JP2018040997A - Lens driving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a general-purpose drive unit that is operable even to a plurality of lens barrels different in an operation ring diameter or a position of an operation ring in a drive unit conducting motor-driven rotation of the optical adjustment operation ring in the lens barrel mounted to a camera.SOLUTION: A drive unit 100 has: a base member 101; a camera attachment part; an operation unit 104 that makes optical adjustments; a drive control unit that motor-driven rotates an operation ring 3; a driving motor; and a first output unit 102 that receives an output of the driving motor to rotate. Further, the drive unit 100 has: a deceleration unit that interlocks with the first output unit 102 to decelerate the rotation of the first output unit; and a second output unit 103 that transmits rotation to the operation ring 3 at an output unit of the deceleration unit. The deceleration unit is rotatable around a rotary shaft of the first output unit 102 in a state interlocking with the first output unit 102, and is supported by a base member 101 in a state movable in a rotary shaft direction of the first output unit 102.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens driving device, and more particularly to a drive unit that electrically operates rotation of an operation ring in a lens barrel that can be optically adjusted by rotating an operation ring provided on the outer diameter of the lens barrel.

  Conventionally, in digital still cameras and video cameras, a lens that can be used for manual adjustment of focus, zoom, iris, and other optical adjustments by rotating an optical adjustment ring provided on the peripheral surface of the lens barrel. A lens barrel is used.

  Furthermore, a drive unit including a motor for electrically rotating an operation ring for optical adjustment is attached to a lens barrel such as an ENG camera. The rotation of the motor provided inside the drive unit is transmitted to a gear provided so that a part is exposed to the outside of the drive unit, and the gear meshes with gear teeth provided on the outer periphery of the operation ring, The operating ring can be rotated electrically.

JP 2011-107270 A

  However, in the prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, if the lens barrel is changed and the diameter of the lens barrel main body is different, the drive unit cannot be mounted on the lens barrel. If the diameter of the operation ring and the position of the operation ring with respect to the drive unit are different, the position of the gear serving as the output unit of the drive unit and the gear teeth provided on the outer periphery of the operation ring are not matched, and the gears cannot be engaged with each other. That is, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, the drive unit cannot cope with a change in the lens barrel, and the operation ring using the drive unit cannot be electrically rotated.

  In order to rotate the operation ring using the drive unit, it is necessary to fix the drive unit properly, align the outer periphery of the operation ring with the position of the output unit of the drive unit, and engage both gear teeth. In the prior art, a specific drive unit is required for a specific lens barrel, and if you want to operate multiple lens barrels with a single camera, the user must prepare as many drive units as there are lens barrels. It will be a big expense.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a more general-purpose drive unit capable of electrically rotating the operating ring even for a plurality of lens barrels having different operating ring diameters and operating ring positions. Is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the lens driving device of the present invention comprises:
A camera body, a lens barrel that is optically adjustable by rotation of an operation ring mounted on the camera body, and an electric operation unit that has gear teeth on an outer peripheral surface of the operation ring and electrically rotates the operation ring. The electric operation part that can be attached to and detached from the base member and a camera attachment part that can be attached to the camera body,
A communication unit for communicating with the camera body;
An operation unit for the user to make optical adjustments;
A drive control unit for performing drive control for electrically rotating the operation ring;
A motor fixed to the base portion and driven by receiving a signal from the drive control portion;
A first output unit that rotates in response to the output of the motor and a speed reduction unit that decelerates the rotation of the first output unit in conjunction with the first output unit;
A second output portion having gear teeth that mesh with gear teeth on the outer peripheral surface of the operation ring at the output portion of the speed reduction portion;
The base member in a state in which the speed reducer is rotatable about the rotation axis of the first output unit and is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the first output unit in a state interlocked with the first output unit. Supported by the
It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to electrically rotate the operation rings of a plurality of lens barrels having different positions and diameters of the operation ring by using one drive unit.

The perspective view of the lens drive device 1 which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. In the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a view seen from each axial direction (a) a front view of the camera seen from the X-axis direction (b) a side view of the camera seen from the Z-axis direction (c) Camera side view as seen from the Y-axis FIG. 2A corresponds to FIG. 2 when the gear box is not shown in the lens driving device 1. FIG. 2A is a front view of the camera as viewed from the X-axis direction. FIG. In the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when another lens barrel 5 is mounted, a view seen from each axial direction (a) a front view of the camera seen from the X-axis direction (b) Camera side view as seen from the Z direction FIG. 4A corresponds to FIG. 4 when the gear box is not shown in the lens driving device 1. FIG. 4A is a front view of the camera viewed from the X-axis direction. FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Example 1]
A first embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, the optical axis direction is set as the X axis, the Y axis is set in the direction in the figure in the optical axis orthogonal direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis is set as the Z axis.

