Nidec Copal Corporation

Clarion Co

Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Nobuaki Watanabe

Kenzo Imai

Kazuo Shikama

Koji Sawanobori

Ryosuke Ushio

Longji Bai

Shozo Iwato

Daisuke Kakemizu

Takao Chaki

Tomokazu Kihara

Daisuke Yaginuma

Yusuke Ehara

Yoshiyuki Ohzeki

Tohru Eguro

Shigeru Yamagishi

Takao Kanai

Takuya Machida

Haruhiko Mandai

Kiyoshi Toma

Yoshiyuki Ozeki

Mitsutaka Hidaka

Norihumi Ikeda

Yuuhei Kobayashi

Yohsuke Ikeda

An imaging device includes an image sensor, a blade operable to switch between a closed state to at least partially block light incident on the image sensor and an open state to allow light to be incident on the image sensor, a blade driver that drives the blade, a blade controller that controls the blade driver, an authentication processor that performs authentication based on a result of imaging performed by the image sensor, and an operation detector that detects an operation. The blade controller controls the blade driver to place the blade in the open state in response to a predetermined operation detected by the operation detector and to place the blade in the closed state in response to a predetermined time passing in the open state of the blade and no success in the authentication performed by the authentication processor.

Imaging device and electronic device including an authentication processor

An electronic device allows the user to notice that no image capturing is being performed and increases the user comfort as well as includes a small open-close device incorporated in a limited space. A camera module is covered by a blade. This allows the user to notice that no image capturing is being performed and increases the user comfort. A base is attached to a first surface of a module board, and a cover has a first end in the longitudinal direction attached to the base and a second end in the longitudinal direction supported by the first surface of the module board. The base may not extend to the second end of the cover in the longitudinal direction and can have a shorter length (miniaturized), further miniaturizing a blade open-close device.

Electronic device

A blade open-close device retains a blade at a predetermined position under an external load. A blade open-close device includes a base, a cover plate covering part of the base, a blade between the base and the cover plate, a driving actuator that moves the blade in X-direction, and a stopper actuator located adjacent to the driving actuator in X-direction to restrict an operation of the driving actuator. The driving actuator includes a rotor magnet rotatably located adjacent to a yoke and a driving lever including a connecting part connected to the blade. The stopper actuator includes a rotor magnet rotatably located adjacent to a yoke and a stopper lever including a restrictor movable onto a path of the driving lever in the driving actuator.

Blade open-close device and electronic device

A small blade driving device is incorporated in a limited space. A cover includes a first cover fixed to a base and a second cover protruding from the first cover in a movement direction of a blade. A support leg protrudes from the second cover toward a first surface of a module substrate and is supported by the first surface. The base may not have the same length as the cover and have a shorter length (miniaturized), further miniaturizing a blade driving device.

Blade driving device

A blade open-close device includes a blade for which an open or closed state is easily viewable from outside. A blade open-close device includes a base having a base opening, and a cover covering the base and having a cover opening adjacent to the base opening in the base in Z-direction. The blade open-close device further includes a blade movable in X-direction in a blade chamber between the base and the cover and including a light emitter that emits light, and an actuator that moves the blade to a closing position to expose at least part of the light emitter in the blade through the cover opening and retracts the blade to an opening position to allow the cover opening and the base opening to communicate with each other.

Blade open-close device and imaging device

A thin blade open-close device is incorporated in a limited space. A blade open-close device includes a base located on a module board including a lens unit, a partition located opposite to the module board from the base, and a cover plate located opposite to the base from the partition. The partition and the cover plate each have an opening aligned with an optical axis of the lens unit. The blade open-close device includes a blade movable in X-direction in a blade chamber defined between the cover plate and the partition, an actuator that moves the blade between a closing position to cover the openings and an opening position to uncover the openings, and a terminal plate extending in Z-direction. The terminal plate electrically connected to the actuator includes connectors at its end adjacent to the module board to be electrically connected to contacts on the module board.

To enable continuous operational control of the blade member with high resolution and good accuracy, even when achieving miniaturization and thickness reduction in a blade driving device, through enabling smooth movement of a movable member in a blade driving device. A blade driving devicecomprises: a base memberthat has an openingA; one or a plurality of blade membersthat operate so as to advance into the openingA or withdraw from the openingA; a driving memberthat moves within a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis that passes through the openingA, to drive the blade member; and supporting membersthat are provided between the base memberand the driving member, so as to provide sliding support or elastic support of the driving memberin a state that is separated from the base member

Blade driving device for high resolution imaging apparatus

An optical unit has a lens frame that has a slit in a cylinder, and a blade driving device, comprising an insertion portion for insertion into the slit, wherein an opening, provided in the insertion portion, is disposed between lenses in a lens frame, wherein: the blade driving device comprises a frame that has a recessed lens frame storing portion with the insertion portion protruding; a cylinder of the lens frame comprises a pair of supporting faces that are perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens; and the lens frame storing portion of the frame has contact surfaces that contact each of a pair of supporting faces.

Optical unit

A technique reduces images unintended by the user captured with an electronic device by, for example, unauthorized access or an accidental operation performed by the user. An electronic device includes a camera module including a camera drive that activates or deactivates a camera function, a blade that opens or closes a lens aperture in the camera module, a blade drive that drives an actuator to open or close the blade, a controller that controls the camera drive and the blade drive, and a switch that transmits, to the controller, an opening signal or a closing signal for forcibly driving the blade drive independently of the camera drive. The controller activates the camera function in the camera drive in response to the opening signal transmitted from the switch.

A technique reduces images unintended by the user captured with an electronic device having a camera function by unauthorized access or an accidental operation performed by the user. A blade open-close device includes a blade that opens or closes a lens aperture in a camera module, an actuator that opens or closes the blade, a drive that drives the actuator, and a switch that inputs an opening signal and a closing signal into the drive. The switch includes a mechanical switch operation member that generates the opening signal and the closing signal in response to a manual operation performed by a user. The drive is independent of a drive output from the camera module.

Blade open-close device

A technique prevents leakage of private images and/or images unintended by a user from an imaging device connected to a network, without a troublesome manual operation of opening and closing a cover. A blade operating device includes a blade that opens and closes an optical path of an imaging device connectable to a network, a blade driver that opens and closes the blade, and a controller that controls the blade driver. The controller controls the blade driver to close the blade when the imaging device is turned off.

Blade operating device and blade operating method

A technique enhances security measures in the IoT by reducing leakage of private images and degraded security due to unauthorized image capturing, eliminates the possibility that an unintended image is captured and stored, and also shows people around the user that the camera function of an electronic device is not working. A camera module shielding mechanism for shielding a camera module by retracting the camera module into a housing of an electronic device includes a support member supporting the camera module, a slide support supporting the support member in a slidable manner, an urging member that urges the support member in a direction in which the camera module protrudes from the housing, a locking member that locks the support member with the camera module retracted in the housing, and an actuator that unlocks the locking member.

Camera module shielding mechanism and electronic device

An imaging device used in, for example, a smartphone controls a blade to avoid remaining open after unauthorized external access or a drop impact. The imaging device includes an image sensor, a blade operable to switch between a closed state in which the blade at least partially blocks light incident on the image sensor and an open state in which light is incident on the image sensor, a blade driver that drives the blade, and a blade controller that controls the blade driver. The blade controller determines whether the blade is in the closed state in a non-imaging mode in which imaging is off, and when determining that the blade is in the open state, the blade controller controls the blade driver to close the blade.

Imaging device and electronic device

An imaging optical apparatus with a thin blade containing member for containing a blade member for limiting an opening, having an insertion portion that has an opening; an actuator for causing a blade member to slide; a containing frame for containing the actuator and the blade containing member, except for the insertion portion, having, on an outer edge, a recessed lens frame retaining portion into which the insertion portion; a lens frame, held in the lens frame retaining portion, having an insertion hole, for insertion of the insertion portion so that the center of the opening will be coaxial with the optical axis; and a clip for holding, in cooperation with the containing frame, a lens frame that is held in the lens frame retaining portion, through joining with the containing frame.

Imaging optical apparatus

To enable adjustment of a lens frame (lens barrel) independently, and also to enable a reduction in thickness along the optical axial direction. A blade driving device having a driving member for moving on a plane; a frame for containing the driving member; a thin blade supporting unit that protrudes to the outside, along the direction of movement of the driving member, from a portion of the thickness of the frame, and that has an opening, around the optical axis, along the direction of thickness of the frame; and a blade member that is supported on the blade supporting unit, and that is moved by the driving member, to advance into the opening; wherein the outer peripheral edge of the frame has a recessed portion at the position at which the blade supporting unit protrudes.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Nobuaki Watanabe