Exposure controlling device and encoder for camera

• US 5,781,817 A
• Filed: 12/30/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nomura, Hiroshi, Sasaki, Takamitsu, Azegami, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/773,929
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 396/240, 396/244, 396/256, 396/257, 396/259, 396/260, 396/463, 396/505, 396/508, 250/231.17, 250/231.14
• US Class Current: 396/508
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/04 collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/097 for control of both exposure time and aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/10 a servo-motor providing energy to move the setting member
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/24 Adjusting size of aperture formed by members when fully open so as to constitute a virtual diaphragm that is adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/281 by means of a preformed insulating foil H05K3/284 takes precedence

Abstract

An exposure controlling device includes, an aperture diaphragm that is driven by a motorized driving mechanism to open and close, an encoder for detecting an actuation of the motorized driving mechanism comprising a photocoupler and a rotating disk mounted in connection with the photocoupler. The rotating disk rotates corresponding to the actuation of the motorized driving mechanism by less than one full turn, and the rotating disk has a first angular range where the output signal from the photocoupler does not vary even when the rotating disk rotates and a second angular range where the output signal from the photocoupler varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of the rotating disk. A controlling unit is provided to control the motorized driving mechanism to drive the aperture diaphragm in accordance with signals received from the photocoupler. The photocoupler faces to the first angular range when the aperture diaphragm is set at an p redetermined initial position.

Claims

1. An exposure controlling device of a camera having an aperture diaphragm, said exposure controlling device comprising:

a motorized driving mechanism to open and close said aperture diaphragm;

an encoder for detecting an actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, said encoder comprising;

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, wherein said rotating disk has a first angular range in which an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range in which the output signal from said sensor varies in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk, and

wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position;

a detent mechanism that positions said rotating disk at said initial position; and

a controlling unit that controls said motorized driving mechanism to drive said aperture diaphragm in accordance with signals received from said sensor.

2. The exposure controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said aperture diaphragm comprises a lens shutter having shutter blades that function as an aperture diaphragm and a shutter.

3. The exposure controlling device according to claim 2, wherein said shutter blades are fully closed at said initial position.

4. The exposure controlling device according to claim 3, wherein said controlling unit controls, at the time of an exposure, said motorized driving mechanism to open said shutter blades and then to close said shutter blades.

5. The exposure controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said controlling unit determines an aperture area of said aperture diaphragm based on signals output from said sensor.

6. The exposure controlling device according to claim 1, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a flat surface portion formed on a rotating shaft of said rotating disk such that said flat surface portion is parallel to a rotation axis of said rotating shaft, and a spring loaded locking member that contacts with said rotating shaft, and wherein said locking member contacts with said flat surface portion when said rotating disk is positioned at said initial position.

7. The exposure controlling device according to claim 6, wherein said locking member comprises a torsion spring that has a first arm fixed to a base portion and a second arm being in resilient contact with said rotating shaft.

8. An exposure controlling device of a camera having an aperture diaphragm, said exposure controlling device comprising:

a motorized driving mechanism to open and close said aperture diaphragm;

an encoder for detecting an actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, said encoder comprising;

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, wherein said rotating disk has a first angular range in which an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range in which the output signal from said sensor varies in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk, wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position;

said second angular range is provided with a pattern that changes the output level of the signals from said sensor in constant cycles in accordance with rotation of said rotating disk;

wherein said sensor comprises a photocoupler and said pattern comprises a light modulating pattern;

said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on a low reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, wherein said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts; and

a controlling unit that controls said motorized driving mechanism to drive said aperture diaphragm in accordance with signals received from said sensor.

9. The exposure controlling device according to claim 8, wherein said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on an opaque surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts.

10. The exposure controlling device according to claim 9, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

11. The exposure controlling device according to claim 9, wherein said first angular range is formed as an opaque region.

12. The exposure controlling device according to claim 8, wherein said first angular range is formed as a low reflectivity region.

13. The exposure controlling device according to claim 8, wherein said first angular range is greater than an angular range corresponding to the output level of one of said constant cycles.

14. An exposure controlling device of a camera having an aperture diaphragm, said exposure controlling device comprising:

a motorized driving mechanism to open and close said aperture diaphragm;

an encoder for detecting an actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, said encoder comprising;

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, wherein said rotating disk has a first angular range in which an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range in which the output signal from said sensor varies in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk, and

wherein said second angular range is provided with a pattern that changes the output level of signals from said sensor at variable intervals in accordance with rotation of said rotating disk, and said variable intervals of change gradually increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases;

wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position; and

a controlling unit that controls said motorized driving mechanism to drive said aperture diaphragm in accordance with signals received from said sensor.

15. The exposure controlling device according to claim 14, wherein said sensor comprises a photocoupler and said pattern comprises a light modulating pattern.

16. The exposure controlling device according to claim 15, wherein said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on an opaque surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts.

17. The exposure controlling device according to claim 16, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

18. The exposure controlling device according to claim 16, wherein said first angular range is formed as an opaque region.

19. The exposure controlling device according to claim 15, wherein said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on a low reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts.

20. The exposure controlling device according to claim 19, wherein said first angular range is formed as a low reflectivity region.

21. The exposure controlling device according to claim 15, wherein said light modulating pattern is determined such that the number of said intervals counted from said initial position is proportional to the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm.

22. The exposure controlling device according to claim 14, further comprising a detent mechanism that positions said rotating disk at said initial position.

23. The exposure controlling device according to claim 22, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a flat surface portion formed on a rotating shaft of said rotating disk such that said flat surface portion is parallel to a rotation axis of said rotating shaft, and a spring loaded locking member that contacts with said rotating shaft, and wherein said locking member contacts with said flat surface portion when said rotating disk is positioned at said initial position.

