Pop-up flash assembly and camera including the same

A pop-up flash assembly including a main body comprising an opening; a moving unit linearly movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the moving unit is received in the opening at the first position and protrudes from the opening at the second position; a flash installed on the moving unit and generates light; a first link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to the main body; a second link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to another end of the first link, and another end of the second link being rotatably coupled to the moving unit; and a driver for rotating the first link.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0033346, filed on 30 Mar. 2012, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

Various embodiments relate to a pop-up flash assembly and a camera including the same, and more particularly, to a pop-up flash assembly with a maximum flash pop-up stroke by using a link mechanism and a camera including the pop-up flash assembly.

A pop-up flash of a camera is a light-emitting device that is embedded in a main body of the camera, and when photographing is performed and it is necessary for light to be emitted from the flash, the pop-up flash pops up so as to protrude from the main body of the camera.

Recently, small and slim cameras have become more common. To mount a pop-up flash on such small and slim cameras, the pop-up flash needs to be designed to have a simple structure that occupies a minimum space.

The pop-up flash improves photographing by providing light required for photographing. When the pop-up flash emits light toward a subject, a shadow may be formed due to the overlapping of a progressing path of light and the structure of the main body of a camera. To prevent the shadow, the pop-up flash needs to be appropriately located.

Japanese Registered Patent Publication No. JP3998824 discloses a pop-up flash protruding from a camera. However, in the camera, constituent elements that are used to form a mechanism to make the pop-up flash protrude take up much room. That is, since the pop-up flash rotates so as to protrude from the camera, that design requires space for rotational motion of the pop-up flash or requires space for the rotational motion of the constituent elements supporting the pop-up flash. Thus, it is difficult to obtain a compact camera design. Also, during the pop-up motion of the pop-up flash, noise may occur due to contact between constituent components, and the number of parts used to implement the rotational motion increases, thereby complicating the assembly process.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the invention provide a pop-up flash assembly having a compact structure that is suitable for small and slim cameras, and a camera including the same.

The embodiments also provide a pop-up flash assembly in which the noise of a pop-up motion is reduced, and a camera including the same.

The embodiments also provide a pop-up flash assembly that has a simple slim structure and uses a small number of parts, and a camera including the same.

According to an embodiment, there is provided a pop-up flash assembly including: a main body including an opening; a moving unit that is arranged in the main body in such a manner that the moving unit linearly moves in a direction in which the opening extends and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the moving unit is received in the opening at the first position and the moving unit protrudes from the opening at the second position; a flash that is installed on the moving unit and generates light; a first link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to the main body; a second link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to another end of the first link, and another end of the second link being rotatably coupled to the moving unit; and a driver for rotating the first link.

The end of the first link may be rotatably coupled to a rotational axis of the main body, and the driver includes a first spring that is installed between the end of the first link and the rotational axis to provide a rotational force to the first link.

The driver may further include a second spring that is installed between the first link and the second link to provide a rotational force between the first link and the second link.

The pop-up flash assembly may further include a stopper that is installed on the main body in such a manner that the stopper is movable between a coupling position in which the stopper is coupled to the moving unit to limit the motion of the moving unit in the opening and a separation position in which the stopper is separated from the moving unit.

The stopper may include a protrusion that is movable to protrude toward the opening through a coupling hole formed in a wall of the opening, and an elastic support that elastically supports the protrusion with respect to the main body.

The end of the first link may be connected to the rotational axis of the main body, and the driver may include a driving motor for rotating the rotational axis.

The driver may further include a power transmitting unit that is coupled between the driving motor and the rotational axis to transmit a driving force.

The pop-up flash assembly may further include: a third link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to the main body and rotates about a direction crossing a rotational axis of the first link; and a fourth link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to another end of the third link and another end of the fourth link being rotatably coupled to the moving unit, and rotates about a direction crossing a rotational axis of the first link.

The moving unit may further include an extension hole supporting the other end of the fourth link to allow the other end of the fourth link to slide while rotating.

According to another embodiment, there is provided a camera including: a pop-up flash assembly including: a main body including an opening; a moving unit that is arranged in the main body in such a manner that the moving unit linearly moves in a direction in which the opening extends and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the moving unit is received in the opening at first position and the moving unit protrudes from the opening at the second position; a flash that is installed on the moving unit and generates light; a first link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to the main body; a second link that has an end that is rotatably coupled to another end of the first link, and another end of the second link being rotatably coupled to the moving unit; and a driver for rotating the first link; a controller that is disposed on the main body and transfers signals to the flash; and a signal transferring unit that electrically connects the controller and the flash, and transfers signals from the controller to the pop-up flash assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, structures and operations of pop-up flash assemblies and cameras including the pop-up flash assemblies according to various embodiments are described in detail.

