Diaphragm Shutter Unit Patents (Class 396/449)
  • Patent number: 11499383
    Abstract: The system for making or breaking the riser includes a robotic system. The robotic system includes one or more robotic arms configured to be disposed on a spider deck, and one or more riser-connection manipulation tools each having a camera and being configured to manipulate a riser connection, the camera being configured to capture an image of an object, wherein each robotic arm is configured to couple to one riser-connection manipulation tool. Further the system for making or breaking the riser includes a control system. The control system includes a robot controller in communication with the one or more robotic arms and configured to control the one or more robotic arms. The system for making or breaking the riser is configured to analyze the image to determine the location and orientation of the object and transmit the location and orientation of the object to the robot controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: Transocean Sedeo Forex Ventures Limited, Stebbins Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Craig McCormick, Michael Coady, John Martin, James Lippold, Michael Willey, Shane McClaugherty
  • Patent number: 11156900
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a lens module and a mobile terminal. The lens module can include a lens component, a mounting bracket, a blade assembly movably connected to the mounting bracket, and a driving assembly connected to the blade assembly. The blade assembly is provided with at least two apertures, and the at least two apertures have different diameters. The lens component is mounted to the mounting bracket, and the blade assembly is configured to rotate and switch the apertures to correspond to the lens component under driving of the driving assembly, such that an axis of one of the apertures coincides with an optical axis of the lens component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai Zhou, Hongzhi Jin, Tao Yu
  • Patent number: 11105495
    Abstract: A stage light shading device includes a light shade, light shade adjustment wheels for adjusting a shading pattern of the light shade, a cover plate, an elastic fastening component provided on the cover plate and used for fixing the light shade adjustment wheels, and a connector coupled with the light shade provided on the cover plate. The stage light shading device can plug and play, quickly realize the shade of stage light, and is flexible and convenient to operate, preventing the light shade adjustment wheels from misoperation due to accidental contact or vibration of the stage light itself, so that a stable and reliable shading pattern can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU HAO YANG ELECTRONIC CO., LTD
    Inventor: Weikai Jiang
  • Patent number: 11037791
    Abstract: To suppress thicknesses of a plating film of dies adjacent to a portion in which patterns are not formed on a resist, and improve uniformity of a plated metal layer thickness in a substrate surface. A substrate holder according to the present invention has: a holding surface 57 for holding a substrate; a second holding member 60 configured to have an opening part 63 for exposing the holding surface 57, and to press the substrate placed on the holding surface 57 against the holding surface 57 to thereby hold the substrate; and a shielding plate 65 configured to protrude to an inside of the opening part 63 of the second holding member 60 in a radial direction and to shield a part of the holding surface 57. The shielding plate 65 is configured to be movable along the opening part 63.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuki Nagai, Masashi Shimoyama
  • Patent number: 10969653
    Abstract: An aperture stop includes a housing, a blades disposed in the housing and rotated to form an incident hole having variable sizes, and a driver to rotatably move the blades. Each of the blades includes a through hole and protrusions disposed on an internal surface of the through hole forming the incident hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Kyung Kim, Young Bok Yoon
  • Patent number: 10534241
    Abstract: Miniaturization by simplification of a structure is achieved while suppressing a bound of an opening/closing blade and securing improvement of functionality. A blade opening/closing apparatus includes: a base body that includes an aperture; a driving body that is movably supported by the base body and is operated by a driving force of a drive source; an opening/closing blade that is moved by an operation of the driving body and opens/closes the aperture; and a braking body that controls a movement speed of the opening/closing blade via the driving body, the driving body including, on one surface thereof, an engagement portion that is to be engaged with the opening/closing blade and transmits the driving force to the opening/closing blade, the driving body including, on another surface thereof, a braked portion to which a braking force of the braking body is to be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Nishijima, Hideo Ohkuma
  • Patent number: 10209605
    Abstract: A blade driving device includes an opening forming member forming an opening portion, a pivotal member pivoting about the opening portion, blades configured to enter or exit from the opening portion upon receiving power transmitted from the pivotal member, a cover member arranged so that the pivotal member and the plurality of blades are located between the cover and the opening forming member, and engaging portions engaging the of blades with the opening forming member. The pivotal member comes into slidable contact with the engaging portions in a process of pivoting. A pivotal position of the pivotal member with respect to the opening forming member is defined by the engaging portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahito Yoshizawa, Yusuke Inui, Yasutaka Morikoshi, Shinya Nakawaki, Satoru Yajima, Yoshiyuki Koyama
  • Patent number: 10042233
