Patents by Inventor Takehiko Senba

Takehiko Senba 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).

  • Publication number: 20060062560
    Abstract: A lens frame holding a taking lens is movably connected to a driving shaft via a connector. A guide member is disposed at a lower portion of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 180 degrees around an optical axis. The guide member is movably attached to a guide rod. A light emitter is disposed on a lateral side of the lens frame so as to separate from the connector by about 90 degrees around the optical axis. The light emitter applies the light to a light receiver of a line sensor confronting the light emitter. The line sensor sends a light-reception signal, which is outputted from the light receiver, to a lens-position controller. Positional information of the taking lens is obtained on the basis of the light-reception signal so that a position of the taking lens is accurately detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Yoji Naka, Takehiko Senba, Mitsuo Manabe, Yukio Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20060061233
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Yoji Naka, Takehiko Senba, Haruo Onozuka, Yukio Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20060061236
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element, having first and second ends, for expansion or contraction to shift in response to a drive signal. A drive shaft is frictionally engaged with an engageable portion of a lens unit, has first and second axial ends, for shifting together with the piezoelectric element by contact between the first end and the first axial end, to move the engageable portion linearly upon expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element with a difference between its expanding and contracting speeds. A retaining frame includes a first support panel, provided with the second end secured thereto, for supporting the piezoelectric element. A second support panel is provided with the second axial end secured thereto, for supporting the drive shaft. A biasing panel portion of the second support panel biases the drive shaft to press the first axial end on the first end of the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Yoji Naka, Takehiko Senba, Mitsuo Manabe
  • Publication number: 20060061234
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Yoji Naka, Takehiko Senba, Haruo Onozuka, Yukio Noguchi, Mitsuo Manabe
  • Publication number: 20060054794
    Abstract: A first prism 11a and a second prism 12a are joined together on a face-to-face basis. A dichroic mirror 13a is interposed into the junction plane to reflect only G-light. A first imaging device 111a receives the reflected light (G-light) with high sensitivity. In this manner, there is constructed an inexpensive light receiving unit 10a having the same visual sensitivity characteristic as eyes of a person. The light receiving unit 10a is disposed in an image taking apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventor: Takehiko Senba
  • Publication number: 20060056049
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens-interchangeable camera combining an image pickup device, comprising: a lens unit having a lens and the image pickup device; a camera body having a lens unit connection portion to which the lens unit can be detachably attached; and a heat conducting elastic member which elastically abuts the lens unit and the camera body when the lens unit is attached to the camera body through the lens unit connection portion, and which conducts heat generated by the lens unit to the camera body. In this way, heat is conducted from the lens unit to the camera body without any hindrance to the attachment operation when the lens unit is used by being attached to the camera body, thus easily dissipating heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Kentaro Tokiwa, Takehiko Senba
  • Publication number: 20060034549
    Abstract: A plurality of sorts of camera heads being different from one another in specification of the imaging device is each provided with JPEG compression section so that the camera head outputs an image signal, which is subjected to a JPEG compression in compression rate of the mode “fine”, in form of a predetermined format. The provision of a camera main frame, which is capable of performing an image processing through entry of the signal subjected to the JPEG compression in compression rate of the mode “fine”, makes it possible to implement a camera system capable of performing the image processing by the JPEG compression and expansion section and the signal processing section of the camera main frame regardless of the camera head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanaka, Mikio Watanabe, Kazunori Suemoto, Hirofumi Horii, Satoshi Nakamura, Kentaro Tokiwa, Takehiko Senba, Keiichiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20060013575
    Abstract: There is provided an intermediate adapter having a camera shake correction function, in which an exchange head provided with an image taking optical system and an imaging device is applicable to a camera system, and a camera system having the intermediate adapter. The exchange head is mounted on the intermediate adapter having a head driving section, and the exchange head mounted on the intermediate adapter is mounted on a camera main frame. The head driving section drives the exchange head in accordance with a detection signal detected by a camera shake detection section of the intermediate adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Takehiko Senba, Mikio Watanabe, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20050212949
    Abstract: A camera with a removable imaging lens unit is a small and reliable camera which can prevent electrostatic discharge from causing breakdown or malfunctions. Electrical contact points on a camera body are covered and protected by a mount barrier. When mounting the imaging lens unit on the camera body, a push head is placed in contact with the mount barrier and pushes the mount barrier. After the push head pushes down the mount barrier against the urging force of the spring, electrical contact points on the lens unit are connected with the electrical contact points on the camera body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Kentaro Tokiwa, Takehiko Senba, Satoshi Nakamura, Mikio Watanabe, Hiroshi Tanaka, Kazuhiro Tokuda, Kazukiyo Tamada
  • Patent number: 6944396
    Abstract: An image taking apparatus of the present invention includes: a shooting lens which comprises a plurality of lens groups and which has a variable focal length and adjusts a focus; and a lens barrel which accommodates the shooting lens and which can advance and retract. The lens barrel comprises a lens advancing/retracting mechanism which retracts at least one of the lens groups from a shooting optical axis when the lens barrel is retracted, and which advances the lens group retracted when the lens barrel is retracted to the shooting optical axis when the lens barrel advances. The shooting lens forms a fixed focus shooting optical system by the remaining lens group among the plurality of lens groups excluding the lens group which is retracted from the shooting optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignees: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Hiroshi Endo, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya
  • Patent number: 6937816
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a shooting apparatus which is thinner than a conventional shooting apparatus. A lens barrel is brought into an accommodated state from a shooting state by retracting at least one of lens groups constituting the shooting lens from an optical axis, and by bringing at least a portion of one of the other lens groups remaining on the optical axis or an image pickup element into a non-using state in which an opening is left opening at a predetermined opening diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya, Yasuhiko Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20050185289
