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. 27, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1996
Yoshihisa Kitagawa, Kasukabe, JP;
Tadao Kai, Kawasaki, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image shifting apparatus includes a frame for holding at least a portion of a photographing optical system, and a holding mechanism for holding the frame within a plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing optical system, and causing a force corresponding to a distance between the optical axis and a center of the optical system to act on the frame. At least two drive mechanisms drive the frame within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis in at least two directions which are not parallel to each other with forces corresponding to supplied power. A drive circuit drives at least two drive mechanisms, a power source supplies power to at least two drive mechanisms via the drive circuit, and a controller controls the drive circuit to set the distance to a predetermined value determined by optical characteristics of the photographing optical system and a moving range of the optical system held by the frame, so as to determine an initial position of a driving center of the frame when the distance between the optical axis and the center of the optical system held by the frame is not less than the predetermined value in a natural state in which the drive mechanism is not operated.