Patent Application
20230308627
The present disclosure relates to a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus.
Conventionally, interchangeable lenses for stereoscopic imaging have been known as lens apparatuses. For example, each of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. (“JPs”) 2012-3022 and 2012-113281 discloses a lens apparatus in which two optical systems are parallelly arranged and two image circles are parallelly imaged on one image sensor. When images with parallax are to be captured, it is necessary to adjust focus for each of the two optical systems. For example, JP 2009-175498 discloses binoculars in which one operation member switches between a mechanism that moves one optical system so as to adjust left and right diopters and a mechanism that moves both optical systems so as to adjust focus.
However, in the binoculars disclosed in JP 2009-175498, the same operation member needs to switch between the simultaneous focus adjustment for the left- and right-eye optical systems and the relative focus adjustment for the left- and right-eye optical systems. Therefore, the operation is complicated, and erroneous operation makes it difficult to properly adjust the focus.
The present disclosure provides a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus each of which can properly adjust focus of a plurality of optical systems with a simple operation.
A lens apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first optical system, a second optical system, a first focus adjusting unit, and a second focus adjusting unit. The first focus adjusting unit is configured to simultaneously adjust focus of the first optical system and the second optical system. The second focus adjusting unit is configured to adjust a relative shift of focus positions of the first optical system and the second optical system. The first focus adjusting unit is connected to both the first optical system and the second optical system. The second focus adjusting unit is connected to one of the first optical system and the second optical system.
A lens apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first optical system, a second optical system, and a holding member. The holding member is configured to hold the first optical system and the second optical system. Each of the first optical system and the second optical system is a bending optical system including a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface. Each of the first optical system and the second optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first optical axis, a second optical axis of light reflected by the first reflective surface, and a third optical axis of light reflected by the second reflective surface. A line connecting the first optical axis of the first optical system and the first optical axis of the second optical system orthogonally intersects each of (i) a first connecting surface on which the first optical system is connected to the holding member and (ii) a second connecting surface on which the second optical system is connected to the holding member.
A lens apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an optical system, a holding member, a position adjusting unit, a guide portion, a first biasing member, and a second biasing member. The holding member is configured to hold the optical system. The position adjusting unit is configured to adjust the optical system movably with respect to the holding member. The guide portion is configured to guide the optical system in an adjustment direction. The first biasing member is configured to bias the optical system against the holding member. The second biasing member is disposed on an opposite side to the position adjusting unit across an optical axis of the optical system and is configured to bias the optical system simultaneously in (i) the adjustment direction and (ii) a direction orthogonally intersecting the adjustment direction on a same plane as a plane of the adjustment direction.
An image pickup apparatus including any of the above image pickup apparatus also constitute another aspect of the present disclosure.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description is given of embodiments according to the present disclosure.
A lens apparatus (interchangeable lens) according to each embodiment includes two optical systems (first optical system and second optical system) arranged parallelly (symmetrically) to each other, and is configured to form two image circles on one image sensor. The two optical systems are arranged horizontally and are separated from each other by a predetermined distance (base length). In a view from an image side, an image formed by a right optical system (first optical system) is recorded as a motion image or a still image for a right eye, and an image formed by a left optical system (second optical system) is recorded as a motion image or a still image for a left eye. When a motion image or a still image (image) is reproduced, and a viewer (user) views it using a known three-dimensional display or a so-called VR head-mounted display, a viewer's (user's) right eye views the image for the right eye, and a viewer's left eye views the image for the left eye. At this time, depending on the base length of the lens apparatus, the right eye and the left eye view images with parallax, and the viewer can feel a stereoscopic effect. The lens apparatus according to each embodiment is a lens apparatus (stereoscopic image pickup lens) for stereoscopic imaging in which the first optical system and the second optical system can form two images with parallax. The lens apparatus according to each embodiment may be integrally configured with an image pickup apparatus.
