Camera with motor-driven lens barrel
US6349173B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 19, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B17/04
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A camera has a movable lens barrel that is stowed in a camera body while the camera is inactive, and is protruded from the camera body to a near range focusing position or a far range focusing position by rotating a drive ring in one direction. The movable barrel returns to the stowed position by rotating the drive ring further in the same direction, because of a cam mechanism interconnecting the drive ring with the movable barrel. To rotate the drive ring, a rotational power of a motor in a first direction is transmitted to the drive ring through a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism is switched over according to the rotational direction of the motor and transmits a rotational power of the motor in a second direction to another mechanism. A controller controls driving the motor in response to signals entered through manually operated members, including a power switch, a shutter button and a zone selector, with reference to detection signals from a barrel position detector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.