Electromagnetic Or Piezoelectric Drive Patents (Class 359/824)
  • Patent number: 9397586
    Abstract: A driving device having a vibration element, a friction member, and a pressing member for applying pressure in a direction in which the vibration element and the friction member make contact with each other, causing the vibration element and the friction member to make a relative movement by vibration generated in the vibration element. The device includes a connection member configured to transmit a driving force caused by the relative movement to a holding member of another member, wherein the holding member makes a movement caused by the transmitted driving force, and a guide member configured to guide the holding member in a moving direction when the vibration element and the friction member make the relative movement. The connection member connects the holding member to the vibration element or the friction member so as not to apply a reaction force caused by the pressing member to the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9372324
    Abstract: An imaging lens barrel includes: a barrel body; a rotating body; a first magnetic sensor; a second magnetic sensor; a phase difference calculation section; a correction table memory that stores a plurality of correction tables which are obtained when the imaging lens is moved at different speeds and are used to correct a difference between the phase difference calculated by the phase difference calculation section and a design value of the phase difference; a phase difference correction section configured to correct the phase difference calculated by the phase difference calculation section, using a correction table corresponding to a moving speed of the imaging lens among the plurality of correction tables; and an absolute position calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Mamoru Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9362811
    Abstract: An electromagnetic driver with lead-out structure for coil includes at least one coil holder and at least one coil disposed on the coil holder. The coil holder has a plurality of metal connecting member, and the two lead-out ends of the coil are electrically connected to the first connecting terminals of the metal connecting members. The second connecting terminal of the metal connecting member is electrically connected to a conductive member, such as spring, and the coil of the electromagnetic driver can be independently and automatically manufactured and then assembled with the other conductive member. The coil of the electromagnetic driver can be directly replaced at maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hung-Lin Wang
  • Patent number: 9350224
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an actuator unit. When the actuator unit is assembled in a lens driving device and works, a lens support beginning to move cannot be inclined. A spring component (14) is provided with an inner side retaining part (14a), an outer side retaining part (14b), a plurality of wrist parts (14c), a plurality of inner side connecting parts (14e), a plurality of outer side connecting parts (14f) and spoke parts (14g) for connecting the inner side retaining part (14a) with the outer side retaining part (14b) in a releasable manner, wherein the lens support (17) is supported by the spring components (14), and an electromagnetic driving mechanism (22) is utilized for enabling the lens support (17) to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: HUIZHOU DAYAWAN EVER BRIGHT ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CO, JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., HUIZHOU DAYA BAY JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kokichi Terajima
  • Patent number: 9350907
    Abstract: There are provided a drive device that is detachably mounted on a lens barrel making time, which is required until the position of a zoom ring is detected, uniform, a method of controlling initial processing for storing a result of initial processing in a memory, and a method of adjusting an angular position. A series of pulses are output from an encoder 45 according to the rotation of a zoom ring. A reference signal is output from a photo interrupter 40 at an intermediate position of a movable range of the zoom ring. The present position of the zoom ring is calculated from the pulses of the encoder that are generated after the rising or falling of the reference signal. Time, which is required until the position of the zoom ring is detected, is made uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuji Matsuura, Atsushi Misawa, Kentaro Imagawa
  • Patent number: 9341810
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention a rotor including a lens and formed with a first driving unit, a stator formed with a second driving unit driving the rotor in response to electromagnetic interaction with the first driving unit, and a base on which the stator is fixed, wherein the rotor is brought into contact with the base, in a case the lens is in a UP posture, and the rotor is distanced from the base, in a case the lens is in a DOWN posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Ok Park, Hyun Rae Cho, Seong Min Lee, Jun Taek Lee
  • Patent number: 9338335
    Abstract: A lens drive apparatus includes a yoke which has a first parallel portion parallel to an optical axis and a second parallel portion which is located closer to the optical axis than the first parallel portion, the first and the second parallel portions being magnetically coupled, a magnet arranged at the first parallel portion to extend in the optical axis direction, a first lens frame which has a first coil wound around the second parallel portion and which is guided by a first guide shaft, and a second lens frame, which has a second coil wound around the second parallel portion and which is guided by a second guide shaft, and the first and the second guide shafts are arranged at positions so as not to interfere with the yoke in a cross-section perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohide Yano
