Patent Application
20050180742
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image photographing apparatus which captures image information and records and stores the captured image, and more particularly, to a motor to drive an iris diaphragm, an iris diaphragm driving apparatus, and a camera apparatus having the same therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A camcorder is a representative example of an image recording/reproducing apparatus, which is capable of capturing not only still images but also motion images. The camcorder generally includes a camera device, a signal converter, a deck device to record/reproduce captured images, and a display device. Also, the camcorder usually records captured image information by the use of cassette tapes as a recording medium.
Recently, research and development have been actively undertaken to develop a compact-sized image information recording/reproducing apparatus making use of, for example, a hard disk drive. Because the recording/reproducing apparatus with an installed hard disk drive does not need a separate deck device, the goal of making the apparatus compact is obtained.
Meanwhile, the camera device of a camcorder is installed in the camcorder body as one unit module. The camera device generally includes a lens barrel that houses various lenses such as focusing lens and zoom lens therein. Additionally, a motor is usually included in the lens barrel to drive the focusing lens and the zoom lens.
An iris diaphragm adjusts the amount of light entering the lens barrel. The iris diaphragm is moved by a separate driving motor to adjust the amount of entering light. The driving motor is installed outside the lens barrel.
In the conventional construction as described above, a plurality of drive motors are installed outside the lens barrel. When considering a need to install a lens drive motor into account, reducing the size of the camera device is quite difficult.
Additionally, the lens barrel usually takes on a cylindrical configuration, and has a limitation in design in an appearance thereof. That is, considering that a driving motor is mounted on the lens barrel, the lens barrel has an angular outer configuration.
Therefore, an aspect of the present invention provides a motor to drive an iris diaphragm of a camera apparatus and an iris diaphragm driving apparatus, which may be installed within a lens barrel and may therefore provide improved structure and compactness, and a camera apparatus having the same installed therein.
Accordingly, to an aspect of the invention, a motor to drive an iris diaphragm during an adjustment of an amount of light entering a lens barrel, comprises: a motor housing formed within the lens barrel to provide a light path; a stator assembly supported in the motor housing; and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator assembly to move the iris diaphragm as a result of a movement of the rotor, the rotor having a center aperture through which a light passes.
The motor housing rotatably supports the iris diaphragm.
The rotor comprises a driving pin to move the iris diaphragm with the movement thereof.
The motor housing comprises: a shaft boss to rotatably support the iris diaphragm; and a guide part to guide the movement of the driving pin.
Further, a housing cover is attached to the motor housing to prevent the iris diaphragm from releasing from the shaft boss and the driving pin.
The housing cover comprises: an engagement hole corresponding to the shaft boss; and a supporting slit provided in register with the guiding part to support the driving pin.
A plurality of driving pins are arranged at uniform intervals with respect to the light path. Each of the driving pins is integrally formed with the rotor.
The stator assembly comprises: a hollow-type bobbin having a coil wounded around an outer circumference; a first stator member engaged with a first end of the hollow-type bobbin, and having first fastening teeth formed at equal intervals; and a second stator member engaged with a second end of the hollow-type bobbin in alignment with the first stator member, the second stator member having second fastening teeth formed at equal intervals and in staggered manner with respect to the first fastening teeth.
The motor housing comprises: a first housing enclosing to support one side of the stator assembly, and having a hollow space therein to provide the light path; and a second housing formed in alignment with the first housing with the stator assembly interposed therebetween, the second housing having a hollow space therein to provide the light path.
The rotor is rotatably supported in the motor housing. The rotor has a plurality of bearing receiving holes on the outer circumference, and the motor housing has a bearing guide hole. The rotor is a cylindrical magnet which is integrally formed with the driving pin and magnetized at predetermined intervals along the direction of rotation.
The rotor comprises: a cylindrical magnet magnetized at predetermined intervals along the direction of rotation, and rotatably supported in the motor housing; a tubular sleeve connected to a first end of the cylindrical magnet, and rotatably disposed within the stator assembly; and a plate connected to the first end of the magnet, and having a driving pin to move the iris diaphragm with the driving pin's movement.
The driving pin is integrally formed with the plate, and movably supported in the motor housing.
The iris diaphragm comprises a plurality of lens shutters which are rotatably disposed on the housing.
A housing cover is further provided to engage with the motor housing so as to prevent the separation of the iris diaphragm.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a motor to drive an iris diaphragm, comprises: a driving part comprising a rotor to provide a light path at the center of rotation, and a stator assembly provided at the outer side of the rotor; a motor housing to enclose the driving part therein, and to provide the light path; and a housing cover removably engaged with the motor housing. The rotor opens and closes the light path by moving the iris diaphragm interposed between the housing cover and the motor housing in accordance with a movement of the rotor.
