Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Yamana

Kazuaki Yamana has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10288838
    Abstract: A mirror drive device capable of achieving lower torque and higher speed in mirror driving without necessitating reversing of an urging direction of an urging member during the mirror driving and improve durability thereof at the same time. A main mirror holder holding a main mirror is movable between a mirror-down position is a photographing optical path and a mirror-up position retracted from the photographing optical path. A sub mirror holder holding a sub mirror and rotatably attached to the main mirror bolder is movable between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position. The sub mirror holder is moved by a driving member from the mirror-down position to the mirror-up position, whereby the main mirror holder is moved from the mirror-down position to the mirror-up position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Morita, Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20180348598
    Abstract: Included are multiple camera claws of a second mount that are insertable between multiple accessory claws, and that are capable of coupling by bayonet coupling, multiple contact pins disposed following the circumferential direction of a mount, and a biasing unit to bias the multiple accessory claws in a direction parallel to a center axis of the second mount. The second mount can be relatively rotated to a first state where the accessory claws are inserted between the camera claws, and a second state where the camera claws engage with the accessory claws in the direction. The biasing unit biases a first accessory claw in the direction in the second state, and a first contact pin included in multiple camera-side contact pins situated at the nearest side of the mounting direction of an accessory overlaps the biasing unit in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 9936125
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus enabling release time lag reduction. A first holder holds a first mirror and is movable between a first position in an optical path and a second position retracted from the optical path. A second holder holding a second mirror in a state rotatably attached to the first holder is movable between a third position in the optical path and a fourth position retracted from the optical path. An MPU causes an mirror drive unit to rotate the second holder in the third position toward the first holder in the first position, after termination of focus detection when the first and second holder are in the first and third positions, respectively, and before image pickup is instructed, to thereby move the second holder to a fifth position closer to the first holder than the third position is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Tamura, Jun Kamiya, Shogo Iwasaki, Haruhisa Ueda, Kazuaki Yamana, Keisuke Morita
  • Patent number: 9784989
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprises a mirror member rotatable between a first state arranged inside an image pickup optical path and a second state arranged outside the image pickup optical path, an abutting member that abuts against the mirror member in a case where the mirror member is the first state, and a bounce control member attached to the mirror member and configured to control a vibration of the mirror member in a case where the mirror member collides with the abutting member. An attachment part attached to the mirror member is formed at a first end of the bounce control member, a weight part is formed at a second end of the bounce control member, and an elastic deformation part, which is elastically deformable, is formed between the first and second ends of the bounce control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20170195546
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus enabling release time lag reduction. A first holder holds a first mirror and is movable between a first position in an optical path and a second position retracted from the optical path. A second holder holding a second mirror in a state rotatably attached to the first holder is movable between a third position in the optical path and a fourth position retracted from the optical path. An MPU causes an mirror drive unit to rotate the second holder in the third position toward the first holder in the first position, after termination of focus detection when the first and second holder are in the first and third positions, respectively, and before image pickup is instructed, to thereby move the second holder to a fifth position closer to the first holder than the third position is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Koji Tamura, Jun Kamiya, Shogo Iwasaki, Haruhisa Ueda, Kazuaki Yamana, Keisuke Morita
  • Publication number: 20170168262
    Abstract: A mirror drive device capable of achieving lower torque and higher speed in mirror driving without necessitating reversing of an urging direction of an urging member during the mirror driving and improve durability thereof at the same time. A main mirror holder holding a main mirror is movable between a mirror-down position is a photographing optical path and a mirror-up position retracted from the photographing optical path. A sub mirror holder holding a sub mirror and rotatably attached to the main mirror bolder is movable between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position. The sub mirror holder is moved by a driving member from the mirror-down position to the mirror-up position, whereby the main mirror holder is moved from the mirror-down position to the mirror-up position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Keisuke Morita, Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 9335611
    Abstract: When a mirror charge lever is driven to a mirror-up position, the mirror charge lever is engaged with a first cam portion and driven to the mirror-up position in a region in which a force of a mirror-up spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-up position is larger than a force of a mirror-down spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-down position. In a region in which the force of the mirror-down spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-down position is equal to or larger than the force of the mirror-up spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-up position, the mirror charge lever is engaged with the second cam portion and driven to the mirror-up position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20160054542
    Abstract: A mirror driving device has a simple configuration and is capable of accelerating and decelerating a mirror during a mirror down operation. The mirror driving device includes a mirror, a mirror box attached to be movable between a first position where the mirror is located in an optical path and a second position where the mirror is retracted from the optical path, a mirror driving member rotatably attached to the mirror box and configured to drive the mirror, and a link member rotatably attached to the mirror driving member. A cam portion is formed in the mirror box. The link member includes a follower portion configured to follow with the cam portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20160018668
