WO2020087307A1

WO2020087307A1 - Imaging apparatus and information terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2020087307A1
Application number: PCT/CN2018/112792
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masaru Uno; Atsushi Yoneyama
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2018-10-30
Filing date: 2018-10-30
Publication date: 2020-05-07
Also published as: CN112889000B; CN112889000A; JP2022506125A; JP7267414B2

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is provided with a reflection mirror so as to avoid imposing restrictions on a display screen. The imaging apparatus(100) includes： a reflection mirror(3); a moving mechanism(200) configured to cause the reflection mirror(3) to pop up from a first position to a second position, the first position being a retaining position within the apparatus, the second position being at a top of the apparatus; and a switching mechanism(300) configured to cause the reflection mirror(3) to switch a first reflection pattern to a second reflection pattern according to the pop-up of the reflection mirror(3), the first reflection pattern allowing light from a first surface of the apparatus(100) to be reflected, the second reflection pattern allowing light from a second surface of the apparatus(100) to be reflected.

Description

IMAGING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION TERMINAL

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, and, more particularly, to a mechanism of a reflection mirror.

Background Art

There is known a camera-mounted portable information terminal such as smartphone, which images an object with the camera. The portable interface is provided with a display device that can display the object on its display screen.

Summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an imaging apparatus and an information terminal equipped with a reflection mirror, so as not to restrict an area of a display screen.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the following technical solutions are used in the embodiment.

A first aspect of an embodiment provide the following imaging apparatus.

The imaging apparatus includes:

a reflection mirror;

a moving mechanism configured to cause the reflection mirror to pop up from a first position to a second position, the first position being a retaining position within the apparatus, the second position being at a top of the apparatus; and

a switching mechanism configured to cause the reflection mirror to switch a first reflection pattern to a second reflection pattern according to the pop-up of the reflection mirror, the first reflection pattern allowing light from a first surface of the apparatus to be reflected, the second reflection pattern allowing light from a second surface of the apparatus to be reflected.

According to the first aspect, for example, an optical path formed by the first and second reflection patterns of the reflection mirror is not used on the first surface side as a display screen side whereby an occupancy area of the display screen is not reduced. Accordingly, the display screen may be not restricted.

In a first possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, the reflection mirror may be configured to move from the first position to the second position, in conjunction with a position movement of the moving mechanism. This may allow a position of the reflection mirror to be moved and therefore pop-up of the reflection mirror can be achieved.

In a second possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, according to the first aspect of the embodiment, or the first possible manner of the first aspect, the switching mechanism may be configured to move according to a position movement of the moving mechanism and cause the reflection mirror to rotate by energizing the reflection mirror on the basis of the movement so that the first reflection pattern can be changed to the second reflection pattern. This allows the reflection pattern of the reflection mirror to be switched.

In a third possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, according to the first aspect of the embodiment, or the first or second possible manner of the first aspect, the moving mechanism may include a drive source, a lead screw that is rotated by the drive source, and a member configured to linearly move along with the switching mechanism in a direction of an optical axis by the rotation of the lead screw. This may allow the switching mechanism and the member to linearly move and therefore pop-up of the reflection mirror and switching of the reflection pattern thereof can be achieved.

In a fourth possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, according to the first aspect of the embodiment, or the first to third possible manners of the first aspect, the switching mechanism may include a rotatable rotary member, and a spring attached to one end of the reflection mirror and disposed so as to energize the reflection mirror so that a reflection mode of the reflection mirror is switched from the first reflection pattern to the second reflection pattern by rotation of the rotary member. This may allow the spring to impart energizing force onto the reflection mirror 3 so that the reflection pattern of the reflection mirror is switched.

In a fifth possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, according to the first aspect of the embodiment, or the first to fourth possible manners of the first aspect, the moving mechanism may include an imaging optical system. This may also allow the imaging optical system to be moved by the moving mechanism.

In a sixth possible manner of the first aspect of the embodiment, according to the first aspect of the embodiment, or the first to fifth possible manners of the first aspect, the moving mechanism may include an oscillator, a drive part disposed on one end side of a lens of the imaging optical system and configured to move the lens of the imaging optical system along a direction of an optical axis by oscillation of the oscillator, and a guide part disposed on an other side of the lens and configured to guide movement of the lens. This may allow the lens in the imaging optical system to be moved.

