Rotating Camera Knob Layout to Prevent Lens Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image acquisition devices face issues with lens cleanliness during angle adjustment, leading to maintenance costs and inconvenient angle adjustments, as users often directly interact with the camera, risking contamination and increased maintenance.

Innovation Solution

An image acquisition device design featuring a rotating portion with a lateral knob that allows users to adjust the camera's angle without direct contact, reducing contamination and maintenance workload while facilitating convenient operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the camera is made rotatable for angle adjustment, then the adaptability of the device is improved, but the camera lens becomes prone to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveangle adjustment capabilityVSAvoidlens contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A rotating portion is introduced as an intermediary component between the user and the camera. The rotating portion includes a rotating body that can rotate relative to the main body, and a knob that protrudes from the rotating body. Users operate the knob to drive rotation, which is transmitted through the rotating body to adjust the camera angle, without directly touching the camera lens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If users directly touch and rotate the camera for angle adjustment, then the operation is simple, but the maintenance workload increases due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveangle adjustment convenienceVSAvoidmaintenance workload

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The device is segmented into distinct functional components: the main body, the rotating portion (including rotating body and knob), and the camera. The rotating portion is positioned at a lateral side of the camera and is away from the camera by a certain distance, separating the user interaction interface from the sensitive camera component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Volume of moving object

If the camera is positioned close to the rotation mechanism for compact design, then the device size is reduced, but the risk of contamination during operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compactnessVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of positioning the rotating portion above or below the camera (vertical arrangement), the patent positions it at a lateral side (horizontal arrangement). This lateral positioning allows the rotating portion to be integrated into the device's width dimension, maintaining compactness while ensuring sufficient distance from the camera to prevent contamination during rotation operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3569919B1Image acquisition device

Publication Date: 2022.06.01 SHENZHEN SENSETIME TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an image acquisition device. The device includes a main body and a camera. A rotating portion is provided on the main body. The camera is arranged on the rotating portion. A knob portion is provided on the rotating portion at a lateral side of the camera in the axial direction. The knob portion can drive the rotating portion to rotate.