Patent Publication Number: US-2022236811-A1

Title: Optical detection device and optical navigation apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application No. 16/867,547, filed on May 5, 2020. The content of the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an optical detection device and an optical navigation apparatus, and more particularly, to an optical detection device and an optical navigation apparatus suitable for a variety of appearance demands in order to simplify product qualification procedure. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A conventional optical detection device includes a base and a housing assembled with each other to provide two chambers inside. An optical emitter is disposed inside one chamber, and an optical sensor is disposed inside another chamber. Then, a covering component covers the housing and is attached to all lateral surfaces of the housing and the base, and some optical components, such as lenses, are disposed between the housing and the covering component. The conventional optical detection device has to be installed on a flexible printed circuit of an optical navigation system, and an upper part of the covering component is exposed out of a hole of the optical navigation system for detecting an object. A chip package consisted of the base, the housing, the optical emitter and the optical sensor (excluding the covering component) cannot be suitable for a variety of appearance demands of the optical navigation system. The chip package and the related covering component both have to be redesigned if the hole shape of the optical navigation system is changed, such as the hole being changed from the square shape to the round shape, and therefore product qualification procedure of the conventional optical detection device is implemented after the chip package and the related covering component are redesigned and assembled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an optical detection device and an optical navigation apparatus suitable for a variety of appearance demands in order to simplify product qualification procedure for solving above drawbacks. 
     According to the claimed invention, an optical detection device applied to an optical navigation apparatus and suitable for a variety of appearance can include a substrate, a housing, an optical modulating component, an optical sensor and a cover. The housing is disposed on the substrate and includes a first aperture. The housing is unvaried due to inspection standard or design requirement of the optical detection device. The optical modulating component is disposed on the housing and aligning with the first aperture. The optical sensor is disposed on the substrate and adapted to receive an optical signal passing through the optical modulating component and the first aperture. The cover is disposed on the housing to cover the first aperture. The cover is replaceable for attaching the cover varied for the inspection standard or the design requirement to the unvaried housing in response to a surface of the cover opposite to the housing matched and engaged with a light penetrating area on the optical navigation apparatus. 
     According to the claimed invention, an optical detection device applied to an optical navigation apparatus and suitable for a variety of appearance can include a substrate, a housing, an optical modulating component, an optical sensor and a cover. The housing is disposed on the substrate and includes a first aperture and an engaging portion. The engaging portion is adapted to engage with the optical navigation apparatus. The housing is unvaried due to inspection standard or design requirement of the optical detection device. The optical modulating component is disposed on the housing and aligning with the first aperture. The optical sensor is disposed on the substrate and adapted to receive an optical signal passing through the optical modulating component and the first aperture. The cover is attached to the housing except the engaging portion for covering the first aperture. The cover is replaceable for attaching the cover varied for the inspection standard or the design requirement to the unvaried housing in response to a surface of the cover opposite to the housing matched and engaged with a light penetrating area on the optical navigation apparatus. 
     According to the claimed invention, an optical navigation apparatus includes a case, a circuit board and an optical detection device. The case has an accommodating structure. The circuit board is disposed inside the case. The optical detection device includes a substrate, an optical sensor and a housing. The substrate is disposed on the circuit board. The optical sensor is disposed on the substrate and adapted to receive an optical signal entering the case. The housing is disposed on the substrate and covering the optical sensor. The housing includes a first aperture where through the optical signal passes. The accommodating structure is varied for inspection standard or design requirement of the optical detection device. The housing is unvaried due to the inspection standard or the design requirement, and the housing is attached to the accommodating structure in a replaceable manner for aligning with a light penetrating area on the optical navigation apparatus. 
