Camera unit and camera unit controlling method

Abstract

Electrode substrates, a movable element which can freely move reciprocally by being guided by the electrode substrates, and in which electrodes are formed on a pair of surfaces thereof facing one another, and which has a lens, an image pickup element imaging an image which was image-formed by the lens, a control unit controlling a position of the movable element, and a stopper regulating movement of the movable element within the movable range thereof. The control unit positions the movable element at a predetermined position by making the movable element abut the stopper.

1 . A camera unit comprising: 
 a movable element holding a lens;    a stator supporting the movable element so as to freely move reciprocally along the optical axis of the lens;    an image pickup element imaging an image which was image-formed by the lens;    a regulating member which regulates movement of the movable element within a movable range thereof; and    a control unit controlling movement of the movable element in order to detecting a position of the movable element by making the movable element abut the regulating member.    
   
   
       2 . A camera unit according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of movable elements are provided.  
   
   
       3 . A camera unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating member is provided at the image pickup element side of the movable element.  
   
   
       4 . A camera unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the regulating member is provided at the image pickup element side of the movable element.  
   
   
       5 . A camera unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating member is provided at an object side of the movable element.  
   
   
       6 . A camera unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the regulating member is provided at the outside of the stator.  
   
   
       7 . A camera unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the regulating member is provided at the object side of the movable element.  
   
   
       8 . A camera unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the regulating member is provided at the outside of the stator.  
   
   
       9 . A camera unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the regulating member is provided between said plurality of movable elements.  
   
   
       10 . A camera unit controlling method which controls movement of the movable element in a camera unit comprising a movable element holding a lens, a stator supporting the movable element so as to freely move reciprocally along the optical axis of the lens, an image pickup element imaging an image which was image-formed by the lens, a regulating member which can regulate movement of the movable element within a movable range thereof, 
 the camera unit controlling method comprising:    a moving step of making the movable element move toward the regulating member along the optical axis;    a position detecting step of detecting a position of the movable element by making the movable element abut the regulating member; and    a controlling step of controlling movement of the movable element on the basis of the detected position.    
   
   
       11 . A camera unit controlling method comprising: 
 a supporting step of supporting a movable element which holds a lens, so as to freely move reciprocally along the optical axis of the lens;    a moving step of making the movable element move along the optical axis of the lens;    an image picking-up step of imaging an image which was image-formed by the lens;    a position detecting step of detecting a position of the movable element by making the movable element abut the regulating member provided within a movable range of the movable element; and    a controlling step of controlling movement of the movable element on the basis of the detected position.