JP2006005542A - Camera-shake correction mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized camera-shake correction mechanism with low power consumption. <P>SOLUTION: While a sheet member 1 mounted with a CCD chip 2 and formed with a left right driving electret pattern 5a is adhered to a board 11 with a left right drive electrode 12a arranged in opposition to the left right driving electret pattern 5a, a CCD shift driver 41 applies a drive pulse and a direction signal to the left right drive electrode 12a. Thus, an electrostatic force is generated between the left right driving electret pattern 5a and the left right drive electrode 12a to shift the sheet member 1 for carrying out camera-shake correction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera shake correction mechanism, and more particularly to a camera shake correction mechanism that performs camera shake correction by driving an image sensor.

Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for a shake correction mechanism for preventing image blur due to camera shake that occurs while the camera is held for a long time. As an example of this blur correction mechanism, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a blur correction mechanism that prevents image blur by mechanically driving an image sensor in response to a blur state of an image. In the proposal of Patent Document 1, image blur due to camera shake is prevented by directly connecting two piezoelectric actuators for driving the image sensor in the up-down direction and the left-right direction to the image sensor.
JP 2000-307937 A

  Here, since the displacement amount of the piezoelectric element used for the piezoelectric actuator is not so large, in order to actually drive the image sensor, some displacement amount enlargement mechanism is required, and it is difficult to downsize the shake correction mechanism. It is. In addition, power consumption increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a camera shake correction mechanism for a compact and low power consumption camera.

  In order to achieve the above object, a camera shake correction mechanism according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an image sensor that photoelectrically converts a subject image, and a sheet-like member on which the image sensor is mounted. A sheet-like member having a first electret region group arranged in the direction of the first and a second electret region group arranged in a second direction different from the first direction, and to face the sheet-like member And a second drive electrode group disposed so as to face the first electret region group and a second drive electrode group disposed so as to face the second electret region group. And applying a scanning voltage to the first drive electrode group to apply an electrostatic force to the first electret group to move the image sensor in the first direction. Displacement And applying a scanning voltage to the first drive voltage group and the second drive electrode group to apply an electrostatic force to the second electret group to move the image sensor in the second direction. And a second scanning voltage applying unit to be displaced.

  According to the first aspect, the camera shake correction mechanism can be configured by an electrostatic actuator using an electret.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera shake correction mechanism for a compact and low power consumption camera.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The camera shake correction mechanism according to the present embodiment detects camera shake such as camera shake to detect a shake state of an image, and an image sensor (CCD) that photoelectrically converts a subject image according to the detected shake state. By driving the chip, image blur due to camera shake or the like is prevented. Here, in the camera shake correction mechanism of the present embodiment, the image pickup device is driven by electrostatic drive using an electret.

  FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a configuration of a sheet-like member that constitutes a camera shake correction mechanism of the camera according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1A, a CCD chip 2 is mounted on the central portion of the sheet-like member 1. The CCD chip 2 is connected to an electrode pad 4 as a second electrode through a bonding wire 3. Further, around the CCD chip 2, left and right drive electret patterns 5a and 5b as first electret region groups in which band-like electret portions are formed at a predetermined pitch, and these left and right drive electret patterns 5a and 5b, Vertical drive electret patterns 6a and 6b are formed as a second electret region group in which belt-like electret portions are formed at a predetermined pitch so as to be orthogonal to each other. Here, the electret part is a dielectric part made into a permanent polarization state. That is, the electrified portion is almost permanently kept charged. When such an electret part is formed, a high voltage is applied to a dielectric member such as polyimide resin or fluorine resin.

  Further, an electrode lead pad 7 as a first electrode is provided in a peripheral portion of the sheet-like member 1. A wire is drawn from the electrode lead pad 7 to a circuit system (not shown) outside the sheet-like member 1. Further, the peripheral part of the sheet-like member 1 is fixed to the substrate. Thereby, a sheet-like member and a board | substrate are bonded together.

  Further, a mesh region 8 is formed as a stretchable portion having elasticity between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the sheet-like member 1. Here, the electrode pad 4 and the electrode lead pad 7 are interconnected through a mesh region. By performing wiring connection through the mesh region 8 in this way, the wiring portion of the sheet-like member 1 can also be stretched.

  FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the configuration of the substrate that constitutes the camera shake correction mechanism of the camera according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1B, the substrate 11 has left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b as a first drive electrode group so as to face the left and right drive electret patterns 5a and 5b formed on the sheet-like member 1. Is provided. These left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b are connected to a CCD shift driver (not shown) provided outside the substrate 11 via left and right drive electrode pads 13. The substrate 11 is provided with upper and lower drive electrodes 14 a and 14 b as a second drive electrode group so as to face the upper and lower drive electret patterns 6 a and 6 b formed on the sheet-like member 1. These vertical drive electrodes 14a and 14b are connected to a CCD shift driver (not shown) provided outside the substrate 11 via vertical drive electrode pads 15.

  FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state when the sheet-like member 1 and the substrate 11 are bonded together. As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral portion of the sheet-like member 1 is fixed to the substrate 11 via an adhesive material 21. Here, when the structure of FIG. 2 is packaged, the entire substrate can be sealed.

  In such a configuration, the CCD chip 2 is urged to the center position by the urging force of the mesh region 8 in a state where no voltage is applied to the left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b and the upper and lower drive electrodes 14a and 14b. In this state, when camera shake is detected, a voltage is applied to the left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b and the upper and lower drive electrodes 14a and 14b for blur correction. At this time, it is provided between the left and right drive electret patterns 5a and 5b and the left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b provided so as to oppose them, and the upper and lower drive electret patterns 6a and 6b. An electrostatic force is generated between the upper and lower drive electrodes 14a and 14b. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3B, the sheet-like member 1, that is, the CCD chip 2, moves in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) and the up-down direction (Y-axis direction). Further, the mesh region 8 expands and contracts following the displacement of the CCD chip 2. The blur is corrected through such an operation. In this state, when voltage application to the left and right drive electrodes 12a and 12b and the upper and lower drive electrodes 14a and 14b is stopped, the biasing force of the mesh region 8 returns the position of the CCD chip 2 to the center position, and FIG. ) State.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration for detecting shaking generated by the camera. In FIG. 4, a gyro sensor driver 32 is connected to a microcomputer 31 that controls the driving of the CCD chip 2. Further, the gyro sensor driver 32 is connected to the gyro sensor 33. In such a configuration, when camera shake is detected by the gyro sensor 33, an angular velocity signal is output from the gyro sensor driver 32 in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the shake. Based on the angular velocity signal, the microcomputer 31 calculates the driving amount and driving speed of the sheet-like member 1 necessary for blur correction, the driving pulse corresponding to the calculated driving amount and driving speed, and the driving direction thereof. Is output to a CCD shift driver (not shown). In the CCD shift driver, the sheet-like member 1 is driven based on these drive pulses and direction signals.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a CCD shift driver as a first scanning voltage application unit and a second scanning voltage application unit for driving the sheet member 1 together with the sheet member 1 and the substrate 11. In FIG. 5, only the left and right drive electret patterns 5a and the left and right drive electrodes 12a are shown. However, other electret patterns and drive electrode configurations similar to those shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 5, four-phase voltage signal lines A to D are connected to the CCD shift driver 41, and these four-phase voltage signal lines are connected to the left and right drive electrodes 12 a via the left and right drive electrode pads 13. Has been. Moreover, the electret pattern 5a for the left-right drive of the sheet-like member 1 is alternately formed with electret patterns having positive and negative polarities.

  For example, when the X-axis drive pulse shown in FIG. 6A is input from the microcomputer to the CCD shift driver 41 and the X-axis direction signal indicating that the drive direction is the right direction is input, the CCD shift driver At 41, four-phase X-axis drive pulses shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D are generated, and these four-phase X-axis drive pulses are applied to the left and right drive electrodes 12a.

  Here, the four-phase X-axis drive pulse generated by the CCD shift driver 41 is a drive pulse whose phase is advanced by 1/4 period with reference to the X-axis drive pulse of FIG. For this reason, in the first quarter period of these X-axis drive pulses, the polarity of the voltage signal line A is positive, the polarity of the voltage signal line B is negative, the polarity of the voltage signal line C is negative, and the voltage signal line D The polarity of is positive. At this time, the right and left drive electret pattern 5a having a positive polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line A and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line B. receive. Similarly, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a negative polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line C and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line D. receive. As a result, the sheet-like member 1 moves to the right by the interval between the left and right drive electrodes 12a.

