By Movable Refractive Structure Patents (Class 359/557)
  • Publication number: 20110075999
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a stationary member defining a first receiving space and a first central axis, a moveable member received in the first receiving space and spaced from the stationary member, a driving assembly including a first magnetic member fixed to the stationary member and a second magnetic member fixed to the moveable member, a resilient assembly interconnecting the stationary member and the moveable member, and a gyro. The moveable member defines a second central axis coinciding with the first central axis. The first magnetic member faces the second magnetic member. The driving assembly drives the moveable member to rotate about a first axis and a second axis relative to the stationary member through magnetic interaction between the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member. The second axis is perpendicular to the first axis; the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to the first central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHI-WEI CHIU
  • Patent number: 7912362
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical image stabilizing apparatus for a micro-camera module capable of effectively stabilizing an image of the camera module and implementing miniaturization of the camera module by supplying an ā€œLā€-shaped biaxial guide structure to prevent a tilt in a Y axial direction while moving an automatic focusing unit of the camera module in a horizontal X axial direction and to prevent a tilt in an X axial direction while moving the automatic focusing unit of the camera module in a horizontal Y axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo Cheol Lim, Jae Ho Moon, Ho Seop Jeong, Jae Hyuk Park
  • Patent number: 7911697
    Abstract: A lens includes a front group including a plurality of lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Ohtake, Ken Tanaka, Tsutomu Naitou, Takuya Tsutsumi, Eiji Yano, Tatsuyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7907350
    Abstract: Providing a high optical performance zoom lens system with realizing a high zoom ratio and compactness suitable for a highly integrated electronic imaging device. The system includes, in order from an object along an optical axis: a first group G1 having positive refractive power; a second group G2 having negative refractive power; a third group G3 having positive refractive power; a fourth group G4 having positive refractive power; and a fifth group G5 having negative refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state W to a telephoto end state T, the second group G2 and the fourth group G4 are moved along the optical axis. The first group G1 includes, in order from the object along the optical axis, a front group G1f having negative refractive power, an optical-path-bending element P for bending an optical path, and a rear group G1r having positive refractive power. Given expression is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Mitsuki
  • Patent number: 7907837
    Abstract: In an image blur correction apparatus, rotation of a correction lens about an optical axis is regulated without special mechanism or drive unit. When displacing a third lens unit in a pitch and yaw directions, forces Bp, By driving a shift base are generated in the respective directions by Lorentz force, to generate forces Cp, Cy, Dp, Dy returning a magnet to an original position by attraction force. By, Cy and Bp, Dp, respectively, are exerted on the same axes, whereas Cp, Dy are not in the same axes as those of Bp, By, respectively, so that a rotational moment for the shift base is generated and the shift base is stabilized at a first angle. Since the first angle is smaller than a second angle regulated by a restriction portion for a shift movement frame, the shift base does not abut the shift movement frame to deteriorate image stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Anshita
  • Publication number: 20110058799
    Abstract: An image stabilizer that compensates for external vibrations by moving an imaging unit. The image stabilizer includes a first frame on which an imaging unit is installed, a second frame that is connected to the first frame using three points and guides movement of the first frame in a first direction and second direction, and a third frame that is connected to the second frame using three points and guides the first frame and the second frame to move in a third direction and fourth direction, which are perpendicular to the first and second directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hae-In CHUNG, Jin-won LEE, Min-jae LEE, Jeong-hyun SHIM, Sung-hyun KIM
  • Publication number: 20110044672
    Abstract: An optical element driving device is provided with at least one optical element, a moving member, a fixed member, a first actuator, a first detection element, a second actuator, and a second detection element. The first actuator has a first coil and a first magnet. The first detection element is substantially aligned in a first direction relative to the first coil to detect the position of the moving member in the first direction. The second actuator has a second coil and a second magnet. The second detection element is substantially aligned in the first direction relative to the second coil to detect the position of the moving member in a second direction. The optical element, the first actuator, and the second actuator are substantially aligned in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke ITO
  • Patent number: 7894135
