US20070183764A1 - Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device - Google Patents
Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070183764A1 US20070183764A1 US11/698,281 US69828107A US2007183764A1 US 20070183764 A1 US20070183764 A1 US 20070183764A1 US 69828107 A US69828107 A US 69828107A US 2007183764 A1 US2007183764 A1 US 2007183764A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- optical system
- lens barrel
- blur correction
- correction information
- optical axis
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
- G03B5/00—Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
- G03B5/02—Lateral adjustment of lens
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/50—Constructional details
- H04N23/55—Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N23/68—Control of cameras or camera modules for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N23/68—Control of cameras or camera modules for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
- H04N23/682—Vibration or motion blur correction
- H04N23/685—Vibration or motion blur correction performed by mechanical compensation
- H04N23/687—Vibration or motion blur correction performed by mechanical compensation by shifting the lens or sensor position
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a lens barrel equipped with a retreatable optical system that retreats from a position on the optical axis for storage, a camera that includes the lens barrel and an adjustment device that adjusts the lens barrel.
- Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2003-315861 discloses a retractable lens barrel used in photographing operation executed in a camera.
- the length of this lens barrel in storage is reduced by allowing some of a plurality of lens groups to move (slide) rotationally around a rotating shaft fixed to the lens barrel so as to retreat along a direction extending perpendicular to the optical axis and storing the other lens groups into the space thus created.
- the lens barrels used in photographing operations executed in cameras in the related art include those equipped with optical blur correction devices.
- a blur correction device detects a vibration to which the optical system has been subjected via an angular speed sensor or the like and reduces the extent of an image blur manifesting on the image forming plane by driving some (blur correction lens group) of a plurality of lens groups within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis based upon the extent of vibration thus detected.
- Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2004-233922 discloses an example of a lens barrel in the related art, which includes a lens group made to retreat away from the optical axis. Decentering may occur in this lens barrel due to inconsistent accuracy in mechanical portions and the like used in the retreating operation, and for this reason, it includes an aligning mechanism that displaces the lens group by shifting it along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis so as to reduce the extent of the decentering.
- the addition of the aligning mechanism leads to an increase in the number of required parts, resulting in a lens barrel with a more complex structure.
- the addition of an aligning mechanism becomes particularly problematic in the case of a lens barrel equipped with a blur correction device, since the sufficient installation space for the aligning mechanism needs to be secured in the already tight available space.
- a lens barrel comprises: a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis; a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded.
- the correction information indicates a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- a lens barrel comprises: a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis; a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur; a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded.
- the correction information indicates a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- the reference position may be a position where the optical axis of the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system substantially coincides with the optical axis of the fixed optical system.
- the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
- a camera comprises: a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis; a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded.
- the correction information indicates a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- a camera comprises: a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis; a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur; a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded.
- the correction information indicates a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- the camera may further comprises: an imaging device that captures a subject image entering thereto via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal, and the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit may be generated based upon an output from the imaging device.
- the retreatable blur correction optical system or the retreatable optical system is configured to swing from the operating position to the storage position around the optical axis as the lens barrel retracts into a camera body.
- a lens barrel adjustment device uses to adjust the lens barrel noted above.
- the lens barrel adjustment device comprises: an imaging device that captures a subject image formed via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal; a correction information generation unit that evaluates an image signal output from the imaging device while displacing the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system by controlling the blur correction optical system drive unit at the lens barrel and generates reference position correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system to be assumed within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a recording unit that records the correction information output by the correction information generation unit into a recording medium disposed within the lens barrel.
- FIG. 1 illustrates the camera achieved in a first embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1A presenting an external view of the camera and FIG. 1B presenting a sectional view of the lens barrel in a wide-angle photographing state;
- FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lens barrel in FIG. 1 in a telephoto photographing state
- FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along III-III in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;
- FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the lens barrel in FIG. 1 shifting from the photographing state to a stored state;
- FIG. 5 is a lateral sectional view of the lens barrel in FIG. 1 in the stored state
- FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the lens barrel in FIG. 1 in the stored state
- FIG. 7 shows the structure adopted in an embodiment of a camera equipped with the lens barrel shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 8 presents examples of test charts that may be used when adjusting the lens barrel in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 9 shows the structure adopted in the lens barrel adjustment device achieved in a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 10 shows the flexible printed circuit board on which correction information used in the lens barrel adjustment device in FIG. 2 is recorded
- FIG. 11 shows a two-dimensional bar code representing another example of the recording unit at which the correction information is recorded.
- the camera in the first embodiment may be a digital still camera.
- the digital still camera in the figure includes a camera body 300 and a lens barrel 100 , which is inserted and fixed at an opening 300 a formed at the camera body 300 and is equipped with an optical blur correction device.
- reference numeral 300 b indicates a shutter release button.
- FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the lens barrel in the first embodiment in a wide-angle photographing state (operating state).
- FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lens barrel in the telephoto photographing state and
- FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along III-III in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.
- the lens barrel 100 includes photographic lens group which may be zoom lens groups constituted with, for instance, four lens groups. These photographic lens groups include a first lens group L 1 , a second lens group L 2 , a blur correction lens group (third lens group) L 3 and a fourth lens group L 4 , disposed in this order starting from the subject side (hereafter referred to as an objective side) along an optical axis I in the photographing state.
- the first lens group L 1 and the second lens group L 2 are each a zooming lens group that moves along the optical axis I to adjust the focal length of the photographic lens groups and are respectively fixed in a first lens group chamber 10 and a second lens group chamber 20 , each of which includes an annular lens frame.
- the blur correction lens group L 3 and the fourth lens group L 4 also function as zooming lenses and move along the optical axis I.
- the blur correction lens group L 3 displaces itself by shifting within a plane ranging substantially perpendicular to the optical axis I in correspondence to a vibration to which the lens barrel 100 has been subjected, so as to reduce the extent of image blur occurring at the image forming plane.
- the blur correction lens group L 3 is fixed in a blur correction lens group chamber 30 , which includes an annular lens frame, and the blur correction lens group chamber 30 , in turn, is supported at a vibration frame 210 of a blur correction unit 200 to be detailed later. It is to be noted that unlike the blur correction lens group L 3 , the lens groups L 1 , L 2 and L 4 are fixed optical systems which do not undergo such displacement, maintaining fixed positions relative to the optical axis I.
- the fourth lens group L 4 is a focusing lens group that adjusts the photographing distance (focusing position) of the photographic lens groups as it moves along the optical axis I, and is fixed in a fourth lens group chamber 40 , which includes an annular lens frame.
- the fourth lens group chamber 40 is driven along the optical axis I under AF control of the known art executed by using a focusing mechanism (not shown)
- a shutter unit 50 , a CCD 60 and a low pass filter (LPF) 70 are mounted in the lens barrel 100 .
- the shutter unit 50 disposed on the light-entry side of the blur correction lens group L 3 , adjusts the exposure quantity indicating the extent of exposure at the CCD 60 .
- the shutter unit 50 includes a shutter portion constituted with a plurality of thin plastic pieces.
- the CCD 60 is a solid imaging element that converts an image formed via the photographic lens groups to electrical signals and outputs the electrical signals, and is disposed on the light exit side of the fourth lens group L 4 .
- the LPF 70 is an optical filter provided so as to prevent moiré from manifesting in the captured image and is disposed between the fourth lens group L 4 and the CCD 60 .