  In the next 1/4 cycle, the polarity of the voltage signal line A is positive, the polarity of the voltage signal line B is positive, the polarity of the voltage signal line C is negative, and the polarity of the voltage signal line D is negative. At this time, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a positive polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line B and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line C. receive. Similarly, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a negative polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line D and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line A. receive. As a result, the sheet-like member 1 moves further to the right by the distance between the left and right drive electrodes 12a.

  Further, in the period of the next 1/4 cycle, the polarity of the voltage signal line A is negative, the polarity of the voltage signal line B is positive, the polarity of the voltage signal line C is positive, and the polarity of the voltage signal line D is negative. . At this time, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a positive polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line C and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line D. receive. Similarly, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a negative polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line A and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line B. receive. As a result, the sheet-like member 1 moves further to the right by the distance between the left and right drive electrodes 12a.

  Further, in the next 1/4 cycle period, the polarity of the voltage signal line A is negative, the polarity of the voltage signal line B is negative, the polarity of the voltage signal line C is positive, and the polarity of the voltage signal line D is positive. . At this time, the right and left drive electret pattern 5a having a positive polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line D and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line A. receive. Similarly, the left and right drive electret pattern 5a having a negative polarity receives a repulsive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line B and receives an attractive force from the left and right drive electrodes 12a connected to the voltage signal line C. receive. As a result, the sheet-like member 1 moves further to the right by the distance between the left and right drive electrodes 12a.

  Thereafter, the above operation is repeated and the sheet-like member 1 moves in the direction of arrow A (rightward) in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the X-axis drive pulse shown in FIG. 7A is input from the microcomputer to the CCD shift driver 41 and the X-axis direction signal indicating that the drive direction is the left direction is input, the CCD shift driver In 41, the four-phase X-axis drive pulses shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D are generated, and these four-phase X-axis drive pulses are applied to the left and right drive electrodes 12a. Here, the four-phase X-axis drive pulse generated by the CCD shift driver 41 is a drive pulse whose phase is delayed by ¼ period with reference to the X-axis drive pulse of FIG. In accordance with the X-axis drive pulses shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, the sheet-like member 1 moves in the direction opposite to the arrow A direction in FIG. 5 (left direction).

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera equipped with a camera shake correction mechanism according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 8, the camera includes a body unit 100, an accessory device such as an interchangeable lens unit (that is, a lens barrel) 112, and a recording medium 139 for recording image data taken via a communication connector 135. And an external strobe unit 180 connected via a strobe communication connector 185.

  The lens unit 112 can be detachably mounted via a lens mount (not shown) provided on the front surface of the body unit 100. The lens unit 112 includes photographing lenses 112a and 112b, an aperture 103, a lens driving mechanism 102, an aperture driving mechanism 104, and a lens control microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as Lμcom) 105. .

  The photographing lenses 112 a and 112 b are driven in the optical axis direction by a DC motor (not shown) that exists in the lens driving mechanism 102. The diaphragm 103 is driven by a stepping motor (not shown) existing in the diaphragm driving mechanism 104. The Lμcom 105 drives and controls each part in the lens unit 112 such as the lens driving mechanism 102 and the diaphragm driving mechanism 104. The Lμcom 105 is electrically connected to a body control microcomputer 150 to be described later via the communication connector 106, and is controlled in accordance with a command from the body control microcomputer 150.

  On the other hand, the body unit 100 is configured as follows.

  A light beam from a subject (not shown) that enters through the photographing lenses 112a and 112b and the diaphragm 103 in the lens unit 112 is reflected by the quick return mirror 113b and reaches the eyepiece lens 113c through the pentaprism 113a.

  Here, the central portion of the quick return mirror 113b is a half mirror, and a part of the light beam is transmitted when the quick return mirror 113b is down (position shown). The transmitted light beam is reflected by the sub mirror 113d installed on the quick return mirror 113b, and is guided to the AF sensor unit 130a for performing automatic distance measurement. When the quick return mirror 113b is up, the sub mirror 113d is folded.

  Behind the quick return mirror 113b, an imaging module 131 having a camera shake prevention mechanism including a shutter device and a CCD chip is provided. Although not shown, when the quick return mirror 113b is retracted from the optical path, the light flux that has passed through the photographing lenses 112a and 112b is imaged on the CCD chip in the imaging module 131.

