GB2179461A

GB2179461A - Motorised camera attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2179461A
Application number: GB08620723A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taichi Yoshida
Original assignee: YOSHIDA SANGYO KK
Current assignee: YOSHIDA SANGYO KK
Priority date: 1985-08-27
Filing date: 1986-08-27
Publication date: 1987-03-04
Also published as: GB8521289D0; GB8620723D0

Abstract

In a motorised camera attachment, depression of a shutter release button 6 causes rotation of a motor 5 and winding gear 16 (film winding claws 18 remaining stationary), whereby a spring 24 mounted on winding gear 16 passes between a shutter release pin 23 and gear 16, causing pin 23 to project into the shutter release socket of the camera against a spring bias, on release of button 6, motor 5 and winding gear 16 rotate again, causing rotation of claws 18 by the action of a roller 22 mounted on a lever 21 against a projection 20 on a spring biased cam 19 connected to claws 18. On completion of wind-on, gear 16 continues to rotate to the starting position, roller 22 riding over projection 20 and allowing cam 19 to return to the original position under the action of spring 28. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Camera operating arrangement This invention relates to a shutter release operating arrangement for a camera employing a winder motor.

It is known to have, on a winder motor attachment for a camera, a shutter release button which, when operated, causes a pin to project from the attachment into a shutter release socket on the camera, in order to release the shutter. In the known arrangement, a solenoid is employed to move the pin and cause it to extend from the winder motor attachment.

In an embodiment of the invention to be described below, the use of a solenoid to move the pin is avoided. The pin is moved by means of power from the motor which already exists in the winder. By means of this arrangement, it is possible to omit a comparatively expensive component, thereby reducing costs and the possibility of a fault developing in the component, to reduce the weight of the attachment, and to make manufacture more easy and less expensive. A further feature of the embodiment to be described is the use of a spring loaded member to restore the parts from the position that they have reached to an original position.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a winder motor arrangement for a camera, Figure 2 illustrates at A, B and C, plan views of a mechanism in different operating positions, and, Figure 3 is an electrical circuit diagram.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 an arrangement 1 for attachment to a camera. The arrangement has a main part 2 from which contacts 3 project for connection to an electrical circuit in a camera and a part 4 which houses a winding motor 5 and from which a shutter release button 6 extends.

Pressure on the button 6 causes an electrical change-over switch lever 7 to move from its normal contact 8 to a contact 9.

A gear 11 on the shaft of the motor 5 couples the rotational movement of the motor shaft via a gear train 12-15 to a winding gear 16 mounted for rotation about a shaft 17 which carries winding claws 18 and a winding cam 19 having a part 20, with a steep face and a sloping face, which projects from the cam.

The winding gear 16 carries on one face an actuating lever 21, upon which there is mounted a roller 22 which cooperates with the winding cam 19. A pin 23, which is supported by means not shown, is normally urged towards the winding gear 16 by means not shown. A flat spring 24, which is mounted upon the one face of the winding gear 16, is able to pass, upon the rotation of the gear 16, between the winding gear 16 and the pin 23 and to urge the pin 23 away from the winding gear 16 and, when the arrangement 1 is attached to a camera, to cause the pin 23 to project into a shutter release socket of the camera.

From the other face of the winding gear 16, there extends an operating pin 25 which cooperates with a normally closed switch 26 mounted on the body of the main part 2 of the attachment.

As may also be seen from Fig. 2, the actuating lever 21 is pivotally mounted on the gear 16 at 27 and a wire spring 28, which extends from the pivot 27, is tensioned against a collar 29 on the shaft 17 to press on a roller 31 carried on the lever 21, thereby urging the roller 22 towards the winding cam 19.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is illustrated an electrical circuit incorporating a battery 32, the motor 5, a relay 33 (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) having fixed contacts 34 and 35 and a change-over contact 36, the switch lever 7 together with the fixed contacts 8 and 9 associated with the button 6, the switch 26 and the contacts 3 projecting from the part 2. The arrangement so far described with reference to Fig. 3 is housed in the arrangement 1 which, as has been mentioned above, is designed for attachment to a camera.

Also indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3, there is a camera 38 which incorporates, among other things, a normally open switch 39. The switch 39 is connected to contacts 41 which couple the switch 39 via the contacts 3 to the circuit previously described with reference to Fig. 3 when the arrangement 1 is attached to the camera 38.

The switch 39 is coupled to the mechanism of the camera in such a way that it is closed upon the release of the camera shutter and is opened after a full frame of film has been advanced in the camera.

The operation of the apparatus described above will now be set out starting with the winding gear 16 in the position shown in Fig.

2 at A and the shutter of the camera 38 charged and a film in the camera advanced and ready for a picture to be taken.