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of video camera image processing. Disclosed are an intelligent adjustment method when a video camera performs automatic exposure and an apparatus therefor. In the present invention, a first corresponding relationship between a rate and an aperture is pre-set. The first corresponding relationship records corresponding upper and lower aperture limits required by each rate for achieving the best depth of field of an image. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring the current rate of a video camera; searching for upper and lower aperture limits corresponding to the current rate in a first corresponding relationship; if the current aperture value exceeds the range of the searched upper and lower aperture limits corresponding to the current rate, adjusting the current aperture value to be within the range of the upper and lower aperture limits; and according to the adjusted aperture value, adjusting exposure time and gain to satisfy the need of image brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weimin Ma, Can You
  • Patent number: 10025059
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a driving unit, a holder holding the driving unit, a moving member holding an optical member and movable by drive of the driving unit, and a guide fixed to the holder in parallel to an optical axis direction. The driving unit is fixed to the holder by a screw and a nut. The nut includes a first plane part. The nut is disposed so that the first plane part of the nut is substantially orthogonal to a line connecting a center of the guide and centers of the screw and the nut when viewed in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Ishimasa
  • Patent number: 9971231
    Abstract: A diaphragm device of the present invention includes: a base plate having an aperture portion; a first blade being placed on a plane of the base plate and supported by the base plate to be able to open and close the aperture portion; a second blade being placed on the same plane of the base plate as the first blade, and supported by the base plate to be able to open and close the aperture portion; and a drive ring being formed so as to surround the perimeter of the aperture portion, the driving ring being configured to drive the first blade and the second blade to open and close, wherein the first blade and the second blade perform mutually different actions based on an operation of the drive ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakano, Penjan Worapong
  • Patent number: 9684224
    Abstract: A light adjusting apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a spacer configured to form a space for disposing a light adjusting section between the first substrate and the second substrate, a notch provided so that measuring light to measure a space dimension reaches the spacer and an extending peripheral portion provided so that the measuring light reaches the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Okita
  • Patent number: 9228645
    Abstract: A drive mechanism including a rotary actuated motor configured to rotatably drive a drive arm between a first position to a second position and an actuator responsive to movement of the arm, wherein the actuator is thermally isolated from the arm in both the first position and the second position to create a thermal barrier. The drive arm is configured to engage and advance the actuator between the first position and the second position, while remaining physically spaced from the actuator in the first position and the second position. The drive arm includes a recess such as an opening, wherein the actuator has a member configured to reside in the recess and remain thermally isolated from the arm in both the first position and the second position. In one preferred embodiment, a shutter of an imaging device is positioned in response to the actuator, which shutter remains thermally isolated from the motor and arm. Other devices may be driven as well, such as switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Eric J. Griffin, Michael L. Brest, Wallace H. Sunada
  • Patent number: 9152013
    Abstract: A light-quantity control apparatus includes multiple light-quantity control blades each configured to overlap with at least another one of the light-quantity control blades so as to form a light-passing aperture and each configured to rotate to change a size of the light-passing aperture. Each of the multiple light-quantity control blades includes a thick portion and a thin portion. The thick portion forms an outer end portion on an opposite side to the light-passing aperture in a rotation direction of the light-quantity control blade. The thin portion is formed in an aperture side blade area that overlaps with the at least another one of the multiple light-quantity control blades so as to form part of a circular overlap of the multiple light-quantity control blades and that includes an inner edge forming an edge of the light-passing aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahito Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9104088
    Abstract: Provided is a light amount adjusting apparatus wherein a base member has a plurality of supporting parts for supporting the plurality of light amount adjusting blades and a second contact part is located outside a circle extending through the plurality of supporting parts, wherein a contact part between the second contact part and a first contact part is constituted at the other surface of the base member with respect to a surface having a jointing part between a blade driving member and the base member, and wherein, when the blade driving member is pivoted in the circumferential direction of an opening, a part of the blade driving member overlaps at least one of the supporting parts for supporting the light amount adjusting blades at a position offset in a direction parallel to the center axis of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 8911163
    Abstract: A device operable in a ultra-high vacuum and in a cryogenic environment. The device has bi-stable solenoid motors configured to drive a shutter assembly defining an aperture having a first shape when the motors are each disposed in the respective first position, and wherein the aperture has a second shape when the motors are each disposed in the respective second position. Actuators responsive to the motors are thermally isolated from the cryogenic shutter assembly except when the motors position the shutter assembly to change a shape of the aperture. The device is suitable for use in FLIR and other thermally sensitive devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Yanevich, Eric J. Griffin, Michael L. Brest, Kenneth L. McAllister