- the lens barrel 100 further includes a first lens group barrel 110 , a second lens group holding frame 120 , a blur correction lens group holding frame 130 , a fixed barrel 150 , a first cam barrel 160 , a second cam barrel 170 , a linear guide key 180 and a CCD stage 190 .
- the first lens barrel chamber 10 is fixed inside of the first lens group barrel 110 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.
- the first lens group barrel 110 is inserted inside of the second cam barrel 170 .
- the first lens group barrel 110 is allowed to move along the optical axis I via a cam mechanism formed between itself and the second cam barrel 170 when the lens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or when the focal length is being adjusted.
- the first lens group barrel 110 assumes a position at the front end of the lens barrel 100 toward the objective side in the photographing state.
- the first lens group barrel 110 is equipped with a guide member 111 and a lens barrier unit 112 .
- the guide member 111 guides the vibration frame 210 of the blur correction unit 200 to be described in detail later.
- the guide member 111 is disposed over an area located on the outside of the first lens group L 1 at the end surface of the first lens group barrel 110 toward the objective side, so as to project out toward the image side along the optical axis I.
- the guide member 111 assumes a tapered shape so as to become gradually thinner toward its front end side (toward the image). The guide operation executed via this guide member 111 is to be explained later.
- the lens barrier unit 112 disposed on the objective side of the first lens group L 1 , protects the surface of the first lens group L 1 on the entry side while the lens barrel 100 is in the stored state.
- the lens barrier unit 112 comprising a barrier 113 , a barrier drive ring 114 , a barrier receptacle 115 and a barrier cover 116 , is fixed at the end of the first lens group barrel 110 on the objective side.
- the second lens group holding frame 120 which is a frame structure mounted on the outside of the second lens group chamber 20 , is inserted on the inside of the first lens group barrel 110 .
- the second lens group holding frame 120 is allowed to move along the optical axis I independently of the first lens group barrel 110 via a cam mechanism formed between itself and the first cam barrel 160 when the lens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or vice versa, or when the focal length is being adjusted.
- the second lens group chamber 20 includes a flange portion formed as a projecting collar at its outer circumferential surface and is fastened onto the second lens group holding frame 120 via a nut 21 at the flange portion.
- An adjustment washer 22 used to fine-adjust the position of the second lens group L 2 is disposed at the surface of the flange portion on the side opposite from the nut 21 .
- the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 is a frame structure that holds the blur correction unit 200 which includes the blur correction lens group L 3 and the blur correction lens group chamber 30 .
- the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 is inserted on the inside of the first lens group barrel 110 .
- the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 is allowed to move along the optical axis I via a cam mechanism formed between itself and the first cam barrel 160 as the lens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or vice versa.
- the fixed barrel 150 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape constitutes the base portion of the lens barrel 100 and is fixed onto the camera body (not shown) and is disposed on the outermost side at the lens barrel 100 .
- the first cam barrel 160 and the second cam barrel 170 are allowed to rotate around the optical axis I relative to the fixed barrel 150 via an interlocking mechanism (not shown).
- the first cam barrel 160 is inserted on the inside of the fixed barrel 150 .
- a cam follower formed at the outer circumferential surface of the first cam barrel 160 is inserted in a cam groove formed at the inner circumferential surface of the fixed barrel 150 .
- Cam followers formed at the second lens holding frame 120 and the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 are inserted in cam grooves formed at the inner circumferential surface of the first cam barrel 160 .
- the second cam barrel 170 is inserted further on the inside of the first cam barrel 160
- the first lens group barrel 110 is inserted on the inside of the second cam barrel 170 .
- a cam follower formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first lens group barrel 110 is inserted in a cam groove formed at the inner circumferential surface of the second cam barrel 170 .
- the linear guide key 180 linearly guides the first lens group barrel 110 , the second lens group holding frame 120 and the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 along the optical axis I relative to the fixed barrel 150 , regardless of whether or not the first cam barrel 160 and the second cam barrel 170 are rotating.
- the CCD stage 190 fixed at the end of the fixed barrel 150 toward the image along the optical axis I, closes off the opening end of the fixed barrel 150 .
- the CCD 60 and the LPF 70 are fixed onto the CCD stage 190 .
- the blur correction unit 200 includes the vibration frame 210 , a voice coil motor (VCM) 220 , a position detector 230 , a blur correction unit cover 240 and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 250 .
- VCM voice coil motor
- FPC flexible printed circuit board
- the vibration frame disposed at the surface of the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 toward the image is supported so as to move parallel to the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis I.
- the vibration frame 210 is a drive target member that is driven within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis I under blur correction control of the known art.
- the vibration frame 210 includes a recessed portion 210 a formed by recessing its outer circumferential edge. The guide member 111 mentioned earlier is inserted in the recessed portion 210 a.
- a rotating shaft 211 , a spring 212 and a rotation stopper 213 are mounted at the vibration frame 210 .
- the rotating shaft 211 formed as a pin projecting out from the surface of the vibration frame 210 toward the image along the optical axis I, axially supports the front end of an arm portion 31 formed to radially extend from the outer circumferential surface of the blur correction lens group chamber 30 the outside thereof, so as to allow the arm portion 31 to rotate or swing as necessary.
- the central axis of the rotating shaft 211 is set so as to extend substantially parallel to the optical axis I.
- the rotating shaft 211 is disposed further upward relative to the optical axis I along a diagonal direction within a plane of the vibration frame 210 ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in a normal photographing state.
- normal photographing state used in the description refers to a state in which photographing operation is executed by setting the optical axis I and the longitudinal side of the image plane substantially horizontal.
- the spring 212 is , held between the rotating shaft 211 and the arm portion 31 , and applies a rotational force to the blur correction lens group chamber 30 in a specific direction (in the counterclockwise direction viewed from the image side along the optical axis I in the embodiment) around the rotating shaft 211 , relative to the vibration frame 210 .
- the rotation stopper 213 is constituted with a projected portion projecting out from the surface of the vibration frame 210 and regulates the rotation of the blur correction lens group chamber 30 caused by the force applied from the spring 212 , as it comes in contact with a projected portion 32 at the blur correction lens group chamber 30 .
- the projected portion 32 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the blur correction lens group chamber 30 at a position achieving substantial symmetry with the position of the arm portion 31 relative to the optical axis.
- a cam face portion 34 is formed to range around the circumference of the rotating shaft 211 .
- the cam face portion 34 is formed so as to range spirally relative to the rotating shaft 211 .
- the height of the cam face portion 34 measured along the length of the rotating shaft 211 continuously changes in correspondence to the angle measured around the circumference of the rotating shaft.
- the blur correction lens group chamber 30 rotates along the clockwise direction around the rotating shaft 211 .
- the VCM 220 is an actuator that drives the vibration frame 210 along the direction extending perpendicular to the optical axis I in response to a control signal provided by a blur correction control unit (not shown).
- the VCM 220 includes a coil 221 , a magnet 222 and yokes 223 and 224 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- the coil 221 is fixed to the vibration frame 210 .
- the magnet 222 is a permanent magnet fixed onto the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 at a position facing opposite the coil 221 .
- the yoke 223 is fixed to the surface of the magnet 222 on the side opposite from the coil 221 .
- the yoke 224 is fixed to the blur correction unit cover 240 so as to face opposite the surface of the coil 221 on the side opposite from the magnet 222 .
- the blur correction unit cover 240 is disposed at the vibration frame 210 further toward the image side and fixed to the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 .
- the blur correction unit 200 in the first embodiment corrects blurring attributable to pitching and yawing occurring at the lens barrel 100 and includes VCMs 220 each used to drive the vibration frame 210 to correct the blur caused by pitching or yawing.
