JP2001033857A - Flash light emitting device and camera provided therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flash light emitting device driven to a light emitting position and a light non-emitting position without being largely influenced by the characteristic of a spring for driving and surely held at respective positions. SOLUTION: This flash light emitting device is provided with a strobe light emitting part 4 incorporated in a stroboscope main body 4a, and the main body 4a is driven by the cam part 12e of a cam ring 12b and a toggle spring 23 turning and energizing the main body 4a to a pop-up position (light emitting position) and a housing position (light non-emitting position) is attached to the main body 4a. The main body 4a is turned and driven by the cam part 12e at least to a position exceeding a toggle spring neutral position. Therefore, even when external force toward the housing position acts when the main body 4a is at the pop-up position, the main body 4a does not exceed the toggle spring neutral position and is prevented from being moved to the housing position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flash light emitting device having a drive mechanism for driving a flash light emitting portion between a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, and a camera with the flash light emitting device incorporating the flash light emitting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional camera in which a strobe device (flash light emitting device) for irradiating an auxiliary light when photographing is built in a camera body, an opening / closing operation of a lens protection lens barrier, an on / off operation of a power switch, or There has been proposed an apparatus in which a light-emitting portion of a flash device is moved from a storage position (non-light-emitting position) to a pop-up position (light-emitting position) where light can be emitted in conjunction with a shooting start operation or the like such as driving of a lens frame.

For example, a pop-up strobe device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-242497 mainly includes a strobe light-emitting portion (flash light-emitting portion), and the light-emitting portion is projected from a camera body (light-emitting position) and stored. A pop-up mechanism that can be moved to the right side, an up spring that urges in the protruding direction, and a down spring that urges in the storage direction against the spring force. It is driven in conjunction with the turning operation of. The down spring is set to have a larger urging force than the up spring.

Further, the strobe device of the camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-54359 incorporates a toggle mechanism, and extends beyond a dead point between a projecting position (light emitting position) where the strobe light emitting unit moves and a storage position. At the time, the urging force in the moving direction is applied to the strobe light emitting portion to project the projecting position, or
It is designed to be moved to the storage position.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-24 / 1994
In the case of the pop-up strobe device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2497, it is necessary to maintain a balance between the biasing force of the down spring and the biasing force of the up spring. A state occurs in which the position cannot be completely lifted. In addition, if the up spring is strengthened, the down spring must be further strengthened, and when returning to the storage position, a very large driving force is required. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly manage parts in consideration of the variation in the biasing force between the down spring and the up spring.

In the strobe device of a camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-54359, when the strobe light emitting portion is in a protruding position or a stowed position, an external force is applied to toggle the position of the strobe light emitting portion. If the dead center of the mechanism is exceeded, it may return to the storage position in the opposite direction or the protruding position, which is not convenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and can drive a flash light emitting device to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position without being significantly affected by characteristics of a driving spring. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flash light emitting device that is securely held at each of the above positions and has a simple configuration, or a camera with a flash light emitting device incorporating the flash light emitting device.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flash light emitting device which moves to a light emitting position at which flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash light is emitted toward the subject. In the flash light emitting device, a flash light emitting unit, a driving unit that drives the flash light emitting unit to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position, and holds the flash light emitting unit in the respective positions, and drives the flash light emitting unit to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position. There is provided an urging means capable of applying an urging force in the two directions described above, and the driving means drives the flash light emitting unit to a non-light emitting position and a light emitting position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flash light emitting device which moves between a light emitting position at which a flash can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash is emitted toward the subject. Unit, a driving unit for driving the flash light emitting unit to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, a holding unit for holding the flash light emitting unit at the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position, and the flash light emitting unit to the light emitting position. And a biasing unit that can apply a biasing force in two directions of the non-light emitting position and the non-light emitting position. The flash unit is driven to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position by the driving unit, The light is held at the light emitting position or the non-light emitting position by the holding means.

