STAGE APPARATUS AND IMAGE MOVEMENT CORRECTION APPARATUS FOR CAMERA USING STAGE APPARATUS

• US 20060284495A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: SEO, Shuzo, ENOMOTO, Shigeo
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/12.60
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/215 Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0356 moving along a straight path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a stage member provided on the stationary support plate so as to move on a reference plane parallel with the stationary support plate; Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices secured to one of the stationary support plate and the stage member; and Y-direction moving coils secured to the other of the stationary support plate and the stage member, the Y-direction moving coils receiving magnetic flux from the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices so as to generate a driving force in a specific Y-direction between the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices and the Y-direction moving coils. The Y-direction moving coils are secured to the stage member so that the Y-direction moving coils at least partly overlap each other in an X-direction, which is parallel with the reference plane and perpendicular to the Y-direction, and do not overlap in the Y-direction.

Claims

1. A stage apparatus comprising:

a stationary support plate;

a stage member provided on the stationary support plate so as to move on a reference plane parallel with the stationary support plate;

a plurality of Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices secured to one of said stationary support plate and said stage member; and

a plurality of Y-direction moving coils secured to the other of said stationary support plate and said stage member, said Y-direction moving coils receiving magnetic flux from said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices so as to generate a driving force in a specific Y-direction parallel with said reference plane between said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices and said Y-direction moving coils,

wherein one of said Y-direction moving coils and said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices at least partly overlap each other in an X-direction, which is parallel with said reference plane and perpendicular to said Y-direction, and do not overlap in said Y-direction.

2. The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one of said Y-direction moving coils and said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices which are secured to said stage member are aligned in said X-direction.

3. The stage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of Y-direction displacement detection sensors provided in the vicinity of opposite ends of said one of said Y-direction moving coils and said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices which are secured to said stage member, for detecting displacement thereof in said Y-direction.

4. The stage apparatus according to claim 3, wherein all of said Y-direction moving coils that are secured to said stage member are arranged between said pair of Y-direction displacement detection sensors.

5. The stage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an X-direction magnetic flux generating device secured to one of said stationary support plate and said stage member;

and

an X-direction moving coil secured to the other of said stationary support plate and said stage member, said X-direction moving coil receiving magnetic flux from said X-direction magnetic flux generating device so as to generate a driving force in said X-direction between said X-direction magnetic flux generating device and said X-direction moving coil.

6. The stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said stage apparatus comprises an image movement correction apparatus.

7. The stage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image movement correction apparatus comprises an image pickup device having a square shape defined by a pair of X-direction sides extending in the X-direction and a pair of Y-direction sides extending in the Y-direction,

wherein one of said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices and said Y-direction moving coils which are secured to said stage member are secured thereto along said X-direction sides,

wherein one of said X-direction magnetic flux generating device and said X-direction moving coil which is secured to the stage member is secured thereto along said Y-direction sides.

8. The stage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image movement correction apparatus comprises a correction lens.

9. The stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said X-direction moving coil and said Y-direction moving coils each comprises a planar coil parallel with said reference plane.

10. The stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said X-direction magnetic flux generating device and said Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices each comprises:

a magnet; and

a yoke through which magnetic flux of said magnet is transmitted and which generates magnetic lines of flux together with said magnet.

11. An image movement correction apparatus for a camera using the stage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said camera comprises:

said stage apparatus;

a rotational shake detection sensor for detecting rotational shake of said camera in said reference plane; and

a controller for supplying electricity to said Y-direction moving coils to correct the camera shake in accordance with shake information detected by the rotation-shake detection sensor.

12. An image movement correction apparatus for a camera using the stage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said camera comprises:

said stage apparatus;

a rotational shake detection sensor for detecting rotational shake of said camera in said reference plane; and

a controller for supplying electricity to said Y-direction moving coils to correct the camera shake in accordance with shake information detected by the rotation-shake detection sensor.

