Patent Publication Number: US-2023141544-A1

Title: Camera assembly and display device having the same

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 110142085, filed on Nov. 11, 2021, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to a camera assembly and a display device having the same. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Nowadays, desktop computer normally uses an externally installed lens to implement video conference or other applications where video function is required. If the required video lens module can be integrated with the display of a desktop computer, the user will be provided with greater convenience of use. Therefore, it has become a prominent task for the industries to provide a video lens which is built in the display of a desktop computer and is convenient for the user to operate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a camera assembly adaptable to a display device is provided. The camera assembly includes a fixed base, a lifting component, an elastic element and a camera module. The fixed base is disposed in the display device and fixed with the display device. The lifting component is movably connected with the fixed base. The elastic element is connected with the lifting component and the fixed base, respectively. The camera module is pivotally connected with the lifting component. The elastic element provides an elastic force to drive the lifting component to raise the camera module, so that the camera module is exposed from the display device and pivotally rotated with respect to the lifting component and tilts to the display device. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a display device is provided. The display device includes a body and a camera assembly. The camera assembly includes a fixed base, a lifting component, an elastic element and a camera module. The fixed base is disposed in the body and fixed with the body. The lifting component is movably connected with the fixed base. The elastic element is connected with the lifting component and the fixed base, respectively. The camera module is pivotally connected with the lifting component. The elastic element provides an elastic force to drive the lifting component to raise the camera module, so that the camera module is exposed from the body and pivotally rotated with respect to the lifting component and tilts to the body. 
     The above and other aspects of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment(s). The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS.  1  to  2    are stereoscopic views of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  3  to  4    are stereoscopic views of a camera assembly of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a rear view of a camera assembly of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a front view of a camera assembly of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a partial enlargement of a camera assembly of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  8 A to  8 C  are side views of a camera assembly of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Refer to  FIGS.  1  to  4   .  FIGS.  1  to  2    are stereoscopic views of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIGS.  3  to  4    are stereoscopic views of a camera assembly  12  of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The display device  10  of the present invention includes a body  11  and a camera assembly  12 . As indicated in  FIG.  1   , the camera assembly  12  is adaptable to the display device  10 , the top surface of the camera assembly  12  flushes with the top surface of the body  11 , and the camera assembly  12 , when not in use, can be concealed inside the body  11  of the display device  10 . As indicated in  FIG.  2   , the camera assembly  12 , when in use, can pop up and rotate by an angle, so that the lens angle of the camera assembly  12  can tilt downward to include the user. It should be noted that in  FIGS.  1  to  2   , the structure of the camera assembly  12  is illustrated but the rear casing of the body  11  is omitted. It should be understood that the camera assembly  12  can be covered by the rear casing of the body  11  to be concealed inside the body  11 . 
     As indicated in  FIGS.  3  to  4   , the camera assembly  12  includes a fixed base  121 , a lifting component  122 , an elastic element  123  and a camera module  124 . As indicated in  FIGS.  1  to  2   , the fixed base  121  is disposed in the display device  10  and fixed with the body  11  of the display device  10 . For example, the fixed base  121  may be fixed on the body  11  by way of screwing or riveting but is not limited thereto. As indicated in  FIGS.  3  to  4   , the lifting component  122  is movably connected with the fixed base  121  to change the position of the camera module  124  along the Z-axis direction. The elastic element is connected with the lifting component  122  and the fixed base  121123 , respectively. Specifically, the elastic element  123  can be realized by an extension spring, and each end of the elastic element  123  has a ring structure  123 R. The two ring structures  123 R are hooked on the hook structure  121 H of the fixed base  121  and the hook structure  122 H of the lifting component  122 , respectively. 
