock position at which a protrusion on the stopper is on a path of the blade and an unlock position at which the stopper is entirely retracted from the path when the blade is at the opening position and when the blade is at the closing position, and a voice coil motor that moves the stopper from the lock position toward the unlock position.