Abstract: A shutter unit includes a base plate on which an opening is formed, at least one blade member, a driving member configured to be rotatably supported by the base plate and to drive, in imaging, the blade member from a standby position to a traveling completion position by using a biasing force of a biasing member, a braking member configured to cause the driving member to decelerate by coming into contact with the driving member, and a charging member configured to cause the driving member to operate to the standby position after causing the driving member to operate from the traveling completion position to a set position against the biasing force of the biasing member, and cause the braking member to operate from the traveling completion position to the standby position while causing the driving member to operate from the set position to the standby position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a framing system for shaping a light beam. The framing system comprises a frame support comprising a number of shutter blades surrounding said light beam and a number of actuators adapted to move said shutter blades in and out of said light beam. The shutter blades form a merged pile, where part of a first shutter blade is in placed over a part of a second shutter blade and where another part is placed below a part of a third shutter blade. A first actuator rotates at least one of said shutter blades in relation to a first rotational point and a second actuator moves the first rotational point in relation to said light beam. The present invention relates further to a method of shaping a light beam comprising the steps of rotating a shutter blade around a first rotation point using a first actuator and moving the first rotation point in relation to the light beam using a second actuator.

Abstract: There is provided a barrier device including a main barrier blade and a sub barrier blade. In the operation range of the main barrier blade and the sub barrier blade, a portion of the contacting surface provided on the sub barrier blade that contacts on the main barrier blade is located within the operation range of the contacting surface provided on the main barrier blade that contacts on the sub barrier blade.

Abstract: A lens barrier device and an image pickup apparatus, comprising a moving barrel, a fixed barrel, a base plate, two vanes and a rotating plate. The base plate has a central window. Two vanes are inserted into the base plate and have a pivot and a control protrusion respectively. The rotating plate has a hollow part and two first grooves. A linking-up body is axially extended from the rotating plate, and has a first guiding protrusion. The moving barrel has a second guiding convex dot. The fixed barrel has a second groove and a third groove. The first guiding protrusion, the second guiding protrusion and the control convex dot are inserted into the first groove, the second groove and the third groove respectively. After the first guiding protrusion is driven, the rotating plate is linked to rotate to open or close the two vanes.

Abstract: A second blade group-driving mechanism includes second blade group-driving first member and second blade group-driving second member, only the second blade group-driving second member is rotated against elastic force of a blade group-driving spring while the second blade group-driving first member engages and is locked by a locking member at start of cocking operation of the cocking member to keep a second blade group covering an exposure opening, and the second blade group-driving first member is disengaged from locking member at final stage of cocking operation, so the second blade group-driving first member can be rotated by elastic force of a second blade group-cocking spring and the second blade group is made to open the exposure opening. Starting cocking operation of a focal plane shutter is possible irrespective of the length of time during which imaging information can be transferred from an image sensor to storage via an information-processing circuit.

Abstract: A camera shutter comprising a shutter driving means which does not immediately start an operation to provide stable movement even though an operation signal is output.

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.

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: The present invention is a miniature camera module for use in miniature camera applications. It is an object of the present invention to provide the miniature camera module with solenoid controlled blades in order to alter the amount and quality of light passing through a conduit disposed on the surface of the module. In some embodiments of the present invention, the blade comprises a shutter to completely block light. In other embodiments, the blade comprises an aperture, a neutral-density filter, a monochromatic filter, and the like. In some embodiments of the present invention, the miniature camera module is positioned within a more elaborate miniature camera chassis.

Abstract: A sector drive mechanism includes an electromagnetic actuator including a rotor having four polarities, a C-shaped stator, and a current control portion that controls current applied to a first coil and a second coil, the C-shaped stator including a first magnetic pole magnetically excited by the first coil, a second magnetic pole magnetically excited by the second coil, and a third magnetic pole magnetically excited by the first coil and the second coil, and sectors that are connected to the electromagnetic actuator to open and close a shutter opening provided in a substrate. The first coil and the second coil are driven to close the shutter opening with a fewer number of pulses applied from the current control portion than the number of the pulses to open the shutter opening.

Abstract: A shutter assembly has a first sector that moves in a first direction to allow a photographic light flux to pass through and moves in a second direction to block at least a part of the photographic light flux; a second sector that moves in the second direction to allow the photographic light flux to pass through and moves in the first direction to block a part of the photographic light flux, the part being different from the part of the photographic light flux to be blocked by the first sector; and a third sector that moves in the second direction to allow the photographic light flux to pass through and moves in the first direction to block a part of the photographic light flux, the part being different from the part of the photographic light flux blocked by the first sector and the second sector.

Abstract: A shutter device having a first light blocking member which travels from a closed state to a fully open state for making exposure, and which is driven by a first motor. A second light blocking member travels from a predetermined position to a closed state for making exposure, and is driven by a second motor. A control circuit controls the driving actions of the first and second motors, and a varying mechanism varies, according to a set condition, the predetermined position at which the second light blocking member starts travelling for making exposure.

Abstract: A dual coil actuator comprising a pair of independently moveable electrically conductive coils, is characterized in that a single magnet core generates a single magnetic field, and the coils are positioned around the single magnet core, spaced from each other and from the core, and are supported to be independently moved in the single magnetic field about the single magnet core.

Abstract: In a lens-fitted photographic film unit, a connection lever makes one reciprocating movement when struck by a shutter actuating lever. The reciprocating movement of the connection lever is transmitted to a crank lever to a pair of shutter blades to cause the shutter blades to open and then close a shutter aperture. The connection lever is coupled to the crank lever through a connection pin and a cam slot. The cam slot has an actuating portion and a keeping portion. While the connection pin moves along the actuating portion, the movement of the connection lever is transmitted to the shutter blades through the crank lever to open and close the shutter aperture. While the connection pin moves along the keeping portion, the movement of the connection lever is not transmitted to the shutter blades so that the shutter blades are kept in the opened position.