  The body unit 100 includes an image sensor interface circuit 134 connected to a CCD chip in the image pickup module 131, an SDRAM 138 provided as a storage area, a liquid crystal monitor 136, and a recording medium 139 via the communication connector 135. Are connected to an image processing controller 140 for performing image processing. These are configured to provide an electronic recording display function together with an electronic imaging function.

  The recording medium 139 is an external recording medium such as various memory cards or an external hard disk drive (HDD), and is attached to the body unit 100 via the communication connector 135 so as to be exchangeable.

  The image processing controller 140 includes a communication connector 135, a photometry circuit 132, a mirror drive mechanism 118, an AF sensor drive circuit 130b, a shutter drive control circuit 148, a gyro sensor 161 via a gyro sensor driver 162, and a CCD. Along with the shift driver 163 and the like, it is connected to a body control microcomputer (hereinafter abbreviated as Bμcom) 150 for controlling each part in the body unit 100.

  Further, the Bμcom 150 is connected with an operation display LCD 157 for notifying the photographer of the operation state of the camera by display output, a camera operation switch (SW) 152, and a battery 154 via a power supply circuit 153. ing.

  The Bμcom 150 and the Lμcom 105 are electrically connected to each other via the communication connector 106 when the lens unit 112 is mounted. As a digital camera, the Lμcom 105 operates in cooperation with the Bμcom 150 in a dependent manner.

  The photometric circuit 132 is a circuit that performs photometric processing based on the light flux from the pentaprism 113a. The mirror driving mechanism 118 is a mechanism for driving and controlling the quick return mirror 113b, and the AF sensor driving circuit 130b is a circuit for driving and controlling the AF sensor unit 130a. The shutter drive control circuit 148 controls the movement of the shutter device, and exchanges a signal for controlling the opening / closing operation of the shutter and a strobe tuning signal synchronized with the strobe with the Bμcom 150.

  The operation display LCD 157 is for notifying the user of the operation state of the camera by display output. The camera operation switch 152 is a switch operated by operation buttons necessary for operating the camera, such as a release switch for instructing execution of a shooting operation, a mode change switch for switching a shooting mode and an image display mode, and a power switch. Composed of groups.

  Further, the power supply circuit 153 is provided for converting the voltage of the battery 154 as a power supply into a voltage required for each circuit unit of the camera and supplying it.

  The strobe unit 180 includes a flash light emitting unit 181, a DC / DC converter 182, a strobe control microcomputer 183, and a battery 184. The strobe unit 180 can be mounted so as to be communicable with the body unit 100 via a strobe communication connector 185.

  Each part of the digital camera configured as described above operates as follows.

  First, the image processing interface 140 is controlled by the image processing controller 140 in accordance with a command from the Bμcom 150, and image data is captured from the image capturing module 131. This image data is taken into SDRAM 138 which is a temporary storage memory. The SDRAM 138 is used as a work area when image data is converted. The image data is set to be stored in the recording medium 139 after being converted into JPEG data.

  At this time, when the swing of the body unit 100 is detected by the gyro sensor 161, an angular velocity signal is detected from the gyro sensor driver 162 to Bμcom 150. In the Bμcom 150, the state of blur is determined by the input angular velocity signal, and a drive pulse and a direction signal for driving the sheet-like member in a direction to reduce the blur are output to the CCD shift driver 163. The CCD shift driver 163 drives the sheet-like member based on the input drive pulse and direction signal.

  As described above, the mirror drive mechanism 118 is a mechanism for driving the quick return mirror 113b to the up (UP) position and the down (DOWN) position. When the quick return mirror 113b is in the down position by the mirror driving mechanism 118, the light beams from the photographing lenses 112a and 112b are divided and guided to the AF sensor unit 130a side and the pentaprism 113a side.

  The output from the AF sensor in the AF sensor unit 130a is transmitted to the Bμcom 150 via the AF sensor driving circuit 130b, and a known distance measurement process is performed.

  On the other hand, the photographer can view the subject from the eyepiece lens 113c adjacent to the pentaprism 113a. A part of the light beam that has passed through the pentaprism 113a is guided to a photosensor (not shown) in the photometry circuit 132, and a well-known photometry process is performed based on the amount of light detected here.

  When the shutter drive control circuit 148 receives a signal for controlling the driving of the shutter from the Bμcom 150, the shutter device is controlled based on the signal. At the same time, the shutter drive control circuit 148 outputs a strobe tuning signal for causing the Bμcom 150 to emit a strobe at a predetermined timing. Based on this strobe tuning signal, the Bμcom 150 outputs a light emission command signal to the strobe unit 180 by communication.