- VCMs 220 each used to drive the vibration frame 210 to correct the blur caused by pitching or yawing.
- the VCM that drives the vibration frame 210 to correct the pitching blur is referred to by attaching the suffix P
- the VCM 220 that drives the vibration frame 210 to correct the yawning blur is referred to by attaching the suffix Y (suffixes are likewise attached to position detectors 230 to be described later).
- the VCM 220 P is disposed further downward along the optical axis I in the regular photographing state.
- the VCM 220 Y is set at a side of the optical axis I in the normal photographing state, at a position distanced from the VCM 220 P by 90° around the optical axis I.
- the position detectors 230 each include a Hall element fixed to the vibration frame 210 and a magnet fixed to the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 .
- the Hall element detects the intensity of the magnetic field, which changes as the vibration frame 210 becomes displaced relative to the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 .
- the position detectors 230 each detect the position of the vibration frame 210 relative to the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 based upon the change in the detected magnetic field intensity.
- the position detector 230 P is disposed over an area above the VCM 220 Y in the normal photographing state.
- the position detector 230 Y is disposed over an area on the opposite side of the optical axis I relative to the VCM 220 Y.
- FIG. 4 is a lateral section of the lens barrel 100 shifting from the photographing state to the stored state.
- the lens barrel 100 first rotationally drives the first cam barrel 160 and the second cam barrel 170 to move the first lens group barrel 110 in the second lens group holding frame 130 toward the image along the optical axis I.
- the relative distance between the guide member 111 fixed to the first lens group barrel 110 and the vibration frame 210 become smaller.
- the guide member 111 is inserted at the recessed portion 210 a formed at the vibration frame 210 of the blur correction unit 200 .
- the guide member 111 assumes a tapered shape, gradually becoming thicker from its front end (the image side along the optical axis I) toward its base side (toward the first lens group barrel 110 ), and has a sloped surface inclined relative to the optical axis I.
- the guide member 111 adopting this structure can be inserted at the vibration frame 210 over a significant depth and as the guide member 111 slides against the inner surface of the recessed portion 210 a , it becomes displaced within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis I.
- the vibration frame 210 becomes held in the state in which the optical axis of the blur correction lens group L 3 is substantially aligned (centered) with the optical axis of the other lens groups (see FIG. 4 ).
- the first cam barrel 160 is rotationally driven continuously, and thus, the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 starts to move toward the image along the optical axis I.
- the pin 33 fixed to the CCD stage 190 presses against the cam face portion 34 at the blur correction lens group chamber 30 .
- FIG. 5 is a lateral section of the lens barrel 100 in the stored state.
- FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the lens barrel 100 in the stored state, taken across a plane that contains the optical axis.
- the blur correction lens group L 3 retreats from the optical axis I of the other lens groups as the pressure is applied to the cam face portion 34 at the blur correction lens group chamber 30 , as shown in FIG. 5 .
- the lens barrel 100 moves the first lens group barrel 110 , the second lens group holding frame 120 and the blur correction lens group holding frame 130 further toward the image along the optical axis I.
- the fourth lens group L 4 and the blur correction lens group L 3 having retreated from the optical axis I become positionally aligned along the optical axis I, as shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 7 shows the structure of a camera 1 equipped with the lens barrel 100 described above.
- the camera 1 includes a control circuit 310 and a memory 320 in addition to the lens barrel 100 .
- the control circuit 310 includes an MPU that individually controls the CCD 60 , the VCM 220 and the position detectors 230 , and executes exposure control, image processing, AF control, blur correction control and the like of the known art by controlling the entire camera 1 in a comprehensive manner.
- Reference position correction information used when driving the blur correction lens group L 3 within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis I is held in the memory 320 .
- the control circuit 310 sets the center position for the blur correction lens group L 3 based upon the correction information. The method adopted when generating the correction information is to be described in detail later.
- the control circuit 310 and the memory 320 are housed inside a camera body (not shown) at which the lens barrel 100 is mounted.
- a test chart i.e., the subject
- a subject image of the test chart formed via the lens barrel 100 is captured with the CCD 60 .
- FIG. 8 presents examples of the test chart.
- the test chart may be, for instance, a rectangular sheet 410 formed in correspondence to the image angle of the image captured with the CCD 60 with a dot marking 411 set at the center thereof, as shown in FIG. 8A .
- the test chart may be a sheet 420 similar to the sheet 410 with dot markings 421 set at the center and the periphery thereof, as shown in FIG. 8B .
- the image of the marking 411 or 421 at the center of the test chart retaining a clean, desirable shape without becoming deformed, is set at the center of the image field.
- the extent of deformation or blurring occurring in the images of the markings 421 at the periphery of the test chart are small enough to be disregarded.
- the image of the marking 411 or 421 at the center of the test chart becomes misaligned from the center of the image or the image becomes deformed.
- the images of the markings 421 at the periphery become deformed or blurred to a significant extent.
- the control circuit 310 outputs a control signal to the VCMs 220 to displace the blur correction lens group L 3 by shifting it within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, evaluates image signals output from the CCD 60 in sequence and detects the position of the blur correction lens group L 3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level when the image of the marking 411 or 421 is at the center of the test chart or the image does not deformed. Then, the control circuit 310 records into the memory 320 information indicating the position of the blur correction lens group L 3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level as correction information related to the reference position of the blur correction lens group L 3 , and then completes the adjustment of the lens barrel 100 .
- the blur correction lens group L 3 As the blur correction lens group L 3 is set at the reference position, the optical axis of the blur correction lens group L 3 substantially coincides with that of the other lens groups, then the subject image enters the CCD 60 with its optical axis perpendicular to the CCD 60 .
- the correction information includes information indicating the direction of and the distance to the position described above, relative to the center position of the blur correction lens group L 3 set in the initial state (pre-adjustment state).
- the correction information may include information indicating the coordinates of the position along the X direction (pitching direction) and the Y direction (yawing direction). Then, during an operation of the camera 1 , the control unit 310 executes blur correction control by using the position ascertained based upon the correction information as the central position (reference position).
- the lens barrel adjustment device achieved in the second embodiment of the present invention and the lens barrel adjustment method adopted in the lens barrel adjustment device are explained.
- the lens barrel adjusted in the second embodiment is similar to that explained in reference to the first embodiment.
- This adjustment may be executed after assembling the lens barrel 100 before mounting the assembled lens barrel at the camera body 300 during, for instance, the camera manufacturing process, is performed by mounting the lens barrel 100 with the CCD 60 detached therefrom at an adjustment device 500 explained below.
- FIG. 9 shows the lens barrel 100 after the CCD 60 has been removed, mounted at the adjustment device 500 .
- the adjustment device 500 includes a CCD 510 , a control circuit 520 and a laser radiation device 530 .
- the CCD 510 is a solid-state imaging element mounted in place of the CCD 60 at the lens barrel 100 at the position at which the CCD 60 is normally mounted.
- the control circuit 520 includes an MPU that individually controls the CCD 510 as well as the VCMs 220 and the position detectors 230 at the lens barrel 100 .
- the control circuit 520 evaluates image signals output from the CCD 510 and generates correction information while driving the blur correction lens group L 3 to shift the blur correction lens group by controlling the VCMs 220 .
- the laser radiation device 530 is a recording unit that cuts the wiring formed on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 600 based upon the correction information generated by the control circuit 520 and records the correction information constituted of the cutting pattern on the FPC 600 .
