Image taking apparatus with operational image pick-up unit

• US 6,700,617 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamamura, Toshihiro, Kubo, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/383,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, H04/N.5232, 348/64, 348/335, 348/342, 348/340, 348/344, 348/345, 348/351, 348/357, 348/369, 348/374, 396/118, 396/119, 396/269, 396/270, 396/354, 396/357, 396/358
• US Class Current: 348/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An image taking apparatus is provided with an image taking lens, a mirror which is capable of pivotally changing a position thereof between a first position where the mirror is disposed on an optical path of the image taking lens and a second position where the mirror is disposed off the optical path, and an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image from the image taking lens. In accordance with the pivotal movement of the mirror, a driver moves the image pick-up unit along the optical direction of the image taking lens.

Claims

1. An image taking apparatus, comprising:

an image taking lens;

a mirror which is capable of a pivotal movement such that said mirror changes a position thereof between a first position where said mirror is disposed on an optical path of said image taking lens and a second position where said mirror is disposed off the optical path;

an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image taken by said image taking lens; and

a driver for moving said image pick-up unit along a direction of an optical axis of said image taking lens in accordance with the pivotal movement of said mirror.

2. The image taking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driver moves said image pick-up unit to a standby position when said mirror is disposed on the optical path and moves said image pick-up unit to an image pick-up position when said mirror is disposed off the optical path.

3. The image taking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image pick-up unit comprises an optical filter and an image pick-up element for photoelectrically converting an optical image taken by said image taking lens.

4. An image taking apparatus, comprising:

an image taking lens;

a mirror for changing a direction of an optical bundle introduced from said image taking lens by pivoting said mirror about a pivot axis member; and

an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image taken by said image taking lens,

wherein said mirror is provided with a space for avoiding a mechanical interference with said image pick-up unit.

5. The image taking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said space is formed at a portion near said pivot axis member.

6. The image taking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said image pick-up unit comprises an optical filter and an image pick-up element for photoelectrically converting an optical image taken by said image taking lens.

7. An image taking apparatus, comprising:

an image taking lens;

a mirror for changing a direction of an optical bundle from said image taking lens by pivoting about a pivot axis member; and

an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image taken by said image taking lens,

wherein said image pick-up unit is disposed so as to be shifted to an optical axis of said image taking lens in accordance with the pivoting of the mirror.

8. The image taking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image pick-up unit comprises an optical filter and an image pick-up element for photoelectrically converting an optical image obtained from said image taking lens.

9. The image taking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a center of an optical receiving surface of said image pick-up element is positioned so as to be shifted in a direction away from said pivot axis member.

10. An image taking apparatus, comprising:

an image taking lens;

a mirror for changing a direction of a beam of light from said image taking lens by pivoting about a pivot axis member; and

an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image taken by said image taking lens,

wherein said image pick-up unit is disposed so as to be shifted to an optical axis of said image taking lens in accordance with the pivoting of the mirror.