Further, an iris diaphragm driving apparatus, comprises: an iris diaphragm, disposed on a light path of a lens barrel, to adjust an amount of entering light in accordance with a moving position thereof; and a driving unit disposed in the lens barrel to drive the iris diaphragm, and to provide a light path at the center of rotation through which the entering light passes.
The driving unit comprises: a motor housing to support the iris diaphragm, and to be disposed within the lens barrel; a stator assembly disposed within the motor housing; and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator assembly to move the iris diaphragm in accordance with a movement of the rotor.
The rotor comprises at least one driving pin to move the iris diaphragm in accordance with a movement thereof.
The motor housing comprises: a shaft boss rotatably to support the iris diaphragm; and a guidance part to guide the movement of the driving pin.
The iris diaphragm comprises a plurality of lens shutters which are rotatably disposed on the motor housing.
The plurality of lens shutters each comprises: a shaft hole as a center of rotation; and a cam slit to engage with the driving pin. According to an aspect of the invention, the cam slit takes on a substantially linear configuration and has a predetermined length. According to another aspect of the invention, the cam slit takes on a substantially curved configuration and has a predetermined length, and the lens shutter is movable to obtain an f-number which is set in proportion to the unit rotation angle of the rotor.
Three lens shutters are rotatably arranged around the light path in a radial direction at equal intervals, and three driving pins are provided in alignment with the three lens shutters.
A housing cover is further provided, which is removably attached to the motor housing, to rotatably support the iris diaphragm which is interposed between the housing cover and the motor housing.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a camera apparatus, comprises: a lens barrel; a zoom lens module installed within the lens barrel; a focusing lens module installed within the lens barrel; an iris diaphragm movably installed between the zoom lens module and the focusing lens module, to adjust an amount of entering light in accordance with a moving position thereof; and a driving unit installed within the lens barrel to drive the iris diaphragm, and to provide a light path at a center thereof through which the light past the zoom lens module is passed.
The driving unit comprises: a motor housing installed within the lens barrel, to rotatably support the iris diaphragm; a stator assembly installed within the motor housing; and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator assembly to move the iris diaphragm in accordance with a movement of the rotor.
The rotor comprises at least one driving pin to move the iris diaphragm in accordance with a movement thereof.
The iris diaphragm comprises a plurality of lens shutters which are rotatably disposed on the motor housing.
The plurality of lens shutters each comprises: a shaft hole as a center of rotation; and a cam slit to engage with the driving pin, the driving pin being movable in engagement with the cam slit.
The rotor is rotatably supported in the motor housing, and has a hollow hole therein so as to provide a light path at the center of rotation.
At least one of the zoom lens module and the focusing lens module is disposed in the hollow hole of the rotor.
The driving pin is formed by insert-molding such that the driving pin is exposed through one end of the rotor.
Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
Referring to
The cylindrical lens barrel 10 comprises a pair of cylinders 11 and 12 which are engaged with each other. The first cylinder 11 may comprise an objective lens module 13 at an entry part 11a of a leading end of the first cylinder 11. The second cylinder 12 may be engaged with a substrate (not shown) having a CCD module thereon at a rear end of the second cylinder 12.
The zoom lens module 20 is movable within the cylindrical lens barrel 10. More specifically, the zoom lens module 20 may be formed to be moved forward and backward by a corresponding moving device (not shown) along a direction substantially parallel to an entering light L. In this way, a zooming operation is performed by the zoom lens module 20 with respect to the subject of the photographing.
The focusing lens module 30 is also movable within the cylindrical lens barrel 10. The focusing lens module 30 is installed at a rear part of the zoom lens module 20, and performs a focusing operation with respect to the subject of the photographing. The corresponding moving device (not shown) moves the focusing lens module 30 forward and backward along a direction that is substantially parallel to the entering light L. Any adequate general method or apparatus may serve as the moving device of the zoom lens module 20 and the focusing lens module 30. In one instance, a guide shaft may be installed within the cylindrical lens barrel 10 to support the respective modules 20 and 30. A motor driven lead screw may then selectively move the modules 20 and 30. Further detailed description of the module driving device will be omitted.
The iris diaphragm 40 is installed within the cylindrical lens barrel 10, and between the respective modules 20 and 30. The iris diaphragm 40 adjusts an amount of light that enters the cylindrical lens barrel 10. The iris diaphragm 40 is movable in a radial direction therefore that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of entered light L. The iris diaphragm 40 will be described in detail below.
