JP2000147600A - Cover driving device and digital still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure the degree of freedom in the design of a camera without sacrificing handleability by guiding a cover member in a 1st direction and a 2nd direction different from the 1st direction by a guiding part while moving it from a shielding position to an opening position. SOLUTION: The cover member 201 is driven between the shielding position and the opening position by a cover driving device 200. The cover member 201 moved to the shielding position shields the aperture of a front side case 11. In such a case, a photographing lens 13, the light projecting port 14a and the light receiving port 14b of an infrared range-finding device, the light emitting part 15 of a stroboscopic device, a finder optical system 16, an LED 17 and a photometric window 18 are all shielded. Meanwhile, they are all opened in a state where the member 201 is moved to the opening position. When the member 201 is moved from the shielding position to the opening position, movement in a rotating (1st) direction and movement in a parallel (2nd) direction are combined and performed, so that the member 201 is housed at the specified position inside the digital still camera 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cover driving device for a camera, and more particularly to a camera capable of driving a cover member for shielding a photographing lens, a finder, a light emitting portion of a strobe device, an infrared light emitting port of a distance measuring device, and the like. The present invention relates to a cover driving device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a photographing lens, a window of a finder, a light emitting portion of a strobe device, a light emitting and receiving port of an infrared distance measuring device, and the like are provided in front of a camera. In order to prevent scratches due to improper handling,
When not in use, it is often shielded by a cover member called a lens barrier.

[0003] Such a lens barrier can be freely moved between a shielding position for shielding the taking lens and an open position for opening by the manual force of the photographer or the power of a motor.
In general cameras, shutter release is possible only when the lens barrier is in the open position, thereby preventing improper photographing where a part of the taking lens is covered by the lens barrier. are doing.

Further, in recent cameras, a lens barrier having an opened photographic lens is retracted and stored inside a body so as not to hinder photographing when the lens barrier is opened. There are many. However, in order to make the camera compact, an optical system, a circuit board, and the like are efficiently stored inside the body, so that the space for storing the lens barrier is extremely limited. Therefore, in the camera of the related art, the lens barrier is often formed in a thin flat plate shape so as to be drawn into the inside of the body outer plate in a sliding manner.

[0005]

The camera according to the prior art has the following problems. First, besides the taking lens, the cover member also covers the window of the viewfinder, the light emitting part of the strobe device, the light emitting and receiving port of the infrared distance measuring device, etc., which are generally provided in front of the camera. You may want to prevent sticking. On the other hand, if these parts are to be shielded together with the taking lens, a cover member having a large area is required. However, as described above, since there is only a limited space inside the body of the camera, it can be said that it is difficult to store a cover member having such a large area without increasing the size of the body.

On the other hand, if the open position of the cover member is outside the body, the cover member can be moved to the open position without increasing the size of the body. However, since the wide cover member moved to the open position is usually maintained in a state of protruding from the body of the camera, when the finger of the photographer touches, the lens barrier moves from the open position, and There is a possibility that shutter release may not be possible for some reason.

Another problem is that even if the lens barrier covers only the photographing lens, the lens barrier must be of a thin flat plate shape and be slid into the inside of the body outer plate. The degree of freedom may be limited. That is, the lens barrier must be formed in a simple shape such as a flat plate so as to be suitable for being pulled into the inside of the body outer plate. If the lens barrier has a simple shape such as a flat plate, it becomes difficult to make the lens barrier at the shielding position a design integrated with the camera body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and a cover driving device and a digital still device capable of securing a degree of freedom in camera design and a compact body without sacrificing handling. The purpose is to provide a camera.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a cover driving apparatus for a camera according to the present invention comprises a cover movable between a shielding position for shielding a portion to be shielded and an open position for opening. A member, a driving unit for moving the cover member, and a guide unit for guiding the cover member between the shielding position and the open position, wherein the cover member moves from the shielding position to the open position. While traveling
The invention is characterized in that the guide section guides in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction.

[0010]

According to the cover driving device for a camera of the present invention,
While the cover member moves from the shielding position to the open position, the cover guides the cover member in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction. Therefore, the cover device can be moved three-dimensionally, so that even a cover member having a large area, for example, can be moved in the first direction and the second direction so that the inside of the body of the camera can be moved. The camera can be stored in a narrow space, and the camera can be made compact without sacrificing handling.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the digital still camera according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a digital still camera 10 includes a front case 11 and a rear case 1 in which a left half is omitted.
And 2. A horizontally long rectangular opening 11a (see FIG. 3) is formed at the upper right side of the front case 11 in the drawing. Inside the digital still camera 10 surrounded by both cases 11 and 12, a circuit board and an optical system required for imaging are arranged.

