CAMERA DEVICE WITHIN AN INFORMATION COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

Abstract

A miniaturized camera device suitable for inclusion in another device is disclosed. The camera device enables a user to manually adjust a focal distance of a lens barrel. Therefore, it is possible to miniaturize the camera device by omitting an actuator of the camera device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a terminal in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a camera device of a terminal in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a camera device of a terminal in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a partially assembled camera device of a terminal in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a camera device of a terminal in accordance with the present invention, in which an inner part of an optical tube is exploded.

Claims

1. A camera device comprising: a lens assembly having at least one zoom lens barrel through which an image of a subject enters;an inner optical tube in which the zoom lens barrel is movably accommodated in an incident direction of the image;an outer optical tube, having the inner optical tube accommodated therein, installed rotatably with respect to the inner optical tube, for adjusting a focal distance of the subject by moving the zoom lens barrel depending on the rotation;a slide key movably engaged with the outer optical tube to rotate the outer optical tube; andan image sensor module through which the image passed through the zoom lens barrel enters.

2. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein a slide slot is formed at the inner optical tube in an incident direction of the image, a cam profile is formed at the outer optical tube to cross the slide slot, and the at least one zoom lens barrel is movably engaged with a crossing part of the slide slot and the cam profile.

3. The camera device according to claim 2, wherein the inner optical tube has at least the same number of slide slots as the number of zoom lens barrels.

4. The camera device according to claim 3, wherein the outer optical tube has a cam profile corresponding to each slide slot to cross the slide slot.

5. The camera device according to claim 4, wherein a linear shape of the cam profile is formed such that moving distances of the zoom lens barrels are varied relatively when the slide key moves.

6. The camera device according to claim 4, wherein the zoom lens barrel has a slide projection formed at its outer surface to be slidably inserted into the crossing part of the slide slot and the cam profile.

7. The camera device according to claim 1, further comprising: a housing for accommodating the lens assembly, the outer optical tube, and the image sensor module.

8. The camera device according to claim 7, wherein the inner optical tube is fixedly engaged with the housing so as not to be rotated, and the outer optical tube is engaged with the housing not to be moved in an incident direction of the image.

9. The camera device according to claim 8, wherein the housing has a straight guide slot, wherein the slide key is movably inserted into the guide slot, and the outer optical tube has a slot into which the slide key is movably inserted.

10. The camera device according to claim 7, wherein the slide key is exposed to the exterior of the housing.

11. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the slide key has a pleat-5 shaped anti-sliding part on its outer surface.

12. A camera device comprising: a lens assembly having at least two zoom lens barrels through which an image of a subject enters;an inner optical tube in which the zoom lens barrels are movably accommodated in an incident direction of the image;an outer optical tube having the inner optical tube accommodated therein, installed rotatably with respect to the inner optical tube, for adjusting a focal distance of the subject by changing an interval between the zoom lens barrels depending on the rotation;a slide key movably engaged with the outer optical tube to rotate the outer optical tube; andan image sensor module through which the image passed through the zoom lens barrels enters.

13. The camera device according to claim 12, wherein a slide slot is formed at the inner optical tube in an incident direction of the image, a cam profile is formed at the outer optical tube to cross the slide slot, and the zoom lens barrels are movably engaged with crossing parts of the slide slot and the cam profile.

14. The camera device according to claim 13, wherein a linear shape of the cam profile is formed such that moving distances of the zoom lens barrels are relatively varied.

15. A camera device comprising: a housing;a lens assembly accommodated in the housing, and having at least one zoom lens barrel through which an image of a subject enters;an inner optical tube in which the zoom lens barrel is accommodated, and having a slide slot formed in an incident direction of the image to enable the zoom lens barrel to move;an outer optical tube rotatably accommodated in the housing, having the inner optical tube accommodated therein, having a cam profile to cross the slide slot, and adjusting a focal distance of the subject by rotation of the zoom lens barrel movably engaged with the cam profile;a slide key movably engaged with the outer optical tube to rotate the outer optical tube, and exposed to the exterior of the housing; andan image sensor module accommodated in the housing, and through which the image passed through the zoom lens barrel enters.

16. The camera device according to claim 15, wherein the housing has a straight guide slot, the outer optical tube has a slot to cross the guide slot, and the slide key is movably engaged with the guide slot and the slot.

17. The camera device according to claim 15, wherein the inner optical tube has at least the same number of slide slots as the number of zoom lens barrels.

18. The camera device according to claim 17, wherein the outer optical tube has a cam profile corresponding to each slide slot to cross the slide slot.

19. The camera device according to claim 18, wherein a linear shape of the cam profile is formed such that moving distances of the zoom lens barrels are relatively varied when the slide key moves.

20. An information communication device comprising: a body;a housing disposed in the body;a lens assembly accommodated in the housing, and having at least one zoom lens barrel through which an image of a subject enters;an inner optical tube in which the zoom lens barrel is movably accommodated in an incident direction of the image;an outer optical tube accommodated in the housing, in which the inner optical tube is accommodated, installed rotatably with respect to the inner optical tube, and adjusting a focal distance of the subject by moving the zoom lens barrel depending on the rotation;a slide key movably engaged with the outer optical tube to rotate the outer optical tube, and exposed to the exterior of the body; andan image sensor module accommodated in the housing, and through which the image passed through the zoom lens barrel enters.

21. The information communication device according to claim 20, wherein a slide slot is formed at the inner optical tube in an incident direction of the image, a cam profile is formed at the outer optical tube to cross the slide slot, and the zoom lens barrel is movably engaged with a crossing part of the slide slot and the cam profile.

22. The information communication device according to claim 21, wherein the inner optical tube has at least the same number of slide slots as the number of zoom lens barrels.

23. The information communication device according to claim 22, wherein the outer optical tube has a cam profile corresponding to each slide slot to cross the slide slot.

24. The information communication device according to claim 23, wherein a linear shape of the cam profile is formed such that moving distances of the zoom lens barrels are relatively varied when the slide key moves.

25. The information communication device according to claim 24, wherein the zoom lens barrel has a slide projection formed at its outer surface to be slidably inserted into the crossing part of the slide slot and the cam profile.

26. The information communication device according to claim 20, wherein the inner optical tube is engaged with the housing so as not to be rotated, and the outer optical tube is engaged with the housing not to be moved in an incident direction of the image.

27. The information communication device according to claim 26, wherein the housing has a straight guide slot, the slide key is movably inserted into the guide slot, and the outer optical tube has a slot into which the slide key is movably inserted.

28. The information communication device according to claim 20, wherein the slide key has a pleat-shaped anti-sliding part on its outer surface.