Support device, and vibration isolation device, lens moving device, and vibration isolation lens driving device having the same.

Abstract

This technology provides a method for supporting specific components at specific locations, offering high versatility and excellent power efficiency. [Solution] The support device (20) includes a fixed first member (21) and a movable second member (22). The two members are arranged in a non-contact manner, one of the two members includes a permanent magnet (28) that forms a magnetic field in which the two members attract each other, and one or the other of the two members includes a coil (24) that forms a magnetic field in which the two members attract or repel each other by energizing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support device, and a vibration isolation device, a lens moving device, and a vibration isolation lens driving device having the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Various types of position adjustment devices that utilize magnetic force are known, including those that utilize the magnetic force of permanent magnets and the magnetic field formed by electromagnets, enabling zero-power control (such as conveying devices or suspension devices) (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] Furthermore, devices that use magnetic force to control (vibration-damping) the position of a lens are known to employ two or three actuators equipped with voice coil motors (see, for example, Patent Documents 4 and 5).

[0004] Furthermore, a technique is known in which two magnet units, each consisting of a pair of electromagnet units and a permanent magnet suspended between them, are arranged facing each other and are relatively movable in the opposing direction, and an electromagnetic force based on zero-power control is applied to an iron ring placed between the magnet units to levitate the ring magnetically (see, for example, Patent Document 6). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-174388 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-125200 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3163639 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-112636 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-119249 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-158021 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, conventional zero-power control position adjustment devices, as described above, have complex or specialized configurations, including permanent magnets and electromagnets, depending on the specific object whose position needs to be adjusted. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of increasing the versatility of the position adjustment layer.

[0007] Furthermore, conventional lens vibration isolation devices, as described above, control the position of the lens in each of the different radial directions using actuators from two or more voice coil motors. As a result, they are always active (constantly maintaining the lens in a specific position), and there is room for improvement from a power saving perspective.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a technology for supporting a specific member at a specific position, with the aim of providing a technology that is highly versatile and excellent in terms of power saving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, a support device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a first member disposed in a fixed part, and a second member disposed in a movable part that is movable at least vertically relative to the fixed part, and is disposed below the first member and facing the first member in a non-contact manner, wherein one of the first member and the second member includes a permanent magnet that forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract each other, and one or the other of the first member and the second member includes a coil that forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract or repel each other by energizing.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a vibration isolation device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a fixed part, a movable part that can move at least vertically relative to the fixed part, and the above-mentioned support device which has a first member disposed on the fixed part and a second member disposed on the movable part, and supports the movable part relative to the fixed part.

[0011] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, a lens moving device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a guide member that guides movement in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, a lens holding member that holds a lens and is guided by the guide member to move in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, a moving device that moves the lens holding member in the direction guided by the guide member, and a support device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, having the first member disposed on the guide member and the second member disposed on the lens holding member.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, an anti-vibration lens drive device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a fixed frame, a lens frame having a lens and being supported by the fixed frame so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens, and two or more actuators that move the lens frame to a specific position in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens relative to the fixed frame, wherein the actuator that moves the lens frame in the vertical direction relative to the fixed frame is arranged on the first member arranged on the fixed frame and on the movable frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a technology for supporting a specific member at a specific position can be provided that is highly versatile and excellent in terms of power saving. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This figure schematically shows the structure of a vibration isolation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 schematically shows the structure of the legs in the vibration-insulating table. [Figure 3] This is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the support device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the support device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the support device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the vibration isolation device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the vibration isolation device according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the lens moving device according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of the lens moving device according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a side view schematically showing the structure of the lens moving device according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the voice coil actuator in Embodiment 8 of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the support device in Embodiment 8 of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the anti-vibration lens driving device according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the fixed frame in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the lens frame in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a diagram for explaining the position control of the lens at the equilibrium position in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a diagram for explaining the position control of the lens to the first position in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 19]This figure illustrates the control of the lens position to the second position in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 20] This figure illustrates the control of the lens position to a third position in Embodiment 9 of the present invention. [Figure 21] This is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 22] Figure 21 is a front view of the support device. [Figure 23] This figure shows an example of the suction force applied to a second member that moves laterally in a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 24] This figure shows an example of the attractive force acting on a second member that moves laterally when no current is flowing through the coil of the support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 25] This figure shows an example of the attractive force acting on a second member that moves laterally when a positive current of 0.1A is passed through the coil of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 26] This figure shows an example of the attractive force acting on a second member that moves laterally when a negative current of 0.1A is passed through the coil of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 27] This figure shows an example of the attractive force applied to a second member that moves vertically when no current is flowing through the coil of the support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 28] This figure shows an example of the attractive force acting on a second member that moves in the vertical direction when a positive current of 0.1A is passed through the coil of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 29] This figure shows an example of the attractive force acting on a second member that moves in the vertical direction when a negative current of 0.1A is passed through the coil of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 30] This figure shows an example of the cogging force in a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 31] This figure shows an example of the magnetic flux density distribution at the second member at the first position in the support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 32] This figure shows an example of the magnetic flux density distribution at the second member at the second position in the support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 33] This figure shows an example of magnetic flux lines in a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 34] This figure schematically shows an example of the configuration of a vibration-damping lens drive device equipped with a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Figure 35] Figure 34 is a magnified view of the support device and its surroundings in the vibration-damping lens drive device shown in Figure 34. [Figure 36] This figure schematically shows one modified example of a support device according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] [Embodiment 1] One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0016] [Configuration of the vibration isolation device in this embodiment] Figure 1 schematically shows the structure of a vibration isolation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The vibration isolation table 1 has a table plate 11 and four legs 12 that support the table plate 11. The table plate 11 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above (hereinafter also referred to as "planar shape"), and each of its four corners has a projection portion 13 that protrudes outward from each of the longitudinal ends of the table plate 11. The projection portion 13 is, for example, a SUS (stainless steel) member fixed to the table plate 11 with screws, and the planar shape of the projection portion 13 is, for example, rectangular.

[0017] Each of the four legs 12 has a base 14 and an isolator 15 or support device 20 positioned on top of it. Some of the four legs 12, for example two, have the isolator 15, and the remaining two, for example, have the support device 20.

[0018] The isolator 15 is a member positioned on the base 14 and supporting the projection 13, and is a member that maintains the distance between the base 14 and the projection 13 at a set value. The isolator 15 may be a member having a specific length according to its own physical properties, such as an air spring, or it may be a member that is expandable and contractible to maintain the above set value, composed of a sensor and an actuator.

[0019] Figure 2 schematically shows the structure of the leg 12 of a vibration-insulating table 1 having support devices 20. The leg 12 has a base 14 and a support portion 16 positioned on top of it. The support portion 16 is a member with a roughly C-shaped cross-section and is fixed to the top of the base 14 so as to open upwards. A projection portion 13 is inserted inside the support portion 16. Two support devices 20 are arranged inside the support portion 16. For example, one support device 20 is positioned on each of the two inner surfaces of the upper part of the roughly C-shaped support portion 16. The support devices 20 non-contactively support the projection portion 13 at specific positions in the height direction.

[0020] [Configuration of the support device] Figure 3 schematically shows the configuration of the support device 20. The support device 20 has a first member 21 positioned on the lower surface of the support portion 16 and a second member 22 positioned below it on the projection portion 13.

[0021] The first member 21 is composed of a magnetic material member 27 and two permanent magnets 28, 28. The magnetic material member 27 is a rectangular member in planar shape, made of a magnetic material such as iron, and is fixed on the inner surface of the upper part of the support part 16. The permanent magnets 28, 28 are arranged at both ends of the magnetic material member 27. Both permanent magnets 28, 28 have a north pole (dark gray) on the second member 22 side (lower side in the figure) and a south pole (light gray) on the support part 16 side (upper side in the figure).

[0022] The second member 22 consists of a core 23 and a coil 24. The core 23 is a member with a roughly E-shaped form when viewed from the front, and is made of a magnetic material such as iron. The core 23 has a main body portion 25 that extends in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and three protrusions 26, 26, 26 that project toward the first member 21 from both ends and the center of the main body portion 25, respectively. The coil 24 consists of a wire wound around the protrusions 26 in the center of the main body portion 25.

[0023] The vibration-isolating table 1 further includes a power supply (not shown) connected to the coil 24, an acceleration sensor (not shown) for detecting vibration and tilt of the table plate 11, and a control unit (not shown) capable of adjusting the height of the table plate 11 (projection portion 13) in real time. The control unit is configured such that the power supply provides the coil 24 with a current of a direction and amount corresponding to the vibration and tilt of the table plate 11. If the isolator 15 includes the aforementioned sensor and actuator, the control unit further controls the operation of the actuator in response to the detection signal from the sensor.

[0024] The support device 20 typically supports the projection portion 13 (table plate 11) at a position where the gravitational force between the table plate 11 and the projection portion 13 in the vertical direction balances the magnetic force between the permanent magnets 28, 28 and the core 23 (projection portion 26). At this time, the height of the projection portion 13 is substantially the same as the height of the projection portion 13 supported by the isolator 15, for example.

[0025] Thus, the vibration-insulating table 1 includes a support portion 16 that is immovable in the vertical direction, a table plate 11 that is movable in the vertical direction relative to the support portion 16, and a support device 20 which is composed of a first member 21 on the support portion 16 and a second member 22 on the table plate 11 side (projection portion 13).

