Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Kazushige Ichino

Ryoichi Suzuki

Takayuki Tsuboi

Harushige Yamamoto

Yoshiyuki Kaneko

Yuji Fujihara

Yoshiaki Hamada

Takumi Uehara

Akira Yoshihara

Hiroshi Yoshii

Kiyoshi Tachibana

An image pickup apparatus enabling construction of a small bending optical system with high magnification. A first lens group is movably disposed toward an object on a first optical axis. A second lens group is movably disposed radially inward of the first lens group. The second lens group comprises a drive frame drivingly controlled along the first optical axis and a lens holding frame for holding the second lens group. A prism is disposed on the first optical axis, for bending light incident on the prism to thereby guide the light along a second optical axis. The prism is retracted along the second optical axis in a non-shooting state. In the non-shooting state, the second lens group is retracted and accommodated in a space defined by the drive frame and the lens holding frame and a space occupied by the prism in a shooting state.

Lens barrel and image pickup apparatus

An image pickup apparatus including a lens barrel with a bending optical system, in which a reflection optical element is movable between a storage state and a photographing state. When a rotary cylinder that retains a lens group to which light beams from an object are incident is being driven by a drive source to advance and retreat between a storage state and a photographing state, the coupling between a cam mechanism for rotary cylinder operation and a driving force transmission gear train for optical element operation is automatically established and released, whereby the operation for moving the reflection optical element between the storage state and the photographing state can be achieved by a single drive source.

Optical element drive mechanism and image pickup apparatus having the same

An optical element positioning apparatus capable of moving an optical element from a storage state to a use state and improving the accuracy of positioning the optical element to a use position on an optical path. A holding member that holds the optical element is guided by guide shafts to be movable between the storage state and the use state. The holding member is provided with guide-supporting and receiving portions through which the guide shafts are slidably inserted. The guide shafts are supported by holding portions. A degree of freedom in positioning the holding member at the use position is provided. Holding-member positioning parts of the guide-supporting and receiving portions are pressed by an urging device against ends of the holding portions, whereby the holding member is positioned and held at the use position.

Optical element positioning apparatus

A camera capable of stabilizing the open state and closed state of barrier blades is disclosed. The camera comprises a lens barrel which holds a lens; and a barrier unit placed closer to the end of the lens barrel than a flange which is formed on the lens barrel and extends in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis, wherein the barrier unit has: a barrier member which opens/closes the front of the lens through a rotation operation; a barrier driving mechanism which drives the barrier member according to the operation of the lens barrel; and a partition plate which separates the barrier member from the barrier driving mechanism in the direction of the optical axis, and a shaft which supports the barrier member in a rotatable manner is formed on the flange.

Optical apparatus

A lens apparatus which is easy to assemble, provides high strength at the flange portion, and achieves high degree of design freedom, too, is disclosed. The lens apparatus comprises first and second members. The first member has a guide portion to guide the member straight ahead in an optical axis direction. The second member is arranged outside the first member and has a circumferential wall, on which an engaging portion for guiding the guide portion is formed. An opening portion is also formed at the end of the optical axis direction of the second member at a different position from the engaging portion and connected with the engaging portion. The opening portion takes the guide portion in and out with respect to the second member.

Lens apparatus and image-taking apparatus

Camera and optical apparatus

A unit for performing light blocking and dust proof is disclosed. The light blocking and dust proof unit is fixed to a first optical unit, and is mounted to a second optical unit. The light blocking and dust proof unit is mounted to the second optical unit so as to be movable in the optical axial direction relative to the second optical unit, and to be regulated by different regulating portions of the second optical unit between cases where the light blocking and dust proof unit is contracted and where the light blocking and dust proof unit is expanded. The size of the light blocking and dust proof unit having such a structure can be reduced.

Lens barrel mechanism

A lens apparatus which is easy to assemble, provides high strength at the flange portion, and achieves high degree of design freedom, too, is disclosed. On the circumferential wall of a second barrel member, a first groove portion is disposed to guide a guide portion provided in the first barrel member and at the end of optical axis direction of the circumferential wall, a flange portion is formed. On a third barrel member, a cam portion which engages with a cam follower portion provided on the guide portion is formed.

A power transmission device includes a motor, a first gear member having an internal gear and an external gear, wherein an output of the motor is transmitted to the internal gear to rotate the first gear member, a planet gear member having a first gear part having a smaller diameter and a second gear part having a larger diameter, wherein the second gear part engages with the external gear of the first gear member, and the planet gear member revolves around an axis of rotation of the first gear member, and a driven member having an internal gear part, wherein the driven member is driven by the first gear part of the planet gear member engaging with the internal gear part of the driven member with the planet gear member having revolved.

Power transmission device

A lens barrel includes a cam tube having a female helicoid and a cam formed in an inner wall thereof. A first tube which holds a lens and has a male helicoid formed on an outer wall thereof engages the female helicoid. The first tube is arranged to be moved in an optical axis direction by rotation of the cam tube. A lens holding member holds a lens and has a cam pin provided thereon for engaging the cam of the cam tube. The lens holding member is arranged to be moved in the optical axis direction by a cam action of rotation of the cam tube. The female helicoid and the cam of the cam tube respectively have loci which are continuous and uninterrupted without interfering with each other.

Lens barrel

A camera includes a plurality of camera operation mechanisms, a sun gear which rotates by means of a motor, a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. A holding member is switchable from a first state, in which the planetary gear is allowed to revolve freely, to a second state, in which the planetary gear is held at a revolution position where the planetary gear is in mesh with one of the plurality of output gears. A controller causes the planetary gear to revolve so as to mesh with a selected one of the plurality of output gears, and switches the holding member from the first state to the second state, after completion of a power transmitting operation.

Camera featuring a single drive source and a plurality of selectable drive transmission mechanisms

A camera includes a plurality of camera operation mechanisms, a sun gear which rotates by means of a motor, a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. An unlocking device removes backlash by causing the planetary gear to rotate temporarily in an opposite direction when the planetary gear is to be switched from one of the plurality of output gears in mesh therewith, to another one of the plurality of output gears. A locking device prevents the planetary gear and such one output gear from coming out of mesh with each other until the backlash is removed when the unlocking device causes the planetary gear to rotate in the opposite direction.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazushige Ichino