Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A moveable lens apparatus for digital camera includes a CCD lens
set, a first motion mechanism having a bracket pivotally holding
the lens set and a first gear set for driving the bracket and the
lens set to rotate left or right angularly, and a second motion
mechanism having a guide slidably engageable with a rear end of
the lens set, a gear rack vertically attached to the guide and a
second gear set for driving the gear rack and the guide up or down
so that the lens set may be swung pivotally up or down. The first
and second gear set may be actuated manually or by motors. The lens
set thus may be moved and rotated smoothly and precisely without
a user's hand directly touching the lens set. Digital Camera Patent Claims
We claim:
1. A moveable lens apparatus for digital camera comprising;
a camera case;
a lens set furnished within the camera case, said lens set having
a front end thereof extending out of the camera case;
a first motion mechanism including a bracket for pivotally holding
the lens set, a first gear set having at least a first gear engaging
with a shaft vertically located under the bracket and a second gear,
and a first motor engaging with the second gear for driving the
bracket and the lens set rotating about the shaft in a transverse
direction; said lens set being pivotally engaged with said bracket
and capable to swing vertically in a limited degree; and
a second motion mechanism including a transverse guide slidably
engageable with a rear end of the lens set, a gear rack vertically
attached to the guide, a second gear set enageable with the gear
rack, and a second motor for driving the second gear set to move
the gear rack, the guide and the rear end of the lens set vertically,
and to swing the lens set vertically.
2. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and
second gear sets are reduction gears.
3. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bracket is
formed in U-shape and pivotally holds the lens set at two lateral
sides at substantially the middle portion of the lens set, the shaft
extending downward of the bracket to engage with the first gear
set for rotating the lens set transversely.
4. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens set has
a bar extending out from the rear end of the lens set, one end of
the bar being slidably engageable with the guide, the guide having
a curved shape to constantly engage with the bar when the lens set
is being rotated transversely.
5. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gear rack
is attached to the guide in a middle portion thereof and forms a
substantially T-shaped manner.
6. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1 further having a control
button located on the camera case for controlling the first and
second motors.
7. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera case
has a front opening to enable the front end of the lens set to move
freely therein and an annular ring around the front end of the lens
set with a larger diameter than the front opening for covering the
front opening.
8. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 7 further having a bellows
made of soft membrane located between the lens set and the front
opening for preventing outside dust from entering into the camera
case.
9. A moveable lens apparatus for digital camera comprising:
a camera case;
a lens set furnished within the camera case, said lens set having
a front end thereof extending out of the camera case;
a first motion mechanism including a bracket for pivotally holding
the lens set and a first gear set having at least a gear engaging
with a shaft vertically fixed to the bracket and a first actuating
gear partly extending outside the camera case for actuating the
bracket and the lens set to rotate about the shaft in a transverse
direction; said lens set being pivotally engaged with said bracket
and capable to swing vertically in a limited degree ; and
a second motion mechanism including a transverse guide slidably
engageable with a rear end of the lens set, a gear rack vertically
attached to the guide, and a second actuating gear engageable with
the gear rack, the second actuating gear having a portion extending
outside the camera case for actuating the gear rack and the guide
to move vertically, and to swing the lens set vertically.
10. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gear rack
has two stoppers at both ends for limiting vertical swinging range
of the lens set; the guide having two closed ends for limiting transverse
rotation of the lens set.
11. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second actuating
gear has bulges disposed thereon for hitting stopping blocks formed
on the camera case and stopping the second actuating gear from continuously
rotating beyond a predetermined angle.
12. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 9, wherein the camera case
has a front opening to enable the front end of the lens set to move
freely therein and an annular ring around the front end of the lens
set with a larger diameter than the front opening for covering the
front opening.
13. A moveable lens apparatus of claim 9 further having a bellows
made of soft membrane located between the lens set and the front
opening for preventing outside dirt from entering into the camera
case.
