SHIELDING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME

A shielding device includes a shielding member, a magnet fixed to the shielding member, a support for supporting and allowing movement of the shielding member in a direction parallel to an X-axis, and a coil wound in a hollow cylindrical shape with a winding axis parallel to the X-axis. Herein, at least a portion of the magnet is inserted into an inner side of the coil. The shielding device controls the shielding member by leveraging magnetism, which is simple and damage-proof. An electric driving structure includes the coil wound in the hollow cylindrical shape and the magnet inserted into the inner side of the coil, which can be structured compactly and thus suitable for use in various electronic apparatuses such as ultra-thin displays, laptops, and desktop computers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 202210968050.3, filed on Aug. 12, 2022, which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a shielding device, and more particularly, to a shielding device and an electronic apparatus using the same.

2. Description of Related Art

With technological development, more electronic apparatuses, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, computers, televisions, displays, and video phones, are equipped with photographing devices. These electronic apparatuses are often loaded with a plurality of applications that can control the photographing device. Some applications or hackers may secretly turn on the photographing device without a user's knowledge, which is detrimental to the user's privacy. Therefore, it is desirable to equip the photographing device of the electronic apparatus with a shielding device.

In the prior art, solutions to the control of a lens shield of the photographing device by means of manual control can be found. For example, a novel sliding camera cover disclosed in the Chinese utility model patent No. CN201821243325.2 filed on Aug. 1, 2016, and published on Feb. 1, 2019, is a manual camera shielding device. When necessary, a user can manually slide a second plate to expose or shield the photographing device. This structure functions by means of the friction between the components, and poor engagement is likely to occur after long-term use, which results in short service life, not to mention the troublesome manual operation.

An automatically controlled lens shield of the photographing device is also available. A camera shielding structure and a mobile terminal disclosed in the Chinese utility model patent No. CN201721854347.8, filed on Dec. 25, 2017, and published on Jun. 29, 2018, is an example. This structure, however, is thicker in size, with which few electronic apparatuses are compatible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described in detail through several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

For the convenience of description, an X-Y-Z rectangular coordinate system is defined, and the shielding device of an electronic apparatus of the present disclosure is capable of moving in a direction parallel to an X-axis, and a direction toward a positive side of a Z-axis (+Z-axis side) is defined ahead/upward, and a direction toward a negative side of the Z-axis (−Z-axis side) is defined back/downward.

First Embodiment

As shown inFIGS.1to4, in a first embodiment, the shielding device of the present invention is applied to an electronic apparatus, such as a laptop as shown inFIG.12Aor a desktop computer as shown inFIG.12B, for being disposed in front of a lens unit (such as the lens unit200inFIG.12Aor the lens unit300inFIG.12B) of a photographing device/camera of the electronic apparatus so as to shield and expose the lens unit as needed. The shielding device mainly includes a shielding member10, a magnet20fixed to the shielding member10, a support30for supporting the shielding member10, a coil40wound into a hollow cylinder, and a locking assembly50.

Herein, the magnet20and the coil40constitute an electromagnetic driving unit of the shielding device, and at least a portion of the magnet20is inserted into an inner side of the coil40wound into a hollow cylinder. A winding axis of the coil40is parallel to the X-axis, and when the coil40is powered on, a magnetic field parallel to the X-axis is generated in the inner side of the coil40so that the magnet20is driven to move in a direction along the winding axis and the magnet20drives the shielding member10to move for shielding and exposing the lens unit of the photographing device. Specifically, when currents in opposite directions pass through the coil40, respectively, to generate different magnetic fields that drive the magnet20to move in opposite directions along the winding axis (X-axis), respectively, thereby moving the shielding member10. Since the magnet20is disposed on the inner side of the coil40, the inner space of the coil40is utilized to the maximum, hence the size of the shielding device can be reduced, mainly the shielding device can be thinner. Furthermore, the magnetic field inside the coil40has the greatest magnetic force with less energy loss, and thus a coil of the same size can push a shielding member of greater mass. For accurate control, at least a portion of the magnet20should be on the inner side of the coil40when the magnet20is stopped at two limit positions or moved.