    Abstract: A zoom lens easily performs image stabilization with a compact and light image-stabilizing lens unit, properly corrects an aberration change during image stabilization, and achieves high optical performance. The zoom lens includes a first positive lens unit, a second negative lens unit, a third positive lens unit, a fourth negative lens unit, and a fifth positive lens. These lens units are arranged in order from an object side toward an image side, and are moved during zooming. The fourth lens unit is formed by one lens component, and is moved in a direction having a component that is perpendicular to the optical axis for image shifting. The Abbe number of a negative lens that forms the fourth lens unit, the thickness of the fourth lens unit on the optical axis, and the focal length of the entire zoom lens at the wide angle end are set appropriately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiro Nanba
  • Patent number: 7889438
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a large-aperture zoom lens that provides an aperture ratio as small as 2.8 as strongly desired, facilitates implementation with a vibration compensating mechanism, and successfully downsizes in more compact lens. The large-aperture zoom lens has four of groups of lens pieces, that is, the leading or foremost 1st lens group of positive refractivity, the succeeding 2nd lens group of negative refractivity, the 3rd lens group of positive refractivity, and the trailing 4th lens group of positive refractivity, and as the zoom lens varies power from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the 1st and 2nd lens groups split farther away from each other, the 2nd and 3rd lens groups come closer to each other, and the 3rd and 4th lens groups come closer to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 7889440
    Abstract: A zoom lens ZL installed in a single-lens reflex digital camera 1 and the like includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, and a rear lens group GR having positive refractive power. The second lens group G2 includes at least one positive lens and a negative lens disposed adjacent to the object side of the positive lens having largest refractive power among the positive lenses. Each distance between lens groups varies upon zooming from a wide-angle end state and a telephoto end state. Thereby providing a zoom lens having excellent optical performance, an optical apparatus equipped the zoom lens, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nkon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Satoshi Miwa, Takeshi Suzuki, Haruo Sato
  • Publication number: 20110032616
    Abstract: The optical unit includes a base member, a shift member configured to hold an image stabilizing lens and to be movable with respect to the base member in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis to reduce image blur, and an image stabilizing actuator configured to shift the shift member. The optical unit further includes a light controlling member disposed further inside than the image stabilizing actuator in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis and in an area where the image stabilizing actuator is disposed in a direction parallel to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Yuichiro Kato, Katsuhiko Sato
  • Publication number: 20110032617
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
  • Publication number: 20110026908
    Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes a movable vibration-correcting lens constituting a part of an optical system and movable along a direction orthogonal to an optical axis; a locking unit that fixes the movable vibration-correcting lens at a neutral position substantially coinciding with the optical axis of the optical system; an actuating unit that switches between a locked state where the movable vibration-correcting lens is fixed by the locking unit and an unlocked state where the locked state of the movable vibration-correcting lens is released. The locking unit includes retaining members having a retaining unit sandwiching the movable vibration-correcting lens and arranged to slide along the direction orthogonal to the optical axis; and the actuating unit switches between the locked state and the unlocked state by moving the retaining members in opposing directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventor: Fumiyoshi NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 7881596
    Abstract: An image fluctuation correction device includes a shake detecting means 5 for detecting a shake occurring in a photographic device, two movable refraction elements 10A, 10B arranged on an incident light path to an optical lens 3 to change a direction of refraction of incident light on the optic lens, two rotating means 4A, 4B for rotating each of the two movable refraction elements 10A, 10B about an optical axis within a predetermined movable range, a rotating control amount calculating means 6A for calculating rotating control amounts of the two rotating means 4A, 4B so as to cancel the shake detected by the shake detecting means, and rotating control means 6B for controlling the two rotating means 4A, 4B on the basis of the rotating control amounts calculated by the rotating control amount calculating means 6A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshichi Otake
  • Patent number: 7881597
    Abstract: There is provided an image blur correction device including: a correction lens; a first movable frame; a second movable frame; a fixed frame; a first main guide shaft and a first auxiliary guide shaft; a second main guide shaft and a second auxiliary guide shaft; a first driving part; and a second driving part. The first auxiliary guide shaft is shorter than the first main guide shaft and the second driving part is placed between the first auxiliary guide shaft and the correction lens. The second auxiliary guide shaft is shorter than the second main guide shaft and the first driving part is placed between the second auxiliary guide shaft and the correction lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Tsutsumi, Yutaka Maeda