FIG. 1is a schematic perspective view of a camera100including a pop-up flash assembly2according to an embodiment, in which only a portion of an inner structure of the camera is illustrated.

The camera100includes a pop-up flash assembly2, a controller110for controlling the pop-up flash assembly2, and a signal transferring unit120that electrically connects the controller110to the pop-up flash assembly2to transfer signals from the controller110to the pop-up flash assembly2. The controller110and the signal transferring unit120are located within a housing101of the camera100, and the pop-up flash assembly2is located on an upper side of the housing101. The camera100includes a lens portion5for receiving light corresponding to an image.

The camera100may be embodied as, for example, a digital still camera for capturing a still image or a digital video camera for capturing a moving image or video.

The housing101of the camera100may cover, protect, and support various constituent elements of the camera100.

The controller110is electrically connected to the pop-up flash assembly2, and transmits control signals to and may receive signals from the pop-up flash assembly2so as to control the pop-up flash assembly2, or processes data.

The controller110may be embodied as a micro chip, or a circuit board including a micro chip, and elements that constitute the controller110may be embodied as software or as circuits located inside the controller110.

InFIG. 1, the signal transferring unit120is embodied as a flexible set of wires. However, the signal transferring unit120is not limited thereto. For example, the signal transferring unit120may be embodied as a flexible or hard printed circuit board that electrically connects the pop-up flash assembly2to the controller110, or may be embodied using wireless communication technology.

The pop-up flash assembly2according to embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 5, includes a main body10including an opening11, a moving unit20that is movably installed in the main body10to allow the moving unit20to be received in the main body10or to protrude from the main body10, a flash30that is installed on the moving unit20and generates light, a first link40that moves the moving unit20with respect to the main body10, a second link50, and a driver60.

The opening11may be embodied as a passage having a rectangular shape formed by walls11a,11b,11c, and11dof the main body10. The moving unit20is movably arranged in the opening11, and may linearly move upwards or downwards along a z axis, which is a direction in which the opening11extends. The moving unit20may be movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position in which the moving unit20protrudes from the opening11, and the second position is a position in which the moving unit20received or retracted in the opening11.FIGS. 1 to 5illustrate when the moving unit20is retracted in the opening11, that is, the moving unit20is located in the second position.

The flash30for generating light may be located within the moving unit20. The moving unit20may include an edge unit21for supporting the flash30, and a cover unit22that is coupled to a side surface of the edge unit21to cover the flash30. When the moving unit20moves along the opening11, the flash30also moves along with the moving unit20. Accordingly, the flash30either protrudes from the opening11or is embedded in the opening11. The flash30may emit light when signals are applied thereto through an interconnection line31.

Regarding the pop-up flash assembly2, when the camera2is not used or flash light is not needed, the moving unit20and the flash30are embedded in the opening11, that is, the moving unit20and the flash30are located in the second position. The second position refers to a position when the pop-up flash assembly2is retracted in the housing101of the camera2. When night photographing or backlight photographing is performed using the camera2, the moving unit20and the flash30move to the first position in which they protrude from the opening11and the flash30emits light. The first position is a position in which the pop-up flash assembly2may emit light.

The first link40has an end41that is rotatably coupled to the main body10, and another end42coupled to the second link50. The first link40may rotate about a first rotational axis29of the main body10.

The driver60rotates the first link40. In the illustrated embodiment, the driver60may include a first spring61that is embodied as a torsion spring. The first spring61is installed between the main body10and the first link40, and provides force to the first link40to rotate the first link40with respect to the main body10. The first spring61according to the present embodiment is not limited to a torsion spring, and may instead be embodied using various mechanical elements such as a planar spring, a motor that actuates according to electric signals, a pneumatic cylinder, or the like.

The second link50may have an end51that is rotatably coupled to the other end42of the first link40through a second rotational axis49. Also, the second link50may have another end52that is rotatably coupled to the moving unit20through a third rotational axis59.

As described above, in a state in which the first link40, the main body10, the second link50, and the moving unit20are rotatably connected to each other, when the first link40rotates with respect to the main body10, a rotational force of the first link40is transmitted to the moving unit20through the second link50. Since the motion of the moving unit20is limited along the extension direction of the opening11, the moving unit20may move linearly along the extension direction of the opening11due to the rotational motion of the first link40.

