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. 12, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2003
Shigeru Oshima, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshio Yamazaki, Kanagawa, JP;
Arc Design, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An optical apparatus to be used for digital still cameras for setting any one of a plurality of lenses in a picture taking (image capturing) position comprising a lens turret rotatable around an axis and having the lenses mounted thereon, a driving mechanism to rotate the lens turret so that one of the lenses can be set at the picture taking position and a means to adjust and extend the back focal length of the lens shaped like a column or square column and made of glass, plastic or the like that has higher refraction index than that of air. By said means of back focal length adjustment, the position of the lens with shorter focal length can be fixed on the lens turret moving apart from the image sensor like CCD or C-MOS upward without changing its focal length itself, and fixed at the same level thereon as the lens with longer focal length. With this adjustment of back focal length, the lenses can be fixed on the turret as closely as possible with each other, yet any part of one lens does not cut in or disturb any part of light path of the other lens. Consequently the total size of lens turret could be minimized.