13. The image movement correction apparatus for a camera using the stage apparatus, according to claim 11, comprising:

X-direction and Y-direction shake detection sensors for detecting camera shake in said X-direction and said Y-direction, respectively, wherein said controller supplies electricity to said X-direction moving coil and said Y-direction moving coils to correct said camera shake in accordance with shake information detected by said X-direction shake detection sensor and said Y-direction shake detection sensor, respectively.

14. The image movement correction apparatus for a camera using the stage apparatus, according to claim 12, comprising:

X-direction and Y-direction shake detection sensors for detecting camera shake in said X-direction and said Y-direction, respectively, wherein said controller supplies electricity to said X-direction moving coil and said Y-direction moving coil to correct said camera shake in accordance with shake information detected by said X-direction shake detection sensor and said Y-direction shake detection sensor, respectively.

15. An image movement correcting apparatus comprising:

a support device for supporting an image pickup device so as to move in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system and to rotate about an axis parallel with the optical axis;

a drive device for moving said image pickup device in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and for rotating said image pickup device about said axis parallel with the optical axis;

a shake detector for detecting the shake of said photographing optical system about said optical axis;

a rotation detector for detecting a rotational shake of said photographing optical system about said optical axis; and

a controller for driving said drive device to move said image pickup device, so that no movement of an object image formed on an image pickup surface of said image pickup device by the photographing optical system occurs if said optical axis moves or if rotational shake about said optical axis occurs, in accordance with a detection result of said shake detection device and said rotation detector.

16. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said drive device can rotate said image pickup device about an axis parallel with the optical axis of the photographing optical system.

17. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said support device comprises:

a stationary support plate perpendicular to the optical axis; and

a stage member which is supported so as to move and rotate on a reference plane parallel with the stationary support plate, relative to the stationary support plate, said stage member holding the image pickup device,

wherein said drive device includes a plurality of drive magnetic flux generating devices, secured to said stationary support plate at positions distant from the optical axis, for generating a magnetic flux in a direction parallel with the optical axis; and

a plurality of sets of drive coils secured to said stage member, for generating a drive force in a specific direction parallel with said reference plane, upon receiving magnetic flux of said drive magnetic flux generating devices,

wherein at least one set of drive coils includes two drive coils spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to said specific direction,

wherein a specific direction displacement detection sensor is provided for each of said two drive coils, and

wherein said controller supplies electricity to said two drive coils to thereby move said stage member while detecting the displacement thereof by said specific direction displacement sensors, and independently supplies electricity to said two drive coils to thereby rotate said stage member while detecting the displacement thereof by said specific direction displacement sensor.

18. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 15, said shake detector comprises a Y-direction shake detection sensor for detecting shake in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to said optical axis, an X-direction shake detection sensor for detecting the shake in a lateral direction perpendicular to said optical axis, and said rotation detector comprises a rotational shake detection sensor for detecting rotational shake about the optical axis of the photographing optical system,

wherein said two drive coils are controlled by said controller so that output of said specific direction displacement sensor of said two drive coils complies with a signal obtained by adding/subtracting a rotational shake signal based on the output of said rotational shake detection sensor to/from a Y-direction shake signal based on the output of said Y-direction shake detection sensor.

19. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said Y-direction shake detection sensor comprises a Y-direction gyro sensor, said X-direction shake detection sensor comprises an X-direction gyro sensor, and said rotational shake detection sensor comprises a rotation detection gyro sensor.

20. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said drive magnetic flux generating device is elongated in a direction perpendicular to a direction of a drive force acting on a corresponding said drive coil, and

wherein said corresponding drive coils are planar coils elongated in said perpendicular direction.

21. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said image pickup device comprises a rectangular image pickup area,

wherein each of said set of drive coils are arranged symmetrically with respect to a straight line which passes through a center thereof and is parallel with minor sides of said rectangular image pickup area.

22. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said two drive coils are arranged in series along a major side of said rectangular mage pickup area and are arranged symmetrically with respect to said straight line.

23. The image movement correction apparatus according to claim 22, wherein another set of said drive coils includes two drive coils which are arranged along the opposite minor sides of said rectangular image pickup area so as to be arranged symmetrically with respect to said straight line.