  • Patent number: 7880797
    Abstract: A tilt lens system includes a focus lens unit movable during focusing; a diaphragm sharing a primary optical axis with the focus lens unit; and a tilt lens unit, arranged on an image side of the focus lens unit and the diaphragm, having a negative refractive power and an optical axis tiltable with respect to the primary optical axis. Conditional Expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied as follows, 1.3<?t<1.7??(1) 0<P<H1??(2) where ?t is a lateral magnification of the tilt lens unit in a not tilted state, P is a distance from a most object side surface of the tilt lens unit to a rotating center of the tilt lens unit in a tilted state, and H1 is a distance from the most object side surface of the tilt lens unit to a first principal point of the tilt lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nanjo, Masafumi Sueyoshi
  • Publication number: 20110013283
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes: an optical system movable in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis (ā€œorthogonal planeā€) and correcting image blur; a movable member holding the optical system and movable relative to a fixed member in an orthogonal plane; a guide guiding the movable member while preventing from rotating in an orthogonal plane; three first balls rollably interposed between the fixed and guide members; two second balls rollably interposed between the guide and movable members; one third ball rollably interposed between the fixed and movable members; a biasing unit biasing the movable member toward the fixed member; and a drive unit driving the movable member relative to the fixed member in two directions perpendicular to the optical axis, wherein in an orthogonal plane, two of the first balls are rollable only in first direction; the second balls are rollable only in second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Sato
  • Patent number: 7872780
    Abstract: A flexible printed wiring board arrangement of an imaging device, includes an image pickup device fixing member to which an image pickup device is fixed; a holding member which holds the image pickup device fixing member; an inclination angle adjusting mechanism for changing an inclination angle of the image pickup device fixing member relative to the holding member; a flexible printed wiring board which extends from the image pickup device; and a flexible printed wiring board support member which is fixed to the holding member at a position behind the image pickup device fixing member, a part of the flexible printed wiring board being in contact with the flexible printed wiring board support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka, Ken Endo
  • Publication number: 20110007396
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in a direction of an optical axis; a second lens group that has a negative refractive power and is movable on the optical axis so as to perform a zoom operation; a third lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in the direction of the optical axis during zooming and focusing; a fourth lens group that has a positive refractive power and is movable on the optical axis so as to correct fluctuation in imaging position and correct change in imaging position caused by change in object distance; and a fifth lens group that has a positive refractive power and remains stationary in the direction of the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Suzaki, Shinichi Arita, Takuya Anzawa
  • Patent number: 7869702
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an image blur correcting device having a dimension reduced in any one direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the incident light, and a camera equipped with this device. The image blur correcting device 300 includes a pitching movement frame 205, a pitching guide mechanism 304, a yawing guide mechanism 306, a pitching direction electromagnetic actuator 312, and a yawing direction electromagnetic actuator 314. The pitching movement frame 205 supports a third lens group G3 for performing image blur correction. The pitching guide mechanism 304 guides the pitching movement frame 205 in the pitching direction. The yawing guide mechanism 306 guides the pitching movement frame 205 in the yawing direction. The electromagnetic actuator 312 drives the pitching movement frame 205 in the pitching direction. The electromagnetic actuator 314 drives the pitching movement frame 205 in the yawing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Hayashi, Eiichi Nagaoka, Keiji Sakamoto, Hideyuki Hashi, Kenichi Hayashi, Daisuke Ito
  • Publication number: 20110001872
    Abstract: The lens barrel includes a lens frame and a cam frame. The lens frame has a body supporting a lens element in the optical system, at least three through-holes formed in the lens frame body, at least three cam members arranged on the lens frame body and at least one protruding member that protrude from the lens frame body. The cam frame has a body, at least three projection members extending from the cam frame body and inserted through the through-holes, at least three cam grooves formed in the cam frame body and the projection members to guide the cam members and to movably support the lens frame with respect to the cam frame body. The cam frame also has at least one auxiliary groove to guide the protruding member. One end of the auxiliary groove is disposed in the circumferential direction between two adjacent projection members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori HONSHO, Masanori Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7864451
