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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A rotary module comprises: a digital camera module (DCM) electrically
connected to a main body of an electronic product; a hinge assembly
connected to a holding device (HD) and the main body, so as to allow
relative rotation between the main body and the flip cover; a flexible
printed circuit board (FPCB); and the HD to hold the DCM, and provide
a wiring space for winding the FPCB and a hollow sleeve for receiving
the hinge assembly. One end of the FPCB is connected to the DCM,
and the rest extends along the flat surface of the HD, then winds
around the wiring space, and finally connects to a PCB of either
the main body or the flip cover. The rotary module could be disposed
in an axial sleeve of flip-type cellular phone. When the flip cover
is rotated, the HD and the DCM simultaneously rotate with the flip
cover.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A rotary module, disposed in an electronic product for allowing
a relative rotation between a first portion and a second portion
of the electronic product, the rotary module comprising: a supplement
module; a holding device, comprising: a positioning groove, for
placing the supplement module; a hollow sleeve, having an insertion
hole; and a securing portion, for securing the holding device on
the first portion of the electronic product; a hinge assembly, disposed
in the insertion hole, and two ends of the hinge assembly respectively
connected to the holding device and the second portion so as to
allow the relative rotation between the first portion and the second
portion; and a flexible printed circuit board, comprising: a first
connecting end, electrically connected to the supplement module;
a second connecting end, electrically connected to one of the first
portion and the second portion of the electronic product; an extending
portion, jointing the first connecting end and the second connecting
end, and a portion of the extending portion winding around an outer
surface of the hollow sleeve; wherein the holding device and the
supplement module are simultaneously rotated with the first portion
when the relative rotation between the first portion and the second
portion of the electronic product is performed.
2. The rotary module according to claim 1, wherein an axial sleeve
rotatably connecting the first portion and second portion of the
electronic product is used for disposing the rotary module.
3. The rotary module according to claim 2, wherein the axial sleeve
has a transparent aperture formed at a position with respect to
the supplement module.
4. The rotary module according to claim 2, wherein the axial sleeve
and the first portion are integrated in a single module.
5. The rotary module according to claim 4, wherein the securing
portion of the holding device is a notch, and the notch is mated
with a rib of the axial sleeve.
6. The rotary module according to claim 4, wherein the securing
portion of the holding device is a rib, and the rib is mated with
a notch of the axial sleeve.
7. The rotary module according to claim 1, wherein the positioning
groove of the holding device has a first sidewall and a second sidewall
formed opposite for tightly against the lateral sides of the supplement
module.
8. The rotary module according to claim 7, wherein a distance between
the first sidewall and the second sidewall is substantially identical
to a size of the supplement module.
9. The rotary module according to claim 1, wherein a stopper ring
and a stopper plate are formed at the outer surface of the hollow
sleeve, and a space between the stopper ring and the stopper plate
properly creates a winding portion for winding the extending portion
of the flexible printed circuit board.
10. The rotary module according to claim 9, wherein the stopper
plate is formed at one end of the hollow sleeve.
11. The rotary module according to claim 9, wherein the extending
portion of the flexible printed circuit board stretches at a bottom
surface of the positioning groove, and winds around the winding
portion of the hollow sleeve, and then is extended toward either
the first portion or the second portion of the electronic product.
12. The rotary module according to claim 1, wherein a shape and
a size of the hinge assembly are identical to that of the insertion
hole of the hollow sleeve.
13. The rotary module according to claim 1, wherein the second
connecting end is electrically connected to the second portion of
the electronic product.
14. The rotary module according to claim 13, wherein the second
connecting end is electrically connected to the second portion through
a FPCB connector.
15. The rotary module according to claim 13, wherein the second
connecting end is electrically connected to the second portion through
a board-to-board connector.
