IMAGE APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100013939A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohno, Takehide, Muramatsu, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,692,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.500
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• 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 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a barrel unit having a photographic lens, an image pickup device configured to receive light through the photographic lens to capture a subject image, a movable unit configured to movably support the image pickup device in a direction perpendicular to a light-receiving axis of the subject image, a processing unit configured to process signals from the image pickup device, a flexible board configured to connect the image pickup device to the processing unit, and a positioning unit configured to position the flexible board.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a barrel unit having a photographic lens;

an image pickup device configured to receive light through the photographic lens to capture a subject image;

a movable unit configured to movably support the image pickup device in a direction perpendicular to a light-receiving axis of the subject image;

a processing unit configured to process signals from the image pickup device;

a flexible board configured to connect the image pickup device to the processing unit; and

a positioning unit configured to position the flexible board.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning unit has a positioning member configured to guide the flexible board connected to the image pickup device along a peripheral portion of the barrel unit.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positioning member is fixed to the flexible board.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a connection portion configured to connect the movable unit to the positioning member with a margin.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positioning member is fixed on the movable unit.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing unit configured to hold the barrel unit and the movable unit,

wherein the positioning unit includes a concave portion provided on the flexible board and a convex portion provided on the fixing unit and configured to be fitted in the convex portion.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the concave portion has a margin in at least one direction of three dimensions with respect to the convex portion.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the concave portion is a hole or a U-shaped notch.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the positioning unit includes at least one reinforcing member provided on a part of the flexible board to suppress deformation of the flexible board.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the flexible board has a plurality of surfaces formed by folding along a plurality of lines on the flexible board;

at least one of the plurality of surfaces has a center portion in which the at least one reinforcing member is provided to limit deformation of the at least one surface;

the plurality of surfaces include a first surface disposed parallel to the image pickup device, a second surface extending from the first surface and disposed perpendicularly to the first surface, and a third surface extending from the second surface and disposed perpendicularly to both of the second surface and the image pickup device; and

the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface are capable of deforming in directions perpendicular to the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface, respectively.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the positioning unit is configured to position at least one of the plurality of surfaces with respect to the fixing unit.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the positioning unit includes a concave portion provided on the flexible board and a convex portion provided on the fixing unit and configured to be fitted in the concave portion.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the concave portion is a hole or a U-shaped notch.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible board has a plurality of surfaces formed by folding along a plurality of lines on the flexible board;

and

the positioning unit includes at least one folded portion positioning member which is provided on the flexible board and defines one of the plurality of lines.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the folded portion positioning member includes a member in which a plurality of positioning flexible boards equivalent to the flexible board are laminated or a member made of a thicker positioning flexible board than the flexible board.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the folded portion positioning member is a reinforcing member which is provided on the flexible board and limits deformation of the flexible board.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a signal line is disposed along the flexible board;

a bypass signal line which is shorter in length than the signal line disposed along the flexible board is provided on the flexible board; and

a part of the signal line communicating an image signal between the image pickup device and the processing unit is disposed along the bypass signal line.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

a signal line is disposed along the flexible board;

a bypass signal line which is shorter in length than the signal line disposed along the flexible board is provided on the flexible board; and

a part of the signal line communicating an image signal between the image pickup device and the processing unit is disposed along the bypass signal line.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

a signal line is disposed along the flexible board;

a bypass signal line which is shorter in length than the signal line disposed along the flexible board is provided on the flexible board; and

a part of the signal line communicating an image signal between the image pickup device and the processing unit is disposed along the bypass signal line.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a fixing unit configured to hold the barrel unit and the movable unit;

and

a suppression device configured to detect camera shake occurring in the fixing unit and to allow the image pickup device to follow by the movable unit a movement of the subject image, which occurs due to the camera shake, based on the detection of the camera shake.