Central Shutter Spring Energy Storage Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing central shutters for camera lenses have high mechanical complexity, leading to wear and vibration issues, and require powerful motors for short opening times, resulting in increased power consumption and noise.

Innovation Solution

The drive for pivoting shutter blades is divided into two parts, where a continuously motor-driven winding ring tensions a spring, which then powers the shutter blades, reducing the need for high-power motors and minimizing wear and noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a powerful motor is used to achieve short opening times, then the shutter speed is improved, but the power consumption and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutter opening timeVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The spring is pre-tensioned during the winding phase before the shutter opening is required. This preliminary action stores energy in the spring, which is then released to pivot the shutter blades quickly when needed, eliminating the need for high-power motors during the actual shutter operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spring acts as an intermediary energy storage element between the motor and the shutter blades. The motor only needs to provide low power to wind the spring, while the spring releases stored energy to accelerate the shutter blades, thus reducing both power consumption and noise during shutter operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If a powerful motor is used to achieve short opening times, then the shutter speed is improved, but the noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutter opening timeVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spring is pre-tensioned during the winding phase before the shutter opening is required. This preliminary action stores energy in the spring, which is then released to pivot the shutter blades quickly when needed, eliminating the need for high-power motors during the actual shutter operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spring acts as an intermediary energy storage element between the motor and the shutter blades. The motor only needs to provide low power to wind the spring, while the spring releases stored energy to accelerate the shutter blades, thus reducing both power consumption and noise during shutter operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a complex mechanical drive system is used, then the shutter operation is achieved, but the number of components and wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutter operationVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive system is segmented into two distinct phases: a winding phase where the motor tensions the spring, and a release phase where the spring pivots the shutter blades. This segmentation simplifies the mechanical system by eliminating the need for complex continuous drive mechanisms and reducing the number of moving components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The spring acts as an intermediary energy storage element between the motor and the shutter blades. The motor only needs to provide low power to wind the spring, while the spring releases stored energy to accelerate the shutter blades, thus reducing both power consumption and noise during shutter operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces the number of components, power consumption, and vibration, enabling faster and quieter shutter operation with lower wear, while allowing for compact and efficient use in interchangeable lenses.

Implementation Method 1

a tension spring (9) suspended between the two elements can be tensioned when the cam ring (7) is blocked. The energy then stored in the tension springs is subsequently used, after the cam ring (7) has been released, for pivoting the shutter blades coupled to the cam ring (7)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2394197B1Central shutter for camera objectives
Publication Date: 2017.07.26 LEICA CAMERA AG
  • EP2394197B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2394197B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2394197B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a central shutter for camera objectives, having a ring-shaped leaf carrier (1) enclosing the shutter opening (2), on which at least two studs (13) are disposed circularly symmetrically to each other, on which sickle-shaped shutter leaves (14) are pivotally supported, and having an electric motor drive pivoting the shutter leaves (14) over the shutter opening (2), characterized in that the drive comprises a motorized rotatable winding ring (3) designed as a flat ring disc and contacting the leaf carrier (1), a cam ring (7) designed as a flat ring disc is rotatably supported in the winding ring (7), sawtooth-shaped cams (17) being located on one ring surface thereof, wherein the winding ring (3) and the cam ring (7) are coupled to each other by means of at least one tension spring (9) that can be tensioned in the rotary direction of the winding ring (3), and the pivot motion of the shutter leaves (14) can be controlled by coupling to the cam ring (7).