16. An electronic device, comprising: a main body, having a printed
circuit board; a flip cover, having an axial sleeve, and rotatably
connected to the main body; a rotary module having a digital camera
module, disposed within the axial sleeve, the rotary module comprising:
a digital camera module; a holding device, comprising: a positioning
groove, for placing the digital camera module; a hollow sleeve,
laterally elongated from one side of the positioning groove and
having an insertion hole; and a securing portion, for securing the
holding device on the flip cover of the electronic device; a hinge
assembly, disposed in the insertion hole, and two ends of the hinge
assembly respectively connected to the holding device and the main
body so as to allow a relative rotation between the flip cover and
the main body; and a flexible printed circuit board, comprising:
a first connecting end, electrically connected to the digital camera
module; a second connecting end, electrically connected to the printed
circuit board of the main body; and an extending portion, jointing
the first connecting end and the second connecting end, and a portion
of the extending portion winding around an outer surface of the
hollow sleeve; wherein the holding device and the digital camera
module are simultaneously rotated with the flip cover when the relative
rotation between the flip cover and the main body is performed.
17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the axial
sleeve has a transparent aperture formed at a position with respect
to the digital camera module.
18. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the axial
sleeve and the first portion are integrated in a single module.
19. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the securing
portion of the holding device is a notch, and the notch is mated
with a rib of the axial sleeve.
20. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the securing
portion of the holding device is a rib, and the rib is mated with
a notch of the axial sleeve.
21. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the positioning
groove of the holding device has a first sidewall and a second sidewall
formed opposite for tightly against the lateral sides of the digital
camera module.
22. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein a stopper
ring and a stopper plate are formed at the outer surface of the
hollow sleeve, and a space between the stopper ring and the stopper
plate properly creates a winding portion for winding the extending
portion of the flexible printed circuit board.
23. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the stopper
plate is formed at one end of the hollow sleeve.
24. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the extending
portion of the flexible printed circuit board stretches at a bottom
surface of the positioning groove, and winds around the winding
portion of the hollow sleeve, and then is extended toward the main
body.
Digital Camera Patent Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application
Serial No. 93104381, filed Feb. 20, 2004, the subject matter of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates in general to a rotary module, and
more particularly to the rotary module having a digital camera module
(DCM).
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Recently, there has been an increased demand in the marketplace
for multi-mode cellular phones, particularly the cellular phones
with photo-taking mode. With the cellular phone having photo-taking
mode, a user can take a picture of anything (without intruding on
other's privacies), and transmit the captured image anytime and
anywhere.
[0006] Most of conventional multi-mode cellular phones are designed
by externally connecting the digital camera module to the main body
of cellular phone. This external-type digital camera module is generally
bulky, and inconvenient to carry. Also, the overall size and weight
of the cellular phone are increased after the digital camera module
is externally attached to the main body of cellular phone. Now,
more and more manufacturers have developed new types of multi-mode
cellular phones. For the phones without a flip cover, the digital
camera modules are commonly positioned at the main boards. For the
phones with the flip covers, the digital camera modules are commonly
positioned at the corners of the covers. There remains a need in
the art, however, for improving the view finding of photo-taking,
the size and the production cost of the cellular phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
rotary module with digital camera module. By designing a holding
device having a special configuration, and assembling the holding
device, digital camera module and flexible printed circuit board,
it is much easier and timesaving to assemble the digital camera
module and a hinge assembly with the applied electronic device (such
as a cellular phone). Also, the well-assembled rotary module is
very small and light.
[0008] The invention achieves the objects by providing a rotary
module with a digital camera module. The rotary module comprises
a digital camera module, electrically connected to a main body of
an electronic device; a hinge assembly, and two ends respectively
connected to a holding device and the main body so as to allow a
relative rotation between a flip cover and the main body; a flexible
printed circuit board (FPCB); and the holding device, for placing
the digital camera module. The holding device has a hollow sleeve
for receiving the hinge assembly and provides a winding portion
around which part of the FPCB winds. Also, one end of the FPCB is
electrically connected to the digital camera module, and the rest
of the FPCB stretches at a bottom surface of the holding device,
and winds around the winding portion of the hollow sleeve, and then
is extended toward either the flip cover or the main body for electrical
connection.
[0009] The rotary module can be installed in an electronic device,
for example, secured in the axial sleeve of a cellular phone. When
a relative rotation between the flip cover and the main body of
the cellular phone is performed, the holding device of the rotary
module and the digital camera module are simultaneously rotated
with the flip cover. The flip cover could be opened or closed when
a photo-taking mode is in use.
[0010] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of
the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description
is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a rotary module with a digital camera
module assembled with the cellular phone according to the preferred
embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 2A illustrates the disassembled parts of the rotary
module of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 2B illustrates the bottom of the hold device in FIG.