In this embodiment, the shielding member10includes a shielding sheet11and a fixing portion12connected to the shielding sheet11, which are preferably made integrally of a light plastic material. Herein, the shielding sheet11is an elongated sheet, a plane where the shielding sheet11is located is parallel to a plane defined by the X-axis and a Y-axis; a length of the shielding sheet11is parallel to the X-axis, a first end (distal end)111thereof is connected to the fixing portion, and a second end112thereof is a free end. A portion close to the second end112serves as a light shielding portion114for shielding the lens unit of the photographing device when the shielding sheet11moves to a shielded position. A recess113is formed on a surface of the light shielding portion114facing the lens unit of the photographing device, and an opaque or semi-transparent film or sheet115, which is a SOMA light shielding sheet in this embodiment, is fixed in the recess113. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the opaque or semi-opaque film or sheet115may be omitted. In addition, in this embodiment, two spaced apart holes116and117are formed between the light shielding portion114and the first end111to act as snap-in locations. In particular, a width (dimension in the Y-axis direction) of the light shielding portion114is greater than a width of a portion from the light shielding portion114to the first end111. Since the light shielding portion114is required to shield the lens unit, the width and length thereof shall be greater than a diameter of the lens unit, and the portion from the light shielding portion114to the first end111may be narrower, thus reducing the mass of the shielding member10, which facilitates the movement thereof.

The fixing portion12includes a first portion121extending substantially perpendicularly from the first end111of the shielding sheet11and a second portion122extending from a distal end of the first portion121in a direction parallel to the X-axis, and the second portion122does not coincide with the shielding sheet11in the Z-axis direction or they coincide only at ends thereof. The first portion121is configured to position the second portion122lower than the shielding sheet11in the Z-axis so that the second portion can be inserted into the inner side of the coil40when an upper end face of the coil40is flush with or slightly lower or slightly higher than an upper surface of the shielding sheet11, and thus a sum of heights of the shielding member10and the coil40as a whole in the Z-axis is not greater than a height of the coil40in the Z-axis. The second portion122may be sheet-like or generally cuboid-like. The magnet20is stick-like and may be attached beneath the second portion122or partially or fully embedded within the second portion122. In this embodiment, the second portion122is in the shape of a cuboid with a recess formed at a bottom thereof; the magnet20is embedded into the recess of the second portion122from below the second portion122and partially exposed; compared to a structure where the second portion122is sheet-like, an adhesion area between the magnet and the second portion is larger and the fixing strength is greater, and the magnet is also easy to be installed in place, facilitating the installation and limiting of the magnet. In addition, the second portion122and the magnet can be sized as thin as possible while securing the firmness of the fixation of the magnet. It will be understandable that poles of the magnet are in the X-axis direction, for example, the positive pole of the magnet is on the +X side, and the negative pole is on the −X side.

The support30serves to support and allow the shielding member10to move in a direction parallel to the X-axis, and is integrally made of a light plastic material. The support30may include a base plate and a plurality of linear springs or vertical springs suspending the shielding member10on the base plate; lower ends of the linear springs or vertical springs are fixed on the base plate, and upper ends of the linear springs or vertical springs are connected to the shielding sheet11. The support30may also include a base plate and a plate spring mounted above the base plate, an inner side of the plate spring may be connected to the shielding sheet11, and an outer side of the plate spring may be connected to the fixing portion erected on the base plate. The support30may also include a base plate and two elongated rails mounted on the base plate, both long sides of the shielding sheet11may be in contact with the rails.

In this embodiment, the support30is generally in a rectangular box shape with an upper opening and an inner space divided into two accommodating rooms31and32for accommodating the coil40and the locking assembly50, respectively. Upper portions of two opposite side walls33of the support30form rails for supporting the shielding sheet11, and the rails are capable of limiting a distance between the shielding sheet11and the coil40and of guiding the shielding sheet11to move in a direction parallel to the X-axis. To this end, the upper portions of the side walls33and34are provided with L-shaped steps arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of arc-shaped protrusions331are preferably provided on the steps so as to reduce the contact area between the shielding sheet11and the support30, thereby reducing the friction therebetween so that the shielding sheet11can slide more smoothly with less resistance. In addition, a width of the light shielding portion114of the shielding sheet11in the Y-axis direction is greater than the widths of other portions of the shielding sheet11, so that only both sides of a lower surface of the light shielding portion114are in contact with the steps of the side wall33, further reducing the contact area of the shielding sheet11with the support30.

The coil40is fixed in the accommodating room31close to an end of the accommodating room31. In order to prevent the shielding member10from moving toward a +Z-axis side, and at the same time to limit the movement position of the shielding member10, a magnetic object, such as a magnetic conductive element60made of iron, cobalt, or nickel, is further provided between the coil40and a bottom of the accommodating room31. In this embodiment, the magnetic conductive element60includes a substantially rectangular sheet-shaped substrate61, and a limiting portion62and a second limiting portion63extending substantially perpendicularly from both ends of the substrate61. The substrate61is substantially parallel to the plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis, with a length greater than a length of the coil40in the X-axis and is greater than or equal to a distance within which the light shielding portion114is preset to move. Thus, a magnetic attraction force with the substrate61is always kept during the movement of the magnet20, which ensures the stability of movement.

