WO2024021044A1

WO2024021044A1 - Camera assembly and electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2024021044A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/109045
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fujio Kanai
Original assignee: Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.
Priority date: 2022-07-29
Filing date: 2022-07-29
Publication date: 2024-02-01

Abstract

A camera assembly (30) includes: a collapsible cylinder (2) configured to house a lens barrel (5) and move along an optical axis(6) of a plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel (5); a cam cylinder (1X) receiving the collapsible cylinder (2), the cam cylinder (1X) being configured such that the collapsible cylinder (2) is capable of moving along the optical axis(6) in the cam cylinder (1X); a driving wheel (4) comprising a cylindrical wall and a rotary gear (4G) provided on an outer side surface of the driving wheel (4), the cylindrical wall surrounding the cam cylinder(1X); a drive unit (3) comprising a worm gear (3G), configured to rotate the driving wheel (4) about the optical axis(6) by the worm gear (3G) meshing with the rotary gear (4G) and the worm gear (3G) rotating; and a pressing mechanism (8) configured to exert a pressing force to the worm gear (3G) toward the rotary gear (4G).

Description

CAMERA ASSEMBLY AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a camera assembly and an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals are widely used in our daily life. Nowadays, many of the electronic devices are equipped with a camera assembly for capturing images. Some of the electronic devices are portable and are thus easy to carry. Therefore, a user of the electronic device can easily take a picture of an object by using the camera assembly of the electronic device anytime, anywhere.

As a portability of the electronic device is very important for the user, the electronic devices should be as thin as possible. If a height of the camera assembly is large, the camera assembly will project outside a surface of the electronic device. Therefore, the height of the camera assembly should be as small as possible. On the other hand, from a viewpoint of improving optical performance, a flange back distance should be sufficiently long because a proper focal length is necessary for a large size image sensor.

Further, it is necessary to reduce an effect of backlash while reducing the size of the camera assembly which extends and shrinks in an optical axis direction in order to improve a camera performance.

As explained above, conventional camera assemblies and electronic devices cannot achieve the above described requirements while maintaining a small size and low cost.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure aims to solve at least one of the technical problems described above. Accordingly, the present disclosure needs to provide a camera assembly and an electronic device.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a camera assembly comprises:

a collapsible cylinder, configured to house a lens barrel and move along an optical axis of a plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel;

a cam cylinder, receiving the collapsible cylinder, the cam cylinder being configured such that the collapsible cylinder is capable of moving along the optical axis in the cam cylinder;

a driving wheel comprising a cylindrical wall and a rotary gear provided on an outer side surface of the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall surrounding the cam cylinder;

a drive unit comprising a worm gear, configured to rotate the driving wheel about the optical axis by the worm gear meshing with the rotary gear and the worm gear rotating; and

a pressing mechanism configured to exert a pressing force to the worm gear toward the rotary gear such that the worm gear directly contacts and meshes with the rotary gear.

In accordance with the present disclosure, an electronic device comprises:

a housing; and

a camera assembly arranged in the housing,

wherein the camera assembly comprises:

a pressing mechanism configured to exert a pressing force to the worm gear toward the rotary gear such that the worm gear directly contacts with and meshes with the rotary gear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following descriptions made with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first side of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second side of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a camera assembly of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure in a stowed position;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a configuration of the camera assembly of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure at an imaging position;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a collapsible cylinder of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing a configuration of a driving wheel of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B;

FIG. 5C is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cam cylinder, a substrate, a drive unit, and a pressing mechanism of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B;

FIG. 6A is a top view focusing on a region in a vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B;

FIG. 6B is a side view focusing on the region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A is a top view focusing on the region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly according to a first modification;

FIG. 7B is a top view focusing on the region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIG. 7A when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage;

FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram focusing on the region in the vicinity of a rotary gear of the driving wheel of the camera assembly and a worm gear of the drive unit according to a second modification;

FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram focusing on a region where the teeth of the rotary gear and the teeth of the worm gear shown in FIG. 8A mesh with each other; and

FIG. 8C is a schematic diagram focusing on the region where the teeth of the rotary gear and the teeth of the worm gear shown in FIG. 8B mesh with each other when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail and examples of the embodiments will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Same or similar elements and elements having same or similar functions are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the descriptions. The embodiments described herein with reference to the drawings are explanatory and aim to illustrate the present disclosure, but shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure.