  • Publication number: 20140363149
    Abstract: A device operable in a ultra-high vacuum and in a cryogenic environment. The device has bi-stable solenoid motors configured to drive a shutter assembly defining an aperture having a first shape when the motors are each disposed in the respective first position, and wherein the aperture has a second shape when the motors are each disposed in the respective second position. Actuators responsive to the motors are thermally isolated from the cryogenic shutter assembly except when the motors position the shutter assembly to change a shape of the aperture. The device is suitable for use in FUR and other thermally sensitive devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Yanevich, Eric J. Griffin, Michael L. Brest, Kenneth L. McAllister
  • Patent number: 8783977
    Abstract: The light-quantity control apparatus includes a stop blade including a stop portion and a supported portion rotatably supported with respect to a base member, a shutter blade having a shutter portion and a supported portion rotatably supported with respect to the base member, and a driving member disposed between the shutter and stop blades and rotating around the light-passing aperture to rotate the stop blade. The stop and shutter blades have tilts in their supported portions toward a same one side in the optical axis direction so that the stop and shutter portions are distant from the supported portions in the optical axis direction. The driving member has a shape concave toward the one side from its outer circumferential side portion to its inner circumferential side portion. A concave space facing the light-passing aperture is formed inside than the stop and shutter blades and the driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kozu, Naoki Kawakubo, Akira Kurosawa, Mitsuo Shibata
  • Patent number: 8780205
    Abstract: A body-mountable image capture device comprising a device body and a cover slidably mounted onto the device body, the device body comprising a camera, the cover sliding between a first position and a second position such that in the first position the camera is concealed and in the second position the camera is exposed. The body-mountable image capture device comprises activation means operable to initiate the camera when the cover is in the second position and the camera is exposed. The orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body such that the orientation of the camera can be maintained. The orientation of the camera may be automatically adjusted to keep the field of view generally horizontal. The camera may automatically rotate left and right in a horizontal plane responsive to movement of a head mounted sensor to thereby track a user's head movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Edesix Limited
    Inventors: Stuart James Boutell, Christopher Geoffrey Paulson-Ellis, Hamish Donald Stuart Martin, Alastair Hugh Chisholm, Robin Anthony Iddon, Richard McBride
  • Patent number: 8730368
    Abstract: A light transmittance adjusting device is provided, including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first elastomer layer disposed between the first and second electrodes. A light transmittance of the first elastomer layer is variable depending on a voltage applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-oh Kwon, Che-heung Kim
  • Publication number: 20140119719
    Abstract: The light-quantity control apparatus includes a stop blade including a stop portion and a supported portion rotatably supported with respect to a base member, a shutter blade having a shutter portion and a supported portion rotatably supported with respect to the base member, and a driving member disposed between the shutter and stop blades and rotating around the light-passing aperture to rotate the stop blade. The stop and shutter blades have tilts in their supported portions toward a same one side in the optical axis direction so that the stop and shutter portions are distant from the supported portions in the optical axis direction. The driving member has a shape concave toward the one side from its outer circumferential side portion to its inner circumferential side portion. A concave space facing the light-passing aperture is formed inside than the stop and shutter blades and the driving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: CANON DENSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kozu, Naoki Kawakubo, Akira Kurosawa, Mitsuo Shibata
  • Patent number: 8696223
    Abstract: A shutter device for a camera is provided, which effectively provides an operating space of a shutter blade and a light-amount adjuster, improves assemblability of a top cover, and improves mechanical stability according to the assembly of the top cover by modifying the geometry of the top cover. The shutter device includes a driving unit driving a shutter blade and a light-amount adjuster, the shutter device including: a base where the driving unit is installed; a first plate placed on the top of the base; a second plate disposed on the top of the first plate; a top cover including first supports bent downward and supports projecting downward, where the first supports extend to pass through the second plate and support the top surface of the first plate, and the second supports are supported on the top surface of the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Jahwa Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Seung Kim, Ji Young Bang, Kyung Won Kim, Il Gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 8684543