  • Patent number: 9313387
    Abstract: The camera module according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a housing mounted therein with camera constituent parts and configured to protect the image sensor, an actuator arranged on the housing, and an electronic circuit pattern layer integrally formed on a surface of the housing to conductively connect the actuator to the PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kwang Joon Han
  • Patent number: 9300196
    Abstract: A VCM is disclosed, the VCM including a rotor including a bobbin arranged at an upper surface of a base formed with an opening, and a driving coil wound on the bobbin, a stator including a driving magnet opposite to the driving coil, and a yoke secured by the driving magnet at an inner surface of a lateral plate, and a tilting unit including a tilt magnet arranged at an outer surface of the lateral plate, a housing fixing the tilt magnet, and a tilt coil unit opposite to the tilt magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin Suk Han
  • Patent number: 9277103
    Abstract: A wireless speaker and digital camera device comprises a speaker, a lens, and image sensor, a processor, a wireless transceiver, a digital memory device, a battery and a shutter button to cause the at least one processor to capture a still image or video from the image sensor and store a captured image or video in the digital memory device. The processor and the wireless transceiver being configured to pair with a portable, hand-held computer. The device also having a play button to cause the processor and the transceiver to wirelessly receive music data from the portable, hand-held computer and play the music data through the speaker. The device can have a microphone and the processor can be capable of suspending operation of the speaker during operation of the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Hales, Paul Faerber
  • Patent number: 9274256
    Abstract: A hexapod system is provided for aligning an optical element in semiconductor clean rooms or in a vacuum, particularly in an illumination device for a microlithographic EUV projection exposure apparatus. The system includes six hexapod supporting structures. Using a set of at least two replaceable spacer elements having a different extent in at least one direction, at least one of the six supporting structures can be adjusted. The latter is adapted so that a spacer element can be removed or a spacer element can be added while the coupling of the first coupling end to the carrying structure and the coupling of the second coupling end to the optical element are maintained. A method for aligning an optical element in semiconductor clean rooms or in a vacuum including using a hexapod system is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Boaz Pnini-Mittler
  • Patent number: 9256044
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens driving device includes at least two spring components each of which includes an inner side retaining part, an outer side retaining part, a plurality of wrist parts configured between the inner and outer side retaining parts and prolonged along the circumference direction, inner side connecting parts for connecting one ends of the wrist parts with the inner side connecting part, and outer side connecting parts for connecting the other ends of the wrist parts with the outer side retaining part. Moreover, serpentine necking parts are formed at the roots of the connecting part of the inner side retaining part, straight line-shaped necking parts are formed at the roots of the connecting part of the outer side retaining part, so that stresses acting on the inner side connecting parts and the outer side connecting parts during assembling are absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: HUIZHOU DAYAWAN EVER BRIGHT ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD., JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., HUIZHOU DAYA BAY JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kokichi Terajima
  • Patent number: 9256048
    Abstract: An lens holding device is disclosed. The lens holding device includes a stationary magnetic field generator having a housing and at least one magnet fixed on the housing, the housing having a receiving chamber; at least one elastic member attached to the stationary magnetic field generator; a movable magnetic field generator suspended in the receiving chamber by the elastic member and separated from the stationary magnetic field, the movable magnetic field generator having a lens holding device received in the housing for receiving at least a lens and a coil attached on the lens holding device and facing the magnet, the lens holding device having a lens barrel and a coil holder directly extending from the lens barrel for holding the coil. Wherein the lens barrel and the coil holder are integrated with each other, in which the pre-wind coil is then subsequently attached. This overcomes the issue of the coil deforming the lens barrel in the winding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Palle Geltzer Dinesen
  • Patent number: 9241099
    Abstract: A lens barrel (12) of a camera module (1) is provided with an electrode terminal which is connected to a focus adjusting device (11) and to an electrode terminal (32) of a holder (13). The electrode terminal (32) of the holder (13) faces the electrode terminal of the lens barrel (12) which electrode terminal changes in position in accordance with movement of the lens barrel (12) which movement is caused with the use of a lens barrel moving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Ohta, Yoshihiro Sohtome
