JP2015184399A - camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a downsized camera.SOLUTION: A camera is provided that comprises: a lens upon which subject light is incident; an electrodeposition element that is arranged on an optical path of the subject light passing through the lens, can control a state of transmission and reflection, makes the subject light transmitting the electrodeposition element incident upon one of an imaging plane and a finder optical system, and makes the subject light reflected by the electrodeposition element incident upon other of the imaging plane and the finder optical system; a shutter that is arranged on the optical path of the subject light; and a control device that controls the electrodeposition element and the shutter.

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera including an electrodeposition element.

  In a single-lens reflex camera, for example, light that has passed through a photographic lens is reflected by a oscillating mirror and imaged on the observation surface of the finder, thereby observing the image (subject image) itself. The advantage of a single-lens reflex camera is that the photographer can observe the image itself, and that the focal length, subject depth, angle of view, etc. can be confirmed with a viewfinder.

  4A and 4B are schematic views showing the structure of a single-lens reflex camera.

  FIG. 4A shows a state where the shutter 34 is closed. In a state where the shutter 34 is closed, incident light (subject light) is transmitted through the photographic lens 31, reflected by the oscillating mirror 32 disposed on the optical path between the photographic lens 31 and the shutter 34, and the prism 33. Is incident on. As the prism 33, a pentaprism, a penta roof prism, a roof mirror, or the like is preferably used. Then, the light is reflected (deflected) twice or three times by the prism 33, is imaged on the observation surface of the finder, and is observed by the photographer 40. The optical system on which the light reflected by the oscillating mirror 32 enters is referred to as a viewfinder optical system (subject image observation optical system (viewing optical system)). Light passing through the finder optical system reaches the eyes of the photographer 40.

  FIG. 4B shows a state at the time of exposure. When the shutter release button is operated, the shutter 34 is opened for a preset exposure time, and the oscillating mirror 32 is flipped up in synchronization with this, and the transmitted light of the lens 31 is reflected on the imaging surface (image formation). Is incident on the film 35 arranged on the surface). A subject image is formed on the surface of the film 35 and exposed. After exposure, the shutter 34 is closed and the swing mirror 32 returns to the initial position (see FIG. 4A).

  In the case of a digital single-lens reflex camera, for example, an imaging element (photoelectric conversion element) is disposed on the imaging surface 35.

  In the single-lens reflex camera having the structure shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a space for operating the oscillating mirror 32 is required, and thus it is difficult to reduce the size. In addition, vibrations generated by the operation of the oscillating mirror 32 may cause blur in the captured image. Furthermore, the mirror 32 generates an unpleasant operation sound.

  In a single-lens reflex camera, a proposal has been made to use a liquid crystal element and a polarization beam splitter in place of the oscillating mirror (see Patent Document 1). In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the liquid crystal element is used for the purpose of polarization. When a liquid crystal element and a polarizing beam splitter are used instead of the oscillating mirror, there is a problem that a loss of at least 50% of the amount of incident light occurs.

  An invention of a single-lens reflex camera including an electrostatic shutter device that slides a shutter curtain using an electrostatic force is disclosed (see Patent Document 2). In the single-lens reflex camera described in Patent Document 2, there is little vibration generated. However, the vibration cannot be eliminated completely.

  An electrochromic element is known as a non-light-emitting element utilizing a color change phenomenon of a substance caused by an electrochemical reversible reaction (electrolytic oxidation-reduction reaction) due to application of voltage (energization).

  Among electrochromic materials (materials that cause an electrochemical oxidation or reduction reaction when energized and cause discoloration such as coloring or decoloring), a part of the material is deposited and deposited on, for example, electrodes by the oxidation or reduction reaction. (Electrodeposition) or what disappears from the electrode is called an electrodeposition material. An element using an electrodeposition material is called an electrodeposition element.