[0026] [Vibration isolation mechanism in this embodiment] As mentioned above, the support device 20 normally supports the protruding portion 13 (table plate 11) at a position where the gravitational force acting on the table plate 11 and the protruding portion 13 balances the magnetic force between the permanent magnets 28, 28 and the core 23. A magnetic field is formed in the permanent magnets 28, 28, the core 23 and the magnetic material member 27, represented by two loops in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 3. Both loops can be represented as loops that start from the permanent magnet 28, pass through the core 23 from the protruding portion 26 opposite it, go from the central protruding portion 26 to the magnetic material member 27, pass through the magnetic material member 27 and return to the permanent magnet 28.

[0027] When the table plate 11 vibrates or tilts, each isolator 15 automatically restores itself according to the set value and supports the protruding portion 13 at the set value position. Meanwhile, in each support device 20, the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 changes. When the first member 21 and the second member 22 move apart, the control unit of the support device 20 causes current to flow through the coil 24 to generate a magnetic field (in the same direction) that strengthens the magnetic field of the permanent magnets 28, 28, thereby strengthening the attractive force between the first member 21 and the second member 22. As a result, the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 becomes smaller, and the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 returns to its original distance. Conversely, when the first member 21 and the second member 22 move closer together due to vibration or tilting of the table plate 11, the support device 20 causes current to flow through the coil 24 to generate a magnetic field (in the opposite direction) that weakens the magnetic field of the permanent magnets 28, 28, thereby generating a repulsive force between the first member 21 and the second member 22. As a result, the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 becomes larger, and the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 returns to its original distance.

[0028] The vibration and tilt of the tabletop 11 are detected by the aforementioned acceleration sensor. The detection signal from the acceleration sensor is input to a control device (not shown), which acquires the current value in each support device 20 corresponding to the detected physical quantity, outputs a signal of the current value to the power supply, and the power supply outputs a current corresponding to the signal to each support device 20. As a result, the effects of the vibration and tilt of the tabletop 11 are canceled out, and the tabletop 11 is unaffected by the vibration and tilt. Therefore, the tabletop 11 is always kept horizontal, regardless of the work performed on the tabletop 11 or the tilt or vibration caused by the surrounding environment of the vibration-insulating table 1.

[0029] As described above, when the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 in each support device 20 changes, current flows through the coil 24. However, as mentioned above, normally the projection 13 is supported in a position where the gravitational force acting on the table plate 11 and the projection 13 balances the magnetic force between the permanent magnets 28, 28 and the core 23 (projection 26). Therefore, when the change in the distance between the first member 21 and the second member 22 stabilizes and the first member 21 and the second member 22 return to their normal positions, the projection 13 is supported in its normal position by the magnetic force of the permanent magnets 28, 28. Thus, when there is no tilting or vibration in the table plate 11, no current flows through the coil 24; the position of the table plate 11 is maintained in a fixed position by so-called zero-power control.

[0030] As described above, the support device 20 has a core 23 with a roughly E-shaped front profile. Therefore, since it has a protrusion 26 at the center of the coil 24, it is suitable for generating a strong magnetic force when current is passed through the coil 24. Thus, it is more suitable for generating a large attractive or repulsive force between the first member 21 and the second member 22, and is more suitable from the viewpoint of supporting objects with larger masses and achieving vibration isolation.

[0031] In general, disturbances can have a significant impact on testing, measurement, experimentation, manufacturing, and overall environmental quality. In this embodiment, to address such problems, the proposed method introduces a vibration isolation system by controlling the magnetic force of permanent magnets using electromagnets. This system effectively stabilizes vibrations with excellent efficiency and power-saving capabilities. The vibration isolation table 1 can be applied to various technical fields where stability and precision are critical, such as precision measurement, medical devices, interference measurement, or semiconductor manufacturing. Depending on the technical field to which it is applied, the vibration isolation table 1 can significantly improve the precision and efficiency of delicate equipment or processes by optimizing its design and performance.

[0032] [Modified versions of this embodiment] In each support device 20, the first member may consist of an E-shaped core 23 and a coil 24, and the second member may be supported on the side of the protruding piece 13.

[0033] Furthermore, in the first member 21, the permanent magnet 28 on the left side of the figure may have a south pole on its lower side and a north pole on its upper side, while the permanent magnet 28 on the right side may have a north pole on its lower side and a south pole on its upper side.

[0034] All four legs 12 may have a support device 20. Furthermore, the number of support devices 20 may be determined appropriately, within a range that allows for vibration damping or correction of tilt. For example, in this embodiment, each of the three legs 12 may have a support device 20.

[0035] There may be three legs 12. In this case, at least one leg 12 may have a support device 20, from the viewpoint of enabling vibration isolation or correction of tilt.

[0036] To keep the table plate 11 in a fixed position at all times, a specific amount of current may be continuously supplied to the coil 24. This configuration is effective when the table plate 11 is subjected to a large load, such as when the table plate 11 is heavy.

[0037] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. For the sake of convenience, in the following embodiments, components having the same function as those described in the embodiments described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0038] [Embodiment 2] The vibration-isolating table according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the vibration-isolating table of Embodiment 1 described above, except that the configuration of the support device is different. The configuration of the support device according to this embodiment is schematically shown in Figure 4. The support device 40 has the same configuration as the support device 20 of Embodiment 1 described above, except that the arrangement of the magnetic poles of the permanent magnet 28 in the first member 21 is slightly different, and the second member 22 is replaced by a second member 42.

[0039] In the support device 40, one permanent magnet 28 on the first member 21 (left side with respect to the plane of the paper) has a north pole (dark gray) on the second member 42 side (lower side) and a south pole (light gray) on the support part 16 side (upper side), while the other permanent magnet 28 (right side with respect to the plane of the paper) has a south pole (light gray) on the lower side and a north pole (dark gray) on the upper side. A magnetic field is formed in the permanent magnets 28, 28, core 43 and magnetic material member 27, represented by a single loop in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4. This loop can be represented as starting from one permanent magnet 28, passing through the core 43 from one protrusion 46 opposite to it, going from the other protrusion 26 to the other permanent magnet 28, and then passing through the magnetic material member 27 to the first permanent magnet 28.

[0040] The second member 42 consists of a core 43 and a coil 44. The core 43 is a member with a roughly C-shaped form when viewed from the front, and is made of a magnetic material such as iron. The core 43 has a main body portion 45 that extends in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and two protrusions 46, 46 that project toward the second member 22 from each end of the main body portion 45. The coil 44 is made of a wire wound around an axis in the vertical direction and is positioned between the two protrusions 46, 46 at both ends of the main body portion 45.

[0041] The support device 40 operates in the same manner as the support device 20 and produces the same effect.

[0042] Furthermore, since the support device 40 has a roughly C-shaped core 43, it is advantageous compared to the support device 20 in terms of reducing cogging and reducing weight. In addition, the support device 40 has a coil 44 between two protrusions 46, 46 in the roughly C-shaped core 43. Therefore, the rate of change in magnetic field strength due to the energization of the coil 44 is smaller than that of the support device 20. Consequently, the support device 40 is advantageous compared to the support device 20 in terms of smoothly and precisely realizing vibration isolation control, reducing the movable distance between the second member 42 and the first member 21, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0043] [Embodiment 3] The vibration isolation table according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the vibration isolation table of Embodiment 1 described above, except that the configuration of the support device is different. The configuration of the support device according to this embodiment is schematically shown in Figure 5.

[0044] The support device 50 has a first member 51 in place of the first member 21, and a second member 52 in place of the second member 22. Otherwise, it is configured the same as the support device 20 of Embodiment 1 described above. The support device 50 has a first member 51 fixed to the upper part of the support portion 16, and a second member 52 positioned on the projection portion 13.

[0045] The first member 51 is composed solely of a magnetic material member 27. The second member 52 is composed of a permanent magnet 55, two yokes 56A and 56B, and a coil 54. The permanent magnet 55 is rod-shaped and extends in a direction that intersects the vertical direction. The yokes 56A and 56B are each made of a magnetic material such as iron and are arranged to protrude from both ends of the permanent magnet 55 toward the first member 51. The coil 54 is made of a wire wound around an axis in the vertical direction and is positioned between the two yokes 56A and 56B.

[0046] The permanent magnet 55 has a south pole (light gray) on the left side of the plane of the paper in the figure, and a north pole (dark gray) on the right side. Between the first member 51 and the second member 52, the permanent magnet 55 forms a magnetic field in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 5. In the support device 50, the projection 13 (table plate 11) is normally supported at a position where the gravitational force between the table plate 11 and the projection 13 in the vertical direction balances the magnetic force between the permanent magnet 55 and the magnetic material member 27. The support device 50 operates in the same way as the support device 20 and produces the same effect.

[0047] Since the support device 50's second member 52 is composed of a permanent magnet 55 and yokes 56A and 56B, the second member 52 can be made smaller compared to the first member of the support devices 20 and 40, which include a core, thus offering an advantage in miniaturization. Furthermore, the support device 50 is easier to manufacture than the support devices 20 and 40.

[0048] Furthermore, in the support device 50, similar to the support device 40, the rate of change in magnetic field strength due to the energization of the coil 54 is smaller than that of the support device 20. Therefore, the support device 50 is advantageous compared to the support device 20 in terms of smoothly and precisely achieving vibration isolation control, reducing the movable distance between the first member 51 and the second member 52, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0049] [Embodiment 4] The vibration-isolating table according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the vibration-isolating table of Embodiment 3 described above, except that the configuration of the support device is different. The support device according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the support device 50 of Embodiment 3 described above, except that two coils are arranged corresponding to each of the two yokes, and the second member arranged on the protruding piece 13 is supported by a spring 31 and an air damper 32. The configuration of the support device according to this embodiment is schematically shown in Figure 6.

