| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the flexibility of the design of an imaging device, such as a camera, and to enhance the contaminant removal of the existing imaging device, in a dust collector for performing the dust removal of an imaging element or an optical member. SOLUTION: A contaminant collector 1 is provided with a sound wave generating element 13, arranged face-to-face on the image pickup face of an imaging element 42 or the surface of an optical member (filter) 43, when it is mounted on a camera 2 for projecting sound waves to them. The sound waves, generated by a sound wave generating element 13, are made to propagate through air to the image pickup element 42 or the optical member 43, and they are vibrated so that contaminants attached to the image pickup face or the surface can be dropped, or that the contaminants can be prevented from attaching to the imaging face or the surface. Thus, it is not necessary to arrange the sound wave generating element in the neighborhood of the imaging element or the optical member, and it is possible to arrange the sound wave generating element, at a place far away from the image pickup element or the optical member. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the degree of freedom of camera design, and to attain the dust removal of the existing camera. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
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