Plural Oscillating Blades Patents (Class 396/497)
  • Patent number: 11877067
    Abstract: A shutter apparatus includes a front blade unit and a rear blade unit configured to open and close an opening for exposure control, a front drive member and a rear drive member configured to drive the front blade unit and the rear blade unit between an open position and a closed position of the opening, respectively, a front cam gear and a rear cam gear configured to charge the front drive member and the rear drive member, respectively, a front driving source and a rear driving source connected to and configured to rotate the front cam gear and the rear cam gear, respectively, and a controller configured to control the front driving source and the rear driving source based on an imaging condition so as to change driving times of the front blade unit and the rear blade unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rentaro Imai, Jun Kawanami, Keisuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 11131900
    Abstract: Provided are a first magnetic drive unit including a first coil and a first magnet, and a second magnetic drive unit including a second coil and a second magnet. Also provided are a first drive lever and a second drive lever operated by the first magnetic drive unit and the second magnetic drive unit, respectively, a first opening and closing blade and a second opening and closing blade that open and close an opening by an operation of the first drive lever and the second drive lever, respectively. A first lock mechanism locks the first drive lever at a predetermined position, and a second lock mechanism that locks the second drive lever at a predetermined position, and a part of the first lock mechanism and a part of the second lock mechanism are located between the first magnetic drive unit and the second magnetic drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Yoneda, Toshiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10942420
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aperture for a photo or film camera lens assembly or for a photo or film camera, where aperture has a device, which defines an ellipse-like opening, at least in part, the primary and secondary axes of which are stationary, by means of which, in the case of vertical alignment of the ellipse-like opening the aesthetic image effect from anamorphic lenses is produced in the unfocused region. The aperture can also include a conventional iris. The ellipse-like opening can be formed by a disc having a fixed, ellipse-like opening or by lamellae forming a linear aperture and which can be moved perpendicular to the main axis of the ellipse-like opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Vantage Film GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Märtin, Alexander Przybylla
  • Patent number: 9989217
    Abstract: Described are an improved automated luminaire and automated luminaire system with both a spot light and wash light mode of operation, which employs an improved beam shutter blade system that serves as framing shutters in spot light mode and barn doors in wash light mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Robe Lighting s.r.o.
    Inventors: Pavel Jurik, Josef Valchar
  • Publication number: 20150093105
    Abstract: A shutter device includes a leading drive lever configured to move leading blades to a closed position at which the leading blades cover an opening and to move the leading blades to an open position at which the leading blades open the opening; a leading charge mechanism configured to rotate a leading charge lever in a charge direction to generate biasing force and to rotate, using the biasing force of the leading drive spring, the leading charge lever in a drive direction to rotate the leading drive lever in an opening direction; a leading lock lever configured to lock the leading charge lever having rotated in the charge direction; a leading attractive unit configured to hold, using electromagnetic force, the leading lock lever locking the leading charge lever; and a leading biasing mechanism configured to bias the leading lock lever in a release direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Dai SHINTANI
  • Patent number: 8649110
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixed frame, a rotary frame provided inside the fixed frame, a first frame provided inside the rotary frame, an electronic component provided inside the first frame, and a flexible printed circuit board connected, at one end thereof, to the electronic component and connected, at the other end thereof, to the fixed frame. A gear part is provided at an outer circumferential surface of the rotary frame. In the first frame, a first protrusion outwardly protruding beyond the gear part in a radial direction about the optical axis is provided at a position corresponding to the flexible printed circuit board in a circumferential direction about the optical axis on a side of the gear part opposite to the object in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Kobayashi, Atsushi Hasegawa, Toshiyuki Nakada
  • Patent number: 8511918
    Abstract: A central shutter for camera objectives, said central shutter having a ring-shaped leaf carrier (1) surrounding the shutter aperture (2), on which leaf carrier at least two studs (13) are disposed arranged in a circularly symmetrical manner in relation to each other, on which studs sickle-shaped shutter leaves (14) are pivotably mounted, and having an electric motor drive pivoting the shutter leaves (14) over the shutter aperture (2), is distinguished in that the drive includes a motorized rotatable winding ring (3) which is realized as a flat ring disk and rests on the leaf carrier (1), a cam ring (7) realized as a flat ring disk is rotatably mounted in the winding ring (3), sawtooth-shaped cams (17) being provided on a ring surface thereof, wherein the winding ring (3) and the cam ring (7) are coupled to each other by means of at least one tension spring (9) that can be tensioned in the direction of rotation of the winding ring (3) and the pivoting movement of the shutter leaves (14) can be controlled by co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Camera AG