More specifically, a photographing lens 13 is disposed above the center of the digital still camera 10, and an infrared distance measuring device for irradiating infrared rays for distance measurement is provided to the right of the photographing lens 13. And a light-receiving opening 14b for receiving infrared light reflected from a subject are vertically arranged. On the right side of the light emitting port 14a of the infrared distance measuring device, a flash light emitting unit 15 is disposed.
A finder optical system 16 is disposed to the right of b. An LED 17 is provided between the photographing lens 13 and the light emitting port 14a to blink the self-timer photographing.
Is disposed on the right side of the finder optical system 16, and a photometric window 18 for light control during flash photography.

Further, the digital still camera 10 according to the present embodiment has a cover driving device 200. The cover driving device 200 functions to drive the horizontally long rectangular plate-shaped cover member 201 between a shielding position and an open position. The cover member 201 moved to the shielding position is the front case 11
In this state, the photographing lens 13 and the light emitting port 14 of the infrared distance measuring device are blocked.
a, the light receiving port 14b, the light emitting portion 15 of the strobe, the finder optical system 16, the LED 17, and the photometric window 18 are all shielded.

On the other hand, the cover member 201
By moving to an open position provided below the first opening 11a and inside the front case 11, the taking lens 13 and the light emitting port 14a and the light receiving port 1 of the infrared distance measuring device are moved.
4b, a flash light emitting unit 15, and a finder optical system 1
6, the LED 17, and the photometric window 18 are all opened.

The cover driving device 200 includes a cover member 20.
1 for transmitting a driving force to the cover member 20 and the cover member 20
And one guide section 220. First, the driving unit 210 will be described. The driving unit 210 includes an electric motor 211 disposed below the digital still camera 10.
A gear train 212 that communicatively engages with a pinion 211a attached to a rotating shaft of the electric motor 211,
A gear 213a is attached to the gear train 212 so as to be capable of transmitting power, and a vertically extending drive shaft, that is, a screw shaft 213, and a nut member 21 engaged with the screw shaft 213 are provided.
4 and a slide member 215 connected to the nut portion 214
(The center is cut away in FIG. 1) and a connecting member 2 for connecting the slide member 215 and the cover member 201.
16. The power of the electric motor 211 is
A switching member (not shown) is used to drive the photographing lens 13 for zooming, to drive in and out of a memory card (not shown) as a recording medium, or to drive the light emitting unit 15 of a strobe device whose irradiation angle can be changed. May be used.

The nut member 214 includes a nut member 214
There is provided a shielding plate 214a that moves together therewith. In the vicinity of the upper end and the lower end of the screw shaft 213, optical sensors PS1 and PS2 as position detecting elements are provided. Each of the optical sensors PS1 and PS2 has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit (not shown), and the detection light emitted from the light emitting unit is shielded by the shielding plate 214a, so that the nut member 214 is connected to the optical sensors PS1 and PS2. It is possible to detect the proximity to PS2.

The elongated rectangular column-shaped slide member 215 extending in the horizontal direction has holes 215a penetrating in the vertical direction near both ends. A pair of guide shafts 217 fixedly attached to the body of the digital still camera 110 pass through the hole 215a. Therefore, the slide member 215 can move in the vertical direction along the guide shaft 217.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the right end side of the slide member 215. Hereinafter, the slide member 215 and the connecting member 216 will be described with reference to FIG. 2, but since these have a mirror image configuration on both sides in the horizontal direction, only the configuration on one side will be described.

In FIG. 2, the slide member 215 has a notch 215b formed in an upper portion near an end thereof. A cylindrical portion 215c extending in the horizontal direction is formed on the inner side wall of the notch 215b. The cylindrical portion 215c is rotatably engaged with a lower hole 216a formed near the lower end of the connecting member 216. The horizontal length of the notch 215b is determined by the length of the cylindrical portion 215c and the length of the connecting member 2.
16 is greater than the sum of the horizontal thickness of the cylindrical portion 215 and the connecting member 216 by moving the connecting member 216 into the notch 215b and moving it to the left.
c and the lower hole 216a can be engaged with each other.