  An invention of an electrodeposition element having a high-quality mirror surface state is disclosed (see Patent Document 3). The electrodeposition element includes an electrolyte layer containing, for example, a silver complex, and realizes a mirror state by depositing silver on the electrode by energization. The electrolyte layer further includes, for example, copper. The electrodeposition element realizes a transparent state when no voltage is applied.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-5565 JP-A-2005-331828 JP 2012-181389 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a miniaturized camera.

  Another object is to provide a camera with improved imaging quality.

  Furthermore, it is to provide a camera capable of comfortable operation.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, a lens on which subject light is incident and an electrodeposition element that is disposed on an optical path of the subject light that has passed through the lens and that can control the state of transmission and reflection. An electrodeposition element that causes subject light transmitted through the position element to enter one of the imaging surface and the finder optical system, and causes subject light reflected by the electrodeposition element to enter the other of the imaging surface and the finder optical system; There is provided a camera having a shutter disposed on an optical path of subject light between the lens and the imaging surface, a control device for controlling the operation of the electrodeposition element and the shutter.

  According to the present invention, a miniaturized camera can be provided.

  In addition, a camera with improved imaging quality can be provided.

  Furthermore, a camera capable of comfortable operation can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a single-lens reflex camera according to an embodiment. FIG. 2A is a schematic sectional view showing the electrodeposition element 36, FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view showing the upper transparent electrode 12a and the lower transparent electrode 12b, and FIG. It is the schematic which shows the electrodeposition element 36 seen along the optical axis direction. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment. 4A and 4B are schematic views showing the structure of a single-lens reflex camera.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a single-lens reflex camera according to an embodiment. The single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment is different from the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B in that an electrodeposition element 36 is arranged on the optical path between the photographing lens 31 and the shutter 34 instead of the oscillating mirror. To do. Further, for example, a control device 37 for controlling the operation of the shutter 34 and the electrodeposition element 36 is provided. The control device 37 controls the operation of the electrodeposition element 36 according to the opening / closing of the shutter 34, for example. Other configurations are similar to the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

  Note that, for example, an image sensor (photoelectric conversion element) may be disposed on the imaging surface 35 to form a digital single lens reflex camera.

  FIG. 2A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the electrodeposition element 36.

  The electrodeposition element 36 includes, for example, an upper substrate 10a, a lower substrate 10b, and an electrolyte layer 14 disposed between the substrates 10a and 10b.

  The upper substrate 10a and the lower substrate 10b include an upper transparent substrate 11a, a lower transparent substrate 11b, and an upper transparent electrode 12a and a lower transparent electrode 12b formed on the transparent substrates 11a and 11b, respectively. The transparent electrodes 12a and 12b are electrodes having a smooth surface. The upper transparent substrate 11a and the lower transparent substrate 11b are, for example, glass substrates or film substrates, and the upper transparent electrode 12a and the lower transparent electrode 12b are formed of a transparent conductive material such as ITO.

  The electrolyte layer 14 is disposed in an inner region of the seal portion 13 between the upper substrate 10a and the lower substrate 10b, and includes an electrodeposition material containing silver.

  FIG. 2B is a schematic plan view showing the upper transparent electrode 12a and the lower transparent electrode 12b. The upper transparent electrode 12a and the lower transparent electrode 12b are each composed of a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes extending in one direction. Each strip-shaped electrode is electrically independent from each other. The extending directions of the two electrodes (strip-shaped electrodes) 12a and 12b intersect each other, for example, are orthogonal to each other, and the electrode widths of the strip-shaped electrodes of the electrodes 12a and 12b are all equal as an example. For this reason, in plan view (when viewed from the normal direction of the upper and lower substrates 10a and 10b), the region (pixel) where the strip electrodes of the electrodes 12a and 12b overlap is a square shape. In this figure, the pixels are indicated by hatching. The pixels are distributed in a dot matrix in the inner area of the seal portion 13.

  FIG. 2C shows the electrodeposition element 36 viewed along the optical axis direction of incident light (left-right direction in FIG. 1). The electrodeposition element 36 is arranged such that the normal direction thereof (the normal direction of the upper and lower substrates 10a and 10b) and the optical axis direction of incident light are not parallel.

