Foldable Camera Module With Flexible Cable And Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile terminals often have a lower-quality front camera due to cost-saving measures, resulting in inferior imaging quality and increased power consumption, while a higher-quality front camera complicates the device's structure due to its volume and positioning relative to the display screen.
Innovation Solution
A foldable camera module that uses a single camera body housed in a groove on the mobile terminal, connected by a flexible cable with a locking mechanism, allowing the camera to be folded and fixed at different positions to serve as both rear and front cameras, reducing the need for multiple cameras and simplifying the device's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-pixel camera is adopted for the front camera, then imaging quality is improved, but cost and power consumption greatly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera body is designed to serve multiple functions by being positionable at different locations. A single high-pixel camera body can function as both front camera and rear camera depending on its position, eliminating the need for separate front and rear cameras with different pixel specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera body is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically change position between front and rear locations. This dynamic positioning capability enables one camera to replace multiple static cameras, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining high imaging quality where needed.
2Measurement precision
If a high-pixel camera is adopted for the front camera, then imaging quality is improved, but cost greatly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera body serves universal purposes as both front and rear camera, allowing a single high-pixel unit to replace what would traditionally require two different cameras. This reduces component quantity and overall cost while maintaining high imaging quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of front camera and rear camera are merged into a single camera body that can be positioned at different locations. This consolidation reduces the total number of camera components needed, lowering material costs and assembly complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the front camera and display screen are staggered, then front camera function is achieved, but structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The camera body is designed to be dynamically positionable rather than requiring a fixed staggered structure. By making the camera movable along the flexible cable, the system achieves front camera functionality without committing to a complex permanent staggered arrangement, simplifying overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible cable acts as an intermediary element connecting the camera body to the device, enabling the camera to move between positions without requiring complex mechanical linkages or permanent structural modifications. This intermediary simplifies the connection mechanism while maintaining functional versatility.
4Quantity of substance
If a single camera is used for both front and rear functions, then cost is reduced, but the camera needs to be positioned at multiple locations
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible cable connects the camera body to the device, allowing the camera to be positioned at different locations without requiring rigid mechanical positioning structures. This flexible connection simplifies the positioning mechanism while enabling the camera to serve multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible cable serves as an intermediary that enables simple positioning of the camera body at different locations. This intermediary component provides a straightforward solution for multi-location positioning without complex mechanical structures, reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a foldable camera module and mobile terminal, which are accommodated in a recess of the outside surface of a mobile terminal by means of a camera main body; one end of a flexible connection cable is connected to the camera main body; a fixing member is connected to the flexible connection cable and used for fixing the camera main body; the camera main body may fold in a preset direction away from the recess by means of the flexible connection cable, and be fixed to a preset position by means of the fixing member. In the present invention, photographing from different angles is achieved by means of a single camera.