Camera assembly and electronic device including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12574451-B2
Application number	US-202418585543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2024
Priority date	Jun 2, 2023
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electronic device. An electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes: a display defining a first surface of the electronic device, a housing defining a second surface of the electronic device spaced apart from the first surface, and a camera assembly at least partially disposed between the first surface and the second surface. The camera assembly includes: a case including a first camera hole open toward the first surface and a second camera hole open toward the second side, a rotary body rotatably disposed between the first camera hole and the second camera hole and including a first reflective surface configured to reflect light passing through the first camera hole, and a second reflective surface configured to reflect light passing through the second camera hole, an image sensor spaced apart from the rotary body and configured to receive the light reflected from the first and/or second reflective surface, a lens barrel disposed between the image sensor and the rotating body, a lens disposed inside the lens barrel, and an actuator configured to move the image sensor along a direction in which the image sensor and the rotary body are spaced apart from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device including a front side and a rear side, the electronic device comprising:
a display disposed on the front side of the electronic device; a camera assembly, wherein at least a portion of the camera assembly is disposed between the front side and the rear side, wherein the camera assembly comprises: a case including a first camera hole and a second camera hole; a rotary body rotatably disposed in the case, wherein the rotary body includes a first reflective surface configured to reflect light passing through the first camera hole from the front side and a second reflective surface configured to reflect light passing through the second camera hole from the rear side, and wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface are configured to rotate together according to rotation of the rotary body, an image sensor spaced apart from the rotary body and configured to receive light reflected on the first reflective surface or the second reflective surface, a lens barrel including a lens located on an optical path inside the camera assembly, and disposed between the image sensor and the rotary body, and an actuator configured to move at least one of the image sensor or the lens to adjust an angle of view of an image to be captured, wherein the actuator comprises: a first actuator configured to move the lens barrel along a direction in which the image sensor and the rotary body are spaced; and a second actuator configured to move the image sensor along the direction in which the image sensor and the rotary body are spaced.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises:
an actuating coil configured to receive current and generate a magnetic field; and a magnet configured to move with the image sensor and to generate magnetic force with the actuating coil.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the case includes a first wall in which the first camera hole is formed, and
wherein the first wall includes an accommodation space in which the actuating coil is disposed.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the case includes a first wall in which the first camera hole is formed, and
wherein the actuator comprises a slider disposed between the image sensor and the first wall.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the case includes a first wall in which the first camera hole is formed, and
wherein the actuator comprises a roller disposed between the image sensor and the first wall, and configured to rotate.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an image sensor assembly comprising the image sensor and an image sensor housing accommodating the image sensor,
wherein the second actuator is configured to move the image sensor housing.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the camera assembly is configured to be driven in one of a first state in which the rotary body closes the first camera hole and opens the second camera hole and a second state in which the rotary body opens the first camera hole and closes the second camera hole, and
wherein a distance between the image sensor and the lens barrel in the first state is greater than a distance between the image sensor and the lens barrel in the second state.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the camera assembly is configured to be driven in one of a first state in which the first camera hole is closed and the second camera hole is open according to rotation of the rotary body and a second state in which the first camera hole is open and the second camera hole is closed according to rotation of the rotary body, and
wherein a distance between the lens barrel and the rotary body in the first state is greater than a distance between the lens barrel and the rotary body in the second state.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the lens barrel is configured to be movable by the actuator.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first coil disposed around at least a portion of the first camera hole; a second coil disposed around at least a portion of the second camera hole; a first magnetic body configured to be movable together with the rotary body and to generate magnetic force with the first coil; and a second magnetic body configured to be movable together with the rotary body and to generate magnetic force with the second coil.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the rotary body is configured to move toward the first camera hole by attractive force between the first coil and the first magnetic body.

12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the rotary body is configured to move toward the first camera hole by repulsive force between the second coil and the second magnetic body.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, based on light passing through the first camera hole being reflected by the first reflective surface and entering the image sensor, the second reflective surface is configured to block passage of light through the second camera hole.

14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface form an included angle.

15 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first surface and a second surface spaced apart from the first surface; and a camera assembly including a space configured to allow light to propagate, wherein at least a portion of the camera assembly is disposed between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the camera assembly comprises: a first wall facing the first surface and including a first camera hole open toward the space, a second wall including a second camera hole facing the second surface, spaced apart from the first wall, and open toward the space, a first coil surrounding at least a portion of the first camera hole, a second coil surrounding at least a portion of the second camera hole, a rotary body rotatably disposed between the first camera hole and the second camera hole, a first magnetic body configured to be movable together with the rotary body, a second magnetic body configured to be movable together with the rotary body, a first reflective surface coupled to the first coil and configured to close the first camera hole by magnetic force between the first coil and the first magnetic body, a second reflective surface coupled to the second coil and configured to close the second camera hole by magnetic force between the second coil and the second magnetic body, and an image sensor configured to receive light reflected from the first reflective surface and/or the second reflective surface.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the rotary body is configured to move toward the first camera hole by attractive force between the first coil and the first magnetic body.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein each of the first coil and the second coil comprises:
a winding body configured to receive applied current; and a buffer member comprising a compressible and expandable material surrounding at least a part of the winding body.

18 . The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a support block to which the rotary body is rotatably coupled, wherein the rotary body comprises a stopper protruding toward the support block, and wherein the support block comprises a slit into which the stopper is movably inserted.

19 . The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein th

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Changi
• Kang Jeongho
• Kim Namwoo
• Kim Minho
• Hong Hyunchul
• Kim Byoungjun
• Ahn Jaeuk
• Yoon Yeonggyu
• Choi Junyoung
• Yoon Byounguk

Classifications

• H04N23/54 Primary

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

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title