Apparatus for switching optical low pass filters for use in optical instrument

• US 20050141117A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanwha Vision Company Limited (Hanwha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jun-kyu, Kim, Hak-je
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/892
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/007 the movable or deformable optical element controlling the colour, i.e. a spectral characteristic, of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical filter switching apparatus used in an optical instrument for converting externally input image information into video image information and outputting the video image information. The apparatus comprises: an optical filter holding section holding a first optical filter and a second optical filter; an actuator having a rotary solenoid which rotates between a first position and a second position. A rotational power transmission section transmits the rotational force of the rotary solenoid to the optical filter holding section; and a microprocessor controls the rotary solenoid of the actuator in accordance with at least one external input signal and the power level of the video image information. The rotary solenoid is rotated to at least one of the first and second positions. The optical filter switching apparatus directly drives the optical filter holding section using an actuator provided with a rotary solenoid, whereby the optical filter holding section is switched to a first or second optical filter setting position.

Claims

1. An optical filter switching apparatus for switching low pass optical filters for use in an optical instrument for converting externally input image information into video image information and outputting the video image information, wherein the apparatus comprises:

an optical filter holding section for holding a first optical filter for transmitting at least light of a first wavelength band in the image information and a second optical filter for transmitting light of a second wavelength band in the image information;

an actuator having a rotary solenoid which rotates between a first position for retaining the optical filter holding section at a first optical filter setting position and a second position for retaining the optical filter holding section at a second optical filter setting position, and a rotational power transmission section located between a shaft of the rotary solenoid and the optical filter holding section to transmit the rotational force of the rotary solenoid to the optical filter holding section; and

a microprocessor for controlling the rotary solenoid of the actuator in accordance with at least one of an input signal which is externally input and a power level of the video image information, so that the rotary solenoid is rotated to at least one of the first and second positions.

2. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotary solenoid comprises:

a rotor provided with a permanent magnet, and

a stator positioned to surround the rotor and provided with at least one coil wounded around at least one bobbin about an axis which is perpendicular to the shaft of the rotor.

3. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotational power transmission section comprises:

a first rotary lever secured to one end of the shaft of the rotor of the rotary solenoid, and

a second rotary lever rotatably secured to a first plate in such a manner that the second rotary lever transmits the rotational force of the first rotary lever to the optical filter holding section, the optical filter holding section being fixed to the first plate.

4. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first rotary lever comprises a first fixing boss having a bore for fixing one end of the shaft of the rotor so that the first rotary lever rotates along with the shaft of the rotor, and a projection formed with a power transmission groove at one end thereof, and

wherein the second rotary lever comprises a first projection engaged with the power transmission groove of the first rotary lever, a second projection engaged with a power transmission hole formed in the optical filter holding section, and a hub rotatably supported on a second fixing boss formed in the first plate.

5. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising at least one stopper for restricting the movement of at least one of the first rotary lever and the optical filter holding section in such a way that the optical filter holding section cannot rotate beyond the first optical filter setting position and the second optical filter setting position.

6. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stopper comprises:

a first stopping member having first and second rotary lever stopping projections provided on a second plate secured to the first plate to restrict the movement of the first rotary lever; and

a second stopping member having a rotation restriction projection formed on the optical filter holding section, and first and second stopping projections provided on the first plate to restrict the movement of the rotation restriction projection of the optical filter holding section.

7. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an elastic retainer for securely retaining the rotary solenoid at one of the first and second positions, thereby preventing the optical filter holding section from moving due to the rotating of the rotary solenoid even if the power source is turned OFF.

8. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elastic retainer comprises a return spring, one end of the return spring being supported on a first support projection provided in the second plate, to which the rotary solenoid is secured, and the other end being supported on a second support projection formed on the first rotary lever.

9. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein if one of forward current and reverse current is applied, the rotary solenoid is rotated to the first position, and if the other of the forward current and reverse current is applied, the rotary solenoid is rotated to the second position.

10. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein if one of forward current and reverse current is applied, the rotary solenoid is rotated to the second position and if no current is applied, the rotary solenoid is returned to the first position.

11. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position sensing section which is capable of sensing the position of the optical filter holding section in real time.

12. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the position sensing section comprises a hall switch provided on the bobbin of the rotary solenoid.

13. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the hall switch comprises:

a hall sensor generating voltage in accordance with the intensity of the magnetic field generated from the rotary solenoid;

an amplifier for amplifying the voltage generated from the hall sensor;

a reference voltage generation section for outputting reference voltage by a control signal from the microprocessor; and

a comparator for generating a signal for announcing the position of the optical filter holding section, on the basis of comparison between the voltage amplified by the amplifier and the reference voltage outputted from the reference voltage generation section.

14. An optical filter switching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stopper comprises:

a first stopping member having first and second rotary lever stopping projections provided on a second plate secured to the first plate to restrict the movement of the first rotary lever;

or

a second stopping member having a rotation restriction projection formed on the optical filter holding section, and first and second stopping projections provided on the first plate to restrict the movement of the rotation restriction projection of the optical filter holding section.