Camera assembly, electronic apparatus and mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10444802-B2
Application number	US-201816114751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A camera assembly may include a fixed holder, sliding means connected to the fixed holder, configured to move relative to the fixed holder and including a magnet, a camera module arranged on the sliding means and configured to move between a first position at which the camera module extends out of the fixed holder and a second position at which the camera module retracts into the fixed holder with movement of the sliding means and an electromagnetic element, arranged on the fixed holder and configured to generate repulsive force and attractive force to the magnet to drive the sliding means to move, such that the camera module could move between the first position and the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera assembly, comprising:
a fixed holder;
a sliding means, connected to the fixed holder and configured to move relative to the fixed holder, wherein the sliding means comprises a magnet;
a camera module, arranged on the sliding means and configured to move between a first position at which the camera module extends out of the fixed holder and a second position at which the camera module retracts into the fixed holder with movement of the sliding means; and
an electromagnetic element, arranged on the fixed holder and configured to generate repulsive force and attractive force to the magnet to drive the sliding means to move, such that the camera module moves between the first position and the second position.

2. The camera assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed holder comprises a guiding element extending along a moving direction of the sliding means;
the sliding means further comprises:
a main body, defining a first slot configured to receive the camera module; and
a mating body, connected to the main body and configured to match with the guiding element to guide the movement of the sliding means.

3. The camera assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the mating body defines at least one guiding hole, the guiding element comprises at least one guiding rod passing through the at least one guiding hole.

4. The camera assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the mating body defines a second slot, the magnet is received in the second slot, the electromagnetic element and the magnet are arranged along the moving direction of the sliding means.

5. The camera assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the main body defines a second slot, the magnet is received in the second slot, the electromagnetic element and the magnet are arranged along the moving direction of the sliding means.

6. The camera assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the main body comprises a bottom wall in the first slot, the bottom wall defines a through hole for light to penetrate to enter the camera module.

7. The camera assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the fixed holder further comprises:
a bottom plate, substantially parallel to the moving direction of the sliding means;
a first side plate, extending substantially perpendicularly from an end of the bottom plate and defining a first opening; and
a second side plate, extending substantially perpendicularly from the other end of the bottom plate and opposite to the first side plate;
wherein an end of the at least one guiding rod is connected to the first side plate, the other end of the at least one guiding rod is connected to the second side plate, the electromagnetic element is fixed on the second side plate, the second position is between the first side plate and the second side plate, the camera module is configured to extend out of or retract into the fixed holder through the first opening.

8. The camera assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one guiding rod is two guiding rods arranged opposite to each other;
the at least one guiding hole is two guiding holes, the mating body is arranged between the guiding rods, the mating body comprises two mating portions, one of the mating portions is arranged on one side of the main body and defines one of the guiding holes, the other one of the mating portions is arranged on the other side of the main body and defines the other one of the guiding holes.

9. The camera assembly according to claim 7 , wherein when the camera module is at the first position, the mating body abuts against the first side plate to stop the camera module from extending; when the camera module is at the second position, the mating body abuts against the second side plate to stop the camera module from retracting.

10. The camera assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the end of the guiding rod passes through the first side plate and is connected to a stop member, and the other end of the guiding rod passes through the second side plate and is connected to another stop member, such that the guiding rod is kept being connected to the first side plate and the second side plate.

11. The camera assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the bottom plate defines a second opening communicating with the first opening, the camera module protrudes relative to the bottom plate through the second opening.

12. The camera assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the fixed holder further comprises:
a bottom plate, substantially parallel to the moving direction of the sliding means;
a first side plate, extending substantially perpendicularly from an end of the bottom plate; and
a second side plate, extending substantially perpendicularly from the other end of the bottom plate and opposite to the first side plate;
wherein the first side plate and the second side plate are substantially parallel to the moving direction of the sliding means, the guiding element comprises two guiding rails, one of the guiding rails is provided on the first side plate, the other one of the guiding rails is provided on the second side plate;
the mating body is arranged between the first side plate and the second side plate, the mating body defines two guiding grooves, one of the guiding rails is inserted into one of the guiding groove, the other one of the guiding rails is inserted into the other one of the guiding grooves.

13. The camera assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic element is a coil.

14. The camera assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the camera module is kept at the first position by the repulsive force; and the camera module is kept at the second position by the attractive force.

15. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a screen engaged with the housing to define a chamber; and
a slidable assembly received in the chamber and comprising:
a fixed holder, fixed on the housing;
a slidable bracket, connected to the fixed holder and configured to move relative to the fixed holder, wherein the slidable bracket comprises a magnet;
a slidable device, arranged on the slidable bracket and configured to move between a first position at which the slidable device extends out of the chamber and a second position at which the slidable device retracts into the chamber with movement of the slidable bracket; and
an electromagnetic element, arranged on the fixed holder;

wherein the electromagnetic element and the magnet are arranged along a moving direction of the slidable device, when the magnet is repulsed to the electromagnetic element, the slidable bracket is driven to move away from the electromagnetic element such that the slidable device is forced to the first position; when the magnet is attracted to the electromagnetic element, the slidable bracket is driven to move toward the electromagnetic element such that the slidable device is pulled to the second position.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the fixed holder further comprises a guiding element extending along a moving direction of the slidable bracket;
the slidable bracket further comprises:
a main body, defining a first slot configured to receive the slidable device; and
a mating body, connected to the main body and configured to match with the guiding element to guide the movement of the slidable bracket.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the slidable device is kept at the first position by repulsive force; and the slidable device is kept at the second position by attractive force.

18. A mobile terminal, comprising:
a front shell

Assignees

• Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp Ltd

Inventors

• Zeng Zanjian

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04M1/0237

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• G06F1/1686 Primary

  the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera · CPC title

• G06F1/1605

  Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones · CPC title