     The cover or the accommodating structure directly abutting against the housing can minimize a vertical dimension of the optical detection device, and the cover or the accommodating structure disposed on the upper surface of the housing can reduce a horizontal dimension of the optical detection device. The package assembly including the substrate, the housing, the optical sensor, the optical emitter and the operation processor (but excluding the cover or the accommodating structure) can be assembled and examined by the product qualification procedure, and the cover and the accommodating structure can be an independent element not examined by the product qualification procedure. The package assembly can be assembled with the cover or the accommodating structure having any exterior contour manufactured for the appearance demand of the optical navigation apparatus. That is to say, the cover (or the accommodating structure) provided by the optical navigation apparatus and the package assembly as two separated components. The contour of one surface of the cover or the accommodating structure is designed according to the hole on the optical navigation apparatus. The exterior of the package assembly is unchanged no matter what the cover (or the accommodating structure) seems like. As if the product qualification procedure of the package assembly is implemented, the cover and the accommodating structure with the particularly redesigned contour can be attached to the package assembly and does not need extra product qualification procedure for the second time; thus, the present invention can economize qualification cost and qualification time of the optical detection device and the optical navigation apparatus effectively. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an optical navigation apparatus having an optical detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of the optical detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the optical detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of the optical detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the optical detection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of a part of the optical navigation apparatus having the optical detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the optical detection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is sectional view of the optical detection device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a part of the optical navigation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11  are sectional views of the part of the optical navigation apparatus applied for the optical detection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an optical navigation apparatus  10  having an optical detection device  12  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a diagram of the optical detection device  12  according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the optical detection device  12  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The user can touch the optical navigation apparatus  10  to input a control command; for example, the optical navigation apparatus  10  may be an optical finger navigation apparatus used to detect a movement of the user&#39;s finger. The optical navigation apparatus  10  can be the remote control, the in-vehicle infotainment system, the steering wheel, the notebook computer, and the medical equipment. Exterior of the optical detection device  12  can be designed to match with a variety of predefined appearance demands of the optical navigation apparatus  10  for simplifying product qualification procedure. 
     The optical detection device  12  can include a substrate  14 , a housing  16 , an optical sensor  18 , an optical emitter  20 , an operation processor  22  and a cover  24 . The housing  16  can be disposed on the substrate  14  and have a first aperture  26  and a second aperture  28 . The optical sensor  18 , the optical emitter  20  and the operation processor  22  can be disposed on the substrate  14  and electrically connected with each other. The optical emitter  20  can be an optional unit adapted to emit an optical signal toward the second aperture  28 . The optical emitter  20  can receive the optional unit reflected from a target object through the first aperture  26 . The operation processor  22  can actuate the optical emitter  20  to adjust a frequency and intensity of the optical signal, and further receive a sensor datum from the optical sensor  18  for analysis. The cover  24  can be disposed on the housing  16  to cover the first aperture  26  and the second aperture  28 . 
     The cover  24  can have a first surface  30  and a second surface  32  opposite to each other. The first surface  30  can be attached to the housing  16  and designed to provide a contour matched with a shape of the housing  16 . Conjunction between the housing  16  and the cover  24  is not affected by a contour of the second surface  32 , so that the contour of the second surface  32  can be manufactured according to the predefined appearance of the optical navigation apparatus  10 . For example, the second surface  32  of the cover  24  can be a square form or a circular form. The form of the second surface  32  depends on the hole  101  on the optical navigation apparatus  10 . A top portion of the optical detection device  12  can be embedded in the hole  101  for providing a touching region. 
     In the first embodiment, the optical sensor  18 , the optical emitter  20  and the operation processor  22  can be assembled with the substrate  14  and the housing  16  to be one package assembly; the package assembly and the cover  24  can be two separated components for delivery and storage. The package assembly can be disposed on the optical navigation apparatus  10  when the product qualification procedure of the package assembly is finished. After that, the cover  24  can be assembled with the package assembly without another product qualification procedure, which means the optical detection device  12  is in no need of extra product qualification procedure in response to assembly of the cover  24  and the housing  16 . Thus, if the optical navigation apparatus  10  has two holes  101  respectively having the square form and the circular form, two package assembles with identical structure need once product qualification procedure, and covers  24  with different forms can be assembled with the two package assembles without the extra product qualification procedure; the second surface  32  of the cover  24  can be manufactured as any contours according to a purpose of the touching region of the optical detection device  12 . 