- FPC flexible printed circuit board
- the lens barrel 100 whituout the CCD 60 is mounted at the adjustment device 500 , as shown in FIG. 9 .
- a test chart i.e., the subject, is placed on the objective side of the lens barrel 100 and a subject image of the test chart formed via the lens barrel 100 is captured with the CCD 510 .
- the control circuit 520 displaces the blur correction lens group L 3 by shifting it, evaluates image signals output from the CCD 510 in sequence, detects the position of the blur correction lens group L 3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level, and thus generates correction information, as does the control circuit 310 in the first embodiment. The control circuit 520 then outputs the correction information thus generated to the laser radiation device 530 .
- FIG. 10 shows the FPC 600 , i.e., the recording medium in which the correction information is recorded by the laser radiation device 530 , with FIG. 10 ( a ) showing the FPC in the pre-recording state and FIG. 10 ( b ) showing the FPC in the post-recording state.
- the FPC 600 includes a base portion 610 and a wiring portion 620 .
- the base portion 610 is formed as a sheet constituted of a flexible material with an insulating property.
- the wiring portion 620 is a thin film constituted of a material achieving electrical conductivity, such as a metal, formed through etching or the like at the surface of the base portion 610 .
- the wiring portion 620 may include, for instance, nine contact points C 0 ⁇ C 8 set at an end edge of the base portion 610 and a land portion 621 that achieves mutual continuity among the contact points C 0 ⁇ C 8 .
- correction information corresponding to the X direction and correction information corresponding to the Y direction are recorded as four-bit information at each of the contact points C 1 ⁇ C 4 and the contact points C 5 and C 8 .
- the laser radiation device 530 cuts an area of the land portion 621 corresponding to a specific contact point with a laser so as to set each contact point either in a continuous state or a non-continuous state. For instance, the contact points C 1 , C 3 , C 5 and C 6 are set in the non-continuous state and the other contact points C 2 , C 4 , C 7 and C 8 are set in the continuous state in the example presented in FIG. 10 ( b ).
- the FPC 600 having undergone this processing is attached to a specific area of the outer surface of the lens barrel 100 .
- a read device (not shown) which includes contact points (not shown) to achieve electrical continuity with the individual contact points C 0 ⁇ C 8 as the lens barrel 100 is mounted, is provided at the camera body 300 .
- the control circuit 310 executes the blur correction control based upon the correction information transmitted thereto.
- the second embodiment achieves the following advantage.
- the adjustment device 500 records the correction information generated while adjusting the lens barrel 100 onto the FPC 600 in a format that allows the correction information to be read by the read device on the camera body side. Since the correction information can be automatically transmitted to the camera body side as the lens barrel 100 is mounted at the camera body during the camera assembly process, the camera assembly process is simplified.
- the lens barrel 100 is assigned with unit identification information such as a serial number
- data correlating this unit identification information with the correction information may be recorded while adjusting the lens barrel 100 and the data may subsequently be retrieved and input as the lens barrel 100 is mounted at the camera.
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- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Adjustment Of Camera Lenses (AREA)
- Studio Devices (AREA)
Abstract
A lens barrel comprises a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis, a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position, a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatsble blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis, and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
Description
- The disclosure of the following priority application is herein incorporated by reference:
- Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-017063 filed Jan. 26, 2006
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to a lens barrel equipped with a retreatable optical system that retreats from a position on the optical axis for storage, a camera that includes the lens barrel and an adjustment device that adjusts the lens barrel.
- 2. Description of Related Art
- Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2003-315861 discloses a retractable lens barrel used in photographing operation executed in a camera. The length of this lens barrel in storage is reduced by allowing some of a plurality of lens groups to move (slide) rotationally around a rotating shaft fixed to the lens barrel so as to retreat along a direction extending perpendicular to the optical axis and storing the other lens groups into the space thus created.
- The lens barrels used in photographing operations executed in cameras in the related art include those equipped with optical blur correction devices. A blur correction device detects a vibration to which the optical system has been subjected via an angular speed sensor or the like and reduces the extent of an image blur manifesting on the image forming plane by driving some (blur correction lens group) of a plurality of lens groups within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis based upon the extent of vibration thus detected.
- Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2004-233922 discloses an example of a lens barrel in the related art, which includes a lens group made to retreat away from the optical axis. Decentering may occur in this lens barrel due to inconsistent accuracy in mechanical portions and the like used in the retreating operation, and for this reason, it includes an aligning mechanism that displaces the lens group by shifting it along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis so as to reduce the extent of the decentering.
- However, the addition of the aligning mechanism leads to an increase in the number of required parts, resulting in a lens barrel with a more complex structure. The addition of an aligning mechanism becomes particularly problematic in the case of a lens barrel equipped with a blur correction device, since the sufficient installation space for the aligning mechanism needs to be secured in the already tight available space.
- According to the first aspect of the invention, a lens barrel comprises: a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis; a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded. The correction information indicates a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- According to the second aspect of the invention, a lens barrel comprises: a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis; a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur; a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded. The correction information indicates a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- The reference position may be a position where the optical axis of the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system substantially coincides with the optical axis of the fixed optical system.
- It is preferred that the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
- A camera according to another aspect of the invention comprises: a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis; a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded. The correction information indicates a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- A camera according to another aspect of the invention comprises: a fixed optical system though which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis; a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur; a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system; a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded. The correction information indicates a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
- The camera may further comprises: an imaging device that captures a subject image entering thereto via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal, and the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit may be generated based upon an output from the imaging device.
- According to another aspect of the invention, it is preferred that the retreatable blur correction optical system or the retreatable optical system is configured to swing from the operating position to the storage position around the optical axis as the lens barrel retracts into a camera body.
- A lens barrel adjustment device according to the present invention, uses to adjust the lens barrel noted above. The lens barrel adjustment device comprises: an imaging device that captures a subject image formed via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal; a correction information generation unit that evaluates an image signal output from the imaging device while displacing the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system by controlling the blur correction optical system drive unit at the lens barrel and generates reference position correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system or the blur correction optical system to be assumed within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a recording unit that records the correction information output by the correction information generation unit into a recording medium disposed within the lens barrel.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates the camera achieved in a first embodiment of the present invention, withFIG. 1A presenting an external view of the camera andFIG. 1B presenting a sectional view of the lens barrel in a wide-angle photographing state; -
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lens barrel inFIG. 1 in a telephoto photographing state; -
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along III-III inFIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows; -
FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view of the lens barrel inFIG. 1 shifting from the photographing state to a stored state; -
FIG. 5 is a lateral sectional view of the lens barrel inFIG. 1 in the stored state; -
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the lens barrel inFIG. 1 in the stored state; -
FIG. 7 shows the structure adopted in an embodiment of a camera equipped with the lens barrel shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 8 presents examples of test charts that may be used when adjusting the lens barrel inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 9 shows the structure adopted in the lens barrel adjustment device achieved in a second embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 10 shows the flexible printed circuit board on which correction information used in the lens barrel adjustment device inFIG. 2 is recorded; and -
FIG. 11 shows a two-dimensional bar code representing another example of the recording unit at which the correction information is recorded. - The following is an explanation of the camera achieved in the first embodiment of the present invention.
