By Movable Refractive Structure Patents (Class 359/557)
  • Publication number: 20120099201
    Abstract: A tilt-type anti-shake compensation structure for auto-focus module includes an auto-focus module having a lens assembly held thereto and driving the latter to move forward and rearward in a light entering path, i.e. in z-axis direction, so as to focus a captured image; an outer frame enclosing the auto-focus module therein, and having an elastic supporting member provided therein to connect to and between upper ends of the outer frame and the auto-focus module; and a compensation driving unit arranged behind the auto-focus module for driving the auto-focus module to tilt leftward and rightward on x-axis, or forward and rearward on y-axis, within the outer frame, so as to compensate any image deviation due to shake caused by hands. The anti-shake structure is simple and can quickly compensate shake caused by hands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Yi-Liang Chan, Chao-Chang Hu, Fu-Yuan Wu
  • Publication number: 20120092768
    Abstract: In a lens driving device of the present invention, each magnet is provide to face an outer circumferential face of a first coil, and face a second coil at a position at which the second coil is provided. A first spring member and a second spring member are configured by a plurality of six springs separated from each other, each coil wire end of the first coil and the two of the second coils being connected to a different spring, respectively, and when moving a lens support (5) in the optical axis direction, electric current is flowed through the first coil, and when moving the lens support in an X-Y direction that is orthogonal to the optical axis, a predetermined electric current is flowed through a predetermined one of the second coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SHICOH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Koji Toyama
  • Patent number: 8159545
    Abstract: An image stabilization control apparatus includes a vibration correction unit configured to correct an image shake occurring due to vibration, a first vibration detection unit configured to detect and output an angular velocity of the vibration, a second vibration detection unit configured to detect and output an acceleration of the vibration, a first extractor configured to extract a signal in a predetermined frequency band based on an output of the first vibration detection unit, a second extractor configured to extract a signal in a predetermined frequency band based on an output of the second vibration detection unit, an output correction unit configured to correct the output of the first vibration detection unit based on the signals extracted by the first and second extractors, and a driving unit configured to drive the vibration correction unit based on the output of the first vibration detection unit as corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Washisu, Goro Noto, Junichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8159746
    Abstract: The optical apparatus includes an image stabilizing lens shiftable with respect to an optical axis, a movable lens movable in an optical axis direction, first and second actuators shifting the image stabilizing lens, and a third actuator moving the movable lens. The first, second and third actuators include a magnet and a coil. When viewed in the optical axis direction, the first and second actuators are disposed in a first area and the third actuator is disposed in a second area, the first and second areas being opposite to each other with respect to the optical axis. The first and second actuators are respectively disposed in areas in the first area opposite to each other with respect to a straight line passing the optical axis and the third actuator. This arrangement enables reduction of magnetic interference between the first and second actuators and the third actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8154801
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in a direction of an optical axis; a second lens group that has a negative refractive power and is movable on the optical axis so as to perform a zoom operation; a third lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in the direction of the optical axis during zooming and focusing; a fourth lens group that has a positive refractive power and is movable on the optical axis so as to correct fluctuation in imaging position and correct change in imaging position caused by change in object distance; and a fifth lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in the direction of the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Suzaki, Shinichi Arita, Takuya Anzawa
  • Patent number: 8150250
    Abstract: A camera body including image-blur correcting units capable of effectively correcting blur in captured images and a camera system including the camera body are provided. The camera body includes a vibration detecting unit configured to detect vibration of the camera body; a first image-blur correcting unit configured to correct blur in captured images, and a second image-blur correcting unit that is different from the first image-blur correcting unit; and a control unit configured to control the first image-blur correcting unit and the second image-blur correcting unit on the basis of detection results produced by the vibration detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichiro Saito, Nobuyuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8149514
    Abstract: A zoom lens system of the present invention has a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element and, in order from the object side to the image side, comprises: a first lens unit having negative optical power and composed of two lens elements; a second lens unit having positive optical power; and a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein in zooming, at least the first lens unit and the second lens unit move along an optical axis, on the image side relative to the second lens unit, an aperture diaphragm is arranged that moves along the optical axis integrally with the second lens unit during zooming, the second lens unit moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and the condition is satisfied: 1.00<(1?m2W)×m3W<1.50 where, Z=fT/fW>4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takakazu Bito, Keiki Yoshitsugu
  • Publication number: 20120069441
