Photography – Camera detail – Shutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-15
2002-09-03
Mahoney, Christopher (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Shutter
C396S470000, C396S508000, C310S017000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443635
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shutter apparatus and a diaphragm apparatus incorporated in a digital camera or else. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator used as a drive source for the shutter apparatus or the diaphragm apparatus.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
When taking a photograph of an object by using a camera, a combination of an aperture diameter of a lens and a shutter time should be optimized in accordance with exposure circumstances. For such a camera, there has been a system for separately providing a diaphragm mechanism for regulating a diameter of a lens aperture, and a shutter mechanism for opening and closing the lens aperture such that these mechanisms are individually controlled. Further, in such a diaphragm mechanism, it is general to regulate a diameter of the lens aperture in two stages.
However, each of the diaphragm mechanism and the shutter mechanism requires an electromagnetic actuator, and there is a serious restriction in the cost and the space efficiency. In addition, a system capable of setting the aperture in triple or more stages is desired in the diaphragm mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described problems in the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a shutter apparatus which can provide both of the shutter mechanism and the diaphragm mechanism. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide a diaphragm apparatus capable of controlling an aperture in multiple stages. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic actuator suitable as a drive source for the shutter apparatus and the diaphragm apparatus.
In a first aspect of the invention, an electromagnetic actuator comprises a rotor that is comprised of a permanent magnet and that is rotatable in two directions between a first end position and a second end position via an intermediate position, a coil that is wound around the rotor and that rotates the rotor in an energizing state where an electric current is applied to the coil, and auto-retaining means for retaining the rotor at one of the intermediate position, the first end position and the second end position under a non-energizing state where the electric current is not applied to the coil, wherein the auto-retaining means comprises an elastic member that regulates the rotor at the intermediate position by a mechanical elastic force, a first magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the first end position by a magnetic attractive force, and a second magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the second end position by a magnetic attractive force. Preferably, the auto-retaining means is designed such that the mechanical elastic force overcomes the magnetic attractive force so as to regulate the rotor at the intermediate position when the coil is switched from the energizing state to the non-energizing state while the rotor travels toward the intermediate position, further the auto-retaining means is designed such that the magnetic attractive force overcomes the mechanical elastic force so as to retain the rotor at the first end position when the coil is switched from the energizing state to the non-energizing state while the rotor travels toward the first end position, and the auto-retaining means is designed such that the magnetic attractive force overcomes the mechanical elastic force so as to retain the rotor at the second end position when the coil is switched from the energizing state to the non-energizing state while the rotor travels toward the second end position. Preferably, the coil is provided such that an amount of the electric current required for driving the rotor from the intermediate position to either of the first end position and the second end position is greater than another amount of the electric current required for driving the rotor from either of the first end position and the second end position to the intermediate position.
Further, an inventive shutter apparatus comprises a shutter blade that is arranged on a substrate having a lens aperture and that opens and closes the lens aperture, and an electromagnetic actuator that is engaged with the shutter blade and that drives the shutter blade to open and close the lens aperture, wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a rotor that is composed of a permanent magnet and that is rotatable in two directions between a first end position and a second end position via an intermediate position, a coil that is wound around the rotor and that rotates the rotor in an energizing state where an electric current is applied to the coil, and auto-retaining means for retaining the rotor at one of three positions selected from the intermediate position, the first end position and the second end position under a non-energizing state where the electric current is not applied to the coil, the auto-retaining means comprising an elastic member that regulates the rotor at the intermediate position by a mechanical elastic force, a first magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the first end position by a magnetic attractive force, and a second magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the second end position by a magnetic attractive force, and wherein the shutter blade is driven to one of three positions selected from a full opening position for opening the lens aperture, a full closing position for closing the lens aperture, and a half opening position for partially opening the lens aperture, the three positions of the shutter blade corresponding to the three positions of the rotor. Preferably, the shutter blade is selectively driven to one of the full opening position in correspondence to the first end position of the rotor, the full closing position in correspondence to the intermediate position of the rotor, and the half opening position in correspondence to the second end position of the rotor. Preferably, the shutter blade is selectively driven to one of the full opening position in correspondence to the first end position of the rotor, the half opening position in correspondence to the intermediate position of the rotor, and the full closing position in correspondence to the second end position of the rotor.
Still further, an inventive diaphragm apparatus comprises a diaphragm blade that is arranged on a substrate having a lens aperture and that regulates a diameter of the lens aperture, and an electromagnetic actuator that is engaged with the diaphragm blade to drive the diaphragm blade, wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a rotor that is composed of a permanent magnet and that is rotatable in two directions between a first end position and a second end position via an intermediate position, a coil that is wound around the rotor and that rotates the rotor in an energizing state where an electric current is applied to the coil, and auto-retaining means for retaining the rotor at one of three positions selected from the intermediate position, the first end position and the second end position under a non-energizing state where the electric current is not applied to the coil, the auto-retaining means comprising an elastic member that regulates the rotor at the intermediate position by a mechanical elastic force, a first magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the first end position by a magnetic attractive force, and a second magnetic member that is opposed to the permanent magnet and that retains the rotor at the second end position by a magnetic attractive force, and wherein the diaphragm blade is driven selectively to three positions for setting the lens aperture in a large diameter, a medium diameter and a small diameter, respectively, the three positions of the diaphragm blade corresponding to the three positions of the rotor.
I
Kobayashi Kouichi
Matsumoto Jun-ichi
Cole Thomas W.
Mahoney Christopher
Nidec Copal Corporation
Nixon & Peabody LLP
LandOfFree
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