Patent Description:
As electronic devices (such as mobile phones and tablet computers) have more and more functions, more and more functional devices are configured on the electronic devices, bringing a great challenge to the assembly of the electronic devices. As demands of users for the appearance of the electronic device are rising, the users are increasingly favoring the electronic device with a large screen-to-body ratio.

Taking a camera as an example, to increase the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device, a camera of the current electronic device is a lifting camera. The lifting camera is driven by a driving mechanism arranged in the housing of the electronic device, and then enters and exits the housing. When the user needs to photograph, the driving mechanism is controlled to drive the lifting camera to extend out of the housing, and then photograph. After the photographing is completed, the driving mechanism is controlled again to drive the lifting camera to retract into the housing, to hide the camera. The electronic device can prevent the camera from occupying its board space, thereby increasing the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device.

In current electronic devices, functional components that need to perform telescopic motion in the electronic devices all need to be driven by a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism includes a motor. The motor needs to be equipped with a relatively complex transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism usually includes a nut guide rod, a spring guide rod, and other structures, which are used for playing a guiding role in the process of driving the functional component to move, to define a running direction of the functional component inside the electronic device. However, these devices all need to occupy space in the electronic device. As a result, the driving mechanism occupies a larger internal space within the electronic device.

<CIT> discloses an electronic device, including: a housing, the housing is provided with an opening; a camera mechanism, the camera mechanism is retractable into the housing or extendable out of the housing through the opening; and a driving mechanism, the driving mechanism is arranged in the housing, and the driving mechanism includes a driving source, a screw rod; the driving source is drivingly connected to the screw rod. <CIT> discloses an electronic device, including a driving component, a device body, and a sliding component, the driving component includes a driving member, an output shaft, a sliding member, and an elastic member. The driving member is connected to the output shaft, the sliding member is threaded to the output shaft, the driving member is fixed to the device body, and the sliding component includes a sliding base fixed to the sliding member and at least one functional device fixed to the sliding base. The sliding base slides with the sliding member relative to the device body, to drive at least one functional device to stretch out and draw back relative to the device body. The two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the sliding member and the output shaft, to provide elastic recovery force for the sliding member to rotate towards the output shaft. Both <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a mobile terminal, including a housing component and a camera component, the camera component is located inside the housing component and can stretch out the opening at the end of the housing component. The camera component includes a fitting portion, a main body portion, a camera module, a screw, and a motor. The motor is connected to the screw, and the fitting portion is threaded to the screw. The main body portion is respectively connected to the fitting portion and the camera module, and the cross-sectional shape of the fitting portion is quadrilateral.

The present invention discloses an electronic device to resolve a problem that a driving mechanism of the electronic device occupies a larger space.

To resolve the foregoing problem, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:.

an electronic device, including: a housing, which is provided with an opening; a functional module retractable into the housing or extendable out of the housing through the opening; and a driving mechanism, which is arranged in the housing. The driving mechanism includes a driving source, a lead screw, a nut set, and a caliper. The driving source is drivingly connected to the lead screw. The nut set includes a fitting part, and the fitting part is threadedly fitted with the lead screw. A first end of the caliper is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part, and a second end of the caliper is fixedly connected to the functional module. The cross-sectional shape of the fitting part is a polygon.

The technical solution adopted in the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:.

In the electronic device disclosed in the present invention, the driving mechanism includes a driving source, a lead screw, a nut set, and a caliper. A first end of the caliper is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part, and the cross-sectional shape of the fitting part is a polygon. Therefore, the rotation of the fitting part will be limited by the caliper, so that the fitting part can drive the caliper to move only along the lead screw, but cannot rotate with the lead screw. Therefore, the structure can transmit the driving force and limit the rotation of the fitting part through the fit between the caliper and the fitting part. The electronic device can dispense with additional structures for guiding, making the driving mechanism occupy a smaller space.

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the background more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the background. Apparently, a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.

<NUM>-housing, <NUM>-opening, <NUM>-functional module, <NUM>-bracket, <NUM>-driving source, <NUM>-lead screw, <NUM>-fitting part, <NUM>-connecting plate, <NUM>-elastic member, <NUM>-first elastic member, <NUM>-second elastic member, <NUM>-movable baffle, <NUM>-caliper, <NUM>-linkage recess, <NUM>-avoidance recess, <NUM>-detection piece.