    Abstract: An imaging lens, an optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a method for manufacturing the imaging lens are provided. The imaging lens includes a front lens group having negative refractive power disposed to the most object side and a rear lens group having negative refractive power, disposed to an image side of the front lens group and moving at least a portion thereof in a direction including a component substantially perpendicular to an optical axis. The rear lens group includes G3a having negative refractive power, G3b having negative refractive power, and G3c having positive refractive power. G3b is disposed between G3a and G3c. G3b side lens surface of G3a is a concave surface facing G3b. G3b is a negative meniscus lens shape having a concave surface facing G3a. At least one lens surface among optical surfaces of G3a, G3b and G3c is an aspherical surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Makoto FUJIMOTO, Issei TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20120070138
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an optical system, a drive unit, a drive mechanism, a light adjusting mechanism, and an actuator. The optical system has a correcting lens group with a first optical axis and a retractable lens group with a second optical axis. The drive unit is configured to move the correcting lens group perpendicular to the first optical axis. The drive mechanism is configured to move the retractable lens group between an extended and a retracted position. The second optical axis is concentric with the first optical axis in the extended position and offset from the first optical axis in the retracted position. The light adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust light that passes through the optical system. The actuator is configured to drive the adjusting mechanism and is disposed on one side of the adjusting mechanism. The adjusting mechanism is disposed between the actuator and the drive unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Onishi, Hironori Honsho
  • Publication number: 20120069440
    Abstract: An optical system SL installed in a single-lens reflex camera includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group G1, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, and a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power. The second lens group G2 is disposed movably in a direction including a component perpendicular to an optical axis, and a given conditional expression is satisfied, thereby providing an optical system having excellent optical performance with excellent vibration reduction performance, an optical apparatus equipped with the optical system, and a method for manufacturing the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Hiroki HARADA, Issei TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8139291
    Abstract: An actuator for moving an imaging lens to prevent blurring of an image includes a fixed portion; a movable portion attached to the imaging lens; a plurality of spherical bodies sandwiched between the movable portion and the fixed portion, supporting the movable portion; a drive means; fixed portion drop prevention walls and movable portion drop prevention walls, erected so as to respectively surround each of the spherical bodies and prevent the spherical bodies from dropping; fixed portion contact walls and moving portion contact walls formed contiguously with these drop prevention walls such that when the movable portion is moved to a predetermined locking position, the spherical bodies contact it; and a controller for moving the movable portion to a locking position by rotating the movable portion around the optical axis, thereby positioning each of the spherical bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20120063761
    Abstract: A lens barrel assembly for a camera is disclosed. The lens barrel assembly comprises a lens barrel, at least one optical element disposed within the lens barrel, and an actuator configured to move the optical element. The actuator can be disposed entirely or partially within the lens barrel. The actuator can be a MEMS actuator, such as a MEMS actuator that is formed at least partially of silicon. The optical element can be a lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS
    Inventors: Tony K. Tang, Jing Xu, Roman C. Gutierrez
  • Publication number: 20120062994
    Abstract: A zoom lens system comprising a positive first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, and at least two subsequent lens units, wherein the first lens unit moves along an optical axis at the time of zooming, an interval between the second lens unit and one of the at least two subsequent lens units varies at the time of zooming or focusing, the first lens unit is composed of at least three lens elements, each of the first lens unit and the second lens unit includes at least one negative lens element, and the conditions: 0.008<(1/vdMIN)?(1/vdMAX)<0.028 and 0.1<|m|/(fT?fW)<0.4 (vdMIN and vdMAX: minimum value and maximum value among Abbe numbers to the d-line of each lens element constituting the first lens unit, m: maximum value among the amounts of movement of each subsequent lens unit at the time of zooming, fT and fW: focal lengths of the entire system at a telephoto limit and at a wide-angle limit) are satisfied; an interchangeable lens apparatus; and a camera system are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuneo Uchida, Koji Hoshi
  • Publication number: 20120062993
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, sequentially from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power. Zoom is performed by moving the second and the third lens groups in a direction along an optical axis. The fourth lens group consists of, sequentially from the object side, a front group having a positive refractive power, an intermediate group configured by a cemented lens formed by a positive lens and a negative lens and having an overall refractive power that is negative, and a rear group having a positive refractive power. Blur is corrected by moving the intermediate group in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventor: Dayong LI
  • Publication number: 20120057223
