Abstract: An oscillation drive device includes an oscillating unit that includes attaching portions on either sides thereof, the attaching portions being arranged on an oscillation axis; a base that includes an oscillating fulcrum that supports the oscillating unit on the oscillation axis and supporting portions that firmly support the oscillating unit; and a pair of strip-shaped leaf springs that is arranged so as to intersect with the oscillation axis and oscillates the oscillating unit on the oscillation axis, each of the strip-shaped leaf springs includes a fixing portion attached to the attaching portions of the oscillating unit; and a flexible beam portion that both ends of which are attached to the supporting portions of the base, and causes the oscillating unit to oscillate on the base by flexure behavior thereof.

Abstract: A drive is provided executing high-speed oscillatory motion. A voice coil motor in a pixel shifter includes a coil of a rectangular shape producing thrust along an axis, a flap fixing the coil, and flat springs giving to the flap an urging force against the thrust. An oscillation axis of the flap is parallel to the axis and located between another axis that is parallel and opposite to the axis and still another axis that is parallel to the axis and passes over a centroid of the coil. This reduces the value of the inertia per unit torque.

Abstract: An aperture driving apparatus includes a swing unit and a stationary unit. The swing unit includes an aperture plate that partially blocks a light, a coil that constitute a voice coil motor for obtaining a driving force for driving the aperture driving plate, and a swing arm that supports the aperture plate and the coil and has a bearing portion between the aperture plate and the coil. The stationary unit includes a swing shaft that engages the bearing portion and swingably supports the swing arm about a swing axis, and a magnet and a yoke that constitute the voice coil motor together with the coil. A control unit of the aperture driving apparatus controls the swing angle of the swing arm using a closed-loop control technique. In the direction of the swing axis, the position of a center of gravity of the swing unit is substantially aligned with a position at which the driving force is applied to the coil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control device capable of improving hysteresis characteristics of a voice coil motor (31) and attaining a suitable lens position without complicating the structure of the control device. As solving means of the invention, a voice coil motor control device (30) includes a driving current control part (34) that controls a driving current supplied to the voice coil motor (31) in accordance with a driving pulse subjected to pulse width modulation, and a driving pulse control part (32) that divides a drive period of the voice coil motor (31) into a movement period and a holding period, and controls the driving pulse by changing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the movement period in accordance with a duty setting value and fixing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the holding period to the duty setting value.

Abstract: The present invention belongs to the field of an image capturing apparatus such as a camera for mobile phone and the like, and has an object to obtain a three axis lens shifting mechanism capable of achieving size reduction and cost reduction with simple structure and an image capturing apparatus equipped with such three axis lens shifting mechanism. A single magnetic circuit exerts an influence of a magnetic field produced by magnets (20) upon active sides of a focusing coil (14) and active sides of coils (10a), (10b). Therefore, movable parts (11+17) can be driven in the direction of optical axis (Z) only by controlling the direction of energizing the focusing coil (14), and further, a first movable part (11) can be driven in a first direction (X) or second direction (direction of rotation) (Y) only by combination of the directions of energizing the coils (10a), (10b). This allows the sharing of the magnetic circuit and an electromagnetic actuator.

Abstract: An oscillation drive device includes an oscillating unit that includes attaching portions on either sides thereof, the attaching portions being arranged on an oscillation axis; a base that includes an oscillating fulcrum that supports the oscillating unit on the oscillation axis and supporting portions that firmly support the oscillating unit; and a pair of strip-shaped leaf springs that is arranged so as to intersect with the oscillation axis and oscillates the oscillating unit on the oscillation axis, each of the strip-shaped leaf springs includes a fixing portion attached to the attaching portions of the oscillating unit; and a flexible beam portion that both ends of which are attached to the supporting portions of the base, and causes the oscillating unit to oscillate on the base by flexure behavior thereof.

Abstract: A drive is provided executing high-speed oscillatory motion. A voice coil motor in a pixel shifter includes a coil of a rectangular shape producing thrust along an axis, a flap fixing the coil, and flat springs giving to the flap an urging force against the thrust. An oscillation axis of the flap is parallel to the axis and located between another axis that is parallel and opposite to the axis and still another axis that is parallel to the axis and passes over a centroid of the coil. This reduces the value of the inertia per unit torque.

Abstract: The driving device includes a bendable shape memory alloy member, a resilient member for applying a tension to the shape memory alloy member in a longitudinal direction thereof, a bending member for bending the shape memory alloy member, and a movable body moved by a displacement of the shape memory alloy member. The bending member contacts the shape memory alloy member, so that the tension is applied to the shape memory alloy member in the longitudinal direction thereof. Compared with the driving device in which the shape memory alloy member is linearly disposed, the decrease in the amount of displacement can be suppressed, so that a space efficiency can be enhanced and the downsizing of the driving device can be accomplished.