     The camera module  124 , which can be realized by a module of a webcam, is pivotally connected with the lifting component  122 . Specifically, as indicated in  FIG.  4   , each of the two sides of the camera module  124  has a pivot  124 A connected with the lifting component  122 . The pivot  124 A allows the camera module  124  to rotate around the X-axis with respect to the lifting component  122  but the camera module  124  is only allowed to be translated along the X-axis direction. In an embodiment, the pivot  124 A can be realized a shaft passing through the two sides of the camera module  124 . Besides, the camera module  124  includes a signal wire  124 C, through which the camera module  124  is connected with the display device  10  to implement videotaping/video functions. As indicated in  FIGS.  3  to  4   , the middle part of the signal wire  124 C can have a foldable configuration to avoid the wire being pulled or stretched during the upward and downward movement of the camera module  124 . 
     When the user wants to use the built-in videotaping/video functions of the display device  10 , the user can press the top surface of the camera module  124  to trigger the pop-up of the camera module  124 . Meanwhile, the elastic element  123  is deformed and provides an elastic force to drive the lifting component  122  to raise the camera module  124 , so that the camera module  124  as indicated in  FIG.  2    is exposed from the body  11  of the display device  10 , and the camera module  124  is pivotally rotated with respect to the lifting component  122  and tilts to the body  11  of the display device  10  as indicated in  FIG.  2   . Illustratively but not restrictively, the camera module  124  can tilt to the body  11  of the display device  10  at an acute angle. Furthermore, the camera module  124  can tilt to the body  11  of the display device  10  at an angle of 10 to 15°. 
     Refer to  FIGS.  5  to  7   .  FIG.  5    is a rear view of a camera assembly  12  of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  6    is a front view of a camera assembly  12  of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  7    is a partial enlargement of a camera assembly  12  of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As indicated in  FIG.  5   , the lifting component  122  is connected with the fixed base  121  through a guide rod  125 . When the elastic element  123  drives the lifting component  122 , the guide rod  125  limits the lifting component  122  to move along an orientation (that is, the Z-axis of  FIG.  5   ). As indicated in  FIG.  7   , the camera module  124  has a recessed structure  124 R, so that the guide rod  125  and the elastic element  123  can pass through an accommodation space formed in the recessed structure  124 R. Moreover, during the period when the camera module  124  is pivotally rotated with respect to the lifting component  122 , the camera module  124  makes way to the guide rod  125  through the recessed structure  124 R ( FIG.  7    illustrates the camera module  124  having completed pivoting), so that the camera module  124  will not interfere with the guide rod  125  nor generate collision or abrasion. As indicated in  FIG.  5   , in the Y-axis direction, that is, the direction parallel to the thickness of the display device  10  (the body  11 ), the elastic element  123  overlaps the projection of the guide rod  125 . The said design can save the dimension of the camera assembly  12  in the X-axis. 
     As indicated in  FIG.  5   , the lifting component  122  has a rack structure  122 G, and the fixed base  121  is engaged with the rack structure  122 G through a damping gear  121 G to be connected with the lifting component  122 . When the elastic element  123  drives the lifting component  122 , the damping gear  121 G slows down the movement of the lifting component  122 . Then, the slow rising of the lifting component  122  prevents the camera module  124  from popping off the body  11  too fast, not only avoiding parts or elements being collided and damaged if the pop-up speed of the camera module  124  is too fast, but further providing the user with a delicate feeling of the rising speed of the lens. 
     As indicated in  FIG.  6   , the lifting component  122  has a buckle structure  122 L. When the camera module  124  is received inside the body  11  of the display device  10 , the fixed base  121  is buckled with the buckle structure  122 L through the latch  121 L of  FIG.  5    to be connected with the lifting component  122 , so that the camera module  124  can be concealed inside the body  11 . When the user wants to expose the camera module  124  from the body  11  for use, the user can apply a pressing force on the camera module  124  to unlock the latch  121 L and the buckle structure  122 L, the latch  121 L will release the buckle structure  122 L, so that the lifting component  122  can lift the camera module  124 . 