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an optical system including a first lens group including a plurality of lenses, the first lens group being configured to correct for lateral chromatic aberration; and a second lens group including a plurality of lenses, the second lens group being configured to correct for axial chromatic aberration, the second lens group being disposed adjacent the first lens group. The optical system further includes a detector disposed behind the second lens group; a mechanism for switching a configuration of the optical system between a narrow field of view (NFOV) configuration and a wide field of view (WFOV) configuration; and a ray path steering system disposed in front of the first lens group, the ray path steering system comprising a pair of counter-rotating grisms configured to enhance a field of regard of the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: Lacy G. Cook
  • Publication number: 20120057234
    Abstract: The present invention is a variable power zoom lens that is suitable to APS-format single-lens reflex cameras. The zoom lens has the foremost or first lens group G1 of positive refractivity, the second lens group G2 of negative refractivity, the third lens group G3 of positive refractivity, and the fourth lens group G4 of positive refractivity disposed in sequence from a position closer to the object to photograph toward the image plane. The third lens group G3 has a front lens subset G3F of positive refractivity and a back lens subset G3B, and the back lens subset G3B alone is moved orthogonal to the optical axis to correct a blur of an image on the image plane caused by a shake of photographer's hands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Dayong LI
  • Publication number: 20120050866
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes first and second driving units configured to move first and second moving frames in an optical axis direction, and two correction driving sources configured to move the second moving frame in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis. Moving ranges in the optical axis direction of the first and second moving frames overlap with each other. The first and second moving frames are connected to a fixing portion of a fixed barrel by first and second flexible printed boards. One of the first and second driving units is located on a side of the optical axis opposite one of the second correction driving sources, and U-turn portions of the first and second flexible printed boards are located on a side of the optical axis opposite the other correction driving source, when viewed in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuji Umezu
  • Publication number: 20120050865
    Abstract: In a lens barrel including an image pickup optical system containing plural lens groups and a barrel member for holding the image pickup optical system and conducting protruding and retracting, the lens frame holding a prescribed lens group of the image pickup optical system is swung so that the prescribed lens group is moved to a position where the optical axis is different from those of other lens groups at the time of the retraction, and in the process of changing from the protruded state to retracted state, the lens frame is swung by engagement with a cam-shaped portion of a first engagement member, and is then engaged with a second engagement member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Shigeo HOMME
  • Publication number: 20120050864
    Abstract: A high zoom-ratio zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, at least the first through third lens groups move along the optical axis direction in a manner so that the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, the distance between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases, and the distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group increases, wherein the amount of movement of the first lens group during zooming is larger than that of the third lens group. The lens element which is provided closest to the object side within third lens group has an aspherical surface formed on each side thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaru EGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8125712
    Abstract: Providing a zoom lens system with a vibration reduction function excellently correcting aberrations with accomplishing compact, lightweight, and slim upon being accommodated, and to provide an optical apparatus using the zoom lens system. The system consists of, in order from an object, a first group having negative power, a second group having positive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first group and the second group decreases. The first group consists of, in order from the object, a first lens having negative power and a second lens having positive power. The second group consists of, in order from the object, a third lens having positive power, a fourth lens having negative power, and a fifth lens having positive power. An image blur is corrected by shifting the second group as a whole in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Mami Muratani
  • Patent number: 8125711
    Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus includes first and second lens units, a supporting unit aligning the first and second lens units in an optical axis direction, so that the first and second lens units can independently move in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a driving unit driving the first and second lens units in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a relative position detection unit detecting a relative position between the first and second lens units, a shake detection unit detecting a shake amount added to the image blur correction apparatus, and a control unit controlling the driving unit based on an output of the shake detection unit. The control unit performs closed-loop control based on an output of the relative position detection unit so that the second lens unit moves in a direction opposite to that of the first lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masafumi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8120850