Brief Description of Drawings

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments more clearly, the following briefly describes the accompanying drawings required for describing the present embodiments. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description depict merely some of the possible embodiments, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings, without creative efforts, from these accompanying drawings, in which:

[Fig. 1A] Fig. 1A is a perspective view showing a schematic configurational example of an imaging apparatus according to one embodiment before pop-up of a reflection mirror.

[Fig. 1B] Fig. 1B is a perspective view showing a schematic configurational example of the imaging apparatus according to one embodiment after pop-up of the reflection mirror.

[Fig. 2A] Fig. 2A is a diagram showing an example of the cross section of the imaging apparatus in Fig. 1A.

[Fig. 2B] Fig. 2B is a diagram showing an example of the cross section of the imaging apparatus in Fig. 1B.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing internal components of the imaging apparatus in Fig. 1A.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the cross sections of the reflection mirror, a switching mechanism and a moving mechanism in the imaging apparatus in Fig. 3.

[Fig. 5A] Fig. 5A is a diagram showing a configurational aspect of the reflection mirror and the switching mechanism in the imaging apparatus in Fig. 1A.

[Fig. 5B] Fig. 5B is a diagram showing a configurational aspect of the reflection mirror and the switching mechanism as seen from an A side, in the imaging apparatus in Fig. 5A.

[Fig. 6A] Fig. 6A is a diagram showing a configurational aspect of the reflection mirror and the switching mechanism in the imaging apparatus in Fig. 2A.

[Fig. 6B] Fig. 6B is a diagram showing a configurational aspect of the reflection mirror and the switching mechanism as seen from an A side, in the imaging apparatus in Fig. 6A.

Description of Embodiments

The following clearly describes technical solutions of embodiments referring to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Apparently, described embodiments are not all but just some of the embodiments. It is to be noted that all other embodiments which may be obtained by a person skilled in the art based on the embodiments without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Explanation will be provided hereinafter for an imaging apparatus 100 in the present embodiment. In this imaging apparatus 100, a reflection mirror is configured to pop up. As an example, the embodiment shows an exemplary case that the imaging apparatus is incorporated in a smartphone, but it is not limited thereto. Information terminals such as a tablet type terminal, a notebook personal computer and so forth are examples of the imaging apparatus 100.

Firstly, with reference to Figs. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, explanation will be provided for states before and after the reflection mirror pops up. Fig. 1A is a perspective view showing a schematic configurational example of the imaging apparatus 100 before the reflection mirror 3 pops up. Fig. 1B is a perspective view showing a schematic configurational example of the imaging apparatus 100 after pop-up. Fig. 2A is a diagram showing an example of the cross section of the imaging apparatus 100 in Fig. 1A. Fig. 2B is a diagram showing an example of the cross section of the imaging apparatus 100 in Fig. 1B.

As shown in Figs. 1A and 2A, an aperture is provided in a rear side 100B of the imaging apparatus 100, and a lens 13 is provided so as to block this aperture. In the state before pop-up, the reflection mirror 3 is placed at a storage position (first position) on the back of the lens 13. The angle of the reflection mirror 3 is set such that the reflection mirror 3 at this position, as shown in Fig. 2A, can reflect light d1 entering from the back side 100B via the lens 13, and guide the light d1 toward an optical system (located on the underside of the apparatus in Fig. 2A) .

As shown in Figs. 1B and 2B, after pop-up of the reflection mirror 3, the reflection mirror 3, on the other hand, is placed at a position (second position) above the upper part of the apparatus. In this case, as will be described later, the angle of the reflection mirror 3 is set such that the reflection mirror 3 can reflect light d2 from a display screen (top surface) 100A, and guide the light d2 toward the optical system. As detailed explanation thereof will be made below, when the reflection mirror 3 moves from the state before pop-up to the state after pop-up, the reflection mirror 3 rotates according to the movement action whereby the angle of the reflection mirror 3 can be set. Accordingly, with the reflection mirror 3 in the pop-up state, an object on the side of the display screen of a smartphone, for instance, can be imaged. At this time, for example, because the display screen of the smartphone is not used as an optical path in imaging the object, an occupancy area of the display screen does not become smaller and therefore the display screen can be not restricted.

