Imaging device and plate spring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497362-B2
Application number	US-201313917726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2013
Priority date	Oct 27, 2010
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a lens case on which a lens is installed; a columnar member having a central axis coincidental with a rotational axis of the lens case and formed on a lateral surface of the lens case, the rotational axis extending in a tilt direction being an in-plane direction perpendicular to a horizontal direction; a base supporting the lens case so as to be turnable in the tilt direction; and a plate spring secured to the base and pressing a circumferential surface of the columnar member toward the base by elastic force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising:
a lens block comprising:
a lens case on which a lens is installed; and
a base supporting the lens case for tilt rotation, the base being rotatable in a pan direction, wherein the base comprises an outer circumferential portion having a circumferential surface and first and second opposite surfaces;

a support member supporting the lens block for rotation in the pan direction, wherein the support member comprises a plurality of projecting portions on which the first surface of the outer circumferential portion of the base is rotatably supported for rotation in the pan direction; and
a plate spring secured to the plurality of projecting portions of the support member, the plate spring being in contact with and biased against the second surface of the outer circumferential portion of the base of the lens block to exert an elastic force on the base toward the support member and vertical with respect to the pan direction.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the plate spring further comprises a plate portion and a spring portion located at an inner position of the plate portion.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the plate portion is a circular portion having an outer circumference.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the plate spring further comprises plural retaining portions bent from the outer circumference of the circular portion to retain the plural projecting portions.

5. The imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein the circular portion of the plate spring is formed with opening portions for receiving projections extending from the projecting portions, thereby restricting a position of the plate spring with respect to the support member.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the support member restricts the turning of the lens block in the pan direction and has a shape corresponding to a circular surface of the outer circumferential portion.

7. An imaging device comprising:
a circular plate spring comprising:
a circular plate portion; and
a spring portion located at an inner position of the circular plate portion and operable to press, by elastic force, a first surface of a column-shaped base towards a support member supporting a lens block, the column-shaped base including a second surface opposite the first surface and a circumferential surface,
wherein the column-shaped base supports a lens case on which a lens is installed, the lens case being supported on the column-shaped base for tilt rotation, the base being rotatable in a pan direction parallel to a horizontal direction, and the second surface of the base being supported for rotation in the pan direction on plural projecting portions projecting from the support member.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein the circular plate spring further comprises a retaining portion bent from the column-shaped base to retain the projecting portions.

9. The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein the circular plate spring includes a circular portion formed with opening portions for receiving projections extending from the projecting portions, thereby restricting a position of the circular plate spring with respect to the support member.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Mukai Takanori

Classifications

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• G03B37/00 Primary

  Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe · CPC title

• H04N5/2254 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title