Drive device, lens barrel and camera

• US 5,517,364 A
• Filed: 03/27/1995
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ryuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US08/411,154
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 359/822, 359/823, 359/824, 359/825, 359/696, 354/485, 354/271.1, 354/400, 74/89.13, 74/89.2, 74/89.16
• US Class Current: 359/823
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18784 including bevel gears

Abstract

In a drive device having a drive unit which is mounted on a body of the drive device, a rotary scale such as a pulse disc which is disposed at the drive unit and a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element which are arranged on a circuit board of the body in a state of confronting each other through the pulse disc, the drive unit includes a first transmission member which has a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to the circuit board and a second transmission member which is connected to the first transmission member and is arranged to rotate in synchronism with the rotation of the first transmission member, the second transmission member having a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to the rotation shaft of the first transmission member, and the pulse disc is connected to the second transmission member.

Claims

1. A drive device comprising:

a drive unit mounted on a body of the drive device;

a rotary scale disposed at said drive unit; and

a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, arranged on a circuit board of said body in a state of confronting each other through said scale,

wherein said drive unit includes a first transmission member which has a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to said circuit board and a second transmission member which is connected to said first transmission member and is arranged to rotate in synchronism with the rotation of said first transmission member, said second transmission member having a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to the rotation shaft of said first transmission member, and wherein said scale is connected to said second transmission member.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuit board is composed of a printed circuit board.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said drive unit includes a motor arranged to rotate said first transmission member, and wherein lead wires which are arranged to supply power to said motor are connected to said printed circuit board.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second transmission members is provided with a bevel gear, and wherein said first and second transmission members are coupled to each other by the bevel gears.

5. A lens barrel comprising:

a drive unit mounted on a body of said lens barrel and arranged to cause a lens to move in the direction of an optical axis;

a rotary scale disposed at said drive unit; and

a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, arranged on a circuit board of said lens barrel in a state of confronting each other through said scale, and

wherein said drive unit includes a first transmission member which has a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to said circuit board and a second transmission member which is connected to said first transmission member and is arranged to rotate in synchronism with the rotation of said first transmission member, said second transmission member having a rotation shaft arranged to be substantially orthogonal relative to the rotation shaft of said first transmission member, and wherein said scale is connected to said second transmission member.

6. A lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein said circuit board is composed of a printed circuit board.

7. A lens barrel according to claim 6, .wherein said drive unit includes a motor arranged to rotate said first transmission member, and wherein lead wires which are arranged to supply power to said motor are connected to said printed circuit board.

8. A lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein each of said first and second transmission members is provided with a bevel gear, and wherein said first and second transmission members are coupled to each other by the bevel gears.

9. A camera having a lens barrel according to any of claims 5 to 8 and arranged to control the movement of said lens by using an output of said light-receiving element.