Optical element unit and optical apparatus

• US 10,901,306 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2019
• Issued: 01/26/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Rodney E
• Application Number:
  US16/549,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20200073214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 396544
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/006 Filter holders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/565 Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors

Abstract

An optical element unit is insertable into and removable from an opening portion provided in an optical apparatus and a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter are disposed inside of the opening portion. The optical element unit has a third portion with a first outer diameter and a fourth portion with a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is greater than the second inner diameter. Therefore, when the optical element unit is inserted into the opening portion in a reverse way, the third portion contacts with the second portion so that the optical element cannot be fully inserted into the opening portion.

Claims

1. A filter unit configured to be insertable into and removable from an opening portion provided in an adaptor, wherein the adaptor is detachable with a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus, the filter unit comprising:

a first filter;

a holding member configured to hold the first filter; and

a lock piece having a lock piece claw;

wherein the opening portion has a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter,

wherein the holding member includes a third portion with a first outer diameter and a fourth portion with a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter,

wherein a fourth portion includes a tapered surface inclined to a normal line direction of a first surface of the first filter,

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a first side in an optical axis direction, the third portion faces the first portion, the fourth portion faces the second portion, and the lock piece claw engages with a lock piece end formed on a part of the opening portion facing the first portion in the optical axis direction, so that the filter unit is attached to the adaptor, and

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a second side opposite to the first side, the third portion contacts the second portion, so that the filter unit is not attached to the adaptor.

2. The filter unit according to claim 1, further comprising a lock spring biasing the lock piece in a direction away from the holding member.

3. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding member has a lock piece accommodating portion that accommodates the lock piece.

4. The filter unit according to claim 1, further comprising a release button for pressing the lock piece so that the engagement between the lock piece claw and the lock piece end is released.

5. The filter unit according to claim 4, wherein the release button releases the engagement by pressing the lock piece to move in a direction perpendicular to the normal line direction and a direction for inserting the filter unit.

6. The filter unit according to claim 4, wherein the lock piece has an inclined surface inclined to the optical axis direction and a direction of a movement of the release button.

7. The filter unit according to claim 6, wherein the release button releases the engagement by pressing the inclined surface of the lock piece.

8. The filter unit according to claim 4, wherein the holding member has a hole into which the release button advances.

9. The filter unit according to claim 8, further comprising a retaining ring as a stopper to prevent the release button from removing from the hole.

10. The filter unit according to claim 4, further comprising an operating dial for transmitting an external rotational power to the first filter, wherein the operating dial is disposed at an opposite side to the release button with respect to the lock piece.

11. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding member comprises:

a first gear for transmitting an external driving force to the first filter;

a connection gear that has a second gear that meshes with the first gear and a third gear interlocking with the second gear;

a fourth gear that meshes with the third gear; and

an operating dial for transmitting an external rotational power to the first filter;

wherein the holding member has a fitting hole into which the connection gear is fitted and a recess portion which accommodates the operating dial.

12. The filter unit according to claim 11, wherein the first gear is disposed at the first side with respect to the first filter.

13. The filter unit according to claim 11, wherein, in a case where the first surface of the first filter faces toward the first side, the fitting hole is disposed at the first side with respect to the recess portion.

14. The filter unit according to claim 11, further comprising a spacer for restricting the position of the connection gear in the normal line direction.

15. The filter unit according to claim 11, wherein module values of the first gear and the second gear are smaller than those of the third gear and the fourth gear.

16. The filter unit according to claim 11, wherein the operating dial has a flange with a diameter greater than that of the circumscribed circle of the fourth gear when viewed in the normal line direction.

17. The filter unit according to claim 16, wherein, in a case where the first surface of the first filter faces toward the first side, the fourth gear is disposed at the first side with respect to the flange.

18. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding member comprises a first gear for transmitting an external driving force to the first filter, wherein the first gear is disposed at a position overlapping the third portion and not overlapping the tapered surface when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the normal line direction.

19. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding member comprises a filter holder disposed at the most outer side in a direction orthogonal to the normal line direction, wherein the filter holder includes the third portion and the fourth portion.

20. The filter unit according to claim 19, wherein the filter holder comprises a flange, wherein the lock piece claw is disposed at an inner side of the flange of the filter holder in the direction orthogonal to the normal line direction.

21. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the filter unit is attached to the adaptor, the fourth portion is disposed at a side toward the image pickup apparatus with respect to the third portion.

22. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the first filter is disposed at a position overlapping the third portion and not overlapping the tapered surface when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the normal line direction.

23. The filter unit according to claim 1, further comprising a second filter 105 disposed at a position overlapping the fourth portion and not overlapping the third portion when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the normal line direction.

24. The filter unit according to claim 23, wherein, in a case where the first surface faces toward the first side, the first filter is disposed at the first side with respect to the second filter.

25. The filter unit according to claim 23, wherein the first filter and the second filter 10 respectively transmit predetermined polarized light.

26. The filter unit according to claim 23, wherein light amount passing through the filter unit varies by relatively rotating the first filter and the second filter.

27. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the first outer diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter and the second outer diameter is smaller than the second inner diameter.

28. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the fourth portion and the opening portion in a direction orthogonal to the normal line direction is larger than that between the third portion and the opening portion.

29. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the second portion includes an inclined surface inclined to the normal line direction.

30. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a protruding portion protruding with respect to the first portion when viewed from a direction for inserting the filter unit.

31. The filter unit according to claim 1, wherein the second portion is disposed at a side toward the image pickup apparatus with respect to the first portion.

32. An adaptor detachable with a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus comprising:

an opening portion which a filter unit is insertable into and removable from, wherein the filter unit includes a first filter, a holding member configured to hold the first filter, and a lock piece having a lock piece claw;

wherein the opening portion has a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter,

wherein the holding member includes a third portion with a first outer diameter and a fourth portion with a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter,

wherein the fourth portion includes a tapered surface inclined to a normal line direction of a first surface of the first filter,

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a first side in an optical axis direction, the third portion faces the first portion, the fourth portion faces the second portion, and the lock piece claw engages with a lock piece end formed on a part of the opening portion facing the first portion in the optical axis direction, so that the filter unit is attached to the adaptor, and

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a second side opposite to the first side, the third portion contacts the second portion, so that the filter unit is not attached to the adaptor.

33. An optical apparatus comprising;

an adaptor detachable with a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus, wherein the adaptor has an opening portion including a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter; and

a filter unit insertable into and removable from the opening portion;

wherein the filter unit includes a first filter, a holding member configured to hold the first filter, and a lock piece having a lock piece claw,

wherein the holding member includes a third portion with a first outer diameter and a fourth portion with a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter,

wherein the fourth portion includes a tapered surface inclined to a normal line direction of a first surface of the first filter,

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a first side in an optical axis direction, the third portion faces the first portion, the fourth portion faces the second portion, and the lock piece claw engages with a lock piece end formed on a part of the opening portion facing the first portion in the optical axis direction, so that the filter unit is attached to the adaptor, and

wherein, in a case where the filter unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a second side opposite to the first side, the third portion contacts the second portion, so that the filter unit is not attached to the adaptor.