    Abstract: Provided is a zoom lens system including a compact focusing lens unit and having a suppressed change in image magnification at the time of movement of the focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system of the present invention, in order from an object side to an image side, includes a first lens unit G1 having positive optical power, a second lens unit G2 having negative optical power, a third lens unit G3 having negative optical power, and a fourth lens unit G4 having positive optical power. At the time of zooming, at least the first lens unit G1 moves from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit. The fourth lens unit G4 includes a first sub lens unit having positive optical power and a second sub lens unit having negative optical power, the second sub lens unit being arranged at the image side relative to the first sub lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Uchida, Nobuyuki Adachi
  • Patent number: 8121467
    Abstract: A position controller for an optical element of an optical system includes a first movable member supported by a support member to be movable relative thereto in a first direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a second movable member which holds the optical element and is supported by the first movable member to be movable relative thereto in a second direction which is nonparallel to the first direction, an electromagnetic actuator that produces a driving force for moving at least the second movable member in the second direction, and an insertion/removal drive mechanism for moving the second movable member between an anti-shake driving position, at which a position control for the second movable member can be performed using the electromagnetic actuator, and a removed position at which the second movable member is positioned outside a range of the position control that uses the electromagnetic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Suzuka
  • Patent number: 8116583
    Abstract: A light modulation panel is inserted into an optical path of an imaging lens composed of an image-forming optical system to make the imaging lens function as a depth-of-field-extended optical system. The light modulation panel has power that makes a peak position of defocus MTF when the imaging lens is used alone to function as the image-forming optical system and a peak position of defocus MTF when the imaging lens functions as the depth-of-field-extended optical system by insertion of the light modulation panel into the optical path of the imaging lens coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20120033300
    Abstract: A fixed focal length lens has a focal length of a whole system shorter than a back focus. The fixed focal length lens includes an aperture stop, and an image-stabilizing lens unit that moves in a direction including a component of a direction orthogonal to an optical axis to reduce an image blur. The conditions of 0.1<f/|fis|<0.5 and ?0.35<Dis/DL<0.25 are met, where f is the focal length of the whole system, fis is a focal length of the image-stabilizing lens unit, Dis is a distance from the aperture stop to a surface farthest from the aperture stop of the image-stabilizing lens unit, and DL is a distance from a first surface closest to an object side to a final surface closest to an image side of the fixed focal length lens. A sign of the distance is positive in a direction from the object side to the image side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto NAKAHARA
  • Publication number: 20120033954
    Abstract: An image stabilization control apparatus having a compensation member comprises: first and second detection units that detect rotational and translational shakes, respectively, in the image stabilization control apparatus; a rotational shake amount calculation unit that finds a rotational shake amount based on an output of the first detection unit; a correction value calculation unit that calculates a correction value based on outputs from the first and second detection units; a suppression unit that suppresses the correction value based on the size of an output from the first and/or second detection units; a translational shake amount calculation unit that calculates a translational shake amount using the output of the first detection unit and the calculated correction value; and a driving unit that drives the compensation member based on the rotational and translational shake amounts, wherein the correction value is calculated based on the suppressed correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobushige Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 8111295
    Abstract: A CCD support mechanism includes a CCD holder for holding a CCD, a first printed circuit board having a first printed coil, a second printed circuit board having a second printed coil, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, and a pair of vertical leaf springs. When a camera shake occurs by hand-held shooting, a VCM composed of the first printed coil and a first stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the horizontal leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in a Y-axis direction. A VCM composed of the second printed coil and a second stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the vertical leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in an X-axis direction. Current values of the VCMs are determined by feedback control by using an output signal from a shake detector as a target value and a present position from a position detector as a measurement value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Makimoto, Kentaro Tokiwa
  • Publication number: 20120008208
    Abstract: An image stabilization device is disclosed. The image stabilization device includes a first linkage assembly and a first flexible element. The first linkage assembly is disposed on a frame. The first linkage assembly includes a first linkage which is disposed in a first direction. The first flexible element is capable of pressing an optical element to the first linkage so as to make the optical element move along the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: ABILITY ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: MU-YUAN WU, CHIEN-HSIN LU
  • Publication number: 20120002060
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes two, left- and right-eye image sensors, and detects the rotation amount around the optical axis of the image sensing device, and the displacement amounts of the two image sensors in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The image sensing device performs control such that two pixels on the two image sensors having output the centers of the images to be cropped from the sensed images exist in the same position in the vertical direction in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The image sensing device also performs control such that the horizontal distance, in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, between the two pixels of the two image sensors having output the centers of the images to be cropped from the sensed images is equal to the spacing between the two image sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABISHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: SUGURU KUSANAGI
