Patent ID: 7070343

Claim:
A sector drive assembly for a camera comprising: a base plate having an aperture; one or more sectors provided on the base plate for opening and closing the aperture; an electromagnetic actuator for driving the one or more sectors between an open position in which the aperture is opened and a closed position in which the aperture is closed; a drive force transmitting mechanism for transmitting a drive force of the electromagnetic actuator in aperture-opening and aperture-closing directions to the one or more sectors; a first detecting unit for detecting a state in which the one or more sectors are in the open position, the first detecting unit including an electrically conductive detection pin, and a first electrically conductive detection spring engageable with the conductive detection pin and urging the drive force transmitting mechanism in the aperture-closing direction when the one or more sectors are in the open position; a second detecting unit for detecting a state in which the one or more sectors are in the closed position, the second detecting unit including the electrically conductive detection pin, and a second electrically conductive detection spring engageable with the conductive detection pin and urging the drive force transmitting mechanism in the aperture-opening direction when the one or more sectors are in the closed position; and a control unit for controlling the supply of power to the electromagnetic actuator based on signals from the first and the second detecting units.