Optical: systems and elements – Lens – With variable magnification
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-17
2004-03-30
Schwartz, Jordan M. (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Lens
With variable magnification
C359S694000, C396S542000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06714360
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recent lens devices of electronic still cameras are provided with an actuator in the lens barrel in order to obtain the required compactness. Such lens devices use a flexible printed circuit board to connect a unit including a shutter to the control part of the camera body so that the shutter and diaphragm are controlled from the camera body. The flexible printed circuit board is provided in a lens barrel with a loop structure so that it can tolerate shifts due to zooming and retraction of the lens barrel. The loop structure is positioned within a through-channel formed in the lens barrel so as to prevent problems associated with shifting.
In general, the flexible printed circuit board has a band shape with both ends wider than the center part that provides a connecting structure. A through-channel formed in the lens barrel has nearly the same width as the connection ends so that the ends of the flexible printed circuit board can be inserted into the channel. However, the through-channel having nearly the same width as the connection ends of the flexible printed circuit board allows the center part of the flexible printed circuit board to have crosswise play. This causes problems with the shifting of the loop.
In order to prevent these problems, as shown in
FIG. 16
, a partition
93
having a certain height is conventionally provided in the through-channel
92
formed in the lens barrel
91
. The partition
93
regulates the crosswise movement of the flexible printed circuit board. The partition
93
is formed in the through-channel
92
, leaving a space
94
that allows the connection ends of the flexible printed circuit board to pass. The connection ends are inserted through the space
94
and the partition
93
prevents crosswise movements of the inserted flexible printed circuit board.
Instead of inserting the flexible printed circuit board in a through-channel so as to prevent problems, Examined Japanese Utility Model H04-22332 uses a separate guide mechanism for the flexible printed circuit board to prevent the problems of the flexible printed circuit board. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2001-235667 describes an alternative structure in which a partition is provided after the flexible printed circuit board is inserted in the through-channel.
In a method in which a partition is provided in the through-channel to prevent crosswise movement of the flexible printed circuit board is shown in
FIGS. 17A-17C
. However, the loop may be caught by the top or step
93
a
of the partition
93
or may be trapped in the space when it shifts. This may damage the flexible printed circuit board
60
. In addition, passing the connection ends through a narrow space makes the assembly process difficult.
The prior art structure, as shown in FIGS.
16
and
17
A-
17
C, is designed based on the idea that the loop
60
d
of the flexible printed circuit board
60
will stay in the space
94
as shown in FIG.
17
B. However, the loop
60
d
may occasionally come out of the space
94
of the through-channel
92
as shown in FIG.
17
C. That results in problems with the flexible printed circuit board
60
. Alternatively, using a separate guide mechanism for the flexible printed circuit board disadvantageously increases the size of the lens device. Providing a partition after the flexible printed circuit board is inserted is not preferred because this increases the number of assembly steps.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to a lens device in which a flexible printed circuit board can be easily assembled and to a method of assembling the flexible printed circuit board in the lens device. In particular, the present invention relates to a lens device that can be used with a camera having a retractable lens barrel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5461443 (1995-10-01), Nakayama et al.
patent: 5572374 (1996-11-01), Okada et al.
patent: 5739962 (1998-04-01), Asakura et al.
patent: 2002/0135901 (2002-09-01), Nomura et al.
patent: H4-22332 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 2001-235667 (2001-08-01), None
Arnold Bruce Y.
Arnold International
Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
Henry Jon W.
Schwartz Jordan M.
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