Patent ID: 7379092

Claim:
A camera shake correction apparatus using a stage apparatus, comprising: (a) a camera including the stage apparatus, the stage apparatus comprising: (a)(1) a stationary support plate; (a)(2) an X-direction moving member which is supported on the stationary support plate by an X-direction guide device so as to be movable only in a specific X-direction; (a)(3) a Y-direction moving member which is supported on the X-direction moving member by a Y-direction guide device so as to be movable only in a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction and parallel with the support plate; (a)(4) an X-direction actuator which moves the X-direction moving member in the X-direction relative to the stationary support plate, and (a)(5) a Y-direction actuator which moves the Y-direction moving member in the Y-direction relative to the X-direction moving member, (b) an image pickup device secured to a front surface of the Y-direction moving member and having an image pickup surface positioned at an image forming surface of an optical system of the camera; (c) a shake detection sensor which detects a camera shake; and (d) a control device for driving the X-direction actuator and the Y-direction actuator, based on shake information detected by the shake detection sensor, so as to correct the camera shake, wherein the X-direction guide device is provided with an X-direction elongated hole which extends in the X-direction and which is formed in one of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate, and an X-direction engagement projection which is provided on the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate and is engaged in the X-direction elongated hole so as to be movable only in the X-direction, and wherein the Y-direction guide device is provided with a Y-direction elongated hole which extends in the Y-direction and which is formed in one of the X-direction moving member and the Y-direction moving member, and a Y-direction engagement projection which is provided on the other of the X-direction moving member and the Y-direction moving member and is engaged in the Y-direction elongated hole so as to be movable only in the Y-direction.