     Refer to  FIGS.  8 A to  8 C .  FIGS.  8 A to  8 C  are side views of three stages of a camera assembly  12  of a display device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As indicated in  FIGS.  8 A to  8 C , each of the two sides of the fixed base  121  has a guide groove  121 S, each of the two sides of the camera module  124  has a column portion  124 P, and during the period when the lifting component  122  lifts the camera module  124 , the column portion  124 P is in the guide groove  121 S and work with the guide groove  121 S to perform two directions of upward movement. In the present example, two directions of upward movement includes a first orientation D 1  and a second orientation D 2 , wherein the first orientation D 1  is parallel to the display device  10 , the second orientation D 2  tilts to the first orientation D 1 . As indicated in  FIGS.  8 A to  8 C , the guide groove  121 S includes a first orientation section  121 S 1  and a second orientation section  121 S 2 , wherein the first orientation section  121 S 1  is extended along the first orientation D 1 , the second orientation section  121 S 2  is connected with an upper end of the first orientation section  121 S 1 , and the second orientation section  121 S 2  is extended along the second orientation D 2 . 
     As indicated in  FIG.  8 A , the column portion  124 P is limited in the first orientation section  121 S 1  of the guide groove  121 S. Meanwhile, the latch  121 L and the buckle structure  122 L are buckled with each other, therefore the camera module  124  is located at the lowest position relative to the fixed base  121 , and the length of the elastic element  123  is the largest stroke. As indicated in  FIG.  8 B , as the latch  121 L and the buckle structure  122 L are de-buckled, the elastic element  123  is shortened and provides a restoring force to drive the camera module  124  at the first orientation section  121 S 1  to raise to the connection between the first orientation section  121 S 1  and the second orientation section  121 S 2 , so that the column portion  124 P touches the inner wall of the guide groove  121 S. Meanwhile, the camera module  124  already is exposed from the display device  10 . 
     As indicated in  FIG.  8 C , since the elastic element  123  is shortened and provides a restoring force to continuously drive the camera module  124 , the column portion  124 P leans on the inner wall of the guide groove  121 S and moves inside the second orientation section  121 S 2  in an upward and oblique direction until the terminal section of the second orientation section  121 S 2  is reached. Since the camera module  124  and the lifting component  122  are pivotally connected, and during the period when the column portion  124 P moves inside the second orientation section  121 S 2  in an upward and oblique direction, the camera module  124  is pivotally rotated around the pivot  124 A with respect to the lifting component  122  and tilts to the fixed base  121  and the display device  10  as well. 
     To store the camera module  124  exposed from the display device  10  to the body  11 , that is, to restore the camera module  124  to the state of  FIG.  8 A  from the state of  FIG.  8 C , a pressing force parallel to an orientation of the display device  10  can be applied on the camera module  124  to move the camera module  124  downwards, so that the buckle structure  122 L can approach the latch  121 L to be buckled thereto. Thus, when storing the camera module  124 , the user does not need to align the camera module  124  in the first place. Instead, the user only needs to apply a force parallel to the orientation of the display of the display device  10  (that is, the Z-axis of  FIG.  6   ), and the camera module  124  will be smoothly stored through the guidance of the guide groove  121 S. 
     The present disclosure provides a camera assembly, which can be rotated and moved upwards and downwards. The camera assembly can be disposed in the display device. When not in use, the camera assembly can be concealed inside the display device, so that the display device can maintain an integral appearance. When in use, with a light pressing, the camera assembly can pop up and rotate by an angle. The camera assembly tilts downwards, so that the user can be easily included in the frame and does not have to make further adjustment. During storage, the user does not need to align the camera assembly in the first place. The user only needs to apply a downward pressing force on the camera assembly, and the camera assembly will be smoothly received through the guidance of the guide groove. Also, the design of the present invention can be used in a planar display device as well as a curved display device, and avoids the difficulty encountered in the conventional design of attaching a clamping camera assembly to the display region of a curved display device or a curved display device. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.