Rotation sensor

• US 7,305,771 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Original Assignee: Altek Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Tzu Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett; G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US11/376,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 33/1.PT, 33301-401
• US Class Current: 33/366.24
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/068 resistive
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/12 by using a single pendulum plumb lines G01C15/10

Abstract

A rotation sensor comprising a Y-shaped strip and a conducting strip is disposed in a digital imaging device. The conducting strip is disposed below the Y-shaped strip. The Y-shaped strip has two sensing arms and a fixed arm. A metal piece is disposed on each of the two sensing arms. When the sensing arm hangs down due to the weight of the metal piece to touch the conducting strip, the Y-shaped strip and the conducting strip will form a closed circuit and send out a signal. Whether the digital imaging device is rotated is determined based on this signal. Whether the device body is horizontal or vertical can thus be accurately and quickly determined. Moreover, because the detection is accomplished through gentle deformation or rotation of the sensing arms, there will be no noise during the detection process.

Claims

1. A rotation sensor system disposed inside a digital imaging device having a processor, said rotation sensor system being capable of detecting the rotation state of said digital imaging device when said digital imaging device is capturing a picture, said rotation sensor system comprising:

a processor mounted on a circuit board;

a rotation sensor electrically coupled to said circuit board for sensing a rotation of said circuit board;

said rotation sensor including;

a Y-shaped strip having two sensing arms and a fixed arm for connecting said two sensing arms, a metal piece being disposed on each of said two sensing arms, said sensing arms being made of an electrically conductive material, wherein a first end of said fixed arm is integrally connected to an end of each of said two sensing arms and a second end of said fixed arm is fixedly disposed in said digital imaging device, said second end being electrically connected to said circuit board; and

a conducting strip disposed between said two sensing arms, said conducting strip being fixedly disposed in said digital imaging device and electrically connected to said circuit board, said Y-shaped strip and said conducting strip forming a closed circuit to send out a signal to said processor when one of said metal pieces on one of said two sensing arms touches said conducting strip, said processor thereby determining the rotation state of said digital imaging device based on said signal.

2. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said Y-shaped strip is pivotally disposed in said digital imaging device.

3. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said two sensing arms of said Y-shaped strip are made of inflexible material.

4. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixed arm of said Y-shaped strip is fixedly disposed in said digital imaging device.

5. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two sensing arms of said Y-shaped strip are made of elastic material.

6. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said Y-shaped strip is made of metal material.

7. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal pieces are composed of zinc, aluminum, or copper.

8. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor determines that said photography device has been rotated for 70 to 110 degrees based on said signal.

9. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a circuit board is further disposed in said digital imaging device for installation of said rotation sensor.

10. The rotation sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital imaging device is a mobile phone, a digital camera, or a digital camcorder.