Electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10901299-B2
Application number	US-201916449314-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2019
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

An electronic apparatus equipped with a camera includes a shutter mechanism which includes: a plate that is installed so as to be able to move between a first position shielding a lens of a camera from light and a second position not shielding the lens of the camera from light; and a control unit that controls electric power from a power unit that causes a first wire or a second wire to thermally shrink. The plate is moved from the first position to the second position by the first operation lever, and, when the plate is in the second position, causes the second wire to thermally shrink to thereby drive a second operation lever, so that the plate is moved from the second position to the first position by a biasing force of a first spring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a chassis;
a camera installed in the chassis; and
a shutter mechanism configured to shield a lens of the camera from light,
the shutter mechanism including:
a plate configured to move between a first position shielding the lens from light and a second position not shielding the lens from light,
a first spring connected to the plate, and configured to stretch with movement of the plate from the first position to the second position, to thereby produce a biasing force in a direction of moving the plate back to the first position,
a first operation lever configured to drive the plate to move from the first position to the second position,
a second operation lever configured to move in conjunction with the movement of the plate driven by the first operation lever, the second operation lever having an engaged portion engaged with an engaging portion of the plate when the plate has moved to the second position,
a second spring connected to the second operation lever, and is configured to, with the movement of the plate from the first position, be elastically deformed and accumulate a biasing force, and, when the plate has moved to the second position, to bias the second operation lever to a side of the plate, to thereby hold the plate with the engaging portion engaged with the engaged portion of the second operation lever,
a first wire that is heat-shrinkable and having one end connected to the first operation lever, and is configured to thermally shrink and thereby drive the first operation lever,
a second wire that is heat-shrinkable and having one end connected to the second operation lever, and is configured to thermally shrink and thereby drive the second operation lever, and
a control unit configured to cause the first wire to thermally shrink and thereby drive the first operation lever, and thereby provide control so that the plate is moved from the first position to the second position by the first operation lever and, when the plate is in the second position, to cause the second wire to thermally shrink and thereby drive the second operation lever, and to thereby release the engaging portion of the plate from engagement with the engaged portion of the second operation lever and to provide control so that the plate is moved from the second position to the first position by the biasing force of the first spring.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a detecting device configured to detect whether the plate is in the first position or the second position,
wherein, at time of startup of the electronic apparatus, when the detecting device detects that the plate is in the first position, the control unit is configured to cause the first wire to thermally shrink, and
at time of shutdown of the electronic apparatus, when the detecting device detects that the plate is in the second position, the control unit is configured to cause the second wire to thermally shrink.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a detecting device configured to detect whether the plate is in the first position or the second position,
wherein, at time of activation of the camera, when the detecting device detects that the plate is in the first position, the control unit is configured to cause the first wire to thermally shrink, and
at time of deactivation of the camera, when the detecting device detects that the plate is in the second position, the control unit is configured to cause the second wire to thermally shrink.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is configured to move rotationally from the first position to the second position around a fixed member, as a rotation center, fixed to the chassis.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plate includes:
a shielding plate configured to shield the lens of the camera from light when the plate has moved to the first position; and
an opening configured to expose the lens of the camera when the plate has moved to the second position.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
one end of the first spring is fixed to the chassis and an other end is engaged with a through hole formed on the plate, and
when the plate is moved from the first position by the first operation lever, the first spring is configured to produce a biasing force in a direction of biasing the plate back to the first position.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first operation lever is configured to move rotationally around a first fixed member, as a rotation center, fixed to the chassis, and
the second operation lever is configured to move rotationally around a second fixed member, as a rotation center, fixed to the chassis.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a lock mechanism configured to restrict driving of the second operation lever is alongside the shutter mechanism.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Nakamura Fusanobu
• Itoh Hiroshi
• Yamazaki Mitsuhiro
• Nagashima Atsushi

Classifications

• G03B11/043 Primary

  Protective lens closures or lens caps built into cameras · CPC title

• G03B9/10 Primary

  Blade or disc rotating or pivoting about axis normal to its plane · CPC title