Abstract: A focal plane shutter capable of carrying out electric automatic exposure control and mechanical manual exposure control comprises a selecting member for selecting an automatic exposure position and a plurality of exposure time period positions, a switching member operated by the selecting member for switching a mechanical exposure time period control mechanism in correspondence with respective exposure time period positions, an electromagnetic device for electrically driving the switching member, and an electronic circuit for controlling the electromagnetic device. In operation, when the selecting member is disposed at the automatic exposure position, the switching member is controlled to be driven by the electromagnetic device, and when the selecting member is disposed at an exposure time period position, the switching member is driven by the selecting member.

Abstract: A shutter device functioning as a focal-plane shutter device for cameras, includes a shutter blade, a base plate, a first arm member and a second arm member. The first arm member has one end portion rotatably fitted to the shutter blade and further has the other end portion rotatably fitted to the base plate, while the second arm member has one end portion rotatably fitted to the shutter blade and further has the other end portion rotatably fitted to said base plate. In this shutter device, the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm member with respect to the shutter blade and the center of rotation of the second arm member with respect to the shutter blade is set to be different from the distance between the center of rotation of the first arm member with respect to the base plate and the center of rotation of the second arm member with respect to the base plate.

Abstract: In a shutter device having a first driving lever which engages a shutter blade and which is given an urging force by a first spring and a second driving lever which is given an urging force by a second spring and which pushes the first driving lever from behind during an exposure action, the shutter device comprises a charge mechanism which, after the exposure action is performed by the shutter blade, causes the first spring and the second spring to be overcharged by moving the first driving lever and the second driving lever to an overcharging position and which, after that, returns to an initial position, wherein the first driving lever and the second driving lever are arranged to be moved from the overcharging position to an exposure start position by the urging forces of the first spring and the second spring, and wherein, after moving the first driving lever and the second driving lever to the overcharging position, the charge mechanism is urged toward the initial position by the urging force of the seco

Abstract: A light-shielding blade for use in cameras utilizes a film of para-type aromatic polyamide for its base material. The light-shielding blade has a single-layer structure using an aramid film as its blade material. The film is added with carbon black at a ratio of 2 to 10 percent by weight relative to a total weight of the blade material. Alternatively, the light-shielding blade has a laminated structure with a plurality of aramid films stacked each other and having a thickness of 2 to 30 microns each, a total thickness being set to a range of 50 to 200 microns.

Abstract: A durable brake mechanism comprises shutter blades; arms that support the shutter blades; drive pins, which are linked to the arms and cause the shutter blades to move by driving the arms; and brake levers, which contact the drive pins and apply a braking force against the motion of the drive pins. The brake levers have a hardness greater than a hardness of the drive pins that prevents damage to shutter blades and improves the durability of the shutter blades.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a driving apparatus arranged to perform driving control of a travelling member, such as a shutter member, by using a vibration wave motor. According to the present invention, the travelling member is arranged to be driven by the spring force of a spring member. The travelling member is held in a stopped state against the spring force by the stopping torque of the vibration wave motor, and by causing the vibration wave motor to generate a standing wave, the stopping torque is cancelled so that the travelling member starts travelling by the spring force.