[0050] The support device 60 has a first member 51 and a second member 62. The second member 62 has two coils 64A and 64B, which are made up of wires wound around the yokes 56A and 56B at both ends of the permanent magnet 55. The permanent magnet 55 is positioned on the projection 13, and the projection 13 is supported on the bottom surface of the support 16 by a spring 31 and an air damper 32. In this way, the second member 62 is supported in the vertical direction via the projection 13 by the spring 31 and the air damper 32 at a specific height.

[0051] The spring 31 supporting the projection 13 on which the second member 62 is located is an elastic member that supports the projection 13 in the vertical direction. Due to its elasticity, the spring 31 supports the permanent magnet 55 at a specific height from the bottom surface of the support 16, while allowing the projection 13 (i.e., the permanent magnet 55) to move downward. The air damper 32 supporting the projection 13 on which the second member 62 is located allows the projection 13 to move downward to some extent, but restricts it from moving below a specific position. In this way, the support device 60 further has a restricting part that supports the second member 62 in the vertical direction and restricts the movement of the second member 62 in the vertical direction to within a specific distance range.

[0052] Furthermore, in the support device 60, the projection 13 on which the second member 62 is placed is connected to the bottom of the support part 16 by a spring 31. Therefore, when the second member 62 moves away from the first member 51, the spring 31 exerts a force that brings the second member 62 closer to the first member 51 (a force that pushes the second member 62 upward), thereby restricting the downward movement of the second member 62. Also, when the second member 62 approaches the first member 51, the spring 31 exerts a force that moves the second member 62 away from the first member 21 (a force that pulls the second member 62 downward), thereby restricting the upward movement of the second member 62.

[0053] Furthermore, in the support device 60, the projection 13 on which the second member 62 is placed is connected to the bottom of the support part 16 by an air damper 32. Therefore, the downward movement of the second member 62 stops at the position of the lower end of the piston in the air damper 32. In this way, the downward movement of the second member 62 is restricted at a specific position. Also, even when the load on the table plate 11 increases rapidly, causing the first member 51 to rapidly approach the second member 62, the piston's movement speed decreases and converges to zero as the first member 51 approaches the lower end of its range of motion. Therefore, the impact when the movement stops is mitigated.

[0054] The spring 31 and air damper 32 may be interposed between the upper part of the support portion 16 and the first member 51 to restrict the amount of vertical movement of the first member 51.

[0055] The support device 60 operates in the same manner as the support device 50 and produces the same effects. In addition, the support device 60 has two coils 64A and 64B. Therefore, compared to the support device 50 which has only one coil, the support device 60 can increase the thrust provided by the coil, making it possible to support a larger load and increase the movable distance between the first member 51 and the second member 62. Thus, compared to the support device 50, the support device 60 is advantageous in terms of miniaturization of the coil and the overall support device if the output is the same, and is advantageous in terms of higher output if the size is the same.

[0056] [Embodiment 5] Figure 7 schematically shows the structure of the vibration isolation device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the vibration isolation table 2 has a base frame 71, a stage 72, and a support device 73. The vibration isolation table 2 has the same configuration as the vibration isolation table 1 described above, except that it has a base frame 71 instead of legs 12 and a stage 72 instead of a table plate 11.

[0057] The base frame 71 is a rigid member. The planar shape of the base frame 71 is rectangular, and a rectangular opening 77 is formed on the upper surface of the base frame 71. The cross-sectional shape of the base frame 71 is roughly C-shaped, opening upwards.

[0058] The stage 72 is a plate-shaped member housed inside the base frame 71, and its planar shape is, for example, rectangular. The planar shape of the stage 72 is larger than the opening of the base frame 71, and the opening edge of the base frame 71 overlaps with the side edge of the stage 72 in the vertical direction.

[0059] The stage 72 is connected to the base frame 71 via support devices 73 at its four corners, for example. That is, a support device 73 is positioned at each of the four corners of the stage 72. The support devices 73 are positioned where, when viewed from above, the opening edge of the base frame 71 and the side edge of the stage 72 overlap. In this way, each support device 73 is positioned on the inside (inner surface) of the upper surface of the base frame 71 and supports the stage 72 from above at a specific height.

[0060] The support device 73 consists of a first member 74, a second member 75, and a restricting portion 76. The first member 74 is configured similarly to the first member in the previously described embodiment, and the second member 75 is configured similarly to the second member in the previously described embodiment. The restricting portion 76 is interposed between the stage 72 and the second member 75, connecting the second member 75 and the stage. The restricting portion 76 is, for example, one or both of the spring 31 and the air damper 32 in the previously described embodiment.

[0061] Thus, the vibration isolation stand 2 includes a base frame 71, a stage 72 that is movable vertically within the base frame 71, and a support device 73 in which a first member 74 is positioned on the base frame 71 and a second member 75 is positioned on the stage 72 via a restricting portion 76.

[0062] The vibration isolation stage 2 can be used, for example, by placing a microscope 70 on a stage 72 and performing tasks such as observation with the microscope 70. In the microscope 70, small specimens surrounded by water may be floating between the slide and the cover glass. If the stage 72 on which the microscope 70 is placed is lightly tapped, these specimens will begin to vibrate. The optical system of the microscope 70 then amplifies even very small vibrations. When photographing specimens with a camera directly attached to the microscope 70, these vibrations can become a problem. The vibration isolation stage 2 can effectively reduce the vibration of the microscope 70, improving stability and image quality.

[0063] Furthermore, in the vibration isolation table 2, as in the embodiments described above, vibrations or tilts in the stage 72 are canceled out, and these do not affect microscopic observation. Thus, the vibration isolation table 2, as in the embodiments described above, can also cope with ground vibrations or direct disturbances.

[0064] The vibration isolation stand 2 is suitable for supporting the stage 72 at a low height from the surface on which the base frame 71 is placed (for example, the top surface of a work table) because the base frame 71 is a member having the above-described approximately C shape. Therefore, it is suitable as a work stand for tabletop work where it is necessary to avoid the effects of vibration or tilt, such as microscopic observation.

[0065] [Embodiment 6] Figure 8 schematically shows the structure of the vibration isolation device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the vibration isolation stage 3 has a frame 81 attached to the microscope 80, an observation stage 82, and a support device 83.

[0066] The frame 81 is a fixture attached to, for example, the observation light source 810 of a microscope 80. It extends from the observation light source 810 toward the lens side along the optical axis of the microscope 80's lens, and then extends in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens. When viewed from the side, it has a roughly L-shape. The shape of the frame 81 when viewed along the optical axis of the lens (planar shape) is, for example, rectangular, and a rectangular opening 87 is formed in its center.

[0067] The observation stage 82 is a component positioned inside the frame 81 and has a rectangular planar shape. The observation stage 82 has an opening 88 in its center for allowing light from the observation light source 810 to pass through.

[0068] The observation stage 82 is supported within the frame 81 by three support devices 83. For example, the support devices 83 are positioned on the inside (inner surface) of the upper surface of the frame 81 at three points: each of the two corners on one end of the observation stage 82 and the central part on the other end, supporting the observation stage 82 from above at a specific height.

[0069] The support device 83 is composed of, for example, a first member 84, a second member 85, and a restricting portion 86. When viewed from above, the support device 83 is positioned across the edge of the opening 87 in the frame 81 and the edge of the observation stage 82, and two or more support devices are positioned in the portion where the edge of the opening 87 in the frame 81 and the edge of the observation stage 82 overlap when viewed from above. The first member 84 is configured similarly to the first member in the embodiment described above, and the second member 85 is configured similarly to the second member in the embodiment described above. The restricting portion 86 is interposed between the observation stage 82 and the second member 85, connecting the second member 85 and the observation stage 82. The restricting portion 86 is, for example, one or both of the spring 31 and the air damper 32 in the embodiment described above.

[0070] Thus, the vibration isolation stage 3 includes a frame 81 fixed to the microscope 80, an observation stage 82 that is movable vertically within the frame 81, and a support device 83 that includes a first member 84 located on the frame 81 side and a second member 85 located on the observation stage 82 side. The second member 85 is supported on the observation stage 82 via a regulating part 86.

[0071] A specimen slide to be observed is placed on the vibration isolation stage 3. As mentioned above, specimens on the microscope 80 are prone to vibration, and the optical system of the microscope 80 amplifies even very small vibrations. This can adversely affect the imaging of the specimen by the microscope 80's camera. With the vibration isolation stage 3, even if vibrations occur in the microscope 80 due to adjustment of the lens position or observation work, the vibrations or tilts on the observation stage 82 are canceled out, as in the embodiment described above, and these do not affect microscopic observation. Furthermore, the vibration isolation stage 3, like the vibration isolation stand 2, can also cope with ground vibrations or direct disturbances.

[0072] The vibration isolation stage 3 may be positioned slightly oblique to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 8, from the viewpoint of ease of observation with the microscope 80. In this case, the observation stage 82 can be supported in this oblique direction by constantly supplying current to a coil in at least one of the support devices 83, thereby constantly strengthening the attractive force between the first member 84 and the second member 85 in the support device 83. Thus, in this embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately support the movable part by supplying current to a coil, even in vertical directions other than the vertical direction.

[0073] [Embodiment 7] Figure 9 schematically shows the structure of the vibration isolation device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the vibration isolation device 4 for the surveillance camera includes a casing 91, a surveillance camera 93 housed in the casing 91, and a support device 92 that supports the surveillance camera 93 in the casing 91. The surveillance camera 93 is supported in the casing 91 by the support device 92 so as to be suspended from the top plate of the casing 91.