The driver60may further include a second spring62that is installed between the first link40and the second link50and that provides a rotational force between the first link40and the second link50. Due to the cooperative actuation of the first spring61and the second spring62of the driver60, the first link40rotates with respect to the main body10and the second link50rotates with respect to the first link40, and thus, the pop-up motion of the pop-up flash assembly2, that is, the protrusion of the moving unit20from the opening11, may be performed quickly and stably.

The main body10includes a stopper80for limiting the motion of the moving unit20in the opening11. The stopper80is disposed in the main body in such a way that the stopper80is movable between a coupling position in which the stopper21is coupled to the moving unit20and a separation position in which the stopper80is separated from the moving unit20to allow the motion of the moving unit20, so as to limit the motion of the moving unit20.

The stopper80includes a protrusion81that protrudes toward the moving unit20through a coupling hole formed in the wall11cof the opening11, and an elastic support85, such as a spring, that elastically supports the protrusion81with respect to the main body10. The stopper80includes a button87protruding from the main body10. The stopper80may be moved to the coupling position or the separation position by a user manipulating the button87.

FIG. 5illustrates when the stopper80moves toward the moving unit20; that is, the stopper80is located in the coupling position. Since the protrusion81of the stopper80is inserted through the coupling hole20bformed in a side surface of the moving unit20, the motion of the moving unit20is limited by the stopper80.

When a user pushes the button87to the left-hand side in the state illustrated inFIG. 5, the protrusion81of the stopper80is released from the coupling hole20bof the moving unit20and thus, the moving unit20is in a movable state with respect to the opening11. In this state, since the rotational force of the driver60is already affecting the first link40and the second link50, simultaneously with the movement of the stopper80toward the separation position, the moving unit20moves upwards along the Z axis towards the first position in which the moving unit20protrudes from the opening11.

In this illustrated embodiment, the stopper80actuates according to a user's passive manipulation. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, a stopper driver (not shown) for generating a driving power to move the stopper80between the coupling position and the separation position may be provided, and the stopper driver may be controlled by using the controller110illustrated inFIG. 1, thereby embodying automatic actuation of the stopper80.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 5, the pop-up flash assembly2may further include a third link91that is rotatably coupled to the main body10and a fourth link92that is rotatably coupled to the moving unit20.

The third link91may have an end91athat is rotatably coupled to the main body10, and another end91bthat is rotatably coupled to the fourth link92. The fourth link92may have an end92athat is rotatably coupled to the other end91bof the third link91, and another end92bthat is rotatably coupled to the moving unit20. The third link91and the fourth link92may rotate about a direction (a direction parallel to an X axis) crossing a rotational axis (a direction parallel to a Y axis) of the first link40.

The moving unit20may have an extension hole20dsupporting the other end92bof the fourth link92. The extension hole20dof the moving unit20may support the other end92bof the fourth link92to allow the other end92bof the fourth link92to slide while rotating when the moving unit20actuates.

The third link91and the fourth link92may maintain the connection between the main body10and the moving unit20to allow the moving unit20to stably actuate.

FIG. 7is a side cross-sectional view of the pop-up flash assembly2ofFIG. 2during actuation, andFIG. 8is a front cross-sectional view of the pop-up flash assembly2ofFIG. 7.

FIGS. 7 and 8illustrate that the moving unit20of the pop-up flash assembly2is located at the first position, thereby protruding from the opening11. When the moving unit20and the flash30protrude from the opening11, that is, when the moving unit20and the flash30are located in the first position, the flash30is exposed outside. When the flash30is exposed, photographing may be performed when light is emitted from the flash30.

To move the moving unit20of the pop-up flash assembly2to the second position in which the moving unit20is received in the opening11after photographing is performed using the flash30of the pop-up flash assembly2that is located in the first position illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, a user may apply a pressure on upper end of the moving unit20in the direction of arrow A.

When the user moves the moving unit20downwards along the Z axis, the second link50and the first link40rotate to be in the state illustrated inFIG. 2. When the moving unit20is located in the second position, the protrusion81of the stopper80may be inserted through the coupling hole20bof the moving unit20, thereby allowing the moving unit20of the pop-up flash assembly2to be stably located in the second position.

Regarding the pop-up flash assembly2, the moving unit20may move between the first position in which the moving unit20protrudes from the opening11and the second position in which the moving unit20is received in the opening11. By using the link mechanism of the first link40, the second link50, and the moving unit20, the maximum stroke for the protruding movement of the flash30from the camera100can be implemented.