Abstract: An aperture driving apparatus includes a swing unit and a stationary unit. The swing unit includes an aperture plate that partially blocks a light, a coil that constitute a voice coil motor for obtaining a driving force for driving the aperture driving plate, and a swing arm that supports the aperture plate and the coil and has a bearing portion between the aperture plate and the coil. The stationary unit includes a swing shaft that engages the bearing portion and swingably supports the swing arm about a swing axis, and a magnet and a yoke that constitute the voice coil motor together with the coil. A control unit of the aperture driving apparatus controls the swing angle of the swing arm using a closed-loop control technique. In the direction of the swing axis, the position of a center of gravity of the swing unit is substantially aligned with a position at which the driving force is applied to the coil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control device capable of improving hysteresis characteristics of a voice coil motor (31) and attaining a suitable lens position without complicating the structure of the control device. As solving means of the invention, a voice coil motor control device (30) includes a driving current control part (34) that controls a driving current supplied to the voice coil motor (31) in accordance with a driving pulse subjected to pulse width modulation, and a driving pulse control part (32) that divides a drive period of the voice coil motor (31) into a movement period and a holding period, and controls the driving pulse by changing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the movement period in accordance with a duty setting value and fixing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the holding period to the duty setting value.

Abstract: The present invention belongs to the field of an image capturing apparatus such as a camera for mobile phone and the like, and has an object to obtain a three axis lens shifting mechanism capable of achieving size reduction and cost reduction with simple structure and an image capturing apparatus equipped with such three axis lens shifting mechanism. A single magnetic circuit exerts an influence of a magnetic field produced by magnets (20) upon active sides of a focusing coil (14) and active sides of coils (10a), (10b). Therefore, movable parts (11+17) can be driven in the direction of optical axis (Z) only by controlling the direction of energizing the focusing coil (14), and further, a first movable part (11) can be driven in a first direction (X) or second direction (direction of rotation) (Y) only by combination of the directions of energizing the coils (10a), (10b). This allows the sharing of the magnetic circuit and an electromagnetic actuator.

Abstract: The driving device includes a bendable shape memory alloy member, a resilient member for applying a tension to the shape memory alloy member in a longitudinal direction thereof, a bending member for bending the shape memory alloy member, and a movable body moved by a displacement of the shape memory alloy member. The bending member contacts the shape memory alloy member, so that the tension is applied to the shape memory alloy member in the longitudinal direction thereof. Compared with the driving device in which the shape memory alloy member is linearly disposed, the decrease in the amount of displacement can be suppressed, so that a space efficiency can be enhanced and the downsizing of the driving device can be accomplished.

Abstract: The image pick-up apparatus is one in which a first image forming lens for forming as an image on a light-receiving surface a light entering from a first direction toward the light-receiving surface of an image pick-up device and a second image forming lens for forming as an image on the light-receiving surface a light entering from a second direction different from the first direction are mounted on a lens mount, and in which optical means for changing a direction of travel of at least one of the lights entering from these different directions to a direction perpendicular to the light-receiving surface is held in the lens mount.

Abstract: A light which can emit light continuously can be added to a cellular phone (1) while demands for reduction in size, weight, and thickness are being satisfied; by providing a cellular phone equipped with a camera (13) for taking a moving picture of a subject, with a lighting device (12) for illuminating a subject by means of a light-emitting diode, a switching device (21) for turning on a lighting device (12), a light distribution lens for condensing light radiated from the lighting device (12) toward the subject, and a transparent cover for protecting the light distribution lens on the subject side, which is the front side, of the lighting device (12).

Abstract: A portable telephone provided with an image pickup device includes: a case for the portable telephone; a circuit board for the portable telephone contained in the case and having an opening; an image pickup device having a lens focusing an externally received image and an image pickup element converting the image focused by the lens to an electric signal; and a lead portion electrically connected to the image pickup device and electrically connecting the circuit board and the image pickup device with the image pickup device being inserted to the opening of the circuit board.

Abstract: An imaging device comprising an imaging element having a light acceptance plane, a frame surrounding a marginal portion of said imaging element and fixing said imaging element, an image formation lens configured to form an image on said light acceptance plane, a lens-barrel configured to support said image formation lens, and a supporting member on which said lens-barrel is mounted and including legs forming an opening for accommodating said frame and said imaging element, wherein an outside of said frame includes protrusions, the legs of said supporting member include mount portions configured to mount said protrusions, and said protrusions are mounted integrally on said mount portions.

Abstract: An imaging device including an imaging element having a light acceptance plane, a circuit board for the imaging element, a frame member for supporting the imaging element, and a supporting member for supporting an image formation lens. Further, the frame member surrounds and fixedly supports the imaging element so that an imaging element plane on a side of the light acceptance plane and a reference plane of the frame member are located on a same plane or have a predetermined difference in relative distance. In addition, the reference plane of the frame member and the reference plane of the supporting member for supporting the image formation lens are brought into contact with each other so as to be integrated.

Abstract: A portable telephone provided with an image pickup device includes: a case for the portable telephone; a circuit board for the portable telephone contained in the case and having an opening; an image pickup device having a lens focusing an externally received image and an image pickup element converting the image focused by the lens to an electric signal; and a lead portion electrically connected to the image pickup device and electrically connecting the circuit board and the image pickup device with the image pickup device being inserted to the opening of the circuit board.

Abstract: The image pick-up apparatus is one in which a first image forming lens for forming as an image on a light-receiving surface a light entering from a first direction toward the light-receiving surface of an image pick-up device and a second image forming lens for forming as an image on the light-receiving surface a light entering from a second direction different from the first direction are mounted on a lens mount, and in which optical means for changing a direction of travel of at least one of the lights entering from these different directions to a direction perpendicular to the light-receiving surface is held in the lens mount.