Cam Frame Structure for Compact Lens Barrel Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a compact lens barrel design for digital cameras with a high-power zoom lens system while minimizing the size of the lens barrel, which is essential for making the camera more portable, without compromising the structural integrity and performance, especially when subjected to external forces.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a lens barrel structure with a lens frame and a cam frame, featuring through-holes, projection members, cam grooves, and an auxiliary groove, which allows for compact size while providing support and protection against external forces through the distribution of forces across multiple cam pins and grooves, preventing damage during elastic deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the cam frame is made smaller in the direction of the optical axis to achieve a more compact lens barrel, then the overall size of the lens barrel is reduced, but the cam grooves become difficult to design and the structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an auxiliary groove that extends in the circumferential direction (perpendicular to the optical axis direction) to provide additional support. This adds a dimensional element to the groove system that does not increase the optical axis length, thereby maintaining compactness while improving structural integrity through enhanced force distribution paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove system is segmented into multiple components: cam grooves for guiding cam members and an auxiliary groove for additional support. This segmentation allows each groove type to perform its specific function optimally, with the auxiliary groove specifically designed to prevent damage to cam followers under external forces without affecting the compact optical axis dimensions.
2Length of moving object
If the cam frame is made smaller in the direction of the optical axis, then the lens barrel becomes more compact, but the design of cam grooves becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary groove extends in the circumferential direction, utilizing a different spatial dimension to provide support functionality. This approach avoids the need to complicate the cam groove geometry in the optical axis direction, thereby maintaining relative design simplicity while achieving the compact form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary groove serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, guides the protruding member, and prevents damage to cam followers. By consolidating these functions into a single groove structure, the design avoids the need for multiple separate components that would increase complexity.
3Length of moving object
If the cam frame is made smaller in the direction of the optical axis, then the lens barrel becomes more compact, but the cam followers or other members may be damaged under external force
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary groove is designed in advance to provide protective support to cam followers and other members. This preventive structural feature is built into the cam frame before external forces are applied, creating a cushioning effect that distributes and absorbs impact forces, thereby preventing damage to critical components while maintaining the compact form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
By extending the auxiliary groove in the circumferential direction rather than increasing the optical axis length, the patent provides additional structural support in a dimension that does not compromise the compact size. This creates enhanced force distribution paths that protect cam followers under external loads without increasing the overall lens barrel length.
Data Source
AI summary
The lens barrel includes a lens frame and a cam frame. The lens frame has a body supporting a lens element in the optical system, at least three through-holes formed in the lens frame body, at least three cam members arranged on the lens frame body and at least one protruding member that protrude from the lens frame body. The cam frame has a body, at least three projection members extending from the cam frame body and inserted through the through-holes, at least three cam grooves formed in the cam frame body and the projection members to guide the cam members and to movably support the lens frame with respect to the cam frame body. The cam frame also has at least one auxiliary groove to guide the protruding member. One end of the auxiliary groove is disposed in the circumferential direction between two adjacent projection members.