    Abstract: An imaging lens includes first to fourth lens units in order from the object side to the image side. The first, third, and fourth lens units have a positive refractive power. The second and fifth lens units have a negative refractive power. During focusing from an object at infinity to a close object, the first, third, and fifth lens units do not move, and the second and fourth lens units respectively move toward the image side and the object side. The fifth lens unit includes a fifth-a lens unit having a negative refractive power which moves in a direction having a component perpendicular to an optical axis to shift a image position, and a fifth-b lens unit having a positive refractive power. Focal lengths of the third lens unit, the entire system of the imaging lens, the fifth-a lens unit, and the fifth-b lens unit are adequately set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7860384
    Abstract: An image stabilizer that stabilizes images by moving a correcting lens for stabilizing images formed by a lens system in a first direction and a second direction which are perpendicular to an optical axis of said lens system and which are perpendicular to each other, includes a driver which is provided at one side of the correcting lens and which moves the correcting lens in the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: SONY Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20100302640
    Abstract: A lens system having, in order from an object, at least a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, and second to fourth lens groups G2 to G4, wherein the first lens group G1 includes a front portion lens group G1a, and a rear portion lens group G1b which is disposed to an image side of the front portion lens group G1a with an air distance therebetween, and performs focusing by shifting the rear portion lens group G1b in the optical axis direction, and the fourth lens group G4 includes, in order from the object, a negative lens and a positive lens (cemented negative lens L41), a negative lens L42, and an aperture stop S, and is fixed in the optical axis direction with respect to an image plane I upon zooming from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventor: Toshinori TAKE
  • Patent number: 7830604
    Abstract: The projection lens that projects a light flux from an object onto a projection surface. The projection lens includes a negative lens unit having a negative optical power, and a correction mechanism that tilts the negative lens unit with respect to an optical axis of the projection lens such that field tilt is generated in a direction opposite to a direction of field curvature generated at the projection surface. The projection lens reduces the generation of field curvature and its variation using a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Publication number: 20100272423
    Abstract: A shake correcting apparatus includes a correcting unit operable to correct an optical axis of light from a subject according to a correction signal, a shake detecting unit operable to detect shake of a target to output a detection signal according to an amount of the detected shake, a correction signal generating unit operable to generate the correction signal based on the detection signal output from the shake detecting unit, a natural oscillation detecting unit operable to detect a frequency component of the detection signal in a predetermined frequency band, and a controller operable to control the correction signal generating unit to generate the correction signal according to a detection result of the natural oscillation detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: MASAMICHI OHARA
  • Patent number: 7822331
    Abstract: An image blur correction device is provided. The device includes a correction lens, a first movable frame, a second movable frame, a fixed base, a driving part and a guide mechanism. The correction lens is configured to correct an image blur in a lens system. The first movable frame holds the correction lens. The second movable frame supports the first movable frame to be movable in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens system. The fixed base supports the second movable frame to be movable in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens system and perpendicular to the first direction. The driving part moves the first movable frame in the first direction and moves the second movable frame in the second direction. The guide mechanism has at least one guide shaft guiding both the first movable frame and the second movable frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20100260492
    Abstract: An exemplary image stabilizer includes an outer housing, an inner housing, an upper cover and a driving assembly. The inner housing is moveably received in the outer housing. The upper cover is fixedly mounted on the inner housing and moveably supported by the outer housing. The driving assembly includes a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member. The first magnetic member is positioned on the inner housing. The second magnetic member is positioned on the outer housing. The driving assembly is configured for driving the inner housing and the upper cover to move relative to the outer housing in a plane substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the outer housing through interaction between the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: YU-CHIEN HUANG