Top ends of the limiting portions62and63should be located on the rails on which the magnet20moves and at two positions where the magnet20is preset to stay. Thus, the magnet20is subjected to a strong magnetic attraction force when approaching the limiting portions62and63. In this embodiment, the coil40is disposed on the substrate61with an end thereof close to an end of the substrate61and the other end close to the middle of the substrate61. The limiting portion62includes two opposing first and second flaps621and622extending substantially perpendicularly from the other end of the substrate61. The first and second flaps621and622extend from both sides of the substrate, respectively; the current flowing through the coil is properly set so that the magnet20is stopped due to the magnetic attraction force and confined between the first flap621and the second flap622when the magnet20moves from the coil in a direction away from the coil to a position between the first flap621and the second flap622stop, in which case the light shielding portion114is defined to be in a so-called light shielded position (the shielding member is in a shielded position). The limiting portion63is a third flap extending substantially perpendicularly from an end of the substrate61, and is opposed to an end of the coil40. When moving from the limiting portion62to the inside of the coil, the magnet20is likely to be attracted by the limiting portion63to move toward the end of the coil40, and finally stays at the limiting portion63, in which case the light shielding portion114is defined to be in a so-called exposed position (the shielding member is in an exposed position), that is, a position where the light shield is absent.

Furthermore, a width (dimension in the Y-axis direction) of a portion of the substrate61close to the limiting portion63is smaller than a width of a portion of the substrate close to the limiting portion62. That is, a width of a portion of the substrate61below the coil40is large, and a width of a portion not covered by the coil40is small. The arrangement is such that when the magnet moves in a direction from the limiting portion63to the limiting portion62, the magnetic conductive element60is less attractive to the magnet20in a downward direction, so that the friction against the movement of the shielding member10is reduced and an increased speed of movement is possible.

In this embodiment, the magnetic conductive element60is fixed to the bottom of the accommodating room31by a fastener such as a screw. The coil40is adhered to an upper surface of the magnetic conductive element60. A circuit board42electrically connected to the coil40is further fixed on an outer surface of the side wall33of the accommodating room31, and a control circuit of the electronic apparatus can supply power to the coil40via the circuit board42, thereby controlling the magnet20to move the shielding member10between the exposed position and the shielded position. Preferably, the magnet20is not in contact with the coil40.

With reference toFIGS.5and6, the locking assembly50serves to lock the shielding member10in the shielded position or the exposed position so that the locking assembly50can hold the shielding member10in place even if the electronic apparatus is suddenly moved at a high speed that may dislodge the shielding member10from the shielded position or the exposed position. In this embodiment, the locking assembly50mainly includes a second coil51wound in a hollow cylindrical shape, a second fixing block52provided between the second coil and the shielding sheet11, a second magnet53fixed to the second fixing block52, and a fixing sheet54provided between the shielding sheet11and the second fixing block52.

Herein, a winding axis of the second coil51is parallel to the Z-axis and fixed at a position in the middle of the bottom of the accommodating room32of the support30. The fixing sheet54is made of a magnetic substance, and as a magnetic conductive sheet of the locking assembly50, is fixed at an opening of the accommodating room32, that is, at upper portions of the two opposite side walls33of the support30. A hole541is formed in the fixing sheet54.

The second fixing block52serves as a locking portion of the locking assembly50, and is integrally made of a light plastic material. The second fixing block52includes a cylindrical body521and two limiting arms522extended from an outer side wall of the body521. An end of the body521serves as a locking pin5211, and a hole5212for accommodating the second magnet53is formed on a surface of the other end. Because of the fixing sheet54, when no current passes through the second coil51, the second magnet53and the fixing sheet54are attracted to each other, and the locking pin5211extends out of the hole541of the fixing sheet54and is inserted into the hole116or117of the light shielding portion114to limit the shielding member10in the exposed position or the shielded position. When a current in a first predetermined direction flows through the second coil51, a magnetic field generated thereby can drive the second magnet53to move on the inner side of the second coil51toward the −Z-axis side, thereby disengaging the locking pin5211from the hole116or117, so that the coil40can drive the shielding member10to move. When a current in an opposite direction to the first predetermined direction flows through the second coil51, a magnetic field generated thereby can drive the second magnet53to move on the inner side of the second coil51toward the +Z-axis side, so that the locking pin5211is inserted into the hole116or117again to lock the shielding member10. It will be appreciated that when the magnetic field of the second magnet53is strong enough, or when the fixing sheet54is also a permanent magnet, the current in the opposite direction to the first predetermined direction may also be cancelled; when the supply of the current in the first predetermined direction to the second coil51is stopped, the second magnet53may cause the second fixing block52to automatically reset.

