Portable electronic device and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018059512-A1
Application number	US-201715670125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 7, 2017
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	Mar 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes an image sensor for capturing an image; a barrel including a lens group arranged about a first axis perpendicular to the image sensor, a first housing fixed to the barrel; a second housing disposed under the first housing and coupled to the first housing; at least one magnetic substance disposed at one side of the first housing; and at least one coil disposed at one side of the second housing. When power is supplied to the at least one coil, electromagnetic force is generated between the at least one coil and the at least one magnetic substance. And if the electromagnetic force is generated, the first housing rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, and the barrel moves along the first axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
an image sensor configured to capture an image; a barrel including a lens group arranged about a first axis perpendicular to the image sensor; a first housing fixed to the barrel; a second housing disposed under the first housing and coupled to the first housing; at least one magnetic substance disposed at one side of the first housing; and at least one coil disposed at one side of the second housing, wherein when power is supplied to the at least one coil, electromagnetic force is generated between the at least one coil and the at least one magnetic substance, wherein, when the electromagnetic force is generated, the first housing rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, and the barrel moves along the first axis.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more of ball bearings provided at one or more portions of one or more curved walls of the second housing, wherein the one or more ball bearings are in contact with a bottom surface of the first housing and are adapted to apply a rolling friction force to the first housing when the first housing rotates.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more ball bearings are arranged at intervals of 120° or 180° about a center of the first housing along the one or more curved walls.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first housing further comprises:
a body having a cylindrical opening to receive the barrel; a guide part extending outwardly from an upper surface of the body; and one or more wing parts extending outwardly from the guide part, each wing part having at least one fixing groove to receive the magnetic substance, wherein one or more portions of a bottom surface of the guide part are in contact with the ball bearings and receive the rolling friction force.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more portions of the bottom surface of the guide part include a plurality of steps, each step having a seating groove in which a corresponding ball bearing is seated.

6 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more portions of the bottom surface of the guide part include slopes, such that a distance between the first housing and the second housing linearly increases or decreases depending on a rotation direction of the first housing.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a processor configured to adjust a distance between the image sensor and the barrel by adjusting a quantity of current applied to the at least one coil.

8 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the second housing includes an opening to receive the first housing, and wherein:
the one or more curved walls are formed along a circumference of the opening, each curved wall includes an outer wall, an inner wall having a height lower than a height of the outer wall, and at least one rolling groove to receive a corresponding ball bearing, the outer walls prevent the first housing from moving in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, and the rolling grooves are formed by two protrusion parts formed on top surfaces of the inner walls.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one coil is disposed in a gap between two curved walls.

10 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one coil is fixed to a top surface of the second housing, and
wherein the at least one magnetic substance includes one end having an N polarity and an opposite end having an S polarity, and is fixed to the bottom surface of the guide part to be parallel to the at least one coil.

11 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one coil is fixed to a top surface of the second housing and is perpendicularly to the top surface of the second housing, and
wherein the at least one magnetic substance includes one end having an N polarity and an opposite end having an S polarity, and is fixed to a side surface of the guide part to be parallel to the at least one coil.

12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one yoke is provided on an inner bottom surface of the second housing and under the at least one magnetic substance;
wherein the at least one yoke provides attractive force to the at least one magnet sub stance; wherein the at least one coil includes a plurality of coils positioned symmetrically about the first axis; and wherein the at least one magnetic substance includes a plurality of magnetic substances, each one of the plurality of magnetic substances disposed in parallel to a corresponding coil in the plurality of coils.

13 . A portable electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; a camera device disposed in a portion of the first surface to face the first direction; and a processor electrically connected with the camera device, wherein the camera device includes: a plurality of lenses arranged along a first axis extending in the first direction; a barrel encapsulating the plurality of lenses; an image sensor interposed between the plurality of lenses and the second surface; and an actuator configured to change a distance between the lenses and the image sensor as the barrel is rotated around the first axis.

14 . The portable electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a display exposed through at least a portion of the first surface.

15 . The portable electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a memory electrically connected with the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that when executed, cause the processor to drive the actuator to focus an image to be captured by an image sensor.

16 . The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the camera device further includes a circular support structure interposed between the image sensor and the plurality of lenses and fixed to the barrel.

17 . The portable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the actuator rotates the circular support structure about the first axis.

18 . The portable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the actuator includes an electromagnet, and
wherein the circular support structure includes a magnetic substance moved by the electromagnet.

19 . The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the electromagnet and the magnetic substance generates a force that rotates the magnetic substance about the first axis.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Rho Hyung Jin
• Kang Byung Kwon
• Yu Young Bok
• Choi Sung Wook
• Yu Dong Hun
• Lee Ki Huk

Classifications

• H04N23/54

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

• H04N23/55

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

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/50 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G03B17/56

  Accessories (carrying-cases A45C11/38) · CPC title