  • Publication number: 20100259822
    Abstract: An actuator includes a first barrel, a second barrel, a first magnetic portion, a second magnetic portion and a plurality of springs. The second barrel is received in the first barrel. The first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion are arranged between the first barrel and the second barrel. The first magnetic portion is fixed to the first barrel. The second magnetic portion is fixed to the second barrel. The first magnetic portion is opposite to the second magnetic portion. The first and second magnetic portions cooperatively drive the second barrel to move in the first barrel on the plane perpendicular to a central axis of the first barrel. The springs are elastically connected to the first barrel and to the second barrel, to provide a restoring force between the first barrel and the second barrel when the first barrel is not coaxial with the second barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: YU-CHIEN HUANG, TAI-HSU CHOU
  • Publication number: 20100260493
    Abstract: A third group barrel 3 holding a third lens group L3 is controlled to be driven by drivers in yaw and pitch directions orthogonal to an optical axis, respectively. The Y magnet and the Y yoke of the driver in the yaw direction are fixed on the third group barrel 3, and a Y electromagnetic coil is disposed at a Y guide base 24 surrounding the third group barrel 3. As a driver in the pitch direction, a P magnet and P yoke 29 are fixed to the Y guide base 24, and a P electromagnetic coil is fixed to a P guide base at an opposed position. A Y guide bar 25 and a P guide bar 30 are overlapped with projection regions onto planes orthogonal to the optical axis of the Y electromagnetic coil and the Y magnet, and the P electromagnetic coil and the P magnet, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 7813052
    Abstract: A variable power optical system composed of a first optical part, a second optical part, and a third optical part, with the first optical part being movable with respect to the second and third optical parts to change the focal length of the entire system. The first optical part is movably held between the second optical part and the third optical part. The first optical part moves in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis over a distance between the position on the optical system of the entire system and the position of retraction from the optical axis of the entire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noritoshi Eguchi, Tomotsu Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100253830
    Abstract: A zoom lens and an imaging optical device having the same. The zoom lens includes: in order from an object side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a second lens group having positive refractive power; and a third lens group having positive refractive power. A light adjusting unit is disposed between the second and third lens groups. The first lens group includes a negative lens having an aspherical surface at least on an image side, and a positive lens having large curvature on the object side. The second lens group includes a front group on the object side, and a rear group. The front group includes a positive lens having an aspherical surface at the object side, the front group having positive refractive power as a whole. The rear group includes a doublet lens including positive and negative lenses. The rear group has negative refractive power as a whole. The front and rear groups are spaced apart from each other by an air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Yoshito Iwasawa
  • Patent number: 7809256
    Abstract: The invention aims to achieve slim design by employing a light path folding optical system, add a hand-shake correction capability, and lower power consumption. An imaging lens device includes a light path folding optical system having a reflector that folds the optical axis incident perpendicular to the gravitational direction toward the gravitational direction, and an imaging element that converts an image formed by the light path folding optical system into an electrical signal. The imaging lens device also includes drive means that moves some of lens groups or one lens (hereinafter referred to as ā€œshake correction lens groupā€) in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis folded toward the gravitational direction by the reflector (hereinafter referred to as ā€œvertical optical axisā€). The shake correction lens group is moved in the direction perpendicular to the vertical optical axis to move the image in the direction perpendicular to the vertical optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Kuroda, Yoshito Iwasawa, Makoto Kanai
  • Publication number: 20100246002
    Abstract: Provided is a zoom lens system includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens unit having a positive refractive power; a second lens unit having a negative refractive power; a third lens unit having a positive refractive power; and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, the second and fourth lens units move on an optical axis during zooming. The third lens unit includes, in order from the object side to the image side: a third A lens unit having a negative refractive power; and a third B lens unit having a positive refractive power, the third B lens unit including a positive lens and a negative lens being joined together. When curvature radii of surfaces of the cemented lens on the object side and the image side are R3A and R3B, respectively, the following condition is satisfied: 5<|(R3A+R3B)/(R3A?R3B)|<30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuaki Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7804645
