Pop-up Camera Module with Rotating Optical Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic devices with front-facing cameras face challenges in minimizing bezel thickness and maintaining a full front display, as the camera placement can create a punch hole or black spot on the display, affecting aesthetics and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A camera module with a pop-up mechanism that includes a driving unit capable of rotating and sliding the optical assembly, allowing it to protrude externally when needed and retract when not in use, thereby eliminating the need for a thick bezel and enabling a full front display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the camera is installed in the bezel of the electronic device, then the camera can be exposed and used, but the bezel thickness increases and the front display area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module is designed to be movable between a retracted position (within the housing) and a protruding position (externally exposed). The driving unit enables the optical assembly to dynamically change its position, allowing the camera to be hidden when not in use and exposed when needed, thus eliminating the need for a thick bezel and preserving the front display area.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the camera in the planar bezel area (2D constraint), the invention moves the camera into the depth dimension (3D space) by allowing it to protrude from the housing. This dimensional transition enables the camera to be stored within the device thickness and only extended when needed, effectively removing the trade-off between bezel thickness and display area.
2Area of stationary object
If the camera is retracted into the housing, then the exterior is simplified and full front display is achieved, but the camera cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module incorporates a driving unit that enables dynamic position switching between retracted and protruding states. This dynamic mechanism ensures the camera is hidden during normal display operation and only exposed when camera functionality is required, thus maintaining both full front display and camera usability.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera module operates periodically by transitioning between retracted and protruding positions based on usage requirements. The driving unit responds to operational needs by extending the camera when needed and retracting it when not in use, creating a periodic action pattern that balances display aesthetics and camera functionality.
3Area of stationary object
If a pop-up mechanism is added to enable camera movement, then full front display is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module is divided into separate functional components: the optical assembly (lens and image sensor), the driving unit for position control, and the rotating element for orientation adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates modular assembly, reducing overall system complexity despite the added functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving unit serves multiple functions: it controls the protrusion and retraction of the optical assembly and also enables rotation for orientation adjustment. By combining multiple functions into a single integrated unit, the design reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby managing device complexity while achieving full front display capability.
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
The pop-up camera module allows for a compact electronic device design with a full front display, as the camera can rotate and slide within the device, maintaining functionality while minimizing external damage and visibility issues.
Implementation Method 1
The second driving unit may include an elastic member configured to provide a force that pushes the optical assembly in the second direction when the optical assembly is pressed in the first direction with respect to the second driving unit.
Implementation Method 2
rotation of the disk member may be transferred to the power transmission element by a frictional force between the disk member and the power transmission element
Data Source
AI summary
A camera module is provided. The camera module includes an optical assembly including one or more lens and an image sensor, a first driving unit configured to move the optical assembly in a first direction to retract the optical assembly into a housing of an electronic device in which the optical assembly is disposed, or configured to move the optical assembly in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, so that the optical assembly protrudes externally from the housing, and a second driving unit configured to rotate the optical assembly in a protruding state based on a rotation axis, parallel to the first direction.