- As shown in
FIG. 1A , the camera in the first embodiment may be a digital still camera. The digital still camera in the figure includes acamera body 300 and alens barrel 100, which is inserted and fixed at anopening 300 a formed at thecamera body 300 and is equipped with an optical blur correction device. It is to be noted that reference numeral 300 b indicates a shutter release button. -
FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the lens barrel in the first embodiment in a wide-angle photographing state (operating state).FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lens barrel in the telephoto photographing state andFIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along III-III inFIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows. - The
lens barrel 100 includes photographic lens group which may be zoom lens groups constituted with, for instance, four lens groups. These photographic lens groups include a first lens group L1, a second lens group L2, a blur correction lens group (third lens group) L3 and a fourth lens group L4, disposed in this order starting from the subject side (hereafter referred to as an objective side) along an optical axis I in the photographing state. The first lens group L1 and the second lens group L2 are each a zooming lens group that moves along the optical axis I to adjust the focal length of the photographic lens groups and are respectively fixed in a firstlens group chamber 10 and a secondlens group chamber 20, each of which includes an annular lens frame. It is to be noted that the blur correction lens group L3 and the fourth lens group L4 also function as zooming lenses and move along the optical axis I. - The blur correction lens group L3 displaces itself by shifting within a plane ranging substantially perpendicular to the optical axis I in correspondence to a vibration to which the
lens barrel 100 has been subjected, so as to reduce the extent of image blur occurring at the image forming plane. The blur correction lens group L3 is fixed in a blur correctionlens group chamber 30, which includes an annular lens frame, and the blur correctionlens group chamber 30, in turn, is supported at avibration frame 210 of ablur correction unit 200 to be detailed later. It is to be noted that unlike the blur correction lens group L3, the lens groups L1, L2 and L4 are fixed optical systems which do not undergo such displacement, maintaining fixed positions relative to the optical axis I. - The fourth lens group L4 is a focusing lens group that adjusts the photographing distance (focusing position) of the photographic lens groups as it moves along the optical axis I, and is fixed in a fourth
lens group chamber 40, which includes an annular lens frame. The fourthlens group chamber 40 is driven along the optical axis I under AF control of the known art executed by using a focusing mechanism (not shown) - A
shutter unit 50, aCCD 60 and a low pass filter (LPF) 70 are mounted in thelens barrel 100. Theshutter unit 50, disposed on the light-entry side of the blur correction lens group L3, adjusts the exposure quantity indicating the extent of exposure at theCCD 60. Theshutter unit 50 includes a shutter portion constituted with a plurality of thin plastic pieces. TheCCD 60 is a solid imaging element that converts an image formed via the photographic lens groups to electrical signals and outputs the electrical signals, and is disposed on the light exit side of the fourth lens group L4. TheLPF 70 is an optical filter provided so as to prevent moiré from manifesting in the captured image and is disposed between the fourth lens group L4 and theCCD 60. - The
lens barrel 100 further includes a firstlens group barrel 110, a second lensgroup holding frame 120, a blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130, a fixedbarrel 150, afirst cam barrel 160, asecond cam barrel 170, alinear guide key 180 and aCCD stage 190. - The first
lens barrel chamber 10 is fixed inside of the firstlens group barrel 110 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The firstlens group barrel 110 is inserted inside of thesecond cam barrel 170. The firstlens group barrel 110 is allowed to move along the optical axis I via a cam mechanism formed between itself and thesecond cam barrel 170 when thelens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or when the focal length is being adjusted. As shown inFIGS. 1A , and 1B and 2, the firstlens group barrel 110 assumes a position at the front end of thelens barrel 100 toward the objective side in the photographing state. - The first
lens group barrel 110 is equipped with aguide member 111 and alens barrier unit 112. Theguide member 111 guides thevibration frame 210 of theblur correction unit 200 to be described in detail later. Theguide member 111 is disposed over an area located on the outside of the first lens group L1 at the end surface of the firstlens group barrel 110 toward the objective side, so as to project out toward the image side along the optical axis I. Theguide member 111 assumes a tapered shape so as to become gradually thinner toward its front end side (toward the image). The guide operation executed via thisguide member 111 is to be explained later. - The
lens barrier unit 112, disposed on the objective side of the first lens group L1, protects the surface of the first lens group L1 on the entry side while thelens barrel 100 is in the stored state. Thelens barrier unit 112, comprising abarrier 113, abarrier drive ring 114, abarrier receptacle 115 and abarrier cover 116, is fixed at the end of the firstlens group barrel 110 on the objective side. - The second lens
group holding frame 120, which is a frame structure mounted on the outside of the secondlens group chamber 20, is inserted on the inside of the firstlens group barrel 110. The second lensgroup holding frame 120 is allowed to move along the optical axis I independently of the firstlens group barrel 110 via a cam mechanism formed between itself and thefirst cam barrel 160 when thelens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or vice versa, or when the focal length is being adjusted. The secondlens group chamber 20 includes a flange portion formed as a projecting collar at its outer circumferential surface and is fastened onto the second lensgroup holding frame 120 via anut 21 at the flange portion. Anadjustment washer 22 used to fine-adjust the position of the second lens group L2 is disposed at the surface of the flange portion on the side opposite from thenut 21. - The blur correction lens
group holding frame 130 is a frame structure that holds theblur correction unit 200 which includes the blur correction lens group L3 and the blur correctionlens group chamber 30. The blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 is inserted on the inside of the firstlens group barrel 110. The blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 is allowed to move along the optical axis I via a cam mechanism formed between itself and thefirst cam barrel 160 as thelens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state or vice versa. - The fixed
barrel 150, formed in a substantially cylindrical shape constitutes the base portion of thelens barrel 100 and is fixed onto the camera body (not shown) and is disposed on the outermost side at thelens barrel 100. Thefirst cam barrel 160 and thesecond cam barrel 170, each formed in a cylindrical shape, are allowed to rotate around the optical axis I relative to the fixedbarrel 150 via an interlocking mechanism (not shown). - The
first cam barrel 160 is inserted on the inside of the fixedbarrel 150. A cam follower formed at the outer circumferential surface of thefirst cam barrel 160 is inserted in a cam groove formed at the inner circumferential surface of the fixedbarrel 150. Cam followers formed at the secondlens holding frame 120 and the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 are inserted in cam grooves formed at the inner circumferential surface of thefirst cam barrel 160. Thesecond cam barrel 170 is inserted further on the inside of thefirst cam barrel 160, and the firstlens group barrel 110 is inserted on the inside of thesecond cam barrel 170. A cam follower formed on the outer circumferential surface of the firstlens group barrel 110 is inserted in a cam groove formed at the inner circumferential surface of thesecond cam barrel 170. - The
linear guide key 180 linearly guides the firstlens group barrel 110, the second lensgroup holding frame 120 and the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 along the optical axis I relative to the fixedbarrel 150, regardless of whether or not thefirst cam barrel 160 and thesecond cam barrel 170 are rotating. TheCCD stage 190, fixed at the end of the fixedbarrel 150 toward the image along the optical axis I, closes off the opening end of the fixedbarrel 150. TheCCD 60 and theLPF 70 are fixed onto theCCD stage 190. - The
blur correction unit 200 includes thevibration frame 210, a voice coil motor (VCM) 220, aposition detector 230, a blurcorrection unit cover 240 and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 250. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , the vibration frame disposed at the surface of the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 toward the image, is supported so as to move parallel to the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis I. Thevibration frame 210 is a drive target member that is driven within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis I under blur correction control of the known art. Thevibration frame 210 includes a recessedportion 210 a formed by recessing its outer circumferential edge. Theguide member 111 mentioned earlier is inserted in the recessedportion 210 a. - A