  • Patent number: 9231497
    Abstract: An optical member driving apparatus includes an optical member holder holding an optical member, which is rectilinearly guided and has a rotating member supported rotatably about a rotation shaft extending perpendicularly to a movable direction in which the optical member holder is movable, a fixed member that extends in the movable direction, has two sliding surfaces facing each other with predetermined spacing therebetween, and is arranged in such a way that the rotating member is located between the two sliding surfaces, two movers each of which includes a base and a vibrator connected to the base, and a controller that controls driving of the two vibrators to move the optical member holder in the movable direction. The vibrators of the two movers are in pressure contact with one and the other of the two sliding surfaces respectively. The rotating member is rotatably held between the bases of the two movers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Isaka
  • Patent number: 9229188
    Abstract: An optical member drive control apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire first information corresponding to a movement speed of an optical member when a movement of the optical member is controlled and second information corresponding to a movement amount of the optical member; and a controller configured to output a signal to an actuator that moves the optical member and that can detect a drive amount of the actuator per unit time. The controller includes at least a first mode that carries out closed loop control of the actuator according to the detection result of the drive amount of the actuator per unit time and a second mode that carries out open loop control of the actuator, and the controller selects the first mode or the second mode based on the first information and the second information that have been acquired by the acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hisao Yagi
  • Patent number: 9217841
    Abstract: A compact camera modules has first, second, and third lens groups that move along an optical axis. A stepping motor is centered on the optical axis rather than offset from the optical axis. The motor has two coils that are fixed in place and a shared rotating magnet. The magnet is attached to a rotating guide that has slots to move the first and second lens groups as it rotates. The two coils are alternately energized to rotate the magnet, the rotating guide, and to move the first and second lens groups for zoom. The magnet has alternating thicker and thinner segments of opposite polarity. The thicker segments exert a greater force on an autofocus coil that is energized to move the third lens for the autofocus function. The same shared rotating magnet is used for both zoom and autofocus functions. A more compact design is possible using a shared magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science & Technology Research Institute Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kin Ming Fan, Kwok Sing Cheng
  • Patent number: 9210310
    Abstract: An image capturing module includes a circuit substrate, an image sensing element, an actuator module, a lens assembly and a light transmitting element. The image sensing element is disposed on the circuit substrate. The actuator module includes a holder disposed on the circuit substrate. The lens assembly is movably disposed inside the holder. The light transmitting element is disposed inside the holder and between the lens assembly and the image sensing element. The holder has a plurality of first protrusion portions and first recess portions that are alternately arranged on the inner surface of the holder. The lens assembly has a plurality of second protrusion portions and second recess portions that are respectively corresponding to the first recess portions and the first protrusion portions and alternately arranged on the bottom side of the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Lang Liu, Ying-Chieh Chen
  • Patent number: 9201210
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a lens driving device. Inclination generated by a lens support can be reduced when a camera shoots towards any direction, so that distortion cannot be generated for a shot image. Each of a front side spring component and a back side spring components includes an inner side retaining part, an outer side retaining part, two wrist parts, two inner side connecting parts and two outer side connecting parts. The two wrist parts extend along the circumferential direction and are used for connecting the inner and outer side retaining parts. The inner side connecting parts connect one ends of the wrist parts with the inner side retaining part. And the outer side connecting parts connect the other ends of the corresponding wrist parts with the outer side retaining part. The extending angle of each wrist part is at least 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: HUIZHOU DAYAWAN EVER BRIGHT ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CO, JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., HUIZHOU DAYA BAY JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY.CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kokichi Terajima
  • Patent number: 9197121
    Abstract: A VCM (voice coil motor) is disclosed, the VCM comprising: a bobbin formed with a support unit protruded from a periphery of a body at a bottom portion of the body, and a recess unit partially removed at the support unit; and a coil block supported by the support unit and including a plurality of coil layers wound at a periphery of the bobbin, wherein first and second distal ends of the coil block pass through the recess unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seongmin Lee, Sangok Park, Sangjun Min, Taejin Jung