When an operator presses the shutter release button 6 on the part 4, a circuit is completed for the operation of the relay 33 via the contacts 7 and 9 associated with the button 6 and the battery 32. Upon the operation of the relay 33, the change-over contact 36 connects the winding motor 5 via the contact 35 across the battery 32, thereby causing the motor 5 to rotate and to cause the winding gear 16 to rotate via the gear train 12-15.

The rotation of the gear 16 in the direction of arrow 43, causes the spring 24 to pass between the pin 23 and the gear 16 and the pin 23 to project from the part 2 of the arrangement 1 into the shutter release socket of the camera 38, thereby releasing the shutter of the camera 38. The release of the camera shutter causes the switch 39 to be closed. It is also arranged that, after the release of the shutter of the camera 38, the operating pin 25, which extends from the other face of the gear 16, reaches the position in which it opens the switch 26, thereby breaking the operating circuit for the relay 33 and releasing the contact 36 from the contact 35, so that the operating circuit for the motor 5 is broken, a short circuit is placed across the motor 5 and the motor 5 is brought to a stop.At this point, just after the camera shutter has been released, it will normally be the case that the release button 6 on the part 4 is still depressed. The relative positions of the parts associated with the gear 16 at this stage are illustrated in Fig. 2 at B.

Upon the release of the button 6, the change-over contact 7 associated with the button 6 moves from the contact 9 to the contact 8 and a circuit for the operation of the relay 33 is completed including the battery 32, the contacts 7 and 8, the switch 39 in the camera 38 and the contacts 3 and 41.

The operation of the relay 33 results in the completion of the operating circuit for the motor 5 via the contacts 35 and 36 of the relay 33 and the battery 32.

The motor 5 is thus energised once again to cause the gear 16 to continue its rotation in the direction of the arrow 43. During this period of the rotation of the gear 16, the roller 22 on the lever 21 is brought into engagement with the steep face of the part 20 which projects from the winding cam 19 and the cam 19 is forced to rotate the associated shaft 17 and the winding claws 18. The rotation of the winding claws 18, which are coupled with the axle of the film winding lever of the camera 38, causes the film to be woundon.

When a frame of the film has been completely wound-on, the film winding mechanism in the camera will not rotate further and the cam 19 is held against rotation as a result of the coupling via the winding claws 18. However the motor 5 and the gear 16 continue to be driven and to rotate. The roller 31 is thus caused to ride up the steep face of the part 20 projecting from the cam 19, as is indicated in Fig. 2 at C, against the force of the spring 28. The roller 22 then runs down over the sloping face of the part 20 whereby the cam 19 and the winding claws 18 are restored to the position shown in Fig. 2 at A under the influence of the spring 28.The switch 39 having been opened after the full frame of the film had been advanced, the operating circuit for the relay 33 has thereby been opened and the motor 5 has been disconnected from the battery 32 and stopped, in the manner previously described.

The arrangement is now in the position illustrated with reference to Fig. 2 at A with the circuit in the normal state shown in Fig. 3, with the shutter of the camera charged and a film in the camera advanced and ready for a picture to be taken.

It will be understood that the invention has been described, by way of example, with reference to a particular embodiment and that variations and modifications relay be made within the scope of the invention which still employ the invention. For example, it would be within the scope of the invention to employ a suitably arranged member under tension to perform the function of a member, such as spring 28, under compression. It is also possible, instead of employing a flat spring 24 as a cam member in order to cause the pin 23 to project from the main part 2, to use a different form of cam member coupled to the gear 16.

Claims

1. An arrangement for attachment to a camera including, a winding gear, a motor coupled to the winding gear, a switch operable to energise the motor, winding claws coupled to the winding gear, and an operating member arranged for co-operation with the shutter release of an associated camera, the operating member being caused to project from the arrangement upon the rotation of the winding gear to a predetermined position.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which means to cause the operating member to project from the arrangement includes a flat spring which is fixed to the winding gear.

3. An arrangement as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 including pivoted spring loaded lever means mounted upon the winding gear and arranged to couple the winding gear to the winding claws for rotation of the winding claws from a first position after the operating member has been caused to project from the arrangement.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 including a cam coupling the spring loaded lever means to the winding claws, the cam and the winding claws being restored to the first position from a second position under the influence of the spring loaded lever means.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said switch is manually operable and further including a second normally closed switch which is opened at a predetermined position of rotation of the winding gear, and a relay having its coil coupled, upon the operation of the first switch, for energisation via the second switch, the energisation of the relay causing the motor coupled to the winding gear to rotate the wi winding gear.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with refer ence to the accompanying drawings.

7. An arrangement for attachment to a camera including, a winding gear, a motor coupled to the winding gear, a switch operable to energise the motor, winding claws coupled to the winding gear, and pivoted spring loaded lever means mounted upon the winding gear and arranged to coupled the winding gear via a cam to the winding claws for rotation of the winding claws from a first position, the cam and the winding claws being restored to the first position from a second position under the influence of the spring loaded lever means.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.