The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 13, 2021
Filed:
May. 25, 2020
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshimasa Hyodo, Tokyo, JP;
Ayumu Nemoto, Tokyo, JP;
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus includes a movable unit that includes an image pickup unit having a lens and an image sensor, and a driver configured to drive the movable unit so as to change a direction of the movable unit. The driver is a vibrator whose vibration is excited by a piezoelectric element. At least part of an outer surface of the movable unit is a spherical surface, and the spherical surface includes a contact surface which the vibrator contacts. The contact surface is continuously provided in at least one section passing through a spherical center of the spherical surface in an area of a central angle of 180° or wider around the spherical center on the spherical surface.