Optical Device Having Blur Correction Function

• US 20070041721A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Takehiko, Kato, Yuichiro, Ogino, Shigeru, Ito, Sawako
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/55
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/14 interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0015 by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0084 using other types of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2207/005 involving control of motion blur
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/08 Swing backs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

An optical device includes a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane. In the optical device, the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to the actuator element.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens; and

at least one actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane,

wherein said at least one actuator includes at least one actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to said at least one actuator element.

2. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor that detects movement of a body of the optical device and a controlling unit that drives said at least one actuator in accordance with an output from the sensor, wherein said at least one actuator element includes two or more actuator elements, wherein said at least one actuator includes the two or more actuator elements in the plane, and wherein the controlling unit drives the two or more actuator elements in accordance with the output from the sensor.

3. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators disposed orthogonal to each other in the plane.

4. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators disposed in the plane so as to extend radially with respect to the optical axis.

5. An optical device comprising:

an image pickup element that receives light from a shooting optical system;

an image-pickup-element holding member that holds the image pickup element and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the shooting optical system; and

an actuator that moves the image-pickup-element holding member in the direction along the plane,

wherein the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the image-pickup-element holding member to the actuator element.

6. An optical device comprising:

an image pickup element that receives light from a shooting optical system;

an image-pickup-element holding member that holds the image pickup element and that is movable in an optical axis direction of the shooting optical system; and

an actuator that moves the image-pickup-element holding member in the optical axis direction,

wherein the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the image-pickup-element holding member to the actuator element.

7. An optical device comprising:

an image pickup element that receives light from a shooting optical system;

an image-pickup-element holding member that holds the image pickup element and that is movable in a direction of an optical axis of the shooting optical system;

a first actuator that moves the image-pickup-element holding member in the direction of the optical axis;

a base member that supports the image-pickup-element holding member and the first actuator and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to the optical axis of the shooting optical system; and

a second actuator that moves the base member in the direction along the plane,

wherein the first actuator and the second actuator each include an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the image-pickup-element holding member to the actuator element.