Before explaining the features of a camera assembly and an electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a schematic configuration of the entire camera assembly and the entire electronic device will be explained for a better understanding.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first side of an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second side of the electronic device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The first side may be referred to as a back side of the electronic device 10, whereas the second side may be referred to as a front side of the electronic device 10.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the electronic device 10 may include a display 20, a camera assembly 30 including a pop-up lens unit 60, and a battery cover 11 on the first side of the electronic device 10.

For example, the electronic device 10 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and so on.

The camera assembly 30 has an imaging sensor which converts a light which has passed a color filter to an electrical signal. A signal value of the electrical signal depends on an amount of the light which has passed the color filter. The electronic device 10 may have one or more camera assemblies.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, in addition to the display 20 and the camera assembly 30, the electronic device 10 may include a main processor 40, an image signal processor 42, a memory 44, a power supply circuit 46 and a communication circuit 48. The display 20, the camera assembly 30, the main processor 40, the image signal processor 42, the memory 44, the power supply circuit 46, and the communication circuit 48 are connected with each other via a bus 50.

The main processor 40 executes one or more program instructions stored in the memory 44. The main processor 40 implements various applications and data processing of the electronic device 10 by executing program instructions. The main processor 40 may be one or more computer processors. The main processor 40 is not limited to have a single CPU core, but it may have a plurality of CPU cores. The main processor 40 may be a main CPU of the electronic device 10, an image processing unit (IPU) , or a DSP provided with the camera assembly 30.

The image signal processor 42 controls the camera assembly 30 and performs various types of processing to the image data captured by the camera assembly 30 to generate a target image data. For example, the image signal processor 42 may apply a demosaicing process, a noise reduction process, an auto exposure process, an auto focus process, an auto white balance process, a high dynamic range process, and so on, to the image data captured by the camera assembly 30.

In the present embodiment, the main processor 40 and the image signal processor 42 may collaborate with each other to generate a target image data of the object captured by the camera assembly 30. That is, the main processor 40 and the image signal processor 42 may be configured to capture the image of the object by means of the camera assembly 30 and apply various types of image processing to the captured image data.

The memory 44 stores program instructions to be executed by the main processor 40 and various types of data. For example, the data of the captured image are also stored in the memory 44.

The memory 44 may include a high-speed RAM memory, and/or a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory and a magnetic disk memory. That is, the memory 44 may include a non-transitory computer readable medium in which the program instructions are stored.

The power supply circuit 46 may have a battery such as a lithium-ion rechargeable battery and a battery management unit (BMU) to manage the battery.

The communication circuit 48 is configured to receive and transmit data to communicate with base stations of a telecommunication network system, the Internet, or other devices via wireless communication. The wireless communication may adopt any communication standard or protocol, including but not limited to GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) , CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) , LTE (Long Term Evolution) , LTE-Advanced, 5th generation (5G) . The communication circuit 48 may include an antenna and an RF (radio frequency) circuit.

Next, an exemplary configuration focusing on the camera assembly 30 of the electronic device 10 having an above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 8C.

Here, FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a configuration of the camera assembly of the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a stowed position. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a configuration of the camera assembly of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure at an imaging position. FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a collapsible cylinder of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the configuration of a driving wheel of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 5C is a perspective view showing the configuration of the cam cylinder, a substrate, a drive unit, and a pressing mechanism of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 6A is a top view focusing on the region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 6B is a side view focusing on a region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIG. 6A.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the camera assembly 30 includes the collapsible cylinder 2, the cam cylinder 1X, the substrate 1, the driving wheel 4, the drive unit 3, and the pressing mechanism 8.

