Reflector Swing Support With Biasing to Eliminate Backlash
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reflector driving devices experience instability due to backlash between the shaft and bushes, which affects the stable swinging of prisms, leading to adverse influences on image capture quality.
Innovation Solution
A reflector driving device with a configuration that includes a reflector-retaining member, first and second support members, and biasing members, along with first and second driving mechanisms, to stabilize the swinging motion of a reflector, utilizing magnetic field-generating members and coils to enhance stability and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the clearance between the shaft and bushes is made large to ensure rotation, then the shaft can rotate freely, but backlash occurs between the shaft and bushes which adversely influences the swing of the prism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a elastic member (spring) as an intermediary element between the shaft and bushes. This spring member maintains constant contact pressure between the shaft and bushes, eliminating clearance while preventing excessive contact forces. The spring acts as a mediator that ensures both free rotation and stable swing by dynamically adjusting the contact state between moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the contact parameter from clearance-based to constant-contact-based by introducing the elastic member. Instead of relying on clearance for rotation, the system uses controlled contact pressure maintained by the spring. This parameter change allows the shaft to rotate freely while preventing backlash, as the spring continuously adjusts to maintain optimal contact conditions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the dimensional tolerances of the shaft and bushes are set large to provide clearance, then the shaft can rotate, but backlash occurs which affects image capture quality
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member serves as a mediator that decouples the tolerance accumulation from the functional performance. By introducing this intermediate element, the system can accommodate larger dimensional tolerances in the shaft and bushes while maintaining precise swing control. The spring compensates for tolerance variations and ensures consistent contact pressure regardless of manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the critical parameter from clearance (which requires tight tolerances) to contact pressure (which can be maintained with wider tolerances). The elastic member enables the system to use larger dimensional tolerances while achieving the same functional result of precise rotation and swing, thereby improving ease of manufacture without sacrificing precision.
3Reliability
If the clearance between shaft and bushes is reduced to minimize backlash, then swing stability improves, but the shaft cannot rotate freely
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member acts as a mediator that enables constant contact between the shaft and bushes without restricting rotation. The spring maintains optimal contact pressure that allows free rotation while preventing backlash. This intermediary element resolves the contradiction by providing both rotation freedom and swing stability simultaneously through controlled elastic contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic contact through the elastic member, transforming the static clearance-based connection into a dynamic constant-contact connection. The spring continuously adjusts to maintain optimal contact pressure during rotation and swing operations, enabling the system to achieve both rotation freedom and swing stability through dynamic adaptation rather than fixed clearance.
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 device ensures stable and controlled swinging of the reflector, improving image capture quality by minimizing backlash and maintaining consistent reflector positioning, thereby enhancing the performance of camera modules.
Implementation Method 1
a first biasing member configured to bias the reflector-retaining member toward the first support member
Implementation Method 2
a second biasing member configured to bias the first support member toward the second support member
Implementation Method 3
a first driving mechanism configured to swing the reflector-retaining member about the first axis
Implementation Method 4
a second driving mechanism configured to swing the first support member about the second axis
Data Source
AI summary
A reflector driving device includes: a reflector-retaining member configured to retain a reflector that refracts light; a first support member configured to support the reflector-retaining member so as to be swingable about a first axis; a second support member configured to support the first support member so as to be swingable about a second axis having an axis-line direction perpendicular to an axis-line direction of the first axis; a first driving mechanism configured to swing the reflector-retaining member about the first axis; a second driving mechanism configured to swing the first support member about the second axis; a first biasing member configured to bias the reflector-retaining member toward the first support member; and a second biasing member configured to bias the first support member toward the second support member.