    Inventor: Konstantin Aab
  • Patent number: 8488053
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ryosuke Amano
  • Patent number: 8459882
    Abstract: A camera shutter is provided that includes a first drive member operating an opening blade; a first hook holding the first drive member in a charged position; a closing member operating a closing blade; a second drive member displacing the closing blade to position closing the shutter opening by operating the closing member; a second hook holding the second drive member in a charged position, and a magnet controlling operative timings between the first and second hooks. In operation, the magnet displaces the second hook from a rest position to a charged position and releases the first drive member from the first hook, thereby moving the opening blade. After a predetermined time, the magnet releases the hooking between the second hook and the second driving member such that the closing member is operated by the second driving member, thereby moving the closing blade to the position closing the shutter opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Mamiya Digital Imaging Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Shogo Kato
  • Publication number: 20130077950
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a base plate; a blade assembly; and a driving mechanism. The base plate is formed with a guiding slot and a first axle. The blade assembly includes a first blade and a second blade stacked on the base plate and hinged to the first axle. The first blade is formed with a first pivot slot thereon, which has two first inner walls formed apart oppositely. The second blade is formed with a second pivot slot thereon, which has two second inner walls formed apart oppositely. The distance between the two second inner walls is greater than the distance between the two first inner walls. The driving mechanism includes a pin member projected through the guiding slot, the first pivot slot, and the second pivot slot. The first and second blades are driven by the pin member. Thereby, the image recording device can be miniaturized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: VI-TAI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: KAO-CHI LIU, CHI-WU LO, YAO-CHIN YANG, CHAO-HSI WANG
  • Patent number: 8384254
    Abstract: A mechanical shutter includes a base including a plate with an aperture and a protruding positioning projection. A core on the surface surrounds the aperture and includes a first end and a second end. The positioning projection is arranged between the first end and the second end, on one corner of the surface. A coil surrounds the core and a blade and a permanent magnet are pivoted on the positioning projection. When receiving current, the coil magnetizes to the core to generate a magnetic force and rotates the permanent magnet, and the blade, to cover and expose the aperture. An electronic device having the mechanical shutter is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsueh-Feng Hsu
  • Patent number: 8366331
    Abstract: A blade driving device includes: a board including an optical path opening; first and second blades moving toward and away from the optical path opening; first and second transmitting portions driving the first and second blades; and first and second drive sources respectively driving the first and second transmitting portions, wherein the first and second transmitting portions respectively include first and second drive pins, and the first blade includes an engagement slot engaging one of the first and second drive pins and is attached to the first and the second transmitting portions to be rotatable about the other of the first and second drive pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Phichet Numnual, Takashi Nakano
  • Patent number: 8358369
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an imaging device including an imaging element, an imaging controller, first and second shutter members, and a shutter controller. The imaging element carries out photoelectric conversion of subject image light incident through a lens and produces an imaging signal. The imaging controller controls readout of the imaging signal and carries out control of change setting of a frame cycle of imaging. The shutter members are disposed on an optical path of image light incident and can set a state in which incident light on the imaging element is blocked and a state in which incident light on the imaging element is not blocked. The shutter controller sets a timing at which the optical path is blocked by the first shutter member and a timing at which the optical path is blocked by the second shutter member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ryosuke Amano
  • Publication number: 20120189295
    Abstract: A camera shutter is provided that includes a first drive member operating an opening blade; a first hook holding the first drive member in a charged position; a closing member operating a closing blade; a second drive member displacing the closing blade to position closing the shutter opening by operating the closing member; a second hook holding the second drive member in a charged position, and a magnet controlling operative timings between the first and second hooks. In operation, the magnet displaces the second hook from a rest position to a charged position and releases the first drive member from the first hook, thereby moving the opening blade. After a predetermined time, the magnet releases the hooking between the second hook and the second driving member such that the closing member is operated by the second driving member, thereby moving the closing blade to the position closing the shutter opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: MAMIYA DIGITAL IMAGING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shogo KATO
