Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus is provided that comprises an imaging device, a support member, a drive mechanism, and a fixed member. The support member supports the imaging device. The drive mechanism moves the support member in a plane parallel to an imaging surface of the imaging device and in an independent first and second directions. The fixed member is placed within a support-member movable-range, in which the support member is moved by the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism induces impact on the support member by engaging the support member with the fixed member.

Abstract: A stage apparatus comprising: a stationary support board; a movable stage positioned to face the stationary support board to be movable relative to the stationary support board; at least three support members which are in contact with one surface of the movable stage which faces the stationary support board to be slidable thereon; at least three position adjusting devices provided on the stationary support board and configured to adjust positions of the three support members, respectively, in a direction toward/away from the movable stage; and a biasing device which biases the movable stage in a direction to bring the three support members into contact with the movable stage.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and can be moved and rotated on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing apparatus. The fixed unit supports the movable unit in a movable and rotatable situation on the plane. The movable unit and fixed unit have a moving apparatus that moves and rotates the movable unit. A number of points that receive a first force in a first direction by the moving apparatus, is equal to or more than 1. The first direction is perpendicular to the optical axis. A number of points that receive a second force in a second direction by the moving apparatus, is equal to or more than 2. The second direction is perpendicular to the optical axis and the first direction.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a stage apparatus, includes a movable stage provided on a stationary member which is movable in a reference plane; a pair of engaging members which are provided on the movable stage; a pair of lock members which are positioned between the engaging members and are movable so as to move toward and away from corresponding the engaging members; a lock driving device which moves the lock members to an engaged position wherein the lock members mutually move away from each other and engage with the corresponding engaging members; and an unlock driving device which moves the lock members to a disengaged position wherein the lock members mutually move toward each other so as to disengage with the corresponding engaging members.

Abstract: A lighting control apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a lighting device and a signal supplying processor. The lighting device illuminates a photographic subject by receiving one of a sine wave signal, and a half-wave rectification wave signal, a saw wave signal, and a triangle wave signal in the exposure time. The signal supplying processor supplies one of the sine wave signal, the half-rectification wave signal, the saw wave signal, and the triangle wave signal, to be received, to the lighting device, in the exposure time.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a stage member provided on the stationary support plate so as to move on a reference plane parallel with the stationary support plate; Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices secured to one of the stationary support plate and the stage member; and Y-direction moving coils secured to the other of the stationary support plate and the stage member, the Y-direction moving coils receiving magnetic flux from the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices so as to generate a driving force in a specific Y-direction between the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices and the Y-direction moving coils. The Y-direction moving coils are secured to the stage member so that the Y-direction moving coils at least partly overlap each other in an X-direction, which is parallel with the reference plane and perpendicular to the Y-direction, and do not overlap in the Y-direction.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus comprises a movable-unit, a fixed-unit, a signal-processor, and a controller. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first-and second-directions, supported by the fixed-unit. The fixed-unit has a horizontal-hall-element for detecting a first-location, and a vertical-hall-element for detecting a second-location. The signal-processor outputs a first-signal specifying the first-location, from output signals of the horizontal-hall-element, to a first A/D-converter of the controller, and outputs a second-signal specifying the second-location, from output signals of the vertical-hall-element, to a second A/D-converter of the controller. The controller calculates the first-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the first-signal, and the second-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the second-signal.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a stage apparatus includes a movable stage; a pair of engaging members provided on the movable stage; a pair of lock members positioned between the engaging members and movable along an imaginary straight line passing through the engaging members; a first link member movable along a reference straight line between the lock members; a pair of second link members rotatably mounted on the first link member and rotatably mounted on the lock members; a lock driving device which moves the lock members mutually away from each other to engage with the engaging members by moving the first link member along the reference straight line; and an unlock driving device which moves the lock members mutually toward each other so as to disengage with the engaging members by moving the first link member in the other direction along the reference straight line.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device and can be moved in first and second directions. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in both the first and second directions. The movable-unit has a hall-element unit, and a first driving coil which is used for moving the movable-unit in the first direction, and a second driving coil which is used for moving the movable-unit in the second direction. The hall-element unit has a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the first direction as a first location, and a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the second direction as a second location. The horizontal hall-element is arranged inside the first driving coil. The vertical hall-element is arranged inside the second driving coil.

Abstract: A digital camera having a camera-shake compensation mechanism and a luminance compensation processor is provided. The camera-shake compensation mechanism compensates for a camera-shake by adjusting a relative relation between positions of an optical axis of a photographing optical system and a center of an image of an imaging device. The luminance compensation processor compensates for luminance information of pixels of the imaging device, which are outside an image circle of the photographing optical system during a camera-shake compensation operation performed by the camera-shake compensation mechanism.

