Back to results
US 7,009,781 B2Granted
Zoom lens mechanism partly foldable and retractable
AssigneesArc Design, Inc., Atsushi Oshima, Akira Yamazaki, Yasutaka Koga
InventorsAtsushi Oshima, Akira Yamazaki, Yasutaka Koga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A zoom lens mechanism foldable and retractable to be used in a digital still camera to control zooming of the zoom lens uses programmed data written in a micro controller unit (hereinafter referred to as MCU) instead of the conventional cylindrical grooved cams that are usually used to mechanically control zooming of a zoom lens of a digital still camera, and the assembly of the second lens group is rotatable inside the lens barrel, and the first lens group can be folded and retracted into the space provided by the rotation of the second lens assembly.
Claims12
A zoom lens mechanism partly foldable and retractable for a digital still camera which controls zooming of the zoom lens using programmed data written in a micro controller unit of the digital still camera comprising:
- a) an assembly base on which said control system of zoom lens for the digital still camera is assembled;
- b) a first group of lenses, which is assembled in a first lens holder and placed at the headmost position of said assembly base;
- c) a first threaded bearing which is formed as a part of said first lens holder of said first group of lenses or as a separate part to be fixed on said first lens holder of said first group of lenses;
- d) a first means of position stabilizing for said first lens holder not to rotate;
- e) a first stepping motor to drive said first lens holder;
- f) a first screw rod which is provided on and connected to a shaft of said first stepping motor as an extension of the motor shaft and is screwed into a bearing hole of said first threaded bearing of said first lens holder of said first group of lenses and engages with threads provided on an inner wall of said first threaded bearing of said first lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- g) a second group of lenses, which is assembled in a second lens holder and placed next to said first group of lenses;
- h) a second threaded bearing which is formed as a part of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses or as a separate part to be fixed on said second lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- i) a second means of position stabilizing for said second lens holder not to rotate;
- j) a second stepping motor to drive said second lens holder;
- k) a second screw rod which is provided on and connected to a shaft of said second stepping motor as an extension of the motor shaft and is screwed into a bearing hole of said second threaded bearing of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses and engages with threads provided on an inner wall of said second threaded bearing of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- l) a second lens housing in which said second lens holder, said second stepping motor, said second means for position stabilizing are accommodated;
- m) an axle provided on the side of said second lens holder, around on which said second housing can be rotated outward from the optical axis and path of the zoom lens at a 90 degree angle at least;
- n) a third group of lenses, which is assembled in a third lens holder and placed next to said second group of lenses and fixed there not to move;
- and
- o) a foldable outer lens barrel with 3 folding steps, in which all said lens groups, said stepping motors, said position stabilizing means and other related mechanisms built on said assembly base are accommodated.
13 more elements
A zoom lens mechanism partly foldable and retractable for a digital still camera which controls zooming of the zoom lens using programmed data written in the micro controller unit of the digital still camera comprising:
- p) an assembly base on which said control system of zoom lens for the digital still camera is assembled;
- q) a first group of lenses, which is assembled in a first lens holder and placed at the headmost position of said assembly base and fixed there not to move;
- r) a second group of lenses, which is assembled in a second lens holder and placed next to said first group of lenses;
- s) a second threaded bearing which is formed as a part of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses or as a separate part to be fixed on said second lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- t) a second means of position stabilizing for said second lens holder not to rotate;
- u) a second stepping motor to drive said second lens holder;
- v) a second screw rod which is provided on and connected to a shaft of said second stepping motor as an extension of the motor shaft and is screwed into a bearing hole of said second threaded bearing of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses and engages with threads provided on an inner wall of said second threaded bearing of said second lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- w) a second lens housing in which said second lens holder, said second stepping motor, said second means for position stabilizing are accommodated;
- x) an axle provided on the side of said second lens holder, around on which said second housing can be rotated outward from the optical axis and path of the zoom lens at a 90 degree angle at least;
- y) a third group of lenses, which is assembled in a third lens holder and placed at the rearmost position of said assembly base;
- z) a third threaded bearing which is formed as a part of said third lens holder of said third group of lenses or as a separate part to be fixed on said third lens holder of said third group of lenses;
- aa) a third means of position stabilizing for said third lens holder not to rotate;
- bb) a third stepping motor to drive said third lens holder;
- cc) a third screw rod which is provided on and connected to a shaft of said third stepping motor as an extension of the motor shaft and is screwed into a bearing hole of said third threaded bearing of said third lens holder of said third group of lenses and engages with threads provided on an inner wall of said third threaded bearing of said third lens holder of said second group of lenses;
- dd) a foldable outer lens barrel with 3 folding steps, in which all said lens groups, said stepping motors, said position stabilizing means and other related mechanisms built on said assembly base are accommodated.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.