Dust removal apparatus of photographing apparatus

Abstract

A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a controller. The movable unit has an imaging device and is movable. The controller moves the movable unit on a plane that is parallel to a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system that captures an optical image on a photographing surface of the imaging device. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the optical axis. The controller moves the movable unit to a predetermined position that does not make contact with a boundary of a range of movement of the movable unit, and strikes the movable unit against the boundary of the range of movement in the second direction under the condition where a coordinate value in the first direction of the movable unit is held constant, as a dust removal operation.

1 . A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus, comprising: 
 a movable unit that has an imaging device and that is movable; and    a controller that moves said movable unit on a plane that is parallel to a first direction and a second direction, said first direction being perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system that captures an optical image on a photographing surface of said imaging device, said second direction being perpendicular to said first direction and said optical axis;    said controller moving said movable unit to a predetermined position that does not make contact with a boundary of a range of movement of said movable unit, and striking said movable unit against said boundary of said range of movement in said second direction under the condition where a coordinate value in said first direction of said movable unit is held constant, as a dust removal operation.    
   
   
       2 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined position is a center of said range of movement.  
   
   
       3 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein repeated impact of said movable unit with said boundary in said second direction as said dust removal operation, is performed so that said controller moves said movable unit to strike against one side of said boundary in said second direction, against the other side of said boundary in said second direction, and against said one side of said boundary in said second direction, in order.  
   
   
       4 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller moves said movable unit in said range of movement for an anti-shake operation for image stabilizing; and 
 said dust removal operation is performed before said anti-shake operation commences.    
   
   
       5 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a rectangle shape, which is a form of an imaging surface of said imaging device, has two sides that are parallel to said first direction and has two sides that are parallel to said second direction and that are shorter than the two sides parallel to said first direction, under the condition where a control of movement of said movable unit for said dust removal operation is not performed.  
   
   
       6 . A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus, comprising: 
 a movable unit that has an imaging device and that is movable;    a fixed unit that forms a boundary of a range of movement of said movable unit;    a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a predetermined part of said photographing apparatus; and    a controller that moves said movable unit on a plane that is parallel to a first direction and a second direction, said first direction being perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system that images an optical image on a photographing surface of said imaging device, said second direction being perpendicular to said first direction and said optical axis;    said controller striking said movable unit against said boundary in said second direction, and controlling a driving force for striking said movable unit against said boundary based on said temperature of said predetermined part, as a dust removal operation.    
   
   
       7 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a buffer member that is attached to at least one of said movable unit and said fixed unit; 
 wherein said controller strikes said movable unit  30   a  against said boundary in said second direction through said buffer member, as said dust removal operation.    
   
   
       8 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said driving force is decreased when said temperature of said predetermined part is decreased.  
   
   
       9 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said controller moves said movable unit to a predetermined position that does not make contact with said boundary, and strikes said movable unit against said boundary in said second direction under the condition where a coordinate value in said first direction of said movable unit is held constant, as said dust removal operation.  
   
   
       10 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said predetermined position is a center of said range of movement.  
   
   
       11 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein impact of said movable unit with said boundary in said second direction as said dust removal operation, is performed so that said controller moves said movable unit to strike against one side of said boundary in said second direction, against the other side of said boundary in said second direction, and against said one side of said boundary in said second direction, in order.  
   
   
       12 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said controller moves said movable unit in said range of movement for an anti-shake operation for image stabilizing; and 
 said dust removal operation is performed before said anti-shake operation commences.    
   
   
       13 . A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus, comprising: 
 a movable unit that has an imaging device and that is movable; and    a controller that moves said movable unit on a plane that is perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system that captures an optical image on a photographing surface of said imaging device;    said controller striking said movable unit against a boundary of a range of movement of said movable unit at least two times, in a direction that is perpendicular to said optical axis, as a dust removal operation;    a force of impact in a primary collision of said dust removal operation being less than a force of impact in a collision of said dust removal operation after said primary collision.    
   
   
       14 . The dust removal apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said controller moves said movable unit to a predetermined position that does not make contact with said boundary of said range of movement of said movable unit; 
 in said primary collision, said movable unit is moved from said predetermined position to one side of said boundary of said range of movement of said movable unit, after movement to said predetermined position in said direction; and    in a secondary collision of said dust removal operation after said primary collision, said movable unit is moved from said one side of said boundary of said range of movement of said movable unit to the other side of said boundary of said range of movement of said movable unit in said direction.