Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.

Noboru Shimada

Haruo Onozuka

Fumio Iwai

Masaya Nozawa

Takao Umetsu

Katsuji Ozawa

Mieko Nozawa

The present invention provides a lens barrel in which all lens groups are attached to a leading cylindrical body. A movable lens group of the lens groups is moved by a driving source incorporated in the leading cylindrical body. The lens barrel is less likely to be influenced by external forces and can be made smaller. The lens barrel includes first, second, and third cylinders, and first, second, and third lens groups attached to the third cylinder, which is extended first among the first, second, and third cylinders. The first and third lens groups are fixed to the third cylinder, and the second lens group is disposed between the first and third lens groups and movable along the optical axis.

Lens barrel

The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus which can prevent a lens barrel from increasing its size and cost while making it possible to detect the position of a movable lens group. A first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are disposed along an optical axis, among which the second lens group is a movable lens group movable along the optical axis. A second lens frame holding the second lens group is formed with a detection plate having a predetermined width in the direction of optical axis. A detector detects passages of both end portions of the detection plate, whereby the position of the second lens group can be detected.

Lens driving apparatus

The present invention provides a lens barrel which can carry out barrier opening/closing operations and lens moving operations of an optical lens system by use of a single driving source, and can adjust the focus without any obstruction even in a state allowing the baffler to open/close. A state capable of transmitting a driving force to a barrier opening/closing mechanism is attained when collapsing a lens barrel to a predetermined extent or more, and a state incapable of transmitting the driving force to the barrier opening/closing mechanism is attained when the lens barrel is extended to a predetermined extent or more, whereby a single motor can carry out baffler opening/closing operations and lens moving operations of a lens is optical system.

The present invention provides a camera which can release creep of a moving member, preventing the moving member disposed within the camera from breaking due to creeping. The camera includes a barrier base rotating in response to the driving force of a motor so as to open/close a barrier upon rotation, and a stopper for restricting the moving area of the barrier base. When opening/closing the barrier, the barrier base is rotated until it abuts against the stopper, and then is rotated in reverse so as to be separated from the stopper. As a consequence, the barrier plate can be prevented from breaking upon creeping when pressed by the stopper for a long time.

Camera

The present invention provides a lens driving apparatus which can accurately detect the position of a movable lens group while preventing the apparatus from increasing in size and cost by using a simple position detecting sensor. A first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are disposed along an optical axis, among which the second lens group is a movable lens group and is movable along the optical axis. The second lens group is movable at two or more different speeds. When the second lens group passes a reference position, it is moved at a speed which is not the highest of the different speeds. As a consequence, the position of the second lens group can be detected accurately.

In a camera having an LCD and a clock device, a power source consists of a battery and a booster circuit. When a power switch button is pressed, the camera moves to an ON mode including a drive mode and a standby mode. In the drive mode, the booster circuit is continuously turned on to supply voltage of a predetermined high level. In the standby mode, the booster circuit is intermittently turned on to output voltage of between the predetermined high level and a minimum display voltage level that is necessary for the LCD to keep its display density in a proper range. The booster circuit is normally turned off in an OFF mode. But if the battery voltage goes below a reset level below which a clock device of the camera cannot work, the booster circuit is intermittently turned on in the OFF mode, to boost the battery voltage up above the reset level and drive the clock device by the output voltage of the booster circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Noboru Shimada