First, a description is given of a lens apparatus (interchangeable lens) 200 according to a first embodiment with reference to
The lens apparatus 200 includes the right-eye optical system (first optical system) 201R and the left-eye optical system (second optical system) 201L. Each of the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L can form an image of an angle of view of 180 degrees or more. Each optical system is a bending optical system and includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first optical axis OA1, a second optical axis OA2 substantially orthogonal to the first optical axis OA1, and a third optical axis OA3 parallel to the first optical axis OA1. Each optical system includes, along respective optical axes, a first lens unit 211 having a lens surface 211A convex to the object side and disposed on the first optical axis OA1, a second lens unit 221 disposed on the second optical axis OA2, and third lens units 231 and 231-2 disposed on the third optical axis OA3. Each lens unit includes one or a plurality of lenses. Each optical system includes a first prism (first reflecting surface) 220 that bends a light beam on the first optical axis OA1 and guides it to the second optical axis OA2, and a second prism (second reflecting surface) 230 that bends the light beam on the second optical axis OA2 and guides it to the third optical axis OA3. In the following description, the optical axis direction is a direction of the first optical axis OA1, which is a direction extending toward the object side and the image pickup plane side (image side).
Each optical system of the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L is fixed to a lens top base (holding member) 300 by tightening a screw or the like. The lens top base 300 is fixed to a lens bottom base 301 by tightening a screw or the like. A transitioning structure (not illustrated) holds the lens bottom base 301 movably forward and backward in the optical axis direction while limiting a movement of the lens bottom base 301 in a rotational direction. Thereby, the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L can move forward and backward integrally in the optical axis direction, and focus positions of the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L can be simultaneously adjusted.
Next, a description is given of the first lens unit 211 and its peripheral configuration with reference to
The lens apparatus 200 includes an exterior cover member 203 for accommodating the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L, and a front side of the lens apparatus 200 is covered with a front surface exterior member 204 that functions as a lid. The front surface exterior member 204 is screwed and fixed to the exterior cover member 203. The front surface exterior member 204 includes openings 204F, and a first lens unit 211R of the right-eye optical system 201R and a first lens unit 211L of the left-eye optical system 201L respectively enter the openings 204F.
The front surface exterior member 204 has a shape that does not block an effective light beam from an effective angle of view of 180 degrees or more of each of the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L. Each of the first lens units 211R and 211L includes, on the object side, a lens surface 211A which also serves as an incident surface of the effective light beam. An inner side of an effective incident surface outer circumference 211C of the lens surface 211A of the first lens unit 211 is referred to as an effective incident surface 211B. A light beam from a direction of 180 degrees extends parallelly to the effective incident surface 211B of the first lens unit 211 and to a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis OA1 of the first lens unit 211. A light beam from a direction of more than 180 degrees is emitted from a position on the image pickup plane side of the effective incident surface 211B of the first lens unit 211, and extends toward the image pickup plane side as the distance from the first lens unit 211 increases. Therefore, in order not to block the light beam from the direction of more than 180 degrees, the front surface exterior member 204 has a surface shape such that its surface is located on the image pickup plane side of the effective incident surface 211B of the first lens unit 211. Similarly, the cover member 213 is located on the image pickup plane side of the effective incident surface 211B.
A detailed description is given with reference to
In order to form the opening 204F on the front surface exterior member 204, the front surface exterior member 204 includes wall shapes 204C and 204D that project from the surface shape 204A and the surface shape 204B, respectively. The wall shape 204C has an arc shape that is substantially coaxial with the first lens unit 211R of the right-eye optical system 201R, and does not block the effective light beam of the right-eye optical system 201R, but blocks part of the effective light beam of the left-eye optical system 201L. Similarly, the wall shape 204D has an arc shape that is substantially coaxial with the first lens unit 211L of the left-eye optical system 201L, and does not block the effective light beam of the left-eye optical system 201L, but blocks part of the effective light beam of the right-eye optical system 201R.
Next, a description is given of the first lens units 211R and 211L that enter the openings 204F of the front surface exterior member 204 and their peripheral configurations. As illustrated in
On an outer circumferential side, the effective incident surface outer circumference 211C of the first lens unit 211 has a boundary 211D with the lens surface 211A. The boundary 211D is a boundary between a side surface 211E and the lens surface 211A of each of the first lens units 211R and 211L. Alternatively, as illustrated in
X=(ΦB−ΦA)/2 (1)
Covering the boundary 211D in this way is expected to improve appearance quality. The cover member 213 is positioned in the optical axis direction with respect to the lens holding member 212, and a predetermined backlash Y is provided in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The predetermined backlash Y is smaller than the overlap amount X of the cover member 213, and therefore the boundary 211D is not moved to an inner side of the opening 213A of the cover member 213 even when members shift by the backlash amount.
