Patents by Inventor Akio Sunouchi

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

  • Patent number: 5032863
    Abstract: A shutter device for a still video camera comprises first and second shutter blades, a latch member and an unlatch member. The latch member latches the first blade at its moved position where an image pickup element is exposed to an image light. The first blade is kept latched for a preparatory exposure to correct a set exposure value on the basis of the output of the pickup element or for picking up a motion picture. The unlatch member releases the latching of the first blade. In one embodiment, the unlatch member is provided on the second blade to unlatch the first blade when the second blade is moved to terminate the exposure. In other embodiments, the unlatch member includes an electromagnet to unlatch the first blade.A still video camera comprises a view finder mirror and a mirror operating mechanism. The mechanism includes a motor and is arranged to retract and return the mirror relative to an optical path by utilizing a normal and a reverse rotation of the motor, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Date, Akio Sunouchi, Syuichiro Saito, Yoshitaka Murata, Yukio Ogawa, Nobuo Tezuka
  • Patent number: 4945379
    Abstract: A shutter device for a still video camera comprises first and second shutter blades, a latch member and an unlatch member. The latch member latches the first blade at its moved position where an image pickup element is exposed to an image light. The first blade is kept latched for a preparatory exposure to correct a set exposure value on the basis of the output of the pickup element or for picking up a motion picture. The unlatch member releases the latching of the first blade. In one embodiment, the unlatch member is provided on the second blade to unlatch the first blade when the second blade is moved to terminate the exposure. In other embodiments, the unlatch member includes an electromagnet to unlatch the first blade.A still video camera comprises a view finder mirror and a mirror operating mechanism. The mechanism includes a motor and is arranged to retract and return the mirror relative to an optical path by utilizing a normal and a reverse rotation of the motor, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Date, Akio Sunouchi, Syuichiro Saito, Yoshitaka Murata, Yukio Ogawa, Nobuo Tezuka
  • Patent number: 4681420
    Abstract: The disclosed light measuring arrangement is positioned to receive and measure light from a focusing screen on which a display of focusing conditions is superimposed. A correcting circuit corrects the object brightness sensed by the light measuring arrangement. When display segments of the display are selectively switched on and off, the correcting circuit produces an output signal representing a corresponding brightness correction factor which is applied to the light measuring arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Suda, Kiyoshi Alyfuku, Akio Sunouchi, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4597659
    Abstract: The disclosed camera includes a view finder whose visual field displays a mark indicative of a focused condition. A display which extinguishes the mark either immediately after the detection of the in-focus condition or a predetermined time after the detection of the in-focus state condition, and generates an audible or visual mark outside the view finder's visual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1986
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Suda, Kiyoshi Alyfuku, Akio Sunouchi, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4552446
    Abstract: The disclosed light measurement compensation device for a camera includes the known resistors for aperture correction and for curvature correction in order to compensate for the error of light measurement in the full open aperture light measuring mode. The device also includes a resistor for compensating for the light measuring output difference present between two light measuring modes, or partial light measuring mode and average light measuring mode, and another resistor for shifting the light measuring output by a prescribed quantity. For this reason, even though the various light measuring modes, namely, full open aperture-average light measuring, stop down-partial light measuring, full open aperture-partial light measuring, and stop down-average light measuring modes, are selectively used, either an erroneous display or a drop of the exposure accuracy seldom takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Suda, Kiyoshi Alyfuku, Akio Sunouchi, Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4500186
    Abstract: A mechanically controlled shutter with a latch for holding the closing curtain in a charged position arranged upon running off of the opening curtain to start operation which then terminates at running off of the closing curtain to control the shutter time, wherein there is provided a keeper for holding the closing curtain latch in the charged position independently of the closing curtain latch, whereby after actuation of a camera release operation and before the opening curtain runs off, the keeper is actuated to release out of holding connection with the closing curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Sunouchi, Ryuji Suzuki, Masahisa Fujino, Tatsuo Konno
  • Patent number: 4494844
    Abstract: A light shading device for a camera in which a soft and elastic light shading curtain has a base part which is fixed on a flat support surface, in the region of the shutter running path. The free end of the shading curtain is brought into elastic contact with the shutter curtain by way of a step provided on the support, the step serving to incline the free end of the light shading curtain with respect to the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi, Ryuji Suzuki, Tatsuo Konno
  • Patent number: 4480903
    Abstract: The disclosed camera includes a viewfinder which displays a display member representing a preset aperture value in its view field, and is capable of operating in open aperture and stopped down aperture manual exposure modes as well as a shutter priority automatic exposure control mode. A retracting arrangement retracts the display member from the view field in response to a shift either to the stopped down or the shutter priority automatic exposure control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi, Tatsuo Konno, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4464033
    Abstract: The disclosed camera ordinarily uses an electromagnetic release device. A supplemental mechanical release device is enabled only when the electromagnetic release device's battery is absent from the battery case. The release operation is then carried out by the mechanical release device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi, Tatsuo Konno, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4460265