In this embodiment, a circuit board55electrically connected to the second coil51is further fixed on the outer surface of the side wall33of the accommodating room32, and the control circuit of the electronic apparatus can supply power to the second coil51via the circuit board55to control the movement of the second magnet53.

The limiting arm522serves to prevent the second fixing block52from rotating and tilting when the second fixing block52moves in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the limiting arm522is generally L-shaped with a first portion5221extending substantially perpendicularly from the outer side wall of the body521and a second portion5222extending from an end of the first portion5221toward the bottom of the accommodating room32, i.e., toward the −Z-axis side. Accordingly, two limiting recesses321where the second portions5222of the limiting arms522are inserted are formed in the accommodating room32.

In addition, the outer side wall of the body521further extends substantially perpendicularly to form a limiting boss523, and an upper surface of the limiting boss523is substantially flush with an upper surface of the first portion5221, so that when the second fixing block52moves to a highest position, that is, abutting against the fixing sheet54, there are three positions where the second fixing block52contacts the fixing sheet54, which is more stable.

To further prevent the shielding member10from disengaging the support30, the shielding device of the present disclosure further includes a protective cover70. The protective cover70is fixedly connected to the support30, and they are not movable relative to each other, so as to clamp the shielding member10between the protective cover70and the support30. The protective cover70is also integrally made of a light plastic material. In the electronic apparatus, the support30of the shielding device is placed alongside the photographing device, and a length of the protective cover70is greater than a length of the support30. The protective cover70further covers the photographing device, and a through hole71for exposing the lens unit of the photographing device is formed at a position of the support30not covered by where the protective cover70. A free end of the protective cover70further forms a bent portion72for enclosing the sides of the photographing device so that the photographing device and the shielding device are more closely connected. In the exposed position, the light shielding portion114of the shielding sheet11of the shielding member10does not extend out of an end of the support30, so that the lens unit is exposed, and an image outside the electronic apparatus can be captured when the photographing device is activated. When the shielding member10is in the shielded position, the light shielding portion114protrudes out of the end of the support30to shield the lens unit, and at this time, even if the photographing device is activated, an image outside the electronic apparatus cannot be captured, and privacy is thus well protected.

In operation, to protect privacy, the shielding member10should be initially in the shielded position. When it is necessary to expose the lens unit of the photographing device so that it can take an image outside the electronic apparatus, an instruction may be sent to the circuit board55through the control circuit of the electronic apparatus, and the circuit board55supplies power to the second coil51so that the locking pin5211is disengaged from the hole116; an instruction is then sent to the circuit board42so that the circuit board42supplies power to the coil40and the coil40drives the shielding member10to move to the exposed position; finally, an instruction is sent to the circuit board55, and the circuit board55supplies a current in an opposite direction to the second coil51so that the locking pin5211is inserted into the hole117to lock the shielding member10in the exposed position. When it is necessary to return the shielding member10to the shielded position, firstly an instruction is sent to the circuit board55by the control circuit of the electronic apparatus, and the circuit board55supplies power to the second coil51so that the locking pin5211is disengaged from the hole117; an instruction is then sent to the circuit board42so that the circuit board42supplies power to the coil40and the coil40drives the shielding member10to move to the shielded position; finally, an instruction is sent to the circuit board55, and the circuit board55supplies a current in an opposite direction to the second coil51so that the locking pin5211is inserted into the hole116to lock the shielding member10in the shielded position.

Second Embodiment

With reference toFIGS.6to10, the shielding device of the electronic apparatus in a second embodiment has an additional position detection assembly80as compared with the shielding device in the first embodiment. The support30, the locking assembly50, the magnetic conductive element60, the magnet20, the coil40, and the circuit board42in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. For the convenience of understanding, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used for the elements in the second embodiment, which are the same as those in the first embodiment.

As compared with the shielding member10of the first embodiment, the shielding member10′ in this embodiment continues to extend in the +X-axis direction from the second end112to sequentially form an exposed portion118with an opening1181, a third fixing portion119for fixing elements in the position detection assembly80, and a third end120of the shielding member10′. Herein, the photographing device of the electronic apparatus is fixed behind the exposed portion118, and the lens unit faces the opening1181of the exposed portion118. The third fixing portion119includes a projection1191extending from the shielding sheet11toward the −Z-axis side, a recess1192with an opening toward the −Z-axis side is formed in the projection1191, and a column1193extends toward the −Z-axis side on the top of the projection1191close to an end of the projection. A recess1201for fixing an opaque or semi-transparent film or sheet1202is further formed on the side of the third end120facing the protective cover70′.