As illustrated in
In this way, since the position of the cover member 213 is fixed (determined or specified) relatively to (with respect to) the lens holding member 212 in the optical axis direction, the cover member 213 can move forward and backward in the optical axis direction integrally with the lens holding member 212. The outer circumference of the cover member 213 is fitted into the inner circumference of the opening 204F of the front surface exterior member 204. Here, a backlash in the fitting of the circumferences is very small and smaller than the predetermined backlash Y.
The cover member 213 includes a rotation limiting key 213C, and the front surface exterior member 204 includes a rotation limiting groove 204E corresponding to the rotation limiting key 213C. When the front surface exterior member 204 is joined, the rotation limiting key 213C of the cover member 213 is inserted into the rotation limiting groove 204E of the front surface exterior member 204, which limits a rotation of the cover member 213. Hence, in the above-described bayonet configuration, it is possible to prevent the cover member 213 from rotating and coming off the lens holding member 212. Here, the relation in the rotation limiting structure may be opposite, and the cover member 213 may include a rotation limiting groove and the front surface exterior member 204 may include a rotation limiting key.
The cover member 213 has a surface 213D facing the image pickup plane side, and the lens holding member 212 has a surface 212B facing the object side and facing the surface 213D. An optical axis direction sealing member 214 for providing drip-proof and dustproof function is sandwiched between the surface 213D and the surface 212B. Each of the surface 213D and the surface 212B may be formed over the entire circumference, but may be formed on part thereof. By sandwiching the optical axis direction sealing member 214 in the optical axis direction, the cover member 213 and the lens holding member 212 are biased in the optical axis direction, which reduces a backlash in the optical axis direction.
In order that the predetermined backlash Y is ensured, the optical axis direction sealing member 214 is arranged with a predetermined clearance larger than the backlash Y, and thereby the optical axis direction sealing member 214 is not sandwiched in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction. The optical axis direction sealing member 214 is made of a material that can be elastically deformed, such as rubber and sponge, and can absorb a shift by the amount of the backlash Y in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis direction between the lens holding member 212 of the cover member 213.
A radial direction sealing member 215 for providing drip-proof and dustproof function is sandwiched between the cover member 213 and the opening 204F in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The radial direction sealing member 215 on the right-eye optical system 201R side is located at a position such that the radial direction sealing member 215 blocks the effective light beam of the left-eye optical system 201L. The radial direction sealing member 215 on the left-eye optical system 201L side is located at a position such that the radial direction sealing member 215 blocks the effective light beam of the right-eye optical system 201R.
The above configuration enables stereoscopic imaging of an angle of view of 180 degrees or more, and maintenance of the appearance quality and dustproof and drip-proof performance. Since the lens holding member 212 is not directly fitted into the opening 204F of the front surface exterior member 204, the position of the lens holding member 212 is not changed even in a case where the position is shifted by an effect of a manufacturing error or the like. Therefore, the optical performance and a relative error between the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L are not changed by joining the front surface exterior member 204.
The optical system according to this embodiment is an all-around fisheye lens, and the image formed on the image pickup plane is a circular image that images a range of the angle of view of more than 180 degrees. As illustrated in
For example, a sensor size is 24 mm in length×36 mm in width, a diameter of the image circle is Φ17 mm, a separation distance L2 between the third optical axes OA3R and OA3L is 18 mm, and the length of the second optical axis OA2 is 21 mm. In a case where each optical system is arranged so that the second optical axis OA2 extends in the horizontal direction, the base length L1 illustrated in
L1>ΦD>L2 (2)
When an image is viewed as VR, it is said that an angle of view that provides a stereoscopic effect is about 120 degrees. However, in a case where the angle of view is 120 degrees, the stereoscopic effect becomes unnatural, and therefore the angle of view is often widened to 180 degrees. Since the effective angle of view is more than 180 degrees in this embodiment, the size ΦD3 of the image circle in the range of 180 degrees satisfies the relation expressed by the following inequality (3).
ΦD2>ΦD3 (3)
As described above, although the wall shape 204D is included within the effective angle of view, the wall shape 204D is located at a position such that the wall shape 204D has almost no effect on imaging for actual VR use.