The motor 50 is installed within the cylindrical lens barrel 10. According to one aspect of the present invention, a stepping motor may be employed to provide a rotary force according to predetermined increments. Referring to
The stator assembly 51 is installed within the motor housing 60. The stator assembly 51 comprises a substantially annular bobbin 52, and first and second stator members 53 and 54 that are engaged to both ends of the annular bobbin 52, respectively.
A coil 52a is wound around the annular bobbin 52, to electrically connect with an external terminal via a terminal part 52b provided at an outer surface of the annular bobbin 52.
As mentioned above, the first and the second stator members 53 and 54 are engaged to both ends of the annular bobbin 52, respectively, so as to be in alignment with each other. Each of the stator members 53 and 54 is provided with circumferentially-spaced fastening teeth 53a and 54a. The circumferentially-spaced fastening teeth 53a and 54a engage in the inner circumference of the annular bobbin 52 in a staggered fashion. Accordingly, the annular bobbin 52 comprises a plurality of teeth grooves 52c and 52d to receive the circumferentially-spaced fastening teeth 53a and 54a. The teeth grooves 52c and 52d are also formed in a staggered fashion. When an electric signal is inputted to the coil 52a according to a predetermined pattern, the respective fastening teeth 53a and 54a are magnified according to the input pattern of the electric signals and, therefore, become an electromagnet. As a result of the electro-magnetic force that is generated between the electromagnets, i.e., the circumferentially-spaced fastening teeth 53a and 54a and the rotor 70, the rotor 70 is rotated by a predetermined unit angle.
The rotor 70 is rotatable within the stator assembly 51. The rotor 70 has a center hole H formed therein through which the entering light L passes through. To permit the light L to pass, the rotor 70 is not provided with a rotary shaft. The rotor 70 has a plurality of driving pins 71 to move the iris diaphragm 40 according to the movement of the driving pins 71. In this embodiment, the iris diaphragm 40 has three lens shutters 41, 42 and 43. The three driving pins 71 are provided at equal intervals to correspond to the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43.
Referring to
According to another aspect of the present invention, the rotor 70 may be formed by integrally forming the magnet 73, the tubular sleeve 75 and the plate 77. In this case, the entire rotor 70 is formed of a magnet material, and the driving pins 71 may also be integrally formed thereon by insert-molding.
The motor housing 60 is firmly mounted in the cylindrical lens barrel 10. The motor housing 60 comprises a first and a second housing 61 and 65 which house the stator assembly 51.
The first housing 61 supports the bearing 78 of the rotor 70. As shown in
As shown in
The second housing 65 has shaft bosses 65c on which the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43 are rotatably supported. In this embodiment, three shaft bosses 65c are provided to correspond to the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43. The shaft bosses 65c are distanced apart from the center aperture 65a as far as possible. This is to enable efficient opening and closing of the center aperture 65a even when the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43 are rotated about the shaft bosses 65c by a small angle.
Referring to
By adjusting the rotational angle of the rotor 70 appropriately, the linear cam slits 41b, 42b and 43b adjust the opening and closing of the lens shutter 40, i.e., adjust the f-number of the incident light L.
Referring to
The process of assembling the iris diaphragm driving apparatus of a camera apparatus according to one certain embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
First, the stator assembly 51 as shown in
The assembling of the motor 50 is then completed, and the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43 are the engaged on the driving pins 71 and the shaft bosses 65c, with certain parts overlapping with one another.
In order to prevent a disassembly of the lens shutters 41, 42 and 43 from the second housing 65, as shown in
Referring to
Referring now to
In
When the rotor 70 is further rotated, as shown in
According to another embodiment of the present invention as shown in
As is described above in a few embodiments of the present invention, a motor, an iris diaphragm driving apparatus and a camera apparatus may have a simple structure so as to enable the driving of a lens shutter by using a motor which may be inserted in the lens barrel. Specifically, because there is no need to install the motor on the outer part of the lens barrel, a variety of designs may be selected for the outer part, and also, compactness is enabled.
Furthermore, because the lens shutters may be directly connected to the rotor of the motor, precision in controlling the product is improved, and as a result, reliability is enabled.
Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-12625 | Feb 2004 | KR | national |
This application claims the benefit of U.S Provisional Patent Application No. 60/536,986 filed Jan. 20, 2004 in the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, and Korean Application No. 2004-12625, filed Feb. 25, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60536986 | Jan 2004 | US |