In the following description of the embodiment, the manner of reflecting the light d1 as shown in exemplary Fig. 2A by the reflection mirror 3 before pop-up shown in Fig. 1A is referred to as "first reflection pattern. " The manner of reflecting the light d2 as shown in exemplary Fig. 2B by the reflection mirror 3 after pop-up shown in Fig. 1B is referred to as "second reflection pattern. "

Fig. 3 shows exemplary internal components of the imaging apparatus 100 before pop-up shown in Figs. 1A and 2A. In the example of Fig. 3, the imaging apparatus 100 includes a moving mechanism 200 for the reflection mirror 3, and a switching mechanism 300 configured to switch the reflection pattern of the reflection mirror 3.

The moving mechanism 200 may include a stepping motor (drive source) 21, a lead screw 9 rotated by the stepping motor 21, and a member 5 configured to linearly move together with the switching mechanism 300 along an x-axial direction (optical axis) according to the rotation of the lead screw 9. The stepping motor 21 may be driven when a pop-up instruction is received. For example, this instruction may include an instruction based on a touch operation on the display screen.

In the example of Fig. 3, a main shaft 8 is disposed to extend in parallel to the lead screw 9 in the x-axial direction, and is coupled to the lead screw 9 via a nut 11. Holding

members

81, 82, 83 are disposed to be connected to the edges of the member 5 to hold the member 5. The moving mechanism 200 are also configured to be slidable with respect to the main shaft 8. One end of the holding member 82 is connected to one end of a spring 22 that is configured to surround the main shaft 8. The other end of the spring 22 is connected to a fixed end 91. Thus, the rotation of the stepping motor 21 may be converted to the linear motion of the nut 11 along the main shaft 8 via the lead screw 9. The movement of the nut 11 and the elastic force of the spring 22 allow the member 5 to be moved as described above.

The moving mechanism 200 further includes an imaging optical system. For example, zoom lenses 10 and autofocusing lenses 15 are equipped with the imaging optical system. An aperture system 16 is mounted on the front side of the autofocusing lenses 15, and has two different aperture diameters. These aperture diameters may adjust the focus.

In this embodiment, piezoelectric elements (oscillators) 13a and 13b which elongate and contract by a voltage applied are used as an example of the position adjustment of the

lenses

10 and 15.

The piezoelectric element 13a is used for adjusting the positions of the zoom lenses 10 in the x-axial direction. In the example of Fig. 3, a fixing member 12a is attached to one end of the piezoelectric element 13a, and a drive shaft 14a as a drive friction member is attached to the other end of the piezoelectric element 13a. The fixing member 12a is, for example, a spindle. A drive part 30 is frictionally held on the drive shaft 14a. A guide part 33 is mounted onto the drive shaft 14a in a movable manner.

Further, a fixing member 12b is attached to one end of the piezoelectric element 13b, and a drive shaft 14b as a drive friction member is attached to the other end of the piezoelectric element 13b. The fixing member 12b is, for example, a spindle. The drive shaft 14b is disposed in parallel to the drive shaft 14a. A guide part 31 is mounted onto the drive shaft 14b in a movable manner.

Similarly to the lenses 10, the autofocusing lenses 15 may be moved along the x-axial direction by the oscillation of the piezoelectric element 13b connected to one end of the fixing member 12b. That is, in the example of Fig. 3, a drive part 34 is mounted onto the drive shaft 14b, and is configured to move along the x-axial direction by the oscillation of the piezoelectric element 13b. Further, the guide part 33 is mounted onto the drive shaft 14a disposed in parallel to the drive shaft 14b, and is configured to be movable along the x-axial direction.

In Fig. 3, a sensor 18 as an imaging element is attached to a sensor hold 19 that is movable in y-axial and z-axial directions. The sensor 18 is an image sensor such as a CCD (Charged-Coupled Device) , CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) or so forth.

In Fig. 3, as the lead screw 9 of this imaging apparatus 100 rotates and the nut 11 moves along the x-axial direction, the holding

members

81 and 82 that are mounted on the main shaft 8 also may move along the x-axial direction. Since the member 5 is held by the holding

members

81 and 82, the member 5 may also move along the x-axial direction in conjunction with the movement of the holding

members

81 and 82. According to this movement, the holding member 83 may also move while holding the member 5. In this embodiment, since the

lenses

10 and 15, the sensor 18 and the switching mechanism 300 are mounted on the member 5, those components may also move according to the movement of the member 5.