  First, the configuration of the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lens driving device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a lens barrel 2 is mounted on a camera body 4 and a drive unit 100 (electric operation unit) is mounted. 2A to 2C are views of the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the respective axial directions, and FIG. 2A is a front view of the camera as viewed from the X-axis direction. 2B is a side view of the camera viewed from the Z-axis direction, and FIG. 2C is a side view of the camera viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams in which the gear box 106 of the drive unit 100 is not shown and corresponds to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

  The lens barrel 2 is a zoom lens that has an operation ring 3 supported so as to be rotatable around an optical axis, and the zoom magnification can be adjusted by rotating the operation ring 3. The outer peripheral surface of the operation ring 3 has gear teeth that can mesh with an output gear 103 described later.

  Next, the drive unit 100 will be described. The drive unit 100 is fixed to the camera body 4 by fastening screws at camera attachment portions 107a to 107c provided on the base portion 101. The base unit 101 further includes a communication unit (not shown) that wirelessly communicates with the camera, an operation switch 104 (operation unit) that allows the user to perform a zoom operation, and a drive that electrically rotates the operation ring 3 in response to the operation of the operation switch 104. A drive control unit (not shown) that performs control;

  The base unit 101 includes a motor (not shown) that is driven in response to a signal from the drive control unit (not shown), and a gear 102 (first output unit) that extends in the X-axis direction is included in the motor. Rotation rotates around an axis parallel to the X axis.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the speed reduction unit 108 interlocked with the gear 102 is configured by a plurality of gears, the first stage gear meshing with the gear 102 is the gear 109, and the last stage gear of the speed reduction unit 108 is the output gear 103 (first gear). 2 output unit). The speed reduction unit 108 is housed in the gear box 106 with a part of the teeth of the output gear 103 exposed to the outside. The guide unit 105 is a guide member that is provided in the base unit 101 and guides the gear box 106 so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis of the gear 102 and movable in the X-axis direction. The gear 102 and the gear 109 each employ a spur gear whose rotation axis is parallel to the X axis and has a length in the rotation axis direction.

  Therefore, the speed reduction unit 108 can rotate about the rotation axis of the gear 102 and move in the X-axis direction, which is the axial direction of the rotation axis of the gear 102, with the gear 109 of the first stage engaged with the gear 102. It is supported by the base part 101. The distance that the gear box 106 can move in the X-axis direction depends on the length of the gear 102 and the first stage gear 109 of the reduction gear in the X-axis direction.

  Then, the output gear 103 at the final stage of the speed reduction unit 108 meshes with a tooth portion provided on the outer peripheral surface of the operation ring 3 at the output transmission unit P, and the operation ring 3 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the gear 102. It has a configuration. In the present embodiment, not only the gear 102 and the gear 109 but also the output gear 103 employs a spur gear.

  With the configuration described above, when the user operates the operation switch 104, the drive control unit of the drive unit 100 performs drive control that imparts rotation to the operation ring 3 in accordance with the operation of the operation switch 104. The operation switch 104 of this embodiment employs a seesaw type switch, and the A side of the switch corresponds to the tele side and the B side corresponds to the wide side. When the user presses either A or B with his / her finger, the zoom magnification can be changed in a desired direction (telephoto or wide) at a speed corresponding to the pressing amount.

  On the other hand, the communication unit communicates wirelessly with the camera body during the drive control of the operation ring, obtains position information of the moving lens group that moves by the rotation of the operation ring 3 from the camera body 4, and sequentially controls the drive. Is transmitted to the department. The drive control unit realizes a desired zoom operation instructed by the input unit 104 using the position information.

  Next, a procedure for attaching the drive unit 100 to the camera body 4 and the lens barrel 2 will be described. First, the lens barrel 2 is attached to the camera body 4. Next, screws are fastened to the camera body 4 at the attachment portions 107 a to 107 c provided on the base 101 of the drive unit 100.

  Next, in order to align the positions of the output gear 103 and the operation ring 3 in the X-axis direction, the gear box 106 is slid along the guide portion 105 in the X-axis direction with the gear 102 and the gear 109 engaged. When the positions of the output gear 103 and the operation ring 3 are aligned in the X-axis direction, the gear box 106 is fixed in the X-axis direction. Finally, the gear box 106 is rotated around the rotation axis of the gear 102, and the output gear 103 that is the output portion of the drive unit 100 is engaged with the gear teeth provided on the outer peripheral surface of the operation ring 3. To fix.

  Next, the mounting of the drive unit 100 when the lens barrel attached to the camera body 4 is changed, the position and diameter of the operation ring is changed, and the position of the output transmission unit P is changed is shown in FIGS. Will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows the lens driving device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in which the lens barrel 5 is attached to the camera body 4 instead of the lens barrel 2, and (a) is a front view of the camera as viewed from the X-axis direction. (B) is a side view of the camera viewed from the Z-axis direction. FIGS. 5A and 5B are views corresponding to FIG. 4 when the gear box 106 is not shown.

