JPH06102568A - Image capture device with shake correction function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize the device and to reduce cost by changing the state of a locking means by linking with the movement of a holding means holding a variable power optical system. CONSTITUTION:A lock lever 14 is attached to the supporting part of the device so that it can freely rotate around a rotary shaft 14c. When it is turned in a direction shown by a broken line, meshing parts 14a and 14b mesh with a front side frame body 4a and a rear side frame body 4b, respectively. Therefore, the action of a variable apex angle prism is locked at the center of movement. In order to turn the lever 14 around the axis 14c, a moving ring 19 is moved in a wide (W) direction. By moving the ring 19 in the wide direction (out of an ordinary photographing area) further, the engaging part (projection part) 14d of the lever 14 is engaged with (slides on) the engaging par t(projection part) 19d of the ring 19, and the lever 14 is turned in the direction shown by the broken line.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of an image pickup apparatus having a shake correction function, which is equipped with correction optical means such as a variable apex angle prism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automation of photographing devices such as still cameras and video cameras has progressed, and those equipped with an automatic exposure and automatic focus adjustment mechanism have been widely put into practical use, and also due to shake of the entire device. Some technologies for realizing a shake correction function for correcting image shake have been put into practical use. A shake correction apparatus having this shake correction function generally includes a shake detection unit that detects shake of the entire apparatus, a correction optical unit that corrects image shake, a drive unit that drives the correction optical unit, and the shake detection unit. And a control means for controlling the drive of the drive means by calculating a shake correction amount according to the output of

The drive means is composed of pitch drive means for performing correction drive for shake in the pitch direction and yaw drive means for correction drive for touch in the yaw direction. Further, the shake detecting means includes an angular accelerometer, an angular velocity meter, and an angular displacement meter, and the correcting optical means includes a variable apex angle prism.

Further, the shake correction device includes a locking means for locking the correction optical means at a movable center (neutral position) at the time of non-shake correction, and a locking drive means for operating the locking means. Is provided.

[0005]

However, in the above-described shake correction apparatus, as described above, the exclusive lock for operating the locking means for locking the correction optical means at the movable center during non-shake correction. Since the driving means is provided, there is a problem that not only the device becomes large, but also it becomes very expensive.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function, which is capable of achieving downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a holding means for holding a variable power optical system so that the locking means of the correction optical means is in an unlocked state and the correction optical means is locked at a movable center. An engaging portion for changing the state between the stopped state and the stop state is provided, and the state of the locking means is changed in association with the movement of the holding means for holding the variable magnification optical system.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are views showing a schematic structure of a photographing apparatus with a shake correcting function in a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals 2a and 2b denote two opposing transparent plates, and a liquid having a high refractive index (not shown) is filled in a space sealed by the transparent plate 3 and the transparent film 3 that seals the outer periphery thereof. Are filled, and these constitute a variable apex angle prism. Reference numerals 4a and 4b denote frame bodies for sandwiching the variable apex angle prism. The transparent plates 2a and 2b forming a part of the variable apex angle prism are rotatably held around a pitch axis 5a and a yaw axis 5b. . Reference numeral 6a is a flat coil fixed to one end of the front frame body 4a, and a permanent magnet 7a and yokes 8a and 9a are arranged on both sides of the flat coil to constitute a closed magnetic circuit. 11a is a frame 4a
It is an arm part integrally configured in the
a. 12a and 13a are the slits 10
A light emitting element such as an IRED arranged at a position opposite to each other across a and a light receiving element such as a PSD whose output changes depending on the position of the spot of the received light beam, and the light beam emitted from the light emitting element 12a has a slit 10a. After passing through, the light receiving element 13a is irradiated.

Reference numeral 14 is a lock lever for locking the front frame 4a and the rear frame 4b at the movable center, and 15a and 15b are for a device (not shown) so as to detect the shake amount in the pitch direction and yaw direction of the entire device. The shake detector is attached to the support portion. 16 is O according to the position displacement of the lock lever 14.
It is a switch that turns N and OFF. Reference numeral 17 is a control circuit that controls the entire apparatus, and 18 is a coil drive circuit that drives the coil 6a in accordance with a drive signal from the control circuit 17.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the flat coil 6b, the permanent magnet 7b, and the yoke 8 are also arranged in the yaw direction.
b, 9b, slit 10b, arm 11b, light emitting element 12
b and the light receiving element 13b are arranged, and they function similarly to the operation on the pitch side.

FIG. 2 shows the optical system in this embodiment, and the main optical system is a so-called rear focus zoom lens.

In FIG. 2, 101 is a fixed first group, 10
Reference numeral 2 is a second group having a zoom function, 103 is a third group for correcting the movement of the image plane due to zooming, and 104 is a fourth group for performing focus adjustment.
A group, and 105 is an image pickup device such as a CCD.

Numeral 19 is a moving ring for holding the second group 102 having the above-mentioned variable magnification function.

Next, the shake correction operation in the above configuration will be described.

