Low cost auto focus system improvement
AssigneeHoneywell Inc.
InventorNorman L. Stauffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for use in a camera employing a low cost auto focus system wherein the light from the remote scene is reflected from a moveable mirror to the auto focus circuitry to produce an output indicative of the correct focus position and thereafter the shutter mechanism of the camera is moved into position behind the taking lens and the mirror is moved out of position to allow the shutter to thereafter control the travel of light from the taking lens to the film.
Claims14
Apparatus for use in a camera having a film plane, a taking lens moveable to a focus position where radiation from a remote object may pass through the taking lens and along an optical path to be focussed on the film plane and an auto focus sensor operable to produce an output indicative of the focus position, comprising:
- shutter means moveable into and out of the optical path;
- reflecting means moveable into and out of the optical path;
- and
- actuation means operable to move the reflecting means into the optical path to reflect radiation from the remote object to the auto focus sensor when the shutter means is moved out of the optical path and to move the reflecting means out of the optical path when the shutter means is moved into the optical path.
Apparatus for use in a camera having a taking lens, a film plane, shutter means and an auto focus element for receiving radiation from an object and operable to produce an output signal for positioning the taking lens at a desired focus position comprising:
- moveable reflecting means;
- a moveable member, the moveable member operable in a first position to place the shutter means in the optical path between the taking lens and the film plane and in a second position to remove the shutter means from the optical path;
- and
- means connecting the reflecting means to the moveable member so that when the moveable member is in the first position, the reflecting means is out of the optical path and when the moveable member is in the second position, the reflecting means is in the optical path to reflect radiation from the taking lens to the auto focus element.
An auto focus camera comprising:
- a film plane;
- a taking lens for transmitting radiation along an optical path to the film plane;
- first bias means connected to the taking lens to urge the taking lens from a predetermined position towards a focus position where the radiation is focussed on the film plane;
- moveable shutter means;
- second bias means connected to the shutter means to urge the shutter means from a first position out of the optical path towards a second position in the optical path;
- holding means operable in a first position to maintain the shutter means in the first position out of the optical path and in a second position to release the shutter means for motion by the second bias means and simultaneously contact the taking lens to prevent motion of the taking lens by the first bias means;
- moveable reflecting means;
- means connected to the shutter means and to the reflecting means to place the reflecting means in the optical path to reflect radiation in a first path when the shutter means is in the first position and to place the reflecting means out of the optical path when the shutter means is in the second position;
- auto focus means in the first path to receive radiation reflected by the reflecting means when the reflecting means is in the optical path and to produce an output signal when the taking lens is in a proper focus position;
- and
- connection means connecting the auto focus means to holding means, the holding means moving from the first position to the second position upon receipt of an output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.