Electromagnetic Camera Module Drives Chip to Reduce Weight

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera modules in electronic devices face challenges in achieving lightweight and thin designs while maintaining auto focus functionality and high photographing quality, as they often require larger and heavier drive motors to support improved camera performance.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an electromagnetically driven structure using an elastic conductor element, closed circuit, and magnetic element, where the electromagnetic force overcomes the elastic force to drive a movable assembly, allowing for automatic focusing with reduced power and size, and a photosensitive chip assembly on the movable assembly and a lens component on a fixed assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a drive motor is used to make the lens move for auto focus, then the auto focus function is achieved, but the thickness, size and weight of the camera are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauto focus functionVSAvoidcamera weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical drive motor with an electromagnetic driving system consisting of a magnetic element and elastic conductor element. This substitution eliminates the need for a heavy motor while maintaining the auto focus function through electromagnetic force generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of moving the heavy lens component as in traditional designs, this patent inverts the approach by keeping the lens fixed and moving only the lightweight photosensitive chip. This reversal dramatically reduces the required driving force and eliminates the need for a large drive motor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the lens is made larger to improve photographing quality, then the photographing effect is improved, but the thickness and size of the camera are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotographing qualityVSAvoidcamera thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional auto focus mechanism by fixing the lens and moving the photosensitive chip instead. This allows for high-quality photography with a fixed lens position, eliminating the need for thick camera bodies to accommodate large moving lens assemblies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Force

If a larger drive motor is used to meet driving force requirements, then the auto focus performance is improved, but the size and weight of the camera are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriving forceVSAvoidcamera weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical drive motor with an electromagnetic system comprising a magnetic element and elastic conductor element. This substitution provides sufficient driving force for moving the photosensitive chip while eliminating the weight penalty of a traditional motor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

By inverting the system to move the lightweight photosensitive chip rather than the heavy lens, the required driving force is dramatically reduced. This allows the use of a compact electromagnetic system instead of a large motor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 lightness and thinness of the camera module and electronic device, improves focusing precision, and maintains high photographing quality by reducing the power and size of the driving mechanism.

Implementation Method 1

the electromagnetic force generated by enabling the closed circuit to cut the magnetic field overcomes the elastic force of the elastic conductor element, so as to drive the movable assembly connected with the elastic conductor element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentEP3657772B1Driving mechanism, camera module and electronic device

Publication Date: 2023.08.30 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD

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AI summary

Disclosed herein are a driving mechanism (13), a camera module (1) and an electronic device. The driving mechanism (13) includes: a driving component (131), a movable assembly (132) and a fixed assembly (133). An electromagnetic force generated by enabling a closed circuit (1312) to cut a magnetic field overcomes an elastic force of an elastic conductor element (1311) to drive the movable assembly (132) connected with the elastic conductor element (1311).