Accordingly, the protective cover70′ is also correspondingly elongated to cover the position detection assembly80, specifically, a portion between the bent portion72and the through hole71is elongated. An opening73is further formed on the protective cover70′ close to a distal end. When the shielding member10′ is in the shielded position, the recess1201in which the opaque or semi-transparent film or sheet1202is fixed is opposite to the opening73so as to cover the opening73, and a further photographing device is provided behind the opening73, that is, the electronic apparatus of this embodiment has two photographing devices.

In this embodiment, the position detection assembly80for detecting the position of the shielding member10′ includes a third magnet81fixed in the recess1192of the third fixing portion119of the shielding member10′, a second support82, a circuit board83fixed on the second support82, and a Hall element84fixed on the circuit board83. The second support82is in a box shape with an accommodating recess821, and is preferably integrally made of a light plastic material. A gel85for shock absorption is provided in the accommodating recess821. During movement of the shielding member10′, a distal end of the column1193is always in contact with the gel85, absorbing shock transmitted from the shielding member10′, thereby reducing the noise of movement of the shielding member10′.

The circuit board83is fixed to an inner or outer side wall of the second support82, in this embodiment to the outer side wall.

In operation, when the shielding member10′ is in the shielded position, the Hall element84is opposed to the third magnet81across the air, and when the shielding member10′ is moved to the exposed position, the third magnet81is then moved to a position not directly opposite the Hall element84. The control circuit of the electronic apparatus may determine the position of the shielding member10′ according to changes in the magnetic field strength detected by the Hall element84to assist the on-off control of the shielding device. For example and without limitation, the position detection assembly80is taken to detect whether the shielding member10′ reaches a preset position after each movement of the shielding member and before the locking assembly50locks, and only when the shielding member10′ is detected to have reached the preset position can the locking assembly50be controlled to lock, which facilitates more accurate control of the product. In addition, the function of the shielding device can be verified by the position detection assembly80, for example, the specific position of the shielding member10′ is detected after controlling the shielding member10′ to move and controlling the locking assembly50to lock, so as to judge whether the control of the movement of the shielding member10′ is accurate, whether the locking assembly50can work normally, etc.

Third Embodiment

With reference toFIG.11, this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a locking mechanism is eliminated. The shielding device in this embodiment is suitable for use on electronic apparatuses, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, and displays, that move infrequently or even frequently but are large in size (relative to smartphones).

Fourth Embodiment

This embodiment has a structure similar to that of the second embodiment, in which the two photographing devices are separated by the position detection assembly80; however, in the fourth embodiment, the two photographing devices are arranged close to each other or integrated so that the through holes71and73of the protective cover70are adjacently disposed or integrated into one rectangular through hole. Accordingly, the light shielding portion114and the exposed portion118of the shielding member10′ may be longer and the third end120may be shorter.

Fifth Embodiment

This embodiment is similar in structure to the second embodiment, and differs from the second embodiment in that the locking mechanism is eliminated.

In a variation of the above embodiments, the holes116and117in the shielding members10and10′ may be replaced by recesses or notches.

In the above embodiments, the through holes71and73of the protective covers70and70′ and the opening1181of the shielding members10and10′ may also be replaced by notches running through the sides of the protective covers70and70′ and the shielding members10and10′.

In the above embodiments, the use of the magnetic conductive element60may restrict the movement of the shielding members10and10′ in the Z-axis direction as well as in the X-axis direction. In other embodiments, the magnetic conductive element60may be omitted, because the shielding device of the present disclosure makes full use of the magnetic force generated by the four sides of the coil, and the magnet in combination with the coil can well drive the shielding member to move in the X-axis direction.

In the second and fourth embodiments described above, the gel85is provided in the accommodating recess821of the second support82, and the shielding member10′ is provided with the column1193that is inserted into the gel85. In other embodiments, the gel and the column may be omitted.

In the description of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that terms like “first” and “second” are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not to be understood as expressing or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly includes one or more of the feature. In the description of the present disclosure, the term “plurality” means two or more, unless specifically defined otherwise.

In the present disclosure, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, terms like “mounted”, “coupled”, “connected”, and “fixed” are to be construed broadly. For example, a connection may be either fixed or detachable, or integral; a connection may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a connection may be a direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and may be the communication between two elements or interaction between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific circumstances.

While the invention has been described in terms of several exemplary embodiments, those skilled on the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. In addition, it is noted that, the Applicant's intent is to encompass equivalents of all claim elements, even if amended later during prosecution.