US5280317A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Lens shutter camera including zoom lens drive system

Assignee: Pentax Corp

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Filing: 1992-05-13

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Granted: 1994-01-18

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Expires: 2012-05-13

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Abstract

Abstract A zoom lens for a camera having a between-the-lens shutter includes a motor for moving the lens along an optical axis in forward and rearward directions. A switch is operable by an operator to control operation of the motor for moving the lens from an initial position on the axis to a final stationary position that establishes the focal length of the lens. Control apparatus is responsive to the setting of the switch for operating the motor such that movement of the lens from its initial position to its final position always ends after the lens travels to its final position in a predetermined direction.

Inventors

👤 Keisuke Haraguchi
👤 Shinsuke Kohmoto
👤 Takeo Kobayashi
👤 Shigeru Kondoh
👤 Hideki Ohkubo
👤 Norio Numako
👤 Saburo Sugawara

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 19:33

CPC Classifications

G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/02; G02B7/04; G02B7/10; G02B7/102; G03; G03B; G03B13/00; G03B13/02; G03B13/10; G03B13/12; G03B17/00; G03B17/02; G03B17/04; G02B23/00; G02B23/14; G02B23/145; G03B2215/00; G03B2215/05; G03B2215/0503; G03B2217/00; G03B2217/002

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22

Claim 1

Independent Claim 168 words

A lens shutter camera including a lens drive system, said lens drive system comprising: (a) at least one lens adapted to be positioned in at least two different focal length positions; (b) a reversible motor operable for moving the lens along a fixed optical axis in forward and rearward directions into at least said two positions; (c) switch means operable by an operator, said switch means including at least one switch for identifying the direction of movement of said lens toward one of said positions (d) control means responsive to said switch means for operating said motor such that movement of the lens from an initial position, determined by the position of the lens when the operator begins to operate the switch means, to a final position determined by the switch means, always ends after the lens travels to its final position in a predetermined direction which is independent of the position identified by the switch means, and said at least two positions including a retracted lens position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 168 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

A lens drive system according to claim 1, wherein one of said focal length positions is a telephoto position, and a second of said focal length position is a wide angle position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

A lens drive system according to claim 1, wherein said lens system includes a between the lens shutter.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said lens is positionable at a wide angle position representing a relatively short focal length and a telephoto position representing a relatively long focal length, said predetermined direction being in a forward direction with respect to said telephoto position.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 178 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control means includes: (a) position detecting means for detecting the presence of said lens at one of said positions; (b) direction detection means for detecting the directional movement of said lens; and (c) logic means responsive to the switch means, said position detecting means, and to the direction detection means, said logic means comprising means for operating the motor in a direction such that the lens moves towards the position identified by said switch means, at least until said position detecting means detects the presence of said lens at one of said positions, said logic means thereafter either: (1) stopping operation of the motor, if the lens arrives at said final position moving in said predetermined direction; or (2) continuing operation of the motor for a given period, if the lens arrives at said final position moving in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, and thereafter reversing the direction of movement of said lens by causing said motor to move the lens in said predetermined direction.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

A lens drive system according to claim 5, wherein said logic means comprises means for continuing said operation of said motor in said opposite direction for a predetermined period of time prior to reversing the direction of movement of said lens.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said logic means comprises means for disabling operation of said motor when said lens moves into one of said positions in said predetermined direction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

A lens drive system according to claim 1, including a between-the-lens shutter mounted for movement with the lens, means for focusing the lens on a subject to be photographed as a function of the distance of the subject from the camera, means for effecting focusing of the lens only after the lens arrives at said final position.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least two positions also include a macro photographic position, located beyond the telephoto position, into which said lens can be moved for effecting close-up photography.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said logic means comprises means for disabling operation of said motor when said lens moves along said predetermined direction into said telephoto position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 56 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said logic means comprises means for disabling operation of said motor after said lens has moved in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, over a predetermined distance beyond said wide angle position, and thereafter said lens undergoes reverse movement back to said wide angle position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

A lens drive system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said retracted lens position is located rearwardly of said wide angle position.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

A lens drive system according to claim 1, further including means for focusing said lens on an object at a plurality of distances from an image forming surface of the camera.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The lens drive system for a camera according to claim 1, further including means for detecting the focal length position of said lens.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 149 words

A lens shutter camera including a photographic lens system and defining separate finder and photographic lens system optical axes, said camera including an apparatus for driving the photographic lens system of said camera and a fixed photographic lens said photographic lens system comprising means for focusing said photographic lens system on a photographic subject positioned at different distances from the camera, said lens system being movable along the fixed photographic lens system optical axis, in a predetermined direction and in a direction which is opposite to said predetermined direction, to at least two distinct focal length positions of said lens system, said apparatus including a driving source for moving said lens system, means for driving said driving source during movement of said lens system towards said focal length positions, and means for terminating movement of said lens system only when said lens system is moving in said predetermined direction.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 149 words

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 15 words

The lens shutter camera according to claim 15, further including a between the lens shutter.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 141 words

A lens shutter camera including a photographic lens system defining a photographic lens system optical axis and a viewfinder defining a viewfinder optical axis separate from the photographic lens system optical axis, said photographic lens system including at least one lens system movable along the optical axis of said photographic lens system in a predetermined direction and in a direction opposite said predetermined direction by a driving source in order to selectively position said photographic lens system into at least two different focal length positions, said camera including means for driving said driving source during movement of said lens system, means for terminating movement of said lens system only when said lens system is moving in said predetermined direction, and means for enabling the focusing of said photographic lens system on a photographic subject positioned at different distances from the camera.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 141 words

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 11 words

The camera according to claim 17 further comprising a between-the-lens shutter.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 31 words

The camera according to claim 17 further comprising means for mounting said photographic lens system to a camera body so that the optical axis of said photographic lens system is fixed.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-01-17	1997-07-19	1998-01-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-01-17	2001-07-19	2002-01-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-01-17	2005-07-19	2006-01-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

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