Note that in FIGS. 4A and 4B, other configurations such as an image sensor of the camera assembly 30 are omitted.

The collapsible cylinder 2 houses the lens barrel 5 inside, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5A. The collapsible cylinder 2 has a cylindrical shape extending around an optical axis of the plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel 5. The collapsible cylinder 2 is configured to move along the optical axis direction of the optical axis 6.

In particular, the collapsible cylinder 2 is provided with a collapsible cam pin 2a extending from the outer side wall as shown in FIG. 5A.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, for example, the cam cylinder 1X has the cylindrical shape extending around the optical axis 6. The cam cylinder 1X is fixed to a housing of the camera assembly 30. Specifically, the camera assembly 30 is arranged in the housing provided in the electronic device 10.

In the cam cylinder 1X, the collapsible cylinder 2 is slidable along the optical axis 6 inside the cylindrical shape of the cam cylinder 1X.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5C, the cam cylinder 1X is formed with a first groove 1a configured to let the collapsible cam pin 2a extend therethrough and guide the collapsible cam pin 2a. The first groove 1a is arc-shaped. The first groove 1a extends through the cam cylinder 1X in a thickness direction thereof. The cam cylinder 1X includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first groove 1a extends from the end of the cam cylinder 1X to a portion adjacent the second end of the cam cylinder 1X.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5C, 6A, and 6B, the substrate 1is connected to the first end of the cam cylinder 1X and supports the cam cylinder 1X.

In the example of FIG. 5C, the substrate 1and the cam cylinder 1X are integrally formed. The substrate 1is fixed to the housing of the camera assembly 30.

The driving wheel 4 has the cylindrical wall extending around the optical axis 6, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5B. The driving wheel 4 is provided with a rotary gear 4G on an outer side face of the cylindrical wall of the driving wheel 4. The driving wheel 4 is configured such that the cam cylinder 1X is received in driving wheel 4 and is surrounded by the cylindrical wall of the driving wheel 4. As shown in FIG. 5B, the driving wheel 4 defines a second groove 4a in an inner side face of the cylindrical wall. The second groove 4a is configured for receiving and guiding the collapsible cam pin 2a. The cylindrical wall includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The second groove 4a extends from the first end toward the second end. The second groove 4a is substantially parallel to the optical axis 6.

Note that in the examples of FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, a number of the collapsible cam pin 2a, the first groove 1a, and the second groove 4a is three, respectively. However, the number of each of the collapsible cam pin 2a, the first groove 1a, and the second groove 4a is not limited to three.

Furthermore, the drive unit 3 includes, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5C, 6A, and 6B, a worm gear 3G, a motor 3M, a motor shaft 3Q, a support member 3K, and a rotation mechanism 3R.

The motor 3M is configured to generate power to drive the driving wheel 4. The motor 3M is, for example, a stepping motor or a DC motor.

The worm gear 3G has a screw-like structure along a direction 3D of the motor shaft 3Q.

The motor shaft 3Q has a first end connected to the motor 3M. The motor shaft 3Q is rotated by the motor 3M when the motor 3M operates.

The worm gear 3G is arranged in the motor shaft 3Q along the direction 3D of the motor shaft 3Q.

The support member 3K is arranged on the substrate 1to support the motor 3M and a second end of the motor shaft 3Q.

The rotation mechanism 3R is provided on the support member 3K and is configured to rotate the support member 3K relative to the substrate 1.

The rotation mechanism 3R is configured to rotate the motor 3M and the motor shaft 3Q about a rotation shaft parallel to the optical axis 6.