The lens apparatus 200 includes the right-eye optical system 201R, the left-eye optical system 201L, and a lens system controlling unit 209. The camera main body 110 includes an image sensor 111, an A/D converter 112, an image processing unit 113, a display unit 114, an operation unit 115, a memory unit 116, a main body system controlling unit 117, and a camera mount 122. When the lens apparatus 200 is attached to a camera mount 122 of the camera main body 110 via a lens mount portion 202, the main body system controlling unit 117 and the lens system controlling unit 209 are electrically connected.
An image of an object is formed on the image sensor 111 in a manner that a right-eye image formed via the right-eye optical system 201R and a left-eye image formed via the left-eye optical system 201L are arranged side by side. The image sensor 111 converts the image (optical signal) of the imaged object into an analog electric signal. The A/D converter 112 converts the analog electric signal output from the image sensor 111 into a digital electric signal (image signal). The image processing unit 113 performs various image processing on the digital electric signal (image signal) output from the A/D converter 112.
The display unit 114 displays various information. The display unit 114 is realized by providing, for example, an electronic viewfinder and a liquid crystal panel. The operation unit 115 has a function as a user interface for a user to give an instruction to the image pickup apparatus 100. In a case where the display unit 114 includes a touch panel, the touch panel also serves as part of the operation unit 115. The memory unit 116 stores various data such as image data processed by the image processing unit 113. The memory unit 116 also stores a program. The memory unit 116 is realized by providing, for example, a ROM, a RAM, and an HDD. The main body system controlling unit 117 controls the entire image pickup apparatus 100. The main body system controlling unit 117 is realized by providing, for example, a CPU.
Next, a description is given of a second embodiment.
The image pickup apparatus 100 is an image pickup apparatus having a so-called interchangeable lens mount and includes a single image sensor 111. The lens apparatus 200 is a lens apparatus including a right-eye optical system 201R and a left-eye optical system 201L as described above. In the lens apparatus 200 according to this embodiment, the left- and right-eye optical systems are attached to a lens top base (holding member) 300.
The left-eye optical system 201L is fixed to the lens top base 300. On the other hand, the right-eye optical system 201R is supported movably in a direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111 with respect to the lens top base 300. As a result, the left-eye optical system 201L and the right-eye optical system 201R can move relatively to each other in the direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111. The right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L according to this embodiment are the same optical systems, are configured as lens units whose imaging optical systems (image pickup optical system) are integrated, and are capable of adjusting focus by extending and contracting the entire optical systems. The lens apparatus 200 are to be used for creating parallax images as described above. Hence, if the left- and right-eye optical systems are different, or if a configuration is such that part of the lenses in the entire optical systems serves as a focus lens, optical characteristic may be different between left and right images, and as a result, the left and right images may become unnatural parallax images.
In this embodiment, since each of the left- and right-eye optical systems are configured such that focus is adjusted by extending and contracting the entire optical system as described above, the difference can be reduced between characteristics of the optical systems of the left and right lenses. In this embodiment, the left-eye optical system 201L is referred to as a first optical system, and the right-eye optical system 201R is referred to as a second optical system. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the first optical system and the second optical system may be the opposite optical systems, respectively, and the optical systems may be optical systems arranged vertically instead of the optical systems arranged on the left and right.
The image pickup apparatus 100 includes a lens mount portion 202, and the lens apparatus 200 is attached via the lens mount portion 202. Therefore, the image sensor 111 in the image pickup apparatus 100 is arranged parallelly to the lens mount portion 202. However, it is difficult to make this arrangement completely parallel due to a manufacturing error, and the image sensor 111 is fixed while the image sensor 111 is slightly tilted with respect to (relatively to) the lens mount portion 202.
On the other hand, adjusting the flange backs of the left- and right-eye optical systems every imaging would cause a miss of imaging opportunity by taking time for an adjustment work, and would make the operation complicated. For avoiding this, a configuration needs to be such that focusing operation can be performed quickly and accurately by a simple method. Therefore, this embodiment provides the lens top base 300 that holds the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L and a first focus adjusting unit (focus ring) 400 that drives the lens top base 300 in the axial direction orthogonal to the image pickup plane. The first focus adjusting unit 400 allows the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L to be simultaneously moved in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111, and enables simultaneous focus adjustment of the left- and right-eye optical systems while they are held together. The first focus adjusting unit 400 is attached to an exterior cover member 203, and therefore the user can operate the first focus adjusting unit 400.