The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some of the embodiments of the present invention rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, the embodiments of the present invention disclose an electronic device, including a housing <NUM>, a functional module <NUM>, and a driving mechanism.

The housing <NUM> may serve as a main structure of the electronic device, and may provide a mounting base for other components of the electronic device. The housing <NUM> is provided with an opening <NUM>, and the opening <NUM> allows the functional module <NUM> to enter and exit the housing <NUM>. Optionally, the housing <NUM> may include a frame, and the opening <NUM> may be arranged on the frame.

The functional module <NUM> may retract into the housing <NUM> or extend out of the housing <NUM> through the opening <NUM>. Optionally, the functional module <NUM> may include a bracket <NUM> and a functional device arranged on the bracket <NUM>. When the functional module <NUM> retracts into the housing <NUM> through the opening, the functional module <NUM> may be in a non-working state. In this case, the functional module <NUM> is hidden in the housing <NUM>. When the functional module <NUM> extends out of the housing <NUM> through the opening <NUM>, the functional module <NUM> may be in a working state. When completing the work, the functional module <NUM> may retract into the housing <NUM> through the opening. The functional module <NUM> may not occupy the display area of the electronic device, so that a screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device may be increased. In addition, the housing <NUM> does not need to be provided with structures such as a mounting hole corresponding to the functional modules <NUM>, making a better appearance consistency of the electronic device and a better user experience. Optionally, the functional module <NUM> may include at least one of a camera, a sensor, a fingerprint recognition module, a telephone receiver, and a strobe light. Certainly, the functional module <NUM> may further include other devices, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present invention.

The driving mechanism is arranged in the housing <NUM>. The driving mechanism includes a driving source <NUM>, a lead screw <NUM>, a nut set, and a caliper <NUM>. The driving source <NUM> is drivingly connected to the lead screw <NUM>. The nut set includes a fitting part <NUM>, and the fitting part <NUM> is threadedly fitted with the lead screw <NUM>. A first end of the caliper <NUM> is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part <NUM>, and a second end of the caliper <NUM> is fixedly connected to the functional module <NUM>. The cross-sectional shape of the fitting part <NUM> is a polygon. Correspondingly, the cross-sectional shape of the first end of the caliper <NUM> may also be a polygon, and the shapes of the two fit in with each other. In this case, the caliper <NUM> can limit the rotation of the fitting part <NUM>, making the first end of the caliper <NUM> be in position-limiting fit with the fitting part <NUM> more reliably. The caliper <NUM> may fit in with the fitting part <NUM> in a snap-fit manner, thereby transmitting a force. The caliper <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> of the functional module <NUM> are arranged separately, or may be integrally formed. Relatively speaking, when the caliper <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> of the functional module <NUM> are integrally formed, the force may be transmitted more efficiently.

Optionally, the foregoing driving source <NUM> may adopt a driving motor, or may adopt a structure capable of outputting a driving force such as a piezoelectric element as long as the driving source <NUM> can output the driving force to drive the lead screw <NUM> to rotate. Therefore, the embodiments of the present invention do not limit the specific form of the driving source <NUM>. The driving source <NUM> may be arranged between the opening <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM>, making the structure of the driving mechanism more compact. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting part <NUM> may be a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, or the like. Correspondingly, the cross-sectional shape of the first end of the caliper <NUM> may be a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, or the like. A person skilled in the art may understand that the shape of the caliper may fit in with the shape of the fitting part <NUM>, that is, if the shape of the fitting part <NUM> is a quadrilateral, the shape of the caliper <NUM> is also a quadrilateral. In some other embodiments, the shape of the caliper <NUM> may alternatively be different from that of the fitting part <NUM>, but it should be ensured that a position where the fitting part <NUM> has an edge can fit in with a corresponding edge of the caliper <NUM>, and it is necessary to increase a friction force between the two edges to prevent the two from disengaging from each other. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit the cross-sectional shape of the fitting part <NUM> and the cross-sectional shape of the first end of the caliper <NUM>. It should be noted that the cross-section is parallel to the thickness direction of the electronic device, and is perpendicular to a moving direction of the functional module <NUM>.