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit, a shutter unit located at a front surface at a subject side of the image pickup unit, a first optical member disposed at a subject side of the shutter unit, and preventing dust particles from entering the shutter unit, a second optical member disposed at the image pickup unit side of the shutter unit, and preventing dust particles from entering the shutter unit, and a vibration applying vibration member disposed on at least one of the first optical member and the second optical member, and vibrating the first optical member or the second optical member at a position outside a region where a subject light transmits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Koji Sakatani
  • Patent number: 8602663
    Abstract: A light amount adjustment device capable of operating shutter blades and a light amount adjustment member by a common drive source, while preventing light incident through an aperture from being momentarily interrupted by the shutter blades when the light amount adjustment member advances to and retreats from the aperture. After a drive member's cam shaft is moved by an energized actuator to a position where an ND filter advances to the aperture, the actuator is deenergized and the cam shaft is moved by a spring force to a position where the ND filter advances to the aperture. After the cam shaft is moved to a final position by the energized actuator, the actuator is deenergized and the cam shaft is moved by the spring force to a position where the ND filter retreats from the aperture. During this time, the shutter blades open and close on outside of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 8547477
    Abstract: Systems and methods using the same to achieve a precise timing of a camera shutter, which can be used also for a controllable aperture, are disclosed. A bidirectional linear motor having two coils driving the shutter blades can also be used as a position sensor. A movable iron is driven dependent upon currents through the coils and as the iron moves, the inductance of both coils changes. The difference of inductance of both coils indicates the actual position of the iron. Since the movable iron is mechanically connected to the entirety of shutter blades the difference of inductance indicates the actual position of the shutter blades. A read-out circuit senses the difference of inductance of both coils, which is indicating the actual position, and a control loop is comparing the inductance difference signal with a target signal in order to control the current through the coils in a way that the shutter blades are moved quickly to their target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: RPX Corporation
    Inventors: Horst Knödgen, Frank Kronmüller, Joachim Riexinger
  • Publication number: 20130142503
    Abstract: A shutter device for a camera is provided, which effectively provides an operating space of a shutter blade and a light-amount adjuster, improves assemblability of a top cover, and improves mechanical stability according to the assembly of the top cover by modifying the geometry of the top cover. The shutter device includes a driving unit driving a shutter blade and a light-amount adjuster, the shutter device including: a base where the driving unit is installed; a first plate placed on the top of the base; a second plate disposed on the top of the first plate; a top cover including first supports bent downward and supports projecting downward, where the first supports extend to pass through the second plate and support the top surface of the first plate, and the second supports are supported on the top surface of the second plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: JAHWA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: JAHWA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8437814
    Abstract: A slide opening/closing device that includes a housing; an opening formed in the housing; a lid with a protrusion, the lid being configured to cover the opening; a sliding member having an abutting claw, and a sliding-movement restricting member. The sliding member is mounted on the housing proximal to the opening and at least partially covering the lid and opening when sliding in one moving direction. The sliding-movement restricting member includes an abutting portion and is made of an elastic material. The abutting portion is configured to abut the abutting claw of the sliding member when the lid is detached from covering the opening, and the abutting portion is configured to be displaced from a path of the abutting claw that is in the one moving direction when the lid is attached to the housing to cover the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Youn Gook Lee
  • Publication number: 20120321291
    Abstract: An actuator including a magnetic field generator configured to provide a magnetic field; and a conductive element mounted for movement relative to the magnetic field generator wherein the conductive element forms a series of loops around a series of different axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventor: Marko EROMAKI
  • Publication number: 20120315028
    Abstract: A light amount adjustment device capable of operating shutter blades and a light amount adjustment member by a common drive source, while preventing light incident through an aperture from being momentarily interrupted by the shutter blades when the light amount adjustment member advances to and retreats from the aperture. After a drive member's cam shaft is moved by an energized actuator to a position where an ND filter advances to the aperture, the actuator is deenergized and the cam shaft is moved by a spring force to a position where the ND filter advances to the aperture. After the cam shaft is moved to a final position by the energized actuator, the actuator is deenergized and the cam shaft is moved by the spring force to a position where the ND filter retreats from the aperture. During this time, the shutter blades open and close on outside of the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akihiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 8118502
    Abstract: A method includes a drive step of causing a light control member from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position by a drive source, a detection step of detecting the position and state of the light control member, and a drive signal application step of applying a desired drive signal to the drive source in accordance with the position or state of the light control member detected in the detection step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Okita