  • Patent number: 9170393
    Abstract: A VCM is disclosed, the VCM including a rotor having a first driving unit and arranged therein with a lens, a stator having a second driving unit wrapping the first driving unit and being opposite to the first driving unit, a base supporting the stator and having an opening formed at a position corresponding to that of the lens, a connection terminal including a pair of first and second connection terminals arranged at an upper surface of the base, and an elastic member including a first elastic member coupled to the rotor and electrically connected the first connection terminal and a second elastic member coupled to the rotor and electrically connected the second connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong Min Lee, Sang Ok Park, Jun Taek Lee
  • Patent number: 9140875
    Abstract: A lens drive device comprises a base, a lens holder, a piezoelectric actuator having a pair of frictional parts, and a pressing piece. The lens holder has a barrel, a projection projecting from the barrel, a support separated from the barrel, and a joint joining the projection and the support to each other. The pressing piece presses the piezoelectric actuator against the barrel so as to keep such a state that at least one of the pair of frictional parts is in contact with the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru Uno, Kazutomo Imi
  • Patent number: 9143690
    Abstract: An optical image stabilizer furnished in an image sensing module includes a casing having a compartment, a fixing plate fixed to the casing, a movable part supporter, a movable part connected to the movable part supporter, a coil, at least one magnet, at least one compensation module, a suspension module connecting the movable part, and a base. The coil furnished outside the movable part is corresponding to the magnet located on the inner surface of the movable part supporter. The base to support the casing is located on the image sensing module. The vertical distance between the compensation module and the image sensing module is larger than that between the coil and the image sensing module. A light inlet side of the movable part is near to the compensation module, while a light outlet side thereof is near to the image sensing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TDK Taiwan Corp.
    Inventors: Chao Chang Hu, Fu Yuan Wu, Jyun Jie Lin
  • Patent number: 9122071
    Abstract: A lens module includes an image lens module and a voice coil motor (VCM) supported on the image lens module. The image lens module includes a seat and a spring element. The seat includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface and defines a notch on the top surface. The spring element is received in the notch, and part of the spring element protruding out of the notch. The VCM includes a lower plate supported on the top surface and the part of the spring element protruding out of the notch. Optical axes of the image lens module and the VCM are aligned with each other by pressing the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsiang-Chieh Yu
  • Patent number: 9093889
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a lens drive device provided with a lens drive module having a movable body, a fixed body and a drive mechanism for driving the movable body, and a circuit board on which the lens drive module is mounted may include a module assembling step in which the lens drive module is assembled, a module mounting step in which the lens drive module is soldered by a reflow method after the module assembling step to be mounted on the circuit board, and a magnetizing step in which a drive magnet of the drive mechanism is magnetized after the module mounting step so that a magnetic pole of one end face and a magnetic pole of the other end face in the optical axis direction are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadashi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9071123
    Abstract: A voice coil motor includes a case, a stationary module, and a movable module. The stationary module is retained within the case, and includes a housing and a number of magnets. The housing and the plurality of magnets are integrally formed. The movable module is movably retained within the case, and includes a barrel and a coil coupled to the barrel. When electric current is applied to the coil, the coil generates a magnetic field and the magnetic field repels the magnets, thereby driving the movable module to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tai-Hsu Chou
  • Patent number: 9063275
    Abstract: A voice coil motor is disclosed, the motor including: a mover including a lens improved in an optical characteristic of an incident light and a coil block arranged at a periphery of the lens; a stator including a magnet opposite to the coil block of the mover; elastic members respectively coupled to an upper end and a bottom end opposite to the upper end of the lens to elastically support the mover; and a base fixing the mover and the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sangok Park
  • Patent number: 9046640
    Abstract: A motor for driving a lens is disclosed, wherein a yoke comprises a rotation prevention unit configured to prevent the bobbin from rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sangjun Min, Taejin Jung, Soojin Jung
  • Publication number: 20150146080
    Abstract: When a vibration-type actuator is in a non-driving period, at least one of a voltage amplitude and a phase difference of an alternate signal applied to an electrode of a piezoelectric element is set to be equal to a minimum value or a maximum value of a dead zone in terms of the voltage amplitude or the phase difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Morita
