FINE ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL SYSTEM LENS

Abstract: A fine adjustment apparatus for an optical system lens includes an annular laminated piezoelectric vibrator. The lens is attached to the inner peripheral portion of the piezoelectric vibrator. The piezoelectric vibrator is firmly supported at its outer peripheral portion by a proper member. The piezoelectric vibrator is deflected by the application of a voltage, whereby the lens is finely displaced in the optical axis direction thereof. The piezoelectric vibrator may be formed by laminating two annular piezoelectric elements with an annular metal plate sandwiched therebe­ tween. Each of the piezoelectric elements has the axis of polarization extending in the thicknesswise direction thereof. The metal plate has a thickness which does not exceed at least 25% of the total thickness of the two piezoelectric elements.

Description: The present invention relates to an optical system with fine adjustment. The system can be used to provide fine variations of the position of the focal point of a lens employed in an optical system precision device or a camera, such as an automatic focusing camera, or a video camera. As a means for varying the focal length of a lens, a permanent magnet and a coil are employed to make use of electromagnetic force to displace the lens. This means, however, offers the following disadvantages. The employment of a permanent magnet and a coil unfavorably complicates the structure of the apparatus for carrying out the focal length variation and increases the size thereof as well as results in large variations in conditions among various apparatuses. In addition, with the conventional techniques, it has been difficult to effect fine positioning of the lens. Another conventional techniques of varying the position of a lens employs a vibrator constituted by a piezoelectric material. In this case, if the vibrator is constituted by a piezoelectric film of, for example, PVF₂, it is necessary to firmly secure the outer edge portion of the vibrator for the purpose of preventing the vibrator from being deflected by the weight of the lens, which involves further difficulty in aligning optical axes with each other. Further, it is difficult for the vibrator of the type described above to vibrate with a large amplitude. On the other hand, a vibrator of piezo-electric ceramic inconveniently involves difficulty in supporting and securing the same and has the disadvantage that the vibration mode and the displacement amount undesirably change depending upon various conditions including the position at which the vibrator is secured. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an optical system with fine adjustment, which is capable of stably and easily driving a lens to enable fine focusing and which has high mechanical strength but has a simple construction to facilitate mass-production with small variations. The invention therefore provides an optical system with fine adjustment according to claim 1. US-A-3849293 discloses an optical scanning system in which a mirror is suspended by wires from a plurality of piezo-electric transducers. Each transducer is a sandwich of metal and ceramic plates and the outer portion of each sandwich is clamped by compression rings. GB-A-2059143 discloses an optical system with fine adjustment according to the preamble of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which: Figs. 1, 3 and 4 are sectional views respectively showing embodiments of the invention; Figs. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; Figures. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of different embodiments of the invention. Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numerals 1, 2 respectively denote annular piezoelectric ceramic plates each having the axis of polarization extending in the thicknesswise direction thereof. An annular metal plate 3 has a thickness which does not exceed at least 25% of the total thickness of the two piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 and is larger in diameter than the latter. The piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 are respectively bonded to both sides of the metal plate 3 by means of a bonding agent, such as an epoxy resin, to thereby form a laminated piezoelectric vibrator. An optical system lens 4 is fitted in the central bore in the metal plate 3 of the laminated piezoelectric vibrator. In the state of being received in the central bore, the lens 4 has its outer peripheral portion secured to the metal plate 3 by, for example, a bonding agent. A circular outer frame 5 of a metal or other material firmly supports the outer peripheral edge of the metal plate 3 near the respective outer peripheral portions of the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 in such a manner that the frame 5 clamps the outer peripheral edge of the metal sheet 3. The optical system lens fine adjustment apparatus arranged as described above operates as follows. A voltage is applied to the annular piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 of the fine adjustment apparatus in such a manner that one of the piezoelectric ceramic plates radially expands and the other radially contracts. Thereupon, the laminated piezoelectric vibrator is deflected, whereby the lens 4 mounted in the central portion of the vibrator is finely displaced in the optical axis direction thereof. When the voltage is applied to the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 in the direction opposite to the above, the lens 4 is displaced in the direction opposite to the above. Further, if an AC voltage is applied to the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2, then the lens 4 vibrates in the manner shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, whereby it is possible to periodically change the position of the focal point of the lens 4. According to the optical system lens fine adjustment apparatus of the present invention, the outer peripheral edge of the laminated piezoelectric vibrator is firmly supported by the circular outer frame 5. It is, therefore, possible to obtain stable vibrational characteristics by virtue of the excellent symmetry of the circular outer frame 5. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a high degree of accuracy in positioning the lens 4 by means of displacement and to allow the lens to be displaced by a large amount. Further, according to the invention, the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 are indirectly secured to the outer frame 5 through themetal plate 3 which is firmly supported by the frame 5. For this reason, the fine adjustment apparatus is favorably increased in the mechanical strength, so that there is not fear of destruction of the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 at the time when the lens 4 is finely displaced. Thus, the fine adjustment apparatus according to the present invention has excellent impact resistance and operability and a simple structure which allows the apparatus to be excellently mass-produced. In the above-described embodiment, the lens is finely displaced by the laminated piezoelectric vibrator which is formed by laminating the piezoelectric ceramic plates one upon the other in parallel in such a manner that their respective axes of polarization extend in the same direction. The present invention is, however, not necessarily limited to this arrangement. For example, the piezoelectric vibrator may be formed by laminating the piezoelectric ceramic plates in series with their respective axes of polarization aligned in the same direction. Advantageous effects similar to those described above can be achieved with a structure in which the two piezoelectric ceramic plates are laminated one upon the other and the metal plate is laminated on one surface of the laminated piezoelectric ceramic plates. Moreover, it is possible to obtain advantageous effects similar to those described above by an optical system lens fine adjustment apparatus, such as that shown in Fig. 3. This apparatus includes a laminated piezoelectric vibrator which is formed by laminating on the piezoelectric ceramic plate 1 a metal plate 6 having a thickness substantially equal to that of the ceramic plate 1. To further increase the maximum amount of fine movement of the lens 4, it is only necessary to provide a concentric groove 7 on the metal plate 6 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. It is to be noted that, if such a structure is employed as having at least two cantilevers 8, as shown in Fig. 5, then, although the structure becomes complicated, the area of the piezoelectric ceramic plates required to form the piezoelectric vibrator is favorably reduced as compared with the piezoelectric ceramic plates 1, 2 shown in Fig. 1. Accordingly, the electrical capacitance is reduced by an amount corresponding to the reduced area, thus advantageously allowing a reduction in the electric power consumed when the lens is finely adjusted. A similar effect can be offered by structures in which the cantilevers 8 are formed in the manner shown in Figs. 6 and 7. With the structures shown in Figs. 6 and 7, however, the maximum amount of fine movement of the lens 4 is unfavorably small unless voltages respectively applied to diagonal-line portions and cross-line portions are made opposite to each other in porality or the respective axes of polarization of these portions are made opposite to each other in direction and voltages of the same polarity are applied to the portions. As has been described above, according to the present invention, the following advantageous effects are offered: (1) It is possible to provide a fine adjustment apparatus for an optical system lens which has a simple structure and is small in the size and the thickness. (2) Since its structure is simple, the apparatus can be excellently mass-produced. (3) The apparatus has a high degree of accuracy in positioning a lens by means of displacement. Although the invention has been described through specific terms, it is to be noted here that the described embodiments are not exclusive and various changes and modifications may be imparted thereto without departing from the scope of the invention which is limited solely by the appended claims.