On the other hand, an upper hole 216b is formed near the upper end of the connecting member 216, and a support shaft 218 extending in the horizontal direction penetrates the upper hole 216b and is connected to the support shaft 218. The member 216 is rotatably supported. The end of the penetrating support shaft 218 is
1 is engaged in a support hole 201b formed in a raised portion 201a provided at the lower end of the first member 1.

Next, the guide section 220 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A shows a configuration of FIG.
It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by I line and seen in the arrow direction, and is a figure which shows the state in which the cover member 201 was in the shielding position. FIG.
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3A showing a state where the cover member 201 has moved slightly downward from the shielding position,
FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a state where the cover member 201 is at the open position. In FIG. 3, for easy understanding, the internal configuration other than the guide 220 is omitted.

Hereinafter, the guide section 220 will be described.
Since both sides in the horizontal direction have a mirror image configuration, only one side of the guide portion 220 will be described. Guide 22
0 is a cam member 221 and follower portions 201c, 201
d. The plate-like cam member 221 extending vertically has two cam holes 221a and 221b. The cylindrical followers 201c and 201d protrude horizontally from the upper and lower ends of the side of the cover member 201.

The upper cam hole 221a extends substantially vertically, but its lower end 221c is slightly shifted forward (to the left in the figure). On the other hand, the lower cam hole 2
21b also extends substantially vertically, but its upper end 2
21d is bent relatively large to the front (left side in the figure). The follower 201c is engaged with and guided by the cam hole 221a, and the follower 201d is engaged with and guided by the cam hole 221b.
As shown in FIG. 3, the front (left side in the figure) center of the front case 11 is slightly raised, and
Has a curved shape so as to be integrated with the shape of the front case 11.

FIG. 4 is a view of the configuration of FIG. 1 cut along the line IV-IV and viewed in the direction of the arrow. FIG. 4 shows a side surface of the driving unit 210, and when the cover member 201 is in the shielding position, the upper end of the connecting member 216 is tilted forward (to the left in the drawing) with respect to the sliding member 215. It has become.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, in the digital still camera 10, as shown in FIGS.
And so on. In this state, when the user operates an open / close switch (not shown), power is supplied from a power supply (not shown), and the electric motor 2
Numeral 11 generates a rotation output.

The rotation output of the electric motor 211 is
It is transmitted to the screw shaft 213 while being decelerated via the shaft 12. When the screw shaft 213 rotates, the nut member 214 moves downward according to the screwing. When the nut member 214 moves downward, the cover member 201 follows the slide member 215 and the connecting member 216 and moves downward. When the shielding plate 214a provided on the nut member 214 reaches the position of the sensor PS2 below, the detection light is shielded, so that the sensor PS2 can detect that the cover member 201 has reached the open position. . In response to the detection of the sensor PS2, supply of electric power to the electric motor 211 is stopped.

On the other hand, when the user operates the open / close switch (not shown) from the state where the cover member 201 is in the open position, the electric motor 211 is rotated in the reverse direction, whereby the cover member 201 moves upward. Become. The shielding plate 214a of the nut member 214 is connected to the upper sensor PS1.
When the sensor PS1 reaches the position, the sensor PS1 can detect that the cover member 201 has reached the shielding position, and in response thereto, the supply of electric power to the electric motor 211 is stopped.

The time required for the cover member 201 to move from the shielding position to the open position is determined by the digital still camera 10.
From the power switch (not shown) to the time when each unit is ready for imaging (usually about 2 seconds), so that the preparation of the electronic system and the optical system is completed almost simultaneously. ing.

By the way, if the cover member 201 does not move to the open position or the shield position even after a predetermined time has elapsed after the operation of the open / close switch, for example, a user's clothes or the like is caught on the cover member 201, and Trouble that movement is obstructed is considered. Leaving such a state may cause damage to the electric motor 211 and the like.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system for controlling the opening and closing of the cover member 201, which can solve such a problem. In FIG. 5, the control unit 301 can control the power supply of the electric motor 211 of the driving unit 200,
Further, the display of the liquid crystal display device 304 provided on the upper surface of the digital still camera 10 can be controlled.
Further, the control unit 301 is connected to the open / close switch 302 of the cover member 201, the optical sensors PS1 and PS2, and the restart switch 305, and can receive operation or detection signals from these. Also, the control unit 301
The timer 303 can be started and stopped as appropriate.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control of the control system shown in FIG. In step S101 of FIG. 6, in response to the opening / closing switch 301 being turned on based on a user operation, the control unit 301 executes step S101.
At 102, a timer 303 is started. Before the timer 303 measures a predetermined time (for example, 1.5 times the time for the cover member 201 to normally move between the shielding position and the opening position) in step S103, in step S104, the optical sensor PS1 or PS2 Is determined to be in the ON state, the control unit 301 stops the electric motor 211 in step S105.

