Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromechanical conversion element and a driving shaft attached to the electromechanical conversion element, wherein the driving apparatus expands and contracts the electromechanical conversion element by applying a driving signal to the electromechanical conversion element and reciprocally moves the driving shaft in accordance with expansion and contraction movement of the electromechanical conversion element so as to move a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving shaft, and wherein the driving signal is a pulse signal, and a time period corresponding to a half wavelength of a damping vibration displacement of a lowest resonance frequency in the actuator is set as a shorter output time among a high output time period and a low output time period of the driving signal.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises: an electro-mechanical conversion element; a driving member that drives backwards and forwards in a straight line in response to extension and contraction of the electro-mechanical conversion element which are brought about by a drive signal being supplied thereto; a driven member, frictionally engaged with the driving member, that moves backwards and forwards in a straight line along the driving member by driving the driving member; and a drive control unit that divides a whole traveling area of one or both of an outgoing traveling path and an incoming traveling path of the driven member into a plurality of divided areas and supplies different drive signals to the divided areas so as to implement a drive control.

Abstract: A stepping motor comprises first to third coil portions and first to second rotors. The first rotor has a cylindrical shape and a circumferential surface thereof is magnetically-polarized so as to alternately arrange south poles and north poles. The first rotor is disposed inside the first and second coil portions, and is rotated by magnetic fields generated at a time when the first and second coil portions are energized. The second rotor has a disk shape and a surface thereof is magnetically polarized so as to alternately arrange south poles and north poles. The second rotor is disposed such that edge areas of both surfaces thereof are interposed between the second and third coil portions. The second rotor is rotated by magnetic fields generated at a time when the second and third coil portions are energized.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromechanical conversion element and a driving shaft attached to the electromechanical conversion element, wherein the driving apparatus expands and contracts the electromechanical conversion element by applying a driving signal to the electromechanical conversion element and reciprocally moves the driving shaft in accordance with expansion and contraction movement of the electromechanical conversion element so as to move a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving shaft, and wherein the driving signal is a pulse signal, and half of a time period corresponding to a reciprocal of a lowest resonance frequency in the actuator is set as a shorter output time among a high output time period and a low output time period of the drive signal.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator having a frame portion includes a drive shaft for frictional engagement with an engageable barrel arm of a lens unit. First and second piezoelectric elements are supported on the frame portion, and provided with first and second ends of respectively the drive shaft. A drive pulse generator supplies the piezoelectric elements with a drive signal to expand or contract the piezoelectric elements, and moves the engageable barrel arm in an axial direction by an alternately repeating sequence of shifting the drive shaft at low and high speeds in the axial direction. In the shifting at the high speed, the piezoelectric elements shift the drive shaft in a backward direction quickly, to move the drive shaft in the backward direction relative to the engageable barrel arm being stationary with inertial force.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromechanical conversion element and a driving shaft attached to the electromechanical conversion element, wherein the driving apparatus expands and contracts the electromechanical conversion element by applying a driving signal to the electromechanical conversion element and reciprocally moves the driving shaft in accordance with expansion and contraction movement of the electromechanical conversion element so as to move a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving shaft, and wherein the driving signal is a pulse signal, and a time period corresponding to a half wavelength of a damping vibration displacement of a lowest resonance frequency in the actuator is set as a shorter output time among a high output time period and a low output time period of the driving signal.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises an actuator, the actuator comprising an electromechanical conversion element and a driving shaft attached to the electromechanical conversion element, wherein the driving apparatus expands and contracts the electromechanical conversion element by applying a driving signal to the electromechanical conversion element and reciprocally moves the driving shaft in accordance with expansion and contraction movement of the electromechanical conversion element so as to move a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving shaft, and wherein the driving signal is a pulse signal, and half of a time period corresponding to a reciprocal of a lowest resonance frequency in the actuator is set as a shorter output time among a high output time period and a low output time period of the drive signal.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprises: an electro-mechanical conversion element; a driving member that drives backwards and forwards in a straight line in response to extension and contraction of the electro-mechanical conversion element which are brought about by a drive signal being supplied thereto; a driven member, frictionally engaged with the driving member, that moves backwards and forwards in a straight line along the driving member by driving the driving member; and a drive control unit that divides a whole traveling area of one or both of an outgoing traveling path and an incoming traveling path of the driven member into a plurality of divided areas and supplies different drive signals to the divided areas so as to implement a drive control.

Abstract: A first drive shaft is disposed with a first piezoelectric element at one end and a second piezoelectric element at the other end. A second drive shaft is disposed with the second piezoelectric element at one end and a third piezoelectric element at the other end. First and second lens holding frames are frictionally engaged with the first and second drive shafts respectively in a slidable manner. The first, second and third piezoelectric elements are expanded and contracted according to a drive signal and move the first and second lens holding frames in an axial direction respectively. When the moving velocity of the first and second lens holding frames are reduced, the phase difference between the drive signals, which are output to the respective piezoelectric elements, is adjusted so that the moving velocity becomes higher.

Abstract: A stepping motor comprises first to third coil portions and first to second rotors. The first rotor has a cylindrical shape and a circumferential surface thereof is magnetically-polarized so as to alternately arrange south poles and north poles. The first rotor is disposed inside the first and second coil portions, and is rotated by magnetic fields generated at a time when the first and second coil portions are energized. The second rotor has a disk shape and a surface thereof is magnetically polarized so as to alternately arrange south poles and north poles. The second rotor is disposed such that edge areas of both surfaces thereof are interposed between the second and third coil portions. The second rotor is rotated by magnetic fields generated at a time when the second and third coil portions are energized.