  • Patent number: 8090249
    Abstract: A position controller for an optical element includes a movable member and is supported by a support member to be movable from an anti-shake driving range to a removed position, an image-shake correction driver, and an insertion/removal operational member. The insertion/removal operational member includes a first press portion which presses the movable member from the anti-shake driving range to the removed position by the insertion/removal operational member moving from an insertion position to the removed holding position, a second press portion which presses the movable member to the anti-shake driving range by the insertion/removal operational member moving from the removed holding position to the insertion position, and a displacement prevention portion which allows the movable member to move within the anti-shake driving range and prevents the movable member from moving beyond the anti-shake driving range when the insertion/removal operational member is in the insertion position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Suzuka
  • Patent number: 8090247
    Abstract: To provide a compact vibration reduction unit, a lens barrel, and a camera, which can perform positional detection with a high degree of accuracy during operations for vibration reduction. A vibration reduction unit of the present invention is comprising: a shooting optical system; a movable optical member that is part of the shooting optical system or which is another member, and which is provided movably relative to the shooting optical system; a magnetic sensor used to detect a position of the movable optical member; and a coil having a winding center line of a winding wire situated substantially in parallel with and on substantially the same plane as a given plane in which the magnetic sensor is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takanori Shioda
  • Publication number: 20110317060
    Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus includes: a fixed member; a first driven unit pivotally supported by the fixed member around a first support shaft extending in a direction parallel to an optical axis direction; a second driven unit holding a lens or an imaging device and pivotally supported by the first driven unit around a second support shaft extending in the direction parallel to the optical axis direction; a first actuator that pivots the first and second driven units around the first support shaft; and a second actuator that pivots the second driven unit around the second support shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110317267
    Abstract: A telephoto zoom lens having four lens groups in a P-N-P-P configuration arranged sequentially from an object side. The first lens group includes a front group which is fixed when focusing and has a positive refractive power, and a rear group which moves when focusing and has a positive refractive power. The entire first lens group, including the front and rear groups, is fixed during zooming, and the second and third lens groups move during zooming. The second lens group compensates for shaking of an image plane caused by hand-shaking, by moving in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and satisfies the following condition: 1.2<f1a/f1b<1.8 where f1a and f1b denote the focal length of the front group of the first lens group and the focal length of the rear group of the first lens group, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-myung Ryu
  • Publication number: 20110317266
    Abstract: An image stabilizing device of the present invention includes: a correction lens holding member 405 to which a correction lens G3 included in an optical system of a camera is fixed; a holding member 408 that holds the correction lens holding member so that the correction lens holding member is movable in a rectilinear direction that is an arbitrary direction in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis A of light entering the correction lens G3 and in a rotation direction along an arc in the plane about a rotary shaft A3 substantially parallel to the optical axis A; a driving portion for rectilinear movement 412 that applies a driving force to the correction lens holding member 405 in order to drive the correction lens holding member 405 in the rectilinear direction; and a driving portion for rotation 413 that applies a driving force to the correction lens holding member 405 in order to drive the correction lens holding member 405 in the rotation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi MIYAMORI, Akio KONISHI, Hiroyasu FUJINAKA, Hirotsugu YABUTA, Makoto UMEDA
  • Patent number: 8086097
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes: an optical system movable in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis (“orthogonal plane”) and correcting image blur; a movable member holding the optical system and movable relative to a fixed member in an orthogonal plane; a guide guiding the movable member while preventing from rotating in an orthogonal plane; three first balls rollably interposed between the fixed and guide members; two second balls rollably interposed between the guide and movable members; one third ball rollably interposed between the fixed and movable members; a biasing unit biasing the movable member toward the fixed member; and a drive unit driving the movable member relative to the fixed member in two directions perpendicular to the optical axis, wherein in an orthogonal plane, two of the first balls are rollable only in first direction; the second balls are rollable only in second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Sato
  • Patent number: 8078043