  The electrodeposition element 36 transmits incident light when no voltage is applied.

  Further, for example, when the upper transparent electrode 12a is negative and the lower transparent electrode 12b is positive, a direct current voltage is applied between the electrodes 12a and 12b, and a current is passed through the electrolyte layer 14 between the electrodes 12a and 12b, the energized position The silver ions contained in the electrolyte layer 14 are reduced and converted to metallic silver in the vicinity of the upper transparent electrode 12a (electrode on the negative voltage side), and deposited and deposited on the electrode 12a to form a silver thin film. The The silver thin film acts as a mirror surface, and regularly reflects the incident light on the silver thin film formation position (pixel in the mirror state).

  A voltage can be independently applied to each pixel of the electrodeposition element 36 (the electrolyte layer 14 at each pixel position can be independently energized). Therefore, the electrodeposition element 36 can electrically switch between the transparent state and the mirror state arbitrarily in units of pixels. Thus, the electrodeposition element 36 is a mirror device that realizes a transparent state and a mirror state of each pixel in a commutative manner by applying a DC voltage to each of the strip electrodes 12a and 12b.

  Furthermore, the electrodeposition element 36 changes the transmittance and reflectance (transmission and reflectance) of each pixel by changing the voltage value applied to the electrodes 12a and 12b and the voltage application time (the current value applied to the electrolyte layer 14 and the energization time). The state of reflection) can be controlled independently. Therefore, as an example, some pixels can be in a transparent state, some other pixels can be in a half mirror state, and the remaining pixels can be in a mirror state.

  The silver thin film disappears from the electrode when the voltage is turned off (0 V or in an open state) or a reverse bias is applied. When the reverse bias is applied, silver can disappear more quickly and the electrodeposition element 36 can be made transparent.

  The electrodeposition element 36 was produced as follows, for example.

  A pair of glass substrates or film substrates (transparent substrates 11a and 11b) on which a transparent conductive film is formed are prepared. For the transparent conductive film on the transparent substrates 11a and 11b, for example, a smooth ITO film is used. The transparent conductive film can be formed by sputtering, vapor deposition, or the like.

  The transparent conductive film on the transparent substrates 11a and 11b was patterned to form a plurality of strip electrodes (transparent electrodes 12a and 12b) each extending in one direction.

  Next, a pair of transparent substrates 11a and 11b are placed in a cell by arranging the transparent electrodes 12a and 12b so that the extending directions of the transparent electrodes (strip-shaped electrodes) 12a and 12b are orthogonal to each other. Went.

For example, a gap control agent having a diameter of 20 μm to several hundred μm, and in the embodiment, a diameter of 500 μm is spread on one of the pair of substrates 11a and 11b so as to be 1 to 3 / mm ² as an example. Depending on the diameter of the gap control agent, it is desirable to set the spray amount so as not to affect the transmitted image and reflected image of the camera. In addition, in the electrodeposition element 36 used in the single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment, even if there is some gap unevenness, the influence on the image is small, and therefore the importance of the amount of the gap control agent applied is not high. In the embodiment, gap control using a gap control agent is performed, but it is also possible to perform gap control using protrusions such as ribs. Further, in the case of a small cell, a gap may be controlled by arranging a film-like spacer having a predetermined thickness at the seal portion.

  A main seal pattern was formed on the other of the pair of substrates 11a and 11b. In the examples, an ultraviolet ray + thermosetting type sealing material was used. As the sealing material, a photocuring type or a thermosetting type may be used. The gap control agent spraying and the main seal pattern may be formed on the same substrate side.

  Next, an electrolytic solution containing an electrodeposition material was sealed between the pair of substrates 11a and 11b.

  In the examples, the ODF method was used. An appropriate amount of an electrolytic solution containing an electrodeposition material is dropped on one of the pair of substrates 11a and 11b. As a dropping method, various printing methods including a dispenser and an ink jet can be applied. Here, a dispenser was used. Note that the above-described sealing material is preferably a sealing material (a non-corrosive sealing material) that can withstand the electrolytic solution used.