The flash light emitting device according to the third aspect of the present invention has a built-in flash light emitting device which moves to a light emitting position where flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a light emitting position where no flash light is emitted toward the subject. In a camera with a flash light emitting device, a flash light emitting section, driving means for driving the flash light emitting section to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, and holding means for holding the flash light emitting section at a light emitting position or a non-light emitting position. Urging means for applying an urging force capable of applying the urging force to the flash light emitting unit in two directions of a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, and the driving means causes the flash light emitting unit to It is driven to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, and is held at the light emitting position or the non-light emitting position by the holding means.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are front views showing the appearance of a camera with a flash light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the strobe light emitting portion of FIG.
(B) shows a photographable state, in which the strobe light emitting unit pops up. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the periphery of a lens barrel and a strobe light emitting unit of the camera. FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are front views showing the rotational positional relationship of the strobe light emitting unit with respect to the lens barrel of the camera. FIG. 3 shows the stowed light emitting unit in a retracted state when the lens barrel is collapsed. FIG. 5 shows a pop-up state of the strobe light-emitting unit when the lens barrel is retracted, and FIG. 5 shows a pop-up state of the strobe light-emitting unit when the lens barrel is extended or retracted.

In the following description, the directions of rotation and rotation are indicated by the directions of rotation of the lens barrel as viewed from the subject side, with clockwise being the CW direction and counterclockwise being the CCW direction.

In the camera of the present embodiment, FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a camera body 1 has a lens barrel 2 for holding a photographing lens 3 so as to be able to move forward and backward, and a rotatable flash disposed at an upper right portion of the lens barrel 2. A strobe light emitting unit 4 of the light emitting device, a release switch operation button 5 provided on the upper surface, and the like are provided.

The lens barrel 2 has an optical axis O as shown in FIG. 2, and has a fixed frame 11 supported by the camera body 1;
A cam ring 12 of lens driving means rotatably supported from a non-shooting rotation position (collapsed rotation position) to a shooting enabled rotation position with respect to the fixed frame 11, and held on an inner periphery of the cam ring 12;
A moving frame 13 for holding the taking lens 3.

The cam ring 12 has a driving gear 12a on its outer periphery and a cam groove 12b for driving the moving frame 13 to move forward and backward.
And a cam unit 12 that is a driving unit that rotationally drives the strobe light emitting unit 4 and holds it at the rotational position, and is a holding unit.
e is provided.

The driving gear 12a meshes with an intermediate gear 10 via a pinion 8 and a two-stage gear 9, and is driven to rotate by a motor 7 as a driving source.

The cam groove 12b is formed in a convex shape along the outer circumference of the cam ring 12, and the driven pin 1
3b is slidably fitted and includes a cam groove 12c along the circumferential direction of the optical axis and a cam groove 12d inclined with respect to the optical axis. The cam portion 12e has a cam outer peripheral surface 12f having a larger diameter, a cam surface 12i which is a closing position holding means and extends substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis center, and a cam recess 12g.
And a cam outer peripheral surface 12h having a smaller diameter serving as an opening position holding means.

The moving frame 13 holds the photographing lens 3 and has a key groove 13a which is slidably fitted into the linear guide key 11a of the fixed frame 11, and a driven pin 13b. When the driven pin 13b slides in the range of the cam groove 12c of the cam ring 12, the moving frame 13 is not driven to move forward and backward. When the driven pin 13b slides in the range of the cam groove 12d, the moving frame 13 is driven in the optical axis direction along the straight guide key 11a between the collapsed position P13A and the photographable position P13B.

The strobe light emitting section 4 includes a strobe body 4a supported by a support shaft 1a of the camera body, and a light emitting window section 2.
2, a strobe light emitting tube 21 incorporated in the strobe main body 4a, and a strobe umbrella (not shown), and are rotatable between a storage position P4A which is a non-light emitting position and a pop-up position P4B which is a light emitting position.

The flash main body 4a is supported by a support shaft 1a of the camera main body.
A driven protrusion 4b that can contact and slide with 2e and a recess 4c that is a space in which a toggle spring 23 described later is arranged are provided.

The strobe main body 4a is provided with a toggle mechanism to which a toggle spring 23, which is an urging means formed by a torsion spring, is charged and mounted. The toggle spring 23 has one hook end suspended from the support hole 1d on the camera body side and the other hook end suspended from the support hole 4d of the strobe body.