When a shake occurs in the entire apparatus due to a shake of a hand holding an image pickup apparatus incorporating the shake correction apparatus,
The shake detectors 15a and 15b shake together with the device, and their outputs have values indicating the magnitude of shake around the respective shafts 5a and 5b. This signal is input to the control circuit 17, where it is multiplied by an appropriate multiplier to calculate the size of the apex angle required to remove this shake by the variable apex angle prism.

On the other hand, the shaft 5 of the transparent plates 2a and 2b facing each other.
Rotational angles around a and 5b, that is, fluctuations in the pitch direction and yaw direction of the variable apex angle prism (displacement from the movable center)
Is a frame body 4a, 4 of the luminous flux emitted from the light emitting elements 12a, 12b, which rotates integrally with the opposing transparent plates 2a, 2b.
slits 10 attached to the arm portions 11a and 11b of b.
It appears as a movement of the spot position on the light receiving surface when the light is received by the light receiving elements 13a and 13b after passing through a and 10b. Then, a signal corresponding to the amount of movement of the spot at this time, that is, the magnitude of the apex angle of the variable apex prism is transmitted from the light receiving elements 13 and 13b to the control circuit 17.

A control circuit 17 for receiving the above signals
Calculates the difference between the calculated size of the apex angle described above and the size of the apex angle at the present time, and calculates the difference between the coils 6a and 6b.
Is transmitted to the coil drive circuit 18 as a drive command signal.
The coil drive circuit 18 supplies a drive current according to the coil drive command signal to the coils 6a and 6b to generate a coil drive force. Therefore, the variable apex angle prism rotates about the axes 5a and 5b by the coil driving force, and is displaced so as to match the magnitude of the apex angle calculated above. That is,
The variable apex angle prism is configured to perform shake correction control by feedback control using the value of the apex angle calculated to correct shake as a reference signal and the current value of apex angle as a feedback signal.

Next, the operation for stopping the shake correction will be described.

The lock lever 14 is attached to a support portion of a device (not shown) so as to be rotatable about a rotary shaft 14c, and by rotating in the direction of the broken line in FIG. 4a and the meshing portion 14b meshes with the rear frame body 4b. This locks the movement of the variable apex angle prism at the movable center.

In order to rotate the lock lever 14 around the shaft 14c, the moving ring 19 is moved in the wide (W) direction in the figure. Then, when further moved in the wide direction (outside the normal photographing range), the engaging portion (projection) 1 of the lock lever 14 is moved.
4d and the engaging portion (projection) 19d of the moving ring 19 are engaged (sliding), and the lock lever 14 rotates in the direction of the broken line in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the main part of the image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function in the above configuration.
Hereinafter, description will be made according to this.

When the shake correction apparatus is turned on, the operations from step 202 to step 202 are started. [Step 202] It is determined whether or not the power is turned off. If the power is turned off, the process proceeds to step 203. If the power is not turned off, the normal shooting or image stabilization mode is performed. [Step 203] Since the power is turned off, frame pair 4
Coil drive circuit 18 so that a and 4b come to the movable center
To supply current to the coils 6a and 6b. [Step 204] It is determined from the output signals of the light receiving elements 13a and 13b whether the frame 4a or 4b is at the movable center. As a result, if it is not in the movable center, the process returns to step 203 and the same operation is performed. If it is in the movable center, the electrical lock ends and the process proceeds to step 205. [Step 205] The moving ring 9 is driven in a predetermined direction (wide direction in this embodiment). [Step 206] The position of the moving ring 9 is read. [Step 207] It is determined whether or not the position of the movable ring 9 has reached a preset predetermined position Xo, and the predetermined position X
If not o, the process returns to step 205 and the same operation is repeated. After that, when it is determined that the predetermined position Xo has been reached, the process proceeds to step 208. As a result, the engaging portion 14d of the lock lever 14 and the engaging portion 19d of the moving ring 19 slide, the lock lever 14 rotates in the direction of the broken line in FIG.
Mechanical locking is performed by the lock lever 14. [Step 208] The supply of current to the coils 6a and 6b is stopped. That is, the electrical lock is stopped. [Step 209] The power of the entire apparatus is turned off.

With the above, a series of operations is completed in step 210.

In the first embodiment, the moving ring 19 for holding and moving the moving optical system of the main optical system of the shake correcting apparatus when the photographer gives a signal to turn off the power of the entire apparatus. Since the lock lever 14 is used to rotate to lock (lock) the variable vertical angle prism, for example, a dedicated motor or the like for locking the variable vertical angle prism is not required. , It becomes possible to lock the variable apex angle prism.

If the photographer accidentally removes the battery during photography and the battery is reattached, the following operation is performed.

That is, after the battery is reattached, the mode of the device is first confirmed. What is the device mode?
There are three types: "shooting" or "video" or "stop."
When in the "shooting" mode, the shooting proceeds to the normal shooting and image stabilization mode. On the other hand, in the "video" or "stop" mode, the operations after step 203 in the above-described flow of FIG. 3 are executed.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the main part of the image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Since the circuit configuration and mechanism of the device are the same as those in the first embodiment, they are omitted here.

