Method and apparatus for controlling a retractable camera barrel
US5523814A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 13, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B7/102
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A camera includes a lens barrel which can be retracted into a camera body, and a lens barrel storage control apparatus. The lens barrel has a front lens group mounted in a front end portion thereof and a rear lens group movably disposed therein. The lens barrel storage control apparatus controls a DC motor for retracting the lens barrel, if the rear lens group is in a safe area where it will come into no contact with a film in retracting the lens barrel into the camera body, and then controls a stepping motor for locating the rear lens group to a final standby position after completion of storage. On the other hand, if the rear lens group is out of the safe area, the control apparatus controls the stepping motor for locating the rear lens group to the rearmost position in the safe area, and controls the DC motor for retracting the lens barrel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.