Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Yuji Fujihara

Ryoichi Suzuki

Takayuki Tsuboi

Kazushige Ichino

Yoshiyuki Kaneko

Yoshiaki Hamada

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

An unexposed-frame determining apparatus which determines an unexposed frame by reproducing magnetic information recorded on a film, includes a magnetic information reproducing device which reproduces magnetic information recorded on the film, and a magnetic noise determining device which determines a state of magnetic noise obtained while the magnetic information reproducing device is reproducing magnetic information at a space between adjacent frames of the film.

Camera having magnetic head and noise detector

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.

Power transmission apparatus including plural selectable drive transmission mechanisms usable with single drive source, and camera using same

An apparatus, such as a camera, comprises a plurality of operation mechanisms, a first rotation member, such as a sun gear, rotatable by operation of a motor, a second rotation member, such as a planetary gear which revolves around the sun gear, and a plurality of force transmitting members, such as output gears, each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by revolution of the planetary gear around the sun gear, where the plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of operation mechanisms, respectively, and a limiting structure, e.g., a stopper that limits revolution of the planetary gear around the sun gear. In one aspect, the limiting structure limits the revolution of the planetary gear at a revolution position where the planetary gear does not mesh with any of the plurality of output gears, and a position of the planetary gear during revolution thereof is determined on the basis of the position where revolution of the planetary gear is limited by the limiting structure, e.g., by determining an amount of revolution of the planetary gear relative to the position where the revolution of the planetary gear is limited by the limiting structure.

Camera featuring a single drive source and a plurality of selectable

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, a plurality of output gears each capable of meshing with the planetary gear by means of a revolution of the planetary gear. The plurality of output gears transmit power to the plurality of camera operation mechanisms, respectively. A holding member 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. The holding member includes a moving member rotatable in interlocked relation to the revolution of the planetary gear. The holding member switches from the first state to the second state by means of a movement of the moving member in a direction different from a direction of rotation of the moving member. A controller determines whether a direction of rotation of said planetary gear when revolution of said planetary gear is to be started for selection of one of said plurality of output gears is identical to a direction of rotation of said planetary gear for rotating said one of said plurality of output gears, and, if both directions differ, switches said holding means to said second state after changing the direction of rotation of said planetary gear into an opposite direction.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Yuji Fujihara