    Abstract: A third group barrel 3 holding a third lens group L3 is controlled to be driven by drivers in yaw and pitch directions orthogonal to an optical axis, respectively. The Y magnet and the Y yoke of the driver in the yaw direction are fixed on the third group barrel 3, and a Y electromagnetic coil is disposed at a Y guide base 24 surrounding the third group barrel 3. As a driver in the pitch direction, a P magnet and P yoke 29 are fixed to the Y guide base 24, and a P electromagnetic coil is fixed to a P guide base at an opposed position. A Y guide bar 25 and a P guide bar 30 are overlapped with projection regions onto planes orthogonal to the optical axis of the Y electromagnetic coil and the Y magnet, and the P electromagnetic coil and the P magnet, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8078041
    Abstract: A shake correction unit comprises a first lens unit that holds a first lens and is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens during a shake correction operation and a second lens unit that holds a second lens and is attached to the first lens unit and moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis together with the first lens unit during the shake correction operation, at least one of a shutter and an iris diaphragm having a changeable opening diameter is disposed between the first lens unit and the second lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
  • Patent number: 8078042
    Abstract: Goal: Providing a vibration-proof lens that can restrict an increase in thickness in the direction of the optical axis. Means: A vibration-proof lens unit comprising a lens holder that holds a vibration-proof lens; a support that supports the lens holder in a manner to be movable within a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the vibration-proof lens; an engaging section that engages the lens holder with the support such that the lens holder can move (i) in a rotational direction around an axis line parallel to the optical axis of the vibration-proof lens and (ii) in a direction of a rotational radius orthogonal to the axis line; a rotational driving unit that moves the lens holder in the rotational direction; and a linear driving unit that moves the lens holder in the direction of the rotational radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Hagiwara, Eiji Mikamoto
  • Publication number: 20110299163
    Abstract: In each of left and right lens devices used in the three-dimensional camera, an antivibration lens group for preventing image blur caused by vibrations is disposed in an image-pickup optical system. A movement instructing device which adjusts, by manual operation, a reference position at which the vibration lens group is fixedly held when antivibration control is stopped is provided in an operation unit about the vibration control. An improper feeling of a three-dimensional image caused by optical-axis misalignment can be reduced by adjusting the reference position of the antivibration lens group by the movement instructing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji MATSUURA
  • Patent number: 8068280
    Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided that includes a compactly constructed focusing lens unit and that has a suppressed change in the image magnification at the time of movement of a focusing lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Adachi, Tsuneo Uchida
  • Patent number: 8068281
    Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided that includes a compactly constructed focusing lens unit and that has a suppressed change in the image magnification at the time of movement of a focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system according to the present invention, in order from an object side to an image side, comprises: a first lens unit having positive optical power; a second lens unit having negative optical power; and at least two subsequent lens units, wherein at the time of zooming, all lens units move in a direction along the optical axis so that intervals between the lens units vary, and at the time of focusing, a second most image-side lens unit moves in a direction along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Adachi, Tsuneo Uchida
  • Publication number: 20110286099
    Abstract: In the lens driving device of the present invention, at least two second coils are disposed at a 90 degree interval in a circumferential direction of a first coil wound around an outer circumference of a lens support in the circumferential direction, at least four magnets are provided at an inner circumferential side of a circumferential wall of a yoke and are provided at even intervals about the circumferential direction of the first coil, each magnet being provided so that an inner circumferential face is the same magnetic pole and opposes an outer circumferential face of the first coil, and in addition is opposite the second coil at the position of providing the second coil. When the lens support is moved in the optical axis direction, an electric current flows in the first coil, and when the lens support is moved in an X-Y direction orthogonal to the optical axis, a predetermined electric current flows in a predetermined second coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: SHICOH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Kazuhiro Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20110279898
    Abstract: A zoom lens, including: a first lens unit; a second lens unit; a magnification-varying system including two or more lens units; and a fourth lens unit, in which: the fourth lens unit includes: a forth lens first unit having a negative refractive power; a forth lens second unit having a negative refractive power that moves so as to have a component perpendicular to an optical axis so that an image is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis; and a forth lens third unit having a positive refractive power; and the following conditional expression is satisfied: 1.2<f41/f42<3.5, where f41 represents a focal length of the forth lens first unit, and f42 represents a focal length of the forth lens second unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoichi TAKEMOTO, Yutaka IRIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110279899
