Patents by Inventor Shu Ito

Shu Ito 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: 12585083
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first holder holding a first lens unit and moving, manually or by an external driver, in an optical axis direction, a second holder holding a second lens unit and being electrically driven in the direction, a transmission member supported by the second holder to be movable in a first range in the direction relative to the second holder, a driving unit moving the second holder in the direction via the transmission member, a biasing member biasing the transmission member toward an end of the first range opposite to the first lens unit, and a controller controlling the driving unit. Movable ranges of the first and second holders in the direction overlap each other. The controller determines a relative position between the driving unit and the second holder in the direction, and changes a control of the driving unit based on the relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shu Ito, Toshihiro Okuda, Kunihiko Sasaki, Tadanori Okada, Takehiko Sato, Toshimune Nagano
  • Patent number: 12429667
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a drive unit to drive a second lens barrel in an optical axis direction, a connection member to connect the second lens barrel and the drive unit, a movement base to hold the drive unit and move the drive unit in the optical axis direction with respect to a first lens barrel, and a second urging member to urge the movement base against the first lens barrel in a direction orthogonal to a plane passing through first, second, and third support portions. The connection member moves in a direction intersecting with a line connecting the first and second support portions. A moment by an urging force of the second urging member about an axis connecting the first and second support portions is greater than a moment by an urging force of the first urging member about the axis connecting the first and second support portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shu Ito
  • Patent number: 12429666
    Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel including: a fifth lens unit barrel; a fourth lens unit barrel; a linear ultrasonic motor configured to electrically drive the fourth lens unit barrel in an optical axis direction; a rack configured to transfer a driving force of the linear ultrasonic motor to the fourth lens unit barrel; a rack spring configured to bias the rack so that the rack is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel; and a rack guide shaft. The rack guide shaft is fixed to the fourth lens unit barrel. The fourth lens unit barrel and the rack move together in the optical axis direction. When the fifth lens unit barrel is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel, a relative position of the fourth lens unit barrel and the rack in the optical axis direction changes against a biasing force of the rack spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadanori Okada, Toshihiro Okuda, Takehiko Sato, Kunihiko Sasaki, Shu Ito, Toshimune Nagano
  • Patent number: 12405442
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes: a first holder holding a first lens unit and being moved in optical axis direction manually or by an external driver; a second holder holding a second lens unit and being electrically moved in optical axis direction; a first and second detectors respectively detecting positions of the first and second holders; a driving unit configured to move the second holder in optical axis direction; and a controller controlling the driving unit, in which movable ranges of the first and second holders overlap each other in optical axis direction; in which a position of the second holder in optical axis direction corresponds to a position of a movable portion of the driving unit; and wherein the controller changes a control of the driving unit based on a detection of the first and second detectors before the second holder interferes with the first holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2025
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Okuda, Kunihiko Sasaki, Shu Ito, Tadanori Okada, Takehiko Sato, Toshimune Nagano
  • Publication number: 20250251563
    Abstract: A lens unit in which tilt variation of a lens holding frame caused by change in environmental temperature is simply restrained with a compact constitution and which has an optical member including a lens, a resin-molded holding frame holding the optical member, a guide member guiding movement of the holding frame in a direction along an optical axis of the optical member, a holding portion holding the optical member, a guided portion abutting the guide member, and a first connection portion connecting the holding portion and the guided portion. The first connection portion has a first shape in which a first thickness and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness are alternately repeated a plurality of times in a direction along the optical axis from a position overlapping the holding portion when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2025
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Inventors: SHU ITO, YOSHIKAZU SATO, KAZUHIKO ABE, TOMOYUKI SAITO
  • Publication number: 20240248371
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an optical system including a first optical member included in a first lens unit disposed closest to an object and movable in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization, and a second optical member different from the first optical member, a first driving unit configured to move the first optical member, and a second driving unit configured to move the second optical member. The first driving unit and the second driving unit are disposed so as not to overlap each other when viewed along the optical axis of the optical system. A position, of at least part of the second driving unit, in a direction along the optical axis overlaps a position of the first lens unit, in the direction along the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventor: SHU ITO
