Imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016116758-A1
Application number	US-201514885250-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a front lens group, including a reflector element and a front lens element on the object side thereof, and a rear lens group; a support member, fixed to a fixed member that supports the reflector element, including a spherical-swinging operation support positioned behind the reflection surface of the reflector element and supporting a movable member supporting the front lens element to spherically swing about a predetermined point, a rotation preventer preventing the movable member from rotating about the optical axis of the front lens element, a detector supporter, and a mounting portion mounted to the fixed member; an actuator which drives the movable member to spherically swing the movable member in response to vibrations applied to the imaging optical system; a detector detecting positional variations of the movable member; and an adjuster which adjusts the position of the mounting portion relative to the fixed member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An imaging apparatus comprising:
a front lens group which constitutes part of an imaging optical system of said imaging apparatus and includes a reflector element and at least one front lens element, which is positioned on the object side of said reflector element, wherein said reflector element includes a reflection surface which reflects light rays, incident from the object side, in a different direction; a rear lens group which constitutes another part of said imaging optical system and is positioned on the image side of said front lens group; a movable member which supports said front lens element; a fixed member which supports at least said reflector element; a support member which is fixed to said fixed member and supports said movable member to allow said movable member to spherically swing about a predetermined point, positioned behind said reflection surface with respect to a direction along an optical axis of said front lens element; an actuator which applies a driving force to said movable member to spherically swing said movable member about said predetermined point in response to vibrations applied to said imaging optical system; and a detector which detects positional variations of said movable member when said movable member spherically swings about said predetermined point, wherein said support member includes a spherical-swinging operation support which is positioned behind said reflection surface in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element and supports a supported portion of said movable member to allow said movable member to spherically swing about said predetermined point; a rotation preventer which prevents said movable member from rotating about said optical axis of said front lens element; a detector supporter which supports said detector; and a mounting portion which is mounted to said fixed member, and wherein said imaging apparatus further includes an adjuster which enables said mounting portion to be positionally adjusted relative to said fixed member.

2 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said adjuster allows said mounting portion to move relative to said fixed member along a plane that is orthogonal to said optical axis of said front lens element while preventing said mounting portion from moving toward said object side relative to said fixed member in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element.

3 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said adjuster comprises:
an abutment portion which is formed on said fixed member, wherein said mounting portion abuts against said abutment portion from an opposite side of said abutment portion to said object side in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element; a protrusion which protrudes from said abutment portion toward said opposite side from said object side; and a hole which is formed in said mounting portion of said support member and in which said protrusion is loosely engaged, wherein said adjuster enables a position of said mounting portion to be adjusted relative to said fixed member, in a direction along said plane that is orthogonal to said optical axis of said front lens element, within a range defined by an adjusting clearance between an inner edge of said hole and an outer periphery of said protrusion.

4 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said abutment portion of said fixed member includes a screw hole which is open toward said side opposite from said object side in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element,
wherein said imaging apparatus is provided with a screw including a shaft portion which is inserted into said hole of said mounting portion to be screw-engaged in said screw hole of said fixed member, and a head fixed to said shaft portion, and wherein screwing said shaft portion in said screw hole causes said mounting portion to be sandwiched between said head and said abutment portion.

5 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said mounting portion comprises a projection which is resiliently deformable and formed on a surface of said mounting portion which faces said head of said screw, and
wherein screwing said shaft portion in said screw hole causes said head to press and resiliently deform said projection to thereby create a biasing force which presses said mounting portion against said abutment portion.

6 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a minimum clearance between said abutment portion and said head in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element is defined by engagement between said protrusion and said head of said screw, and
wherein said mounting portion of said support member is movable along said plane that is orthogonal to said optical axis of said front lens element with said minimum clearance between said abutment portion and said head.

7 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said adjuster further comprises a spacer which is inserted in between said abutment portion and said mounting portion to adjust a position of said support member relative to said fixed member in said direction along said optical axis of said front lens element.

8 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said actuator comprises a voice coil motor including a permanent magnet which is supported by said movable member, and a coil which is supported fixedly with respect to said fixed member, and
wherein said detector includes a magnetic sensor which senses variations of magnetic field of said permanent magnet to obtain information on position of said movable member.

9 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said spherical-swinging operation support of said support member includes a recess in which a concave spherical surface is formed, and
wherein said supported portion of said movable member includes a convex spherical surface which is slidably engaged with said concave spherical surface.

10 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said rotation preventer of said support member comprises a rotation prevention projection which projects in a radial direction of an extension of said optical axis of said front lens element.

11 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said reflector element comprises one of a prism and a mirror.

12 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said imaging apparatus further comprises a washer which is fitted on said shaft portion of said screw, and
wherein screwing said shaft portion in said screw hole causes said mounting portion to be sandwiched between said washer and said abutment portion.

13 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said projection comprises a plurality of projections which are formed on said surface of said mounting portion at equi-angular intervals about said hole of said mounting portion.

Assignees

• Hoya Corp

Inventors

• Nomura Hiroshi
• Morinaga Takahiro

Classifications

• G02B13/0065

  having a beam-folding prism or mirror · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• G03B5/00 Primary

  Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing · CPC title

• G02B7/023

  permitting adjustment · CPC title

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title