Optical member driving apparatus and lens apparatus having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9231497-B2
Application number	US-201414311424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2014
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An optical member driving apparatus includes an optical member holder holding an optical member, which is rectilinearly guided and has a rotating member supported rotatably about a rotation shaft extending perpendicularly to a movable direction in which the optical member holder is movable, a fixed member that extends in the movable direction, has two sliding surfaces facing each other with predetermined spacing therebetween, and is arranged in such a way that the rotating member is located between the two sliding surfaces, two movers each of which includes a base and a vibrator connected to the base, and a controller that controls driving of the two vibrators to move the optical member holder in the movable direction. The vibrators of the two movers are in pressure contact with one and the other of the two sliding surfaces respectively. The rotating member is rotatably held between the bases of the two movers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical member driving apparatus comprising:
an optical member holder holding an optical member, rectilinearly guided, and having a rotating member supported in such a way as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft extending perpendicularly to a movable direction in which the optical member holder is movable;
a fixed member extending in the movable direction, having two sliding surfaces facing each other with predetermined spacing therebetween, and arranged in such a way that the rotating member is located between the two sliding surfaces;
two movers, each including a base and a vibrator connected to the base; and
a controller that controls driving of the two vibrators in such a way as to move the optical member holder in the movable direction,
wherein the vibrators of the two movers are in pressure contact with one and the other of the two sliding surfaces respectively, and the rotating member is rotatably held between the bases of the two movers.

2. An optical member driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating member is held between the bases of the two movers in such a way that the rotating member is configured to rotate in accordance with a relative position of the two bases along the movable direction.

3. An optical member driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrator is connected to the base by means of an elastic member, the vibrators are pressed against the sliding surfaces, and the bases are pressed against, the rotating member.

4. An optical member driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller drives the vibrators of the two movers by a single control signal.

5. An optical member driving apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a scale for position detection and a position detection sensor that detects a position of the optical member holder relative to the fixed member with respect to the movable direction, the scale being fixed to the optical member holder and extending in the movable direction, and the position detection sensor being arranged to be immobile relative to the fixed member.

6. An optical member driving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical member is a lens, and the movable direction is parallel to the optical axis.

7. A lens apparatus comprising an optical member driving apparatus, the optical member driving apparatus comprising: an optical member holder holding an optical member, rectilinearly guided, and having a rotating member supported in such a way as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft extending perpendicularly to a movable direction in which the optical member holder is movable;
a fixed member extending in the movable direction, having two sliding surfaces facing each other with predetermined spacing therebetween, and arranged in such a way that the rotating member is located between the two sliding surfaces;
two movers, each including a base and a vibrator connected to the base; and
a controller that controls driving of the two vibrators in such a way as to move the optical member holder in the movable direction,
wherein the vibrators of the two movers are in pressure contact with one and the other of the two sliding surfaces respectively, and the rotating member is rotatably held between the bases of the two movers.

8. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
a lens apparatus; and
an image pickup element that receives light coming from an object through the lens apparatus,
the lens apparatus having an optical member driving apparatus,
the optical member driving apparatus comprising:
an optical member bolder holding an optical member, rectilinearly guided, and having a rotating member supported in such a way as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft extending perpendicularly to a movable direction in which the optical member holder is movable;
a fixed member extending in the movable direction, having two sliding surfaces facing each other with predetermined spacing therebetween, and arranged in such a way that the rotating member is located between the two sliding surfaces;
two movers, each including a base and a vibrator connected to the base; and
a controller that controls driving of the two vibrators in such a way as to move the optical member holder in the movable direction,
wherein the vibrators of the two movers are in pressure contact with one and the other of the two sliding surfaces respectively, and the rotating member is rotatably held between the bases of the two movers.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Isaka Mitsuhiro

Classifications

• H02N2/0055

  Supports for driving or driven bodies; Means for pressing driving body against driven body · CPC title

• G02B7/08

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• G03B13/34

  Power focusing · CPC title

• G02B7/10

  by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens · CPC title

• G03B3/10

  Power-operated focusing · CPC title