     Besides, the housing  16  may optionally include an engaging portion  34  formed on an edge around the touching region of the optical detection device  12  and adapted to engage with the optical navigation apparatus  10 ; part of the cover  24  may be located between the engaging portion  34  and the optical navigation apparatus  10 . An upper portion  161  of the housing  16  can be set under a part of the cover  24  used as the touching region, and have dimensions the same as or similar to the touching region and the hole  101  on the optical navigation apparatus  10 . The engaging portion  34  may be interpreted as a combination of a high-level lateral portion  162  and a flat portion  163  of the housing  16 , which can be connected with and adjacent to the upper portion  161 , and be sheltered by some part of the cover  24 . The engaging portion  34  can abut against an inner wall of the hole  101  to securely fix the optical detection device  12  into the optical navigation apparatus  10 . 
     The first surface  30  of the cover  24  has the contour matched with the shape of the housing  16 , so that the first surface  30  can be tightly attached to the upper portion  161  and the engaging portion  34 ; an edge  241  of the cover  24  can optionally align with a lateral side  341  of the engaging portion  34 , and therefore the cover  24  is not attached to a low-level lateral portion  164  of the housing  16 . A protruding part of the cover  24 , which abuts against the upper portion  161  and the high-level lateral portion  162 , can be the touching region of the optical detection device  12  exposed out of the optical navigation apparatus  10 . A shape of the protruding part is predesigned to match up the hole  101  on the optical navigation apparatus  10 , and the cover  24  can be attached to the housing  16  when the optical detection device  12  passes the product qualification procedure. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram of the optical detection device  12 ′ according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the optical detection device  12 ′ according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, elements having the same numeral as ones of the first embodiment have the same structure and function, and a detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. The optical detection device  12 ′ can include the substrate  14 , the housing  16 , the optical sensor  18 , the optical emitter  20 , the operation processor  22  and the cover  24 ′. The cover  24 ′ covers the upper portion  161  of the housing  16 , but does not cover the high-level lateral portion  162 , the flat portion  163  and the low-level lateral portion  164 . The product qualification procedure of the optical detection device  12 ′ can be implemented after the cover  24 ′ is attached to the housing  16 . 
     In the second embodiment, the cover  24 ′ can be designed to provide the contour manufactured for the predefined appearance demands of the optical navigation apparatus  10 . The cover  24 ′ can be attached to the housing  16  except the engaging portion  34 , which means the edge  241 ′ of the cover  24 ′ can align with a lateral side  161 A of the upper portion  161  and the cover  24 ′ does not contact a lateral surface  161 B of the upper portion  161 . The optical detection device  12  of the first embodiment and the optical detection device  12 ′ of the second embodiment can be directly installed into the optical navigation apparatus  10 , rather than being disposed on a flexible printed circuit of the optical navigation apparatus  10 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of a part of the optical navigation apparatus  10  having the optical detection device  12  according to the embodiment of the present invention. The optical navigation apparatus  10  can include a first case  10   a  and a second case  10   b  assembled with each other, which are used to cover and protect electronic units (such as the optical detection device  12 ) inside the optical navigation apparatus  10 . The first case  10   a  can have a light penetrating area capable of being manufactured as any shape for the predefined appearance demands. The second case  10   b  can have a circuit board  11 , and the optical detection device  12  can be installed on the circuit board  11 . The light penetrating area may be the hole  101 , or be a specific unit manufactured by transparent material or translucent material, which depends on the design demand. The hole  101  may be an elliptic shape, and the housing  16  of the optical detection device  12  may be a square type. The present invention can dispose the cover  24  with the first surface  30  and the second surface  32  respectively having different contours on the housing  16 , and the optical detection device  12  can be tightly engaged with the hole  101  without additional product qualification procedure. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the optical detection device  12 A according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, elements having the same numerals as ones of the foresaid embodiment have the same structures and functions, and the detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. The optical detection device  12 A can include the substrate  14 , the housing  16 , the optical sensor  18 , the optical emitter  20 , the operation processor  22 , the cover  24 A and an optical modulating component  36 . The shape of the housing  16  is common design, and is unvaried due to the inspection standard or the design requirement of the optical detection device  12 A. The optical modulating component  36  can be disposed on the housing  16 , and have two sections having optical modulating function respectively aligning with the first aperture  26  and the second aperture  28 . The optical modulating component  36  can gather light, and used to increase illumination ability of the optical emitter  20  and enhance signal gathering intensity of the optical sensor  18 . 