  • Patent number: 8085335
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup optical system, three color separation prisms separating incident light guided by the image-pickup optical system into three-primary-color light components and emitting the light components, and three image pickup elements respectively receiving the three light components from the prisms so as to produce respective image signals. Of the three prisms, a first prism that first receives the incident light has an edge extending parallel to an incidence plane. The image-pickup optical system has a plate-like fixed aperture stop disposed between the first prism and a final lens, disposed closest to the first prism, of multiple lenses included in the image-pickup optical system. The fixed aperture stop has an aperture that limits the incident light. An edge section of the aperture has projections and depressions arranged at least in parallel to the edge, as viewed from an optical-axis direction of the final lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ohno, Hitoshi Nakanishi, Toshiaki Edamitsu
  • Publication number: 20110176052
    Abstract: Systems and methods using the same to achieve a precise timing of a camera shutter, which can be used also for a controllable aperture, are disclosed. A bidirectional linear motor having two coils driving the shutter blades can also be used as a position sensor. A movable iron is driven dependent upon currents through the coils and as the iron moves, the inductance of both coils changes. The difference of inductance of both coils indicates the actual position of the iron. Since the movable iron is mechanically connected to the entirety of shutter blades the difference of inductance indicates the actual position of the shutter blades. A read-out circuit senses the difference of inductance of both coils, which is indicating the actual position, and a control loop is comparing the inductance difference signal with a target signal in order to control the current through the coils in a way that the shutter blades are moved quickly to their target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Horst Knödgen, Frank Kronmüller, Joachim Riexinger
  • Patent number: 7918615
    Abstract: An aperture-ring-and-shutter device includes a base unit, a shutter unit, and a diaphragm unit. The base unit includes a base having an optical opening along an optical axis. The shutter unit includes a shutter sheet, a shutter-driving element disposed on the base, and a toggling element actuated by the shutter-driving element. The toggling element has a guide bar utilized to rotate the shutter sheet. The shutter-driving element switches the toggling element between an opening location and a covering location. The guide bar of the toggling element forces the shutter sheet to expose or cover the optical opening of the base unit. The diaphragm unit includes an aperture plate, a diaphragm-driving element, and a toggled element pushed by the diaphragm-driving element. The aperture plate has an aperture less than the optical opening of the base unit. The toggled element has a guide pin utilized to rotate the aperture plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Ting-Yi Koo
  • Patent number: 7907839
    Abstract: An image photographing device including a lens holder including a lens group and a coil unit that generates an electromagnetic force, a housing into which the lens holder is movably inserted, including a magnet that faces the coil unit, an image sensor, and a diaphragm formed of nonmetal and attached to the housing and elastically supporting the lens holder. Accordingly, the diaphragm has a predetermined elasticity although not reducing the thickness, the lens holder can properly follow the signal of the coil unit, the image photographing device is highly producible, and the possibility that the diaphragm is plastically deformed is small. Also, the terminal of the coil unit is connected to a separate terminal unit installed outside the diaphragm, such that the material used to form the diaphragm can be selected regardless of the conductivity, and foreign materials, such as, flux, can be prevented from contaminating the inside of the device and degrading the quality of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Mutas
    Inventors: Kyung-Sik Shin, Jeen-Gi Kim, Do-Sun Nam
  • Patent number: 7884880
    Abstract: A shutter arrangement for covering a camera lens includes a camera lens cover that is movable in a plane along a first direction between a first closed position and a second opened position. In the first closed position, the camera lens cover substantially covers the camera lens and in the second opened position, the camera lens is substantially uncovered. The shutter arrangement also includes a movable cover that moves between a first position and a second position which displaces the movable cover from the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Maiko Karlsson, Mikael Hansson, Henrik Fristedt, Ola Carmonius
  • Publication number: 20100272429
    Abstract: An aperture-ring-and-shutter device includes a base unit, a shutter unit, and a diaphragm unit. The base unit includes a base having an optical opening along an optical axis. The shutter unit includes a shutter sheet, a shutter-driving element disposed on the base, and a toggling element actuated by the shutter-driving element. The toggling element has a guide bar utilized to rotate the shutter sheet. The shutter-driving element switches the toggling element between an opening location and a covering location. The guide bar of the toggling element forces the shutter sheet to expose or cover the optical opening of the base unit. The diaphragm unit includes an aperture plate, a diaphragm-driving element, and a toggled element pushed by the diaphragm-driving element. The aperture plate has an aperture less than the optical opening of the base unit. The toggled element has a guide pin utilized to rotate the aperture plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC.