When the camera assembly 30 works, the rotation mechanism 3R rotates the motor shaft 3Q around the rotation shaft, such that the worm gear 3G rotates toward the rotary gear 4G. That is, the worm gear 3G is pressed toward the rotary gear 4G by an external force, for example, a force exerted on a protruding portion of the lens barrel when dropping the mobile phone on a ground.

In the example of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism 3R is located below the motor shaft between the worm gear 3G and the motor.

The drive unit 3 is configured to drive the driving wheel 4 to rotate relative to the cam cylinder 1X about the optical axis 6, by rotating the worm gear 3G in a state in which the worm gear 3G is meshed with the rotary gear 4G. In an embodiment, when the worm gear 3G is meshed with the rotary gear 4G of the driving wheel 4 and rotates, the driving wheel 4 is rotated relative to the cam cylinder 1X.

In detail, the drive unit 3 is configured to rotate the driving wheel 4 relative to the cam cylinder 1X about the optical axis 6, by rotating the worm gear 3G in the state in which the worm gear 3G is meshed with the rotary gear 4G, such that the collapsible cam pin 2a is guided through the first groove 1a and the second groove 4a. In an embodiment, when the worm gear 3G is meshed with the rotary gear 4G of the driving wheel 4 and rotates, the driving wheel 4 rotates under the drive of the worm gear 3G, the collapsible cam pin 2a of the collapsible cylinder 2 received in the second groove 4a is driven by the driving wheel 4 to slide in first groove of the cam cylinder 1X and the second groove and is supported by the cam cylinder 1X, thereby driving the collapsible cylinder 2 move up or down relative to the cam cylinder 1X.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5C, 6A, 6B, the pressing mechanism 8 is configured to apply a force to press the worm gear 3G toward the rotary gear 4G (in a direction D4) such that the worm gear 3G directly contacts and meshes with the rotary gear.

The pressing mechanism 8 is fixed to the substrate 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 5C.

The pressing mechanism 8 includes an elastic body 7 that outputs the pressing force. The elastic body 7 is a spring in the example shown in FIG. 5C. The elastic body 7 can also be other member, fox example an elastic sheet, which provides elastic pressing force to the worm gear 3G.

The pressing mechanism 8 applies the pressing force to the other end of the motor shaft 3Q.

In particular, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the pressing mechanism 8 is configured to provide the pressing force to the second end of the motor shaft 3Q, through pressing a portion of the support member 3K that supports the second end of the motor shaft 3Q.

As described above, since the camera assembly 30 having an above configuration does not require an idle gear, a distance of the motor mounting dimension can be shortened. That is, the camera assembly 30 can be downsized.

Here, an example of the extending and shrinking operation of the camera assembly 30 having the above configuration will be described.

As described above, the drive unit 3 rotates the driving wheel 4 relative to the cam cylinder 1X about the optical axis 6, by rotating the worm gear 3G in the state in which the worm gear 3G is meshed with the rotary gear, the worm gear 3G is rotated.

For example, by the driving wheel 4 rotating relative to the cam cylinder 1X in a first direction (a forward rotation direction) D1 about the optical axis, the collapsible cylinder 2 pops up from a first position (the storage position, FIG. 4A) to a second position (the imaging position, FIG. 4B) along the optical axis.

On the other hand, when the driving wheel 4 rotates relative to the cam cylinder 1X in a second direction (the reverse direction) D2 opposite to the first direction D1 about the optical axis 6, the collapsible cylinder 2 moves from the second position (the imaging position, FIG. 4B) to the first position (the storage position, FIG. 4A) along the optical axis 6.

Here, for example, the driving wheel 4 may rotate relative to the cam cylinder 1X in the second direction (the reversal direction) D2 about the optical axis 6, when the collapsible cylinder 2 moves from the second position (the imaging position, FIG. 4B) to the first position (the storage position, FIG. 4A) along the optical axis 6 due to the external force applied to the collapsible cylinder 2 from the outside. That is, a load is applied that would cause gear tooth breakage, due to the external force.

