Camera module of an electronic device

• US 20070140685A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Wu, Wei-Ming
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0056 Using mechanical couplings, e.g. mating elements H04N2201/0049, H04N2201/0051, H04N2201/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices

Abstract

A camera module with a hinge mechanism is installed on an electronic device. The camera module housing has two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts at two opposite ends. Two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts are pivotally connected with the electronic device. A camera is disposed in the housing. A hinge portion is configured inside at least one of the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts. Two ends of the hinge portion are first and second brackets, which are respectively secured to ground terminals of the camera module and the electronic device. A first cam is secured to the first bracket. A connection shaft, of which one end is secured to the second bracket, goes through a spring, through holes of a second cam, the first cam and the first bracket. When the housing rotates, interactions among the spring, the first cam and the second cam provide regional positioning and regional automatic rotation functionalities.

Claims

1. A camera module installed on an electronic device, the camera module comprising:

a housing, having two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts at two opposite ends, the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts being pivotally connected with the electronic device;

a camera, disposed in the housing; and

a hinge portion, configured inside at least one of the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts, the hinge portion comprising;

a first bracket, connected with the housing at one end;

a first cam, fixed on the first bracket, wherein a first through hole goes through the first cam and the first bracket, and the housing, the first bracket and the first cam can rotate simultaneously;

a second cam, having a second through hole;

a spring;

a second bracket, connected with the electronic device at one end; and

a connection shaft, secured to the second bracket, wherein the connection shaft goes through the spring, the second cam via the second through hole, the first cam and the first bracket via the first through hole successively so as to restrict all thereof within a predetermined distance, when the housing rotates in relation to the electronic device, interactions among the spring, the first cam and the second cam equip the housing with regional positioning and regional automatic rotation functionalities.

2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first cam and the second cam both have a surface, including a convex section, a concave section, a sliding section and a blank section, to contact each other.

3. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the first cam contacts the concave section or the blank section of the second cam.

4. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the second cam contacts the concave section or the blank section of the first cam.

5. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the first cam contacts the sliding section of the second cam.

6. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the second cam contacts the sliding section of the first cam.

7. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first bracket further comprises a restrictor to limit the connection shaft to rotate within a range.

8. A camera module installed on an electronic device, the camera module comprising:

a housing, having two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts at two opposite ends, the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts being pivotally connected with the electronic device;

a board portion, having a camera thereon and disposed inside the housing; and

a metal hinge portion, configured inside at least one of the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts, the hinge portion comprising;

a first bracket, connected with the housing at one end;

a first cam, fixed on the first bracket, wherein a first through hole goes through the first cam and the first bracket, and the housing, the first bracket and the first cam can rotate simultaneously;

a second cam, having a second through hole;

a spring;

a second bracket, connected with the electronic device at one end; and

a connection shaft, secured to the second bracket, wherein the connection shaft goes through the spring, the second cam via the second through hole, the first cam and the first bracket via the first through hole successively so as to restrict all thereof within a predetermined distance, when the housing rotates in relation to the electronic device, interactions among the spring, the first cam and the second cam equipping the housing with regional positioning and regional automatic rotation functionalities.

9. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the first cam and the second cam both have a surface, including a convex section, a concave section, a sliding section and a blank section, to contact each other.

10. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the first cam is in contact with the concave section or the blank section of the second cam.

11. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the second cam is in contact with the concave section or the blank section of the first cam.

12. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the first cam is in contact with the sliding section of the second cam.

13. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the second cam contacts the sliding section of the first cam.

14. The camera module of claim 8, wherein the first bracket further comprises a restrictor to limit the connection shaft to rotate within a range.

15. A camera module installed on an electronic device, the camera module comprising:

a housing, having two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts at two opposite ends, the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts being pivotally connected with the electronic device;

a board portion, having a camera and a switch thereon and disposed inside the housing, an image obtained by the camera being transmitted to a display screen; and

a hinge portion, configured inside at least one of the two hollow cylinder-shaped shafts, the hinge portion comprising;

a first bracket, connected with the housing at one end;

a first cam, fixed on the first bracket, wherein a first through hole goes through the first cam and the first bracket, and the housing, the first bracket and the first cam can rotate simultaneously;

a second cam, having a second through hole;

a spring;

a second bracket, connected with the electronic device at one end;

a connection shaft, secured to the second bracket, wherein the connection shaft goes through the spring, the second cam via the second through hole, the first cam and the first bracket via the first through hole successively so as to restrict all thereof within a predetermined distance, when the housing rotates in relation to the electronic device, interactions among the spring, the first cam and the second cam equip the housing with regional positioning and regional automatic rotation functionalities; and

an arm portion, secured to an opposite end of the first bracket, when the housing rotates and the switch thereof engages with the arm portion, the switch outputs a signal to turn the image upside down on the display screen.

16. The camera module of claim 15, wherein the first cam and the second cam both have a surface, including a convex section, a concave section, a sliding section and a blank section, so as to be able to interact each other.

17. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the first cam is in contact with the concave section or the blank section of the second cam.

18. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the housing is stationary when the convex section of the second cam is in contact with the concave section or the blank section of the first cam.

19. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the first cam is in contact with the sliding section of the second cam.

20. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the housing can rotate automatically when the convex section of the second cam contacts the sliding section of the first cam.