Patent ID: 12253789

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1Ais a three-dimensional perspective schematic view of a webcam module in a turn-on mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.1Bis a three-dimensional perspective schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.1Ain a privacy mode.FIG.1Cis an exploded schematic view of elements of the webcam module ofFIG.1A.FIG.1Dis a cross-sectional schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.1Aalong an A-A line segment.

Please refer toFIG.1AtoFIG.1Bat the same time. A webcam module100of the disclosure is, for example, disposed in a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, or other similar electronic devices (not shown in the drawings). The webcam module100is disposed on one side of the electronic device facing the user to facilitate capturing of an image or a video, and the webcam module100may send the real-time image to the cloud through the network, so as to share the image or conduct a video conference.

Please refer toFIG.1AtoFIG.1D. The webcam module100of the disclosure includes a front casing110, a rear casing120, a support base130, a lens140, a blocking cover150, and a lever160.

The front casing110has a lens hole LH. The rear casing120is disposed at the front casing110and forms an accommodating space AS. The support base130is a long structure and is rotatably disposed in the accommodating space AS. The lens140is disposed on a front side surface FS of the support base130facing the front casing110. The lens140adopts, for example, a light-sensing charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The blocking cover150is slidably sleeved around the support base130and faces the front casing110, that is, the blocking cover150is located between the support base130and the front casing110. In other embodiments, the lens may also be disposed backward opposite to the front casing.

The lever160is connected to the blocking cover150and protrudes above the front casing110and the rear casing120. In detail, the rear casing120has a limiting groove LG communicated with the accommodating space AS, and the lever160is movably located in the limiting groove LG. As such, the width and the length of the limiting groove LG are greater than the lever160, so that the lever160has a translating stroke and a rotating stroke in the limiting groove LG.

Please refer toFIG.1AandFIG.1B. The lever160is adapted to drive the blocking cover150to slide along the support base130and pass through an axis X of the support base130in parallel to switch to a turn-on mode (seeFIG.1A) or a privacy mode (seeFIG.1B).

In detail, when the lever160drives the blocking cover150to slide along the support base130toward a first direction D1, the blocking cover150slides between the lens140and the lens hole LH to block the lens140, which is the privacy mode at this time to prevent the lens140from displaying in the lens hole LH (seeFIG.1B). When the lever160drives the blocking cover150to slide along the support base130toward a second direction D2opposite to the first direction D1, the blocking cover150is away from the lens140and the lens hole LH, and the lens140is displayed in the lens hole LH, which is the turn-on mode at this time.

With reference toFIG.1AtoFIG.1D, the support base130has two rotating shafts131, which are respectively disposed on two side surfaces S of the support base130relative to the lens140, and the axis X passes through the center of the two rotating shafts131. The front casing110has two bearings111, and the two rotating shafts131are respectively pivotally connected to the two bearings111. In detail, the bearing111is, for example, a plate-shaped structure and has rotating holes. Each rotating shaft131is rotatably penetrated through each rotating hole. The pivoting of the support base130on the axis X may be maintained through the limiting of the bearings. In other embodiments, the two bearings may also be formed on the rear casing, which is not limited in the disclosure.

Please refer toFIG.1CandFIG.1D. More specifically, the blocking cover150has a baffle plate151, an upper slide plate152and a lower slide plate153. The baffle plate151overlaps with the front side surface FS of the support base130. The upper slide plate152and the lower slide plate153are respectively formed on the upper and lower ends of the baffle plate151and slidably clamp the support base130. In detail, the support base130has an upper groove G1and a lower groove G2, which are both parallel to the axis X. The upper groove G1partially overlaps with the limiting groove LG of the rear casing120. A slide block B1of the upper slide plate152and a slide block B2of the lower slide plate153are respectively slidably engaged with the upper groove G1and the lower groove G2. Through the connection relationship of the upper groove G1, the lower groove G2, and the slide blocks B1and B2, the linear sliding of the blocking cover150along the axis X on the support base130may be ensured.