[0074] The casing 91 is, for example, a metal housing, and is supported on a base so as to be rotatable horizontally and tiltable vertically. Alternatively, the casing 91 is suspended from a frame and fixed to the frame, oriented in a specific direction.

[0075] The support devices 92 are positioned at one end and the other end of the casing 91 and the surveillance camera 93, respectively, connecting the casing 91 and the surveillance camera 93. The support devices 92 include a first member 94 positioned on the lower surface of the casing 91 and a second member 95 positioned on the upper surface of the surveillance camera 93 via a restricting portion 96. The first member 94 is configured in the same way as the first member in the previously described embodiment, and the second member 95 is also configured in the same way as the second member in the previously described embodiment. The restricting portion 96 is also configured in the same way as the restricting portion in the previously described embodiment.

[0076] Thus, the vibration isolation device 4 for the surveillance camera includes a surveillance camera 93 that holds a lens group, a casing 91 that guides the movement of the surveillance camera 93 in the direction of the optical axis, an actuator (not shown) for moving the surveillance camera 93 in the direction of the optical axis, and a support device 92 positioned between the surveillance camera 93 and the casing 91. A first member 94 is positioned on the lower part of the casing 91, and a second member 95 is positioned on the upper part of the surveillance camera 93.

[0077] In the surveillance camera vibration isolation device 4, the surveillance camera 93 is suspended from the casing 91 via a support device 92. The amount of current supplied to the coils of the first or second member of the support device 92 is controlled so that vibrations are absorbed even when vibrations are applied to the casing 91. Therefore, vibrations from the casing 91 do not substantially reach the surveillance camera 93. The surveillance camera vibration isolation device 4 is advantageous in substantially neutralizing external vibrations. Thus, because the vibration isolation device 4 is effective in neutralizing the effects of vibration, it can be applied to vibration isolation of equipment exposed to various vibrations, and is also effective for vibration isolation of surveillance cameras on highways, industrial areas, construction sites, or mines.

[0078] [Embodiment 8] Figure 10 shows a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure of the lens moving device according to this embodiment. Figure 11 also shows a schematic side view illustrating the structure of the lens moving device according to this embodiment. The lens moving device 5 includes a substrate 58, a lens frame 57, a voice coil actuator 53, and a support device 59.

[0079] The substrate 58 is a roughly annular plate-shaped member. The substrate 58 has a large circular opening in its center. A support device 59 is positioned above the opening on the substrate 58, and a voice coil actuator 53 is positioned below the opening. Guide rods 511 and 512 are fixed to the sides of the opening on the substrate 58, extending along the axial direction of the opening.

[0080] The lens frame 57 is a roughly annular plate-shaped member. The lens frame 57 has a lens 521 in a central opening. Roughly rectangular cutouts 522 and 523 are formed in the upper and lower parts of the planar shape of the lens frame 57, respectively. The lens frame 57 also has guide holes 524 and 525 on the sides of the central opening. A guide rod 511 is inserted through the guide hole 524, and a guide rod 512 is inserted through the guide hole 525.

[0081] Figure 12 schematically shows the structure of the voice coil actuator in this embodiment. The voice coil actuator 53 has a roughly U-shaped yoke 531, a magnet 532 positioned on the lower plate portion of the yoke 531, a coil 533 inserted through the other plate portion of the yoke 531, and a cover portion 534 that closes the opening of the yoke 531. The cover portion 534 is fixed to the lower part of the opening in the substrate 58, and the yoke 531 extends along the optical axis of the lens 521. The coil 533 is fixed to the lower cutout portion 523 of the lens frame 57. The magnet 532 has magnetic poles separated in the vertical direction, for example, the lower side (dark gray) is the N pole and the upper side (light gray) is the S pole.

[0082] Figure 13 schematically shows the structure of the support device in this embodiment. The support device 59 includes a permanent magnet 541 fixed to the upper part of the substrate 58 and extending in a direction along the optical axis of the lens 521, yokes 542 and 543 arranged on the sides of the permanent magnet 541, coils 544 and 545 wound around the yokes 542 and 543 respectively, and a magnetic material member 546 arranged below the yokes 542 and 543. The magnetic material member 546 is an elongated rectangular plate-like member extending in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens 521 and is fixed to the notch 512 at the top of the lens frame 57. The permanent magnet 541 has magnetic poles separated in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens 521, with one (dark gray) being the north pole and the other (light gray) being the south pole. The permanent magnet 541 and the yokes 542 and 543 extend along the optical axis of the lens 521 to a position comparable to that of the guide rods 511 and 512 and the yoke 531 of the voice coil actuator 53. The permanent magnet 541, the yokes 542 and 543, and the coils 544 and 545 constitute the first member of the support device described above. The magnetic material member 546 constitutes the second member of the support device described above.

[0083] Furthermore, the coil 533 of the voice coil actuator 53 and the coils 544 and 545 of the support device 59 are each connected to a power supply (not shown) that independently supplies a specific amount of current.

[0084] Thus, the lens moving device 5 includes a substrate 58, a lens frame 57 guided by the substrate 58 along the optical axis direction of the lens 521, a voice coil actuator 53 that moves the lens frame 57 along the optical axis direction, and a support device 59 having a first member fixed to the substrate 58 and a second member fixed to the lens frame 57. In addition, in the lens moving device 5, the permanent magnet 541 in the support device 59 extends along the movement range of the lens frame 57 in the direction of movement of the lens frame 57.

[0085] When current is supplied to the coil 533 of the voice coil actuator 53, a Lorentz force is generated, and the lens frame 57 moves to any position along the optical axis of the lens 521 and stops, depending on the amount and direction of the supplied current.

[0086] The support device 59 is pulled upward against gravity because the permanent magnet 541 fixed to the substrate 58 attracts the magnetic material member 546. Since the permanent magnet 541 extends along the optical axis of the lens 521, the lens frame 57 is pulled upward against gravity at any position within the range of movement of the lens frame 57. Furthermore, when current is supplied to the coils 544 and 545 of the support device 59 in a direction that strengthens the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 541, the lens frame 57 is pulled further upward. Therefore, when the lens frame 57 is moved by the voice coil actuator 53, supplying current to the coils 544 and 545 in a direction that strengthens the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 541 further reduces friction between the guide hole and the guide rod in the lens frame 57, allowing the lens frame 57 to move more smoothly and with less power. Furthermore, when the lens frame 57 is stationary, a minimum current (e.g., almost 0A) can be consumed at a stable equilibrium position. Therefore, the lens moving device 5 can significantly reduce power consumption compared to a lens moving device that moves the lens frame using two or more voice coil actuators attached to the upper and lower parts of the lens frame.

[0087] [Embodiment 9] Figure 14 schematically shows the structure of the vibration-damping lens drive device according to this embodiment. Figure 15 schematically shows the structure of the fixed frame and Figure 16 schematically show the structure of the lens frame in the vibration-damping lens drive device. The vibration-damping lens drive device 6 has a fixed frame 61 and a lens frame 67.

[0088] The fixed frame 61 is a roughly annular plate-shaped member and is composed of two members arranged side by side in the axial direction. The lens frame 67 is rotatably supported at a position sandwiched between the two members that make up the fixed frame 61. The fixed frame 61 has a circular opening 616 in its central part. The fixed frame 61 also has a first member 611 and two sets of magnets 612 and 613 on the surface facing the lens frame 67. The first member 611 and the two sets of magnets 612 and 613 are each positioned three times symmetrically with respect to the center of the opening 616 (positions where their axes intersect at 120°).

[0089] A first member 611 is positioned on one of the two members that make up the fixed frame 61. The first member 611 has the same configuration as the second member 22 of the support device 20 described above, and includes the aforementioned E-shaped core 614 fixed to the fixed frame 61, and a coil 615 made up of a wire wound around the protrusion in its central part. A power supply that supplies a specific amount of current is electrically connected to the coil 615.

[0090] Magnets 612 and 613 are positioned on the other of the two members that make up the fixed frame 61. Magnets 612 and 613 are each composed of two permanent magnets. Both permanent magnets are positioned so that their magnetic poles are separated radially. Furthermore, the magnetic poles in the radial direction are different for magnet 612 and magnet 613. For example, the two permanent magnets of magnet 612 have their south poles (light gray) positioned on the rear side in the clockwise rotation direction, and their north poles (dark gray) positioned on the front side in the clockwise rotation direction.

[0091] The lens frame 67 is a substantially annular plate-shaped member, supported on one surface of the fixed frame 61 and movably positioned along that surface. The lens frame 67 has a circular opening in its center into which the lens 621 is fitted. The lens frame 67 also has a second member 622 and two coils 623 and 624 on the surface facing the fixed frame 61. The second member 622 and the two coils 623 and 624 are each positioned three times symmetrically with respect to the optical axis (center) of the lens 621 (at positions where their axes intersect at 120°).

[0092] The second member 622 has the same configuration as the first member 21 of the support device 20 described above, and includes a magnetic material member 625 fixed to the surface of the lens frame 67, and two permanent magnets 626 and 627 fixed to both ends thereof.

[0093] Coils 623 and 624 are each wound with wires such that their planar shape is rectangular, with each side of the rectangle extending approximately radially and circumferentially. Each coil 623 and 624 is electrically connected to a power supply so that a specific amount of current can be supplied to them independently. In addition, a Hall element (not shown) is placed in the center of the planar shape of each coil 623 and 624 to act as a position detection sensor.