Similarly, the user can operate a second focus adjusting unit 500 also attached to the exterior cover member 203, and the second focus adjusting unit 500 is connected to the right-eye optical system 201R and can move the right-eye optical system 201R in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111. The second focus adjusting unit 500 adjusts a relative shift between focus positions of the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L.
Since the user can operate them independently, the user can adjust, by using the second focus adjusting unit 500, the flange backs of the left- and right-eye optical systems of the lens apparatus 200 depending on the tilt of the image sensor 111 in the image pickup apparatus 100 that the user owns. In imaging, if the relative shift is adjusted between the flange back positions of the left- and right-eye optical systems in advance, the in-focus operation can be quickly performed simultaneously on both the left- and right-eye optical systems by adjustment only using the first focus adjusting unit 400. Both the first focus adjusting unit 400 and the second focus adjusting unit 500 are rotatably held by the exterior cover member 203, and both of them are fixed so that they do not move in an in-focus direction. The in-focus direction in this embodiment is the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor.
Next, with reference to
The right-eye optical system 201R is held movably in the direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111 with respect to the lens top base 300. On the other hand, the left-eye optical system 201L is fixed to the lens top base 300. The lens top base 300 is fixed to a lens bottom base 301 with a screw or the like. The lens bottom base 301 includes a cam follower portion 301a at each of three locations. The cam follower portion 301a is in contact with a cam member 302 described below, and therefore the lens bottom base 301 can be driven in the direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111. The cam member 302 is engaged with and held by an exterior member 303. The cam member 302 is engaged with the first focus adjusting unit (focus ring) 400 at a key portion 302a, and therefore the user can rotate the cam member 302 connected to an inside of the lens apparatus 200 by rotating the first focus adjusting unit 400. The first focus adjusting unit 400 is sandwiched between the exterior member 303 and the cover member 304 so that the first focus adjusting unit 400 is held in a radial direction by the exterior member and is rotatably held in the axial direction by being sandwiched between the two members. When the cam member 302 is rotated, the lens bottom base 301 moves along a slope portion 302b provided on the cam member 302, the left- and right-eye optical systems become movable in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111, and the focus of the left- and right-eye optical system can be adjusted.
The right-eye optical system 201R is driven in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111 while the right-eye optical system 201R is connected to the second focus adjusting unit 500 described below. Each of the left- and right-eye optical systems are fixed to the lens top base 300. However, the right-eye optical system 201R can be driven in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111, the relative focus of the left- and right-eye optical systems can be adjusted by the second focus adjusting unit 500, and focus of both the left- and right-eye optical systems can be integrally adjusted by the first focus adjusting unit 400.
Next, with reference to
As in
A surface on which two members of the lens top base 300 and the base prism bottom 311R are mated (that is, a surface on which the right-eye optical system 201R is connected to the lens top base 300) is referred to as a connecting surface (first connecting surface) 312R. Similarly, a surface on which two members of the lens top base 300 and the base prism bottom 311L are mated (that is, a surface on which the left-eye optical system 201L is connected to the lens top base 300) is referred to as a connecting surface (second connecting surface) 312L. The connecting surface 312L (R) is disposed in a direction orthogonal to a line OA1 that connects the two first optical axes OA1L and OA1R along a direction orthogonal to the first optical axis OA1L (R). The connecting surface 312L (R) is disposed parallelly to the first optical axis OA1L (R) and the third optical axis OA3L (R), and is located between the first optical axis OA1L (R) and the third optical axis OA3L (R). Such an arrangement can improve space efficiency and allows a circuit board 310 to be disposed between the two connecting surfaces 312L and 312R. The connecting surface 312L (R) is disposed orthogonally to the second optical axis OA2L (R).
Next, with reference to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, a description is given of a relation between weight, frictional force, and spring (relation of load balance) generated between the lens top base 300 and the right-eye optical system 201R with reference to
μN+mg<k2x2+k3x3 (4)
N=3×(k1x1) (5)
In a case where the first tension spring 507 is not included, the following conditional expressions (4a) and (5a) may be satisfied. In the conditional expression (5a), N represents a sum of the spring constants of the three compression springs 502a to 502c.