FIG.2Ais a cross-sectional schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.1Aalong a B-B line segment.FIG.2Bis a cross-sectional schematic view of the webcam module of FIG.2A rotating toward a first rotating direction.FIG.2Cis a cross-sectional schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.2Arotating toward a second rotating direction.

Please refer toFIG.2AtoFIG.2CandFIG.1D. The lever160is adapted to drive the blocking cover150and the support base130to rotate relative to the front casing110with the axis X as the center.

In detail, please refer toFIG.2A. When the support base130is not rotating, the lever160is located in the limiting groove LG and the support base130is parallel to the front casing110. Please refer toFIG.2B. When the support base130rotates toward a first rotating direction T1, the lever160abuts the front casing110in the limiting groove LG, so that the support base130and the lens140tilt forward relative to the front casing110. Please refer toFIG.2C. When the support base130rotates toward a second rotating direction T2opposite to the first rotating direction T1, the lever160abuts the rear casing120in the limiting groove LG, so that the support base130and the lens140tilt backward relative to the front casing110.

Please refer toFIG.1AtoFIG.1C. The support base130has two baffles132, which extend to be formed on the front side surface FS of the support base130and are respectively located on two sides of the blocking cover150to limit a sliding stroke of the blocking cover150on the support base130.

FIG.3Ais a side schematic view of a webcam module combined with a first limiting block and a second limiting block according to another embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.3Bis a side schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.3Arotating toward a first rotating direction.FIG.3Cis a side schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.3Arotating toward a second rotating direction.

Please refer toFIG.3A. The difference between a webcam module100A of this embodiment and the embodiment ofFIG.1Ais that an inner wall surface IS of a front casing110aof the webcam module100A facing a support base130aforms a first limiting block LB1and a second limiting block LB2. The first limiting block LB1and the second limiting block LB2are spaced up and down from each other and respectively have a first gap A1and a second gap A2with the support base130a. The first limiting block LB1and the second limiting block LB2are configured to limit a rotating stroke of the support base130a.

Please refer toFIG.3A. When the support base130ais parallel to the front casing110a, the first gap A1and the second gap A2may be equal (or the first gap A1and the second gap A2may also be different due to difference in lengths of the first limiting block LB1and the second limiting block LB2). Please refer toFIG.3B. When a lever160apushes a rotating shaft131aof the support base130ato rotate toward a first rotating direction T1with an axis X as the center, the first gap A1is less than the second gap A2, that is, the support base130atilts forward relative to the front casing110a. Please refer toFIG.3C. When the lever160apushes the rotating shaft131aof the support base130ato rotate toward a second rotating direction T2opposite to the first rotating direction T1with the axis X as the center, the first gap A1is greater than the second gap A2, that is, the support base130atilts backward relative to the front casing110a.

FIG.4Ais a side schematic view of a webcam module combined with an extension portion and a limiting block according to another embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.4Bis a side schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.4Arotating toward a first rotating direction.FIG.4Cis a side schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.4Arotating toward a second rotating direction.

Please refer toFIG.4A. The difference between a webcam module100B of this embodiment and the embodiment ofFIG.1Ais that each rotating shaft131bof the webcam module100B has an extension portion EP, and the extension portion EP has a curved structure and has a first contact surface CS1and a second contact surface CS2. A front casing110bhas two limiting blocks LB, which are respectively positioned with the two extension portions EP of the two rotating shafts131b. Each limiting block LB has a first bevel BS1and a second bevel BS2, and a width W of the first bevel BS1and the second bevel BS2is tapered toward the extension portion EP.

Please refer toFIG.4A. When a support base130bis parallel to the front casing110b, the limiting block LB is located between the first contact surface CS1and the second contact surface CS2of the extension portion EP. Please refer toFIG.4B. When the support base130brotates toward a first rotating direction T1, the first contact surface CS1of the extension portion EP abuts the first bevel BS1of the limiting block LB, that is, the support base130btilts forward relative to the front casing110b. Please refer toFIG.4C. When the support base130brotates toward a second rotating direction T2opposite to the first rotating direction T1, the second contact surface CS2of the extension portion EP abuts the second bevel BS2, that is, the support base130btilts backward relative to the front casing110b. The first bevel BS1and the second bevel BS2of each limiting block LB are configured to limit a rotating stroke of the support base130a.