[0094] In the correspondence between the fixed frame 61 and the lens frame 67, the first member 611 and the second member 622 face each other in the vertical direction. The second member 622 faces the first member 611 from below. The magnet 612 overlaps with the coil 624 and the lens 621 in the optical axis direction, and the magnet 613 overlaps with the coil 623 in the optical axis direction. The two permanent magnets of magnet 612 are arranged to overlap with the coil 624, with a straight line that bisects the planar shape of the coil 624 in the radial direction, and the two permanent magnets of magnet 613 are arranged to overlap with the coil 623, with a straight line that bisects the planar shape of the coil 623 in the radial direction.

[0095] When the lens frame 67 is attached to the fixed frame 61, the first member 611 and the second member 622 constitute an actuator that moves the lens frame 67 vertically relative to the fixed frame 61. With respect to the opposing direction between the first member 611 and the second member 622, i.e., the vertical direction, the magnet 612 and the coil 624 constitute an actuator (voice coil motor) that generates thrust in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction (tangential direction) that forms a 120° angle with respect to the vertical direction. The magnet 613 and the coil 623 constitute an actuator (voice coil motor) that generates thrust in a direction perpendicular to the radial direction (tangential direction) that forms a 240° angle with respect to the vertical direction.

[0096] The amount of vibration applied to the vibration-damping lens drive device 6 (fixed frame 61) is detected by a gyro sensor (not shown). The position of the lens frame 67 relative to the fixed frame 61 is detected by the Hall element described above. The output signals of the gyro sensor and the Hall element are connected to a control unit (not shown). The control unit is configured to obtain, for example, the required amount of movement of the lens frame 67 that generates a reaction force against the vibration, corresponding to the amount of movement of the fixed frame 61, through feedback control, and to generate a signal of the current amount of each coil corresponding to that amount, which is then output to the power supply described above.

[0097] [Control of the lens frame position based on the lens position] (1) When only gravity acts on lens 621 Figure 17 schematically shows the position of lens 621 and the thrusts from each actuator when only gravity acts on lens 621. The force fcenter acting on lens 621 at this time is expressed by the following equation. In Figure 17, CP0 represents the center position of the lens in the equilibrium state (when only gravity acts on it).

[0098]

number

[0099] In the equation, f1 represents the force with which the support device supports the lens 621 in the vertical direction. f2 represents the force exerted by the actuator of one voice coil motor (e.g., a combination of magnet 612 and coil 624) in the direction of movement of the lens 621, for example, a force perpendicular to an axis that makes a 120° angle with respect to the vertical direction. f3 represents the force exerted by the actuator of the other voice coil motor (e.g., a combination of magnet 613 and coil 623) in the direction of movement of the lens 621, for example, a force perpendicular to an axis that makes a 240° angle with respect to the vertical direction. Also, f0 represents the static attractive force in the support device (magnetic force due to permanent magnets 626 and 627).

[0100] Furthermore, if 1 is the current value for which the support device supports the lens 621 in the vertical direction, if 2 is the current value when the actuator of one voice coil motor generates a force perpendicular to an axis that makes a 120° angle with respect to the vertical direction, and if 3 is the current value when the actuator of the other voice coil motor generates a force perpendicular to an axis that makes a 240° angle with respect to the vertical direction, then these current values ​​if 1, if 2, and if 3 are all approximately 0 (A). This is because the passive static force f0 generated by the permanent magnets 626 and 627 balances the gravitational force acting on the lens 621.

[0101] Thus, in the vibration-damping lens drive device 6, when only gravity acts on the lens 621, the power consumption required to maintain the lens 621 in the central position is almost zero. This control algorithm is also called the "zero-power algorithm."

[0102] The gyro sensor detects vibrations caused by hand shake or other factors and transmits a detection signal to the control unit. The control unit generates a control signal based on the detection signal from the gyro sensor and information about the current position of the lens 621, and supplies it as an electric current to each actuator (coil). As a result, the actuators move the lens frame 67 relative to the fixed frame 61 to counteract the effects of the vibrations. The control of changing the position of the lens due to vibrations will be described below.

[0103] (2) When vibration occurs in the +XY direction When the gyro sensor detects vibration in the +XY direction, the control unit outputs a current value that moves the lens frame 67 in the direction that cancels it out (-XY direction). Figure 18 schematically shows the thrusts from each actuator when the lens 621 is moved in the -XY direction. Note that in Figures 18 to 20, the components are illustrated in the same way as in Figure 17, but their signs are omitted. The force fradial that moves the lens 621 in the -XY direction at this time is expressed by the following equation. In Figure 18, CP1 represents the center position of the lens after control.

[0104]

number

[0105] The current value if1 at this time is the amount of current that generates a magnetic force in the coil that repels the direction of the permanent magnet's magnetic force, so that a downward force equal to the difference between f1 and f0 is added. Furthermore, if2 and if3 at this time are both significantly smaller than the current values ​​of the conventional (when all three actuators are voice coil motor actuators) standard. This is because, due to the influence of the magnetic forces of the permanent magnets 626 and 627 in the vertical direction and the control by the aforementioned zero-power algorithm, the amount of current required for each actuator is only that which corresponds to the amount of lens movement during control from the lens position in equilibrium. Note that the direction of the force can be adjusted by changing the direction of the current supplied to the coil.

[0106] (3) When vibration occurs in the Y direction When the gyro sensor detects vibration in the -Y direction, the control unit outputs a current value that moves the lens frame 67 in the direction that cancels it out (+Y direction). Figure 19 schematically shows the thrusts from each actuator when the lens 621 is moved in the +Y direction. The vertical force fvertical when the lens 621 is moved in the +Y direction is expressed by the following equation.

[0107]

number

[0108] The current value if1 at this time is the amount of current that generates a magnetic force in the same direction as the magnetic force of the permanent magnet by energizing the coil, so as to add an upward force equal to the difference between f1 and f0. Also, if2 and if3 at this time are both approximately 0. This is because, due to the influence of the magnetic forces of permanent magnets 626 and 627 in the vertical direction and the control by the aforementioned zero-power algorithm, the amount of current that corresponds only to the amount of movement in the +Y direction from the equilibrium position of the lens is sufficient for each actuator.

[0109] (4) When vibration occurs in the X direction When the gyro sensor detects vibration in the -X direction, the control unit outputs a current value that moves the lens frame 67 in the direction that cancels it out (+X direction). Figure 20 schematically shows the thrusts from each actuator when the lens 621 is moved in the +X direction. The horizontal force acting on the lens 621 at this time, fhorizontal, is expressed by the following equation.

[0110]

number

[0111] At this time, the current value if1 is almost 0, and if2 and if3 are both significantly smaller than the conventional current value (iconventional). This is because, due to the influence of the magnetic force of the permanent magnets 626 and 627 in the vertical direction and the control by the aforementioned zero-power algorithm, the current required for each voice coil motor actuator is sufficient to correspond only to the lateral movement from the lens position in equilibrium.

[0112] [Effects and Effects] In imaging devices, vibrations from various sources can alter the optical axis of the imaging optical system, causing image blurring. To capture high-resolution, high-quality, sharp images, a mechanism to suppress the effects of such vibrations is necessary, and vibration-damping lenses are becoming an indispensable optical element in optical image stabilization systems for vibration correction. The vibration-damping lens drive device in this embodiment can be applied to vibration-damping lenses in such imaging optical systems.

[0113] While voice coil motor actuators are conventionally known for driving lenses, conventional vibration-damping lenses consisting solely of voice coil motor actuators constantly drive these actuators at any position to control the lens to the desired position. In the vibration-damping lens drive device of this embodiment, the magnetic force of permanent magnets, which opposes gravity, is used to control the position of the lens. Therefore, compared to conventional vibration-damping lenses consisting solely of voice coil motor actuators, the vibration-damping lens drive device of this embodiment exhibits a similar level of functionality while also being more energy-efficient.

[0114] [Embodiment 10] [composition] The configuration of the support device of this embodiment is schematically shown in Figures 21 and 22. The support device 100 has a first member 110 and a second member 120.

[0115] The first member 110 includes a core 111, a coil 112, and a permanent magnet 113. The core 111 is a member with a roughly E-shaped form when viewed from the front, and is made of a magnetic material such as iron. The core 111 has a main body portion 114 that extends in a direction (for example, the X direction in the figure) that intersects the vertical direction (for example, the Y direction in the figure), two protrusions 115, 115 that project from the end of the main body portion 114 toward the second member 120, and a protrusion 116 that projects from the central part of the main body portion 114 toward the second member 120.

[0116] The coil 112 is composed of a wire wound around the protrusion 116.

[0117] The permanent magnet 113 is a plate-shaped permanent magnet fixed to the tip of each of the protrusions 115, 115. The magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 113 on the side of the second member 120 is the north pole, and the magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 113 on the side of the protrusion 115 is the south pole. In this way, the core 111 is configured such that the direction of the magnetic field at the protrusions 115, 115 at both ends of the main body 114 is the same.

[0118] The cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional area, and magnetic force of the permanent magnets 113, 113 in the Y direction are the same. Similarly, the cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area of ​​the projections 115, 115 are the same as those of the permanent magnets 113, 113. For example, the cross-sectional shape of both the permanent magnet 113 and the projection 115 is the same rectangle. Furthermore, both projections 115, 115 have a constant (rectangular) cross-sectional shape in the Y direction and have the same length. The length of the projection is the dimension of the portion below the main body 114 in the Y direction.

[0119] The projection 116 has a larger cross-sectional shape and area compared to the projection 115. Furthermore, the length of the projection 116 is the same as the sum of the length of the projection 115 and the thickness of the permanent magnet 113 at its tip. The projection 116, or the projection 115 and the permanent magnet 113, constitute a portion of the magnetic path formed in the core 111 by the magnetic field, in the Y direction. The sum of the projection lengths and the thickness of the permanent magnets is also called the "magnetic path length" or "magnetic path length." That is, in the first member 110, the magnetic path lengths including the projections 115, 115, and 116 are all the same.