When the foregoing solution is adopted, the driving source <NUM> can drive the lead screw <NUM> to rotate. The lead screw <NUM> is threadedly fitted with the fitting part <NUM>, and the caliper <NUM> can limit the rotation of the fitting part <NUM>. Therefore, driven by the lead screw <NUM>, the fitting part <NUM> can move along the lead screw <NUM>. The fitting part <NUM> can transmit the force to the functional module <NUM> through the caliper <NUM>. Therefore, the functional module <NUM> can move relative to the housing <NUM> under the action of the driving mechanism, and then switch between different states.

In the embodiments of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting part <NUM> is a polygon. Therefore, the rotation of the fitting part <NUM> will be limited by the caliper <NUM>, so that the fitting part <NUM> can drive the caliper <NUM> to move only along an extension direction of the lead screw <NUM>, but cannot rotate with the lead screw <NUM>. Therefore, the structure can transmit the driving force and limit the rotation of the fitting part <NUM> through the fit between the caliper <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM>. The electronic device can dispense with specific devices for guiding, making the driving mechanism occupy a smaller space. In addition, the weight of the driving mechanism is reduced, thereby reducing the weight of the electronic device, which is more conducive to a light and thin design of the electronic device.

The foregoing nut set further includes an elastic member <NUM> and a movable baffle <NUM>. The movable baffle <NUM> is connected to the fitting part <NUM> through the elastic member <NUM>, and the movable baffle <NUM> is located on a side of the fitting part <NUM> away from the opening <NUM>. The caliper <NUM> is slidable relative to the fitting part <NUM>, and the caliper <NUM> moves along the lead screw <NUM>. In a case that the caliper <NUM> is at least partially separated from the fitting part <NUM>, the elastic member <NUM> drives the movable baffle <NUM> to make the caliper <NUM> be in contact with the fitting part <NUM>. First, the caliper <NUM> may slide relative to the fitting part <NUM> while limiting the rotation of the fitting part <NUM>, so that a certain movement margin may be generated at a position where the two fit in with each other. When the functional module <NUM> needs to extend out of the housing <NUM>, the lead screw <NUM> drives the fitting part <NUM> to move and the fitting part <NUM> drives the movable baffle <NUM> to move. When the caliper <NUM> is in contact with the movable baffle <NUM>, the movable baffle <NUM> may drive the caliper <NUM> to move, thereby driving the functional module <NUM> to move. Second, if the functional module <NUM> is subjected to an external force, the external force may be transmitted to the movable baffle <NUM> through the caliper <NUM>, and the movable baffle <NUM> moves relative to the fitting part <NUM>. In this case, the elastic member <NUM> may be deformed, thereby reducing the movement amount of the fitting part <NUM>, or even preventing the fitting part <NUM> from moving, to prevent the external force on the functional module <NUM> from causing damage to the driving mechanism.

Optionally, the foregoing elastic member <NUM> may be a spring, or another elastic part.

When the functional module <NUM> is subjected to the external force, the caliper <NUM> may be in contact with the movable baffle <NUM> and drive the movable baffle <NUM> to move. If the external force on the functional module <NUM> is relatively large, the movement range of the caliper <NUM> is relatively large. As a result, the caliper <NUM> is easily disengaged from the fitting part <NUM>, and a force transmission path between the caliper <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> is cut off. Therefore, to prevent this situation, in an optional embodiment, the electronic device may further include a detection piece <NUM> and a control piece. The detection piece <NUM> is arranged in the housing <NUM>. In a case that the caliper <NUM> is at least partially separated from the fitting part <NUM>, the detection piece <NUM> is triggered and used for detecting a relative distance between the caliper and the fitting part. The relative distance may be a distance between the center of gravity of the caliper and the center of gravity of the fitting part, or a distance between a first surface of the caliper and a second surface of the fitting part. In a case that the caliper is not separated from the fitting part, the first surface of the caliper and the second surface of the fitting part are coplanar. The control piece is arranged in the housing <NUM>, and the control piece is electrically connected to the detection piece <NUM> and the driving source <NUM> respectively. In a case that the detection piece <NUM> is triggered, the control piece controls the driving source <NUM> according to a detection result of the detection piece <NUM>, to cause the driving source <NUM> to be in a working state. In this embodiment, once the caliper <NUM> is at least partially separated from the fitting part <NUM>, the detection piece <NUM> can be triggered to send a relevant signal. The control piece can control the driving source <NUM> to be in the working state according to the signal, to cause the fitting part <NUM> to move, so that the fitting part <NUM> can reliably fit in with the caliper <NUM>. Further, after the control piece controls the driving source <NUM> to be in the working state, the driving source <NUM> may drive the functional module <NUM> to retract into the housing <NUM> through the caliper <NUM>, thereby preventing the functional module <NUM> from being continuously subjected to the external force, so as to protect the functional module <NUM>.