  • Patent number: 11838617
    Abstract: An apparatus including: a system including a correction lens unit configured to move to correct an aberration; a driving device configured to move the correction lens unit; an image pickup element configured to pick up an image formed by the system; an obtaining device configured to obtain an aberration based on a picked up image, through use of a learned model obtained by learning an image and aberration data of the system; and a controller configured to control the driving device based on the aberration, to thereby correct the aberration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinori Yamazaki, Hyochoru Tanaka, Shu Ito, Toshihiro Okuda
  • Patent number: 11778324
    Abstract: Provided is an aberration correction method including: picking up images of a particular object at a plurality of focus positions including an in-focus position of the particular object; obtaining an aberration information based on the picked up images; and correcting an aberration based on the aberration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hyochoru Tanaka, Toshihiro Okuda, Shu Ito, Toshinori Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20230296859
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first holder holding a first lens unit and moving, manually or by an external driver, in an optical axis direction, a second holder holding a second lens unit and being electrically driven in the direction, a transmission member supported by the second holder to be movable in a first range in the direction relative to the second holder, a driving unit moving the second holder in the direction via the transmission member, a biasing member biasing the transmission member toward an end of the first range opposite to the first lens unit, and a controller controlling the driving unit. Movable ranges of the first and second holders in the direction overlap each other. The controller determines a relative position between the driving unit and the second holder in the direction, and changes a control of the driving unit based on the relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: SHU ITO, TOSHIHIRO OKUDA, KUNIHIKO SASAKI, TADANORI OKADA, TAKEHIKO SATO, TOSHIMUNE NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20220350222
    Abstract: A lens apparatus is provided with movable first and second units, first and second holders for holding the first and second units, a driving unit for electrically driving the second holder, a transmission member movable relative to the second holder in the optical axis direction and transmits driving force to the second holder, a biasing member for biasing the second holder toward the first holder side relative to the transmission member, a controller for controlling the driving unit, and first and second detectors for detecting the positions of the first and second holders, wherein movable ranges of the first and second holders have interference region which interfere with each other, and controller changes a control of driving unit between the interference region where the first and the second holding members interfere each other and an interference-free region based on detection results of the first and second detectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kunihiko Sasaki, Toshihiro Okuda, Takehiko Sato, Tadanori Okada, Shu Ito, Toshimune Nagano
  • Publication number: 20220350106
    Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel including: a fifth lens unit barrel; a fourth lens unit barrel; a linear ultrasonic motor configured to electrically drive the fourth lens unit barrel in an optical axis direction; a rack configured to transfer a driving force of the linear ultrasonic motor to the fourth lens unit barrel; a rack spring configured to bias the rack so that the rack is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel; and a rack guide shaft. The rack guide shaft is fixed to the fourth lens unit barrel. The fourth lens unit barrel and the rack move together in the optical axis direction. When the fifth lens unit barrel is brought into contact with the fourth lens unit barrel, a relative position of the fourth lens unit barrel and the rack in the optical axis direction changes against a biasing force of the rack spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Tadanori Okada, Toshihiro Okuda, Takehiko Sato, Kunihiko Sasaki, Shu Ito, Toshimune Nagano
  • Publication number: 20220308311
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes: a first holder holding a first lens unit and being moved in optical axis direction manually or by an external driver; a second holder holding a second lens unit and being electrically moved in optical axis direction; a first and second detectors respectively detecting positions of the first and second holders; a driving unit configured to move the second holder in optical axis direction; and a controller controlling the driving unit, in which movable ranges of the first and second holders overlap each other in optical axis direction; in which a position of the second holder in optical axis direction corresponds to a position of a movable portion of the driving unit; and wherein the controller changes a control of the driving unit based on a detection of the first and second detectors before the second holder interferes with the first holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Toshihiro Okuda, Kunihiko Sasaki, Shu Ito, Tadanori Okada, Takehiko Sato, Toshimune Nagano
  • Publication number: 20220229265
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a drive unit to drive a second lens barrel in an optical axis direction, a connection member to connect the second lens barrel and the drive unit, a movement base to hold the drive unit and move the drive unit in the optical axis direction with respect to a first lens barrel, and a second urging member to urge the movement base against the first lens barrel in a direction orthogonal to a plane passing through first, second, and third support portions. The connection member moves in a direction intersecting with a line connecting the first and second support portions. A moment by an urging force of the second urging member about an axis connecting the first and second support portions is greater than a moment by an urging force of the first urging member about the axis connecting the first and second support portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventor: Shu Ito
