Patent ID: 9137429
Filing Date: 2015-09-15
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A camera apparatus comprising: a support structure; a camera unit comprising an image sensor and a lens system for focussing an image on the image sensor; and an SMA actuator system comprising two SMA actuator subsystems each comprising two pairs of lengths of SMA wire connected between the camera unit and the support structure, the lengths of SMA wire in each pair being connected at a common point to either the camera unit or the support structure, the pairs being disposed on opposite sides of the camera unit and the camera unit being arranged to pivot relative to the support structure about respective pivot axes extending through the common points in respect of the two pairs of lengths of SMA wire in each SMA actuator subsystem, the pivot axes of the two SMA actuator subsystems being perpendicular to the optical axis and to each other and lying in a common plane along the optical axis, each SMA actuator subsystem being arranged, on differential contraction of the SMA wires thereof, to drive rotation of the camera unit around the pivot axis of the other SMA actuator subsystem, the two SMA actuator subsystems being arranged, on common contraction of the SMA wires thereof, to drive displacement of the camera unit in opposite directions along the optical axis relative to the support structure, wherein the lengths of SMA wire in each pair of one of the SMA actuator subsystems is connected at a common point to the camera unit and the lengths of SMA wire in each pair of the other of the SMA actuator subsystems is connected at a common point to the support structure.