rotating shaft 211, aspring 212 and arotation stopper 213 are mounted at thevibration frame 210. Therotating shaft 211, formed as a pin projecting out from the surface of thevibration frame 210 toward the image along the optical axis I, axially supports the front end of anarm portion 31 formed to radially extend from the outer circumferential surface of the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 the outside thereof, so as to allow thearm portion 31 to rotate or swing as necessary. The central axis of therotating shaft 211 is set so as to extend substantially parallel to the optical axis I. In addition, therotating shaft 211 is disposed further upward relative to the optical axis I along a diagonal direction within a plane of thevibration frame 210 ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in a normal photographing state. It is to be noted that the term “normal photographing state” used in the description refers to a state in which photographing operation is executed by setting the optical axis I and the longitudinal side of the image plane substantially horizontal. - The
spring 212 is , held between therotating shaft 211 and thearm portion 31, and applies a rotational force to the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 in a specific direction (in the counterclockwise direction viewed from the image side along the optical axis I in the embodiment) around therotating shaft 211, relative to thevibration frame 210. Therotation stopper 213 is constituted with a projected portion projecting out from the surface of thevibration frame 210 and regulates the rotation of the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 caused by the force applied from thespring 212, as it comes in contact with a projectedportion 32 at the blur correctionlens group chamber 30. The projectedportion 32 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 at a position achieving substantial symmetry with the position of thearm portion 31 relative to the optical axis. - At the area where the
arm portion 31 connects with therotating shaft 211, acam face portion 34 is formed to range around the circumference of therotating shaft 211. Thecam face portion 34 is formed so as to range spirally relative to therotating shaft 211. In other words, the height of thecam face portion 34 measured along the length of therotating shaft 211 continuously changes in correspondence to the angle measured around the circumference of the rotating shaft. As thelens barrel 100 shifts from the photographing state to the stored state, the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 causes apin 33 fixed at theCCD stage 190 to press down on thecam face portion 34. As thepin 33 slides along the sloped surface of thecam face portion 34, thearm portion 31 having thecam face portion 34 rotates around therotating shaft 211 against the force applied from thespring 212. As a result, the blur correctionlens group chamber 30 rotates along the clockwise direction around therotating shaft 211. - The
VCM 220 is an actuator that drives thevibration frame 210 along the direction extending perpendicular to the optical axis I in response to a control signal provided by a blur correction control unit (not shown). TheVCM 220 includes acoil 221, amagnet 222 andyokes FIGS. 1 and 2 . Thecoil 221 is fixed to thevibration frame 210. Themagnet 222 is a permanent magnet fixed onto the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 at a position facing opposite thecoil 221. Theyoke 223 is fixed to the surface of themagnet 222 on the side opposite from thecoil 221. Theyoke 224 is fixed to the blurcorrection unit cover 240 so as to face opposite the surface of thecoil 221 on the side opposite from themagnet 222. The blurcorrection unit cover 240 is disposed at thevibration frame 210 further toward the image side and fixed to the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130. - The
blur correction unit 200 in the first embodiment corrects blurring attributable to pitching and yawing occurring at thelens barrel 100 and includesVCMs 220 each used to drive thevibration frame 210 to correct the blur caused by pitching or yawing. In the following explanation, the VCM that drives thevibration frame 210 to correct the pitching blur is referred to by attaching the suffix P and theVCM 220 that drives thevibration frame 210 to correct the yawning blur is referred to by attaching the suffix Y (suffixes are likewise attached to positiondetectors 230 to be described later). - As shown in
FIG. 3 , theVCM 220P is disposed further downward along the optical axis I in the regular photographing state. TheVCM 220Y is set at a side of the optical axis I in the normal photographing state, at a position distanced from theVCM 220P by 90° around the optical axis I. - The
position detectors 230 each include a Hall element fixed to thevibration frame 210 and a magnet fixed to the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130. The Hall element detects the intensity of the magnetic field, which changes as thevibration frame 210 becomes displaced relative to the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130. Theposition detectors 230 each detect the position of thevibration frame 210 relative to the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 based upon the change in the detected magnetic field intensity. Theposition detector 230P is disposed over an area above theVCM 220Y in the normal photographing state. Theposition detector 230Y is disposed over an area on the opposite side of the optical axis I relative to theVCM 220Y. - Through the
FPC 250 which is disposed so as to bridge the space between the fixedbarrel 150 and thevibration frame 210, power is supplied to thecoils 221 at theVCMs 220 and output signals from the Hall elements at theposition detectors 230 are transmitted. - The operation executed as the
lens barrel 100 in the first embodiment shifts from the photographing state to the stored state is explained. -
FIG. 4 is a lateral section of thelens barrel 100 shifting from the photographing state to the stored state. Thelens barrel 100 first rotationally drives thefirst cam barrel 160 and thesecond cam barrel 170 to move the firstlens group barrel 110 in the second lensgroup holding frame 130 toward the image along the optical axis I. As the firstlens group barrel 110 moves, the relative distance between theguide member 111 fixed to the firstlens group barrel 110 and thevibration frame 210, measured along the optical axis I, become smaller. Then, as the interval between the first lens group L1 and the third lens group L3 becomes smaller than the minimum value assumed in the photographing state, theguide member 111 is inserted at the recessedportion 210 a formed at thevibration frame 210 of theblur correction unit 200. - As explained earlier, the
guide member 111 assumes a tapered shape, gradually becoming thicker from its front end (the image side along the optical axis I) toward its base side (toward the first lens group barrel 110), and has a sloped surface inclined relative to the optical axis I. Theguide member 111 adopting this structure can be inserted at thevibration frame 210 over a significant depth and as theguide member 111 slides against the inner surface of the recessedportion 210 a, it becomes displaced within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis I. Ultimately, thevibration frame 210 becomes held in the state in which the optical axis of the blur correction lens group L3 is substantially aligned (centered) with the optical axis of the other lens groups (seeFIG. 4 ). - After the blur correction lens group L3 becomes held in the centered state as described above, the
first cam barrel 160 is rotationally driven continuously, and thus, the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 starts to move toward the image along the optical axis I. As the blur correction lens group holding frame moves toward the image, thepin 33 fixed to theCCD stage 190 presses against thecam face portion 34 at the blur correctionlens group chamber 30. -
FIG. 5 is a lateral section of thelens barrel 100 in the stored state.FIG. 6 is a sectional view of thelens barrel 100 in the stored state, taken across a plane that contains the optical axis. - The blur correction lens group L3 retreats from the optical axis I of the other lens groups as the pressure is applied to the
cam face portion 34 at the blur correctionlens group chamber 30, as shown inFIG. 5 . When the retreating movement of the blur correction lens group L3 ends, thelens barrel 100 moves the firstlens group barrel 110, the second lensgroup holding frame 120 and the blur correction lensgroup holding frame 130 further toward the image along the optical axis I. As a result, the fourth lens group L4 and the blur correction lens group L3 having retreated from the optical axis I become positionally aligned along the optical axis I, as shown inFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 7 shows the structure of acamera 1 equipped with thelens barrel 100 described above. - The
camera 1 includes acontrol circuit 310 and amemory 320 in addition to thelens barrel 100. Thecontrol circuit 310 includes an MPU that individually controls theCCD 60, theVCM 220 and theposition detectors 230, and executes exposure control, image processing, AF control, blur correction control and the like of the known art by controlling theentire camera 1 in a comprehensive manner. Reference position correction information used when driving the blur correction lens group L3 within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis I is held in thememory 320. When executing blur correction control, thecontrol circuit 310 sets the center position for the blur correction lens group L3 based upon the correction information. The method adopted when generating the correction information is to be described in detail later. Thecontrol circuit 310 and thememory 320 are housed inside a camera body (not shown) at which thelens barrel 100 is mounted. - The method adopted when adjusting the