[0120] The second member 120 is a plate-shaped magnetic material member having a dumbbell-like planar shape and made of a magnetic material such as iron. Through holes are formed at each end of the second member 120. The second member 120 is positioned with a specific gap (for example, about 0.2 mm) between it and the first member 110. That is, the distance from the tip of each of the permanent magnets 113, 113 and the projection 116 to the surface of the second member 120 is the same.

[0121] [Overview of characteristics] Typically, the first member 110 is fixed to a stationary part, and the second member 120 is fixed to a movable part that can move in the X direction. Since the distance from the tip of each of the permanent magnets 113, 113 and the projection 116 to the surface of the second member 120 is the same, the distance from the tip of each of the permanent magnets 113, 113 and the projection 116 to the surface of the second member 120 remains constant regardless of the position of the second member 120 in the X direction.

[0122] Furthermore, since the cross-sectional area and cross-sectional shape of the projection 115 and the permanent magnet 113 are the same, and the magnetism of the permanent magnets 113, 113 is the same, the magnetic flux density at the projections 115, 115 is substantially the same regardless of the position of the second member 120 in the X direction.

[0123] Furthermore, in the support device 100, a magnetic field is formed by each permanent magnet 113 passing through the second member 120, the protrusion 116, the main body 114, and the protrusion 115. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion 116 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion 115, the magnetic flux density at each of the protrusions 115, 115, and 116 can be made approximately uniform.

[0124] Due to the characteristics resulting from these structural features, the support device 100 can exhibit various superior characteristics compared to the support device of the previously described embodiment, as described below.

[0125] [Suction power] The second member 120 is pulled toward the first member 110 by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 113. The force that pulls the second member 120 toward the first member 110 (also called the "attractive force") is theoretically constant. In reality, however, since the second member 120 moves in the X direction, the effect of the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 113 on the second member 120 fluctuates. Figure 23 shows an example of the attractive force acting on the second member 120 when the second member 120 is moved 2 mm in the X direction in the support device 100.

[0126] In the support device 100, permanent magnets 113, 113 with the same magnetic properties are positioned at the tips of the protrusions 115, 115 of the core 111, with the same gap size relative to the second member 120. Therefore, as shown in Figure 23, the difference ΔF between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the attractive force is small, at 0.21 N. This value of attractive force can be about 0.4 times the ΔF of the support device with the configuration of Embodiment 1 described above (also referred to as the "Support device of Embodiment 1"). Thus, the support device 100 can exhibit a substantially uniform attractive force regardless of the position of the second member 120 in the X direction, compared to the support device of the embodiment described above. This indicates that a stable attractive force can be obtained by the permanent magnets 113 regardless of the position of the second member 120 in the X direction, and is preferable from the viewpoint of further enhancing the stability in the equilibrium state under control by the zero-power algorithm described above.

[0127] [Dynamic force in the X direction] On the other hand, the force (attraction force) generated in the coil 112 that attracts the second member 120 depends on the direction of the current flowing through the coil 112. Generally, when the magnetic flux generated by the coil 112 matches the magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnets 113, 113, the attractive force increases, and conversely, when the two magnetic fluxes are in opposite directions, the attractive force decreases.

[0128] Figures 24 to 26 show examples of the magnitude of the suction force acting on the second member 120 when the second member 120 is moved 2 mm in the X direction relative to the first member 110.

[0129] Figure 24 shows an example of the attractive force when no current is flowing through the coil 112. In this case, since only the permanent magnets 113, 113 contribute to the attractive force, the attractive force is almost constant. Furthermore, in the support device 100, the second member 120 is composed solely of magnetic material (making it lightweight). Moreover, since the positions of the permanent magnets 113, 113 at both ends and the central protrusion 116 are aligned in the Y direction, the gap between the first member 110 and the second member 120 becomes small regardless of the thickness of the permanent magnets 113. Furthermore, since the positions of the permanent magnets 113, 113 and the coil 112 remain constant regardless of the movement of the second member 120, the permanent magnets 113 and the coil 112 do not overlap in the Y direction as the second member 120 moves. Therefore, the generation of eddy currents at and around the protrusion 116 due to the overlap of the permanent magnets 113 and the coil 112 in the Y direction is suppressed, and the decrease in magnetic excitation force caused by these eddy currents is suppressed. For these reasons, the suction force of the support device 100 can be increased by 53% compared to that of the support device of the aforementioned Embodiment 1.

[0130] Figure 25 shows an example of the attractive force when a positive current of 0.1A is passed through the coil 112. When a positive current is passed through the coil 112, the magnetic flux from the coil 112 and the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 113 are in opposite directions. Therefore, the attractive force is small in both the support device 100 and the support device of Embodiment 1. Even in this case, the attractive force of the support device 100 can be increased by approximately 26% compared to that of the support device of Embodiment 1 described above.

[0131] Figure 26 shows an example of the attractive force when a negative current of 0.1A is passed through the coil 112. When a negative current is passed through the coil 112, the direction of the magnetic flux from the coil 112 coincides with the direction of the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 113. Therefore, the attractive force is increased in both the support device 100 and the support device of Embodiment 1. The support device 100 is configured such that the gap between the protrusion 116 and the second member 120 is the same size as the gap between the permanent magnet 113 and the second member 120. Therefore, the attractive force of the support device 100 can be increased by 87% compared to that of the support device of Embodiment 1 described above, as the magnetic properties of the electromagnet by the coil 112 are more effectively expressed.

[0132] The attractive force when current is supplied to the coil 112 is important from the viewpoint of precisely controlling the position of the movable part attached to the second member 120. The support device 100 can exert a higher attractive force than the support device of Embodiment 1, regardless of the presence or direction of current, and is more preferable than the support device of Embodiment 1 from the viewpoint of precise control of the position of the movable part.

[0133] [Dynamic force in the Y direction] As the distance between the first member 110 and the second member 120 in the Y direction increases, the suction force tends to decrease significantly. Figures 27 to 29 show examples of the magnitude of the suction force acting on the second member 120 when the second member 120 is moved to a distance of 2 mm in the Y direction relative to the first member 110.

[0134] Figure 27 shows an example of the attractive force when no current is flowing through coil 112, Figure 28 shows an example of the attractive force when a positive current of 0.1A is flowing through coil 112, and Figure 29 shows an example of the attractive force when a negative current of 0.1A is flowing through coil 112. In all cases, the attractive force of the support device 100 is greater than that of the support device of Embodiment 1 described above, and the smaller the gap (travel distance), the greater the attractive force for gaps of 0.5 mm or less. This indicates that the effect of the magnetic properties due to the configuration of the support device 100 is significant in the Y direction in the range of 0.5 mm or less. When the gap in the Y direction becomes larger than 0.5 mm, the attractive force of the support device 100 becomes equivalent to that of the support device of Embodiment 1 described above.

[0135] The support device 100 can exert a higher suction force than the support device of Embodiment 1 by appropriately setting (making smaller) the size of the gap in the Y direction between the first member 110 and the second member 120, and is more preferable than the support device of Embodiment 1 from the viewpoint of precise control of the position of the heavier movable part.

[0136] [Cogging force] In a support device, magnetic field inhomogeneities, such as non-uniformity of magnetic flux density, can lead to undesirable behavior, such as non-uniform movement of the second member in the X direction. The magnetic force that causes such undesirable behavior in a support device is also called "cogging force." Cogging force can be expressed as the magnitude or non-uniformity of the difference in attractive forces.

[0137] Figure 30 shows an example of the cogging force in the support device 100. Figure 30 shows an example of the suction force generated when the second member 120 is moved 2 mm in the X direction. Although there is some irregularity in the behavior of the suction force of the support device 100, the fluctuation range of the suction force is sufficiently small, about 0.2 N, and the period of the fluctuation is also sufficiently short. Thus, a nearly uniform suction force is generated in the support device 100, and undesirable behavior of the second member 120 can be substantially suppressed.

[0138] In contrast, in the support device of Embodiment 1, the influence of the permanent magnet fluctuates as the position of the protrusion on the first member and the second member in the X direction shifts, which can cause large fluctuations in attractive force over long periods. Such changes in attractive force can be abruptly resolved depending on the position of the permanent magnet in the X direction, which can cause the undesirable behavior described above in the support device. In support device 100, the distribution of the magnetic field in the X direction becomes more uniform, and the transition of the second member between adjacent magnetic poles becomes smoother. Thus, support device 100 is preferable from the viewpoint of further reducing fluctuations in the movement of the second member that contribute to the cogging force.

[0139] [Magnetic flux density] The magnetic flux density in the second member in the X direction exhibits a symmetrical pattern with respect to the center line of the protrusion 116 extending in the Y direction. Such a highly symmetrical pattern generally indicates the generation of a balanced attractive force under static conditions and minimizes cogging force. On the other hand, a decrease in the symmetry of this pattern results in a decrease in attractive force and an increase in cogging force, which can adversely affect the smooth and stable operation of the support device.

[0140] Figures 31 and 32 show examples of the magnetic flux density distribution in the second member of the support device 100, respectively. The center line extending in the X direction of the second member 120 is the measurement position for magnetic flux density. The length in the X direction at this measurement position (measurement length) is 20 mm. Figure 31 shows the magnetic flux density pattern when the center of the second member and the center of the first member (center of the protrusion 116) coincide in the X direction (position x=0 mm). Figure 32 shows the magnetic flux density pattern when the second member is moved 2 mm further in the X direction (to the right with respect to the plane of the paper) (position x=2 mm). Both patterns show high symmetry with respect to the central axis of the support device, and both patterns are similar to each other.

