# US 12,114,053 B2 · Imaging apparatus with belt driven simultaneous filter unit movement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,053 B2 - Document ID: US12114053B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/979,124 - Filed: 2022-11-02 - Published: 2023-07-20 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-20 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroyuki Kuroki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114053B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/50: Constructional details - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - G02F 1/0121: {Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass} - G03B 17/12: with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets - G03B 11/00: Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes - G03B 2205/00: Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element including an imaging surface; a first filter unit including a first optical filter; and a drive mechanism configured to move the first filter unit in parallel in a second direction intersecting a first direction being a normal direction of the imaging surface and between a first filtering position and a first retraction position. The first filtering position is a position at which the first optical filter is present in front of the imaging surface, and the first retraction position is a position at which the first optical filter is deviated from a front of the imaging surface. The drive mechanism includes a belt member coupled to the first filter unit, and a belt drive member configured to rotate in a state where the belt member is partially wound, the belt drive member configured to move a first portion of the belt member to which the first filter unit is coupled in the second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging element including an imaging surface on which light from a subject is incident; a first filter unit including a first optical filter; a second filter unit including a second optical filter; and a drive mechanism configured to move the first filter unit in parallel in a second direction intersecting a first direction being a normal direction of the imaging surface and between a first filtering position and a first retraction position, while moving the second filter unit in parallel in the second direction at a position in the first direction different from the first filter unit and between a second filtering position and a second retraction position, wherein the first filtering position is a position at which the first optical filter is present in front of the imaging surface of the imaging element, wherein the second filtering position is a position at which the second optical filter is present in front of the imaging surface, wherein the first retraction position is a position at which the first optical filter is deviated from a front of the imaging surface, wherein the second retraction position is a position at which the second optical filter is deviated from a front of the imaging surface, wherein the drive mechanism includes a belt member including a first portion and a second portion each linearly extending in the second direction and spaced apart parallel to each other the first portion being coupled to the first filter unit and the second portion being coupled to the second filter unit, and a belt drive member configured to rotate in a state where the belt member is partially wound, the belt drive member rotating to move the first portion of the belt member to which the first filter unit is coupled in the second direction while simultaneously moving the second portion of the belt member to which the second filter unit is coupled in the second direction, the first portion and the second portion moving in opposite directions, wherein, by rotation of the belt drive member, the first filter unit is moved from the first retraction position to the first filtering position while the second filter unit is moved simultaneously in an opposite moving direction from the second filtering position to the second retraction position, and wherein, by rotation of the belt drive member, the first filter unit is moved from the first filtering position to the first retraction position while the second filter unit is moved simultaneously in an opposite moving direction from the second retraction position to the second filtering position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the belt member and the belt drive member are disposed within a movement range in the second direction of the first and second filter units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first guide member and a second guide member configured to respectively guide the first filter unit and the second filter unit so that the first filter unit and the second filter unit move in parallel in the second direction, wherein the first guide member and the second guide member are disposed in a space surrounded by the belt member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first optical filter is an electronic ND filter whose light transmittance is changeable, wherein the second optical filter is made of transparent glass, and wherein the second optical filter has an optical path length identical to an optical path length of the first optical filter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor coupled to the belt drive member as a power source for rotationally driving the belt drive member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the motor is disposed in a grip portion of the imaging apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes a dial coupled to the belt drive member and operated by a user as a power source for rotationally driving the belt drive member.