μN+mg<k2x2 (4a)
N=k1x1 (5a)
In a case where the first tension spring 507 is included, the following conditional expressions (4b) and (5b) may be satisfied. In the conditional expression (5a), N represents the sum of the spring constants of the three compression springs 502a to 502c.
μN+mg<k2x2+k3x3 (4b)
N=k1x1 (5b)
With such a load balance, the decentering-rotating member 503 and the right-eye optical system 201R are always in contact with each other without rattling, regardless of an orientation or a position of the lens apparatus 200. Therefore, a problem does not occur such that a lens unit of the right-eye optical system 201R does not follow the adjustment by the decentering-rotating member 503. The above-described configuration allows the user to move the right-eye optical system 201R as intended without rattling, even in a case where an adjustment unit is located at a position away from the optical axis. Similarly, the left-eye optical system 201L is also in contact with and attached to a base prism bottom 311L as a mounting surface of the lens top base 300, is provided with the same adjustment mechanism as that of the right-eye optical system 201R, and is configured to be slidable in the direction parallel to the optical axis.
The second focus adjusting unit, which is described below, is connected to the right-eye optical system 201R and thereby the user can externally adjust the right-eye optical system 201R. If, in an assembly process of the lens apparatus 200, the left-eye optical system 201L is also configured so that the left-eye optical system 201L can be adjusted, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in adjusting the position during assembly. The right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L are slidably attached to the lens top base 300 via no component disposed in between, the relative tilt and decentering are reduced between the left- and right-eye optical systems 201R and 201L during focus adjustment. In this embodiment, the description is given of the decentering-rotating member as an example of an adjusting member for adjusting the focus position of the optical system, but the adjusting member may not be the decentering-rotating member. Although the description is given of the rolling bearing as an example of a straight guiding member, the straight guiding member is not limited to this, and may be a bar member that guides the optical system in a straight direction.
Next, a detailed description is given of the second focus adjusting unit 500 with reference to
Next, with reference to
As described above, the first guide portion 526a, which is the tip of the adjusting pin 526, and the second guide portion 524a provided on the connecting member 524 are held in an engaged state. On the other hand, the connecting member 524 includes a third guide portion 524b on a side facing the second guide portion 524a. In this embodiment, the second guide portion 524a is formed as a hole having a long groove shape, while the third guide portion 524b is formed as a protrusion having a key shape. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and the shapes of the groove and the protrusion may be exchanged. The third guide portion 524b is engaged with a fourth guide portion 503a provided on the decentering-rotating member 503.
Here, the second guide portion 524a and the third guide portion 524b in the connecting member 524 are arranged in directions intersecting each other. In this embodiment, the second guide portion 524a and the third guide portion 524b are arranged in directions orthogonal to each other. Therefore, a direction in which the connecting member 524 can engage with and move relatively to the adjusting pin 526 is a direction orthogonal to the shaft of the adjusting pin 526, and a direction in which the connecting member 524 can move with respect to the decentering-rotating member 503 is a direction orthogonal to those. As a result, even in a case where a positional relation between the exterior cover member 203 and the right-eye optical system 201R is changed by the operation on the first focus adjusting unit 400, the right-eye optical system 201R can be independently moved in the directions orthogonal to the image sensor 111 by rotating the adjusting pin 526.
A description will be given later of a connection form when the first focus adjusting unit 400 and the second focus adjusting unit 500 are operated. With the above-described configuration, when the user rotates the adjusting pin 526, the rotation (rotational driving force) can be transmitted to the decentering-rotating member 503. As described above, the decentering-rotating member 503 can move the right-eye optical system 201R by rotating itself and moving the contact portion with the decentered right-eye optical system 201R in the axial direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111. This makes it possible to change the relative positional relation between the right-eye optical system 201R and the left-eye optical system 201L that is fixed to the lens top base 300.
The decentering-rotating member 503 is provided with a friction holding force by being biased against the lens top base 300 by a biasing spring 527 and a stopper pin 528. This makes it possible to prevent the right-eye optical system 201R from being easily moved by an unintended shock or the like. In this embodiment, a description is given of the second focus adjusting unit 500 connected to the right-eye optical system 201R as an example, but the left-eye optical system 201L may be also provided with a focus adjusting mechanism, and the left-eye optical system 201L may be connected to the second focus adjusting unit 500. Alternatively, each of the left- and right-eye optical systems may be provided with a mechanism that allows the user to rotate the adjusting pin 526 so as to adjust each of them from the outside.