[0141] Thus, in the support device 100, a uniform cross-sectional area and a uniform magnetic path length are ensured for any of the protrusions 115, 115, and a consistent magnetic flux density can be realized throughout the magnetic circuit of the support device 100. As a result, in the support device 100, almost perfect consistency and symmetry of the magnetic flux density are realized. Therefore, the support device 100 is suitable from the viewpoint of further enhancing the overall balance and stability.

[0142] [Magnetic flux leakage] Magnetic flux leakage means that magnetic flux deviates from the intended path of the magnetic circuit in the support device. The leaked magnetic flux does not contribute to the generation of useful force in the support device. Magnetic flux leakage φ is quantified by the following formula. In the formula, "φ total " means all the magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet and the coil, and "φ link " means the part that contributes to the generation of the attractive force among all the magnetic flux. φ leak = φ total - φ link

[0143] Also, the magnetic efficiency η in the support device is expressed by the following formula. η = φ link / φ total = 1 - (φ leak / φ total )

[0144] An example of the magnetic flux lines in the support device 100 is shown in FIG. 33. In the support device 100, the permanent magnet 113 is arranged at the tip of the protrusion 115, and the geometric conditions of the core 111 are set so that the gap between the first member 110 and the second member 120 is constant. Therefore, the magnetic efficiency η of the support device 100 can be 0.95 or more. In this regard, in the support device of Embodiment 1 type, the magnetic flux leakage φ leak may exceed 0.5. Thus, the support device 100 is suitable from the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of wasted magnetic flux that does not contribute to the generation of the attractive force and generating the attractive force more effectively as compared with the support device of Embodiment 1 type.

[0145] [Other characteristics] Generally, to move an object with a certain mass, as Newton's second law states, the greater the mass of the object, the greater the force required.

[0146] The support device 100 may have a second member 120 composed solely of a magnetic material. Thus, the support device 100 is preferable from the viewpoint of achieving and promoting weight reduction of the second member 120, which is the movable part. By minimizing the mass of the second member, which is the moving part, the force required to move the second member in response to acceleration is reduced. For example, the second member 120 of the support device 100 can be reduced in weight by 8% compared to that of the support device of Embodiment 1. Therefore, the support device 100 is preferable to the support device of Embodiment 1 from the viewpoint of speeding up the response of the movable second member 120 and saving energy in the movement of the second member 120. Therefore, the support device 100 is expected to be more effective when applied to faster and more accurate vibration compensation in high-speed camera systems or industrial applications with rapid vibration changes.

[0147] [Examples of application] Figures 34 and 35 schematically show the configuration of the vibration-damping lens drive device equipped with the support device 100 of this embodiment. This vibration-damping lens drive device is configured similarly to the vibration-damping lens drive device 6 of Embodiment 9 described above, except that a first member 110 is placed in place of the first member 611 and a second member 120 is placed in place of the second member 622.

[0148] Such an anti-vibration lens drive device can achieve both labor savings through control by the zero-power algorithm described above by the support device 100, and rapid and precise driving of the lens frame through cooperation between the support device 100 and the voice coil motor. As is clear from the above description, the anti-vibration lens drive device of this embodiment is preferable to the anti-vibration lens drive device of the previously described embodiment in terms of both rapid and precise driving and labor savings.

[0149] [Differentiation] A modified example of the support device of this embodiment is shown in Figure 36. As shown in Figure 36, the support device 200 has the same configuration as the support device 100 described above, except that an additional permanent magnet 213 is arranged at the tip of a projection 216 that protrudes from the central part of the main body 114.

[0150] The core 211 has a projection 216 that protrudes from the center of the main body 114. The length of the projection 216 is the same as that of the projection 115. A permanent magnet 213 is positioned at the tip of the projection 216. The permanent magnet 213 has the same thickness as the permanent magnet 113. That is, in the first member 210, the lengths of the magnetic paths including the projections 115, 115 and 216 are all the same. The permanent magnet 213 has an N pole on the first member 210 side and an S pole on the second member 120 side. The gaps between the permanent magnets 113, 213 and the second member 120 are all the same size, for example, 0.2 mm.

[0151] The support device 200 further has a permanent magnet 213 on the central projection 216. Therefore, the magnetic flux and magnetic force are increased compared to the support device 100. Thus, the support device 200 can drive the second member 120 quickly, precisely, and smoothly, just like the support device 100, and in addition, it can generate a higher output than the support device 100.

[0152] In both support devices 100 and 200, the distance from the base to the tip of the core projection relative to the main body is constant. That is, in support device 100, the sum of the length of projection 115 and the thickness of permanent magnet 113 is the same as the length of projection 116, and in support device 200, the sum of the length of projection 115 and the thickness of permanent magnet 113 is the same as the sum of the length of projection 216 and the thickness of permanent magnet 213. Both the projection and the permanent magnet are magnetic paths in the first member, and thus in this embodiment, the projections of the support devices all have the same magnetic path length. Therefore, the gap between the first member and the second member remains constant, and the effects of magnetic properties such as increased attractive force and suppression of its fluctuations are further enhanced.

[0153] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the permanent magnet 113 and the cross-sectional shape and area of ​​the projection 115 are the same. This configuration is preferable, for example, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the first member and equalizing the magnetic flux density at the projections 115, 115. However, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shapes and dimensions of the permanent magnet 113 and the projection 115 may differ to the extent that the magnetic flux density can be made equivalent to achieve the desired effect. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the projection 115 may be larger than that of the permanent magnet 113.

[0154] Furthermore, in this embodiment, permanent magnets 113, 113 having substantially equivalent magnetic properties are used from the viewpoint of ease of selecting permanent magnets and controlling the dimensions of the first member. However, in this embodiment, the magnetic properties of the permanent magnets 113, 113 may differ from each other within the range in which the effects of this embodiment can be obtained. In this case, the dimensions (cross-sectional shape, etc.) of the protrusions on which the permanent magnets are placed may be appropriately changed according to the magnetic properties of the permanent magnets.

[0155] [Other embodiments] As described above, the support device according to this embodiment is applicable to a variety of uses, and its applications are not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, in the present invention, coils may be wound around each of the protrusions at both ends of the substantially E-shaped or substantially C-shaped core described above, similar to Embodiment 4. This configuration, in which coils are placed on each of the protrusions, allows for a greater thrust generated by the coils compared to the configuration in which there is one coil between the protrusions, makes the coils easier to manufacture, allows for a greater movable distance (stroke) in the opposing direction of the first and second members, and is also more advantageous from the viewpoint of miniaturizing the support device.

[0156] Furthermore, in the aforementioned vibration isolation device 4 for the surveillance camera, the surveillance camera 93 may be a zoom lens. A zoom lens has multiple lenses, and several lenses move as a group. Therefore, a sufficiently large thrust is required to drive the zoom lens in the axial direction. By applying the support device of the embodiment of the present invention to such a zoom lens, it is possible to configure it so that when the lens group of the zoom lens moves in the optical axis direction, the lens group is supported by the support device in the vertical direction. By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to slightly lift the lens group in the vertical direction by energizing the coil of the second member, which reduces the power consumption required to move the lens group in the optical axis direction and is also preferable from the viewpoint of achieving smoother movement of the lens group in the optical axis direction.

[0157] 〔summary〕 A first aspect of the present invention is a support device (20) comprising a first member (21) disposed in a fixed part, and a second member (22) disposed in a movable part that is movable at least vertically relative to the fixed part, the second member being disposed below the first member and facing the first member in a non-contact manner, wherein one of the first member and the second member includes a permanent magnet (28) that forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract each other, and one or the other of the first member and the second member includes a coil (24) that forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract or repel each other by energizing. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a support device can be realized that can support a specific member in a specific position, is highly versatile, and is excellent in power saving.

[0158] A second aspect of the present invention is that, in the first aspect, one of the first and second members includes a core (23) and a coil, and the other of the first and second members includes a magnetic material member (27) and a permanent magnet, the core has a main body (25) extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and protrusions (26) projecting from both ends and the center of the main body to the other side of the first and second members, the coil is made up of a wire wound around the protrusion in the center of the main body, and two permanent magnets are arranged on the magnetic material member opposite to each of the protrusions at both ends of the main body, with each permanent magnet having a north pole on the protrusion side and a south pole on the magnetic material member side. The second aspect is even more effective in terms of supporting an object with a larger mass at a specific position (height) and achieving vibration isolation.

[0159] A third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, includes a permanent magnet extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, protrusions projecting from each end of the permanent magnet to the other side of the first and second members, and a coil disposed between or around the protrusions, wherein the other of the first and second members is made of a magnetic material. The third aspect is more effective in terms of smoothly and precisely controlling vibration isolation, reducing the movable distance between the first and second members, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0160] A fourth aspect of the present invention is that, in the third aspect, the coil is composed of a conductor wound around an axis in the vertical direction and is arranged between protrusions in the first member. The fourth aspect is even more effective in terms of smoothly and precisely controlling vibration isolation, reducing the movable distance between the first member and the second member, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0161] A fifth aspect of the present invention is that, in the third aspect, two coils are arranged, and each coil consists of a wire wound around each of the protrusions of the first member. The fifth aspect allows for a higher thrust from the coils compared to the aspect in which one coil is arranged between the core or yoke, and is also advantageous in reducing the weight of the coils. Therefore, the fifth aspect is even more effective in terms of increasing the movable distance between the first member and the second member, and in terms of incorporating it into a small device.