    Inventor: Ting-Yi Koo
  • Publication number: 20100166416
    Abstract: A method includes a drive step of causing a light control member from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position by a drive source, a detection step of detecting the position and state of the light control member, and a drive signal application step of applying a desired drive signal to the drive source in accordance with the position or state of the light control member detected in the detection step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko OKITA
  • Patent number: 7719775
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a first tube and second tube, the first tube movable relative to the second tube by rotation of the second tube, an engaging unit disposed on the second tube, and a barrier driving unit disposed on an object side of the first tube that opens and close a barrier. The first tube is relatively moved in an optical axis direction by engaging with the engaging unit. The barrier is opened and closed when a first interlocking unit which is arranged on the barrier driving unit and a second interlocking unit which is arranged on the cam tube are shifted from a non-interlocking state to an interlocking state. When the first interlocking unit and second interlocking unit are in the interlocking state, at least a portion of the first interlocking unit and the engaging unit overlap with each other in a radial direction of the second tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
  • Patent number: 7637675
    Abstract: A first cam gear (a shutter cam gear) and a second cam gear (a mirror cam gear) are driven to successively realize a first phase (a stop phase), a second phase (a live view phase), and a third phase (a shooting phase).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Sakai, Hiroaki Inukai
  • Patent number: 7635229
    Abstract: An ion conducting high-polymer member is formed by an ion containing polymer, and has a circular arc shape. An chord length of the ion conducting high-polymer member is changed. Due to the change in the chord length of the ion conducting high-polymer member, there is change in a relative position of a driving shaft which is coupled with the ion conducting high-polymer member, with respect to a rotating shaft. Due to the change in the relative position of the driving shaft, a circular ring shaped peripheral section is displaced, and due to a rotation of a diaphragm member around the rotating shaft as a center, a part of an aperture is shielded by the circular ring shaped peripheral section, and a diameter of the aperture is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 7566180
    Abstract: A digital camera is provided with an imaging element including a plurality of pixels, a shutter unit capable of intercepting light transmitted from an object to the imaging element, and an optical low pass filter adapted to allow light with predetermined lower spatial frequencies to pass therethrough. The optical low pass filter is embedded in the shutter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20090060491
    Abstract: A photosensitive electronic diaphragm-shutter mechanism includes a diaphragm-shutter unit and a control unit. The diaphragm-shutter unit includes a first photosensitive electronic member and a second photosensitive electronic member, which are overlapped to be positioned. The control unit outputs signals to the first photosensitive electronic member and the second photosensitive electronic member respectively for controlling the transparent status or non-transparent status thereof. The time difference of the first photosensitive electronic member and the second photosensitive electronic member when transferring status decides a shutter time. The present invention also provides a controlling method for photosensitive electronic diaphragm-shutter mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventor: Wei-Chen Chih
  • Patent number: 7458738
    Abstract: An image-taking apparatus is disclosed which allows preparatory driving for the next image-taking without degrading image quality and a reduction in time taken for one image-taking operation. The image-taking apparatus has a controller which controls an actuator which drives an operation mechanism which performs a first operation for allowing the image-taking with a photoelectrical conversion device and then a second operation (preparatory driving) for returning to the state before the first operation. The controller starts to drive the actuator for causing the operation mechanism to perform the second operation after the start of the travel of a rear curtain of a shutter and before the end thereof during accumulation of charge on the photoelectrical conversion device, or before reading of charge from the photoelectrical conversion device after the completion of exposure of the photoelectrical conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 7390132
    Abstract: A lens barrier apparatus includes: swingable sectors opening and closing an opening, a swinging member swinging the sectors; and a drive portion driving the swinging member, and one ends of bias members biasing the sectors in a closing direction are provided at the sectors, the other ends of the bias members are provided at the swinging member, and when the sectors are at a closed position closing the opening, the swinging member is driven in the closing direction of the sectors against biasing forces of the bias members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Satoru Tada, Seiichi Oishi, Yoshihisa Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 7259922