     The first surface  30  of the cover  24 A can be spaced from the housing  16 , and the optical modulating component  36  can be accommodated inside a space between the cover  24 A and the housing  16 . The contour of the first surface  30  can be matched with the shape of the housing  16 , such as the square type. The second surface  32  of the cover  24 A can be manufactured in accordance with the predefined appearance demand of the optical navigation apparatus  10 , such as the elliptic type shown in  FIG. 6 , and can preferably align with an outer surface of the optical navigation apparatus  10 , so the optical navigation apparatus  10  can have artistic appearance and the cover  24 A can be tightly engaged with the hole  101 . Therefore, the optical detection device  12 A uncovered by the cover  24 A can be rapidly manufactured in batch production and then applied for the product qualification procedure. The first case  10   a  and the related hole  101  can be manufactured in accordance with the predefined appearance demand. The first surface  30  and the second surface  32  of the cover  24 A can be manufactured in accordance with the shapes of the housing  16  and the hole  101 , so that the cover  24 A can be engaged with the housing  16  in the replaceable manner without the additional product qualification procedure for assembly of the optical detection device  12 A. 
     In the third embodiment, the cover  24 A can be disposed on the upper surface of the housing  16  to expose the lateral surface of the housing  16 ; for example, the cover  24 A may be attached to the high-level lateral portion  162  and the flat portion  163 , and does not contact the low-level lateral portion  164 . The cover  24 A can be made by the transparent material or the translucent material. The cover  24 A can shelter and seal the first aperture  26  and the second aperture  28  when being disposed on the housing  16 . The cover  24 A can allow optical signal transmission for receiving of the optical sensor  18  and emitting of the optical emitter  20 , and further prevent the optical detection device  12 A from damage due to dust or moisture entering the housing  16 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is sectional view of the optical detection device  12 B according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, elements having the same numerals as ones of the foresaid embodiment have the same structures and functions, and the detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. The cover  24 B of the optical detection device  12 B can be spaced from the housing  16 , and the optical modulating component  36  can be disposed inside the space between the housing  16  and the first surface  30  of the cover  24 B. The contour of the first surface  30  can be matched with the shape of the housing  16 . The second surface  32  of the cover  24 A can be manufactured in accordance with the predefined appearance demand of the optical navigation apparatus  10 , and preferably align with the outer surface of the optical navigation apparatus  10 . 