Abstract: A stage driving apparatus linearly and rotationally moves a stage on a plane. A movable unit movable in first and second directions is rotatable on a movable-plane, and is parallel to the first and second directions. A fixed unit supports the movable unit as the movable unit is moved in the first and second directions and is rotated on the movable-plane. A first driving unit supplies a driving force in the second direction, a second driving unit supplies a second driving force in the first direction, and a third driving unit supplies a third driving force in the first direction.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device and a position-detecting coil, and is movable on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing-apparatus. The fixed-unit supports the movable-unit so as to be movable on said plane, and has a hall element for detecting a position of the movable-unit on the plane. The position-detecting coil is a magnetic-field generating apparatus which is used for detecting the position, and has first and second position-detecting segments. The first and second position-detecting segments are parts of the position-detecting coil, and face the hall element, and are perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable-unit and to the optical axis. The direction of the current through the first position-detecting segment is opposite to a direction of the current through the second position-detecting segment.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a stage apparatus, includes a stationary support board; a movable stage; a leaf spring supported by the stationary support board; a press portion and a pressed portion provided on the leaf spring and the movable stage, respectively, a frictional contacting member being fixed to at least one of opposed surfaces of the press portion and the pressed portion; an electromagnet for resiliently deforming the leaf spring in a lock releasing direction to disengage the frictional contacting member from the one of opposed surfaces of the press portion and the pressed portion; and a permanent magnet, fixed to the stationary support board, which magnetically attracts the leaf spring to hold the frictional contacting member and the one of opposed surfaces of the press portion and the pressed portion in a disengaged state when the leaf spring is resiliently deformed by the electromagnet.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a Y-direction movable member supported on, and parallel to, the stationary support plate so as to be relatively movable in a Y-direction, the Y-direction movable member including a Y-direction rod portion and a pair of X-direction rod portions, wherein the Y-direction rod portion extends in the Y-direction, and the pair of X-direction rod portions are joined to the Y-direction rod portion to extend in an X-direction both parallel to the stationary support plate and perpendicular to the Y-direction; and an X-direction movable member supported by the pair of X-direction rod portions to be movable in the X-direction relative to the Y-direction movable member. At least one of the pair of X-direction rod portions is rotatable about an axis of the Y-direction rod portion relative to the Y-direction rod portion.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a Y-direction moving member including a Y-direction rod portion and an X-direction rod portion connected thereto parallel with the stationary support plate, the Y-direction moving member being supported by the stationary support plate so as to relatively move in the Y-direction; an X-direction moving member supported by the X-direction rod portion so as to relatively move in the X-direction. One of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate is provided with a projection, and the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate is provided with a rotation restriction support portion supporting the projection to move in a plane parallel with the stationary support plate relative to the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate and which prevents rotation of the X-direction moving member about the X-direction rod portion.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus includes a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device, and is movable in a first-direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing-apparatus, and performs an anti-shake operation by moving in the first-direction. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in the first-direction. The movable-unit has first and second hall-elements for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the first-direction as a first location, in order to calculate a detected-position signal. The fixed-unit has first and second magnets for detecting the first location. The detected-position signal is calculated on the basis of an average of outputs of the first and second hall-elements.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for a camera includes a movable member located behind a photographing lens and linearly moved along an optical axis thereof, the movable member supporting an image pickup device; an AF coil secured to the movable member or an immovable member of the camera; a magnetic force generating device which is secured to the other of the movable member and the immovable member, so as to linearly move the movable member in the optical axis direction relative to the immovable member by applying a magnetic field upon the AF coil; and a controller which controls the direction of electric current flowing in the AF coil so that image light transmitted through the photographing lens is converged onto an image pickup surface of the image pickup device. The AF coil is a planar coil which is wound on a plane parallel with the optical axis.

Abstract: A stage apparatus in which a movable stage is guided in first and second directions orthogonal to each other on a stationary member, includes a pair of first elongated holes formed on one of the movable stage and the stationary member and are elongated in the first direction; a pair of link members having two engaging pins at first ends thereof which are engaged in the pair of first elongated holes to be movable therein, respectively, one of second ends of the pair of link members being pivoted at the other of the movable stage and the stationary member, and the other of the second ends of the pair of link members being supported by the other of the movable stage and the stationary member; and a link-member support mechanism for moving the movable stage in the second direction while maintaining a symmetrical shape thereof.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first and second directions. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in both the first and second directions. The movable-unit has a horizontal hall-element for detecting a first location in the first direction of the movable-unit, and a vertical hall-element for detecting a second location in the second direction of the movable-unit. The fixed-unit has a magnet unit which is used for detecting the first and second locations, and which has first and second horizontal magnets and first and second vertical magnets. The polarities of the first and second horizontal magnets are arranged in opposite directions, in the third direction. N-pole of the first horizontal magnet and S-pole of the second horizontal magnet are separated in the first direction by a first distance, and face the horizontal hall-element.

Abstract: A position-detecting system, which is used to detect a relative position of a movable member with respect to a fixed member, is provided. The system includes a plurality of light sources, a position-sensing device, and a light-source controller. The light sources are provided on one of the fixed member or the movable member, and emit a spotlights. The position-sensing device is provided on another one of the fixed member or the movable member. The position-sensing device receives the spotlight and outputs a position signal relating to the relative position in accordance with a position where the spotlight is received. The light-source controller controls an ON/OFF state of the plurality of light sources.