Digital Camera Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a moveable lens apparatus for digital
camera (e.g., CCD camera) and particularly to a moveable lens apparatus
for digital camera that can move the camera lens freely and precisely
within a certain angular range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional digital camera such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,612,732 includes a moveable CCD camera lens which can rotate
about a shaft (i.e., an one dimensional axis rotation). During operation
of the CCD camera, a user has to use hand to move the lens directly.
Such an aspect generally results in the following disadvantages:
1. The lens is prone to smear by the hand, and thus may result
in poor image quality.
2. Adjustment by hand could easily be overdone with too strong
force and is prone to damage the lens mechanism. Hand movement also
creates vibration or dislocation of the camera, and makes fine tuning
and precise positioning of the lens difficult.
Because of aforesaid shortcomings, conventional digital camera
is mostly used in relatively low price product category. It is not
suitable for high value products which require clean lens and precise
fine tuning function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a moveable
lens apparatus for digital camera so that the lens may be moved
and fine-tuned easily up or down, and left or right without a user
using hand to move the lens directly.
According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided with
a control button for actuating two motors. The first motor drives
a first motion mechanism which includes a bracket pivotly supports
the lens and a first gear set engaged with the first motor. The
first motion mechanism provides transverse (i.e., left or right)
angular movement of the lens. The second motor drives a second motion
mechanism which includes a transverse guide, a gear rack and a second
gear set for moving the lens in vertical angular position (i.e.,
up or down). Pushing the control button, the lens may be easily
moved and fine-tuned angularly left or right, up or down without
user's hand touching the lens.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided
with two motion mechanisms with two gear sets for actuating the
lens to move in two dimensional axes. The first motion mechanism
includes a bracket pivotly supports the lens and a first gear set
for driving the bracket and the lens to rotate left or right angularly.
There is a first actuating gears in the first gear set that has
a portion extending out of the camera case to enable user's hand
to turn the first actuating gear and consequently the bracket and
the lens to rotate transversely. The second motion mechanism includes
a transverse guide, a gear rack and a second actuating gear which
has a portion extending out of the camera case. By turning the second
actuating gear, the gear rack and the guide will be moved up or
down and thus move the lens upward or downward angularly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understood
by the following detailed description and drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a first embodiment
of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically showing a second embodiment
of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the moveable lens apparatus
for a camera 1, preferably a digital camera, according to this invention.
It includes a lens set 10, a first motion mechanism 20 for moving
the lens set 10 in angular transversely, a second mechanism 30 for
moving the lens set 10 in angular vertically, and a control button
2 for controlling the first and second motion mechanisms 20 and
30. All of this are housed within a camera case.
The lens set 10 includes a composite lens unit and a charged couple
device (CCD) (not shown in the figures) for capturing and transforming
outside objects into an image and digital signals. The lens set
10 is furnished inside the case of the camera 1 while having a front
end thereof extending out of the camera 1. The first motion mechanism
20 includes an U-shaped bracket 21 for holding the lens set 10,
a first gear set 24 which may be a reduction gear and a motor 23
for driving the first gear set 24. The lens set 10 is pivotally
held by the bracket 21 via two pivotal studs 211 located on two
lateral sides thereof such that the lens set 10 is capable to swing
vertically about the studs 211 in a limited degree. The bracket
21 further has a vertical shaft 22 extending downward to engage
with the first gear set 24. Therefore when the motor 23 is activated
and drives the first gear set 24, the bracket 21 and consequently
the lens set 10 will be rotated transversely left or right.
The second motion mechanism 30 includes a transverse guide 31 in
curved shape with a groove inside allowing an end of a bar 11 extending
from the rear end of the lens set 10 to slide therein transversely,
a gear rack 32 vertically attached to the guide 31 in substantially
a "T" shape manner, a second gear set 34 which may be
a reduction gear and a second motor 33 engaging with the second
gear set 34. When the second motor 33 is activated and drives the
second gear set 34 to rotate, the gear rack 32 and the guide 31
will be moved vertically up or down, consequently the lens set 10
will be swung angularly up or down about the pivotal studs 211.
