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:
Apr. 23, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 12, 2008
Seiji Sakai, Chofu, JP;
Tomoaki Yamashita, Tokyo, JP;
Masahiro Kawauchi, Fuchu, JP;
Takahiko Mitani, Hachioji, JP;
Yuuya Ishida, Hachioji, JP;
Seiji Iwasaki, Hachioji, JP;
Seiji Sakai, Chofu, JP;
Tomoaki Yamashita, Tokyo, JP;
Masahiro Kawauchi, Fuchu, JP;
Takahiko Mitani, Hachioji, JP;
Yuuya Ishida, Hachioji, JP;
Seiji Iwasaki, Hachioji, JP;
Olympus Medical Systems Corp., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus of the present invention varies optical properties by moving a part of lenses of an objective lens, and includes a solid-state image pickup device unit that is disposed at a rear-end section and that subjects a subject image to photoelectric conversion, a fixed lens frame that retains the objective lens that is disposed in front of the solid-state image pickup device unit, a movable lens frame that retains the part of lenses that moves along a photographing optical axis O inside the lens frame, and an actuator having one end connected to the movable lens frame and that moves the movable lens frame forward and backward. The actuator includes a rigid member provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the rear end at which the solid-state image pickup device unit is disposed and a shape memory alloy that is coupled to the rigid member.