OPTICAL ELEMENT UNIT AND OPTICAL APPARATUS

• US 20200073214A1
• Filed: 08/23/2019
• Published: 03/05/2020
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,901,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. An optical element unit configured to be insertable into and removable from an opening portion provided in an optical apparatus, 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, the optical element unit comprising:

a first optical element;

a holding member configured to hold the first optical member; and

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 first outer diameter is greater than the second inner diameter,

wherein in a case where the optical element unit is inserted into the opening portion with a first surface of the first optical element facing toward a first direction, the third portion faces the first portion, while in a case where the optical element unit is inserted into the opening portion with the first surface facing toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, the third portion contacts with the second portion.

2. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein the first optical element is disposed at a position overlapping the third portion and not overlapping the fourth portion in a normal line direction of the first surface of the first optical element.

3. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding member comprises a first transmission portion configured to transmit an external driving force to the first optical element, and the first transmission portion is disposed ahead of the first optical element in the first direction, in a case where the optical element unit is facing toward the first direction.

4. The optical element unit according to claim 1, further comprising a second optical element disposed at a position not overlapping the third portion and overlapping the fourth portion in a normal line direction of the first surface of the first optical element.

5. The optical element unit according to claim 4, wherein the first optical element is disposed ahead of the second optical element in the first direction in a case where the optical element unit is facing toward the first direction.

6. The optical element unit according to claim 3, further comprising:

a connection member having a second transmission portion configured to engage with the first transmission portion and a third transmission portion configured to interlock with the second transmission portion;

a spacer disposed configured to restrict a position of the connection member in a normal line direction of the first surface of the first optical element; and

an operating member having a fourth transmission portion configured to engage with the third transmission portion and configured to transmit the external driving force to the first optical element via the connection member; and

wherein the holding member has a fitting hole that engages with the connection member and a recess portion in which the operating member is accommodated,

wherein the fitting hole is disposed at a position ahead of the recess portion in the first direction in a case where the optical element unit is facing toward the first direction.

7. The optical element unit according to claim 6, wherein the first transmission portion to the fourth transmission portion are gears,

wherein module values of the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion are smaller than module values of the third transmission portion and the fourth transmission portion.

8. The optical element unit according to claim 7, wherein the operating member has a flange whose diameter is greater than that of a circumscribed circle of the fourth transmission portion when viewed in a normal line direction of the first surface of the first optical element.

9. The optical element unit according to claim 8, wherein the fourth transmission portion is formed ahead of the flange in the first direction in a case where the optical element unit is facing toward the first direction.

10. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein the first optical element and the second optical element are filters which transmit predetermined polarized light.

11. The optical element unit according to claim 10, wherein by relatively rotating the first optical element and the second optical element, an amount of light passing through the first optical element and the second optical element changes.

12. The optical element 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.

13. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the fourth portion and the opening portion is greater than a distance between the third portion and the opening portion in a direction vertical to a normal line direction of the first surface of the first optical element.

14. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein the second portion includes an inclined surface with respect to the first portion when viewed in a direction along which the optical element unit is inserted into the opening portion.

15. The optical element unit according to claim 1, wherein the second portion includes a protrusion with respect to the first portion when viewed in a direction along which the optical element unit is inserted into the opening portion.

16. The optical apparatus into and from which the optical element according to claim 1 is insertable and removable, wherein the optical apparatus includes an opening portion through which the optical element is insertable and removable.

17. The optical apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an imaging optical system.

18. The optical apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second portion is arranged closer to an image plane than the first portion.

19. The optical apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising an image sensor configured to receive a light through the imaging optical system.

20. The optical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the optical apparatus is detachable with an imaging system including a lens apparatus having an imaging optical system and an image pickup apparatus having an image sensor.