Camera and light adjustment module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020355987-A1
Application number	US-202016929876-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2020
Priority date	May 8, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light-adjustment module for camera includes a light source unit and a light-adjustment unit. The light source unit includes light-emitting elements disposed around a lens of the camera, and the light-emitting direction of each light-emitting element is parallel to the image-capturing direction of the lens. The light-adjustment unit is disposed above the light source unit and includes secondary optical elements respectively corresponding to the light-emitting elements. Each secondary optical element includes a light-transmitting cover, and each light-emitting element is accommodated inside the corresponding light-transmitting cover. An inner wall of each light-transmitting cover includes a first light-guiding inclined surface and a second light-guiding inclined surface.
A first slope of the first light-guiding inclined surface is different from a second slope of the second light-guiding inclined surface. A light emitted by each light-emitting element is deflected through the corresponding first light-guiding inclined surface and the corresponding second light-guiding inclined surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light adjustment module for camera is applicable to a camera, the light adjustment module comprising:
a light source unit comprising a plurality of light emitting elements disposed around a lens of the camera, wherein a light emitting direction of each of the light emitting elements is parallel to an image capturing direction of the lens; and a light adjustment unit disposed above the light source unit and comprising a plurality of secondary optical elements, wherein the secondary optical elements respectively corresponds to of light emitting elements; wherein each of the secondary optical elements comprises a light transmitting cover, each of the light emitting elements is accommodated inside the corresponding light transmitting cover; an inner wall of each of the light transmitting covers comprises a first light guiding inclined surface and a second light guiding inclined surface, and a first slope of the first light guiding inclined surface is different from a second slope of the second light guiding inclined surface; wherein a light emitted by each of the light emitting elements is deflected through the corresponding first light guiding inclined surface and the corresponding second light guiding inclined surface.

2 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises a normal central axis, each of the light transmitting covers comprises an inner side and an outer side opposite to the inner side, a distance between the inner side and the normal central axis is shorter than a distance between the outer side and the normal central axis, and for each of the light transmitting covers, a distance between the first light guiding inclined surface and the inner side is shorter than a distance between the second light guiding inclined surface and the inner side.

3 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 2 , wherein in each of the light transmitting covers, an absolute value of the first slope of the first light guiding inclined surface is less than an absolute value of the second slope of the second light guiding inclined surface.

4 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein each of the light transmitting covers comprises a lateral portion connected between the inner side and the outer side, and the first light guiding inclined surface or the second light guiding inclined surface inclines toward the lateral portion.

5 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein each of the light transmitting covers comprises a connection portion between the first light guiding inclined surface and the second light guiding inclined surface, and the connection portion of each of the light transmitting covers is located in the light emitting direction of the corresponding light emitting element and is deflected from an optical axis of the corresponding light emitting element.

6 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein in each of the light transmitting covers, a surface of the first light guiding inclined surface, a surface of the second light guiding inclined surface, or both the surface of the first light guiding inclined surface and the surface of the second guiding inclined surface comprise an optical microstructure.

7 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein the light source unit comprises a substrate, the substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the light emitting elements are fixedly disposed on the first surface.

8 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein the light adjustment unit comprises a transparent cover, and the secondary optical elements are extending from a surface of the transparent cover.

9 . The light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein each of the light emitting elements is eccentrically disposed in the corresponding light transmitting cover.

10 . A camera comprising:
a camera body having a lens; and a light adjustment module for camera according to claim 1 , wherein the light adjustment module is disposed in the camera body.

11 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein the lens comprises a normal central axis, each of the light transmitting covers comprises an inner side and an outer side opposite to the inner side, a distance between the inner side and the normal central axis is shorter than a distance between the outer side and the normal central axis, and for each of the light transmitting covers, a distance between the first light guiding inclined surface and the inner side is shorter than a distance between the second light guiding inclined surface and the inner side.

12 . The camera according to claim 11 , wherein in each of the light transmitting covers, an absolute value of the first slope of the first light guiding inclined surface is less than an absolute value of the second slope of the second light guiding inclined surface.

13 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein each of the light transmitting covers comprises a lateral portion connected between the inner side and the outer side, and the first light guiding inclined surface or the second light guiding inclined surface inclines toward the lateral portion.

14 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein each of the light transmitting covers comprises a connection portion between the first light guiding inclined surface and the second light guiding inclined surface, and the connection portion of each of the light transmitting covers is located in the light emitting direction of the corresponding light emitting element and is deflected from an optical axis of the corresponding light emitting element.

15 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein in each of the light transmitting covers, a surface of the first light guiding inclined surface, a surface of the second light guiding inclined surface, or both the surface of the first light guiding inclined surface and the surface of the second guiding inclined surface comprise an optical microstructure.

16 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein the light source unit comprises a substrate, the substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the light emitting elements are fixedly disposed on the first surface.

17 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein the light adjustment unit comprises a transparent cover, and the secondary optical elements are extending from a surface of the transparent cover.

18 . The camera according to claim 10 , wherein each of the light emitting elements is eccentrically disposed in the corresponding light transmitting cover.

Assignees

• Chicony Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Chien-Yueh
• Jang Jin-Kae

Classifications

• G03B15/05 Primary

  Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units · CPC title

• G03B2215/0575

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• G03B2215/0567

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• G03B2215/0585

  Movable reflectors, e.g. change of illumination angle or direction · CPC title

• G03B2215/0503

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