lens barrel 100 in the camera 1 (correction information generation method) is explained. - First, a test chart, i.e., the subject, is placed on the objective side of the
lens barrel 100 and a subject image of the test chart formed via thelens barrel 100 is captured with theCCD 60. -
FIG. 8 presents examples of the test chart. The test chart may be, for instance, arectangular sheet 410 formed in correspondence to the image angle of the image captured with theCCD 60 with a dot marking 411 set at the center thereof, as shown inFIG. 8A . Alternatively, the test chart may be asheet 420 similar to thesheet 410 withdot markings 421 set at the center and the periphery thereof, as shown inFIG. 8B . - If the various lens groups in the
lens barrel 100 are not decentered from the optical axis I to a significant extent, the image of the marking 411 or 421 at the center of the test chart, retaining a clean, desirable shape without becoming deformed, is set at the center of the image field. The extent of deformation or blurring occurring in the images of themarkings 421 at the periphery of the test chart are small enough to be disregarded. - If, on the other hand, a lens group is decentered relative to the optical axis I, the image of the marking 411 or 421 at the center of the test chart becomes misaligned from the center of the image or the image becomes deformed. At the same time, the images of the
markings 421 at the periphery become deformed or blurred to a significant extent. - The
control circuit 310 outputs a control signal to theVCMs 220 to displace the blur correction lens group L3 by shifting it within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, evaluates image signals output from theCCD 60 in sequence and detects the position of the blur correction lens group L3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level when the image of the marking 411 or 421 is at the center of the test chart or the image does not deformed. Then, thecontrol circuit 310 records into thememory 320 information indicating the position of the blur correction lens group L3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level as correction information related to the reference position of the blur correction lens group L3, and then completes the adjustment of thelens barrel 100. Namely, as the blur correction lens group L3 is set at the reference position, the optical axis of the blur correction lens group L3 substantially coincides with that of the other lens groups, then the subject image enters theCCD 60 with its optical axis perpendicular to theCCD 60. - The correction information includes information indicating the direction of and the distance to the position described above, relative to the center position of the blur correction lens group L3 set in the initial state (pre-adjustment state). For instance, the correction information may include information indicating the coordinates of the position along the X direction (pitching direction) and the Y direction (yawing direction). Then, during an operation of the
camera 1, thecontrol unit 310 executes blur correction control by using the position ascertained based upon the correction information as the central position (reference position). - The following advantages are achieved in the first embodiment described above.
- (1) Based upon the position of the blur correction lens group L3 when the best performance is yielded from the
lens barrel 100, thecontrol circuit 310 generates the reference position correction information for the blur correction lens group L3. This correction information, indicating the center position of the blur correction lens group L3 (the position assumed by the centered blur correction lens group), is used in the blur correction control. In other words, since theblur correction unit 200 can be utilized as an aligning mechanism unit that centers the blur correction lens group L3, thelens barrel 100 can be adjusted through a simple structure without having to provide a special aligning mechanism unit. - (2) Based upon image signals output from the
CCD 60 while photographing the test chart, thecontrol circuit 310 detects the position of the blur correction lens group L3 at which the best image quality is achieved and records the position thus detected as correction information into thememory 320. Then, the center position (reference position) can be set for the blur correction lens group L3 based upon the correction information, which allows thelens barrel 100 to be adjusted through a simple structure. - The lens barrel adjustment device achieved in the second embodiment of the present invention and the lens barrel adjustment method adopted in the lens barrel adjustment device are explained. The lens barrel adjusted in the second embodiment is similar to that explained in reference to the first embodiment.
- This adjustment may be executed after assembling the
lens barrel 100 before mounting the assembled lens barrel at thecamera body 300 during, for instance, the camera manufacturing process, is performed by mounting thelens barrel 100 with theCCD 60 detached therefrom at anadjustment device 500 explained below. -
FIG. 9 shows thelens barrel 100 after theCCD 60 has been removed, mounted at theadjustment device 500. Theadjustment device 500 includes aCCD 510, acontrol circuit 520 and alaser radiation device 530. TheCCD 510 is a solid-state imaging element mounted in place of theCCD 60 at thelens barrel 100 at the position at which theCCD 60 is normally mounted. Thecontrol circuit 520 includes an MPU that individually controls theCCD 510 as well as theVCMs 220 and theposition detectors 230 at thelens barrel 100. Thecontrol circuit 520 evaluates image signals output from theCCD 510 and generates correction information while driving the blur correction lens group L3 to shift the blur correction lens group by controlling theVCMs 220. The method adopted when generating the correction information is to be explained in detail later. Thelaser radiation device 530 is a recording unit that cuts the wiring formed on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 600 based upon the correction information generated by thecontrol circuit 520 and records the correction information constituted of the cutting pattern on theFPC 600. - The following is an explanation of the method adopted when adjusting the
lens barrel 100 by utilizing theadjustment device 500 described above. - First, the
lens barrel 100 whituout theCCD 60 is mounted at theadjustment device 500, as shown inFIG. 9 . A test chart, i.e., the subject, is placed on the objective side of thelens barrel 100 and a subject image of the test chart formed via thelens barrel 100 is captured with theCCD 510. - The
control circuit 520 displaces the blur correction lens group L3 by shifting it, evaluates image signals output from theCCD 510 in sequence, detects the position of the blur correction lens group L3 at which the image signals are evaluated at the highest level, and thus generates correction information, as does thecontrol circuit 310 in the first embodiment. Thecontrol circuit 520 then outputs the correction information thus generated to thelaser radiation device 530. -
FIG. 10 shows theFPC 600, i.e., the recording medium in which the correction information is recorded by thelaser radiation device 530, withFIG. 10 (a) showing the FPC in the pre-recording state andFIG. 10 (b) showing the FPC in the post-recording state. TheFPC 600 includes abase portion 610 and awiring portion 620. Thebase portion 610 is formed as a sheet constituted of a flexible material with an insulating property. Thewiring portion 620 is a thin film constituted of a material achieving electrical conductivity, such as a metal, formed through etching or the like at the surface of thebase portion 610. Thewiring portion 620 may include, for instance, nine contact points C0˜C8 set at an end edge of thebase portion 610 and aland portion 621 that achieves mutual continuity among the contact points C0˜C8. Based upon electrical continuity/non-continuity between the contact points C1˜C4 and the contact point C0 and between the contact points C5˜C8 and the contact point C0, correction information corresponding to the X direction and correction information corresponding to the Y direction are recorded as four-bit information at each of the contact points C1˜C4 and the contact points C5 and C8. - The
laser radiation device 530 cuts an area of theland portion 621 corresponding to a specific contact point with a laser so as to set each contact point either in a continuous state or a non-continuous state. For instance, the contact points C1, C3, C5 and C6 are set in the non-continuous state and the other contact points C2, C4, C7 and C8 are set in the continuous state in the example presented inFIG. 10 (b). - The
FPC 600 having undergone this processing is attached to a specific area of the outer surface of thelens barrel 100. A read device (not shown) which includes contact points (not shown) to achieve electrical continuity with the individual contact points C0˜C8 as thelens barrel 100 is mounted, is provided at thecamera body 300. Thus, by detecting the continuous/non-continuous states of individual contact points, the correction information inherent to thespecific lens barrel 100 can be automatically transmitted to thecontrol circuit 310 during the assembly process on, for instance, the production line at which thecamera 1 is manufactured. Thecontrol circuit 310, in turn, executes the blur correction control based upon the correction information transmitted thereto. - In addition to advantages similar to those of the first embodiment described above, the second embodiment achieves the following advantage.