    Abstract: An image stabilizer of the present invention is provided with a lens module 101 that holds a lens and an imaging element, an inner frame that turnably supports the lens module 101, and driving portion that turns the lens module 101 relative to the inner frame 11, with the driving portion including a bimorph 14. An image stabilizer thereby can be provided that allows the overall size and profile of an imaging apparatus to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Morita, Hideaki Mukae, Hironori Honsho, Kenichi Honjo, Daisuke Ito, Tetsuya Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20100232020
    Abstract: A lens includes a front group including a plurality of lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Ohtake, Ken Tanaka, Tsutomu Naitou, Takuya Tsutsumi, Eiji Yano, Tatsuyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7796878
    Abstract: A lens barrel 11 is mounted in a collapsible imaging device 1 and includes a third lens frame 55. The third frame 55 is a lens frame to which correction lenses L5, L6, L7 are mounted and includes a shutter unit 57, a vibration compensation actuator 71, a lens frame main body 95, a focus lens frame 105, and a focus motor 115. The focus lens frame 105 is urged against the lens frame main body 95 toward the image plane side by means of a focus spring 110. A motor section 117 of the focus motor 115 is arranged in a region interposed between two multilayer printed circuit boards 77, 79 when viewed from the image plane side or the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Santo, Keiji Sakamoto, Keishi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7791642
    Abstract: Provided is an image-taking apparatus having an easier human machine interface than before. Instead of operating an operator, a mode for a flash condition among multiple shooting conditions displayed on a display panel of a liquid crystal display device is switched from an automatic mode to a forced on mode by shaking a digital camera vertically. Then, the shooting condition is switched to a focusing condition by shaking the digital camera horizontally. The shooting condition is switched from the focusing condition to a white balance condition by shaking this image-taking apparatus horizontally again. Thereafter, a mode for the shooting condition is switched from a macro mode to a macro-off mode by shaking this image-taking apparatus vertically again. Likewise, it is possible to set up various modes for the respective shooting conditions by shaking this image-taking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Nishino
  • Patent number: 7791801
    Abstract: A zoom lens system comprising a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element, wherein an interval between at least any two lens units is changed so that an optical image is formed with a continuously variable magnification, the zoom lens system comprises a first lens unit having positive power, a second lens unit that includes a lens element having a reflecting surface and has negative power and subsequent lens units including at least one lens unit having positive power, and the condition: 0.50<(C?S)/H<1.00(C=?(2RĀ·dR?dR2), S is a sag of the image side surface of the most object side lens element in the second lens unit at height H, H is one-half of an optical axial thickness of the lens element having a reflecting surface, R is a radius of curvature of the image side surface, and dR is an interval between the most object side lens element and the lens element having a reflecting surface) is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Keiki Yoshitsugu, Takakazu Bito
  • Patent number: 7791818
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes, arranged sequentially from an object side, a first lens group including at least one reflective optical member changing the optical path of an incident light ray, and having positive refractive power; a second lens group having negative refractive power; a third lens group having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, and during a magnification change from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position, the first lens group and the third lens group are not moved, the second lens group is moved from the object side towards an image side, and the fourth lens group is linearly moved from the image side towards the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7787197
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical analyzer having illumination optics that include a light source, such as a laser or other source, adapted to emit a collimated, or approximately collimated, light beam, a focusing lens that focuses the beam onto a focus spot within a detection region, and beam-adjusting optics positioned in the light path between the light beam source and the focusing lens, which allow for precise positioning of the focus spot within the detection region. The beam-adjusting optics of the present invention comprise at least one movable focusing lens, mounted in a positioning device that allows repositioning of the lens in a plane perpendicular to the light path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventor: Yong Qin Chen
  • Publication number: 20100214658