The foregoing detection piece <NUM> may be mounted on the housing <NUM>, and the detection piece <NUM> is close to the fitting part <NUM> and the caliper <NUM>, so that a fitting state of the fitting part <NUM> and the caliper <NUM> may be accurately learned. In some other embodiments, the detection piece <NUM> may alternatively be mounted on the fitting part <NUM>, so that the distance between the detection piece <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> and the caliper <NUM> is smaller, thereby learning the fitting state of the fitting part <NUM> and the caliper <NUM> more accurately, and responding to the case that the functional module <NUM> is subjected to the external force more quickly.

It should be noted that the foregoing detection piece <NUM> may adopt a position sensor, a proximity switch, or another device. The control piece may be a controller or another device. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit specific types of the detection piece <NUM> and the control piece.

The movable baffle <NUM> may be entirely arranged above the lead screw <NUM>. Alternatively, the movable baffle <NUM> is provided with an avoidance hole, and one end of the lead screw <NUM> passes through the avoidance hole. In this case, the size of the movable baffle <NUM> is larger, which can increase a contact area between the movable baffle <NUM> and the caliper <NUM>, which is conducive to a more reliable transmission of the force between the two, and the movable baffle <NUM> does not affect the rotation of the lead screw <NUM>. Optionally, the shape of the avoidance hole may fit in with the structure of the lead screw <NUM>. For example, the avoidance hole may be a circular hole, and the diameter of the circular hole may be greater than the outer diameter of the lead screw <NUM>, so that a certain gap may be formed between the two. Certainly, the shape may alternatively be a rectangle, a triangle, or the like.

To bring the elastic member <NUM> into play more reliably, a plurality of elastic members <NUM> may be arranged, and include a first elastic member <NUM> and a second elastic member <NUM>. One end of the first elastic member <NUM> and one end of the second elastic member <NUM> are both connected to the movable baffle <NUM>, and the first elastic member <NUM> and the second elastic member <NUM> are respectively located on two sides of the lead screw <NUM>. As the number of elastic members <NUM> increases, the number of connection points between the movable baffle <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> will increase, so that the reliability of the connection between the two is higher and the structure is more stable. In addition, when the functional module <NUM> is subjected to the external force, a plurality of elastic members <NUM> may absorb a larger part of the external force, preventing the functional module <NUM> and the driving mechanism from being damaged.

The elastic member <NUM> may be directly connected to one end of the fitting part <NUM> close to the opening <NUM>. When this structure is adopted, since the size of the one end of the fitting part <NUM> close to the opening <NUM> is relatively small, the connection between the elastic member <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> is inconvenient. Based on this, in an optional embodiment, the nut set further includes a connecting plate <NUM>. The connecting plate <NUM> is connected to the one end of the fitting part <NUM> close to the opening <NUM>; and one end of the first elastic member <NUM> and one end of the second elastic member <NUM> are both connected to the fitting part <NUM> through the connecting plate <NUM>. When the functional module <NUM> needs to retract into the housing <NUM> through the opening <NUM>, the driving source <NUM> drives the fitting part <NUM> to move through the lead screw <NUM>, and the connecting plate <NUM> moves accordingly and drives the caliper <NUM> to move in a direction away from the opening <NUM>, thereby driving the functional module <NUM> to move into the housing <NUM>.

