Patent · US Active

Foreign substance removing apparatus

US8075143B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
7References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 6, 2007
Grant dateDec 13, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N23/811
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A foreign substance removing apparatus that can provide the desired vibration amplitude to a light transmitting member, without using a large driving voltage. The foreign substance removing apparatus removes foreign substances adhered to a surface of an optical member disposed in a light ray incident path and includes a piezoelectric element fixed to a first plane of the optical member, a circular disk fixed to a second plane, opposite from the first plane, of the optical member so as to face the piezoelectric element, and a driving unit for applying an AC voltage to the piezoelectric element to cause the optical member to elastically vibrate in a direction perpendicular to the planes thereof, thereby removing the foreign substances adhered to the surface of the optical member.

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