    Abstract: In the disclosed camera system, a spring arrangement to drive an automatic exposure mechanism of a camera and a magnet arrangement to control starting and stopping of the AE mechanism of the camera are provided within an electric drive device, and the automatic exposure control of the camera is carried out by mounting the electric drive device on the camera. Facilities, when energized by a power supply, are set to supply driving power to a motor for cocking the shutter, and an arrangement supplies power from the power source to the magnet arrangement for actuating the magnet arrangement. The present invention eliminates disadvantages of prior camera systems, namely, inferior response characteristic of the magnet and erroneous operations by the release action, and a large number of connecting terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Mashimo, Tomonori Iwashita, Toshikazu Ichiyanagi, Hidehiko Fukahori, Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi
  • Patent number: 4456357
    Abstract: A fixing member having a screw part to be attached to the cable release mounting screw hole of a release button of a camera and a cover member made of an elastic material are unified into one body and are arranged to be attachable to and detachable from the cable release mounting part of the release button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Sunouchi, Masahisa Fujino, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4455072
    Abstract: A device for releasing shutter hold particularly for a single lens reflex camera including a shutter hold release device having a release mechanism for releasing the shutter hold wherein the driving power for the release mechanism is charged into the release mechanism in operative engagement of the charge of mirror driving power in a mirror driving mechanism of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi, Tatsuo Konno, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4448507
    Abstract: A camera capable of changing over between electromagnetic release and mechanical release and to which a motor drive unit is attachable, whereby when in the mechanical release position the use of the motor drive unit permits an automatic winding operation to be initiated in response to return of the release button after the exposure has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Sunouchi, Ryuji Suzuki, Toshikazu Ichiyanagi, Masahisa Fujino
  • Patent number: 4443089
    Abstract: A camera provided with a control member for changeover from the film winding to the film rewinding mode and an operating member for actuating the control member, wherein the operating member is made movable in a first direction followed by a second direction, whereby at the terminal end of movement of the operating member in the first direction, the operating member is rendered capable or actuating the changeover control member as it moves in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Sunouchi, Tatsuo Konno, Masahisa Fujino, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4435061
    Abstract: An electric motor drive device for a camera is arranged such that, in cases where power supply to a film winding motor is stopped with the camera still in an incomplete winding state and when the film comes to the end thereof after completion of a photographic operation on every frame, the power supply to the motor is resumed in response to a film rewinding completion signal produced from a film detection switch upon completion of film rewinding so that the camera can be brought into a winding completion state. This arrangement solves the problem of phase discrepancy arising between the camera body and the electric motor drive device when they are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiko Fukahori, Toshikazu Ichiyanagi, Tomonori Iwashita, Yukio Mashimo, Akio Sunouchi, Masahisa Fujino
  • Patent number: 4427282
    Abstract: A camera capable of changing its operational mode having an operation member for moving the diaphragm between the fully opened state and closed state comprises a lock mechanism for keeping the diaphragm in the fully opened state, the lock mechanism being released by a diaphragm closing operation of the operation member, with release of the lock mechanism being prevented when the camera is set in the shutter time preference mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujino, Akio Sunouchi, Nobuyuki Suzuki, Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4208110
    Abstract: In the disclosed camera exposure control device, a first control automatically controls the camera exposure on the basis of a signal generated by a first brightness sensor. A second control automatically controls an exposure on the basis of a manual setting that responds to a second brightness sensor. A mode selector enables either an electromagnetic actuator that operates the first exposure control or a mechanical actuator that operates the second control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumio Ito, Akio Sunouchi, Mutsuhide Matsuda, Ryoichi Suzuki, Takashi Uchiyama, Yoshiaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4206987
    Abstract: In the combination of a camera and a motor drive unit, an exposure adjusting device is provided. This exposure adjusting device is manually controllable either by rotating a diaphragm adjusting ring that is in engagement with a presetting ring. This rotation is followed up by a scanning member which is coupled to a variable resistor that is connected in a control circuit for an exposure meter to attain correct adjustment of the diaphragm value and shutter time in conformity with the available light conditions. This exposure adjusting device also is automatically controllable through operative connection of the diaphragm scanning member with a control member which is provided in the unit. The control member movement is initiated and terminated by means of an electromagnetic actuator and arrest respectively with electrical power supply from a unit battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Sunouchi, Ryuji Tokuda, Masanori Uchidoi, Kenichi Kumazawa, Tomonori Iwashita
  • Patent number: 4194819
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera so designed that the aperture preset mechanism as well as the aperture adjusting mechanism at the side of the camera body are operative by means of the first urging mechanism provided in the lens barrel. The aperture adjusting mechanism is operated by means of the release operation of the camera so as to close the aperture preset mechanism down to a certain determined aperture value. Between the aperture adjusting mechanism and the aperture preset mechanism an intermediary member and the second urging mechanism are provided. By means of operating the focus depth confirmation member, the aperture preset mechanism is closed down to a certain determined aperture value through the intermediary member. The camera is brought into the state ready for taking a picture by means of the second urging mechanism upon releasing the focus depth confirmation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumio Ito, Masayuki Suzuki, Hiroyashu Murakami, Nobuaki Date, Tadashi Ito, Akio Sunouchi
  • Patent number: D297145
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Kikuchi, Akio Sunouchi, Toyokazu Mizogui