24. The exposure controlling device according to claim 23, wherein said locking member comprises a torsion spring that has a first arm fixed to a base portion and a second arm in resilient contact with said rotating shaft.

25. An encoder for a camera that detects an aperture area of an aperture diaphragm, said encoder comprising:

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said aperture diaphragm, said rotating disk having a first angular range where an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range where the output signal from said sensor varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position, and

a detent mechanism that positions said rotating disk at said initial position.

26. The encoder according to claim 25, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a flat surface portion formed on a rotating shaft of said rotating disk such that said flat surface portion is parallel to a rotation axis of said rotating shaft, and a spring loaded locking member that contacts said rotating shaft and contacts said flat surface portion when said rotating disk is positioned at said initial position.

27. The encoder according to claim 26, wherein said locking member comprises a torsion spring that has a first arm fixed to a base portion and a second arm in resilient contact with said rotating shaft.

28. An encoder for a camera that detects an aperture area of an aperture diaphragm, said encoder comprising:

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said aperture diaphragm, said rotating disk having a first angular range where an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range where the output signal from said sensor varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position, said sensor comprises a photocoupler and said second angular range is provided with a light modulating pattern that changes the output level of signals from said photocoupler,

wherein said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on an opaque surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts, and said transparent parts are formed at variable angular intervals; and

wherein said variable angular intervals of said transparent parts gradually increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases.

29. The encoder according to claim 28, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

30. The encoder according to claim 28, wherein said first angular range is formed as an opaque region.

31. The encoder according to claim 28, wherein said transparent parts are formed at constant angular intervals.

32. The exposure controlling device according to claim 28, wherein the angular intervals of said light transparent parts are such that the number of the pulses from said photointerrupter counted from said initial position are proportional to the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm.

33. An encoder for a camera that detects an aperture area of an aperture diaphragm, said encoder comprising:

a sensor; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said sensor, said rotating disk rotating by less than one revolution in correspondence with the actuation of said aperture diaphragm, said rotating disk having a first angular range where an output signal from said sensor does not vary as said rotating disk rotates and a second angular range where the output signal from said sensor varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

said sensor comprises a photocoupler and said second angular range is provided with a light modulating pattern that changes the output level of the signals from said photocoupler;

wherein said sensor faces said first angular range when said aperture diaphragm is set at a predetermined initial position; and

said light modulating pattern is formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on the a reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts.

34. The encoder according to claim 33, wherein said reflecting parts are formed at constant angular intervals.

35. The encoder according to claim 33, wherein said reflecting parts are formed at variable angular intervals.

36. The encoder according to claim 35, wherein said variable angular intervals of said reflecting parts gradually increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases.

37. An exposure controlling device of a camera having an aperture diaphragm, said device comprising:

a motorized driving mechanism to open and close said aperture diaphragm;

an encoder which detects an actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, said encoder comprising;

a photocoupler; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said photocoupler, said rotating disk rotating in correspondence with the actuation of said motorized driving mechanism, wherein said rotating disk has a plurality of light modulating parts such that an output signal from said photocoupler varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

wherein said light modulating parts are formed at constant intervals, said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on a low reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, and said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts;

wherein variation of the output signal and the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm are directly related; and

a controlling unit which controls said motorized driving mechanism to drive said aperture diaphragm in accordance with signals received from said photocoupler.

38. The exposure controlling device according to claim 37, wherein said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on the opaque surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts.

39. The exposure conrolling device according to claim 38, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

40. The exposure controlling device according to claim 37, wherein said light modulating parts are formed at variable intervals.

41. The exposure controlling device according to claim 40, wherein said variable intervals increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases.

42. The exposure controlling device according to claim 41, wherein said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on an opaque surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts.

43. The exposure controlling device according to claim 42, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

44. The exposure controlling device according to claim 41, wherein said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on a low reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, and wherein said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts.

45. An encoder for a camera that detects an aperture area of an aperture diaphragm, said encoder comprising:

a photocoupler; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said photocoupler, said rotating disk rotating in correspondence with the actuation of said aperture diaphragm, wherein said rotating disk has a plurality of light modulating parts such that an output signal from said photocoupler varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

wherein said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of transparent parts arranged on the opaque surface of said rotating disk, and said photocoupler comprises a photointerrupter to detect the transmitted light through said transparent parts,

wherein said transparent parts are formed at variable angular intervals, said variable angle intervals of said transparent parts gradually increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases, and

wherein each of said light modulating parts and the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm are directly related.

46. The encoder according to claim 45, wherein said light transmitting parts are formed as angularly spaced radially-oriented slits.

47. An encoder for a camera that detects an aperture area of an aperture diaphragm, said encoder comprising:

a photocoupler; and

a rotating disk mounted in connection with said photocoupler, said rotating disk rotating in correspondence with the actuation of said aperture diaphragm, wherein said rotating disk has a plurality of light modulating parts such that an output signal from said photocoupler varies in cycles in accordance with the rotation of said rotating disk;

said light modulating parts are formed as a plurality of light reflecting parts arranged on a low reflectivity surface of said rotating disk, said light reflecting parts are formed at variable angular intervals, and said photocoupler comprises a photoreflecter to detect the reflected light from said light reflecting parts; and

wherein each of said light modulating parts and the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm are directly related.

48. The encoder according to claim 47, wherein said variable angular intervals of said reflecting parts gradually increase as the aperture area of said aperture diaphragm increases.