    Abstract: A zoom lens ZL installed in an electronic still camera 1 includes a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power disposed to the most object side, a second lens group G2 disposed to an image side of the first lens group G1, and a Gn lens group having positive refractive power disposed to the most image side. Upon zooming, the first lens group G1 and the Gn lens group are fixed. Upon focusing, at least one lens group disposed between the second lens group G2 and the Gn lens group are moved as a focusing lens group Gf. With this lens configuration, it becomes possible to provide a zoom lens having an optical property capable of coping with a vibration reduction, and an optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventor: Tomoki ITO
  • Patent number: 7782533
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Fujinaka, Takashi Koike, Takumi Kuwahara, Atsushi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20100209087
    Abstract: In an image blur correction device and an imaging device according to the present invention, a holder for holding an optical component, which is displaced for correcting an image blur, is supported by one or more balls, so as to be freely displaced by sliding on the base, and has a structure to restrict the movement of the holder within a range, which is smaller than a mobile range normally acquired when the ball is assembled, if the ball is omitted in an assembly. Therefore the image blur correction device and the imaging device having this configuration can detect the missing of a ball in an assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventor: Naohiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7777952
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image stabilizing apparatus, a lens unit, and an image pickup apparatus. The present invention provides an image stabilizing apparatus for stabilizing an image by moving a predetermined lens group in an image pickup optical system which transmits a light flux from an object. The image stabilizing apparatus includes: a shift mechanism for shifting the predetermined lens group in a predetermined direction; and a rotation mechanism for rotating the shift mechanism in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigeo Homme
  • Patent number: 7777951
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, a third lens unit having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power. The zoom lens performs zooming by moving each of the lens units. The first lens unit and the third lens unit are positioned closer to the object at a telephoto end than at a wide-angle end. The zoom lens satisfies the following conditions: 0.3<|m1/m2|<1.5 0.3<|m3/m2|<0.8 where m1, m2, and m3 are the amounts of movement of the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the third lens unit, respectively, along an optical axis during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saruwatari
  • Publication number: 20100202053
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a positive refractive, fixed first lens unit; a negative refractive second lens unit movable mainly for zooming; a positive refractive, fixed third lens unit; a positive refractive fourth lens unit movable for focal-position correction and focusing performed in response to zooming; and a positive refractive fifth lens unit. The fifth lens unit includes, in order from the object side to the image side, a negative refractive, fixed sub-unit; and a positive refractive sub-unit movable substantially perpendicularly to an optical axis. An image formed on an image surface is movable substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis by moving the movable sub-unit substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis. An aperture stop is provided on the object side of the third lens unit. The third lens unit includes a positive refractive sub-unit and a negative refractive sub-unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Toyoda
  • Publication number: 20100195206
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Miyamori, Akio Konishi, Hiroyasu Fujinaka, Hirotsugu Yabuta, Makoto Umeda
  • Publication number: 20100195207
    Abstract: Provided is a zoom lens system including a compact focusing lens unit and having a suppressed change in image magnification at the time of movement of the focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system of the present invention, in order from an object side to an image side, includes a first lens unit G1 having positive optical power, a second lens unit G2 having negative optical power, a third lens unit G3 having negative optical power, and a fourth lens unit G4 having positive optical power. At the time of zooming, at least the first lens unit G1 moves from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit. The fourth lens unit G4 includes a first sub lens unit having positive optical power and a second sub lens unit having negative optical power, the second sub lens unit being arranged at the image side relative to the first sub lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuneo Uchida, Nobuyuki Adachi
  • Publication number: 20100188755
    Abstract: A zoom lens system including, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power, a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group G3 having negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group G4 having positive refractive power, upon zooming from a wide-angle end state W to a telephoto end state T, varying respective distances between adjacent lens groups G1, G2, G3, G4, shifting at least one portion of the third lens group G3 in a direction including a component perpendicular to the optical axis, and satisfying given conditional expressions, thereby providing a zoom lens system having a lens capable of moving in a direction including a component perpendicular to the optical axis, and realizing a high zoom ratio and excellent optical performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventor: Satoru SHIBATA