    Abstract: A voice coil motor for moving a correction lens comprising a magnet unit comprising a pair of yokes and at least one permanent magnet for defining a magnetic gap, and a coil disposed in the magnetic gap, to cause the relative linear movement of the magnet unit and the coil by current supplied to the coil; the permanent magnet having different magnetic poles adjacent to each other along the movement direction on a surface opposing the magnetic gap; the width of the permanent magnet in the movement direction being two times the width Wm of the magnetic poles; the width Wa of the coil in the movement direction being smaller than the width 2Wm of the permanent magnet; and the effective conductor width Wb of the coil, the magnetic pole width Wm of the permanent magnet and the longest movement distance St of the correction lens meeting the conditions of Wm=(Wb+St)×K, wherein K is a constant meeting 1<K?1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: TOKINA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Motoike, Hiroyuki Ooara, Yoshihiko Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 8059950
    Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes a movable vibration-correcting lens constituting a part of an optical system and movable along a direction orthogonal to an optical axis; a locking unit that fixes the movable vibration-correcting lens at a neutral position substantially coinciding with the optical axis of the optical system; an actuating unit that switches between a locked state where the movable vibration-correcting lens is fixed by the locking unit and an unlocked state where the locked state of the movable vibration-correcting lens is released. The locking unit includes retaining members having a retaining unit sandwiching the movable vibration-correcting lens and arranged to slide along the direction orthogonal to the optical axis; and the actuating unit switches between the locked state and the unlocked state by moving the retaining members in opposing directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumiyoshi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8059951
    Abstract: An image stabilizing device of the present invention includes: a correction lens holding member 405 to which a correction lens G3 included in an optical system of a camera is fixed; a lens holding member 408 that holds the correction lens holding member so that the correction lens holding member is movable in a rectilinear direction that is an arbitrary direction in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis A of light entering the correction lens G3 and in a rotation direction along an arc in the plane about a rotary shaft A3 substantially parallel to the optical axis A; a driving portion for rectilinear movement 412 that applies a driving force to the correction lens holding member 405 in order to drive the correction lens holding member 405 in the rectilinear direction; and a driving portion for rotation 413 that applies a driving force to the correction lens holding member 405 in order to drive the correction lens holding member 405 in the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Miyamori, Akio Konishi, Hiroyasu Fujinaka, Hirotsugu Yabuta, Makoto Umeda
  • Patent number: 8054549
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a positive refractive, fixed first lens unit; a negative refractive second lens unit movable mainly for zooming; a positive refractive, fixed third lens unit; a positive refractive fourth lens unit movable for focal-position correction and focusing performed in response to zooming; and a positive refractive fifth lens unit. The fifth lens unit includes, in order from the object side to the image side, a negative refractive, fixed sub-unit; and a positive refractive sub-unit movable substantially perpendicularly to an optical axis. An image formed on an image surface is movable substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis by moving the movable sub-unit substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis. An aperture stop is provided on the object side of the third lens unit. The third lens unit includes a positive refractive sub-unit and a negative refractive sub-unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Toyoda
  • Patent number: 8055126
    Abstract: A zoom lens formed of a plurality of lens groups and performing zooming by changing separations between predetermined lens groups. A lens group closest to an object side is fixed in both optical axis directions during zooming, and has a reflecting member for folding an optical axis approximately 90 degrees. A final lens group positioned closest to an image side and fixed in both optical axis directions during zooming has a lens part group SG having positive refractive power and a lens part group RG arranged adjacent to the image side of the lens part group SG and having negative refractive power. A blur is corrected by shifting the lens part group SG in either direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Hatakeyama
  • Publication number: 20110267692
    Abstract: An image blur correction apparatus according to the present invention includes a base, a movable holding member, a support mechanism that supports the movable holding member to be movable within a plane vertical to an optical axis of a lens, a driving means for driving the movable holding member, a position detecting means, and a returning means for returning the movable holding member to a pause position, wherein the driving means includes coils (121, 131) fixed to the base and drive magnets (122, 132) fixed to the movable holding member, the returning means includes return magnets (161, 162) fixed to the base to face the drive magnets, the position detecting means includes magnetic sensors (171, 172) fixed to the base, and the support mechanism includes at least three concave portions (104) provided on the base, at least three spheres (150) rollably arranged in the concave portions, and at least three abutment surfaces (114) provided on the movable holding member to abut on the spheres.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Yuta Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8041202
    Abstract: A driving device includes a fixed section, a holding member, a driving section disposed at the fixed section and having a driving shaft, a first movable body having a bearing section friction-coupled with the driving shaft, a second movable body formed as a body separate from the first movable body and capable of moving in conjunction with the first movable body although not secured to the first moving body, and support means for supporting the second movable body with the fixed section and the holding member so as to allow the movable body to move in a predetermined plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kouta Nagano