Retractable Camera Mounting Frame for Mobile Terminal Screen Ratio

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Solution Overview

Problem

Full screen mobile phones face limitations in increasing screen-to-body ratio due to the presence of front camera assemblies, loudspeaker assemblies, and light sensors on the front top side, which occupy valuable space.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal design featuring a mounting frame with a storage groove that allows the first camera to extend or retract, using a driving device to expose or hide the camera, thereby maintaining a high screen-to-body ratio and enhancing privacy by preventing unintended camera use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If electronic devices (front camera assembly, loudspeaker assembly, light sensor) are placed on the front top side of the mobile terminal, then the functional completeness of the device is improved, but the screen-to-body ratio is reduced due to occupation of display area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional completenessVSAvoidscreen-to-body ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The front camera assembly is extracted from the front top side and relocated to the bottom side of the mobile terminal. This extraction removes the conflicting element from the display area, allowing the screen-to-body ratio to increase while the camera functionality is preserved at its new location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly is moved from the horizontal dimension (front top side) to the vertical dimension (bottom side), utilizing underutilized space in a different spatial dimension. This dimensional relocation resolves the area conflict while maintaining device functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the camera is always exposed, then the camera functionality is always accessible, but user privacy may be compromised due to unintended camera use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera accessibilityVSAvoidprivacy risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The camera assembly is designed with dynamic movability, allowing it to transition between exposed and retracted states. This dynamic design enables the camera to be accessible when needed while providing physical concealment for privacy protection when not in use, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly can be retracted in advance before actual use, creating a preliminary protective state that prevents unintended camera activation. This preliminary anti-action (retraction) counteracts the potential harmful effect of privacy invasion while maintaining operational readiness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3525434B1Mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2020.10.07 GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP LTD
  • EP3525434B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3525434B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3525434B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile terminal may include a housing (20); a mother board (30); a first display screen (60). The first display screen (60) may be arranged on a front side face of the housing (20). A storage groove (27) may be defined on a top end face of the housing (20). The storage groove (27) may be located between a front and a rear side faces (21, 28) and may extend to and penetrate a left and a right side faces (23, 24) of the housing (20). The mobile terminal may further include a mounting frame (40); a first camera (410) arranged on the mounting frame (40). The mounting frame (40) may be configured to extend itself out of the storage groove (27) to expose the first camera (410) or retract itself into the storage groove (27) to hide the first camera (410) into the housing (20).