FIG.5Ais a plan schematic view of a webcam module in a turn-on mode according to another embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.5Bis a plan schematic view of the webcam module ofFIG.5Ain a privacy mode.

Please refer toFIG.5AandFIG.5B. The difference between a webcam module100C of this embodiment and the embodiment ofFIG.1Ais that the webcam module100C includes a front casing110c, a rear casing (not shown in the drawings, but reference may be made toFIG.1A), a support base130c, a lens140c, and a lever160c.

The front casing110chas a lens hole LH. The rear casing120cis disposed at the front casing110cand forms an accommodating space AS. The support base130cis rotatably disposed in the accommodating space AS. The lens140cis disposed on a front side surface FS of the support base130cfacing the front casing110c. The lever160cis connected to the support base130cand protrudes above the front casing110cand the rear casing120c. In the embodiment, the lever160cis, for example, integrally formed or fixed onto the support base130c.

Please refer toFIG.5AandFIG.5B. The lever160cis adapted to drive the support base130cto slide along an axis X to switch to the turn-on mode or the privacy mode. When the support base130cslides toward a first direction D1, the lens140cis away from the lens hole LH and overlaps with the front casing110c, so that the lens140cis hidden in the front casing110c(seeFIG.5B). When the support base130cslides toward a second direction D2opposite to the first direction D1, the lens140cis positioned with the lens hole LH, so that the lens140cis displayed in the lens hole LH (seeFIG.5B).

Please refer toFIG.5AandFIG.5B. The support base130chas two rotating shafts131c, which are respectively disposed on two side surfaces S of the support base130crelative to the lens140c, and the axis X passes through the center of the two rotating shafts131c. Two bearings BR are disposed on two opposite side surfaces of the front casing or the rear casing along the axis X, and the two rotating shafts131care respectively pivotally connected to the two bearings BR.

In detail, each rotating shaft131chas a concave hole CH, and each bearing BR has a column C. Each column C is rotatably and movably penetrated through each concave hole CH.

Please refer toFIG.5B. In the privacy mode, the lever160cdrives the support base130cto slide toward the first direction D1along the axis X, so that the rotating shaft131cand the bearing BR on the right side abut each other, and the column C thereof is completely hidden in the concave hole CH, and the rotating shaft131con the left side is relatively away from the bearing BR on the left side, so that there is a first gap A1and the column C of the bearing BR on the left side partially extends outside the rotating shaft131con the left side.

Please refer toFIG.5A. In the turn-on mode, the lever160cdrives the support base130cto slide toward the second direction D2along the axis X, so that the rotating shaft131cand the bearing BR on the left side abut each other, and the column C thereof is completely hidden in the concave hole CH, and the rotating shaft131con the right side is relatively away from the bearing BR on the right side, so that there is a second gap A2and the column C of the bearing BR on the right side partially extends outside the rotating shaft131con the right side.

In summary, the webcam module of the disclosure drives the blocking cover to slide along the support base or drives the support base to slide along the axis through the lever, so as to switch the lens to the turn-on mode or the privacy mode. In the turn-on mode, the lens is displayed in the lens hole to facilitate capturing. In the privacy mode, the lens is blocked through the blocking cover or the lens is hidden in the front casing, so that the lens cannot be displayed in the lens hole. Even if a third party remotely controls the lens of the webcam module, under the physical blocking of the blocking cover or the front casing, the third party still cannot infringe on personal privacy through the webcam module.

In addition, the webcam module of the disclosure may directly or indirectly drive the support base to rotate relative to the front casing through the lever to adjust the capturing angle of the lens in the lens hole, so as to adapt to the intensity of the ambient light or present different capturing effects.