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprises a mirror member rotatable between a first state arranged inside an image pickup optical path and a second state arranged outside the image pickup optical path, an abutting member that abuts against the mirror member in a case where the mirror member is the first state, and a bounce control member attached to the mirror member and configured to control a vibration of the mirror member in a case where the mirror member collides with the abutting member. An attachment part attached to the mirror member is formed at a first end of the bounce control member, a weight part is formed at a second end of the bounce control member, and an elastic deformation part, which is elastically deformable, is formed between the first and second ends of the bounce control member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 9063395
    Abstract: A camera includes a positioning member arranged to determine a mirror-down position of a mirror holder, a rotating member rotatably mounted to the positioning member, and an urging member arranged to urge the rotating member. The mirror holder includes a cam portion. The rotating member includes a follower portion arranged to be able to trace the cam portion. When the mirror holder is at the mirror-down position, the follower portion traces a first region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-down position by an urging force of the urging member. When the mirror holder is at the mirror-up position, the follower portion traces a second region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-up position by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 9039305
    Abstract: A mirror holder includes a cam portion, and a rotating member includes a follower portion arranged to be able to trace the cam portion. When the mirror holder is at a mirror-down position, the follower portion traces a first region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-down position by an urging force of an urging member. When the mirror holder is at a mirror-up position, the follower portion traces a second region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-up position by the urging force of the urging member. When the mirror holder is at an intermediate position between the mirror-down position and the mirror-up position, a contact portion is contacted with an edge of a hole by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 9004782
    Abstract: A mirror holder includes a cam portion, and a rotating member includes a follower portion arranged to be able to trace the cam portion. When the mirror holder is at a mirror-down position, the follower portion traces a first region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-down position by an urging force of an urging member. When the mirror holder is at a mirror-up position, the follower portion traces a second region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-up position by the urging force of the urging member. When the mirror holder is at an intermediate position between the mirror-down position and the mirror-up position, a contact portion is contacted with an edge of a hole by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 8734030
    Abstract: When a mirror holder is at a mirror-down position, a follower portion traces a first region of a cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-down position by an urging force of an urging member. When the mirror holder is at a mirror-up position, the follower portion traces a second region of the cam portion to urge the mirror holder toward the mirror-up position by the urging force of the urging member. When the mirror holder is at an intermediate position between the mirror-down position and the mirror-up position, a contact portion is contacted with one edge of a hole by the urging force of the urging member. When the mirror holder is bounced near the mirror-down position or near the mirror-up position, the contact portion is contacted with an opposite edge of the hole against the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20130027797
    Abstract: When a mirror charge lever is driven to a mirror-up position, the mirror charge lever is engaged with a first cam portion and driven to the mirror-up position in a region in which a force of a mirror-up spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-up position is larger than a force of a mirror-down spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-down position. In a region in which the force of the mirror-down spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-down position is equal to or larger than the force of the mirror-up spring for urging the mirror charge lever to the mirror-up position, the mirror charge lever is engaged with the second cam portion and driven to the mirror-up position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 8305477
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which has at least an optical zooming function, determines a layout of image data to be picked up by an image pickup unit, and displays the picked-up image data with the determined layout by superimposing the image data with a frame which excludes an image pickup area additionally obtained when an image pickup range corresponding to a focal length for the determined layout is zoomed a predetermined amount in a wide-angle direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Patent number: 8061908
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises: a mirror which reflects light coming from a photographing optical system at a mirror down position; a mirror support member which rotatably supports the mirror; a contacting member against which the mirror support member contacts at the mirror down position; a rotatable first lever member; and a second lever member to which the contacting member is secured, and which is rotatably held by the first lever member, wherein when the mirror moves to the mirror down position, the mirror support member contacts against the contacting member, the second lever member then rotates relative to the first lever member and contacts against the first lever member, and by rotating the first lever member, the first and second lever members rotate without changing a relative positional relationship, so as to adjust a position of the contacting member with respect to the mirror support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Yamana, Kiyokazu Churei
  • Publication number: 20110063478
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which has at least an optical zooming function, determines a layout of image data to be picked up by an image pickup unit, and displays the picked-up image data with the determined layout by superimposing the image data with a frame which excludes an image pickup area additionally obtained when an image pickup range corresponding to a focal length for the determined layout is zoomed a predetermined amount in a wide-angle direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuaki Yamana
  • Publication number: 20110052177
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises: a mirror which reflects light coming from a photographing optical system at a mirror down position; a mirror support member which rotatably supports the mirror; a contacting member against which the mirror support member contacts at the mirror down position; a rotatable first lever member; and a second lever member to which the contacting member is secured, and which is rotatably held by the first lever member, wherein when the mirror moves to the mirror down position, the mirror support member contacts against the contacting member, the second lever member then rotates relative to the first lever member and contacts against the first lever member, and by rotating the first lever member, the first and second lever members rotate without changing a relative positional relationship, so as to adjust a position of the contacting member with respect to the mirror support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuaki Yamana, Kiyokazu Churei