Optical device having blur correction function

• US 7,702,227 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Takehiko, Ogino, Shigeru, Ito, Sawako, Kato, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US11/464,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 396 52- 55, 348/208.99, 348/208.1, 348/208.2, 348/208.3, 348/208.4, 348/208.5, 348/208.6, 348/208.7, 348/208.11, 348/208.13, 359/555, 359/557
• 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 blur correcting 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 said lens holding member in the direction along the plane,

wherein said actuator includes holding member, and two actuator elements, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member, and

said connecting member is sandwiched between each end of said two actuator elements in the direction along the plane,

said connecting member adheres to each end of said two actuator elements,

each of the other ends of said two actuator elements adheres said holding member, and

said lens holding member moves in the direction along the plane by elastic deformation of said two actuator elements in the direction along the plane.

2. An optical device comprising:

a motion-blur detecting sensor that receives light from a shooting optical system;

a motion-blur detecting sensor holding member that holds motion-blur detecting sensor 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 motion-blur detection sensor holding member in the direction along the plane,

wherein said holding member, and two actuator elements, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the motion-blur detecting sensor holding member, and

said connecting member is sandwiched between each end of said actuator elements in the direction along the plane,

said connecting member adheres to each end of said actuator elements,

each of the other ends of said actuator elements adheres to said holding member, and

said actuator including holding member moves in the direction along the plane by elastic deformation of said actuator elements in the direction along the plane.