Finder mechanism and drive mechanism for use in camera
AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.
InventorKazuo Mikami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zoom lens barrel in a camera is driven by a drive motor via a zoom drive gear train and a lens barrel gear train. A finder optical system, which is interlocked with the zoom lens barrel, is driven by the drive motor through the zoom drive gear train, a finder drive gear train, a friction clutch mechanism and a finder cam. Since the finder optical system is driven via the friction clutch mechanism, a phase adjustment between the lens barrel and the finder optical system is easily performed. The camera is easily assembled without paying particular attention to zoom position deviation in the finder optical system.
Claims39
A camera comprising:
- a zoom lens barrel including a zoom imaging optical system;
- a finder optical system having a plurality of lenses;
- a drive source for generating a driver power;
- a deceleration mechanism for decelerating the drive power from said drive source by a predetermined amount;
- first drive power transfer mechanism for transferring the drive power decelerated by said deceleration mechanism to the zoom lens barrel;
- finder drive mechanism for driving the lenses of the finder optical system for movement relative to one another in said camera;
- second drive power transfer mechanism including a clutch, for transferring the drive power decelerated by said deceleration mechanism to the finder drive mechanism via the clutch;
- and
- a restraint which restrains the travel of the lenses of the finder optical system at predetermined positions.
A camera comprising:
- a zoom lens barrel including a zoom imaging optical system;
- a finder optical system having a plurality of lenses;
- a drive source for generating a drive power;
- a deceleration gear train for decelerating the drive power from said drive source by a predetermined amount;
- a lens barrel drive gear train for transferring said drive power decelerated by said deceleration gear train to the zoom lens barrel;
- a finder cam for driving the lenses of the finder optical system for movement relative to one another in said camera;
- a finder drive gear train, including a friction clutch mechanism, for transferring the drive power decelerated by said deceleration gear train to the finder cam via the friction clutch mechanism;
- and
- a restraint which restrains the travel of the lenses of the finder optical system relative to one another at predetermined positions.
A drive mechanism for use in a camera, comprising:
- a lens barrel that is retracted and projected in the direction of an optical axis;
- a movable member that moves in response to the position of the lens barrel;
- a drive source for driving the lens barrel and the movable member;
- a drive power transfer mechanism for transferring a drive power from the drive source to a predetermined position;
- a lens barrel drive power transfer mechanism for transferring the drive power from the drive power transfer mechanism to the lens barrel;
- a movable member drive power transfer mechanism for transferring the drive power from the drive power transfer mechanism to the movable member;
- a clutch arranged on the movable member drive power transfer mechanism;
- and
- a restraint which restrains the travel of the movable member at a predetermined position.
In a camera, a combination, comprising:
- a zoom lens;
- said zoom lens having a first focal length;
- said first focal length is variable and is adjustable between a first telephoto position at which said first focal length is at a maximum and a first wide angle position at which said first focal length is at a minimum;
- said zoom lens also including at least a first pair of moveable lenses which move relative to one another to adjust said first focal length;
- a zoom viewfinder;
- said zoom viewfinder having a second focal length;
- said second focal length is adjustable between a second telephoto position at which said second focal length is at a maximum and a second wide angle position at which said second focal length is at a minimum;
- said zoom viewfinder including at least a second pair of moveable lenses which move relative to one another to adjust said second focal length;
- a source of motive force;
- a transmission which applies said motive force to said zoom lens and said zoom viewfinder so that said first and second focal lengths are adjusted in unison during a focusing operation, but which permits one of said first and second focal lengths to be adjusted independently of an opposite one of said first and second focal lengths during an alignment operation.
A process for adjusting the focal alignment of a zoom lens and a zoom viewfinder, said zoom lens having a first focal length which is variable between a first telephoto position at which said first focal length is at a maximum and a first wide angle position at which said first focal length is at a minimum, said zoom lens including at least a first pair of moveable lenses which move relative to one another, said zoom viewfinder having a second focal length which is adjustable between a second telephoto position at which said second focal length is at a maximum and a wide angle position at which said first focal length is at a minimum, said zoom viewfinder including at least a second pair of moveable lenses which move relative to one another, said first and second focal lengths are adjusted in unison during a focusing operation but, due to the presence of a clutch in the gear train applying power to at least one of said zoom lens and zoom viewfinder , may have at least one of said first and second focal lengths adjusted independently of one another during an alignment operation, said operation comprising the acts of:
- moving said zoom lens into one of said first telephoto and wide-angle positions and, while said zoom lens is in said one of said first telephoto and wide-angle positions,
- moving said zoom viewfinder to a corresponding said second telephoto and wide-angle position.
A process for adjusting an alignment of a focal length of a zoom lens and a zoom viewfinder respectively wherein said focal lengths adjusted in unison during a focusing operation but, due to the presence of a clutch in a gear train applying power to at least one of said zoom lens and zoom viewfinder, may be adjusted independently of one another, said zoom lens and said telephoto lenses each being movable between a telephoto position at which said focal lengths are at a maximum and a wide-angle position at which said focal lengths are at a minimum, said process comprising the acts of:
- initially placing said zoom lens and said zoom viewfinder in a camera with said focal lengths of said zoom lens and said zoom viewfinder being out of phase with each other,
- moving said zoom lens into one of said telephoto and wide-angle positions and, while said zoom lens is in said position, and
- moving said zoom viewfinder into a corresponding said telephoto or wide-angle position so as to bring said zoom lens and zoom viewfinder in phase with each other.
A drive mechanism for use in a camera, comprising:
- a lens barrel that is retracted and projected along an optical axis;
- a movable member that moves in response to a movement of said lens barrel;
- a drive source for driving the lens barrel and the movable member;
- a speed mechanism for reducing the drive power from the drive source by a predetermined amount;
- a first drive power transfer mechanism for transferring the drive power reduced by the speed-reduction mechanism to the lens barrel;
- second drive power transfer mechanism, including clutch mechanism, for transferring the drive power reduced by the speed-reduction mechanism to the movable member;
- and
- a restraining mechanism restrains the travel of the movable member at a predetermined position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.