2A.
[0014] FIG. 2C illustrates the flexible printed circuit board of
FIG. 2A.
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates the rotary module assembled within the
axial sleeve according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4A is a bottom view of a cellular phone with the digital
camera module according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 4B illustrates the opened flip cover of the cellular
phone according to the embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The invention provides a rotary module with a digital camera
module applied in an electronic product. By designing a holding
device having a special configuration, and assembling the holding
device, digital camera module and flexible printed circuit board,
the flip cover rotating with respect to the main body also possesses
the function of photo-taking. According to the embodiment of the
invention, a cellular phone is illustrated as an electronic product
in the application.
[0019] Also, the embodiment disclosed herein is for illustrating
the invention, but not for limiting the scope of the invention.
Additionally, the drawings used for illustrating the embodiment
of the invention only show the major characteristic parts in order
to avoid obscuring the invention. Accordingly, the specification
and the drawing are to be regard as an illustrative sense rather
than a restrictive sense.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a rotary module with a digital camera
module assembled with the cellular phone according to the preferred
embodiment of the invention. The flip cover 1, which has a display
(as shown in FIG. 1) or not, is assembled with the main body 2.
An axial sleeve 3 connected to the end of the flip cover 1 is used
for receiving the rotary module 4 with a digital camera module 10.
Preferably, the axial sleeve 3 and the flip cover 1 are integrated
as a whole. During assembling, the rotary module 4 is inserted into
the axial sleeve 3, and the assembly direction is specified by the
arrow in FIG. 1; then, the flip cover 1 and the main body 2 are
rotatably connected. Also, there is a transparent aperture 5 on
the axial sleeve 3. The transparent aperture 5 are positioned and
shaped with respect to the digital camera module 10, for being a
view-finding window.
[0021] FIG. 2A illustrates the disassembled parts of the rotary
module of FIG. 1. The rotary module 4 of the embodiment comprises
a digital camera module 10, a holding device 20, a hinge assembly
30 and a flexibled printed circuit board (FPCB) 40.
[0022] The digital camera module 10 is electrically connected to
the main board 2. When a user takes a picture, the data is transmitted
to a processing system of the main body 2, and the image captured
by the digital camera module 10 is shown on the display after processing.
The digital camera module 10 could be a still digital camera module,
or a video camera module.
[0023] The holding device 20 comprises a positioning groove 21,
a hollow sleeve 22 and a securing portion. The positioning groove
21, used for placing the digital camera module 10, has a first sidewall
23a and a second sidewall 23b formed opposite. Preferably, the distance
between the first sidewall 23a and the second sidewall 23b is substantially
identical to the size of the digital camera module 10, so that the
first sidewall 23a and the second sidewall 23b can be tightly against
the lateral sides of the digital camera module 10. Also, there is
a hole 24 opened through the second sidewall 23b, and the positioning
groove 21 communicates with the hollow sleeve 22 through the hole
24.
[0024] The hollow sleeve 22 is laterally elongated from one side
of the positioning groove 21, and has an insertion hole 22b for
placing the hinge assembly 30. The hinge assembly 30 is assembled
to the holding device 20 by receiving the hinge assembly 30 in the
insertion hole 22b. In this embodiment, the digital camera module
10 secured on the holding device 20 is rotated with the rotation
of the filp cover 1 (the detail described later), and so is one
end 31 of the hinge assembly 30 (i.e. the end 31 connected to the
digital camera module 10 through the hole 24). The other end 32
of the hinge assembly 30 is fixed on the main body 2.
[0025] In this embodiment, a stopper ring 25 and a stopper plate
26 are preferably formed on the outer surface 22a of the hollow
sleeve 22. The space between the stopper ring 25 and the stopper
plate 26 properly creates a winding portion 27 for winding the flexible
printed circuit board 40 without sliding off. The stopper plate
26 is preferably formed at the end of the hollow sleeve 22. Additionally,
a notch 28 formed at the first sidewall 23a functions as the securing
portion of the holding device 20 in this embodiment. By mating the
notch 28 and the rib 50 shown in FIG. 3 of the axial sleeve 3, the
rotary module 4 can be fixed within the axial sleeve 3, and simultaneously
rotated with respect to the rotation of the flip cover 1.
