Vibrating device, camera water-droplet-removing device, and camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077464-B2
Application number	US-201916258873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A vibrating device includes a tubular body including first and second end surfaces, and a side wall portion that connects the first and second end surfaces, a piezoelectric vibrator provided on the first end surface of the tubular body, and a light transmitting body that is directly or indirectly connected to the second end surface and covers an opening in the second end surface of the tubular body. A connecting portion is connected to the first end surface of the tubular body inside or outside an opening in the first end surface. A tubular bent portion is connected to a surface of the connecting portion that faces toward the second end surface of the tubular body. The tubular bent portion extends in a direction from the first end surface toward the second end surface of the tubular body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vibrating device comprising:
a tubular body including a first end surface, a second end surface that is opposite to the first end surface, and a side wall portion that connects the first and second end surfaces, the first and second end surfaces each including an opening;
a piezoelectric vibrator provided on the first end surface of the tubular body; and
a light transmitting body that is directly or indirectly connected to the second end surface of the tubular body and covers the opening in the second end surface of the tubular body; wherein
a connecting portion is connected to the first end surface of the tubular body in a region inside or outside the opening in the first end surface;
a tubular bent portion is connected to a surface of the connecting portion that faces toward the second end surface of the tubular body; and
the tubular bent portion extends in a direction from the first end surface toward the second end surface of the tubular body.

2. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an outer side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an outer surface of the side wall portion.

3. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an inner side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an inner surface of the side wall portion.

4. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support connected to the side wall portion of the tubular body.

5. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular body is cylindrical.

6. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric vibrator extends from the first end surface of the tubular body to a surface of the connecting portion that faces away from the second end surface.

7. The vibrating device according to claim 1 , wherein when a direction connecting the first end surface and the second end surface of the tubular body is defined as a length direction of the tubular body, a sum of a dimension of the bent portion in the length direction and a dimension of the connecting portion in the length direction is less than or equal to about ½ of a dimension of the tubular body in the length direction.

8. A camera water-droplet-removing device comprising:
the vibrating device according to claim 1 ; wherein
the camera water-droplet-removing device defines a camera main body including a lens; and
the light transmitting body is the lens of the camera main body or a cover including a light transmitting portion disposed in front of the lens of the camera main body.

9. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an outer side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an outer surface of the side wall portion.

10. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an inner side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an inner surface of the side wall portion.

11. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , further comprising a support connected to the side wall portion of the tubular body.

12. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , wherein the tubular body is cylindrical.

13. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , wherein the piezoelectric vibrator extends from the first end surface of the tubular body to a surface of the connecting portion that faces away from the second end surface.

14. The camera water-droplet-removing device according to claim 8 , wherein when a direction connecting the first end surface and the second end surface of the tubular body is defined as a length direction of the tubular body, a sum of a dimension of the bent portion in the length direction and a dimension of the connecting portion in the length direction is less than or equal to about ½ of a dimension of the tubular body in the length direction.

15. A camera comprising:
a camera water-droplet-removing device including the vibrating device according to claim 1 ; and
a camera main body, at least a portion of which is disposed in the camera water-droplet-removing device.

16. The camera according to claim 15 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an outer side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an outer surface of the side wall portion.

17. The camera according to claim 15 , wherein the connecting portion is connected to an inner side of the first end surface of the tubular body, and the bent portion faces an inner surface of the side wall portion.

18. The camera according to claim 15 , further comprising a support connected to the side wall portion of the tubular body.

19. The camera according to claim 15 , wherein the tubular body is cylindrical.

20. The camera according to claim 15 , wherein the piezoelectric vibrator extends from the first end surface of the tubular body to a surface of the connecting portion that faces away from the second end surface.

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Fujimoto Katsumi
• Horiguchi Chikahiro
• Nishiyama Kenji
• Kuratani Yasuhiro
• Ichiguchi Shinichiro

Classifications

• B06B1/0651 Primary

  of circular shape · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• H04N23/811

  by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor · CPC title

• G03B15/00

  Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• G03B17/08

  Waterproof bodies or housings · CPC title