IP Library Granted Patent US 7,441,966
Granted Patent B2
US 7,441,966 · App. 11/343,607 · Granted Oct 28, 2008

Shutter and optical apparatus having the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,441,966
App. No.
11/343,607
Granted
Oct 28, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A shutter for an optical apparatus has multiple sectors and an operation member. Each of the multiple sectors has a cam opening for engagement and is pivotally provided to open and close a shutter opening, the operation member moves each of said multiple sectors in engagement with the cam opening, and the cam opening of at least one sector that is one of the multiple sectors is formed to change a moving direction of said at least one sector, when the operation member moves said at least one sector to a position to close the shutter opening.

Claims (30)

1. A shutter for an optical apparatus, the shutter having multiple sectors and an operation member, wherein:

each of the multiple sectors has a cam opening for engagement and is pivotally provided to open and close a shutter opening;

the operation member moves each of said multiple sectors in engagement with the cam opening;

the cam opening of at least one sector that is one of the multiple sectors is formed to change a moving direction of said at least one sector, when the operation member moves said at least one sector to a position to close the shutter opening;

said multiple sectors move to form a fully open state, a fully closed state, a small aperture state in this order, while the operation member is moving in one direction, the sectors including shutter blades and a small aperture blade;

the shutter blades are respectively positioned on identical sides with respect to the position of the shutter opening in the fully open state and the small aperture state;

the small aperture blade moves from the fully open state to the fully closed state to the small aperture state in a single direction; and

the shutter blade is reciprocated in the fully closed state that serves as a turning point.

2. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the cam openings of the shutter blades have shapes that change moving directions of the shutter blades when the shutter blades are moved to positions to close the shutter opening.

3. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the cam openings of the shutter blades have the shapes that cause the shutter blades to be positioned on identical sides with respect to the position of the shutter opening in the fully open state and the small aperture state.

4. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the cam openings of the shutter blades have the shapes that cause the shutter blades to reach the positions to close the shutter opening and change the moving directions from said positions to recede from the shutter opening, while the operation member is moving in one direction.

5. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the small aperture blade moves earlier than the shutter blades and partially shields the shutter opening, when shifting from the fully open state to the fully closed state.

6. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the shutter blades partially shields the shutter opening in the small aperture state.

7. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operation member is driven by a stepping motor to move said multiple sectors in the order of the fully open state, the fully closed state, and the small aperture state, according to a rotation position.

8. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said multiple sectors include two shutter blades, wherein cam openings of said two shutter blades have shapes to respectively change moving directions thereof, when said two shutter blades are moved to the positions to close the shutter opening.

9. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said two shutter blades are positioned to interpose the shutter opening therebetween in the fully open state.

10. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the cam opening of the shutter blade has a shape so that the moving direction of the shutter blade is changed when the shutter blade is moved to a position to close the shutter opening.

11. The shutter for the optical apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:

the shutter blade and the small aperture blade are moved to form a fully open state, a fully closed state, and a small aperture state in this order as the operation member moves; and

the shutter blade and the small aperture blade are positioned to interpose the shutter opening therebetween in the fully open state.

12. An optical apparatus having a shutter that includes multiple sectors and an operation member, wherein:

each of the multiple sectors has a cam opening for engagement and is pivotally provided to open and close a shutter opening;

the operation member moves each of said multiple sectors in engagement with the cam opening;

the cam opening of at least one sector that is one of the multiple sectors is formed to change a moving direction of said at least one sector, when the operation member moves said at least one sector to a position to close the shutter opening;

said multiple sectors move to form a fully open state, a fully closed state, a small aperture state in this order, while the operation member is moving in one direction, the sectors including shutter blades and a small aperture blade;

the shutter blades are respectively positioned on identical sides with respect to the position of the shutter opening in the fully open state and the small aperture state;

the small aperture blade moves from the fully open state to the fully closed state to the small aperture state in a single direction; and

the shutter blade is reciprocated in the fully closed state that serves as a turning point.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Oct 30, 2019
From: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
To: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
Reel/Frame 050872/0748 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2019
From: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
To: SEIKO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA (TRADING AS SEIKO HOLDINGS CORPORATION)
Reel/Frame 050873/0971 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2006
From: KAWAMOTO, HISASHI; SHIODA, KAZUYA; NUMNUAL, PHICHET
To: SEIKO PRECISION INC.
Reel/Frame 017279/0351 →