  • Publication number: 20120141111
    Abstract: A shutter blade is provided. The shutter blade includes a carbon nanotube structure and a polymer. The carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes joined by van der Waals force. A camera shutter using the shutter blade is also provided. The camera shutter includes a blade structure, two drive units, a substrate defining an aperture, and a connection unit located on the substrate. The blade structure is connected with the connection unit and controls the aperture to be covered or uncovered. The blade structure includes at least two the above-mentioned shutter blades. The drive units are located on a same side of the substrate and configured to drive the blade structure to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: BEIJING FUNATE INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: LI QIAN, YU-QUAN WANG, CHEN FENG, LIANG LIU
  • Publication number: 20120141112
    Abstract: A shutter blade is provided. The shutter blade includes a carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. A shutter using the shutter blade is also provided. The camera shutter includes a blade structure, two drive units, a substrate defining an aperture, and a connection unit located on the substrate. The blade structure is connected with the connection unit and controls the aperture to be covered or uncovered. The blade structure includes at least two the above-mentioned shutter blades. The drive units are located on a same side of the substrate and configured to drive the blade structure to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: BEIJING FUNATE INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: LI QIAN, YU-QUAN WANG, CHEN FENG, LIANG LIU
  • Publication number: 20120106945
    Abstract: A first blade includes two arms and four blades, and is arranged between a shutter base plate and an intermediate plate. A second blade includes two arms and four blades, and is arranged between the intermediate plate and an auxiliary base plate. During an exposure operation, the four blades of the first blade are brought into an overlap state from a development state and the four blades the second blade are brought into the development state from the overlap state. Since a contour forming edge of the intermediate plate above the opening portion is formed in the shape of an arc, the four blades of the second blade are able to start an operation appropriately from the overlap state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Kenta KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 8047733
    Abstract: A blade drive device includes: a board having a shutter opening; a blade for adjusting an amount of light entering the shutter opening; and a transmitting member for transmitting a drive force to the blade. The transmitting member includes a drive pin swinging about a given support point. The blade has a first cam slot engaged with the drive pin and swinging about a given support point in conjunction with a swinging of the drive pin. The first cam slot includes a first permitting area and a first restricting area. The blade is permitted to swing when the drive pin is located in the first permitting area. The blade is restricted from swinging when the drive pin is located in the first restricting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Phichet Numnual, Takashi Nakano, Prapas Charoensilputthakun, Noppadol Ngernping
  • Publication number: 20110217033
    Abstract: A mechanical shutter includes a base, a cover, a primary blade and a secondary blade. The base includes a first through hole and a connecting shaft extending from the base. The cover includes a second through hole and a connecting hole. The connecting shaft of the base extends through the connecting hole to secure the cover to the base. The first through hole is coaxial to the second through hole, thereby cooperatively forming an light passage. The primary blade and the secondary blade are moveably interconnected so when the primary blade rotates around the connecting shaft relative to the base, the primary blade carries the secondary blade to move, and the secondary blade moves together to cover or expose the light passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HSUEH-FENG HSU
  • Patent number: 7854557
    Abstract: A vane driving device includes: two boards each having an opening and defining a blade chamber therebetween; a blade changing an area of the opening and housed in the blade chamber; a drive source for driving the blade, the drive source including: a coil winded around a stator and exciting a stator; a rotor rotatably supported by a rotary shaft, rotatable in conjunction with the rotary shaft, and magnetized to have different polarities in a circumferential direction; and a rotor pinion meshing a driven member, and integrally formed in the rotary shaft; and a printed substrate electrically connected to the coil. The two boards define a drive source chamber housing the drive source therebetween. At least one of the two boards has an opening for escaping the coil outwardly from the drive source chamber. The printed substrate is arranged on a outer wall surface opposite to the drive source chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventor: Hisashi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7806605
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a light amount adjustment apparatus, including: a shutter blade and a filter blade each configured to operate in a predetermined direction to adjust the amount of light transmitted through a lens group; a first magnet configured to drive the shutter blade; a first core and a first coil; a second magnet configured to drive the filter blade; and a second core and a second coil. The filter blade has a control portion for controlling and adjusts the amount of light transmitted through the lens group. The filter blade has at least one hole or one cutaway portion formed at a portion of the filter blade other than the control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Ohkuma
