Optical Driving Apparatus Microsphere Rolling Friction Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical driving apparatuses face challenges in miniaturization and reduced size due to high driving resistance and complexity in ball guide mechanisms, which hinder their integration into compact devices like mobile terminals.
Innovation Solution
The optical driving apparatus employs a guiding member with V-shaped and flat grooves and convex portions, filled with microspheres in a gel, to generate rolling friction, reducing resistance and eliminating the need for physical retainer structures, allowing for miniaturization and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a ball guide mechanism is used to reduce friction, then the driving resistance is reduced, but the device complexity and size increase due to the need for physical retainer structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the retainer structure from the guiding mechanism, eliminating the need for physical containers to hold the rolling elements. The guiding member simply provides grooves and convex portions that guide the microspheres during reciprocating motion, while the microspheres are contained within the mobile carriage itself. This reduces device complexity while maintaining the low-friction benefit of rolling contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces microspheres as intermediary rolling elements between the guiding member and the mobile carriage. These microspheres mediate the contact interaction, converting sliding friction into rolling friction. The microspheres are contained within the mobile carriage and reciprocate along with it, guided by the grooves and convex portions of the guiding member, thus reducing driving resistance without requiring external retainer structures.
2Ease of operation
If conventional ball guide mechanisms are used, then movement guidance is achieved, but the apparatus size and weight increase, preventing miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding function is segmented into distributed grooves and convex portions along the reciprocating path, rather than requiring a continuous enclosed structure. The microspheres are contained within the mobile carriage itself rather than requiring external housings. This segmentation allows for a more compact integration of guiding functionality into the existing structural components, enabling miniaturization while maintaining effective movement guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the guiding function with the existing structural components of the mobile carriage and fixed member. The grooves and convex portions are formed directly on these components, eliminating the need for separate guiding mechanism housings. The microspheres serve dual purposes: reducing friction through rolling contact and providing the guiding function through their constrained reciprocating motion within the carriage, thus reducing overall apparatus volume.
3Force
If microspheres are used to generate rolling friction, then driving resistance is reduced, but the microspheres may diffuse without proper containment
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile carriage serves itself by containing the microspheres within its own structure rather than requiring an external retainer. The microspheres are confined to the interior space of the mobile carriage, which reciprocates along with them. The guiding grooves and convex portions on the fixed member and mobile carriage work together to guide the microspheres' motion, ensuring they remain contained while enabling low-friction rolling contact throughout the reciprocating cycle.
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 configuration minimizes the size and weight of the optical driving apparatus, reduces the risk of imprint damage, and simplifies assembly, enabling it to meet stringent thinness requirements for mobile devices while maintaining efficient movement without large resistance forces.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of microspheres interposed in a gap between the first groove and the first convex portion and disposed in a longitudinal direction of the first groove and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to generate rolling friction
Implementation Method 2
a magnetic body provided on any one of the fixed member or the driven member to attract the fixed member and the driven member
Data Source
AI summary
An optical driving apparatus, including: a fixed member; a driven member that is movable with respect to the fixed member; and a guiding member that restricts the driven member from moving in a predetermined direction with respect to the fixed member, wherein the guiding member has: a first groove in a V-shaped cross-sectional shape, which is formed on any one of the fixed member or the driven member; a first convex portion fitting into the first groove, which is formed on another of the fixed member or the driven member; and a plurality of microspheres interposed in a gap between the first groove and the first convex portion and disposed in a longitudinal direction of the first groove and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to generate rolling friction.