The gear rack 32 may have a pair of stoppers (not shown in the figures)
disposed at both ends thereof to limit the up or down movement location
of the guide 31. Both ends of the guide 31 may be closed to limit
the transverse rotation angle of the lens set 10.
The control button 2 may be a cross-shaped button located on the
outside surface of the camera case and is wired to the first and
second motors 23 and 33. Upon pressing the control button 2, the
motors 23 and 33 will be actuated to rotate in a desired direction
transversely or vertically, so that the lens sets 10 may be directed
to an angular position desired. The lens set thus may be adjusted
to a desired angle without user's hand touching lens set directly.
FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of this invention that is
manually driven instead of motor-driven. Equivalent components as
shown in FIG. 1 will be indicated by same numerals. The moveable
lens set apparatus includes a lens set 10a which has a composite
lens unit and a CCD located therein, a first motion mechanism 20a
for driving the lens set 10a to rotate angularly left or right,
and a second motion mechanism 30a for driving the lens set 10a to
rotate angularly up or down.
The first motion mechanism 20a includes an U-shaped bracket 21a
for pivotally holding the lens set 10a between a pair of pivotal
studs 211a, and transmission gears 26, 27 and 28. The bracket 21a
has a shaft 22a vertically extending downward for engaging with
the gear 26. The gear 28 is the first actuating gear which has a
portion extending out of the camera case 1a. Therefore when a user
turns the gear 28 by hand, the gear 26, the shaft 22a and the bracket
21a will be driven to rotate angularly left or right, consequently
the lens set 10a will also be moved left or right simultaneously.
The second motion mechanism 30a includes a transverse guide 31a
with a groove inside for slidably engaging with an end of a bar
11a extending from the rear end of the lens set 10a, a gear rack
32a vertically attached to the guide 31a and a second actuating
gear 36 which is engaged with the gear rack 32a. The second actuating
gear 36 has a portion extending out of the case of the camera 1a.
Therefore when a user turns the second actuating gear 36 by hand,
the gear rack 32a and the guide 31a will be moved up or down, consequently
the lens set 10a will be moved up or down angularly about the pivotal
studs 211a. At both ends of the gear rack 32a, there may be provided
with protrusive stoppers 321 as rotation limit of the second actuating
gear 36, so that the guide 31a and the end of the bar 11a will always
engage. The second actuating gear 36 may also have a bulge 37 which
will hit a stopping block 38 which is fixed to the camera case 1
and stop the rotation of the gear 36 at a preset angle. In addition,
both ends of the guide 31a may also be closed to limit the transverse
rotation angle of the lens set 10a.
The camera case 1a has a front opening 14 to allow the lens set
10a to be disposed therein. The front end of the lens set 10a extends
out of the camera case 1a from the front opening 14 and is able
to move freely. An annular ring 12 which has a larger diameter than
the opening 14 may be disposed around the lens set 10a at a position
outside the camera case 1a. The annular ring 12 is coupled with
the lens set 10a in such a manner that it will neither separate
from the lens set 10a nor obstruct movement of the lens set 10a.
In addition, the annular ring 12 is large enough that it is capable
to keep covering the opening 14 no matter the lens set 10a is moved
to which position of the opening 14. A bellows 13 made of soft membrane
(such as soft cloth or soft plastic sheet or the like) may be disposed
in the gap formed between the opening 14 and the lens set 10a. Both
the annular ring 12 and bellows 13 are used to prevent outside dusts
or dirts from entering into the camera.
It is to be understood that the descriptions and preferred embodiments
set forth above are only to serve for illustrative purpose, and
do not intent to limit the scope of the present invention. Various
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
For example the location of the lens set and motors may be set
at any desirable positions rather than the ones shown in FIG. 1.
The location of the first and second motion mechanisms shown in
FIG. 1 may also be placed wherever suitable within the camera case.
As a summary, this invention provides a simple and effective mechanism
which enables a user to adjust and fine tune the lens set of a digital
camera to a desired angle and a precise position easily and conveniently
without directly moving the lens set by hand.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth
for purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment
of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur
to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are
intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit
and scope of the invention.
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