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US 7,623,159 B2Granted
Shake correction mechanism and image sensing apparatus using the same
AssigneeKonica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
InventorsShigeru Wada, Junichi Tanii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shake correction mechanism 1 has an elastic support member 2 for elastically and oscillatingly supporting a lens barrel 10 at one point, and first and second actuators 3a and 3b for applying oscillating forces to the lens barrel 10. When a moment is applied to the lens barrel 10 by the first and second actuators 3a and 3b, the elastic support member 2 is subjected to elastic deformation. Thereby, the lens barrel 10 is oscillated to tilt the optical axis thereof in a desires direction. Thus, the lens barrel 10 is oscillatingly driven without use of a rotary joint or the like as employed in the conventional gimbal mechanism. This arrangement enables to miniaturize the shake correction mechanism.
Claims20
A shake correction mechanism comprising:
- a lens barrel that holds a lens system and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor converts an optical image formed by the lens system into an electrical signal;
- a support mechanism that includes an elastic support member that elastically supports the lens barrel at only one point thereof, wherein the support mechanism oscillatingly supports the lens barrel;
- an actuator unit that applies an oscillating force to the lens barrel;
- and
- a tilt regulating member that regulates a tilt range of the lens barrel with respect to the optical axis of the lens barrel, wherein:
- the lens barrel is operative to tilt at least an optical axis thereof when an oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member is subjected to elastic deformation when the oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member supports the lens barrel whereby the lens barrel swings in at least two directions different from each other about a support point of the lens barrel, and
- the tilt regulating member includes a pin that is arranged as opposed to a part of the lens barrel for contact with the part of the lens barrel, and the pin is arranged on an oscillation trajectory along which a centroid of the lens barrel is moved relative to the support point of the lens barrel by the elastic support member.
6 more elements
An image sensing apparatus comprising:
- a main body of the image sensing apparatus;
- an image sensing section including a lens barrel that holds a lens system and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor converts an optical image formed by the lens system into an electrical signal;
- a swing angle detector that detects a swing angle of the lens barrel relative to the main body;
- a shake correction controller that generates a shake correction control signal based on the detected swing angle;
- and
- a shake correction mechanism controlled by the shake correction controller, wherein the shake correction mechanism comprising:
- the lens barrel;
- a support mechanism that includes an elastic support member that elastically supports the lens barrel at only one point thereof, wherein the support mechanism oscillatingly supports the lens barrel;
- an actuator unit that applies an oscillating force to the lens barrel;
- and
- a tilt regulating member that regulates a tilt range of the lens barrel with respect to the optical axis of the lens barrel, wherein:
- the lens barrel is operative to tilt at least an optical axis thereof when an oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member is subjected to elastic deformation when the oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member supports the lens barrel whereby the lens barrel swings in at least two directions different from each other about a support point of the lens barrel, and
- the tilt regulating member includes a pin that is arranged as opposed to a part of the lens barrel for contact with the part of the lens barrel, and the pin is arranged on an oscillation trajectory along which a centroid of the lens barrel is moved relative to the support point of the lens barrel by the elastic support member.
12 more elements
A shake correction mechanism comprising:
- a lens barrel that holds a lens system and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor converts an optical image formed by the lens system into an electrical signal;
- a support mechanism that includes an elastic support member that elastically supports the lens barrel at only one point thereof, wherein the support mechanism oscillatingly supports the lens barrel;
- and
- an actuator unit that applies an oscillating force to the lens barrel;
- and
- a tilt regulating member that regulates a tilt range of the lens barrel with respect to the optical axis of the lens barrel, wherein:
- the lens barrel is operative to tilt at least an optical axis thereof when an oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member is subjected to elastic deformation when the oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit, and
- the elastic support member supports the lens barrel whereby the lens barrel swings in at least two directions different from each other about a support point of the lens barrel, and,
- the tilt regulating member includes a pin that is arranged as opposed to the part of the lens barrel for contact with the part of the lens barrel at or around a point farthest away from the support point of the lens barrel by the elastic support member.
7 more elements
An image sensing apparatus comprising:
- a main body of the image sensing apparatus;
- an image sensing section including a lens barrel that holds a lens system and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor converts an optical image formed by the lens system into an electrical signal;
- a swing angle detector that detects a swing angle of the lens barrel relative to the main body;
- a shake correction controller that generates a shake correction control signal based on the detected swing angle;
- and
- a shake correction mechanism controlled by the shake correction controller, wherein the shake correction mechanism comprising:
- the lens barrel;
- a support mechanism that includes an elastic support member that elastically supports the lens barrel at only one point thereof, wherein the support mechanism oscillatingly supports the lens barrel;
- an actuator unit that applies an oscillating force to the lens barrel;
- and
- a tilt regulating member that regulates a tilt range of the lens barrel with respect to the optical axis of the lens barrel, wherein:
- the lens barrel is operative to tilt at least an optical axis thereof when an oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member is subjected to elastic deformation when the oscillating force is applied to the lens barrel by the actuator unit,
- the elastic support member supports the lens barrel whereby the lens barrel swings in at least two directions different from each other about a support point of the lens barrel, and
- the tilt regulating member includes a pin that is arranged as opposed to the part of the lens barrel for contact with the part of the lens barrel at or around a point farthest away from the support point of the lens barrel by the elastic support member.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.