Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Kudoh
Tomoyuki Kudoh 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).
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Patent number: 8174775Abstract: A lens barrel which allows efficient interlock between a cylindrical member such as a moving cam ring and a component such as a viewfinder cam plate or a strobe cam plate, without size-increasing. The lens barrel comprises a first cylindrical member, and a second cylindrical member that is disposed so as to receive the first cylindrical member, and includes a guiding part at an inner circumferential surface thereof. The guiding part includes a groove-form hole part that penetrates the second cylindrical member, and the first cylindrical member includes a follower part that follows the guiding part having the groove-form hole part.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8154809Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens barrel member and a second lens barrel member coupled with the first lens barrel member via a cam mechanism. The first lens barrel member includes a stopper portion and a gear portion. The stopper portion comes into contact with a first contact surface formed in the second lens barrel member, when the first lens barrel member protruding from the second lens barrel member in the optical axis direction receives the external force from a front end side of the first lens barrel member in its protruding direction, to restrict a displacement of the first lens barrel member with respect to the second lens barrel member due to the external force. The gear portion comes into contact with a second contact surface formed in the second lens barrel member to restrict the displacement due to the external force.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2008Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8149521Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit that can respectively move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube, a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the second lens unit in the optical axis direction, a guide member that is configured to guide the linearly moving guide tube in the optical axis direction, a cylindrical member that is provided on an outer circumferential side of the first lens unit, and a second cam tube. The first lens unit includes a guide part configured to guide the cylindrical member in the optical axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8078041Abstract: A shake correction unit comprises a first lens unit that holds a first lens and is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens during a shake correction operation and a second lens unit that holds a second lens and is attached to the first lens unit and moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis together with the first lens unit during the shake correction operation, at least one of a shutter and an iris diaphragm having a changeable opening diameter is disposed between the first lens unit and the second lens unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8061909Abstract: A barrier device that is capable of being configured simply and thinly without enlarging an external diameter of an image pickup lens barrel even if an aperture in front of an image pickup lens is large. A pair of principal blade members that can open and close are arranged facing to the aperture. A plurality of pairs of auxiliary blade members are driven to open and close interlocked with open-close operations of the principal blade members. A pair of barrier driving springs are disposed between a barrier driving member that rotates around an optical axis of an image pickup optical system and the principal blade members, and to force to pull them each other in a direction to close the principal blade members. The open-close operations of the principal blade members are performed using spring forces of the barrier driving springs as the barrier driving member rotates.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110242679Abstract: A lens barrel that enables to increase a degree of freedom for selecting positions of grooves on a cam barrel. A lens holding member holds a lens and has a follower part. A rectilinear barrel regulates relative rotation of the lens holding member and has a bayonet convex part. The cam barrel has a cam groove with which the follower part engages and a bayonet groove with which the bayonet convex part engages. The positional relationship between the cam barrel and the rectilinear barrel in the optical axis direction is regulated because the bayonet convex part contacts the wall surfaces of both sides of the bayonet groove in a WIDE position, and because a section between a wall surface of the bayonet groove and the end face of the cam barrel is pinched between the bayonet convex part and a member provided in the rectilinear barrel in a TELE position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: TOMOYUKI KUDOH
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Publication number: 20110242680Abstract: A lens barrel capable of keeping a stable zoom operation, increasing magnification of an image pickup apparatus with a simple configuration, and decreasing a camera thickness. A lens barrel is moved in an optical axis direction between a taking position and a retracted position to change magnification. A lens holding member holds a lens and has a follower part. A rectilinear movement regulating member regulates relative rotation of the lens holding member and has a convex part at an outside and a rectilinear rib at an image surface side than the convex part. A cam barrel has a cam groove for engaging the follower part and a groove for engaging the convex part formed on an inner surface. The cam barrel has a cam piece extended to the image surface side, a part of the cam groove is formed on an inner surface of the cam piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110235190Abstract: A lens barrel which is capable of reducing, when the lens barrel is in a stored position, the thickness of an image pickup apparatus in its optical axis direction and also the diameter of the lens barrel. The lens barrel has a first lens, a second lens, a lens holding unit adapted to hold the second lens, and an iris diaphragm. The lens barrel moves between a photographing position and a stored position in the optical axis direction. The second lens includes a convex spherical portion protruding toward the first lens. The second lens is arranged close to the first lens and an inner circumferential portion of the diaphragm blades is arranged inwardly in the radial direction with respect to the lens holding unit and oppositely to the convex spherical portion in the radial direction, when the lens barrel is in the stored position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8023212Abstract: A lens barrel capable of preventing reflection of rays of light from a rectilinear motion-causing restriction member on the inner surface of the lens barrel. In a photographic lens unit, to drive an actuator provided on a third lens unit, a flexible wiring board as a current carrying member is connected thereto. This flexible wiring board is disposed in a manner covering the inner surface of a rectilinear motion-causing restriction portion to prevent the same from being exposed toward the optical axis. Further, the flexible wiring board has a surface thereof toward the optical axis subjected to antireflection processing.