When a load is applied that would cause gear tooth breakage in this way, the rotation mechanism 3R of the drive unit 3 rotates the motor shaft 3Q around the rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism 3R, such that the motor shaft 3Q is separated from the rotary gear 4G.

As a result, the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G separate from each other, and it is possible to avoid a damage to the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G.

Here, FIG. 7A is a top view focusing on a region near the drive unit of the camera assembly according to a first modification. FIG. 7B is a top view focusing on the region in the vicinity of the drive unit of the camera assembly shown in FIG. 7A when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a rotation axis of the rotation mechanism 3R may be provided between the motor 3M and the substrate 1.

When a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage as described above, the rotation mechanism 3R of the drive unit 3 rotates the motor shaft 3Q around the rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism 3R, such that the motor shaft 3Q is separated from the rotary gear 4G.

As a result, the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G separate from each other, and it is possible to avoid the damage to the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G.

Here, FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram focusing on the region in the vicinity of the rotary gear of the driving wheel of the camera assembly and the worm gear of the drive unit according to a second modification. FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram focusing on a region where the teeth of the rotary gear and the teeth of the worm gear shown in FIG. 8A mesh with each other. FIG. 8C is a schematic diagram focusing on the region where the teeth of the rotary gear and the teeth of the worm gear shown in FIG. 8B mesh with each other when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the rotary gear 4G has a plurality of teeth arranged along a rotation direction of the driving wheel 4 on the outer side surface of the cylindrical shape of the driving wheel 4.

On the other hand, for example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the worm gear 3G has gear teeth formed in a screw shape along the motor shaft.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, in a state in which the rotary gear 4G and the worm gear 3G mesh with each other, the tip portion 4Ga of the teeth of the rotary gear 4G is tilted in a normal rotation direction D1, and a tip portion 3Ga of the tooth of the worm gear 3G is tilted in a reverse direction D2.

That is, in the rotation direction of the driving wheel 4, the teeth of the rotary gear 4G and the teeth of the worm gear 3G have an asymmetrical shape.

As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 8C, the teeth of the worm gear 3G are pushed by the teeth of the rotary gear 4G, when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage due to the driving wheel 4 rotating in the reverse direction D2 due to the force (the force majeure) applied to the collapsible cylinder 2 from outside. As a result, the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G are easily separated from each other.

As a result, when a load is applied that causes gear tooth breakage, the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G may easily separate from each other, and the damage to the worm gear 3G and the rotary gear 4G may be avoided.

The camera assembly 30 of the electronic device 10 according to some embodiments, comprises: the collapsible cylinder 2 configured to house the lens barrel 5 and to move along the optical axis of a plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel; the cam cylinder 1X, receiving the collapsible cylinder, the cam cylinder being configured such that the collapsible cylinder 2 is capable of moving along the optical axis 6 in the cam cylinder 2; the driving wheel 4 comprising the cylindrical wall and the rotary gear 4G provided on the outer side surface of the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall surrounding the cam cylinder 1X; the drive unit 3 comprising the worm gear, configured to rotate the driving wheel relative to the cam cylinder 1X about the optical axis by the worm gear meshing with the rotary gear and the worm gear rotating; and the pressing mechanism 7 configured to exert the pressing force to the worm gear 3G toward the rotary gear 4G such that the worm gear 3G directly contact and meshes with the rotary gear 4G.

As explained above, the camera assembly and the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may reduce the influence of backlash while reducing the size of the camera assembly that extends and shrinks in the optical axis direction to improve the camera performance.

In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that terms such as "central" , "longitudinal" , "transverse" , "length" , "width" , "thickness" , "upper" , "lower" , "front" , "rear" , "back" , "left" , "right" , "vertical" , "horizontal" , "top" , "bottom" , "inner" , "outer" , "clockwise" and "counterclockwise" should be construed to refer to the orientation or the position as described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are only used to simplify description of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, or constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Thus, these terms should not be constructed to limit the present disclosure.

In addition, terms such as "first" and "second" are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance or to imply the number of indicated technical features. Thus, the feature defined with "first" and "second" may comprise one or more of this feature. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more than two, unless specified otherwise.

In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted" , "connected" , "coupled" and the like are used broadly, and may be, for example, fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; may also be mechanical or electrical connections; may also be direct connections or indirect connections via intervening structures; may also be inner communications of two elements, which may be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, a structure in which a first feature is "on" or "below" a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, and may also include an embodiment in which the first feature and the second feature are not in direct contact with each other, but are contacted via an additional feature formed therebetween. Furthermore, a first feature "on" , "above" or "on top of" a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right or obliquely "on" , "above" or "on top of" the second feature, or just means that the first feature is at a height higher than that of the second feature; while a first feature "below" , "under" or "on bottom of" a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right or obliquely "below" , "under" or "on bottom of" the second feature, or just means that the first feature is at a height lower than that of the second feature.

Various embodiments and examples are provided in the above description to implement different structures of the present disclosure. In order to simplify the present disclosure, certain elements and settings are described in the above. However, these elements and settings are only by way of example and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In addition, reference numbers and/or reference letters may be repeated in different examples in the present disclosure. This repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, and does not refer to relations between different embodiments and/or settings. Furthermore, examples of different processes and materials are provided in the present disclosure. However, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other processes and/or materials may be also applied.

Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" , "some embodiments" , "an exemplary embodiment" , "an example" , "a specific example" or "some examples" means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the above phrases throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Any process or method described in a flow chart or described herein in other ways may be understood to include one or more modules, segments or portions of codes of executable instructions for achieving specific logical functions or steps in the process, and the scope of a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure includes other implementations, in which it should be understood by those skilled in the art that functions may be implemented in a sequence other than the sequences shown or discussed, including in a substantially identical sequence or in an opposite sequence.

The logic and/or step described in other manners herein or shown in the flow chart, for example, a particular sequence table of executable instructions for realizing the logical function, may be specifically achieved in any computer readable medium to be used by the instruction execution system, device or equipment (such as the system based on computers, the system comprising processors or other systems capable of obtaining the instruction from the instruction execution system, device and equipment and executing the instruction) , or to be used in combination with the instruction execution system, device and equipment. As to the specification, "the computer readable medium" may be any device adaptive for including, storing, communicating, propagating or transferring programs to be used by or in combination with the instruction execution system, device or equipment. More specific examples of the computer readable medium comprise but are not limited to: an electronic connection (an electronic device) with one or more wires, a portable computer enclosure (a magnetic device) , a random access memory (RAM) , a read only memory (ROM) , an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or a flash memory) , an optical fiber device and a portable compact disk read-only memory (CDROM) . In addition, the computer readable medium may even be a paper or other appropriate medium capable of printing programs thereon, because, for example, the paper or other appropriate medium may be optically scanned and then edited, decrypted or processed with other appropriate methods when necessary to obtain the programs in an electric manner, and then the programs may be stored in the computer memories.

It should be understood that each part of the present disclosure may be realized by the hardware, software, firmware or their combination. In the above embodiments, a plurality of steps or methods may be realized by the software or firmware stored in the memory and executed by the appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if it is realized by the hardware, likewise in another embodiment, the steps or methods may be realized by one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for realizing a logic function of a data signal, an application-specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combination logic gate circuit, a programmable gate array (PGA) , a field programmable gate array (FPGA) , etc.

Those skilled in the art shall understand that all or parts of the steps in the above exemplifying method of the present disclosure may be achieved by commanding the related hardware with programs. The programs may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the programs comprise one or a combination of the steps in the method embodiments of the present disclosure when run on a computer.

In addition, each function cell of the embodiments of the present disclosure may be integrated in a processing module, or these cells may be separate physical existence, or two or more cells are integrated in a processing module. The integrated module may be realized in a form of hardware or in a form of software function modules. When the integrated module is realized in a form of software function module and is sold or used as a standalone product, the integrated module may be stored in a computer readable storage medium.

