Photographing apparatus and method of removing foreign substance
View Patent ↗Provided are a photographing apparatus and a method of removing foreign substances. The photographing apparatus includes an imaging device for converting a captured image into an electrical signal; a vibration member mounted at an imaging plane side of the imaging device; a vibration-applying unit for vibrating the vibration member; and a vibration control unit inputting at least two different control signals such that input times of the at least two control signals are overlapped.
1. A photographing apparatus comprising:
an imaging device comprising a converter having an output at which an electrical signal of a captured image is provided;
a vibration member mounted at an imaging plane side of the imaging device;
a supporting unit that supports a periphery portion of the vibration member;
a vibration-applying unit disposed on the supporting unit for vibrating the vibration member, the vibration-applying unit comprising an input; and
a vibration control unit having an output that provides at least two different control signals to the input of the vibration-applying unit such that input times of the control signals are overlapped;
wherein the vibration control unit inputs to the vibration-applying unit a synthesized signal generated by combining the at least two different control signals.
2. The photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration control unit inputs a periodic signal as the at least two control signals to the vibration-applying unit.
3. The photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration control unit inputs to the vibration-applying unit a resonance frequency signal that resonantly vibrates the vibration member, as the at least two control signals.
4. The photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vibration-applying unit is a monolithic single-piece element.
5. The photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two different control signals are two different frequency control signals.
6. The photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the output of the vibration control unit provides the synthesized signal to a single input of the vibration-applying unit.
7. A method of removing foreign substances of a photographing apparatus, comprising:
vibrating, with a vibration-applying unit, a vibration member that is disposed at an imaging plane side of an imaging device for converting a captured image into an electrical signal;
inputting at least two different control signals to the vibration-applying unit such that input times of the at least two control signals are overlapped; and
generating a synthesized signal by combining the at least two different control signals, and inputting the generated synthesized signal to the vibration-applying unit wherein:
a periphery portion of the vibration member is supported by a supporting unit; and
the vibration-applying unit is disposed on the supporting unit for vibrating the vibration member.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the two different control signals are two different frequency control signals.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the output of the vibration control unit provides the synthesized signal to a single input of the vibration-applying unit.