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2009Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110211266Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit each of which is configured to move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube that includes a first cam part and a second cam part respectively on an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and moves the first and second lens units respectively in the optical axis direction using the first and second cam parts as the first cam tube rotates around an optical axis, and a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the first and second lens units in the optical axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2011Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110164869Abstract: An apparatus included in a lens barrel, includes a base member, a first lens unit which is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, a second lens unit, attached to the first lens unit, and movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the second lens, and a plurality of rolling members sandwiched between the base member and the first lens unit, wherein a gap between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is adjustable, and wherein the gap between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is smaller and a gap between the first lens unit and the base member is larger in the photographable state as compared to the retracted state, and the rolling members do not contact the base member or the first lens unit in the retracted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2011Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 7957073Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit each of which is configured to move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube that includes a first cam part and a second cam part respectively on an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and moves the first and second lens units respectively in the optical axis direction using the first and second cam parts as the first cam tube rotates around an optical axis, and a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the first and second lens units in the optical axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110122509Abstract: A lens barrel that causes base portions of cam followers in a first optical member and a second optical member to follow a single straight-ahead movement guide groove along an optical axis even when circumferential phases of the cam followers are staggered, so that the optical members can move straight ahead while being inhibited from rotating. The base portion of the cam follower of one of the first optical member and the second optical member has a slide portion that is guided along both inner wall surfaces of a straight-ahead movement guide groove which face each other in a circumferential direction of a straight-ahead moving cylinder. The slide portion has a guide surface that guides the base portion of the cam follower of the other one of the first optical member and the second optical member in the direction of the optical axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 7936985Abstract: A lens barrel having an increased strength against external impact. The lens barrel is configured to move in an optical axis direction. A photographic lens unit moves in the optical axis direction. A cylindrical unit is engaged with the photographic lens unit, and has an outer periphery formed thereon with a first cam groove followed by the photographic lens unit. The cylindrical unit performs rotation to thereby move the photographic lens unit in the optical axis direction. A rectilinear motion-causing restriction member is engaged with the cylindrical unit to restrict motion of the photographic lens unit to rectilinear motion. A second cylindrical unit is disposed around the photographic lens unit and the cylindrical unit to guide the photographic lens unit for rectilinear motion. A second rectilinear motion-causing restriction member restricts motion of the rectilinear motion-causing restriction member and the second cylindrical unit in a direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2009Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110096203Abstract: A lens barrel that can realize increased shooting magnification and slimming down of an image pickup apparatus without increasing drive load and optical accuracy error in driving the lens barrel along an optical axis. A cam follower follows cam grooves in a cam cylinder to move along the optical axis, and engages with a lens holding frame to move the same from a retracted state to a shooting state. A compression coil spring urges the cam follower and the lens holding frame in such a direction as to draw them away from each other, and when the cam follower moves from the shooting state to the retracted state, engages with the lens holding frame to move the same toward an image plane. A fixed portion coming into abutment with the lens holding frame restricts movement of the lens holding frame toward the image plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: April 28, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20110032617Abstract: The optical apparatus includes a base member, a shift member holding an image stabilizing lens and movable in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis direction of the optical apparatus with respect to the base member, a biasing member biasing the shift member toward the base member in the optical axis direction, and an aperture stop unit disposed on a side opposite to the base member with respect to the shift member and adjusting an amount of light. The aperture stop unit includes a displacement preventing portion which makes contact with the shift member to prevent the shift member from being displaced toward the aperture stop unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20100271712Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit that can respectively move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube, a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the second lens unit in the optical axis direction, a guide member that is configured to guide the linearly moving guide tube in the optical axis direction, a cylindrical member that is provided on an outer circumferential side of the first lens unit, and a second cam tube. The first lens unit includes a guide part configured to guide the cylindrical member in the optical axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2008Publication date: October 28, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20100208362Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit each of which is configured to move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube that includes a first cam part and a second cam part respectively on an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and moves the first and second lens units respectively in the optical axis direction using the first and second cam parts as the first cam tube rotates around an optical axis, and a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the first and second lens units in the optical axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2008Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20100183288Abstract: A shake correction unit comprises a first lens unit that holds a first lens and is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens during a shake correction operation and a second lens unit that holds a second lens and is attached to the first lens unit and moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis together with the first lens unit during the shake correction operation, at least one of a shutter and an iris diaphragm having a changeable opening diameter is disposed between the first lens unit and the second lens unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2010Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Publication number: 20100183291Abstract: A barrier device that is capable of being configured simply and thinly without enlarging an external diameter of an image pickup lens barrel even if an aperture in front of an image pickup lens is large. A pair of principal blade members that can open and close are arranged facing to the aperture. A plurality of pairs of auxiliary blade members are driven to open and close interlocked with open-close operations of the principal blade members. A pair of barrier driving springs are disposed between a barrier driving member that rotates around an optical axis of an image pickup optical system and the principal blade members, and to force to pull them each other in a direction to close the principal blade members. The open-close operations of the principal blade members are performed using spring forces of the barrier driving springs as the barrier driving member rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2010Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh