Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Pentax Corporation

Hoya Corporation

Nikon Corporation

Takuji Hamasaki

Makoto Iikawa

Zenichi Okura

Shuzo Seo

Takahiro Kobayashi

Shinsuke Kohmoto

Tomoaki Kobayashi

Kunihiko Shimizu

Kazuhiro Hattori

Kenji Watanabe

Takayuki Ito

Hiroaki Suzuki

Shinichi Kakiuchi

Kazunori Ishizuka

Akihiko Obama

Koji Nagaoka

Haruki Eguchi

Atsushi Matsuda

Hiroyasu Ozaki

Tetsuo Sekiguchi

Hisanori Togawa

Morio Takizawa

Katsumori Kikuchi

Hiroyuki Ishigami

Kazuaki Kamio

A lens barrel includes a first frame, a second frame rotatable with respect to the first frame, an urging member held by one of the first frame and the second frame, and a moving member that is disposed to be movable in optical axis direction and transfers an urging force of the urging member to the another one of the first frame and the second frame.

Lens barrel and imaging apparatus

Lens barrel includes: a first barrel; and a second barrel that is arranged on an outer circumferential side or on an inner circumferential side of first barrel, second barrel being movable in a first direction relative to first barrel without being rotated relative to the first barrel, wherein: second barrel has a first engaging part that protrudes toward first barrel and a second engaging part that protrudes toward first barrel, the second engaging part being different from first engaging part; the first barrel has a first engaged part with which the first engaging part is engaged so as to be linearly movable and a second engaged part with which the second engaging part is engaged so as to be linearly movable; and one end of the first engaging part and another end of the second engaging part are arranged at different positions in a linear motion direction.

Lens barrel and camera

An optical system comprises a first lens group Gdisposed in a most object side and having positive refractive power, a stop member ST disposed at an image side of the first lens group G, and a second lens group Gdisposed at an image side of the stop member ST. A predetermined conditional expression is satisfied, whereby light beyond the maximum angle of view collected on the focal point position of a most object side lens group having positive refractive power is reduced, so that heat generated by a member in the vicinity of the focal point position is reduced.

Optical system and optical device provided therewith

An interchangeable lens includes a lens drive mechanism for driving a movable lens group provided in the interchangeable lens; a lens-motor for driving the movable lens group via the lens drive mechanism; and a power transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force of a body-motor provided in a camera body to the lens drive mechanism with the interchangeable lens being mounted to the camera body.

Interchangeable lens incorporating a lens drive motor

A one-way rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary input member; a holding member including an axially orthogonal surface to the axis; a hollow-cylindrical rotary output shaft positioned coaxially around the rotary input member to be rotatable relative to the rotary input member, and including a cylindrical inner peripheral surface; a circumferential guide groove formed on the rotary input member; and a torque transfer ball installed between the axially orthogonal surface, the cylindrical inner peripheral surface and the circumferential guide groove, to roll on and be held between the axially orthogonal surface and the circumferential guide groove. The circumferential guide groove is shaped to make the torque transfer ball revolve around the rotary input member in a same direction as the rotary input member while trailing therebehind and to make the torque transfer ball press against the cylindrical inner peripheral surface when the rotary input member rotates.

One-way rotational transfer mechanism, and ultrasonic rotary drive device incorporating one-way rotational transfer mechanism

An image-capturing apparatus is provided that comprises an imaging device, a support member, a drive mechanism, and a fixed member. The support member supports the imaging device. The drive mechanism moves the support member in a plane parallel to an imaging surface of the imaging device and in an independent first and second directions. The fixed member is placed within a support-member movable-range, in which the support member is moved by the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism induces impact on the support member by engaging the support member with the fixed member.

Image-capturing apparatus and camera-shake compensation mechanism

An ultrasonic rotary drive device includes an ultrasonic motor including an ultrasonic generating portion and a first rotary output portion, wherein the first rotary output portion is in contact with the ultrasonic generating portion to be rotatable relative to the ultrasonic generating portion and rotates by ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic generating portion; and a one-way rotational transfer mechanism including a rotary input portion and a second rotary output portion. The rotary input portion rotates with the first rotary output portion. The second rotary output portion is rotatable independently of the rotary input portion. Rotation of the rotary input portion is transferred to the second rotary output portion when the rotary input portion is rotated. Rotation of the second rotary output portion is prevented from being transferred to the rotary input portion when the second rotary output portion is rotated.

Ultrasonic rotary drive device

A one-way rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary input shaft; a hollow-cylindrical rotary output shaft positioned around the rotary input shaft; a circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on the rotary input shaft to form at least one accommodation space between the rotary input shaft and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface; a movable member; balls positioned between first and second holding surfaces; at least one roller member installed in the accommodation space; and a biasing device which biases the movable member so that the balls are sandwiched between the first and second holding surfaces and so that an normal surface and the roller member come into pressing contact with each other. The circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion is shaped so that a rotation of the rotary input shaft is transferred to the hollow-cylindrical rotary output shaft via the roller member when the rotary input shaft is rotated.

One-way rotational transfer mechanism

A rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary output shaft, a rotary input shaft positioned inside the rotary output shaft; a circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion having a cam surface, to form an accommodation space between the rotary input shaft and the torque transfer cylindrical surface; and a torque transfer member installed in the accommodation space. The cam surface shape is determined by defining a straight line through the rotational axis and the torque-transfer-member axis, defining an imaginary circle having the same shape as the torque transfer member on the straight line at a point where the imaginary-circle axis and the torque-transfer-member axis are symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis; determining a cam-surface determining circle which circumscribes the imaginary circle and the torque transfer member; and defining a circular arc which forms a part of the cam-surface determining circle as the cam surface.

Rotational transfer mechanism

A one-way rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary input shaft; a rotary output shaft provided around the rotary input shaft; a circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on the rotary input shaft to form at least one accommodation space having different radial widths at different circumferential positions; a differential rotating member installed in the accommodation space, the differential rotating member revolving around the axis of the rotary input shaft in a same direction as a rotational direction of the rotary input shaft while revolving at a slower speed; and a freely movable torque transfer member installed in the accommodation space. The circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion is shaped so that the torque transfer member wedges between the circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion and an inner peripheral surface of the rotary output shaft to transfer torque from the rotary input shaft to the rotary output shaft.

A lens body tube includes a main tube, at least one lens configured movable along the optical axis direction of the lens body tube in the main tube, a first ring configured to be rotated for a zooming operation, the first ring being disposed around the outer circumference of the main tube, a second ring configured to be rotated for a focusing operation, the second ring being disposed around the outer circumference of the main tube, a third ring configured to be rotated by the first ring, the third ring being disposed inside the main tube, a fourth ring configured to be translated along the optical axis direction by rotation of the third ring, the fourth ring being disposed inside the main tube, a fifth ring configured to be rotated by the second ring, and at least one lens frame, of the at least one lens, supported by the fifth ring. The fifth ring is screwed together with the fourth ring.

Lens body tube

A one-way rotational transfer mechanism includes a rotary input shaft, a rotary output shaft, a clutch member, a differential rotating member, a circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on the rotary input shaft, a torque transfer member, and an associating device. The torque transfer member wedges between the circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion and the clutch member while making the torque transfer member contact the clutch so that the rotary input shaft and the clutch member become integral upon rotation of the rotary input shaft. The associating device causes the clutch member to transfer torque thereof to the rotary output shaft, and the clutch member to release engagement of the rotary input shaft with the clutch member when the rotary output shaft is rotated so that a relative rotational torque greater than a predetermined torque determined by a shape of the associating device.

One-way rotational transfer mechanism, and a lens barrel incorporating the same

A lens barrel includes a distance adjustment ring for moving a movable lens group; a hand-operated ring and a motor for rotating the distance adjustment ring; a one-way rotational transfer mechanism which transfers torque of the hand-operated ring to the distance adjustment ring when the hand-operated ring is manually rotated, and prevents torque of the distance adjustment ring transferring to the hand-operated ring when the distance adjustment ring is rotated by the motor. A circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion formed on an annular overlapping portion of the hand-operated ring, is shaped so that a torque transfer member, installed in an accommodation space between the annular overlapping portion and-a torque transfer cylindrical surface on the distance adjustment ring, wedges between the circumferentially-uneven-width-space forming portion and the torque transfer cylindrical surface to transfer the torque of the manually rotated hand-operated ring to the distance adjustment ring.

Lens barrel incorporating a one-way rotational transfer mechanism

A lens body tube configured to support at least one lens inside an inner tube such that the at least one lens can be translated along the optical axis direction of the lens body tube includes a cam ring configured to be rotatably supported around the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube, the at least one lens being configured to be translated along the optical axis direction accompanied by the rotation of the cam ring, a plurality of cams provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cam ring, a plurality of cam followers provided on a lens frame supporting each of the at least one lens, each of the plurality of cam followers being engaged with a corresponding one of the plurality of cams through an opening provided on the inner tube, and a plurality of first protrusions, each of which is formed integrally with a corresponding one of the plurality of cams, and has contact with the outer circumferential surface of the inner tube.

A lens barrel includes a stationary member; a rotary input shaft; a manual operating ring rotatably supported by the stationary member and rotated by the rotary input shaft via a gear mechanism; an optical element movable along the optical axis by rotation of the manual operating ring; a hollow-cylindrical output gear having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface in which the rotary input shaft is fitted, and an outer gear portion; a non-circular cross section portion formed on the rotary input shaft to form an accommodation space between the rotary input shaft and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface; a ball installed in the accommodation space; and a biasing device for making the orthogonal surface and the ball come into pressing contact. The non-circular cross section portion is shaped so that the rotation of the rotary input shaft is transferred to the hollow-cylindrical output gear via the ball.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Takuji Hamasaki