- The
adjustment device 500 records the correction information generated while adjusting thelens barrel 100 onto theFPC 600 in a format that allows the correction information to be read by the read device on the camera body side. Since the correction information can be automatically transmitted to the camera body side as thelens barrel 100 is mounted at the camera body during the camera assembly process, the camera assembly process is simplified. - (Variations)
- The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and allows for a number of variations and modifications.
- (1) While an explanation is given above on an example in which the blur correction optical system constitutes the retreatable optical system, the present invention is not limited to this example and may be adopted in a structure that includes a blur correction optical system and a retreatable optical system disposed independently of each other or in a structure in which part of the retreatable optical system is constituted with the blur correction optical system. For instance, in a structure that includes four lens groups, the second lens group may function as a blur correction lens group and the third lens group may be the retreatable lens group. In conjunction with this structure, the deterioration in the image quality attributable to misalignment of the retreatable optical system can be prevented by setting the reference position for the blur correction optical system so as to optimize the performance of the overall optical system.
- (2) While the
FPC 600, theland portion 621 of which can be cut via thelaser radiation device 530, is used as the recording unit in the second embodiment a recording means other than this may be utilized, instead. For instance, a two-dimensional barcode 700 such as that shown inFIG. 11 may be used. Such a two-dimensional barcode 700 may be utilized in conjunction with a lens barrel adjustment device equipped with a printer for printing a two-dimensional barcode containing correction information instead of thelaser radiation device 530 in the second embodiment and the printed barcode may be attached onto thelens barrel 100. As thelens barrel 100 is mounted at the camera, the correction information recorded as the two-dimensional barcode should be read by a barcode reader and the correction information thus read should be input to the memory within the camera via an input/output device of the known art capable of reading data from and writing data into memory. - Furthermore, if the
lens barrel 100 is assigned with unit identification information such as a serial number, data correlating this unit identification information with the correction information may be recorded while adjusting thelens barrel 100 and the data may subsequently be retrieved and input as thelens barrel 100 is mounted at the camera. - (3) Instead of recording the correction information into the memory outside (on the camera body 300) of the
lens barrel 100, thelens barrel 100 may include an internal memory where the correction information can be recorded. - (4) While the
lens barrel 100 is a photographic lens barrel mounted in a digital still camera that does not allow the use of exchangeable lenses, the present invention is not limited to this example and it may be adopted in lens barrels mounted at cameras that allow the use of exchangeable lenses, for example cameras using a light sensitive film or a silver halide film and movie cameras as well. Thelens barrel 100 used in such applications does not include theCCD 60, unlike thelens barrel 100 in the first embodiment. In the case of a digital camera or a movie camera that uses exchangeable lenses, theCCD 60 will be installed within the camera body. - The above described embodiments are examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (16)
1. A lens barrel comprising:
a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis;
a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position;
a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
2. A lens barrel comprising:
a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into the lens barrel along with an optical axis;
a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur;
a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system;
a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis.
3. A lens barrel according to claim 1 , wherein:
the reference position is a position where the optical axis of the retreatable blur correction optical system substantially coincides with the optical axis of the fixed optical system.
4. A lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein:
the reference position is a position where the optical axis of the blur correction optical system substantially coincides with the optical axis of the fixed optical system.
5. A lens barrel according to claim 1 , wherein:
the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
6. A lens barrel according to claim 2 , wherein:
the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
7. A lens barrel according to claim 3 , wherein:
the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
8. A lens barrel according to claim 4 , wherein:
the correction information recording unit provides the correction information to an information acquisition device disposed at a camera body on which the lens barrel is mounted.
9. A camera comprising:
a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis;
a retreatable blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur by moving within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis in an operating position and that retreats to a storage position from the operating position;
a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis;
a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a control unit that controls the blur correction optical system drive unit based upon the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit.
10. A camera comprising:
a fixed optical system through which a subject image enters into a lens barrel along with an optical axis;
a blur correction optical system supported so as to be allowed to move within a plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis to correct an image blur;
a retreatable optical system that moves between an operating position and a stored position away from the optical axis, the retreatable optical system being constituted with either an optical system independent of the blur correction optical system or an optical system constituting part of the blur correction optical system;
a blur correction optical system drive unit that drives the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis;
a correction information recording unit at which reference position correction information is recorded, the correction information indicating a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane ranging perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a control unit that controls the blur correction optical system drive unit based upon the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit.
11. A camera according to claim 9 , further comprising:
an imaging device that captures a subject image entering thereto via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal, wherein:
the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit is generated based upon an output from the imaging device.
12. A camera according to claim 10 , further comprising:
an imaging device that captures a subject image entering thereto via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal, wherein:
the correction information recorded at the correction information recording unit is generated based upon an output from the imaging device.
13. A camera according to claim 9 , wherein:
the retreatable blur correction optical system is configured to swing from the operating position to the storage position around the optical axis as the lens barrel retracts into a camera body.
14. A camera according to claim 10 , wherein:
the retreatable optical system is configured to swing from the operating position to the storage position around the optical axis as the lens barrel retracts into a camera body.
15. A lens barrel adjustment device used to adjust a lens barrel according to claim 1 , comprising:
an imaging device that captures a subject image formed via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal;
a correction information generation unit that evaluates an image signal output from the imaging device while displacing the retreatable blur correction optical system by controlling the blur correction optical system drive unit at the lens barrel and generates reference position correction information indicating a reference position for the retreatable blur correction optical system within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a recording unit that records the correction information output by the correction information generation unit into a recording medium disposed within the lens barrel.
16. A lens barrel adjustment device used to adjust a lens barrel according to claim 2 , comprising:
an imaging device that captures a subject image formed via the lens barrel and outputs an image signal;
a correction information generation unit that evaluates an image signal output from the imaging device while displacing the blur correction optical system by controlling the blur correction optical system drive unit at the lens barrel and generates reference position correction information indicating a reference position for the blur correction optical system within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and
a recording unit that records the correction information output by the correction information generation unit into a recording medium disposed within the lens barrel.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/137,058 US8275249B2 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2011-07-18 | Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2006017063A JP4765639B2 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2006-01-26 | Lens barrel, camera system, and lens barrel adjustment device |
JPJP2006-017063 | 2006-01-26 |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/137,058 Continuation US8275249B2 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2011-07-18 | Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20070183764A1 true US20070183764A1 (en) | 2007-08-09 |
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ID=38334170
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US11/698,281 Abandoned US20070183764A1 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2007-01-26 | Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device |
US13/137,058 Active US8275249B2 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2011-07-18 | Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/137,058 Active US8275249B2 (en) | 2006-01-26 | 2011-07-18 | Lens barrel, camera and lens barrel adjustment device |
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US (2) | US20070183764A1 (en) |
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Also Published As
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US20110274419A1 (en) | 2011-11-10 |
JP4765639B2 (en) | 2011-09-07 |
US8275249B2 (en) | 2012-09-25 |
JP2007199319A (en) | 2007-08-09 |
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Owner name: NIKON CORPORATION, JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:IMURA, YOSHIO;NISHIZAWA, AKIO;REEL/FRAME:019179/0869;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070221 TO 20070222 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |