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:
Oct. 14, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1996
Ryuichi Mori, Tokyo, JP;
Keiji Osawa, Tokyo, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A power focus device for a camera provides a user-friendly lever interface allowing efficient camera operation. A lever, located outside a camera cover, is movable in two opposing directions but is biased to remain at a neutral position between two extremes of movement. Moving the lever from the neutral position initiates driving the camera lens to focus in either a first or a second direction according to a direction of a displacement of the lever from the neutral position. A speed of focusing is proportional to an amount of displacement of the lever from the neutral position, thus permitting variable high and low speed focusing in both directions for rapid and accurate close-up and infinity focussing. Incorporating a seal into the device permits use in underwater camera applications.