Anti-vibration device and camera apparatus using the same

• US 20070076098A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yasuda, Yuichi
• Application Number:
  US11/528,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076098A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• 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

An anti-vibration device and a camera apparatus using the same are provided. The anti-vibration device includes an actuator that supports one end portion of a cantilever support arm. A camera module, which is a support member, is suspended and supported by the other end portion of the support arm. The support arm is provided with a vibration detecting element capable of detecting vibration of the support arm, which vibrates in conjunction with vibration of a chassis. The vibration detecting element can output a predetermined electrical signal upon detection of the vibration of the support arm. The actuator can perform control to reduce the electrical signal output by the vibration detecting element, in response to the vibration of the support arm caused by the vibration of the chassis.

Claims

1. An anti-vibration device comprising:

a support member supported by a chassis; and

actuators fixed to the chassis and supporting the support member such that the support member can be driven to vibrate,

wherein each of the actuators supports one end portion of a cantilever support arm, and the support member is suspended and supported by the other end portion of the support arm, and

wherein the support arm is provided with a vibration detecting element which can detect vibration of the support arm which vibrates in conjunction with vibration of the chassis, and which can output a predetermined electrical signal upon detection of the vibration of the support arm.

2. The anti-vibration device according to claim 1,

wherein the actuator reduces the electrical signal output by the vibration detecting element, in response to the vibration of the support arm caused by the vibration of the chassis.

3. The anti-vibration device according to claim 2,

wherein the actuator is provided with a magnet, and a coil facing the magnet and cantilever-supporting the one end portion of the support arm, and

wherein the vibration detecting element outputs the electrical signal in response to the vibration of the chassis, and a control unit detects the electrical signal and applies predetermined electric power to the coil in response to the electrical signal to cause the coil to vibrate in directions offsetting the vibration of the chassis.

4. The anti-vibration device according to claim 3,

wherein the actuator includes a frame that has a hollow interior and is formed with mutually countervailing back and front yokes each formed of a magnetic material,

wherein the magnet is fixed to the inner surface of the back yoke of the frame, and the coil is provided to face the magnet with a gap of a predetermined side interposed between the coil and the magnet, and

wherein at least a lower end surface of the coil is supported by a resilient member attached to a lower side plate of the frame such that the coil can vibrate in directions parallel to the magnet.

5. The anti-vibration device according to claim 2,

wherein the support member includes one side surface and the other side surface, which face each other,

wherein the actuators are fixed at least to one position on the chassis that faces the one side surface and to at least two positions on the chassis that face the other side surface, and

wherein the vibration of the chassis in X-axis directions and Y-axis directions can be detected by the vibration detecting element provided to each of the actuators.

6. The anti-vibration device according to claim 3,

wherein the resilient member is formed by a blade spring, at least one end portion is fixed to the lower side plate of the frame, and the other end portion is attached to the lower end surface of the coil.

7. The anti-vibration device according to claim 2,

wherein the support arm is formed into a plate shape having resiliency, and at least one surface of the plate shape is provided with the vibration detecting element.

8. The anti-vibration device according to claim 7,

wherein the vibration detecting element is formed by a resistor formed at least on the one surface of the support arm, and

wherein, when the coil vibrates and bending occurs in the support arm, a resistance value of the resistor changes in response to the bending of the support arm, and the electrical signal is output.

9. The anti-vibration device according to claim 8,

wherein a film of the resistor is formed by printing.

10. The anti-vibration device according to claim 8,

wherein the resistor is carbon ink.

11. The anti-vibration device according to claim 7,

wherein the support member includes support portions that can be supported by the other end portion of the corresponding support arm,

wherein each of the support portions is formed with spherical surface portions or circular arc portions that face each other across a gap of a size equal to or larger than the thickness size of the corresponding plate-shaped support arm, and

wherein the support member is supported by the support arm, with the other end portion of the support arm nipped between the mutually facing spherical surface portions or circular arc portions.

13. The camera apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the camera module and the actuators are built in a case of an electronic device, and the actuators are directly fixed to the case.

12. A camera apparatus comprising:

a camera module including an optical device and an image pickup device;

a chassis that supports the camera module; and

actuators fixed to the chassis and supporting the camera module such that the camera module can be driven to vibrate,

wherein each of the actuators includes a support arm having one end portion that is cantilever-supported, and the other end portion that suspends the camera module,

wherein the support arm is provided with a vibration detecting element that detects vibration of the support arm occurring in response to vibration of the chassis, and

wherein the actuator can reduce an electrical signal output by the vibration detecting element, in response to the vibration of the support arm, and the vibration of the chassis can be prevented from being transmitted to the camera module through the control of the actuator.