Abstract: A first drive shaft is disposed with a first piezoelectric element at one end and a second piezoelectric element at the other end. A second drive shaft is disposed with the second piezoelectric element at one end and a third piezoelectric element at the other end. First and second lens holding frames are frictionally engaged with the first and second drive shafts respectively in a slidable manner. The first, second and third piezoelectric elements are expanded and contracted according to a drive signal and move the first and second lens holding frames in an axial direction respectively. When the moving velocity of the first and second lens holding frames are reduced, the phase difference between the drive signals, which are output to the respective piezoelectric elements, is adjusted so that the moving velocity becomes higher.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator having a frame portion includes a drive shaft for frictional engagement with an engageable barrel arm of a lens unit. First and second piezoelectric elements are supported on the frame portion, and provided with first and second ends of respectively the drive shaft. A drive pulse generator supplies the piezoelectric elements with a drive signal to expand or contract the piezoelectric elements, and moves the engageable barrel arm in an axial direction by an alternately repeating sequence of shifting the drive shaft at low and high speeds in the axial direction. In the shifting at the high speed, the piezoelectric elements shift the drive shaft in a backward direction quickly, to move the drive shaft in the backward direction relative to the engageable barrel arm being stationary with inertial force.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel in which all lens groups are attached to a leading cylindrical body. A movable lens group of the lens groups is moved by a driving source incorporated in the leading cylindrical body. The lens barrel is less likely to be influenced by external forces and can be made smaller. The lens barrel includes first, second, and third cylinders, and first, second, and third lens groups attached to the third cylinder, which is extended first among the first, second, and third cylinders. The first and third lens groups are fixed to the third cylinder, and the second lens group is disposed between the first and third lens groups and movable along the optical axis.

Abstract: Modes of a camera are classified into groups according to their type. On an LCD panel, the different groups are displayed on different rows, and modes to be selected out of each group are displayed in different columns. Group selection is accomplished by vertically manipulating a selector button, and mode selection out of each group is accomplished by laterally manipulating the selector button. This makes possible displaying of selectable modes classified by group on the LCD panel in a way perceivable at a glance. Furthermore, the choice of a group and that of a mode within each group are matched in the mode display arrangement to facilitate the operation for mode selection.

Abstract: A camera 1 comprises an electric circuit section including a date circuit 10b for determining a shooting date and time, a main battery 38 for supplying power to the electric circuit section, an auxiliary battery 37 for supplying power to the date circuit 10b when the power supply from the main battery 38 to the electric circuit section stops, a battery check circuit 28 for measuring a voltage of the auxiliary battery 37, a main controller 10a for determining according to thus measured voltage whether replacement of the auxiliary battery 37 is necessary or not, and an LCD 18 for displaying information for urging the auxiliary battery 37 to be replaced according to the result of determination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus which can prevent a lens barrel from increasing its size and cost while making it possible to detect the position of a movable lens group. A first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are disposed along an optical axis, among which the second lens group is a movable lens group movable along the optical axis. A second lens frame holding the second lens group is formed with a detection plate having a predetermined width in the direction of optical axis. A detector detects passages of both end portions of the detection plate, whereby the position of the second lens group can be detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel which can carry out barrier opening/closing operations and lens moving operations of an optical lens system by use of a single driving source, and can adjust the focus without any obstruction even in a state allowing the baffler to open/close. A state capable of transmitting a driving force to a barrier opening/closing mechanism is attained when collapsing a lens barrel to a predetermined extent or more, and a state incapable of transmitting the driving force to the barrier opening/closing mechanism is attained when the lens barrel is extended to a predetermined extent or more, whereby a single motor can carry out baffler opening/closing operations and lens moving operations of a lens is optical system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a camera which can release creep of a moving member, preventing the moving member disposed within the camera from breaking due to creeping. The camera includes a barrier base rotating in response to the driving force of a motor so as to open/close a barrier upon rotation, and a stopper for restricting the moving area of the barrier base. When opening/closing the barrier, the barrier base is rotated until it abuts against the stopper, and then is rotated in reverse so as to be separated from the stopper. As a consequence, the barrier plate can be prevented from breaking upon creeping when pressed by the stopper for a long time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus which can accurately detect the position of a movable lens group while preventing the apparatus from increasing in size and cost by using a simple position detecting sensor. A first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are disposed along an optical axis, among which the second lens group is a movable lens group and is movable along the optical axis. The second lens group is movable at two or more different speeds. When the second lens group passes a reference position, it is moved at a speed which is not the highest of the different speeds. As a consequence, the position of the second lens group can be detected accurately.

Abstract: The present invention provides a camera which can release creeps of a moving member, thereby making it possible to prevent the moving member disposed within the camera from breaking due to creeping. The camera comprises a barrier base adapted to rotate in response to the driving force of a motor so as to open/close a barrier upon rotation, and a stopper for restricting the moving area of the barrier base. When opening/closing the barrier, the barrier base is rotated until it abuts against the stopper, and then is rotated in reverse so as to be separated from the stopper. As a consequence, the barrier plate can be prevented from breaking upon creeping when pressed by the stopper for a long time.