  • Patent number: 7708479
    Abstract: An imaging device and a portable information terminal device of the present invention include: a blade driving unit (20) made up of a base plate (21) having an opening portion (21a) serving as an optical path, an infrared light cut filter blade (23) movably supported by the base plate between a receded position displaced from the opening portion and a position facing the opening portion, and a first electromagnetic driving source (26) that drives the infrared light cut filter blade (23); a lens optical system (32, 33, 34) arranged on the optical path passing through the opening portion; an imaging element (42) that images an object through the lens optical system; and a control unit (51) that drives and controls the blade driving unit (20) and the imaging element (42). The control unit drives and controls the first electromagnetic driving source (26) so as to move the infrared light cut filter blade (23) to the receded position when using an infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuaki Watanabe, Yoshiyuki Ohzeki, Mitsutaka Hidaka
  • Publication number: 20100092166
    Abstract: A blade drive device includes a shutter unit. The shutter unit includes: a blade swingably supported; and a plurality of boards defining a blade chamber, each having an opening opened and closed by the blade. and an actuator serving as a drive force of the blade and including a rotor having a rotary shaft. The rotary shaft penetrates to the blade chamber. An elastic member is housed in the blade chamber, and urges the rotary shaft in a thrust direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
    Inventor: Hisashi KAWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100074612
    Abstract: A blade drive device includes: a board having a shutter opening; a blade for adjusting an amount of light entering the shutter opening; and a transmitting member for transmitting a drive force to the blade. The transmitting member includes a drive pin swinging about a given support point. The blade has a first cam slot engaged with the drive pin and swinging about a given support point in conjunction with a swinging of the drive pin. The first cam slot includes a first permitting area and a first restricting area. The blade is permitted to swing when the drive pin is located in the first permitting area. The blade is restricted from swinging when the drive pin is located in the first restricting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
    Inventors: Phichet NUMNUAL, Takashi NAKANO, Prapas CHAROENSILPUTTHAKUN, Noppadol NGERNPING
  • Patent number: 7572075
    Abstract: There is provided a shutter apparatus including a substrate having a shutter opening and at lease two sectors that are supported by spindles swingably and that open and close the shutter opening, and a spindle of one sector of the at lease two sectors is located in a swinging range of another sector of the at lease two sectors, and is a pin of a rod-shaped member formed on the substrate to be lower in an overall height than a height in which the another sector swings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kawamoto, Kazuya Shioda
  • Publication number: 20080317460
    Abstract: A shutter assembly has an actuator for applying a whip action on a shutter wing for blocking or exposing an aperture. The shutter wing has a first blade fixedly connected to the actuator and a second blade movably connected to the first blade. When the shutter wing is in the closed position, the blades form a folded shape with a waist section large enough to cover the entire aperture. When the shutter wing is in the open position, the blades form an extended shape having a narrower waist section. The blades can be connected to each other by a hinge or a wire. Two shutter wings located on opposite sides of the aperture can be used to create a gap therebetween to control the exposure in a camera. As the shutter wings move from one side to another, the gap acts like a moving slit across the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Marko Eromaki
  • Publication number: 20080205879
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shutter apparatus for small cameras. According to the first embodiment of the invention, a shutter housing is mounted in an exposure aperture formed in a main body. The shutter housing has a through-hole communicated with the exposure aperture. A shutter panel is pivotably mounted inside the shutter housing so as to open and close the through-hole. A pivot lever is rotatably installed inside the shutter housing and engaged with the shutter panel such that the shutter panel is pivoted to open and close the through-hole. Thus, the opening is opened only when the camera is used to take a picture, and otherwise the opening is closed, thereby efficiently preventing introduction of foreign matters into the inside of the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: M2SYS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae-Young Park
  • Patent number: 7336894
    Abstract: A lighting device for an electronic endoscope system, includes a light source; a set of rotary shutters having at least two rotary shutters, having a rotational axis parallel to an optical axis of the light source, the rotary shutters alternately intercepting incident illuminating light emitted from the light source and allowing the incident illuminating light to pass through the set of rotary shutters to proceed toward a light guide, wherein the rotary shutters are associated with each other to be capable of integrally rotating about the rotational axis, each of the rotary shutters having at least one light-shielding portion and at least one opening; and an adjusting device which rotates one of the rotary shutters relative to the other to change an opening angle of each opening to adjust an amount of illuminating light which passes through the set of rotary shutters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shunichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7290947
