Apparatus for correcting blurred image of camera using angular acceleration sensor and angular acceleration sensor

• US 4,996,545 A
• Filed: 03/30/1990
• Issued: 02/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Enomoto, Shigeo, Odano, Taminori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US07/501,885
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 73/515, 73/517 A, 354/65, 354/70, 354/76, 354/202, 354/354, 350/500, 358/227
• US Class Current: 396/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0888 for indicating angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/105 by magnetically sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/132 with electromagnetic counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing

Abstract

An apparatus for correcting a blurred image has a blurred image correcting lens which constitutes at least part of a photographing lens of a camera. The correcting lens is supported to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing lens. A driver for driving the correcting lens and an angular acceleration sensor which detects the angular acceleration applied to the camera, to send a drive signal to the driver, to cancel an undesirable movement of the optical axis of the photgraphing lens are provided. The angular acceleration sensor includes a rotatable sensor arm having a rotational shaft in the center of the length of the sensor arm, permanent magnets provided at the opposite ends of the sensor arm, a magnetic sensor which is opposed to one of the permanent magnets, and a coil which is opposed to the other permanent magnet and which has a winding intersecting the magnetic flux of the other permanent magnet. The blurred image correcting lens is driven in accordance with the output of the coil.

Claims

1. An apparatus for correcting a blurred image comprising:

a blurred image correcting lens which constitutes at least a part of a photographing lens of a camera and which is supported so as to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographing lens;

a driver for driving the correcting lens;

an angular acceleration sensor adapted to detect the angular acceleration applied to said camera to send a drive signal to said driver to cancel movement of the optical axis of the photographing lens;

said angular acceleration sensor comprising a rotatable sensor arm having a rotational shaft centrally positioned along the length of said sensor arm and permanent magnets at the opposite ends of said sensor arm, a magnetic sensor which is mounted opposite one of said permanent magnets, a coil which is mounted opposite to the other said permanent magnet, said coil comprising a winding intersecting the magnetic flux of said other permanent magnet;

whereby the blurred image correcting lens is driven in accordance with the output of said coil.

2. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic sensor comprises a Hall effect device.

3. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic sensor is comprises an MR device.

4. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angular acceleration sensor further comprises a yoke member fixed to said sensor arm to surround said sensor arm.

5. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angular acceleration sensor further comprises a casing in which said sensor arm is housed to restrict the rotational movement of said sensor arm.

6. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driver of said blurred image correcting lens comprises a bimorph cell plate which is immovably secured at one end and is operatively connected at the opposite end to said blurred image correcting lens, and a controller which supplies a drive voltage to said bimorph cell plate to move said cell plate in a direction to cancel the movement of the optical axis of said photographing lens in accordance with the output of said angular acceleration sensor.

7. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driver of the blurred image correcting lens comprises a bimorph cell plate and a leaf spring member which are immovably secured at their one end in one of two areas divided by a plane including the optical axis of the photographing lens and which are connected at their opposite ends to the blurred image correcting lens in the other of said two areas, and a controller which supplies a drive voltage to said bimorph cell plate to move the cell plate in a direction to cancel said movement of the optical axis of said photographing lens in accordance with the output of said angular acceleration sensor.

8. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the distance between the ends of said bimorph cell plate and said leaf spring member in said one area is larger than the distance between the ends of said bimorph cell plate and the leaf spring member in said other area.

9. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a spring-member which connects said bimorph cell plate and said blurred image correcting lens.

10. An angular acceleration sensor comprising a rotatable sensor arm having a rotational shaft centrally positioned along the length of said sensor arm and permanent magnets at the opposite ends of said sensor arm, a magnetic sensor which is opposite one of said permanent magnets, and a coil which is opposite the other of said permanent magnets and comprising a winding intersecting the magnetic flux of the other said permanent magnet.

11. An angular acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said magnetic sensor comprises a Hall effect device.

12. An angular acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said magnetic sensor comprises an MR device.

13. An angular acceleration sensor according to claim 10, wherein said angular acceleration sensor further comprises a yoke member fixed to said sensor arm to surround said sensor arm.

14. An angular acceleration sensor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said angular acceleration sensor further comprises a casing in which said sensor arm is housed to restrict the rotational movement of said sensor arm.

15. An angular acceleration sensor comprising:

an elongated rotatable sensor arm having a rotational shaft centrally positioned along the length of said sensor arm and permanent magnets at the opposite ends of said sensor arm;

a magnetic sensor opposite one of said permanent magnets;

a coil opposite the other said permanent magnet and which has a winding which intersects the magnetic flux of the other said permanent magnet; and

,

a pair of split yoke halves, each said split yoke halves having an elongated plate portion and bent end portions which are bent toward said sensor arm at the opposite ends of said elongated plate portion;

said yoke halves being located in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to said sensor arm on the opposite sides of said sensor arm.

16. An angular acceleration sensor according to claim 15, wherein said yoke halves are secured to said sensor arm, so that the opposed ends of the yoke halves on one end side of the sensor arm come into contact with each other outside the magnetic sensor and the opposed ends of the yoke halves on the other end side of the sensor arm come into contact with each other in the winding of the coil.

17. An apparatus for correcting a blurred image comprising:

a blurred image correcting lens which constitutes at least a part of a photographing lens of a camera and which is supported so as to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographing lens; and

,

an angular acceleration sensor which detects the angular acceleration applied to the camera to send a drive signal to said blurred image correcting lens to cancel movement of the optical axis of the photographing lens;

said angular acceleration sensor comprising a rotatable sensor arm having a rotational shaft positioned centrally along the length of the sensor arm and permanent magnets at the opposite ends of said sensor arm, a magnetic sensor opposite one of said permanent magnets, a coil opposite the other said permanent magnet and which has a winding intersecting the magnetic flux of the other said permanent magnet, and a pair of split yoke halves, each of said split yoke halves having an elongated plate portion extending along said sensor arm and bent end portions which are bent toward said sensor arm at the opposite ends of said elongated plate portion; and

said yoke halves are located in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to said sensor arm on the opposite sides of said sensor arm.

18. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said yoke halves are secured to said sensor arm, so that the opposed ends of said yoke halves on one end side of said sensor arm come into contact with each other outside said magnetic sensor and the opposed ends of said yoke halves on the other end side of said sensor arm come into contact with each other in said winding of said coil.

19. An apparatus for correcting a blurred image comprising:

a blurred image correcting lens which constitutes at least a part of a photographing lens of a camera and which is supported so as to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing lens; and

,

a bimorph cell plate which is immovably secured at one end and which is functionally connected to said blurred image correcting lens; and

a drive voltage is supplied to said bimorph cell plate to move the blurred image correcting lens in a direction to cancel movement of the optical axis of the photographing lens.

20. An apparatus for correcting a blurred image comprising:

a blurred image correcting lens which constitutes at least a part of a photographing lens of a camera and which is supported so as to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing lens; and

a bimorph cell plate and a leaf spring member which are each immovably secured at one end in one of two areas divided by a plane including the optical axis of the photographing lens and which are connected at opposite ends to said blurred image correcting lens in the other of said two areas;

wherein the distance between the ends of said bimorph cell plate and said leaf spring member in said one area is larger than the distance between said ends of said bimorph cell plate and said leaf spring member in said the other said area; and

a drive voltage is supplied to said bimorph cell plate to move said blurred image correcting lens in a direction to cancel movement of the optical axis of the photographing lens.

21. A blurred image correcting apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a spring-member which connects the bimorph cell plate and the blurred image correcting lens.