Vibrating dust removal camera

• US 7,609,315 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kawai, Sumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, NELSON D
• Application Number:
  US11/210,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/351, 348/335, 348/340, 348/208.11, 348/205, 348/374
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/81 for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/811 by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor

Abstract

A camera provided with a lens assembly, a CCD and a circuit for applying a signal which is disposed between the lens assembly and the CCD, where the circuit for applying a signal is vibrated.

Claims

1. A dust removal camera comprising:

an image pickup optical system which forms an optical image of an object;

a photoelectric converting device which converts the optical image to an electric signal;

a mechanical shutter disposed between the image pickup optical system and the photoelectric converting device;

a low pass filter disposed between the mechanical shutter and the photoelectric converting device;

a rectangular optical device provided between the mechanical shutter and the low pass filter;

a vibration absorbing body disposed between the rectangular optical device and the low pass filter, and formed surrounding an image formation light ray passing-through area of the rectangular optical device;

pair of piezoelectric bodies disposed on a surface of the rectangular optical device with the vibration absorbing body therebetween, the pair of piezoelectric bodies vibrating so as to generate bending vibration on the image formation light ray passing-through area of the rectangular optical device;

electric terminals connected to the pair of piezoelectric bodies, a part of the electric terminals drawn out from a contact surface of the rectangular optical device and the piezoelectric bodies; and

an oscillator which applies cyclic voltage via the electric terminals to the pair of piezoelectric bodies for vibrating each piezoelectric body thereof.

2. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the electric terminals are electric conductive thin films.

3. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the electric terminals are electric conductive thin films formed on the contact surface of the rectangular optical device.

4. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electric terminals is connected to a ground of a circuit.

5. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric converting device is held by a holding member having an opening portion which guides lights from the image pickup optical system to the photoelectric converting device, and the rectangular optical device covers the opening portion to seal the photoelectric converting device.

6. The dust removal camera according to claim 5, wherein the rectangular optical device is attached to the holding member in the vicinity of a node of the vibrational wave.

7. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup optical system is exchangeable.

8. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical shutter includes a focal-plane shutter.

9. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein said oscillator applies a voltage of a frequency, in which said rectangular optical device resonates, to said piezoelectric bodies.

10. The dust removal camera according to claim 9, wherein a voltage of a frequency, which is determined according to a form, material, holding method, and vibrating manner of said rectangular optical device, is applied to said piezoelectric bodies.

11. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric bodies are laminated.

12. The dust removal camera according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular optical device includes an infrared isolating filter.