In Fig. 3, for example, when the piezoelectric element 13a is driven to elongate, the drive part 30 may move due to the friction of the drive shaft 14a. In contrast, when the piezoelectric element 13a is driven to contract, the friction of the drive shaft 14a is reduced so that the drive part 30 can stay substantially at that position. Such elongation and contraction (oscillation) of the piezoelectric element 13a may cause the drive part 30 to move along the x-axial direction. Since the drive part 30 is attached to one end side of the zoom lenses 10, the zoom lenses 10 may also move along the x-axial direction according to the movement of the drive part 30. Since the guide part 31 is attached to the other end side of the zoom lenses 10, the guide part 31 may serve to guide the movement of the other end side of the zoom lenses 10 when the drive part 30 moves.

Similarly to the case of the piezoelectric element 13a, the elongation and contraction (oscillation) of the piezoelectric element 13b may cause the drive part 34 to move along the x-axial direction. In this case, since the drive part 34 is attached to one end side of the autofocusing lenses 15, the autofocusing lenses 15 may also move in the x-axial direction according to the movement of the drive part 34. Since the guide part 33 is attached to the other end side of the autofocusing lenses 15, the guide part 33 may serve to guide the movement of the other end side of the autofocusing lenses 15 when the drive part 34 moves.

In Fig. 3, the sensor 18 may move in the y-axial direction according to the movement of the sensor hold 19 in the y-axial direction caused by the elongation and contraction (oscillation) of the piezoelectric element 13d. The manner of moving the sensor 18 in the z-axial direction is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4.

As an example, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configurational aspects of the moving mechanism 200 and the switching mechanism 200 in the x-axial direction. In Fig. 4, a fixing member 12c is attached to one end of the piezoelectric element 13c, and a drive shaft 14c as a drive friction member is attached to the other end of the piezoelectric element 13c. A spindle is an example of the fixing member 12c. The sensor hold 19 moves along the z-axial direction due to the elongation and contraction (oscillation) of the piezoelectric element 13c, and the sensor 18 may also move along the z-axial direction.

In this imaging apparatus 100, the fixing member 12a attached to one end of the piezoelectric element 13a is mounted on a lens chassis 17, which is mounted on a sub chassis 2 on the member 5. The aperture system 16 is attached to the front side of the autofocusing lenses 15.

In Fig. 4, the reflection mirror 3 may be configured in such a way that in moving from a solid-line position (first position in which the reflection mirror 3 is retained within the apparatus) to a dashed-line position (second position in which the reflection mirror 3 pops up and moves over the upper portion of the apparatus) , the reflection mirror 3 can rotate 90 degrees so that the manner of reflection of the reflection mirror 3 is switched from a first reflection pattern (Fig. 2A) to a second reflection pattern (Fig. 2B) . For diagrammatic simplification, Fig. 4 shows only the reflection mirror 3, and illustration is omitted for its switching mechanism.

Next, with reference to Figs. 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B, explanation will be provided below for the manner of switching the reflection mirror 3. Fig. 5A is a diagram showing the aspect of the reflection mirror 3 and the switching mechanism 300 when the reflection mirror 3 is substantially in the first position. Fig. 5B is a diagram showing a configurational example of the reflection mirror 3 and the switching mechanism 300 as seen from an A side shown in Fig. 5A. Fig. 6A is a diagram showing the aspect of the reflection mirror 3 and the switching mechanism 300 when the reflection mirror 3 is substantially in the second position. Fig. 6B is a diagram showing a configurational example of the reflection mirror 3 and the switching mechanism 300 as seen from an A side of Fig. 6A.

As shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the switching mechanism 300 includes a rotatable switching plate 4 on which two

protrusion portions

41 and 42 are formed. As described above, this switching mechanism 300 can move along the z-axial direction due to the drive force of the stepping motor. A kicking plate 50 with which one ends of the

protrusion portions

41 and 42 are capable of contacting is disposed in the switching mechanism 300. That is, the kicking plate 550 is secured to the apparatus body (main chassis 1) and has the aforementioned positional relationship thereto. Accordingly, one of the

projection portions

41, 42 abuts on the kicking plate 50 according to the movement of the switching mechanism 300, thereby causing the

projection portion

41 or 42 to rotate so that the switching plate 4 rotates. The rotational shaft of the reflection mirror 3 is provided on this switching plate 4 in coaxial to the rotational shaft of the switching plate 4. This allows the reflection mirror 3 to rotate with the rotation of the switching plate 4.

