Rotating Camera Module Sliding Mechanism for Full Display Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with cameras face challenges in utilizing the front surface effectively, as traditional camera modules occupy space, leading to inconvenient display usage and increased standby times during video calls or mode switching.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device design featuring a camera module unit that slides and rotates within the housing, allowing it to function as both front and rear cameras, with a sliding mechanism that adjusts the camera's position to optimize display usage and reduce standby times by subdividing operations and enabling three-dimensional image capture and various angles in self-mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a camera module is disposed on the front surface of the electronic device, then the device can function as a front camera, but the display cannot use the entire region of the front surface
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module is designed to be movable between front and rear positions rather than fixed. The slide portion allows the camera module to dynamically change its position along the thickness direction of the housing, enabling it to move from occupying front surface space to being positioned at the rear, thus resolving the conflict between camera functionality and display area utilization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the camera module slides and rotates to switch between front and rear camera modes, then one camera can serve multiple functions, but the operation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera module is pre-positioned in a standby location within the housing rather than requiring full retraction to the rear every time. This preliminary positioning allows for faster switching between front and rear camera modes, as the module only needs to slide a short distance and rotate, rather than traveling the entire distance from rear to front position.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the camera module is positioned to extend beyond the display, then it can rotate to face different directions, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding and rotating functions are merged into a single integrated mechanism. The camera module slides along the thickness direction of the housing and simultaneously rotates about an axis perpendicular to the sliding direction, combining two degrees of freedom into one coordinated motion system. This reduces the overall structural complexity compared to having separate sliding and rotating mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes housing, and a display, where at least part of the display is accommodated in the housing. The electronic device also includes a slide portion and a camera module unit. The slide portion includes an opening exposed to an outside and sliding with respect to the housing. The camera module unit is disposed at the opening and rotating with respect to the slide portion. The slide portion is configured to overlap with the display, in a first state, extend from the display by a first stroke, in a second state, and extend more than the first stroke by a second stroke, in a third state. The camera module unit is configured to face a first direction in the first state and the second state and to rotate toward a second direction different from the first direction, by the second stroke, when switching to the third state.