  • Publication number: 20220116538
    Abstract: An apparatus including: a system including a correction lens unit configured to move to correct an aberration; a driving device configured to move the correction lens unit; an image pickup element configured to pick up an image formed by the system; an obtaining device configured to obtain an aberration based on a picked up image, through use of a learned model obtained by learning an image and aberration data of the system; and a controller configured to control the driving device based on the aberration, to thereby correct the aberration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Toshinori Yamazaki, Hyochoru Tanaka, Shu Ito, Toshihiro Okuda
  • Publication number: 20220109793
    Abstract: Provided is an aberration correction method including: picking up images of a particular object at a plurality of focus positions including an in-focus position of the particular object; obtaining an aberration information based on the picked up images; and correcting an aberration based on the aberration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Hyochoru Tanaka, Toshihiro Okuda, Shu Ito, Toshinori Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10855898
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an imaging optical system, a movable member holding at least one of lenses and configured to move in a direction including a component perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, a fixed member whose movement in the direction is restricted, a coil provided at one of the movable member and the fixed member, a magnet provided at the other of the movable member and the fixed member, and a first shield member configured to cover at least a part of the coil as viewed in a direction parallel to the optical axis and as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis. At least a part of the first shield member being arranged closer to an image plane than the coil, and a predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nakahara, Shu Ito, Takahiro Hatada
  • Publication number: 20200077001
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an imaging optical system, a movable member holding at least one of lenses and configured to move in a direction including a component perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, a fixed member whose movement in the direction is restricted, a coil provided at one of the movable member and the fixed member, a magnet provided at the other of the movable member and the fixed member, and a first shield member configured to cover at least a part of the coil as viewed in a direction parallel to the optical axis and as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis. At least a part of the first shield member being arranged closer to an image plane than the coil, and a predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Makoto Nakahara, Shu Ito, Takahiro Hatada
  • Patent number: 10139654
    Abstract: An optical apparatus configured to guide light from an object to an image pickup element includes a first light amount adjustment unit configured to change transmissivity or the light from the object through change in physical property thereof. Then, in recording, a second light amount adjustment unit configured to mechanically change an area through which the light from the object passes is prevented from being driven but the first light amount adjustment unit is driven to adjust an amount of the light from the object entering the image pickup element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shu Ito
  • Patent number: 10142558
    Abstract: An adaptor is attachable between an interchangeable lens including a first light amount adjustment unit capable of changing a passing area of image pickup light, and a camera main body including an image pickup element. The adaptor includes: a second light amount adjustment unit capable of changing transmittance of the image pickup light by using a change in a physical property; and a controller controlling the second light amount adjustment unit. In image pickup mode, the controller controls the transmittance in the second light amount adjustment unit depending on an operating amount of an operation unit by a user to adjust a light amount, and in the image pickup mode, the controller converts an instruction, transmitted toward the interchangeable lens from the camera main body, to drive the first light amount adjustment unit, into a drive completion signal, and transmits the drive completion signal to the camera main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shu Ito
  • Publication number: 20170295307
    Abstract: An adaptor is attachable between an interchangeable lens including a first light amount adjustment unit capable of changing a passing area of image pickup light, and a camera main body including an image pickup element. The adaptor includes: a second light amount adjustment unit capable of changing transmittance of the image pickup light by using a change in a physical property; and a controller controlling the second light amount adjustment unit. In image pickup mode, the controller controls the transmittance in the second light amount adjustment unit depending on an operating amount of an operation unit by a user to adjust a light amount, and in the image pickup mode, the controller converts an instruction, transmitted toward the interchangeable lens from the camera main body, to drive the first light amount adjustment unit, into a drive completion signal, and transmits the drive completion signal to the camera main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventor: Shu Ito