Next, with reference to
Next, with reference to
The decentering-rotating member 503 is held by the lens top base 300 as described above. Therefore, by operating the first focus adjusting unit 400, the lens top base 300 is moved in the direction orthogonal to the image sensor 111, and the decentering-rotating member 503 attached to the lens top base 300 is also moved integrally. Here, an arrow AX in
The decentering-rotating member 503 and the connecting member 524 are engaged in a key-long groove relationship at the third guide portion 524b and the fourth guide portion 503a, which limits the above-described motion in the X direction. Therefore, when the decentering-rotating member 503 is driven in the direction of the arrow AX by the first focus adjusting unit 400 as described above, the connecting member 524 also moves in the direction of the arrow AX accordingly. A point A represents a rotation center point of the decentering-rotating member 503 and a point B represents a rotation center of the adjusting pin 526 engaged with the connecting member 524. The points A and B are located on the same position in a neutral position.
On the other hand, in the state (1) and the state (2), since the point B is the rotation center of the adjusting pin 526, the point B is always located at the same position, but the point A moves in the direction of the arrow AX together with the driving of the first focus adjusting unit 400. The second guide portion 524a provided on the connecting member 524 is the groove extending in the X direction described above, and the first guide portion 526a provided on the adjusting pin 526 has a key shape that engages with the second guide portion 524a. Therefore, the connecting member 524 has a degree of freedom in the X direction in
On the other hand, in a state where the adjusting pin 526 is rotated from the neutral position and the first focus adjusting unit 400 is driven as in the state (3), driving of the first focus adjusting unit 400 moves the decentering-rotating member 503 in the X direction, and therefore the connecting member 524 is driven in the X direction. On the other hand, the point B, which is the rotation center of the adjusting pin 526, is always located at the same position, and the first guide portion 526a provided on the adjusting pin 526 engages with the third guide portion 524b of the connecting member 524. Therefore, the point B needs to be located on the axis in the X direction, which is a center line of the third guide portion 524b. Since the connecting member 524 has a degree of freedom in motions in the X and Y directions, the connecting member 524 can always maintain the connecting states with the adjusting pin 526 and with the decentering-rotating member 503 even when the first focus adjusting unit 400 and/or the second focus adjusting unit 500 is operated. Therefore, the first focus adjusting unit 400 and the second focus adjusting unit 500 can be operated independently of each other.
Next, a description is given of a third embodiment. This embodiment is a modification example of the right-eye (left-eye) adjusting mechanism (position adjusting mechanism) with respect to the lens top base 300 according to the second embodiment described with reference to
A decentering-rotating member 603 is rotatably attached to a lens top base 300 by a shoulder screw 604, and at the same time, an outer circumference of the decentering-rotating member 603 is fitted into a hole portion 751 of a right-eye optical system 201R. In the decentering-rotating member 603, an outer shape center is decentered from a rotation center, as in the second embodiment. Therefore, by rotating the decentering-rotating member 603, the right-eye optical system 201R can be adjusted in an optical axis direction while the right-eye optical system 201R slides on the lens top base 300 by a decentering amount of the outer shape center relative to the rotation center. When the decentering-rotating member 603 rotates, the right-eye optical system 201R is moved in the optical axis direction with respect to the lens top base 300 by the decentering-rotating member 603 coming into contact with a D-cut portion 751a of a hole portion 751. Two rolling bearings 605a and 605b are arranged parallelly to an optical axis direction so that the right-eye optical system 201R can be moved parallelly to the optical axis direction by rotating the decentering-rotating member 603. The rolling bearings 605a and 605b are rotatably attached to the lens top base 300.
The two rolling bearings 605a and 605b are simultaneously fitted into straight guide portions 752a, 752b, 753a, and 753b of guide holes 752 and 753 of the right-eye optical system 201R, and function as a straight guide portion for moving the right-eye optical system 201R in the direction parallel to the optical axis. As illustrated in
According to each embodiment, it is possible to provide a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus that can properly adjust focus of a plurality of optical systems with a simple operation.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-143660, filed on Sep. 3, 2021, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-158477, filed on Sep. 28, 2021, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-143660 | Sep 2021 | JP | national |
| 2021-158477 | Sep 2021 | JP | national |
