Patent · US Expired

Lens moving apparatus

US5587846A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
8References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 1995
Grant dateDec 24, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 14, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B7/102
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A lens holding frame holding a lens in a lens barrel is arranged, and a contact member extending therebelow is in friction coupling with a driving axis. By applying driving pulses having such a waveform that includes a moderate rising portion followed by an abrupt falling portion to a piezoelectric element, the holding frame is moved along the direction of the optical axis. An index provided at the holding frame is exposed through a slit of lens barrel, and from the position of the lens on the holding frame, information with respect to the distance to the object is displayed. Detection of the position of the holding frame is performed by a position sensor of ferromagnetic thin film magneto-resistive element type (MR sensor) so as to obtain positional information of the lens on the holding frame based on the detection signal, and the obtained information may be displayed on a liquid crystal or other display portion provided on the lens unit or on a camera body.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.