Abstract: A shutter device is disclosed, the device including a base formed with a lens hole through which reflective light from an object passes, a first blade and a second blade rotating about a hinge provided at the base to open or close the lens hole, and an actuator provided with a linearly-shifting slider at an area eccentrically positioned from the hinge to allow the first and second blades to be activated with rotation moment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a lens mount section with a removable lens section; an imaging element adapted to generate a video signal by converting image light of the subject entering through the lens section attached to the lens mount section into an electric signal; a disk-shaped shutter having a light shielding section and a transmission section, the light shielding section adapted to shield the imaging element from incident light, and the transmission section adapted to transmit incident light onto the imaging element; a shutter drive motor adapted to drive the disk-shaped shutter; a detection section adapted to detect whether the lens section is attached or detached; and a shutter control section adapted to supply a control signal to the shutter drive motor to stop the shutter if the detection section has detected that the lens section is detached.

Abstract: A blade driving device for use in cameras that includes a mechanical shutter blade that openably and closably disposed in front of a CCD, and is capable of blocking light passing through an exposure aperture. The blade driving device also includes a motor that drives the shutter blade, and a control means that drive-controls the motor. In this blade driving device, photography is performed such that the storage of an electric charge starts in the CCD and the closing motion of the shutter blade is completed. Opening energization is applied to the motor in order to allow the shutter blade to pre-perform an opening motion before performing a closing motion whenever a still image is photographed. Thus, the shutter blade always reaches an opened state prior to photography even if the shutter blade is closed without permission by receiving an impulsive force from the outside because of, for example, being dropped. Therefore, photography can be reliably performed.

Abstract: A camera may comprise a lens assembly to receive optical information from a subject and a shutter assembly comprising a blade, a base plate to pivotally support the blade, and a wire to move the blade in response to a current. The camera may include an image sensor to selectively record optical information passing through the shutter.

Abstract: A shutter for an infra-red imaging camera comprises shaped first and second elements (17, 18) which are movable relative to each other, between open and closed positions. In the open position, the elements (17, 18) overlie each other leaving a clear optical path through the camera. In the closed position, the elements (17, 18) are disposed side-by-side and completely block off the optical path through the camera.

Abstract: Disclosed is a camera including: an image-taking device; a shutter unit having a first shutter member that travels from a position where a shutter opening is closed to a position which is retreated from the opening, and a second shutter member that travels from the position which is retreated from the shutter opening to the position where the opening is closed; a lighting unit that lights a subject; and a control circuit that controls the shutter unit, the lighting unit and the image-taking device, in which the control circuit makes the first shutter member travel, and executes an accumulation operation of the image-taking device after the shutter opening is fully opened in an image taking mode in which the subject is lighted by the lighting unit, and makes the second shutter member travel in association with stop of the accumulation operation.

Abstract: An improved method and module for auto focusing utilizes a variable thickness focus element. A different thickness, and thus a different focus, is optically coupled to an image sensor by rotating the focus element. Movement along the optic axis is not required. This minimizes the amount of space required to provide the auto focusing function, allowing a mobile device utilizing the module to be smaller while still providing the auto focusing feature. In addition, the mechanism for rotating the focus element is smaller and/or less complex than a mechanism for moving a lens assembly along the optic axis, further allowing the device to be smaller. The focus element has less inertia than conventional lens assemblies and so required less power to move and allows for fast focusing.

Abstract: A light shielding blade material is provided for an optical apparatus and has at least three prepreg sheets each being comprised of an epoxy resin of a thermosetting type as a matrix resin and containing a fiber drawn in an alignment direction within the matrix resin. These prepreg sheets are superposed upon each other so that the alignment directions of the fibers of the prepreg sheets disposed adjacent to each other cross at right angles to each other. The material has also two or more films each being comprised of an epoxy resin of a non-cured state as a base resin and containing 15 to 40 weight % of carbon black in the epoxy resin. These films are disposed to form a laminate of the prepreg sheets and the films so that the prepreg sheets contact one surface or both surfaces of each film.