The storage medium described above may be read-only memories, magnetic disks, CD, etc.

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the embodiments are explanatory and cannot be construed to limit the present disclosure, and changes, modifications, alternatives and variations can be made in the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

A camera assembly comprising:

a collapsible cylinder configured to house a lens barrel and move along an optical axis of a plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel;

a cam cylinder, receiving the collapsible cylinder, the cam cylinder being configured such that the collapsible cylinder is capable of moving along the optical axis in the cam cylinder;

a driving wheel comprising a cylindrical wall and a rotary gear provided on an outer side surfa of the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall surrounding the cam cylinder;

a drive unit comprising a worm gear, configured to rotate the driving wheel about the optical axis by the worm gear meshing with the rotary gear and the worm gear rotating; and

a pressing mechanism configured to exert a pressing force to the worm gear toward the rotary gear such that the worm gear directly contacts and meshes with the rotary gear.
The camera assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressing mechanism has an elastic body that outputs the pressing force.
The camera assembly according to claim 2, wherein the elastic body is a spring.
The camera assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a substrate configured to support the cam cylinder.
The camera assembly according to claim 4, wherein the pressing mechanism is fixed to the substrate.
The camera assembly according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the drive unit comprises:

a motor configured to generate power to drive the driving wheel;

a motor shaft having a first end connected to the motor, with the worm gear arranged, and rotated by the motor;

a support member arranged on a substrate and configured to support the motor and a second end of the motor shaft; and

a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the motor and the motor shaft around a rotation axis parallel to the optical axis.
The camera assembly according to claim 6, wherein the pressing mechanism is configured to exert the pressing force to the second end of the motor shaft.
The camera assembly according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the rotation mechanism is provided on the support member and configured to rotate the support member relative to the substrate.
The camera assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein of the rotating mechanism has a rotating shaft located below the motor shaft between the worm gear and the motor.
The camera assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the rotating mechanism has rotating shaft provided between the motor and the substrate.
An electronic device comprising:

a housing; and

a camera assembly arranged in the housing,

wherein the camera assembly comprises:

a collapsible cylinder configured to house a lens barrel and move along an optical axis of a plurality of lenses mounted in the lens barrel;

a cam cylinder, receiving the collapsible cylinder, the cam cylinder being configured such that the collapsible cylinder is capable of moving along the optical axis in the cam cylinder;

a driving wheel comprising a cylindrical wall and a rotary gear provided on an outer side surface of the cylindrical wall, the cylindrical wall surrounding the cam cylinder;

a drive unit comprising a worm gear, configured to rotate the driving wheel about the optical axis by the worm gear meshing with the rotary gear and the worm gear rotating; and

a pressing mechanism configured to exert a pressing force to the worm gear toward the rotary gear such that the worm gear directly contacts and meshes with the rotary gear.
The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the pressing mechanism has an elastic body outputting the pressing force.
The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the elastic body is a spring.
The electronic device according to claim any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising a substrate configured to support the cam cylinder.
The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the pressing mechanism is fixed to the substrate.
The electronic device according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the drive unit comprises:

a motor configured to generate power to drive the driving wheel;

a motor shaft having a first end connected to the motor, with the worm gear arranged, and rotated by the motor;

a support member arranged on the substrate, such that the support member is configured to support the motor and a second end of the motor shaft; and

a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the motor and the motor shaft around a rotation axis parallel to the optical axis.
The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the pressing mechanism is configured to exert the pressing force to the second end of the motor shaft.
The electronic device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the rotation mechanism is provided on the support member and configured to rotate the support member relative to the substrate.
The electronic device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the rotating mechanism has a rotating shaft located below the motor shaft between the worm gear and the motor.
The electronic device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the rotating mechanism has a rotating shaft provided between the motor and the substrate.