Also, since the moving unit20is moved by using a link mechanism having a simple structure, the pop-up flash assembly2may be embodied as a compact structure which is more suitable for small and slim cameras compared to a more typical and complicated structure using a cam. Also, since the driver60for rotating the first link40and the second link50is embodied as a torsion spring, the pop-up motion of the pop-up flash assembly2may be stably performed and accompanying noise may be minimized.

FIG. 9is a schematic side sectional-view illustrating the relationship between a pop-up flash assembly202according to another embodiment, and constituent members of a camera200including the pop-up flash assembly202.

The camera200ofFIG. 9includes the pop-up flash assembly202, a controller270for controlling the pop-up flash assembly202, and a signal transferring unit275that electrically connects the controller270to the pop-up flash assembly202.

The pop-up flash assembly202includes a main body210having an opening211, a moving unit220that is movably arranged in the main body210to be received in the main body210or to protrude from the main body210, a flash230that is installed on the moving unit220and generates light, a first link240that moves the moving unit220with respect to the main body210, a second link250, and a driver260.

The moving unit220may linearly move between a first position and a second position wherein the moving unit220is received in the opening211in the second position and the moving unit220protrudes from the opening211at the first position. The flash230may receive signals transmitted by the controller270through an interconnection line231and emit light.

The first link240is connected to the first rotational axis229. Since a first rotational axis229is rotatably coupled to the main body210, when the first rotational axis229rotates with respect to the main body210, the first link240may also rotate with respect to the main body210. The second link250may be rotatably coupled to the first link240and the moving unit220.

The driver60for rotating the first link240includes a driving motor261for rotating the first rotational axis229to which the first link240is coupled, and a power transmitting unit262for transmitting a driving force of the driving motor261to the first rotational axis229. The driving motor261may be embodied as, for example, a step motor, an ultrasonic motor, or a voice coil motor. Also, the power transmitting unit262may be embodied as, for example, a gear, a rubber roller, or a chain.

The controller270is electrically connected to the pop-up flash assembly202through signal transferring units274and275, and transmits control signals to or receives them from the pop-up flash assembly202so as to control the pop-up flash assembly202, and processes data.

The controller270may be embodied as a micro chip, or a circuit board including a micro chip, and elements that constitute the controller270may be embodied as software, an electronic circuit, or a micro chip installed inside the controller270.

The controller270includes a motor driver271for controlling the driver260, a flash controller272for controlling light-emission actuation of the flash230, stopper driver279, and a sensor receiver273for receiving sensor signals.

The controller270includes a motor driver271for controlling the driver260, a flash controller272for controlling light-emission actuation of the flash230, and a sensor receiver273for receiving sensor signals.

The camera200may include a condition detector280for detecting photographing conditions. Photographing conditions detected by the condition detector280include intensity of illumination, motion of a subject, a face of a person included in the subject, and a change of expression on the face of the person.

When detection signals transmitted by the condition detector280are transmitted to the sensor receiver273of the controller270, the controller270determines whether a light-emission action of the flash230is needed and controls the pop-up flash assembly202correspondingly.

When the controller270determines that the flash230is needed to emit light, the controller270transmits corresponding signals to the pop-up flash assembly202to move the moving unit220to the second position. When the moving unit220protrudes from the opening211, the flash controller272of the controller270controls the flash230to perform a light-emission action to provide to flash light for photographing. Regarding pop-up flash assemblies according to the above embodiments of the present invention and cameras including the pop-up flash assemblies, a moving unit may move linearly between a first position and a second position, wherein the moving unit is received in an opening at the second position and the moving unit protrudes from the opening at the first position. That is, by using a simple link mechanism using a first link, a second link, and the moving unit, a maximum pop-up stroke may be obtained when a flash unit protrudes from a camera. Also, since the moving unit moves by using a simple link mechanism, a compact pop-up flash assembly is provided that is suitable for small and slim cameras, as compared to more complicated structures using a cam.

Also, since a driver is embodied by using a torsion spring or a driving motor to rotate the first link and the second link, the pop-up motion of the pop-up flash assembly may be stably performed, and noise accompanying the pop-up motion may be minimized.

The device described herein may include a processor for storing program data and executing it, a memory for storing data, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communications port for handling communications with external devices, and user interface devices, including a display, keys, etc. When software modules are involved, these software modules may be stored as program instructions or computer readable codes executable on the processor on a computer-readable media such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. This media can be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed by the processor.