  In a vacuum, the pair of substrates 11a and 11b was superposed. You may carry out in air | atmosphere or nitrogen atmosphere.

The sealing material was formed by irradiating the sealing material with, for example, ultraviolet rays with an energy density of 21 J / cm ² to cure the sealing material. A SUS mask was used so that only the sealing material was irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

The electrolytic solution containing the electrodeposition material includes an electrodeposition material (AgNO ₃ etc.), an electrolyte (TBABr; tetrabutylammonium bromide etc.), a mediator (CuCl ₂ etc.), a supporting electrolyte (LiBr etc.), a solvent (DMSO; dimethyl sulfoxide etc.) ), A gelling polymer (PVB; polyvinyl butyral etc.) and the like. In the examples, the electrolyte was TBABr. In DMSO as a solvent, 50 mM of AgNO ₃ was added as an electrodeposition material, 250 mM of LiBr was added as a supporting electrolyte, and 10 mM of CuCl ₂ was added as a mediator. Then, 10 wt% of PVB was added as a host polymer to form a gel (jelly-like) electrolyte layer 14.

As the electrodeposition material, for example, AgNO ₃ containing silver, AgClO ₄ , AgBr, or the like can be used.

The supporting electrolyte is not limited as long as it promotes the redox reaction or the like of the electrodeposition material. For example, lithium salt (LiCl, LiBr, LiI, LiBF ₄ , LiClO ₄ etc.), potassium salt (KCl, KBr, KI) Etc.) and sodium salts (NaCl, NaBr, NaI, etc.) can be preferably used. The concentration of the supporting electrolyte is preferably 10 mM or more and 1 M or less, but is not particularly limited.

  The solvent is not limited as long as it can stably hold the electrodeposition material and the like. Polar solvents such as water and propylene carbonate, non-polar organic solvents, ionic liquids, ionic conductive polymers, polymer electrolytes, and the like can be used. Specifically, in addition to DMSO, propylene carbonate, N, N-dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, polyvinyl sulfate, polystyrene sulfonic acid, polyacrylic acid, and the like can be suitably used.

  3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment.

  FIG. 3A shows a state where the shutter 34 is closed. In a state where the shutter 34 is closed, the control device 37 applies a DC voltage to the electrodes 12a and 12b (for example, about 2V to 3V) so that all the pixels of the electrodeposition element 36 are in a mirror state. .

  Incident light (subject light) passes through the photographic lens 31, is reflected by the electrodeposition element 36 in which all pixels are in a mirror state, and enters the finder optical system (prism 33). Then, the image is formed on the observation surface of the finder and observed by the photographer 40.

  FIG. 3B shows a state at the time of exposure. When the shutter release button is operated and the shutter 34 is opened for a preset exposure time, the control device 37 operates the electrodeposition element 36 so that, for example, all the pixels are in a transparent state in synchronism therewith. To control. As an example, a reverse bias DC voltage is applied to the electrodes 12a and 12b, and silver is eliminated from the electrodes.

  In this state, the light transmitted through the lens 31 passes through the electrodeposition element 36 and enters the film 35 disposed on the imaging surface (imaging surface), and the subject image is imaged and exposed on the film 35 surface. Is done. After the exposure, the control device 37 closes the shutter 34 and applies a DC voltage to the electrodes 12a and 12b so that all the pixels of the electrodeposition element 36 are in a mirror state (see FIG. 3A).

  The single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment uses the electrodeposition element 36 instead of the swing mirror to electrically switch between transmission and reflection of the subject light. The switching is performed by synchronizing the operations of the shutter 34 and the electrodeposition element 36 by the control device 37, for example. Since a space for mechanically operating the oscillating mirror is not required, the size can be reduced. Further, since vibration does not occur when switching between transmission and reflection, there is no blurring of the captured image (degradation of image quality) due to this, and the imaging quality can be improved. Furthermore, there is no unpleasant operation sound of the mirror, and comfortable operation is possible. Further, for example, the use efficiency of the subject light is higher than when a liquid crystal element and a polarization beam splitter are used instead of the oscillating mirror. The dynamic range is also large.

