Optical apparatus having dust off function

• US 20050088563A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ide, Masataka, Ito, Junichi, Kawai, Sumio, Takizawa, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/02 by distortion, beating, or vibration of the surface to be cleaned B08B7/0007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/811 by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor

Abstract

An optical apparatus having dust-off function comprises a dust-off filter located in the vicinity of an optical electronic device such as an image-pickup element, an image display element, or the like. An optical apparatus includes a mechanism that controls vibrating operation so that the frequency of vibration waves generated in the filter changes with the passage of time. An optical apparatus includes first vibrator for successive vibration with frequencies, a circuit monitoring the state of vibration of the optical element during vibrating operation of the first vibrator, thereby detecting the resonance frequency of the element, and second vibrator for vibration with the detected resonance frequency or a frequency approximate to it. An optical apparatus includes monitor for monitoring the state of vibration of the filter and a circuit for detecting abnormal states in accordance with output signals from the electrode.

Claims

1. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

a dust-off filter located in the vicinity of an optical electronic device; and

a vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate said dust-off filter, said vibrating mechanism controlling vibrating operation so that the frequency of vibration waves generated in said dust-off filter changes with the passage of time.

2. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 1, wherein said vibrating mechanism vibrates said dust-off filter with a frequency approximate to a resonance frequency of said dust-off filter.

3. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 1, wherein said vibrating mechanism vibrates said dust-off filter with a plurality of frequencies including a resonance frequency of said dust-off filter.

4. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 1, wherein said vibrating mechanism gradually changes the oscillation frequency of said dust-off filter within a given range including a resonance frequency of said dust-off filter.

5. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 1, wherein said vibrating mechanism generates standing-wave vibration in said dust-off filter.

6. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 5, wherein said vibrating controls said vibrating operation in a plurality of vibration modes with different numbers of nodes of said standing-wave vibration.

7. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 6, wherein said vibrating mechanism continuously executes said plurality of vibration modes.

8. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 1, wherein said optical electronic device includes an image-pickup element or an image display element.

9. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

an optical electronic device;

a dust-off filter located in front of said optical electronic device;

a piezoelectric element fixed to an outer peripheral portion of said dust-off filter; and

a control circuit vibrating said piezoelectric element by applying cyclic control signals to said piezoelectric element, thereby generating vibration waves in said dust-off filter,

said control circuit scanning a frequency of the control signals applied to the piezoelectric element within a given range.

10. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 9, wherein a scanning range for the frequency of the control signals applied to said piezoelectric element is set so that said dust-off filter vibrates in a frequency range including at least a specific resonance frequency of said dust-off filter.

11. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 9, which further comprises a temperature measuring circuit for measuring an ambient temperature such that a scanning range for the frequency of the control signals applied to said piezoelectric element can be shifted in accordance with a result of measurement of said temperature measuring circuit.

12. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

an optical electronic device;

a dust-off filter located in the vicinity of the optical electronic device;

a piezoelectric element fixed to an outer peripheral portion of said dust-off filter, said piezoelectric element being adapted to vibrate when supplied with cyclic control signals, thereby generating vibration waves in said dust-off filter; and

a control circuit configured to apply cyclic control signals to said piezoelectric element, said control circuit being capable of gradually changing a frequency of voltage signals applied to said piezoelectric element.

13. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 12, wherein said control circuit includes a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of basic clocks, a CPU for supplying said basic clocks to said frequency divider and setting a dividing ratio of the frequency divider, and a switching circuit for applying cyclic voltage signals to said piezoelectric element in accordance with a dividing output of said frequency divider, said CPU being capable of changing a dividing ratio set in said frequency divider with every given time.

14. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 13, wherein said CPU includes a memory stored with a plurality of dividing ratio data on said frequency divider, and data stored in said memory are successively read and set in said frequency divider with every given time.

15. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

an optical element located in the vicinity of an optical electronic device;

first vibrating means for vibrating said optical element with a plurality of frequencies in succession;

detecting means capable of monitoring a state of vibration of said optical element during vibrating operation of said first vibrating means, thereby detecting a resonance frequency of said optical element; and

second vibrating means for vibrating said optical element with the resonance frequency detected by means of said detecting means or a frequency approximate to the resonance frequency.

16. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 15, wherein said first vibrating means includes storage means stored with a plurality of frequency data.

17. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 15, which further comprises abnormality detecting means for detecting something abnormal about said optical element or said first vibrating means in accordance with change of an output of said detecting means.

18. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

an optical electronic device;

an optical element located in the vicinity of the optical electronic device;

a first piezoelectric element located on the outer peripheral portion of said optical element, said first piezoelectric element being adapted to vibrate when supplied with cyclic voltage signals, thereby generating vibration waves in said optical element;

a second piezoelectric element located on an outer peripheral portion of said optical element so as to output a signal corresponding to a state of vibration of said optical element; and

a control circuit configured to apply said cyclic voltage signals to said first piezoelectric element, said control circuit having a first mode in which a frequency of said voltage signals is changed as said first piezoelectric element is vibrated with a plurality of frequencies and a frequency for a resonant state is settled in accordance with an output of said second piezoelectric element and a second mode in which said optical element is driven with the resonance frequency settled in the first mode.

19. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 18, wherein said control circuit alternatively executes either of said first and second modes according to the operation timing of said optical apparatus.

20. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 18, wherein control circuit includes a memory stored with a plurality of frequency data, and the frequency of said voltage signals is gradually changed with reference to the data stored in said memory in said first mode.

21. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 18, wherein said control circuit includes a converter for smoothing the cyclic signals delivered from said second piezoelectric element and converting the signals into digital data.

22. An optical apparatus having dust-off function, comprising:

a dust-off filter;

a piezoelectric element located integrally on a part of said dust-off filter;

a control circuit capable of generating vibration waves in said dust-off filter by vibrating said piezoelectric element; and

a monitor circuit capable of monitoring a state of vibration of said dust-off filter and outputting monitor signals to said control circuit,

wherein said control circuit successively stores the monitor signals from said monitor circuit while modifying a driving signal for driving said piezoelectric element and comparatively evaluates stored values of monitor signals after a termination of the storage, thereby determining whether or not said dust-off filter has vibrated normally.

23. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 22, wherein said control circuit concludes that the vibration is abnormal if the stored values of the monitor signals from said monitor circuit monotonously increase or monotonously decrease.

24. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 22, wherein said control circuit detects a maximum value among the stored values of the monitor signals from said monitor circuit and detects an abnormal state depending on whether or not said maximum value is within a given range.

25. An optical apparatus having dust-off function according to claim 22, wherein said control circuit detects a maximum value among the stored values of the monitor signals from said monitor circuit and detects an abnormal state depending on whether or not the frequency of the driving signal for the delivery of said maximum value is within a given range.