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US4416526A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Interchangeable lens barrel

Assignee: Pentax Corp
•
Filing: 1981-05-27
•
Granted: 1983-11-22
•
Expires: 2001-05-27
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Abstract

Abstract An interchangeable lens barrel comprising a lens barrel having a mount which can be attached to a mount of a camera body, focussing lens means rotatably supported on the lens barrel and moving in directions of the optical axis when it rotates, a driving circuit having a driving motor, a driving mechanism connected to the driving motor for rotating the focussing lens means, actuation switch means in the driving circuit, and means on the mount of the lens barrel for receiving a driving signal of the driving motor from the camera body.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yasumasa Tomori
  • 👤 Mituhiko Shimoda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 02:17
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/02; G02B7/14; G02B7/04; G02B7/08; G03; G03B; G03B17/00; G03B17/02; G03B17/12; G03B17/14; G03B3/00; G03B3/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 158 words
An interchangeable lens barrel comprising a mount securing lens barrel having a mount which can be attached to a mount of a camera body, focusing lens means rotatably supported on the mount securing lens barrel and moving in directions of the optical axis when it rotates, a driving circuit having a driving motor, a driving mechanism connected to the driving motor for rotating the focusing lens means, outside actuation switch means provided in the driving circuit of the driving motor, signal transmitting and receiving means for receiving a driving signal of the driving motor from the camera body, said signal transmitting and receiving means being provided on the portion of the mount securing lens barrel that is opposed to the mount of the camera body, said signal means including a plurality of sliding contacts connecting said drive motor on the lens barrel with the driving circuit regardless of the axial displacement of the lens barrel from the mount.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 158 words
An interchangeable lens barrel comprising a mount securing lens barrel having a mount which can be attached to a mount of a camera body, focusing lens means rotatably supported on the mount securing lens barrel and moving in directions of the optical axis when it rotates, a driving circuit having a driving motor, a driving mechanism connected to the driving motor for rotating the focusing lens means, outside actuation switch means provided in the driving circuit of the driving motor, signal transmitting and receiving means for receiving a driving signal of the driving motor from the camera body, said signal transmitting and receiving means being provided on the portion of the mount securing lens barrel that is opposed to the mount of the camera body, said signal means including a plurality of sliding contacts connecting said drive motor on the lens barrel with the driving circuit regardless of the axial displacement of the lens barrel from the mount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 1 including means for detecting the frontmost and rearmost axial displacement positions of the lens barrel with respect to the mount and for providing a signal to said driving circuit to discontinue further driving of said motor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 2 wherein said detecting means further includes means for connecting to an indicator in the camera body for notifying the operator that the object to be focused upon is out of range of the lens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 3, further comprising a zooming barrel which can be axially displaced with respect to the mount securing lens barrel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 3, further comprising stop means associated with the detecting means to limit the axial displacement of the focusing lens means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 55 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 3, wherein said signal transmitting and receiving means comprises a plurality of connector pins which are located and insulated from the surface of the mount of the lens barrel that is opposed to and is brought into contact with a surface of the mount of the camera body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
An interchangeable lens barrel according to claim 4, wherein said actuating switch means comprises a pair of actuating buttons, one mounted generally orthogonally to the other on the lens barrel so that the switch means may be easily operated in either horizontal or vertical position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3465662A Cited
US3972056A Cited
US4288151A Cited
US4323303A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-11-21 1987-05-23 1987-11-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-11-21 1991-05-23 1991-11-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-11-21 1995-05-23 1995-11-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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