Abstract: The present invention is directed to a movable body driving mechanism including a first frame and a second frame that is capable of moving relative to the first frame. The movable body driving mechanism includes a cam groove that is formed in the first frame, and a cam follower that is formed in the second frame and inserted movably in the cam groove. The cam groove includes a plurality of regions having different widths. The cam follower is formed to have a shape with a plurality of outer diameters, and different parts of the cam follower contact an inner lateral surface of the cam groove in each of the plurality of regions. With this configuration, the lateral surface of the cam follower can be made to contact the lateral surface of the cam groove constantly, thus achieving the cam driving without looseness. Also, since the biasing means or the like is not needed, it is possible both to simplify the configuration and to reduce the number of manufacturing steps.

Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus of the present invention includes a laminated substrate 19 that has a coil pattern, a hall element 21 fixed to the laminated substrate 19, a magnet 20, a back yoke 22, an opposing yoke 23, and a flexible printed circuit board for wiring the coil pattern on the laminated substrate and the hall element 21, the opposing yoke 23 being stepped (indentation-type recesses 23a, 23b) in a portion opposing the hall element 21. Reduction in size, weight and cost are thereby realized in a lens-shift image stabilizing apparatus.

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.

Abstract: A collapsible lens barrel is provided, including a mechanism capable of reliably inhibiting rotation of a rotational barrel even if any impact is applied thereto, for example, due to a fall with the barrel being extended. When the rotational barrel is pressed upon a fixed member due to impact in defiance of the biasing force of a wave spring, a first engagement portion provided at a camera body-side end of the rotational barrel engages with second engagement portions provided on a subject-side surface of the fixed member, which locks rotation of the rotational barrel, thereby making it possible to prevent gears from being damaged, for example.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a movable body driving mechanism including a first frame and a second frame that is capable of moving relative to the first frame. The movable body driving mechanism includes a cam groove that is formed in the first frame, and a cam follower that is formed in the second frame and inserted movably in the cam groove. The cam groove includes a plurality of regions having different widths. The cam follower is formed to have a shape with a plurality of outer diameters, and different parts of the cam follower contact an inner lateral surface of the cam groove in each of the plurality of regions. With this configuration, the lateral surface of the cam follower can be made to contact the lateral surface of the cam groove constantly, thus achieving the cam driving without looseness. Also, since the biasing means or the like is not needed, it is possible both to simplify the configuration and to reduce the number of manufacturing steps.

Abstract: A brushless motor includes a rotor having a permanent magnet magnetized N pole and S pole alternately in a rotary direction, and a stator having a core facing the permanent magnet in a radial direction and a bearing which rotatably supports the rotor. The core includes plural salient poles at its ends, and slot inclusive-angle A, slot inclusive-angle B, slot inclusive-angle C are available between the salient poles adjacent to each other. When a relation of A<B<C is found, those slot inclusive-angles vary multilevel along the rotary direction in the sequence of A-B-C-B-A-. This structure allows the rotor to be urged always in a radial direction by a lateral pressure, so that the brushless motor with a fewer vibrations and a more accurate rotation is obtainable at a lower cost.

Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus of the present invention includes a laminated substrate 19 that has a coil pattern, a hall element 21 fixed to the laminated substrate 19, a magnet 20, a back yoke 22, an opposing yoke 23, and a flexible printed circuit board for wiring the coil pattern on the laminated substrate and the hall element 21, the opposing yoke 23 being stepped (recesses 23a, 23b) in a portion opposing the hall element 21. Reduction in size, weight and cost are thereby realized in a lens-shift image stabilizing apparatus.

Abstract: A lens barrel and an image pickup apparatus equipped with the lens barrel of the present invention include a movement frame unit movable in an optical axis direction of a lens with respect to a base unit, and a flexible printed circuit including a stationary portion fixed to the movement frame unit and an extension extending from the stationary portion, the base unit includes a protrusion protruding in a direction in which the movement frame unit is placed, the extension is placed so as to extend from the stationary portion to reach at least the base unit or another member via the protrusion, and a part between the stationary portion and the protrusion is placed to be curved substantially in a U-shape. Due to this configuration, a lens barrel capable of reducing time and labor during assembly can be realized at low cost.

Abstract: A brush-less motor includes a rotor with a magnet alternately magnetized N pole and S pole in a rotating direction, and a core with plural salient poles on which coils are wound. The core faces the magnet to form a magnetic circuit. Each one of the salient poles are toothed and provided with small teeth at an edge facing the magnet. The small teeth have a pitch corresponding to two poles of the magnet. Powering to the coil responsive to a rotor position drives the rotor. This structure substantially increases volumetric efficiency of the motor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low vibration brushless motor for reducing the vibration of the motor in an axial direction. In the brushless motor, a bearing is provided in a bearing boss, a shaft is held by the bearing, an end face of the shaft is contacting a thrust receiving member, and the shaft is rotatably axially supported by the bearing. The brushless motor includes a permanent magnet for attracting the end face of the shaft in the thrust direction with the thrust receiving member therebetween, and a bottom receiving part for supporting the permanent magnet, wherein the bearing boss, bearing, shaft, and bottom receiving part are made of a magnetic material, and a closed magnetic path is formed so that a magnetic flux passes through the permanent magnet, bottom receiving part, bearing boss, bearing, and shaft.