The connecting plate <NUM> appropriately increased in size can be more reliably connected to the elastic member <NUM> and the caliper <NUM>, and make it more convenient for an extension direction of the elastic member <NUM> to be parallel to the moving direction of the functional module <NUM>, thereby making the elastic member <NUM> transmit the driving force more efficiently and absorb the external force on the functional module <NUM> better.

Optionally, the connecting plate <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> may be arranged separately, that is, the two may be separately formed and then assembled together, or the connecting plate <NUM> and the fitting part <NUM> are integrally formed, thereby improving the structural strength of the structure formed by the two.

The arrangement positions of the elastic member <NUM> and the caliper <NUM> are relatively concentrated, so interference is likely to occur between the two. In view of this, in an optional embodiment, the caliper <NUM> is provided with an avoidance recess <NUM>, and at least a part of the elastic member <NUM> is located in the avoidance recess <NUM>. When the avoidance recess <NUM> is arranged, interference is unlikely to occur between the caliper <NUM> and the elastic member <NUM>, so the two may be arranged in a more concentrated manner, making the structure formed by the functional module <NUM> and the driving mechanism more compact, and making the space occupied by the two smaller, which is conducive to the stacking of components within the electronic device.

In a case that the caliper <NUM> is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part <NUM>, in an optional solution, the caliper <NUM> may be provided with a fitting hole. The fitting part <NUM> may fit in with the fitting hole. In another optional solution, the caliper <NUM> is provided with a linkage recess <NUM>. The linkage recess <NUM> is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part <NUM>. The linkage recess <NUM> may first pass through the caliper <NUM> in a moving direction of the functional module <NUM>, and may further extend to a surface of the caliper <NUM> in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. The structure of the linkage recess <NUM> is similar to that of a groove. Relatively speaking, the linkage recess <NUM> has fewer limitations on an assembling direction of the caliper <NUM>, so it is convenient to assemble the caliper <NUM> and the driving mechanism, making the assembly efficiency of the electronic device higher.

The electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention may be a smartphone, a tablet computer, an e-book reader, a wearable device (such as a smart watch), a video game console, or another device. The embodiments of the present invention do not limit a specific type of the electronic device.

Descriptions of the foregoing embodiments of the present invention focus on a difference between the various embodiments. Provided that different optimization features of the various embodiments do not conflict with each other, a better embodiment may be formed by the combinations of the optimization features, which is not described in detail herein in consideration of the brevity of the text.

Claim 1:
An electronic device, comprising:
a housing (<NUM>), wherein the housing (<NUM>) is provided with an opening (<NUM>);
a functional module (<NUM>), wherein the functional module (<NUM>) is retractable into the housing (<NUM>) or extendable out of the housing (<NUM>) through the opening (<NUM>); and
a driving mechanism, wherein the driving mechanism is arranged in the housing (<NUM>), and the driving mechanism comprises a driving source (<NUM>), a lead screw (<NUM>), a nut set, and a caliper (<NUM>); the driving source (<NUM>) is drivingly connected to the lead screw (<NUM>); the nut set comprises a fitting part (<NUM>), and the fitting part (<NUM>) is threadedly fitted with the lead screw (<NUM>); a first end of the caliper (<NUM>) is in position-limiting fit with the fitting part (<NUM>), and a second end of the caliper (<NUM>) is fixedly connected to the functional module (<NUM>); and
the cross-sectional shape of the fitting part (<NUM>) is a polygon;
characterised by, that the nut set further comprises an elastic member (<NUM>) and a movable baffle (<NUM>); the movable baffle (<NUM>) is connected to the fitting part (<NUM>) through the elastic member (<NUM>), and the movable baffle (<NUM>) is located on a side of the fitting part (<NUM>) away from the opening (<NUM>); the caliper (<NUM>) is slidable relative to the fitting part (<NUM>), and the caliper (<NUM>) moves along the lead screw (<NUM>); in a case that the caliper (<NUM>) is at least partially separated from the fitting part (<NUM>), the elastic member (<NUM>) drives the movable baffle (<NUM>) to make the caliper (<NUM>) be in contact with the fitting part (<NUM>).