     The cover  24 B can be assembled with the upper portion  161  of the housing  16  in the replaceable manner, and does not cover the high-level lateral portion  162 , the flat portion  163  and the low-level lateral portion  164 , for exposing the engaging portion  34  which is formed by the high-level lateral portion  162  and the flat portion  163 ; therefore, the lateral surface of the cover  24 B can align with the lateral side  161 A of the upper portion  161 , and the cover  24 B does not contact the lateral surface  161 B of the upper portion  161 . The cover  24 B can be designed as a specific structure having a sunken space. The inner surface of the cover  24 B can be interpreted as the first surface  30 , and the contour of the first surface  30  is unvaried in accordance with the inspection standard or the design requirement of the optical detection device  12 B. The optical modulating component  36  can be disposed inside the sunken space surrounded by the lateral walls and the inner surface of the cover  24 B, and further be disposed on the housing  16 . An outer surface of the cover  24 B can be interpreted as the second surface  32 , and the contour of the second surface  32  can be tightly engaged with the hole  101 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 9  is a diagram of a part of the optical navigation apparatus  10 ′ according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11  are sectional views of the part of the optical navigation apparatus  10 ′ applied for the optical detection device  12  according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, elements having the same numerals as ones of the foresaid embodiments have the same structures and functions, and the detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. The first case  10   a  of the optical navigation apparatus  10 ′ can include an accommodating structure  38 , and the accommodating structure  38  can be disposed on an inner of the first case  10   a . The shape and the contour of the accommodating structure  38  can be varied due to the inspection standard or the design requirement of the optical detection device  12 . For example, if the hole  101  is the elliptic type and the housing  16  is the square type, an upper section  40  of the accommodating structure  38  can be designed as the elliptic type related to the hole  101 , and a lower section  42  of the accommodating structure  38  can be designed as the square type related to the housing  16 . The housing  16  can be engaged with the accommodating structure  38  in the replaceable manner for aligning with the hole  101  on the first case  10   a.    
     The accommodating structure  38  can have a boundary set between the upper section  40  and the lower section  42 , and position of the boundary can depend on a thickness of the first case  10   a  and a height of the housing  16 ; an actual application of the boundary is not limited to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . The first case  10   a  and the accommodating structure  38  may be monolithically integrated with each other; further, the accommodating structure  38  may be made and then disposed on the first case  10   a  to align with the hole  101 . The inner surface of the accommodating structure  38  can be close to the upper portion  161  of the housing  16 , such as the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 . The inner surface of the accommodating structure  38  may be spaced from the upper portion  161  of the housing  16 , and the optical modulating component  36  can be disposed between the accommodating structure  38  and the housing  16 , such as the embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     Moreover, when the housing  16  is engaged with the accommodating structure  38 , the lateral surface (which means the low-level lateral portion) of the housing  16  can be exposed, and inner of the optical navigation apparatus  10 ′ can have some surplus space sufficient for arrangement of other applicable electronic components. The accommodating structure  38  can be assembled with the upper surface of the housing  16 , such as covering the high-level lateral portion  162  and the flat portion  163 , or covering the upper portion  161  and the high-level lateral portion  162  and the flat portion  163 . The first aperture  26  and the second aperture  28  can be sheltered and sealed by the accommodating structure  38 , so as to prevent the optical detection device  12  from damage due to the dust or the moisture entering the housing  16 . 
     In the present invention, the cover or the accommodating structure directly abutting against the housing can minimize a vertical dimension of the optical detection device, and the cover or the accommodating structure disposed on the upper surface of the housing can reduce a horizontal dimension of the optical detection device. The package assembly including the substrate, the housing, the optical sensor, the optical emitter and the operation processor (but excluding the cover or the accommodating structure) can be assembled and examined by the product qualification procedure, and the cover and the accommodating structure can be an independent element not examined by the product qualification procedure. The package assembly can be assembled with the cover or the accommodating structure having any exterior contour manufactured for the appearance demand of the optical navigation apparatus. That is to say, the cover (or the accommodating structure) provided by the optical navigation apparatus and the package assembly as two separated components. The contour of one surface of the cover or the accommodating structure is designed according to the hole on the optical navigation apparatus. The exterior of the package assembly is unchanged no matter what the cover (or the accommodating structure) seems like. As if the product qualification procedure of the package assembly is implemented, the cover and the accommodating structure with the particularly redesigned contour can be attached to the package assembly and does not need extra product qualification procedure for the second time; thus, the present invention can economize qualification cost and qualification time of the optical detection device and the optical navigation apparatus effectively. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.