Sliding Front Plate Mechanism for Dual Camera Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with sensors on the periphery of displays face visibility issues due to the presence of these sensors, which can obstruct information displayed on the screen.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device design featuring a front plate with a display, a rear plate, and a support member containing cameras that slide to alternately reveal either the front-facing or rear-facing camera, allowing for different operational states without explicit user input, enhancing user experience and power efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are disposed on the periphery of the display, then the electronic device can provide sensing functions, but the visibility of information displayed on the display is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device is divided into multiple layers including front plate, support member with sensors, and rear plate. The sensors are segmented and positioned in the support member rather than directly on the display, allowing the display area to be maximized while sensing functions are preserved in the intermediate layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensors are relocated from the two-dimensional display surface to a third-dimensional space within the support member layer. This vertical displacement allows sensors to coexist with the display without occupying display area, resolving the conflict between sensing functionality and display visibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cameras are always visible, then camera availability is improved, but power consumption increases and device exterior is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system transitions from a static always-visible configuration to a dynamic configuration where cameras can be occluded or exposed based on operational needs. The front plate can slide to expose either the front camera or rear camera, allowing the system to adapt its state rather than maintaining a fixed camera-visible state.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera modules are extracted from the main body and positioned in the support member, allowing them to be independently occluded by the front plate. This separation enables selective visibility of cameras without requiring the entire device structure to change.
3Adaptability or versatility
If front plate slides to reveal cameras, then camera availability is improved, but device structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The front plate serves multiple functions: it acts as the display cover, provides structural support, and functions as a movable occlusion mechanism for the cameras. By making the front plate multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall structural complexity despite the sliding capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device according to an embodiment includes: a front plate facing a first direction; a rear plate facing a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a support member including a first camera and a second camera, and disposed between the front plate and the rear plate, and, when the front plate slides in a third direction in a first state in which the first camera is occluded by the front plate and the second camera is occluded by the rear plate, the electronic device is configured into a second state in which the first camera is visible, and when the front plate slides in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction in the first state, the support member is configured to slide along with the front plate and the electronic device is configured into a third state in which the second camera is visible.