[0162] A sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, includes a first member and a second member, one of which includes a core and a coil, and the other of the first member and the second member includes a magnetic material member and a permanent magnet, the core having a main body portion extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and projections protruding from each end of the main body portion to the other side of the first member and the second member, and the coil being composed of a conductor wound around an axis in the vertical direction and arranged between the projections at both ends of the main body portion. The sixth aspect is more effective in terms of smoothly and precisely realizing vibration isolation control, reducing the movable distance between the first member and the second member, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0163] A seventh aspect of the present invention is, in the sixth aspect, two permanent magnets are arranged on a magnetic material member, facing each of the protrusions at both ends of the main body, with one permanent magnet having a north pole on the protrusion side and a south pole on the magnetic material member side, and the other permanent magnet having a south pole on the protrusion side and a north pole on the magnetic material member side. The seventh aspect is even more effective in terms of smoothly and precisely realizing vibration isolation control, reducing the movable distance between the first member and the second member, and suppressing magnetic flux leakage.

[0164] The eighth aspect of the present invention is a support device in which, in the first aspect, the first member includes a core, a coil, and a permanent magnet, and the second member includes a magnetic material member, the core has a main body extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and protrusions projecting toward the second member from each of the ends and the center of the main body, the coil is composed of a conductor wound around the protrusion in the center of the main body, and the permanent magnet is positioned at the tip of each of the protrusions at both ends of the main body, and the direction of the magnetic field at the protrusions at both ends is the same. The eighth aspect is even more effective in terms of increasing the attractive force of the permanent magnet, reducing cogging, and increasing output.

[0165] The ninth aspect of the present invention is, in the eighth aspect, that in the core, the lengths of each magnetic path including each protrusion are the same. The ninth aspect is even more effective in suppressing fluctuations in magnetic properties associated with the movement of the second member.

[0166] A tenth aspect of the present invention further comprises a restricting portion (76) in any of the first to ninth aspects that supports the first member or the second member in the vertical direction and restricts the movement of the first member or the second member in the vertical direction to within a specific distance range. The tenth aspect is even more effective in preventing collisions between the first member and the second member or in mitigating the impact caused by the movement of the first member or the second member.

[0167] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is a vibration isolation device (e.g., a vibration isolation table 1) having a fixed part, a movable part that is movable at least vertically relative to the fixed part, and a support device of any of the first to tenth aspects that supports the movable part relative to the fixed part, the support device having a first member disposed on the fixed part and a second member disposed on the movable part. According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, a specific member can be supported at a specific position, and thus a vibration isolation device that is highly versatile and excellent in power saving can be realized.

[0168] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a lens moving device (5) comprising: guide members (e.g., guide rods 511, 512) that guide movement in a direction intersecting the vertical direction; a lens holding member (e.g., lens frame 57) that holds a lens and is guided by the guide members to move in a direction intersecting the vertical direction; a moving device (e.g., voice coil actuator 53) that moves the lens holding member in the direction guided by the guide members; and a support device of any of the first to tenth aspects having a first member disposed on the guide members and a second member disposed on the lens holding member. According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the lens holding member can be supported at a specific position while in motion, and thus a lens moving device that is highly versatile and excellent in power saving can be realized.

[0169] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is, in the twelfth aspect, that the permanent magnet in the support device extends along the direction of movement of the lens holding member and into the range of movement of the lens holding member. The thirteenth aspect is even more effective in that smooth and power-efficient position control is achieved at any position within the range of movement of the lens holding member.

[0170] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is an anti-vibration lens drive device (6) comprising a fixed frame (61), a lens frame having a lens (521) and supported by the fixed frame so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens, and two or more actuators for moving the lens frame to a specific position in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens relative to the fixed frame, wherein the actuator that moves the lens frame in the vertical direction relative to the fixed frame is a support device of any of the first to tenth aspects having a first member disposed on the fixed frame and a second member disposed on the lens frame. According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, an anti-vibration lens drive device can be realized that can support the lens frame at a specific position, is highly versatile, and is excellent in power saving.

[0171] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0172] According to the embodiments described above, the present invention enables the rapid and precise adjustment of the position of various objects using permanent magnets and electromagnets with low power consumption, and can be realized with a highly versatile configuration. The present invention, which provides such effects, is expected to contribute to the development and advancement of various technological fields that require or demand vibration isolation, and is expected to contribute to achieving, for example, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation." [Explanation of symbols]

[0173] 1. Vibration-isolating table 2. Vibration isolation stand 3. Vibration isolation stage 4. Vibration Isolator 5. Lens moving device 6. Vibration-damping lens drive device 11 Tabletop 12 legs 13 Projection part 14, 71 base 15 Isolators 16 Support part 20, 40, 50, 59, 60, 73, 83, 92, 100, 200 Support device 21, 51, 74, 84, 94, 110, 210, 611 First component 22, 42, 52, 62, 75, 85, 95, 120, 622 Second component 23, 43, 111, 211, 614 cores 24, 44, 54, 64A, 64B, 112, 533, 544, 615, 623, 624 coils 25, 45 Main body 26, 46, 115, 116, 216 protrusions 27, 546, 625 Magnetic material components 28, 55, 113, 213, 541, 626 permanent magnets 31 Spring 32 Air damper 58 circuit boards 53 Voice coil actuator 56A, 56B, 531, 542 York 57, 67 Lens frame 61 Fixed frame 70, 80 Microscopes 71 Base Frame 72 stages 76, 86, 96 Regulatory Department 77, 87, 88, 616 aperture 81 Frame 82 Observation Stage 91 Casing 93 surveillance cameras 511, 512 Guide rods 521, 621 lenses 524, 525 Guide holes 532, 612, 613 Magnets 534 Lid 810 Observation light source

Claims

1. A first member positioned in the fixed part, A second member is disposed in a movable portion that is movable at least vertically relative to the fixed portion, and is disposed below the first member and facing the first member in a non-contact manner, One of the first member and the second member includes a permanent magnet that forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract each other. The first member and the second member, or the other, include a coil that, by energizing, forms a magnetic field in which the first member and the second member attract or repel each other. Support device.

2. One of the first member and the second member includes a core and the coil, The other of the first member and the second member includes a magnetic material member and the permanent magnet, The core has a main body portion extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and projections that protrude from both ends and the central part of the main body portion to the other side of the first member and the second member, The coil is composed of a wire wound around the protrusion in the central part of the main body. The permanent magnets are arranged in pairs on the magnetic material member, facing each of the protrusions at both ends of the main body, and each permanent magnet has a north pole on the protrusion side and a south pole on the magnetic material member side. The support device according to claim 1.

3. One of the first member and the second member includes a permanent magnet extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, protrusions projecting from each end of the permanent magnet toward the other side of the first member and the second member, and a coil disposed between or around the protrusions. The other of the first member and the second member is made of a magnetic material. The support device according to claim 1.

4. The coil is composed of a wire wound around an axis in the vertical direction, and is positioned between the protrusions of the first member. The support device according to claim 3.

5. The coils are arranged in pairs, and each coil is made up of a wire wound around each of the protrusions of the first member. The support device according to claim 3.

6. One of the first member and the second member includes a core and the coil, The other of the first member and the second member includes a magnetic material member and the permanent magnet, The core has a main body portion extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and projections that protrude from each of the ends of the main body portion to the other side of the first member and the second member, The coil is composed of a wire wound around an axis in the vertical direction, and is positioned between the protrusions at both ends of the main body. The support device according to claim 1.

7. The permanent magnets are arranged in pairs on the magnetic material member, facing each of the protrusions at both ends of the main body, with one permanent magnet having a north pole on the protrusion side and a south pole on the magnetic material member side, and the other permanent magnet having a south pole on the protrusion side and a north pole on the magnetic material member side. The support device according to claim 6.

8. The first member includes a core, a coil, and a permanent magnet. The second member includes a magnetic material member, The core has a main body portion extending in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and projections that protrude toward the second member from both ends and the central part of the main body portion, The coil is composed of a wire wound around the protrusion in the central part of the main body. The permanent magnets are positioned at the tips of the protrusions at both ends of the main body. The direction of the magnetic field at the protrusions at both ends is the same. The support device according to claim 1.

9. The support device according to claim 8, wherein in the core, the lengths of each magnetic path including each of the protrusions are the same.

10. The first member or the second member further has a restricting part that supports the first member or the second member in the vertical direction and restricts the movement of the first member or the second member in the vertical direction to within a specific distance range. The support device according to claim 1.

11. The fixing part, A movable part that can move at least vertically relative to the fixed part, A support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the first member disposed in the fixed portion and the second member disposed in the movable portion, wherein the movable portion is supported relative to the fixed portion, A vibration isolation device having the following features.

12. A guide member that guides movement in a direction that intersects the vertical direction, A lens holding member that holds a lens is guided by the aforementioned guide member to move in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, A moving device that moves the lens holding member in the direction guided by the guide member, A support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, having the first member disposed on the guide member and the second member disposed on the lens holding member, Lens moving device.

13. The lens moving device according to claim 12, wherein the permanent magnet in the support device extends along the direction of movement of the lens holding member to the range of movement of the lens holding member.

14. Fixed frame and A lens frame having a lens and being movable in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens, supported by the fixed frame, The system includes two or more actuators that move the lens frame to a specific position in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens relative to the fixed frame, The actuator that moves the lens frame vertically relative to the fixed frame is a support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, having the first member disposed on the fixed frame and the second member disposed on the lens frame. Vibration-damping lens drive device.

Images