Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Keiji Himuro

Kenji Shiraishi

Noriaki Ojima

Akira Ueno

Hiroshi Takeda

Junichi Shinohara

Yoshimi Ohno

Kenji Koyama

Tatsutoshi Kitajima

Saburo Sasaki

Toshiaki Nakahira

Atsushi Satoh

Kohichi Nishi

Shinichiro Koshiishi

Takashi Hongoh

Shigeru Mitsu

Takashi Hongou

Hiroyuki Higuchi

An imaging system includes: a body unit; at least one type of interchangeable lens unit; and at least one type of external unit, wherein in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of interchangeable lens unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes an imaging device capable of shooting a photographic subject, and in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of external unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes a device having a specific function of the external unit connected to the body unit, and wherein when the interchangeable lens unit or the external unit is connected to the body unit, the body unit obtains information on the type of unit connected to the body unit, and is capable of changing control of an entire device including the body unit and the unit connected to the body unit based on the type of unit connected to the body unit.

Imaging system including a body unit to which a first unit or a second unit is mounted

Imaging system including a body unit to which a lens unit or an external unit is mounted

A camera device includes a lens unit and a camera body detachable from the lens unit a communication interface communicably connecting the lens unit and the camera body. The lens unit includes an optical system, a diaphragm controller, an imaging portion including an image sensor, an image processor, a storage medium in which an accumulated exposure time and a limit exposure time of the image sensor are stored. The camera body includes a determiner portion which determines whether or not the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time, and a notifying portion which notifies that the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time when the determiner portion determines that the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time.

Lens unit, camera body, and camera device which determines whether the accumulated exposure time is above a value

A camera which imprints alphanumeric messages on the film. The camera allows a user to view, in the order of most frequently used, the messages which can be imprinted. In order to reduce the cost of the camera, there is a dot matrix LCD display which can only display a limited number of characters which is less than the total number of characters of the largest message. After a user takes a picture, the dot matrix display scrolls through the message which has been imprinted on the film so that the user can confirm that the correct message has been imprinted. The speed at which the characters are scrolled or displayed is determined based on the total number of characters of the message. As an alternative to scrolling, the characters can be displayed one or two at a time. As an alternative, instead of displaying the alpha-numerical characters of the message, a graphical indication is given that some type of information has been imprinted on the film. The duration at which this confirmation of message imprinting is displayed or scrolled corresponds to the length of the message in order to give the user some indication of the message.

Camera which displays information to a user corresponding to a message

A focal length display device of a camera that comprises a zoom lens unit having a lens group movable on an optical axis driven by a driver. An optical converter having a magnification can be attached to the zoom lens. A detector detects a position of the lens group and outputs a signal of lens position information data which is converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter. A detector circuit detects a state whether the optical converter is attached to the zoom lens unit or not. A focal length calculation circuit calculates the focal length in such a way than, when the detector circuit detects the state in which the optical converter is not attached, the focal length is calculated in response to the lens position, while when the detector circuit detects the state in which the optical converter is attached, the focal length is calculated in response to the lens position and the magnification of the optical converter. The calculated focal length is displayed on a display device.

Focal length display device of camera

A drive control device for controlling a zoom lens of a camera comprising: a zoom lens arranged on an optical axis; a motor for driving the zoom lens; a first controller for controlling a first zooming function wherein the zoom lens is moved at a relatively slow normal speed; a first trigger for starting the first zooming function only when the first trigger is being manipulated. The device further comprises a focal distance detector for detecting the position of the zoom lens on the optical axis; a first detector which detects a longest distance state wherein the zoom lens is positioned at a maximum focal point; a second detector which detects a shortest distance state wherein the zoom lens is positioned at a minimum focal point and which outputs a signal of the minimum focal position corresponding to the shortest distance state; a second controller for controlling a second zooming function of the camera wherein the zoom lens is moved at a speed far fastener than the normal speed by the motor; and a second trigger for starting the second zooming function. When the second trigger is manipulated, the zoom lens is automatically driven to move to the maximum focal position or to the minimum focal position irrespective of the length of the manipulation time of the second trigger.

Control device for driving zoom lens of camera

A control device for driving a zoom lens of a camera, comprising; a moving mirror cylinder movable on an optical axis of the camera between a first position corresponding to the shortest focal length of the zoom lens and a second position corresponding to the longest focal length of the zoom lens, a motor for moving the moving mirror cylinder in a predetermined direction, a detector for detecting a position of the moving mirror cylinder on the optical axis, a presetter for presetting a predetermined position between the first position and the second position, the predetermined position at which the moving mirror cylinder to stop, a controller for controlling the motor such that the moving mirror cylinder at a high speed, a starter for starting an actuation of the controller, a stopper for stopping an actuation of the controller in a case where the moving mirror cylinder arrives at the first position, the second position or the predetermined position.

Control device for driving zoom lens of a camera

An apparatus for driving a moving lens barrel of a camera with a motor, the barrel supporting a photographing lens unit and retained mechanically and slidably with a camera body between a first setting position located in a forward direction of an optical axis of the lens unit and a second setting position located in a backward direction of the optical axis.

Apparatus for driving a moving mirror cylinder of a camera

Disclosed is a lens driving and shutter opening and closing device for a camera, which includes a pulse motor adapted to rotate an output member by an angle proportional to the number of pulses of a pulse train supplied thereto and increase an output torque thereof when a pulse rate of the pulse train is reduced, a member coupled to the output member of the pulse motor through a speed-reduction gear for driving a lens and opening and closing shutter blades selectively when the pulse motor rotates, and a control mechanism for supplying a first pulse train having a first pulse rate to the pulse motor for driving the lens and supplying a second pulse train having a second pulse rate to the pulse motor for opening and closing the shutter blades, the first pulse rate being smaller than the second pulse rate in order that the pulse motor produces an output torque required for driving the lens which is larger than that required for opening and closing the shutter blades and rotates at a speed required for opening and closing the shutter blades faster than that required for driving the lens.

Lens driving and shutter opening and closing device for a camera

A fail-safe film prewinder for a camera. The prewinder has a mode switch which can be changed over by switching to a photographing mode upon completion of a prewinding mode in which a film is continuously pulled or prewound from a film cartridge loaded in the camera. When the mode switch is in the prewinding mode position while a shutter release button is being operated, a film transport motor is rotated in the direction to prewind the film again after an interruption of the prewinding mode.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Keiji Himuro