    Abstract: A light controller includes a substrate having an optical path opening, a blade unit with a blade mounted on the substrate for opening and closing the optical path opening, a driver unit for driving the blade, and a stopper unit for restricting a movement of the blade between an open position and a closed position. The stopper unit includes a long hole formed in the blade and extending in a direction that the blade moves, and a stopper pin fitted into the long hole. The long hole is disposed at a position away from the optical path opening in an entire range that the blade moves. Accordingly, when the blade unit has a plurality of blades, it is necessary to arrange only the stopper pins having a number equal to the number of the blades on the substrate, thereby reducing a size of an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Naganuma
  • Patent number: 7213983
    Abstract: A sector drive apparatus for use in an optical apparatus, the sector drive apparatus includes a sector having a first engagement opening engaged with an operation member that reciprocates in a given range and a second engagement opening engaged with a spindle fixed to a shutter substrate, the sector opening and closing a shutter opening formed in the shutter substrate in accordance with a movement of the operation member. The operation member has an engagement pin that is engaged in the first engagement opening, the first engagement opening is substantially circular that permits the operation member to rotate, and the second engagement member is an elongate opening, and swings the sector centering around the spindle to move to a position where the shutter opening is opened and closed, when the first engagement opening moves in accordance with the movement of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakano
  • Patent number: 7178999
    Abstract: A flash camera has a single-piece shutter-opening/closing and shutter-flash synchronization driver that translates in one direction to pivot a pair of shutter blades away from one another and simultaneously push a movable switch contact of a normally open shutter-flash synchronization switch to close the switch. Then, the movable switch contact is spring-urged to move the switch contact to reopen the shutter-flash synchronization switch and push the single-piece driver in a reverse direction to move the blades towards one another. Movement of the blades away from and towards one another uncovers and recovers an exposure aperture to take a picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Wayne E. Stiehler
  • Patent number: 7163344
    Abstract: A light quantity adjusting apparatus which comprises a light-shielding member and a driving unit which drives the opening/closing of the light-shielding member is disclosed. Herein, the light-shielding member is provided with a reinforcement member attached to a partial range including an area liable to deterioration due to repeated opening/closing driving operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironobu Satoh
  • Patent number: 7156565
    Abstract: In a camera, a dual-blade shutter has a pair of shutter blades supported for opening and closing movement to uncover and re-cover an exposure aperture, and a shutter driver that projects into respective overlapping slots in the shutter blades and is supported for shutter opening and closing movement. A high impact striker is movable against a strike portion on the shutter driver to initiate shutter opening movement of the shutter driver, then moves beyond the strike portion, and is returnable past the strike tab to be reset. A fixed post projects into an elongate slot in the shutter driver to support the shutter driver for shutter opening and closing movement and to allow the high impact striker to shift the shutter driver out of the way of the high impact striker so that the high impact striker can be returned past the strike tab without causing the shutter blades to be moved open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Wayne E. Stiehler
  • Patent number: 6935793
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Nedec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Sakurai, Takao Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6799906
    Abstract: A light intercepting member driving mechanism includes light intercepting members which are each rotatable about a rotational axis parallel with an optical axis to open and close a photographing aperture; a drive ring which engages with the light intercepting member to open and close the light intercepting member in accordance with the angular displacement of the drive ring in forward and reverse directions about a rotational axis coincident with the optical axis; a motor which rotates the drive ring in the forward and reverse directions; a position indication portion provided on the drive ring to indicate the angular position of the drive ring; and a stationary detector which detects a passing of the position indication portion when the drive ring is rotated. The opening state of the light intercepting members is detected by the stationary detector and the position indication portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Takamitsu Sasaki, Kazunori Ishizuka, Maiko Takashima
  • Patent number: 6796729