Abstract: An iris type light quantity adjusting device is disclosed that includes: a plurality of shading blades, each shading blade pivoting around each shaft provided around a fixed opening in a fixed member. At least one shading blade has extended portion overlapping the other shading blade in order to keep overlapping order with the other shading blade that pivots around the shaft not adjacent to the shaft as a pivot of the abovementioned at least one shading blade. Each of the shading blades has one or none intersection between an outer edge of the shading blade at an outside in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis and a peripheral edge of the fixed opening within an entire pivoting range, and one of a pair of shading blades approaching from substantially opposite directions during pivoting to a closing direction has, at the tip thereof, a shape not overlapping the other shading blade in a closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extremely fast opening and closing of an exposure path or optical axis. Two disk-shaped shutters are coaxially rotated in opposite directions at an initial synchronous speed so as to dynamically align openings in the discs at an angular position offset from the exposure path. The angular speeds of two of the disks are selectively increased and decreased to dynamically align the openings with the exposure path. A third masking disk may be provided, which rotates coaxially with the other two at a constant angular speed less than the angular speeds of the other two disks, to permit the invention to rapidly open and close two or more separate optical paths.

Abstract: A camera frame assembly has a base member and a drive hub connected to the base member. A shutter is joined to the drive hub. A shutter driver is mounted to the base member. The shutter driver selectively deflects from a charged state to a discharged state and impacts the drive hub during the deflecting. The drive hub and shutter pivot together relative to the base member in a discharge direction about the pivot axis, responsive to the impacting, from a shutter closed position to a shutter open position. The drive hub is pivotable, in a recharge direction opposite the discharge direction, independent of the shutter.

Abstract: An iris diaphragm, in particular for an exposure lens in semiconductor lithography, is provided with a diaphragm base (2) and a grooved ring (1) which can be rotated relative to one another, having a multiplicity of leaves (4) which in each case are mounted in the diaphragm base (2) and in the grooved ring (1) and are guided by curved tracks (6), arranged in the grooved ring (1), for the purpose of adjusting the diaphragm aperture. A drive device (11) serves the purpose of twisting the diaphragm base (2) and grooved ring (1) relative to one another. The curved tracks are designed as circumferential tracks (6) in the grooved ring (1). The circumferential track (6) is split up into alternating useful-region curves (6a) and return curves (6b). The diaphragm base (2) or the grooved ring (1) can be rotated in a preselected rotary drive direction by a drive device (11), the leaves (4) being guided in a circulating fashion in the circumferential track (6).

Abstract: A shutter device comprises a single piece having a blade portion that includes an impact receiving member which when impacted in an opening direction with a shutter actuator moves the blade portion to uncover an aperture, a first resilient portion bendable about a first pivot point to allow movement of the blade portion to uncover the aperture and reversible about the first pivot point to move the blade portion to recover the aperture, and a second resilient portion bendable about a second pivot point to allow movement of the blade portion without uncovering the aperture, in order to permit the shutter actuator to move the impact receiving member out of its way when the shutter actuator is returned in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism comprising a shutter blade supported to move open and closed, a shutter actuator having an actuating striker and supported for movement to cause the actuating striker to strike the shutter blade to move the shutter blade open and for movement to be re-cocked, and a closing spring for moving the shutter blade closed, is characterized in that the shutter actuator is supported for unidirectional movement to cause the actuating striker to strike the shutter blade to move the shutter blade open and is supported to undergo a different direction of movement to move the actuating striker out of the way of the shutter blade to permit the shutter blade to be moved closed and to prevent the shutter blade from obstructing the actuating striker when the shutter actuator is re-cocked, and a guide device controls movement of the shutter actuator to effect the unidirectional movement and the different direction of movement of the shutter actuator.

Abstract: When a driving member is rotated counterclockwise by a single motor with a pair of sectors biased in the closing direction by a biasing spring, a first driving pin causes an operating lever to rotate clockwise. The pair of sectors pivot in opposite directions to each other in association with the driving lever to reach a first position where the sectors are fully open without overlapping the lens opening. When the driving member is rotated clockwise, a second driving pin also causes the operating lever to rotate clockwise. The pair of sectors pivot in opposite directions to each other to reach a second position, that is, a half-open position where an opening smaller than the lens opening is obtained. At this time, The second driving pin abuts on a part of one sector to restrain the displacement of the driving member. Accordingly, the driving member is prevented from overrunning, and no hunting occurs.

Abstract: A camera is provided with means for effecting cyclic displacement of a mechanical system, such as a mirror mechanism (1) or shutter mechanism, between two end positions. The means include spring means (3) for biasing the system towards a neutral position or zone between the two end positions and drive means (5) for ensuring that the system sequentially reaches said end positions.