Canon patent to miniaturise the aperture mechanism of a lens (new pancake lenses?)

canon patent
Drawing from the patent literature

Canon patent regarding how to miniaturise the aperture mechanism of a lens. Specifically, the patent seems to refer to lenses where miniaturisation plays an important role. Such lenses may be made for special application, but it could also mean a pancake lens.

Let’s see patent JP2017-187730A’s abstract:

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light quantity adjusting device capable of achieving downsizing of a device while obtaining a good aperture stop shape.
A diaphragm driving section disposed outside of the base plate, a pair of linearly advancing blades linearly advancing and retracting with respect to the opening section, 107, and a plurality of oscillating blades 105, 109, 106, 108 which oscillate diagonally from both sides in the moving direction of the pair of rectilinearly moving blades in the moving direction toward the center of the opening to obtain a good aperture opening shape while trying to downsize the device.

I hope this Canon patent points to new, compact lenses, preferably pancake lenses for Canon APS-C and EOS M systems.

Yet another hybrid viewfinder patent by Canon

hybrid viewfinderCanon’s labs are actively working on hybrid viewfinder technology. This is not the first patent referring to this very technology.

The new patent is patent JP2017-146322A, The patent’s abstract says:

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems of an increased size, a complicated mechanism and the like of a camera employing a viewfinder device allowing switching between an optical viewfinder (OVF) and an electronic viewfinder (EVF).
SOLUTION: A main mirror that directs a subject image from a lens to a viewfinder and performs reciprocating revolving movement between a subject observation position and an image pick-up position in which an image pick-up device receives light of the subject image from the lens is configured to have both a display function to display, e.g., an image picked up by the image pick-up device and a mirror function to direct the subject image to the viewfinder, thereby realizing: an OVF mode in which the subject image on a reticle is observed with the viewfinder using the mirror function of the main mirror; and an EVF mode in which the main mirror is in an up state and a live view image of the subject is displayed by the display function of the main mirror and observed with the viewfinder.

If you like “patentish language”, you may want to dive into the patent’s claims:

[Claim 1] A main mirror (4) which carries out the both-way rotational movement of the object image from an object observation position and a lens (2) which leads an object image from a lens (2) to a finder between image pickup positions which carry out light reception to an image sensor (17),
It constitutes so that it may have a display function (6) which displays a taken image of an image sensor (17), and a function of a mirror which leads an object image to a finder,
OVF mode in which an object image on a reticle (11) is observed with a finder using a mirror function (5) of a main mirror (4),
A finder device of a camera having the EVF mode which changes a main mirror (4) into a rise state, displays a live view image of an object by a display function (6) of a main mirror (4), and it observes with a finder.
[Claim 2] A finder device of the camera according to claim 1 using the aforementioned display function as a transparent display device (6) which used an EL element.
[Claim 3] A finder device of the camera according to claim 1, wherein a mirror function of the aforementioned main mirror (4) will comprise a modulated light mirror which changes reflectance and will be in a transmission state in EVF mode with impressed electromotive force.
[Claim 4] It is a main mirror (104) which carries out the both-way rotational movement of the object image from an object observation position and a lens (2) which leads an object image from a lens (2) to a finder between image pickup positions which carry out light reception to an image sensor (17),
When it evacuates to an image pickup position, it has a gobo (109) for plugging up an opening on the back surface side of the main mirror (104),
A display part (106) which displays a taken image of an image sensor (17) on a surface on the main mirror (104) side of the gobo (109) is provided,
OVF mode in which lead an object image from a lens (2) to a finder by a main mirror (104), and it observes an object,
A finder device of a camera having the EVF mode which displays a live view image of an object on a display part (106) provided to the aforementioned gobo (109) in the state of the rise of a main mirror (104), and it observes with a finder.
[Claim 5] A finder device of the camera according to claim 4, wherein the aforementioned main mirror (104) will comprise a modulated light mirror which changes reflectance and will be in a transmission state in EVF mode with impressed electromotive force.
[Claim 6] A finder device of the camera according to any one of claims 1 to 5 switching the aforementioned OVF mode and the aforementioned EVF mode, and observing an object.

Source

Canon patent for illuminated rear buttons on camera body

illuminated rear buttons
A drawing from the patent application

Interesting patent that already started speculations.

Patent JP2017-147019A (which can be seen here in its entirety) refers to illuminated buttons on the rear of a Canon camera body (a DSLR, typically).

This is something Nikon already has: illuminated rear buttons. This lead someone to the speculation that the EOS 7D Mark III may have these buttons. While possible, there are no hints it will. So far we have to deal with wishful thinking and not with a rumor.

The patent’s abstract:

To provide a light emission button mechanism that enables a letter or character on the surface of a button to emit light uniformly with a simple configuration without providing any dedicated separate member for light guiding and light shielding, and can prevent light leakage to the inside and outside of the device.
SOLUTION: A light emission button mechanism includes an operation portion having a light guide portion that transmits light, an exterior cover having a hole through which the operation portion is inserted, a switch unit having a movable unit which is elastically deformed by pressing the operation unit, and a contact unit which is to operate by further pressing the operation unit, light emitting mans which is arranged in a substantially sealed space formed by the operation unit and the switch unit and causes the light guide portion to emit light, and a conductive pattern connected to the light emitting means and formed in the switch unit, and at least the conductive pattern formed in the movable portion out of the conductive patterns is not linear.

Source

Does this Canon patent for a 15-43mm f/2-4 lens for APS-C sensors refer to the Powershot G1 X Mark III?


Very interesting patent for 15-43mm f/2-4 lens for APS-C sensors that may point to the upcoming Canon Powershot G1 X Mark III camera, rumored to have an APS-C sensor.

  • Zoom ratio: 2.74
  • Focal length: 15.65 29.18 42.90
  • F No.: 2.06 2.99 4.00
  • Half angle: 41.12 25.09 17.66
  • Image height: 13.66 13.66 13.66
  • Back focus: 8.52 8.01 7.20

Patent literature is hard to grasp. Any help is welcome.

In a zoom lens from which an interval of a lens group which comprises the 1st lens group of negative refracting power, the 2nd lens group of positive refracting power, the 3rd lens group of positive refracting power, the 4th lens group of negative refracting power, and the 5th lens group of positive refracting power, and is adjacent to on the occasion of zooming arranged in order from the object side to the image side changes, between said 2nd lens group and the 3rd lens group, have an aperture diaphragm and said 4th lens group moves on the occasion of focusing — said 4th lens group — most — a curvature radius of a lens surface on the object side — a time of setting a curvature radius of a lens surface on the image side to R4b most of R4a and said 4th lens group, 0.2<(R4b+R4a)/(R4b-R4a)<3.0 A zoom lens satisfying a becoming conditional expression.


[via Hi Lows Note]

Canon patent to reduce flare in Diffractive Optics

Canon patent
Interesting Canon patent to reduce flare in difrractive optical elements. Let’s start with the abstract:

Basically, this means that an aluminium coating is applied to diffractive lens elements, in order to reduce light scattering. The aluminium layer is applied with an angle (you see it in the pictures), and is then partially oxidised so that the aluminium coating becomes transparent. According to the patents claim, flare is massively reduced (up to eight times).

Some more “patentish language”:

Canon patent
Canon patent