    Abstract: A shutter for a camera capable of opening a shutter sector in a reduced period of time includes a shutter opening formed in a shutter plate, shutter sectors for opening and closing the shutter opening, a drive lever having a drive pin for operating the shutter sectors, and an actuator for driving the drive lever. The drive pin penetrates through-holes formed in the shutter sectors. The through-holes have a size sufficiently large so that the drive lever is driven by the actuator substantially in a no-load state immediately after starting to drive the drive lever so that the shutter sectors are not moved until the drive pin has achieved sufficient acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Mizukami, Seiichi Imano, Atsushi Takami, Seiichi Oishi
  • Patent number: 6767145
    Abstract: A lens shutter for cameras includes two base plates in which a blade chamber is provided between them and their apertures are superposed to provide a circular exposure aperture, at least one shutter blade located in the blade chamber to perform the opening and closing operation of the exposure aperture, a first motor mounted to one of the base plates outside the blade chamber so that an output port extends to the blade chamber to cause the shutter blade to perform the opening and closing operation, a light-amount control device located in the blade chamber to perform the introducing and removing operations with respect to the exposure aperture, and a second motor mounted to one of the base plates outside the blade chamber so that an output port extends to the blade chamber to cause the light-amount control means to perform the introducing and removing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Eguro
  • Patent number: 6752542
    Abstract: A lens shutter mechanism includes a support frame having a photographing aperture; at least three shutter sectors which open and close the photographing aperture via rotating axes which extend parallel to the optical axis; and at least three diaphragm sectors which vary an aperture diameter formed by the diaphragm sectors to restrict the diameter of the photographing aperture, independently from the shutter sectors, via rotating axes which extend parallel to the optical axis. The support frame is provided with rotational center portions spaced from each other at equi-angular intervals about the optical axis, the number of the rotational center portions being same as each of the number of the shutter sectors and the number of the diaphragm sectors. Each of the rotational center portions rotatably and coaxially supports a one of the shutter sectors and one of the diaphragm sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Takamitsu Sasaki, Kazunori Ishizuka, Maiko Takashima
  • Patent number: 6733193
    Abstract: A shutter device has a front blade which is biased by a spring to a closed position for closing an exposure aperture, and a rear blade biased by a spring to an open position for opening the exposure aperture. A shutter drive lever kicks the front blade and the rear blade successively while moving to one direction. As soon as the front blade opens the exposure aperture, the rear blade closes the exposure aperture. And while the rear blade is biased by the spring to return to the initial position before opening the exposure aperture, the front blade is biased by the spring to close the exposure aperture. When the front blade and the rear blade return to the initial position by the urge of the spring, the two blades return with partly overlapped each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Kamata
  • Patent number: 6702484
    Abstract: A camera shutter has a base plate provided with a shutter opening. Sectors are mounted on the base plate to undergo movement to open and close the shutter opening. A driving lever has a driving pin that extends through through-holes in the sectors for operating the sectors. One of the through-holes is configured so that a gap is formed between an edge of the through-hole and the driving pin in the direction of movement of the driving pin. As the driving pin moves to drive the sectors to close the shutter opening, the movement of the driving pin is abruptly stopped when the sectors fully close the shutter opening thereby causing the driving pin to rebound. The rebounding motion is not transmitted to the sector in which the gap is formed, and inertia permits further movement of the sector in the closing direction over a distance equal to the gap. This maintains the sectors in overlapping relation and prevents reexposure when the shutter is in a fully closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Munetaka Yamaga, Hiroyuki Mizukami, Seiichi Oishi
  • Patent number: 6655859
    Abstract: A shutter device loaded in a fixed focus camera for making soft-focus photograph includes a swingable shutter drive member and two shutter blades for opening and closing a shutter opening. When the shutter drive member swings in response to photographing operation, the shutter blades rotate oppositely to each other such that the shutter opening gradually appears. While opening, the shutter blades continuously form a small stop. After a flashlight is emitted during forming the small stop, the shutter blades rotate moreover and the shutter opening is entirely exposed. Then the shutter blades close to cover the shutter opening entirely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Kamata
  • Publication number: 20030099473
    Abstract: A shutter device loaded in a fixed focus camera for making soft-focus photograph includes a swingable shutter drive member and two shutter blades for opening and closing a shutter opening. When the shutter drive member swings in response to photographing operation, the shutter blades rotate oppositely to each other such that the shutter opening gradually appears. While opening, the shutter blades continuously form a small stop. After a flashlight is emitted during forming the small stop, the shutter blades rotate moreover and the shutter opening is entirely exposed. Then the shutter blades close to cover the shutter opening entirely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuo Kamata
  • Patent number: 6176627