    Abstract: A lens barrel has its length which is reduced by dispensing with guide rods or a travel mechanism long extending from a base which fixes an image pickup device. The optical axes of multiple lens groups can be easily aligned. An image taking apparatus has its body which has the lens barrel incorporated into it. A second lens group, third lens group and, via the travel mechanism, a fourth lens group are supported by a straight-ahead key ring, and the straight-ahead key ring also supports a front tube holding the first lens group. A zoom motor and a focus motor are also supported by the straight-ahead key ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Akio Omiya, Takehiko Senba, Hiroshi Endo
  • Publication number: 20050185950
    Abstract: A lens barrel has its collapsed length which can be further decreased and its extended length which can be further increased. A photographic apparatus incorporates the lens barrel into its body. A lens barrel is equipped with a first gear which is rotatably supported by a straight-ahead key ring and rotates being driven by rotation of a middle tube and a second gear which receives driving force from the first gear and retracts a second lens group to a predetermined retracted position off the optical axis of a zoom lens during collapse and advances the second lens group onto the optical axis during extension. The second gear lacks teeth in that part which faces the first gear when the second lens group is at the retracted position during collapse. Consequently, the first gear runs idle while facing that part thereby holding the second lens group at the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Akio Omiya, Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba, Hiroshi Endo
  • Publication number: 20050185297
    Abstract: A lens barrel has its collapsed length that can be further decreased by removing unnecessary space and bringing lens groups close to each other and a photographic apparatus incorporates the lens barrel. When the lens barrel is collapsed, at least a fourth lens group is retracted from a photographic optical axis by an advance/retract mechanism. In that case, a first lens group and third lens group are aligned along the optical axis and stuffed into the lens barrel, the fourth lens group is placed on the top, bottom, right, or left side of these lenses, and a second lens group is placed on the top, bottom, right, or left side of the first and third lens groups. This reduces the length of the lens barrel. During extension, the second and fourth lens groups are advanced onto the photographic optical axis by the advance/retract mechanism to extend the lens barrel greatly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Akio Omiya, Takehiko Senba, Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito
  • Publication number: 20050052759
    Abstract: To provide a digital camera which is thinner than conventional when a lens barrel is collapsed, and is improved in suppression of degradation of image quality due to dust or the like introduced into the lens barrel. A lens barrel has: an optical-member advancement/retraction mechanism that retracts any of plural optical members from an optical axis for picture taking when the lens barrel is collapsed, and advances the optical member, which is retracted when the lens barrel is collapsed, onto the optical axis for picture taking when the lens barrel is extended; and a cleaning member that cleans at least either of the optical member or one, which is adjacent to the optical member, of the plural optical members and a solid-state image pickup section as a result of retracting or advancing the optical member by the optical-member retraction/advancement mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba
  • Publication number: 20050002665
    Abstract: An image taking apparatus of the present invention includes: a shooting lens which comprises a plurality of lens groups and which has a variable focal length and adjusts a focus; and a lens barrel which accommodates the shooting lens and which can advance and retract. The lens barrel comprises a lens advancing/retracting mechanism which retracts at least one of the lens groups from a shooting optical axis when the lens barrel is retracted, and which advances the lens group retracted when the lens barrel is retracted to the shooting optical axis when the lens barrel advances. The shooting lens forms a fixed focus shooting optical system by the remaining lens group among the plurality of lens groups excluding the lens group which is retracted from the shooting optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ito, Hiroshi Endo, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya
  • Publication number: 20040246364
    Abstract: In a digital camera, the subject light is formed on a solid state imaging device so that an image signal is generated. The digital camera has a lens barrel incorporating therein an image taking lens, the lens barrel being variable in a barrel length between a collapsed state in which the barrel length is relative short and a photographic state in which the barrel length is relative long. The lens barrel comprises a light quantity control member that controls quantity of photographic light passing through the image taking lens, and a light quantity control member saving and advancing mechanism that provides such a control that when the lens barrel changes over from the photographic state to the collapsed state, the light quantity control member is saved from a photographic optical axis, and when the lens barrel changes over from the collapsed state to the photographic state, the light quantity control member is advanced to the photographic optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicants: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD., FUJI PHOTO OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya
  • Publication number: 20040228626
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a shooting apparatus which is thinner than a conventional shooting apparatus. A lens barrel is brought into an accommodated state from a shooting state by retracting at least one of lens groups constituting the shooting lens from an optical axis, and by bringing at least a portion of one of the other lens groups remaining on the optical axis or an image pickup element into a non-using state in which an opening is left opening at a predetermined opening diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicants: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD., FUJI PHOTO OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya, Yasuhiko Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20040207746
    Abstract: To provide a digital camera that captures object light with a solid-state image pickup device to generate an image signal and is effectively made thinner by retracting a part of a taking lens into a suitable position when a lens barrel is collapsed. A rear lens group is rotated between a position on an optical axis and a retracted position in a recess section at the side of a CCD solid-state image pickup device, and a focusing lens is rotated between a position on the optical axis and a retracted position in a front lens group side space. When the lens barrel is collapsed, the rear lens group is placed in the recess section, and the focusing lens is placed in the front lens group side space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicants: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD., FUJI PHOTO OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito, Takehiko Senba, Akio Omiya
  • Publication number: 20040189860
    Abstract: A camera has a photometry section. The photometry section measures brightness of field when an aperture member is of a predetermined first aperture caliber which is a relatively large aperture caliber, and measures the brightness of field in halfway through change over of the aperture member from the first aperture caliber to a predetermined second aperture caliber which is relatively smaller than the first aperture caliber when a photometry of the brightness of field is impossible because of an exposure over with the first aperture caliber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takehiko Senba