  The lens barrel 5 is a short focus lens that has an operation ring 6 supported so as to be rotatable around an optical axis, and the focus position can be adjusted by rotating the operation ring 6. The operation ring 6 has gear teeth that can mesh with the output gear 103 of the drive unit 100 on the outer peripheral surface. In the operation switch 104 for operating the focus position, the A side corresponds to the infinite side, and the B side corresponds to the close side switch. When the user presses one of A or B with his / her finger, the focus position can be changed in a desired direction (infinite or close) at a speed corresponding to the pressing amount.

  The lens barrel 5 has a larger lens barrel outer diameter and a shorter overall length than the lens barrel 2, and the diameter of the operating ring 6 of the lens barrel 5 is larger than the operating ring 3 of the lens barrel 2. The position of the operation ring 3 with respect to the camera body 4 in the X-axis direction is closer to the camera body 4 than the operation ring 3 of the lens barrel 2, but the lens barrel 5 is also the same as the lens barrel 2. By attaching the drive unit 100, the operation ring can be electrically rotated.

  The attachment procedure is the same as when the lens barrel 2 is attached. First, the lens barrel 5 is attached to the camera body 4. Next, screws are fastened to the camera body 4 at the attachment portions 107 a to 107 c provided on the base 101 of the drive unit 100. Then, in order to align the positions of the output gear 103 and the operation ring 6 in the X-axis direction, the gear box 106 is slid along the guide portion 105 in the X-axis direction with the gear 102 and the gear 109 engaged. When the positions of the output gear 103 and the operation ring 6 are aligned in the X-axis direction, the gear box 106 is fixed in the X-axis direction.

  Finally, the gear box 106 is rotated around the rotation axis of the gear 102, and the output gear 103 that is the output portion of the drive unit 100 is engaged with the gear teeth provided on the outer peripheral surface of the operation ring 3. To fix.

  Thus, the operation ring 6 has a larger outer diameter than the operation ring 3 and the X-axis direction is closer to the camera body side, so that the position of the output transmission portion P is different from that when the lens barrel 2 is mounted. . However, since the gear box 106 of the drive unit 100 can rotate around the axis of the gear 102 and can move in the X-axis direction which is the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis, it can be used not only for the lens barrel 2 but also for the lens barrel 6. Is possible. That is, when shooting using the camera body 4, the drive unit 100 can be mounted not only on a specific lens barrel but also on a plurality of lens barrels, and the operation ring can be electrically operated.

  Furthermore, in a plurality of different camera bodies, the drive unit 100 can also support a plurality of cameras by providing the drive unit 100 mounting portions corresponding to the mounting portions 107 (a) to (c) of the drive unit 100. If the drive unit 100 can be used in correspondence with a combination of a plurality of cameras and a plurality of lens barrels, the cost can be suppressed, and the merit for the user is great.

  Note that the operation ring of the embodiment of the present invention is a zoom ring for performing a zoom operation and a focus ring for performing a focus operation, but if it is a rotary ring used for optical adjustment of a lens barrel, such as an iris ring for performing an aperture operation, Either is applicable.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the drive unit 100 is attached to the camera body 4 in the lower direction. However, the present invention can be applied to the case where the drive unit 100 is attached to any location of the camera body. The present invention can be applied not only to an interchangeable lens type camera but also to a type of camera in which a camera and a lens barrel are integrated.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens drive device 2 Lens barrel 3 Operation ring 4 Camera main body 100 Drive unit (electric operation part)
101 Base unit 102 Gear (first output unit)
103 Output gear (second output part)
104 Operation switch (operation unit)
105 Guide part 106 Gearbox 107a-107c Attachment part (Camera attachment part)
108 Deceleration part P Output transmission part

Claims (3)

A camera body, a lens barrel that is optically adjustable by rotation of an operation ring mounted on the camera body, and an electric operation unit that has gear teeth on an outer peripheral surface of the operation ring and electrically rotates the operation ring. The electric operation part that can be attached to and detached from the base member and a camera attachment part that can be attached to the camera body,
A communication unit for communicating with the camera body;
An operation unit for the user to make optical adjustments;
A drive control unit for performing drive control for electrically rotating the operation ring;
A motor fixed to the base portion and driven by receiving a signal from the drive control portion;
A first output unit that rotates in response to the output of the motor and a speed reduction unit that decelerates the rotation of the first output unit in conjunction with the first output unit;
A second output portion having gear teeth that mesh with gear teeth on the outer peripheral surface of the operation ring at the output portion of the speed reduction portion;
The base member in a state in which the speed reducer is rotatable about the rotation axis of the first output unit and is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the first output unit in a state interlocked with the first output unit. Supported by the
A lens driving device. The speed reduction part rotates around an axis parallel to the optical axis of the lens barrel,
Being instructed to the base member in a state movable in the optical axis direction;
The lens driving device according to claim 1. 2. The lens driving device according to claim 1, wherein a zoom magnification, a focus position, or an aperture value of the optical system is adjusted by rotation of the operation ring.