  • Publication number: 20150146313
    Abstract: An lens holding device is disclosed. The lens holding device includes a stationary magnetic field generator having a housing and at least one magnet fixed on the housing, the housing having a receiving chamber; at least one elastic member attached to the stationary magnetic field generator; a movable magnetic field generator suspended in the receiving chamber by the elastic member and separated from the stationary magnetic field, the movable magnetic field generator having a lens holding device received in the housing for receiving at least a lens and a coil attached on the lens holding device and facing the magnet, the lens holding device having a lens barrel and a coil holder directly extending from the lens barrel for holding the coil. Wherein the lens barrel and the coil holder are integrated with each other, in which the pre-wind coil is then subsequently attached. This overcomes the issue of the coil deforming the lens barrel in the winding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Palle Geltzer Dinesen
  • Patent number: 9042043
    Abstract: A lens holder driving device includes a lens holder in which a lens assembly is mounted, a driving coil fixed to the lens holder at outside circumference thereof, an outer yoke including an outer hollow cylindrical portion and an ring-shaped end portion disposed an upper end of the outer hollow cylindrical portion, a magnet disposed to an inner wall surface of the outer hollow cylindrical portion so as to be opposite to the driving coil, an elastic member supporting the lens holder in a direction of an optical axis shiftably, and a base disposed at a lower side of the lens holder. The lens holder driving device includes a contact area reduction arrangement reducing a contact area between the ring-shaped end portion of the outer yoke and an upper end portion of the lens holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kirii
  • Patent number: 9042042
    Abstract: The lens drive device is equipped with a first supporting body that holds the lens and is movable in the direction of the optical axis, a second supporting body that holds the first supporting body, a fixed body that holds the second supporting body in a manner enabling movement in directions that are roughly orthogonal to the optical axis direction, a first drive mechanism for driving the first supporting body, a second drive mechanism for driving the second supporting body in a first direction, and a third drive mechanism for driving the second supporting body in a second direction. The first supporting body is supported by the second supporting body by means of first supporting members which are formed from an elastic material; and the second supporting body is supported by the fixed body by means of second supporting members, which are formed from an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuki Wade, Katsushige Yanagisawa, Shinji Minamisawa, Tadashi Takeda, Kiyoshi Miyazaki, Hisahiro Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20150131174
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a lens driving device. Inclination generated by a lens support can be reduced when a camera shoots towards any direction, so that distortion cannot be generated for a shot image. Each of a front side spring component and a back side spring components includes an inner side retaining part, an outer side retaining part, two wrist parts, two inner side connecting parts and two outer side connecting parts. The two wrist parts extend along the circumferential direction and are used for connecting the inner and outer side retaining parts. The inner side connecting parts connect one ends of the wrist parts with the inner side retaining part. And the outer side connecting parts connect the other ends of the corresponding wrist parts with the outer side retaining part. The extending angle of each wrist part is at least 180 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Kokichi Terajima
  • Publication number: 20150130991
    Abstract: Provided is a lens apparatus which is communicable with a drive unit including: a movable optical member; and a first communication unit which is communicable with the drive unit, wherein the first communication unit receives an electric power supply different from an electric power supply which supplies an electric power to the drive unit, and wherein the first communication unit is configured to send/receive signals to/from the drive unit in an electrically noncontact manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Masayuki Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20150124154
    Abstract: In a camera unit that is mountable to a lens unit having a focus lens, an AF signal processing unit generates an AF evaluation value from an imaging signal obtained by an imaging element, and a camera control unit generates drive information for moving the focus lens to an in-focus point using the AF evaluation value and transmits the drive information to the mounted lens unit. The camera control unit transmits drive information including a focus lens position served as a reference for micro vibration and an amount of movement of the focus lens indicated by shift amount of an image plane with reference to the focus lens position to a lens unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20150103423