[0026] It is, of course, noted that the fixation between the rotary
module 4 and the axial sleeve 3 is not limited in the way described
herein. For example, the notch and the rib could be respectively
formed on the axial sleeve 3 and the holding device 20 for achieving
the purpose of fixation.
[0027] FIG. 2B illustrates the bottom of the hold device in FIG.
2A. The bottom of the holding device 20, including the bottom surfaces
210 and 220 of the positioning groove 21 and the hollow sleeve 22,
is a flat surface. Moreover, FIG. 2B clearly shows the insertion
hole 22b of the hollow sleeve 22 has a non-circular cross section,
and the plane face 222 is used for constraining the rotation of
the hinge assembly 30 within the hollow sleeve 22. Preferably, the
shape and the size of the hinge assembly 30 are identical to that
of the insertion hole 22b of the hollow sleeve 22.
[0028] FIG. 2C illustrates the flexible printed circuit board of
FIG. 2A. The flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 40 comprises
a first connecting end 41, a second connecting end 42 and an extending
portion 43. The first connecting end 41 is electrically connected
to the digital camera module 10. The second connecting end 42 is
electrically connected to the PCB disposed in the flip cover of
the main body. Two ends of the extending portion 43 respectively
joint the first connecting end 41 and the second connecting end
42. Part of the extending portion 43 winds around the outer surface
22a of the hollow sleeve 22 (see FIG. 2A).
[0029] During assembly, the first connecting end 41 of the FPCB
40 is connected to the digital camera module 10, and the rest of
the FPCB 40 goes to the back of the holding device 20 and stretches
from the bottom surface 210 of the positioning groove to the bottom
surface 220 of the hollow sleeve 22 for performing the winding action
in the winding portion 27. After the winding action is done, the
FPCB 40 is away from the hollow sleeve 22 and extended toward either
the flip cover 1 or the main body 2. In this embodiment, the FPCB
40 is extended toward the main body 2 and connected to the PCB of
main body 2 through the second connecting end 42. The second connecting
end 42 can be electrically connected to the main body 2 through
a FPCB connector or a board-to-board connector.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates the rotary module assembled within the
axial sleeve according to the embodiment of the invention. Please
also refer FIG. 1 and FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 3, a rib 50 is formed
at the inner wall of the axial sleeve 3, and mated with the notch
28 of the first sidewall 23a. Accordingly, the rotary module and
the digital camera module 10 are simultaneously rotated with the
axial sleeve 3. In this embodiment, the axial sleeve 3 and the flip
cover 1 are integrated in a single module. When a user opens the
flip cover 1, the axial sleeve 3, the rotary module 4 and the digital
camera module 10 are simultaneously rotated with the flip cover
1. Through the transparent aperture 5, the digital camera module
can perform the camera function and take a picture.
[0031] FIG. 4A is a bottom view of a cellular phone with the digital
camera module according to the embodiment of the invention. When
the flip cover 1 is closed, the digital camera module 10 secured
in the axial sleeve 3 is turned to the back of the cellular phone.
FIG. 4B illustrates the opened flip cover of the cellular phone
according to the embodiment of the invention. When the flip cover
1 is opened, the digital camera module 10 secured in the axial sleeve
3 faces the user. Accordingly, when the user wants to take a picture
of scenery, thing, friend or family, the backside of the cellular
phone faces the to-be-photoed object as shown in FIG. 4A for photo
taking. If the user wants to take a photo of self, the flip cover
1 is opened as shown in FIG. 4B for photo taking.
[0032] According to the aforementioned description, the rotary
module with the digital camera module of the invention is provided
by assembling a holding device (integrated as a single module) 20
with the digital camera module 10, a hinge assembly 30 and a flexible
printed circuit board 40. Thus, it is very easy and timesaving to
assemble the rotary module 4 within the axial sleeve 3 of the cellular
phone. Also, the assembled rotary module 4 having small size and
camera function can be rotated simultaneously with the flip cover.
Without causing an effect on the flip-open and flip-close actions,
the electronic product applied with the rotary module of the invention
has the advantages of packed size, easy-to-photo, and low production
cost.
[0033] While the invention has been described by way of examples
and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood
that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements
and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should
be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such
modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. |