    Abstract: A light amount-adjusting device has a base plate with an optical path aperture, first and second blade members, and a driving unit for swinging open and close the blade members. Each blade member has a base-end portion and a front-end portion. The base-end portion is pivotally held on the base plate. The front-end portion faces the aperture. First and second boss-like protrusions project from the base plate and from the surfaces of the blade members. The protrusions are coupled to define the heightwise positions of the blade members in the direction of the optical axis. The vertically overlapping blade members pivotally supported on the base plate can be swung open and closed without interfering with each other. The device produces less frictional load when the aperture is opened and closed, and thus less noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 7190393
    Abstract: An illumination and imaging system is provided with a co-axial illuminator that does not include a beamsplitter. The co-axial illuminator achieves efficiencies substantially in excess of those achieved with a beamsplitter. In one aspect, an optical stop is used to reflect illumination upon a target. The optical stop includes an aperture allowing light reflected from the target to pass to a detector. The aperture of the stop has an asymmetrical feature that facilitates operation on specular targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: CyberOptics Corporation
    Inventors: David D. Madsen, Eric P. Rudd, Mark R. Schoeneck, Joseph L. Horijon
  • Patent number: 7104707
    Abstract: A device is provided having one or more light quantity controlling members that move into, and out of, an opening portion through which light passes and which is formed by at least a portion of inner diameter sides of a first stator and a second stator, thus controlling the amount of light passing therethrough. The one or more light quantity controlling members are disposed between the magnet and the second stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 7053514
    Abstract: A drive motor is proposed, which serves as a drive source for a movement mechanism constituting an iris for an optical path of an imaging system. The drive motor has a shaft serving as a center of rotation, a magnet, two-pole magnetized and rotated around the shaft, a turning arm engaged with movable members and turned integrally with the magnet, for moving the movable members in a direction associated with a turning direction, a stator coil wound in a direction perpendicular to a direction of rotation of the magnet and disposed in such a way to enclose the magnet from outside, a coil bobbin on which the stator coil is wound, a stator yoke disposed outside the coil bobbin and having a cylindrical circumferential surface part penetrated in an axial direction of the shaft, and position detection means for detecting a rotational position of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Kayama, Yukiko Shimizu, Atsushi Takano
  • Patent number: 6933980
    Abstract: A rotor is constituted by a two-pole permanent magnet, and enabled to rotate by a predetermined angle in a direction corresponding to the direction electric current supplied to a stator coil. Two shutter blades are moved by a driving pin which is integrally provided with the rotor, to perform opening and closing operations. A fully opened state and a closed state, which are obtained by such operations, are maintained by an attractive force, which is obtained from a magnetic force of the rotor and acts between the rotor and each of four iron pins, even when the stator coil is not energized. Further, an exposure aperture regulating position established by a closing operation of the two shutter blades is beyond a midpoint position corresponding to an intermediate state from the fully opened state to the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6853810
    Abstract: A quantity-of-light adjusting device comprises a first quantity-of-light adjusting blade and a second quantity-of-light adjusting blade which move to adjust quantity of light, and a detecting member which detects that the first quantity-of-light adjusting blade is at a predetermined location while also detecting that the second quantity-of-light adjusting member has moved to the predetermined location following the first quantity-of-light adjusting blade moving from the predetermined location, so that the state of adjustment of the aperture with the quantity-of-light adjusting means can be detected by a single detecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 6811331
    Abstract: A lens shutter system has an inner drive ring which is rotated by a drive motor and an outer drive ring which is rotated by the drive motor. A plurality of shutter blades of the lens shutter system are driven through drive pins of the inner drive ring and drive pins of the outer drive ring so as to be opened and closed or are rotatably supported by the respective pins of the rings. Upon shutter opening, only the inner drive ring is driven clockwise to open the shutter blades. Upon shutter closing, only the outer drive ring is similarly driven clockwise to close the shutter blades. As mentioned above, upon switching between shutter opening mode and shutter closing mode, the direction of rotation of the inner and outer drive rings is not changed. Thus, the shutter operation can be performed at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Iwasa