    Abstract: There is provided a drive device including a movable body, and a fixing member that supports, with a drive shaft driven by a piezoelectric element expanded and contracted in response to an applied voltage and a sub shaft provided in parallel with the drive shaft, the movable body connected with the drive shaft movably in an axial direction. The movable body includes a rotation regulating member that supports the sub shaft and regulates rotation of the movable body with the drive shaft as a rotation center, and an impact dispersing part that disperses an impact on the piezoelectric element when inclined to the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Tetsu TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150103422
    Abstract: A lens driving device can not increase the manufacturing cost, and the lens holder can not tilt when the lens holder moves up due to the coil energized. The inside holding portion (14a) of the front spring member (14A) is connected to the surface of the +Z side of the front connection portion (13b) of the lens holder (13), the inside holding portion (14a) of the rear spring member (14B) is connected to the surface of the +Z side of the rear connection portion (13c), the outside diameter of which is larger than the outside diameter of the front connection portion (13b), the outside holding portion (14b) is connected with the base (12) in the manner of shifting the inside holding portion (14a) towards the ?Z side, so as to apply the pressure of the ?Z-axis direction to the lens holder (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Jiangxi Leiyuan Permanent Magnetic Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Terajima Kokichi
  • Publication number: 20150103424
    Abstract: A vibrator including an electro-mechanical transducer and an elastic body that is fixed to the electro-mechanical transducer and that is provided with a projection, the projection having a hollow structure. The projection includes a contact portion having a first surface at a tip, the first surface being parallel to a first plane, a wall portion projecting towards an opposite side with respect to the electro-mechanical transducer, and a connection portion connecting the wall portion and the contact portion to each other. The connection portion having a spring property, and the contact portion includes a portion of which a cross-sectional area in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane increases as an increase of a distance between the portion and the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Araki
  • Patent number: 9001263
    Abstract: A driver circuit for a camera voice coil motor (VCM) is described. A first power switch selectively conducts current from a VCM node to a power supply node, and a second power switch selectively conducts current from the VCM node to a power return node. A pulse width modulation circuit controls the first and second power switches. In another embodiment, a switch mode current control circuit sources VCM current alternately from the power supply node and the power n node, into the VCM node. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Richard H. Tsai
  • Patent number: 8995067
    Abstract: An lens holding device is disclosed. The lens holding device includes a lens barrel defining a closed sidewall, an engaging hole surrounded by the closed sidewall for receiving a lens group, and a coil holder extending from one end of the lens holder. The lens holding device is configured to be one-piece. The disclosure further provides a lens driving device having the lens holding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., American Audio Components Inc.
    Inventor: Palle Geltzer Dinesen
  • Patent number: 8995068
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image photographing device capable of being auto-focused while moving a lens barrel in an optical axis direction. The image photographing device includes: a lens barrel having at least one lens; a housing receiving the lens barrel therein so that the lens barrel moves in an optical axis direction; and an impact reducing unit elastically supporting the lens barrel in the case in which the lens barrel deviates from a set movement range, thereby primarily damping the lens barrel before the lens barrel deviates from the movement range to collide with other components positioned at an outer side of the lens barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Ho Baik, Jae Hyuk Lee, Yong Gyu Yoon, Jung Seok Lee, Myung Jin Lee
  • Publication number: 20150085148
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention a rotor including a lens and formed with a first driving unit, a stator formed with a second driving unit driving the rotor in response to electromagnetic interaction with the first driving unit, and a base on which the stator is fixed, wherein the rotor is brought into contact with the base, in a case the lens is in a UP posture, and the rotor is distanced from the base, in a case the lens is in a DOWN posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Sang Ok Park, Hyun Rae Cho, Seong Min Lee, Jun Taek Lee
  • Patent number: 8988797
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a family of microscopes, each with at least one lens group that includes at least one lens and a lens mount and moves along the optical axis via a drive system for The drive system includes a rotary motor and transmission elements to convert the rotary motion to linear motion to transmit the translational movement to the lens group, and, simultaneously, to prevent rotations of the lens group about the optical axis. In an embodiment, the rotating output shaft of the motor is connected with a screw spindle that engages with a threaded hole machined into the lens mount, so that the lens group is directly moved in a translational manner. The engagement of the screw spindle with the lens mount both effects the translational movement of the lens group and secures the lens group against rotation about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Fahlbusch, Georg Herbst
