US 6,783,287 B2Granted

Focal-plane shutter for digital camera

AssigneeNidec Copal Corporation

InventorsKouichi Kudo, Tohru Eguro

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Abstract

When the main power of a camera is turned on, a set member (14) is rotated from an initial position to a set position by an operation member (15) on the camera side and once stops at a midway position. At this time, a second blade group (19) retreats from an aperture (1a) and a first blade group (16) enters the aperture 1a to a position not covering an image pickup device (4), so that the aperture (1a) is opened and it is made possible to display a subject in an electronic viewfinder. When a release button is pressed, the set member (14) is rotated from the midway position to the set position and thus the aperture (1a) is covered with the first blade group (16). After this, when drive members (10, 12) are attracted to iron cores (8, 9) and the set member (14) is restored to the initial position, the drive members perform light exposure operation in order.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A focal-plane shutter for a digital camera, comprising:

a shutter base plate including an aperture for light exposure;
an operation member provided on a camera body;
a first blades drive member for driving first blades;
a second blades drive member for driving second blades;
a set member being capable of reciprocating on the shutter base plate, wherein the set member operates the first and second blades drive members to a set position against an urging force of drive springs when the set member is moved by the operation member from an initial position to a set position, and the set member is restored to the initial position in association with the operation member before light exposure operation of the first and second blades drive member starts;
and
a first blades holding member and a second blades holding member, which hold each of the first and second blades drive member at a light exposure operation start position just before the light exposure operation starts and release each of the first and second blades drive members when the light exposure operation starts,
wherein when the set member is operated from the initial position to the set position, at the initial stage, the set member operates at least the second blades drive member against the urging force of a corresponding drive spring of the drive springs and stops the second blades drive member at a midway position at which the second blades opens the aperture in association with the motion of the operation member.

5 more elements

A focal-plane shutter for a camera, comprising:

a shutter base plate;
an operation member provided on a camera body;
a first blades drive member for driving first blades;
a second blades drive member for driving second blades;
a set member being capable of reciprocating on the shutter base plate, wherein the set member operates the first and second blades drive members to a set position against urging forces of drive springs when the set member is moved by the operation member from an initial position to a set position;
and
a first blades holding member and a second blades holding member, which hold each of the first and second blades drive members at a light exposure operation start position prior to the light exposure operation starting and release each of the first and second blades drive members when the light exposure operation starts,
wherein when the set member is operated from the initial position to the set position, the set member operates and contacts at least the second blades drive member against the urging forces of the drive springs and stops the second blades drive member at a midway position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.