Abstract: A light amount adjustment apparatus includes an aperture unit including a plurality of blade members and a movable member, the movable member for changing a size of an aperture formed by the plurality of blade members, a driving unit including a driving shaft and configured to drive the movable member, and a detection unit including a detection target member and a detection sensor, and configured to detect a driving amount of the driving unit by detecting a driving amount of the detection target member with use of the detection sensor, wherein the aperture unit, the driving unit, and the detection unit overlap one another, as viewed in a direction along a central axis of the aperture, wherein the detection target member is engaged with the driving shaft, and wherein an outer diameter of the detection unit is smaller than an outer diameter of the driving unit.

Abstract: A lens barrel in the present disclosure includes: a lens frame; a movable lens held in the lens frame; a guide member that moves the lens frame in a first direction; a driver including a drive coil and a magnet that move the lens frame with electric power being supplied to the driver; a drive circuit that drives the driver; and a switching circuit that short-circuits ends of the drive coil when the drive circuit is in a non-energized state.

Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a magnet rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles that are magnetized, a stator having a magnetic pole portion that opposes each pole of the magnet rotor, a coil configured to excite the magnetic pole portion, a position detector configured to detect a position of the magnet rotor, a first driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with a preset time interval, a second driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with an output of the position detector, and a controller configured to select the first driver when the output of the position detector is less than a first threshold, and to select the second driver when the output of the position detector is equal to or larger than the first threshold.

Abstract: An interchangeable lens includes a focus lens for changing a focus state of an object image, a driving unit for driving the focus lens, a lens controller for controlling the driving unit so as to move the focus lens forward and backward along the optical axis at a predetermined drive frequency, and a storage unit for storing therein drive frequency information representing a drive frequency at which the driving unit can control. A camera body obtains the drive frequency information from the interchangeable lens and performs control while referring to the drive frequency information.

Abstract: Methods for start-up lens. The lens moves from a stowing position to a standby position along an axis, and a reset point, a first turning point, a second turning point, and a third turning point are defined in sequence during the movement. A drive unit rotates at a first angular velocity to drive the lens in a first route, rotates at a second angular velocity to drive the lens in a second route, and rotates at a third angular velocity to drive the lens in a third route.

Abstract: A focusing device capable of setting (S402) a focusing area according to a detection result of a target subject, wherein even if the target subject is no longer detected, when the target subject is assumed to be present, the velocity of the movement of the focusing lens (104) is made slower. Thus, even if the target subject can no longer be detected, it is possible to suppress the in-focus position from changing significantly.

Abstract: A two-step auto focus camera with two focal points includes a lens unit (20) and a permanent magnet (30) being fixedly mounted around the lens unit to move with the lens unit. Upper and lower coil seats (60a, 60b) are mounted around the lens unit and are arranged at upper and lower sides of the magnet, respectively. Upper and lower coils (50a, 50b) wind around the upper and lower coil seats, respectively. A circuit board (80) supplies a current to each of the coils, wherein the current to each coil has a plurality of square waves in one focusing time for the lens unit to move from one focal point to the other focal point.

Abstract: A lens drive includes a stepper motor that can be rotated forward and reversely; a motor control for controlling the driving of the stepper motor, a photographing lens for forming a subject image on a predetermined image surface, a lens driver for driving the photographing lens, and a coupler for coupling the stepper motor and the lens driver.

Abstract: A lens control apparatus drives a lens with a sine wave by means of a pulse motor and detects the position of the lens by counting the number of pulses during the driving of the pulse motor, and stores a stop phase which is reached by a rotor when the pulse motor is brought to a driving-stopped state. When the lens control apparatus is to move the lens to an initial position and initialize a counter for detecting the position of the lens, the lens control apparatus corrects the count value of the counter by using information indicative of the stored stop phase of the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lens apparatus employed in a video camera. The present invention provides a lens apparatus, suited to manipulation of an operator, using a vibratory wave motor as a driving source for driving a photographing lens of the lens apparatus, wherein on the occasion of change of a driving direction, application of cyclic signals to a piezoelectric device of the motor is suspended and thereafter application of cyclic signals to the piezoelectric device is restarted.

Abstract: A lens control apparatus which corrects a variation in a focus position due to a zooming operation by driving a compensator lens at a standard speed according to a predetermined cam locus is arranged to determine a correction direction on the basis of an integral value of a high-frequency component and a correction speed on the basis of the ratio of the high-frequency component to a luminance difference, and to combine the correction speed based on the state of focus with the standard speed.

Abstract: In a camera driving stop apparatus, a motor serves as a driving source upon reception of a current. A driven unit performs a predetermined operation associated with driving of a camera by using the motor as the driving source. A pulse generator outputs a pulse in response to the operation of at least one of the motor and the driven unit. A position detector detects the current position of the driven unit by counting pulses output from the pulse generator. When the width of the pulse output from the pulse generator is equal to or larger than a first time, an energization unit energizes the motor for only a second time shorter than the first time. An energization stop unit stops energization of the motor for only a third time shorter than the first time. A forcible energization stop unit inhibits energization of the motor. A storage unit holds the target position of the driven unit.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device according to the present invention includes a lens drive section that drives and automatically focuses a photographing lens, a defocus amount detecting section that detects a defocus amount of the photographing lens, a locus setting section that determines an optimum locus of a characteristic relating to movement of the lens to a target point based upon the defocus amount detected by the defocus amount detecting section, and a control section that controls the lens drive section so as to move the photographing lens along the optimum locus determined by the locus setting section.

Abstract: Camera autofocus apparatus and method employing an autoranging device to determine a lens destination focus position in terms of a target number of signal pulses from a lens motion sensor photo-interrupter. A lens drive motor is initially driven at maximum speed by a 100% pulse width modulated drive signal. At a fixed number of signal pulses in advance of the target, the average motor speed is calculated and a reduced pulse with modulated drive signal, determined based on the calculated motor speed, is applied to the drive motor to cause the lens to arrive at a uniform speed at a near destination focus position that is suitable for application of a standard motor stopping routine. During the motor stopping routine, the motor is initially "plugged" (reverse polarity drive signal) and the signal pulse period is monitored until a predetermined period is reached.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus for a mailing machine which has a feed deck for feeding envelopes therealong and a postage meter for printing postage indicia on successive envelopes as they are fed along the feed deck. The tape feeding, cutting and ejecting apparatus is mounted in the mailing machine above the feed deck and adjacent to the postage meter on the side thereof opposite to the direction of the feed of envelopes for feeding successive finite lengths of tape to the postage meter for printing of postage indicia on a portion thereof and for cutting and ejecting the printed portion of the finite lengths of tape from the mailing machine. The apparatus includes a tape holding assembly and means for pivotally mounting the tape holding assembly for movement between a normal operating position and an operator accessible position to facilitate loading and threading of a fresh roll of tape.