Claims: An optical system with fine adjustment, the system comprising an optical element (4); at least one flat piezoelectric vibrator element (1, 2); a thin metal plate (3) to which said piezo-electric vibrator element or elements (1, 2) are bonded; and supporting means (5), both said metal plate (3) and said vibrator element or elements (1, 2) being annular, said vibrator element or elements (1, 2) having axes of polarisation extending parallel to their axes of symmetry, said metal plate having an outer diameter which is greater than the outer diameter of said vibrator element or elements (1, 2), characterised in that said optical element is a lens (4) which is bonded to the inner periphery of said metal plate (3), and in that said supporting means (5) firmly supports said metal plate (3) only at its outer peripheral portion, which portion is not covered by said vibrator element or elements (1, 2), in such a manner that said supporting means (5) clamps said outer peripheral portion. A system according to Claim 1 wherein said plate (3) has an inner diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of said vibrator element (1, 2). A system according to Claim 2 wherein two annular vibrator elements (1, 2) are bonded to said plate (3), one of said elements (1) being bonded to an upper surface of said plate (3) and the other element (2) being bonded to a lower surface of said plate (3). A system according to Claim 1 wherein two annular vibrator elements (1, 2) are bonded together and said plate (3) is bonded to one of said elements (1). A system according to Claim 3 wherein notches are provided in said elements (1, 2) and in said plate (3) so as to define cantilever portions (8), the notches in said elements (1, 2) being substantially aligned with the notches in said plate (3). A system according to claim 1 wherein only one vibrator element (1) is provided, said element having a thickness substantially equal to said plate (6). A system according to claim 6 wherein said plate (3) is provided with a concentric groove (7) in a region between said outer peripheral portion of said plate (3), which is firmly supported, and the outer periphery of said vibrator element (1, 2).

Inventors: FUKADA, TETSUJI, ISE, YUKIHIKO, UESHIBA, NOZOMU
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G02B7
IPC codes: G02B7