Abstract: A brushless motor includes a rotor having a permanent magnet magnetized N pole and S pole alternately in a rotary direction, and a stator having a core facing the permanent magnet in a radial direction and a bearing which rotatably supports the rotor. The core includes plural salient poles at its ends, and slot inclusive-angle A, slot inclusive-angle B, slot inclusive-angle C are available between the salient poles adjacent to each other. When a relation of A<B<C is found, those slot inclusive-angles vary multilevel along the rotary direction in the sequence of A-B-C-B-A-. This structure allows the rotor to be urged always in a radial direction by a lateral pressure, so that the brushless motor with a fewer vibrations and a more accurate rotation is obtainable at a lower cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low vibration brushless motor for reducing the vibration of the motor in an axial direction. In the brushless motor, a bearing is provided in a bearing boss, a shaft is held by the bearing, an end face of the shaft is contacting a thrust receiving member, and the shaft is rotatably axially supported by the bearing. The brushless motor includes a permanent magnet for attracting the end face of the shaft in the thrust direction with the thrust receiving member therebetween, and a bottom receiving part for supporting the permanent magnet, wherein the bearing boss, bearing, shaft, and bottom receiving part are made of a magnetic material, and a closed magnetic path is formed so that a magnetic flux passes through the permanent magnet, bottom receiving part, bearing boss, bearing, and shaft.

Abstract: A bearing device includes an oil impregnated sintered bearing that rotatably holds a shaft fixed to a rotor, and a bearing boss having an inner wall to which the bearing is fixed. An end of the boss is sealed with a cap. Plural grooves are formed on the inner wall of the cap, so that lubricant leaked out from the bearing can be retained therein and restored to the bearing. This structure extends the service life of the bearing.

Abstract: A brush-less motor includes a rotor with a magnet alternately magnetized N pole and S pole in a rotating direction, and a core with plural salient poles on which coils are wound. The core faces the magnet to form a magnetic circuit. Each one of the salient poles are toothed and provided with small teeth at an edge facing the magnet. The small teeth have a pitch corresponding to two poles of the magnet. Powering to the coil responsive to a rotor position drives the rotor. This structure substantially increases volumetric efficiency of the motor.

Abstract: A blower with improved P-Q characteristic provides a reduction in noise by sucking air inside through slits provided in an annular wall, wherein the blade thickness near a blade end s is progressively reduced toward the front end, and the location F of the maximum thickness gradually moves back toward a blade trailing edge side u2 so as to make the blade advance angle near the front end larger than in other locations. In addition, the width of a slit is made wider in sections near a spacer than in other sections. Alternatively, notches are provided in the outer perimeter of annular plates near the spacers so as to reduce the radial length of the annular plates. This arrangement improves the P-Q characteristic and reduce noise.

Abstract: A motor generating cogging torque has one-quarter the cycle of basic cogging torque and an extremely small absolute value. First, in order to reduce the cycle of the cogging torque to one-half the cycle of the basic cogging torque, a basic configuration of the core is determined by setting opening angles of its slots to an appropriate electrical angle ranging from 80° to 95° and from 20° to 35°. Next, to produce the above-mentioned effects, an angular displacement of one-quarter the cycle of the basic cogging torque is provided in the motor. Furthermore, polarizing the core with a skew angle equal to one-half or less the cycle of the basic cogging torque at the same time allows the cogging torque to be reduced effectively while decrease in efficiency is minimized.

Abstract: A motor generating cogging torque has one-quarter the cycle of basic cogging torque and an extremely small absolute value. First, in order to reduce the cycle of the cogging torque to one-half the cycle of the basic cogging torque, a basic configuration of the core is determined by setting opening angles of its slots to an appropriate electrical angle ranging from 80° to 95° and from 20° to 35°. Next, to produce the above-mentioned effects, an angular displacement of one-quarter the cycle of the basic cogging torque is provided in the motor. Furthermore, polarizing the core with a skew angle equal to one-half or less the cycle of the basic cogging torque at the same time allows the cogging torque to be reduced effectively while decrease in efficiency is minimized.

Abstract: A motor generating cogging torque has one-quarter the cycle of basic cogging torque and an extremely small absolute value. First, in order to reduce the cycle of the cogging torque to one-half the cycle of the basic cogging torque, a basic configuration of the core is determined by setting opening angles of its slots to an appropriate electrical angle ranging from 80° to 95° and from 20° to 35°. Next, to produce the above-mentioned effects, an angular displacement of one-quarter the cycle of the basic cogging torque is provided in the motor. Furthermore, polarizing the core with a skew angle equal to one-half or less the cycle of the basic cogging torque at the same time allows the cogging torque to be reduced effectively while decrease in efficiency is minimized.

Abstract: A motor generating cogging torque has one-quarter the cycle of basic cogging torque and an extremely small absolute value. First, in order to reduce the cycle of the cogging torque to one-half the cycle of the basic cogging torque, a basic configuration of the core is determined by setting opening angles of its slots to an appropriate electrical angle ranging from 80° to 95° and from 20° to 35°. Next, to produce the above-mentioned effects, an angular displacement of one-quarter the cycle of the basic cogging torque is provided in the motor. Furthermore, polarizing the core with a skew angle equal to one-half or less the cycle of the basic cogging torque at the same time allows the cogging torque to be reduced effectively while decrease in efficiency is minimized.

Abstract: A motor generating cogging torque has one-quarter the cycle of basic cogging torque and an extremely small absolute value. First, in order to reduce the cycle of the cogging torque to one-half the cycle of the basic cogging torque, a basic configuration of the core is determined by setting opening angles of its slots to an appropriate electrical angle ranging from 80° to 95° and from 20° to 35°. Next, to produce the above-mentioned effects, an angular displacement of one-quarter the cycle of the basic cogging torque is provided in the motor. Furthermore, polarizing the core with a skew angle equal to one-half or less the cycle of the basic cogging torque at the same time allows the cogging torque to be reduced effectively while decrease in efficiency is minimized.