Nidec Copal Corporation

Ryosuke Ushio

Nobuaki Watanabe

Kenzo Imai

Koji Sawanobori

An electronic device allows the user to notice that no image capturing is being performed and increases the user comfort as well as includes a small open-close device incorporated in a limited space. A camera module is covered by a blade. This allows the user to notice that no image capturing is being performed and increases the user comfort. A base is attached to a first surface of a module board, and a cover has a first end in the longitudinal direction attached to the base and a second end in the longitudinal direction supported by the first surface of the module board. The base may not extend to the second end of the cover in the longitudinal direction and can have a shorter length (miniaturized), further miniaturizing a blade open-close device.

Electronic device

A small blade driving device is incorporated in a limited space. A cover includes a first cover fixed to a base and a second cover protruding from the first cover in a movement direction of a blade. A support leg protrudes from the second cover toward a first surface of a module substrate and is supported by the first surface. The base may not have the same length as the cover and have a shorter length (miniaturized), further miniaturizing a blade driving device.

Blade driving device

A blade open-close device includes a blade for which an open or closed state is easily viewable from outside. A blade open-close device includes a base having a base opening, and a cover covering the base and having a cover opening adjacent to the base opening in the base in Z-direction. The blade open-close device further includes a blade movable in X-direction in a blade chamber between the base and the cover and including a light emitter that emits light, and an actuator that moves the blade to a closing position to expose at least part of the light emitter in the blade through the cover opening and retracts the blade to an opening position to allow the cover opening and the base opening to communicate with each other.

Blade open-close device and imaging device

A thin blade open-close device is incorporated in a limited space. A blade open-close device includes a base located on a module board including a lens unit, a partition located opposite to the module board from the base, and a cover plate located opposite to the base from the partition. The partition and the cover plate each have an opening aligned with an optical axis of the lens unit. The blade open-close device includes a blade movable in X-direction in a blade chamber defined between the cover plate and the partition, an actuator that moves the blade between a closing position to cover the openings and an opening position to uncover the openings, and a terminal plate extending in Z-direction. The terminal plate electrically connected to the actuator includes connectors at its end adjacent to the module board to be electrically connected to contacts on the module board.

Blade open-close device and electronic device

A technique reduces images unintended by the user captured with an electronic device by, for example, unauthorized access or an accidental operation performed by the user. An electronic device includes a camera module including a camera drive that activates or deactivates a camera function, a blade that opens or closes a lens aperture in the camera module, a blade drive that drives an actuator to open or close the blade, a controller that controls the camera drive and the blade drive, and a switch that transmits, to the controller, an opening signal or a closing signal for forcibly driving the blade drive independently of the camera drive. The controller activates the camera function in the camera drive in response to the opening signal transmitted from the switch.

A technique reduces images unintended by the user captured with an electronic device having a camera function by unauthorized access or an accidental operation performed by the user. A blade open-close device includes a blade that opens or closes a lens aperture in a camera module, an actuator that opens or closes the blade, a drive that drives the actuator, and a switch that inputs an opening signal and a closing signal into the drive. The switch includes a mechanical switch operation member that generates the opening signal and the closing signal in response to a manual operation performed by a user. The drive is independent of a drive output from the camera module.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Ryosuke Ushio