Smartphone Optical Unit with Spherical Convex Contact for Reduced Drive Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional camera image stabilizers face difficulties in reducing the force required to drive the actuator due to the torque being the product of the radius and frictional force, making it challenging to effectively correct camera shake and suppress image blur.
Innovation Solution
The optical unit includes a movable body and a support body with a swing mechanism, where one of the bodies has a convex portion that protrudes toward the other, allowing for overlapping optical and swing axes, which reduces the force needed to drive the unit by minimizing frictional force and stabilizing the swing of the optical element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the ball is disposed at the end portions of the intermediate base and the bottom base, then the actuator can rotate the intermediate base with respect to the bottom base, but it is difficult to reduce the force required to drive the actuator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a spherical convex portion instead of a traditional ball mechanism. The spherical shape allows for smooth rolling contact between the movable body and support body, reducing frictional force. The curvature of the spherical convex portion enables it to fit into a corresponding spherical concave portion, creating a low-friction interface that minimizes the driving force required while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional ball-and-socket mechanical connection with a spherical convex-concave interface that operates on rolling friction principles. This substitution reduces the coefficient of friction from sliding friction (in ball mechanisms) to rolling friction, significantly lowering the force required to rotate the intermediate base relative to the bottom base.
2Reliability
If the optical element holder is supported by the intermediate base with arcuate grooves and balls, then the optical element can rotate, but the frictional force increases the torque required for rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical convex portion on the movable body fits into a spherical concave portion on the support body, creating a rolling contact interface. This curved geometry ensures that the contact point moves along the spherical surface during rotation, minimizing frictional resistance and reducing the torque required to rotate the optical element while maintaining reliable rotational motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical convex portion acts as an intermediary element between the movable body and support body. This spherical interface mediates the rotational motion by providing a low-friction rolling contact surface, reducing the direct frictional interaction between the optical element holder and the intermediate base, thereby lowering the required torque.
3Ease of operation
If the ball is positioned at the end portions for rotation, then the actuator can function, but the frictional force cannot be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical convex portion provides a curved rolling surface that minimizes frictional contact during operation. The spherical geometry ensures that the contact force is distributed over a changing contact point rather than a fixed point, reducing static friction and enabling easier operation with lower frictional resistance compared to traditional ball mechanisms.
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
This configuration improves the accuracy of image stabilization by allowing the optical element to be swung about two axes, reducing the force required to drive the unit and stabilizing the swing, thereby effectively suppressing image blur.
Implementation Method 1
a first convex portion 71 having a spherical shape. The other of the movable body 2 and the support body 3 comes into contact with the first convex portion 71. The first convex portion 71 is disposed on the second swing axis A2
Data Source
AI summary
An optical unit includes a movable body, a support body, and a swing mechanism. The movable body includes an optical element that changes a traveling direction of light. The support body supports the movable body swingably about a swing axis. The swing mechanism swings the movable body about the swing axis. One of the movable body and the support body has a first convex portion. The first convex portion protrudes toward the other of the movable body and the support body. The other of the movable body and the support body comes into contact with the first convex portion. The first convex portion is arranged on the swing axis. An optical axis of the optical element and the swing axis are arranged to overlap each other.