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:
Dec. 28, 1993
Filed:
Oct. 21, 1991
Atsushi Kuwada, Osaka, JP;
Hiroshi Kiten, Osaka, JP;
Takeo Hoda, Osaka, JP;
Toshio Yamaki, Osaka, JP;
Dai Shintani, Osaka, JP;
Yoshihiro Tanaka, Osaka, JP;
Yoshito Tanaka, Osaka, JP;
Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An imaging apparatus of an electronic camera according to the present invention has a lens barrier arranged on an object side of a photographing lens; an imaging device capable of changing electric charge storage time; a lens barrier state-detecting means for outputting a signal indicating an opening state of the lens barrier after detecting the opening state of the lens barrier; a release switch for starting a photographing operation; an imaging device control means for starting electric charge storage of the device when the signal of the opening state of the lens barrier is outputted from the detecting means and for outputting a charge termination signal when the charge is terminated; and a lens barrier opening and closing driving means for driving the lens barrier to open on the basis of a turning-on signal of the release switch and for driving the lens barrier to close on the basis of the charge termination signal outputted from the control means. In this apparatus, by driving the driving means, the lens barrier is opened only during a photographing period, while the lens barrier is closed during a non-photographing period to prevent the device from being exposed to strong outside light.