  In the single-lens reflex camera according to the embodiment, at the time of exposure, for example, the transmittance of all the pixels may be equally reduced, and the electrodeposition element 36 may be in a half mirror state. The transmittance of the pixel can be arbitrarily changed by controlling the voltage value applied to the electrodes 12a and 12b and the voltage application time (the current value applied to the electrolyte layer 14 and the energization time) by the control device 37. The single-lens reflex camera by the Example can adjust the exposure amount to the film 35 by changing the transmittance | permeability of all the pixels uniformly. Since the electrodeposition element 36 can be provided with the function of an exposure amount (transmittance) adjustment filter, it is possible to improve the imaging quality without separately adding a filter having the same function.

  Further, for example, the operation of the electrodeposition element 36 is such that the transmittance of some pixels is high and the transmittance of the remaining pixels is low so that the transmittance of the pixels is not uniform during exposure. May be controlled.

  For example, when an imaging device (photoelectric conversion device) is arranged on the imaging surface 35 to form a digital single-lens reflex camera, coordinates with extremely high luminance of the subject image are detected by image processing, and the transmittance of the pixel at the corresponding position is determined. make low. Thus, by varying the transmittance depending on the pixel, the amount of light on the imaging surface can be adjusted and the imaging quality can be improved.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated along the Example, this invention is not limited to these.

  For example, in the embodiment, subject light transmitted through the electrodeposition element 36 is incident on the imaging surface, and subject light reflected by the electrodeposition element 36 is incident on the finder optical system. May be incident on the finder optical system, and the subject light reflected by the electrodeposition element 36 may be incident on the imaging surface.

  The pixels may be formed to have a distribution shape other than the dot matrix shape. Note that a single-lens reflex camera having a function of an exposure amount (transmittance) adjustment filter can be configured even when a solid electrode is used and one pixel is used.

  Further, the shutter 34 can be disposed on the optical path of the subject light between the lens 31 and the imaging surface 35.

    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other various modifications, improvements, combinations, and the like are possible.

  It can be suitably used for various single-lens reflex cameras.

10a Upper substrate 10b Lower substrate 11a Upper transparent substrate 11b Lower transparent substrate 12a Upper transparent electrode 12b Lower transparent electrode 13 Seal portion 14 Electrolyte layer 31 Lens 32 Swing mirror 33 Prism 34 Shutter 35 Film (imaging surface)
36 Electrodeposition element 37 Control device 40 Photographer (observation surface)

Claims (6)

A lens on which subject light is incident;
An electrodeposition element arranged on the optical path of subject light that has passed through the lens and capable of controlling the state of transmission and reflection, and the subject light that has passed through the electrodeposition element is transmitted to the imaging surface and the viewfinder optical system. An electrodeposition element that is incident on one side and that makes the subject light reflected by the electrodeposition element enter the other of the imaging surface and the viewfinder optical system;
A shutter disposed on the optical path of subject light between the lens and the imaging surface;
A camera comprising the electrodeposition element and a control device for controlling the operation of the shutter.   The camera according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls transmission and reflection states of the electrodeposition element in accordance with opening and closing of the shutter.   The camera according to claim 1, wherein the electrodeposition element includes a plurality of pixels capable of independently controlling transmission and reflection states.   The camera according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of pixels are distributed in a dot matrix.   The control device controls the transmission and reflection states of the plurality of pixels so that the transmission and reflection states of the plurality of pixels are uniform when the shutter is in an open state. Camera described in.   The control device controls the transmission and reflection states of the plurality of pixels so that the transmission and reflection states of the plurality of pixels are not uniform when the shutter is in an open state. Camera described in.

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