In the example of Fig. 5A, the protrusion portion 41 may abut on one end of the kicking plate 50. Since one end of the kicking plate 50 is disposed to be secured to the apparatus body, as described above, the switching plate 4 rotates with the movement of the switching mechanism 300, and the reflection mirror 3 rotates according to the rotation of the switching plate 4. The switching mechanism 300 includes a center spring 7 which has one end fixed to one end of the reflection mirror 3 so as to be rotatable at that end and has the other end fixed to the sub chassis 2 of the moving mechanism 200 so as to be rotatable at the fixed point. The energizing force of the spring 7 can energize the reflection mirror 3 against a stopper 27 at the first position of the reflection mirror 3, and energize the reflection mirror 3 against a stopper 28 at the second position of the reflection mirror 3. As a result, the respective positions of the reflection mirror 3 can be stably provided.

When the switching plate 4 rotates from the position (substantially the first position) shown in Figs. 5A and 5B clockwise in the figures, causing the reflection mirror 3 to rotate in a direction of an arrow 400 in Fig. 5A, the reflection mirror 3 firstly rotates against the contraction force of the center spring 7, and, when rotating about 45 degrees, rotates with the energizing force added also by the contraction force of the center spring 7. Then, the reflection mirror 3 comes to the state (substantially the second position) where the reflection mirror 3 is rotated about 90 degrees as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B. At this time, in the example shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, the

protrusion portions

41 and 42 rotate as the switching plate 4 is rotated in the clockwise direction while the reflection mirror 3 moves from the first position to the second position, so that the protrusion portion 42 can abut on one end of the kicking plate 50.

As described above, the imaging apparatus 100 is configured so that the pop-up of the reflection mirror 3 can switch the reflection pattern of the reflection mirror 3 from the first reflection pattern (Fig. 2A) to the second reflection pattern (Fig. 2B) . It should be noted that the optical path by the reflection mirror 3 is not used on the side of the display screen even when the reflection mirror 3 is popped up, so that the occupancy area of the display screen does not become smaller and the display screen is not restricted.

The reflection mirror 3 may be configured to return to the first position (Fig. 1A) from the second position (Fig. 1B) . That is, as the lead screw 9 may rotate in the opposite direction along the x-axial direction to the direction in the above-described embodiment, the switching plate 4 of the switching mechanism 300 may move along the x-axial direction with the movement of the member 5. As a result, in Figs. 6A and 6B, the center spring 7 may energize the protrusion portion 42 in the opposite direction to the direction of abutment from the state where the protrusion portion 42 of the switching plate 4 abuts on one end of the kicking plate 50. This energizing force may rotate the reflection mirror 3 in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow 400 and press the reflection mirror 3 against the stopper 28. Consequently, the reflection mirror 3 may rotate about 90 degrees as shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, for example.

The foregoing descriptions are merely specific implementations, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any variation or replacement readily figured out by a person skilled in the art within the disclosed technical scope shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

An imaging apparatus comprising:

a reflection mirror;

a moving mechanism configured to cause the reflection mirror to pop up from a first position to a second position, the first position being a retaining position within the apparatus, the second position being at a top of the apparatus; and

a switching mechanism configured to cause the reflection mirror to switch a first reflection pattern to a second reflection pattern according to the pop-up of the reflection mirror, the first reflection pattern allowing light from a first surface of the apparatus to be reflected, the second reflection pattern allowing light from a second surface of the apparatus to be reflected.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reflection mirror is configured to move from the first position to the second position, in conjunction with a position movement of the moving mechanism.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switching mechanism is configured to move according to a position movement of the moving mechanism and cause the reflection mirror to rotate by energizing the reflection mirror on the basis of the movement so that the first reflection pattern can be changed to the second reflection pattern.
The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moving mechanism includes a drive source, a lead screw rotated by the drive source, and a member configured to linearly move along with the switching mechanism in a direction of an optical axis by the rotation of the lead screw.
The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the switching mechanism includes a rotatable rotary member, and a spring attached to one end of the reflection mirror and disposed so as to energize the reflection mirror so that a reflection mode of the reflection mirror is switched from the first reflection pattern to the second reflection pattern by rotation of the rotary member.
The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the moving mechanism includes an imaging optical system.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the moving mechanism includes an oscillator, a drive part disposed on one end side of a lens of the imaging optical system and configured to move the lens of the imaging optical system along a direction of an optical axis by oscillation of the oscillator, and a guide part disposed on an other side of the lens and configured to guide movement of the lens.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the imaging optical system includes a focusing lens and a zoom lens.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the oscillator is a piezoelectric element.
An information terminal comprising an imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.