  Further, when the mode change switch in the camera operation switch 152 described above is operated by the photographer to switch from the shooting mode to the image display mode, the image data stored in the recording medium 139 is read out, and the liquid crystal monitor 136 can be displayed. Image data read from the recording medium 139 is converted into a video signal by the image processing controller 140 and output and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 136.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the camera shake correction mechanism that drives the image sensor in response to the image blur caused by the shake generated by the camera is configured by the electrostatic actuator using the electret. By doing so, the camera shake correction mechanism can be configured by only the sheet-like member and the substrate, and the thickness can be reduced.

  Further, since the sheet-like member can be driven by pulse driving, open control of the sheet-like member is possible.

  Furthermore, by providing a mesh area between the central part and the peripheral part of the sheet-like member, the CCD chip position is always set to the central position while the sheet-like member is not driven due to the elasticity of the mesh area. It is possible to keep.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications are naturally possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

  Further, the above-described embodiments include various stages of the invention, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention Can be extracted as an invention.

1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a camera shake correction mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a configuration diagram of a sheet-like member that configures a camera shake correction mechanism, and FIG. It is a block diagram of the board | substrate which comprises the blurring correction mechanism of the camera of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows a mode when a sheet-like member and a board | substrate are bonded together. It is shown about operation | movement of the camera-shake correction mechanism of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure shown about the structure for detecting the shake which generate | occur | produced with the camera. It is the figure which showed the CCD shift driver for driving a sheet-like member with a sheet-like member and a board | substrate. It is a figure shown about the X-axis drive pulse for driving a sheet-like member to the right direction. It is a figure shown about the X-axis drive pulse for driving a sheet-like member to the left direction. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the camera carrying the camera-shake correction mechanism which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet-like member, 2 ... CCD chip, 3 ... Bonding wire, 4 ... Electrode pad, 5a, 5b ... Electret pattern for left-right drive, 6a, 6b ... Electret pattern for up-down drive, 7 ... Electrode extraction pad, 8 ... Mesh Region 11, substrate 12 a, 12 b, left and right drive electrode 13, left and right drive electrode pad 14 a, 14 b, vertical drive electrode 15, vertical drive electrode pad 21, adhesive material 31, microcomputer 32, Gyro sensor driver 33 ... Gyro sensor 41 ... CCD shift driver

Claims (7)

An image sensor that photoelectrically converts a subject image;
A sheet-like member on which the imaging device is mounted, the first electret region group disposed in the first direction and the second electret region group disposed in a second direction different from the first direction. A sheet-like member having
A substrate provided so as to face the sheet-like member, and faces the first drive electrode group and the second electret region group arranged so as to face the first electret region group. A substrate having a second drive electrode group arranged in this manner,
A first scanning voltage application unit that applies an electrostatic force to the first electret group by applying a scanning voltage to the first drive electrode group to displace the image sensor in the first direction; ,
A second scanning voltage applying unit that applies an electrostatic force to the second electret group by applying a scanning voltage to the second drive electrode group to displace the image sensor in the second direction; ,
A camera shake correction mechanism comprising: The sheet-like member is
A central portion on which the imaging element is mounted, and the first electret region group and the second electret region group are formed around the imaging device;
A peripheral part fixed to the substrate;
A stretchable part surrounded by the central part and the peripheral part;
The camera shake correction mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising:   A first electrode for pulling out an external lead is formed in the peripheral portion of the sheet-like member, and a second electrode connected to the electrode of the imaging element is formed in the central portion of the sheet-like member. 3. The camera shake correction mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are formed and connected to the substrate through the stretchable portion. 4.   The stretchable portion has elasticity, and normally urges the imaging device to substantially the center of the sheet-like member, and expands and contracts following the displacement of the imaging device when the imaging device is displaced. The camera shake correction mechanism according to claim 2 or 3. The first scanning voltage application unit applies a pulsed scanning voltage to the first drive electrode group,
2. The camera shake correction mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second scanning voltage application unit applies a pulsed scanning voltage to the second drive electrode group. 3.   2. The camera shake correction according to claim 1, wherein each of the first electret region group and the second electret region group is configured by forming band-like electret portions at a predetermined pitch. mechanism.   The camera shake correction mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other.

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