On the other hand, if the timer 303 measures a predetermined time before the optical sensor PS1 or PS2 is turned on,
It is highly likely that the cover member 201 was forcibly stopped from opening and closing due to some trouble. Therefore,
In such a case, the control unit 301 causes the liquid crystal display device 304 disposed above the digital still camera 10 to display a warning in step S106. By seeing such a display, the user can operate the cover member 2
01 is forcibly stopped. To alert the user, for example, a warning sound such as a buzzer may be used instead of the display, or the warning sound may be used together with the display. Next, the control unit 301 determines in step S
At 107, the electric motor 211 is stopped to release the overload state, thereby protecting the electric motor 211. In addition, instead of the restart switch, an open / close switch,
Restarting with a release switch or the like is also conceivable.

After the user removes the trouble in which the cover member 201 is forcibly stopped, the restart switch 3
05 (step S108), the control unit 301
Cancels the above-mentioned warning in step S109,
The flow returns to step S102, and the timer 30
3 is started.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the area of the cover member 201 is large, there is a high possibility that foreign substances such as clothes are caught.
Is forcibly stopped, the electric motor 211 is detected and automatically stopped to prevent the electric motor 211 from being damaged. When the cover member 201 moves from the open position to the shielding position, the finder optical system 16 is firstly shielded. Therefore, if the finder optical system 16 is forcibly stopped in the middle, the above-described warning display is displayed. Even without looking, the user looking into the finder optical system 16 can recognize such a defect. In order to detect the forcible stop of the cover member 201, a counter electromotive force generated when the rotating shaft is stopped even though power is supplied to the electric motor 211 may be used instead of the timer. Conceivable.

Next, a change in the posture of the cover member 201 when the cover member 201 is moved up and down will be described. In the open position shown in FIG. 3A, the cover member 201 closes the opening 11 a of the front case 11 to prevent foreign matter such as dust from entering through the opening 11 a. When the downward movement is started based on the driving force of the electric motor 211 from this state, the follower portion 201 of the cover member 201 is started.
c, 201d are the cam holes 221a, 2b of the cam member 221;
Each of them moves downward along 21b.
At this time, as shown in FIG.
01d descends obliquely rearward (rightward in the figure) along the upper end 201d of the cam hole 221b. By this operation, the lower end of the cover member 201 is pulled by the connecting member 216,
Similarly, it descends obliquely rearward. As a result, the lower end of the cover member 201 is
1a can be detached from the lower edge.

Since the front case 11 is raised at the center, the cover member 201 is designed so that the front case 11 and the cover member 201 do not come into contact with each other even if the cover member 201 is lowered vertically with its lower end inclined backward. Has become. Cover member 2
Immediately before reaching the open position, the upper follower portion 2
Since 01c is shifted forward by the lower end 221c of the cam hole 221a, the upper end of the cover member 201 comes closer to the front case 11 (see FIG. 3C). Therefore, the cover member 201 moved to the open position
Is held close to the front case 11 curved forward, so that the space inside the digital still camera 10 can be effectively utilized. Although the cover member 201 has a shape curved forward as described above, it just enters into the back side of the front case 11 that is similarly curved, so that more effective use of the internal space is ensured.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the cover member 201 and the slide member 215 are connected to each other by the connecting member 216 which is rotatable with respect to them, FIG.
When the cover member 201 moves between the shield position and the open position as shown in FIG. 5, the slide member 215 is allowed to change its posture.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the cover member 201 moves from the shielding position to the opening position, it does not simply move on a predetermined surface, but first moves backward and downward. The posture is changed so that the upper end shifts forward. That is, since the rotation (first) direction movement and the parallel (second) direction movement are performed in combination, even if the cover member 201 has a complicated shape, the predetermined movement inside the digital still camera 10 can be achieved. It can be stored in the storage location. Thereby,
The cover member can be formed into a shape integrated with the front case 11 of the digital still camera 10,
The degree of freedom in design expands.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above embodiments, and may be appropriately modified. Of course, improvements are possible. For example, in this embodiment,
Although a digital still camera has been described as an example, the present invention can be applied to a so-called silver halide film. Further, the shielding position is not limited to the inside of the camera, but may be provided at a place outside the camera that can be integrated with the case.