When the shake correction apparatus is turned on, the operations after step 302 are started via step 301. [Step 302] The focal length f of the variable power optical system, which is the current main optical system, is read. [Step 303] The focal length f read in step 302 is compared with a preset predetermined value f ₁ . This is a step in which the effect of image stabilization is not clear below a certain focal length (predetermined value f ₁ ), and image stabilization is not necessary, so that judgment is made. As a result, if the predetermined value f ₁ equal to or less than the flow proceeds to step 304, the process proceeds it is possible to obtain a vibration damping effect if larger than the predetermined value f ₁ to the normal image stabilization mode. [Step 304] An electric current is supplied from the coil drive circuit 18 to the coils 6a and 6b so that the frames 4a and 4b come to the movable center. [Step 305] It is determined from the output signals of the light receiving elements 13a and 13b whether the frame 4a or 4b is at the movable center. As a result, if it is not in the movable center, the process returns to step 304 and the same operation is performed. If it is in the movable center, the electrical lock is terminated and the process proceeds to step 306. [Step 306] The current focal length f ′ is read. [Step 307] The focal length f ′ read in step 306 is compared with the focal length f read in step 302. As a result, if the focal length f ′ is larger than the focal length f, the process proceeds to step 308, and if not, the process proceeds to step 309. [Step 308] Here, the focal length f ′ and the predetermined value f
Compare with ₁ . As a result, the focal length f ′ is the predetermined value f ₁
If it is smaller, the process proceeds to step 310, and if it is larger, the region requires normal image stabilization, so the process proceeds to normal image stabilization mode. [Step 309] Here, it is determined whether or not the focal length f ′ is equal to the second predetermined value fw (corresponding to the wide end). As a result, if they are equal, the process proceeds to step 311, and if they are not equal, the process proceeds to step 310. [Step 310] The current is continuously supplied to the coils 6a and 6b. Then, the process returns to step 306 and the same operation is repeated. [Step 311] The current supply to the coils 6a and 6b is stopped. That is, the fact that the current focal length f ′ is equal to the second predetermined value fw means that the engagement portion 14d of the lock lever 14 and the engagement portion 19d of the moving ring 19 slide, and the lock lever 14 is moved to the position shown in FIG. Since it is rotated in the direction of the broken line to mechanically lock by the lock lever 14, the electrical lock is stopped.

With the above, a series of operations is completed in step 312.

In the second embodiment described above, since the effect of image stabilization is small in the vicinity of the wide end, it is determined that the image stabilization is unnecessary.
The electric lock is gradually applied near the wide end, and the variable apex prism is completely locked by the lock lever 14 at the wide end. Also in this case, there is an effect that the variable apex prism can be locked without requiring a dedicated motor or the like for locking the variable apex prism.

According to the first and second embodiments described above, the moving ring 19 for holding and moving the moving optical system has a predetermined position (a predetermined focal length in normal photographing, a predetermined value f in the embodiment).
_When it is moved to ₁ ), the lock lever 14 which is the locking means is interlocked with the variable apex angle prism which is the correction optical means so that the lock lever 14 is operated. Since the lever 14 is actuated by using an existing member without providing a dedicated member, it is possible to reduce the number of parts of the device and achieve downsizing and cost reduction of the device. Become.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The holding means for holding the variable power optical system is provided with an engaging portion for changing the locking means of the correction optical means to the unlocked state and the locked state for locking the correction optical means at the movable center. The state of the locking means is changed by interlocking with the movement of the holding means for holding the variable power optical system.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a mechanism diagram showing an image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a main part of the image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of a main part of the image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4a, 4b Frame body 14 Lock lever 15a, 15b Shake detector 16 Switch 17 Control circuit 19 Moving ring 19d Engaging portion 102 Second group having a zooming function

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A shake detection means for detecting shake of the entire apparatus, a correction optical means for correcting image shake caused by the shake, a driving means for driving the correction optical means, and an output of the shake detection means. Based on the control means for controlling the driving means, the variable power optical system, the holding means for holding the variable power optical system, and the holding means being moved to a predetermined position, the correction from the unlocked state is performed. In an image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function, comprising: locking means for locking the optical means at a movable center, the holding means is in a non-locking state of the locking means of the correction optical means, and the correction optical means is at a movable center. An image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function, characterized in that an engagement portion for changing the state to a locked state so as to be locked to is provided. 2. The engagement portion is a portion for changing the state of the locking means from the non-locking state to the locking state when the holding member moves out of the normal photographing range. Image capture device with shake correction function. 3. The engagement portion is a portion for changing the state of the locking means from the non-locking state to the locking state when the holding member moves to a predetermined focal length within the normal photographing range. The image pickup apparatus with a shake correction function according to claim 1.