Optical apparatus having lens-system drive device for temperature correction in direction of optical axis

Claim 2

An optical apparatus having a lens-system drive device operable to effect a temperature correction of a lens system for forming an image on an object surface in a direction of optical axis of the system, the lens-system drive device comprising: a lens-system drive mechanism for supporting and moving the lens system along the optical axis; temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature around the lens-system drive mechanism; and a control device connected with the temperature detecting means and the lens-system drive mechanism, the control device including; position correction information storing means for storing position correction information relating to a position of the lens system along the axis according to the ambient temperature, operation signal output means for reading the position correction information from the position correction information storing means based on a detection signal from the temperature detecting means and then outputting, to the lens-system drive mechanism, a correction operation signal obtained from the read position correction information and used for correction of the position of the lens system, condition recognizing means for recognizing an operation condition of the optical apparatus, and trigger means for determining a timing of the output of the correction operation signal from the operation signal output means to the lens-system drive mechanism based on the operation condition detected by the condition recognizing means.

Claim 3

A lens-system drive device as defined in claim 1, further comprising: correction information varying means for varying the position correction information stored at the position correction information storing means.

Claim 4

A lens-system drive device as defined in claim 2, wherein said correction information varying means rewrites the position correction information stored at the position correction information storing means by using externally inputted information.

Claim 5

A photographic printing apparatus for printing an image projected from a film on to a photosensitive material, which comprises: a lens system for forming an image of a film located at an exposing position on to the photosensitive material; a lens-system drive mechanism for supporting and moving the lens system along an optical axis of the lens system; temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature around the lens-system drive mechanism; and a control device connected with the temperature detecting means and the lens-system drive mechanism, the control device including; position correction information storing means for storing position correction information relating to a position of the lens system along the axis according to the ambient temperature, operation signal output means for reading the position correction information from the position correction information storing means based on a detection signal from the temperature detecting means and then outputting, to the lens-system drive mechanism, a correction operation signal obtained from the read position correction information and used for correction of the position of the lens system, condition recognizing means for recognizing an operation condition of the optical photographic printing apparatus, and trigger means for determining a timing of the output of the correction operation signal from the operation signal output means to the lens-system drive mechanism based on the operation condition detected by the condition recognizing means.

Claim 6

A photographic printing apparatus for printing an image projected from a film on to a photosensitive material, which comprises: a lens system for forming an image of a film located at an exposing position on to the photosensitive material; a lens-system drive mechanism for supporting and moving the lens system along an optical axis of the lens system; temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature around the lens-system drive mechanism; and a control device connected with the temperature detecting means and the lens-system drive mechanism, the control device including; position correction information storing means for storing position correction information relating to a position of the lens system along the axis according to the ambient temperature, operation signal output means for reading the position correction information from the position correction information storing means based on a detection signal from the temperature detecting means and then outputting, to the lens-system drive mechanism, a correction operation signal obtained from the read position correction information and used for correction of the position of the lens system, condition recognizing means for recognizing an operation condition of the optical photographic printing apparatus, and trigger means for determining a timing of the output of the correction operation signal from the operation signal output means to the lens-system drive mechanism based on the operation condition detected by the condition recognizing means.

Claim 7

A photographic printing apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising: transport means for transporting the film through the exposing position; and leading-end detecting means disposed upstream relative to the exposing position in a film transport path for detecting a leading end of the film, the leading-end detecting means being connected with the operation condition recognizing means; wherein the condition recognizing means is capable of recognizing a delimiter condition realized chronologically between a printing operation of a last frame of a preceding film on to the photosensitive material and a subsequent printing operation of a first or leading frame of a next film on to the photosensitive material, and the trigger means allows the output of the correction operation signal to the lens-system drive mechanism while the condition recognizing means recognizes the delimiter condition.

Claim 8

A photographic printing apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising: timer means for detecting a time-up condition realized when a predetermined time period has lapsed since the execution of a foregoing position correcting operation, the timer means being connected with the operation condition recognizing means; wherein the condition recognizing means is capable of recognizing the time-up condition, and the trigger means allows the output of the correction operation signal to the lens-system drive mechanism while the condition recognizing means recognizes the time-up condition.

Claim 9

A lens-system drive device as defined in claim 4, wherein said control device calculates a position of the lens system relative to the image-forming object surface, and said position correction information storing means stores, as said position correction information, a value corresponding to an appropriate distance from the lens system to the image-forming object surface at each temperature, the value being set for a predetermined image-forming specific in association with each temperature.

Claim 10

A lens-system drive device as defined in claim 4, wherein said position correction information storing means stores, as said position correction information, a value for restoring an improper condition of the lens system relative to the image-forming object surface to a proper condition relative to the object surface, the improper condition being attributable to a deviation from a reference temperature.

Claim 11

A photographic printing apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said lens system comprises a zooming lens system.