  • Publication number: 20150077840
    Abstract: A camera module generally provided in a mobile terminal. The camera module includes a lens unit which is configured to accommodate at least one lens. An actuator unit is configured to fix the lens unit, and a base which is fixed by an adhesive to the bottom of the actuator. A printed circuit board (PCB) to which the base is fixed for thereby supplying electric power to the actuator unit. Either a corner of an outer side of the bottom of the actuator unit or a corner of an outer side of the top of the base is tapered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Nae Seong KIM, Seong Cheol Jeong
  • Patent number: 8982464
    Abstract: A tilt-type anti-shake compensation structure for auto-focus module includes an auto-focus module having a lens assembly held thereto and driving the latter to move forward and rearward in a light entering path, i.e. in z-axis direction, so as to focus a captured image; an outer frame enclosing the auto-focus module therein, and having an elastic supporting member provided therein to connect to and between upper ends of the outer frame and the auto-focus module; and a compensation driving unit arranged behind the auto-focus module for driving the auto-focus module to tilt leftward and rightward on x-axis, or forward and rearward on y-axis, within the outer frame, so as to compensate any image deviation due to shake caused by hands. The anti-shake structure is simple and can quickly compensate shake caused by hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: TDK Taiwan Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Liang Chan, Chao-Chang Hu, Fu-Yuan Wu
  • Publication number: 20150070793
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an electrostatic actuator includes a generally planar fixed frame, a generally planar moving frame coupled to the fixed frame by a flexure for substantially coplanar, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame, a plurality of interdigitated teeth, a fixed portion of which is attached to the fixed frame and a moving portion of which is attached to the moving frame, and an elongated output shaft having opposite input and output ends, the input end being coupled to the moving frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Robert J. Calvet, Guiqin Wang, Roman C. Gutierrez, Xiaolei Liu
  • Publication number: 20150070792
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an actuator unit. When the actuator unit is assembled in a lens driving device and works, a lens support beginning to move cannot be inclined. A spring component (14) is provided with an inner side retaining part (14a), an outer side retaining part (14b), a plurality of wrist parts (14c), a plurality of inner side connecting parts (14e), a plurality of outer side connecting parts (14f) and spoke parts (14g) for connecting the inner side retaining part (14a) with the outer side retaining part (14b) in a releasable manner, wherein the lens support (17) is supported by the spring components (14), and an electromagnetic driving mechanism (22) is utilized for enabling the lens support (17) to move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Kokichi Terajima
  • Publication number: 20150070790
    Abstract: A lens driving apparatus includes a spring suspension system and an electromagnetic force generator. The spring suspension system may include a pair of leaf springs, a stationary rigid body sandwiched between the pair of springs, and a lens holder suspended by the pair of springs within a central bore of the rigid body. The electromagnetic force generator may include a coil holder holding a coil and a magnet holder holding at least one magnet. The spring suspension system and the electromagnetic force generator are connected to and spatially separated from each other by a spacer. A method for manufacturing a lens driving apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: SUNMING TECHNOLOGIES (HK) LIMITED
    Inventor: Sio Kuan Lam
  • Publication number: 20150070791
    Abstract: A lens driving apparatus includes a housing, a lens holder mounted on a base of the housing and moveable along an optical axis, a stationary guide member provided on the base, and a moveable guide member provided on and moveable with the lens holder, wherein the moveable guide member is frictionally engaged with the stationary guide member and slidable therealong when the lens holder is activated. The apparatus further include a plurality of magnets with magnetization direction lying on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, a coil disposed adjacent and parallel to the magnets, and a position encoder provided on the lens holder or the support for close loop control of the movement of the lens holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: SUNMING TECHNOLOGIES (HK) LIMITED
    Inventor: Sio Kuan Lam
  • Publication number: 20150062408
    Abstract: A lens drive apparatus includes a yoke which has a first parallel portion parallel to an optical axis and a second parallel portion which is located closer to the optical axis than the first parallel portion, the first and the second parallel portions being magnetically coupled, a magnet arranged at the first parallel portion to extend in the optical axis direction, a first lens frame which has a first coil wound around the second parallel portion and which is guided by a first guide shaft, and a second lens frame, which has a second coil wound around the second parallel portion and which is guided by a second guide shaft, and the first and the second guide shafts are arranged at positions so as not to interfere with the yoke in a cross-section perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventor: Tomohide YANO