Concealable Camera With Retractable Reflecting Component
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with concealable cameras face limitations in screen-to-body ratio due to space constraints, leading to low pixel quality and increased risk of damage to flexible circuit boards from sliding mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a retractable reflecting component that extends out of the shell to reflect external mirror images onto a fixed camera image capturing assembly, eliminating the need for sliding circuit boards and reducing space requirements, while allowing for higher pixel quality and reduced fabrication costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a camera is arranged to ascend and descend in a mounting hole using a retractable device, then the screen-to-body ratio is improved, but the camera image capturing assembly is limited by space resulting in low pixels and the flexible circuit board is easily damaged in sliding process
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the camera assembly in and out, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the camera fixed and moving a reflecting component to direct light to the camera sensor. This eliminates the sliding mechanism and flexible circuit board, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining the concealable camera function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sliding system with an optical system using a reflecting component. The reflection mechanism substitutes for the physical movement of the camera, eliminating wear and damage risks associated with sliding flexible circuit boards.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible circuit board is used to cooperate with the ascending and descending camera, then the camera can be concealed, but the circuit board is relatively long, relatively high in cost and relatively high in ratio to the space, making space utilization rate relatively low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the flexible circuit board from the system entirely. By using a fixed camera assembly with a reflecting component, the need for a sliding flexible circuit board is eliminated, reducing space requirements and improving space utilization rate.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the camera image capturing assembly ascends and descends, then the camera can be concealed, but the assembly is limited by space which restricts pixel quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by keeping the camera assembly fixed in position rather than moving it. This allows the camera to be sized for high pixel quality without space constraints, while the reflecting component moves to achieve the concealable function.
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
This solution enhances the screen-to-body ratio, reduces the risk of circuit board damage, and increases space utilization, enabling higher pixel quality and improved camera performance without the limitations of traditional sliding mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
the reflecting component is configured to, during camera image capturing, extend out through the opening and reflect the received mirror image onto the camera image capturing assembly for imaging of the camera image capturing assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a concealable camera. The electronic device includes a shell, as well as a camera image capturing assembly and a retractable reflecting component which are arranged in the shell. An opening through which the reflecting component extends out of the shell is formed in the shell, and the reflecting component is configured to, during camera image capturing, extend out through the opening and reflect a received mirror image onto the camera image capturing assembly for imaging of the camera image capturing assembly. In such a manner, the camera image capturing assembly is fixedly arranged in the shell, and during use, a circuit board is also not required to slide for cooperating with the camera image capturing assembly and may be fixedly arranged in the shell, so that the camera image capturing assembly may be effectively protected, meanwhile, an occupied space may also be reduced, a risk in damage to the circuit board is reduced, a relatively high screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device is ensured, a purpose of reducing the cost and the space is achieved, a ratio of the camera image capturing assembly to the space is reduced, and a space utilization rate is increased. In addition, the camera image capturing assembly is arranged in the shell and is less limited by the space, which is favorable for improving pixels of the camera image capturing assembly.