[0040]

According to the cover driving device for a camera of the present invention, while the cover member moves from the shielding position to the opening position, the first direction and the first direction are determined by the guide portion. Since the cover device is guided in a different second direction, the cover device can be moved three-dimensionally, so that, for example, a cover member having a large area can be moved in the first direction and the second direction. By moving the camera in the two directions, the camera can be stored in a narrow space such as the inside of the body of the camera, so that the camera can be made compact without sacrificing handling.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a digital still camera according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a right end side of a slide member 215.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the configuration of FIG. 1 taken along line III-III and viewed in a direction of an arrow, and FIG.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state where 01 is at a shielding position. FIG. 3 (b)
3A is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3A showing a state in which the cover member 201 has moved slightly downward from the shielding position.
(C) is a diagram showing a state where the cover member 201 is at an open position.

FIG. 4 is a view of the configuration of FIG. 1 cut along a line IV-IV and viewed in a direction of an arrow.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system for controlling opening and closing of a cover member 201.

6 is a flowchart showing opening / closing control of a cover member 201 by the control system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 digital still camera 11 front case 12 rear case 13 photographing lens 14a light emitting port of distance measuring device 14b light receiving port of distance measuring device 15 light emitting unit of strobe device 16 finder optical system 201 cover member 210 drive unit 211 electric motor 212 gear Row 213 Screw shaft 214 Nut member 215 Slide member 216 Connection member 217 Guide shaft 220 Guide part 221 Cam member 221a, 221b Cam hole 201c, 201d Follower part 301 Control part 302 Opening / closing switch of cover member 303 Timer 304 Liquid crystal display device 305 Cover member Restart switch

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A cover driving device for a camera, comprising: a cover member movable between a shielding position for shielding a shielded portion and an open position for opening; a driving portion for moving the cover member; A guide portion for guiding the cover member between the shielding position and the open position, wherein the cover member is moved by the guide portion to a first position while moving from the shield position to the open position. The cover driving device is adapted to be guided in a second direction different from the first direction. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielded portion is at least one of a photographic lens of a camera, a finder optical system, a strobe light emitting portion, and a distance measurement signal port of a distance measuring device. Item 2. A cover driving device according to item 1. 3. The cover driving device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is housed in a body of the camera by moving to the open position. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a time required for the cover member to move from the shielding position to the open position is substantially equal to a time required for a camera to prepare for photographing.
A cover driving device according to any one of the above. 5. The cover driving device according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit has an electric motor, and the cover member is driven based on power from the electric motor. . 6. The cover driving device according to claim 5, wherein the power of the electric motor is used to drive a member different from the cover driving device. 7. The cover driving device according to claim 6, wherein the member different from the cover member is the photographing lens. 8. The cover driving device according to claim 6, wherein the member different from the cover member is a recording medium for recording an image. 9. The strobe device according to claim 6, wherein the member different from the cover member is a light emitting unit of the strobe device.
4. The cover driving device according to 1. 10. A detecting means for detecting that the cover member is forcibly stopped between the shielding position and the opening position, and the driving unit is configured to detect the force of the driving member in response to the detection of the detecting means. The cover driving device according to claim 1, wherein driving of the cover member is stopped. 11. The cover according to claim 10, wherein a restart switch is provided for restarting the drive of the cover member by operating the drive after the drive of the cover member is forcibly stopped. Drive. 12. The cover driving device according to claim 10, further comprising a warning unit that issues a warning in response to the detection by the detection unit. 13. The cover member is configured to shield at least one of a photographing lens and a strobe light emitting unit and the finder optical system in the shielding position, and moves from the open position to the shielding position. 13. The cover driving device according to claim 1, wherein the finder optical system is shielded earlier than the one of the ones. 14. The cover driving device, wherein the cover member shields at least one of the photometric sensor and the self-timer lamp at the shielding position. 15. A digital still camera comprising the cover driving device according to claim 1.