    Abstract: A diaphragm driving device for a camera with a single type sector includes a shutter base, a driver installed on the shutter base, and a diaphragm ring rotatably placed on the shutter base with the same center and connected to the driving source to receive rotational force from the driving source. The diaphragm ring has a cam side composed of a plurality of circular arc portions spaced apart from each other with a respective radius corresponding to an appropriate diaphragm value and rectilinear portions interconnecting the neighboring circular arc portions. A sector opening and closing device is rotatably fixed on the shutter base at its bottom portion. The head of the sector opening and closing device contacts the cam side of the diaphragm ring. The sector opening and closing device opens and closes the sector by rotating along the cam side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Aerospace Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-gyeong Suh
  • Patent number: 6099171
    Abstract: A lens-shutter device of the present invention includes main blades and sub blades which can rotate in the opening and closing directions within an inner space formed by a case and a case cover. When the shutter is closed, protrusions of the case cover disposed on a rotating path of the main blades and protrusions of the case disposed on the same path permit each blade to be maintained in a state where gaps are more even and much smaller. This enables a satisfactory shield condition to be obtained. Furthermore, in a traveling range from the closed state to the open state of the shutter, drive load of the main blades is reduced by being released from the protrusions to enable smooth opening and closing, which results in effective shielding and a lighter drive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6089760
    Abstract: A shutter device includes shutter blades, a motor which drives the shutter blades, diaphragm blades which are driven by the motor to perform opening and closing operations, and a transmission mechanism which transmits a driving force of the motor to the shutter blades and the diaphragm blades. In the shutter device, the transmission mechanism transmits the driving force of the motor to the shutter blades and the diaphragm blades in such a manner that driving of the shutter blades by the motor and driving of the diaphragm blades by the motor are made sequential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Terada
  • Patent number: 6027260
    Abstract: A camera shutter having a shutter aperture, shutter blades, and a driving device for driving the shutter blades to open and close the shutter aperture. The driving device includes a pair of lever members spaced apart and confronting each other across the shutter aperture, each of the lever members having a first end portion and a second end portion. A piezoelectric element is connected to and between the lever members at the first end portions thereof for undergoing elastic deformation to oscillate the lever members. An elastic member is connected to and between the lever members at the second end portions thereof for undergoing elastic displacement in response to oscillation of the lever members. A transmission member is integrally connected to a central portion of the elastic member for transmitting the displacement of the elastic member to the shutter blades to open and close the shutter aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Hajime Oda, Tadashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5953550
    Abstract: A shutter device includes first and second light blocking members arranged to be movable to vary the amounts of opening. First and second motors are arranged to drive respectively the first and second light blocking members, and a control circuit is arranged to individually control the driving actions of the first and second motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chikara Aoshima
  • Patent number: 5926663
    Abstract: A rotation driving device comprises a first fixed member having an aperture, a second fixed member having an aperture, the second fixed member being fixed with respect to the first fixed member, a ring-like rotary member, the rotary member being fitted in the first fixed member at an outer diameter portion of the rotary member and being fitted in the second fixed member at a diameter portion of the rotary member having a diameter smaller than that of the outer diameter portion, and a moving member arranged to advance and retreat in a radial direction of the rotary member in accordance with a rotation of the rotary member, wherein, where an amount of fitting play between the second fixed member and the rotary member is denoted by X and an amount of fitting play between the first fixed member and the rotary member is denoted by Y, the rotation driving device satisfies the following condition:X<Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5724625
    Abstract: A belt-driven shutter mechanism includes a shutter frame (20, 22) with an aperture (21), a plurality of hubs (30) rotatably positioned around the aperture, a corresponding plurality of shutter blades (14), one blade being supported by each hub, and a belt (32-42) attached to each of the hubs so that rotation of one hub rotates one of the shutter blades and applies tension to the belt to rotate a remainder of the plurality of hubs and shutter blades. The belt may include a corresponding plurality of spring sections (38) to relieve tension in the belt. The belt may include thin sections (34, 42) to ease wrapping onto the hubs and thickened sections (36-40) to improve moldability. The hubs may include attachment features (44-52) to ease wrapping of the belt onto the hubs. Registration features (54, 56) may be included to maintain registration between the hubs and the frame. One of the hubs may include a feature (58) to mate with an associated shutter actuation magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: David Reynolds Dowe