The cam portion 12e of the cam ring 12 pushes the driven protrusion 4b in the CW direction or the CCW direction, so that the strobe body 4a at least reaches a position beyond the neutral position for urging the rotation of the toggle spring 23. Is rotated in the CW or CCW direction. After that, the strobe main body 4a rotates in the CW or CCW direction, and the strobe light emitting unit 4 can be rotated to the storage position P4A or the pop-up position P4B. Note that when the flash body is rotated to the pop-up position P4B, the flash body 4a
It is in contact with the stopper 1c of the camera body, and the storage position P
When it is at 4A, it can be abutted against the stopper 1b of the camera body.

Next, a description will be given of the drive of the lens barrel 2 of the camera constructed as described above according to the present embodiment, and the pop-up and storage operations of the strobe light emitting section 4 with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

Non-shooting state when power is off (reset state)
Then, the driven pin 13b of the moving frame 12 is
The movable frame 13 of the lens barrel 2 is at the retracted position P13A (non-photographing position). In the rotation phase of the cam ring at that time, the driven protrusion 4b of the flash body 4a is
Located within.

In the above state, the driven projection 4b is suspended in the support holes 1d, 4d because the strobe body 4a is rotated in the CW direction beyond the neutral position of the toggle spring 23 by the cam recess 12g. Toggle spring 23
The biasing force F0 in the direction connecting the two hook ends acts on the center of the support shaft 1a of the flash body 4a in the CW rotation direction. Therefore, the strobe light emitting unit 4 is rotated to the storage position P4A (see FIG. 3).

In the above state, even if an external force in the pop-up direction (CCW direction) acts on the flash body 4a, the position of the driven projection 4b is regulated by the cam surface 12i on the side of the cam recess 12g, and the biasing direction of the toggle spring 23 is cut off. The strobe light emitting section 4 is reliably held at the storage position P4A because the position does not exceed the toggle spring neutral position.

When the power switch (not shown) is operated to turn on the power to set the camera in a state where photographing is possible, the motor 7 rotates in the CCW direction. The cam ring 12 is rotationally driven in the CW direction, and the driven pin 13b of the moving frame 13 relatively moves in the first cam groove 12c. In this case, the moving frame 13 does not move forward or backward.

When the cam ring 12 is driven to rotate in the CW direction, the strobe main body 4a has its driven protrusion 4b
The second cam recess 12g is rotated in the CCW direction because it abuts on the left end. The main body 4 is driven by the rotation drive.
a passes through the toggle spring neutral position shown in FIG.

When the flash body 4a is in the neutral position of the toggle spring, the line of action of the urging force F1 in the direction connecting the two hook ends of the toggle spring 23 passes on the support shaft 1a. Therefore, the direction of the moment for rotating the strobe main body 4a is switched at this position.

Further, when the cam ring 12 is rotated in the CW direction after passing the neutral position of the toggle spring, the strobe main body 4a causes the driven projection 4b to ride on the cam outer peripheral surface portion 12h of the cam ring 12 and further to move the CCW. It is driven to rotate in the direction. In this state, as shown in FIG.
The biasing force F2 in the direction connecting both hook ends of the support shaft 3 is the support shaft 1a.
, A moment in the CCW direction acts on the strobe main body 4a. Therefore, the strobe light emitting unit 4 pivots to the pop-up position P4B where light can be emitted.

Subsequently, when the cam ring 12 is rotationally driven in the CW direction, the driven pin 13b of the moving frame 13 is
Move d relatively. At this time, the moving frame 13 is extended from the retracted position P13A to the photographable position P13B. On the other hand, the driven protrusion 4b of the strobe main body 4a only slides on the cam outer peripheral surface portion 12h of the cam ring 12, and the strobe light emitting portion 4 is held at the pop-up position P4A. Is done.

In this state, even when an external force in the CW direction (storage direction) acts on the strobe 4a, the driven projection 4b is prevented from rotating in the CW direction by the cam outer peripheral surface 12h within a range not exceeding the neutral position of the toggle spring. Therefore, it is not returned to the storage position P13A.

When the power switch is turned off to bring the camera into a non-shooting state (collapsed state), the motor 7 is driven in the CW direction and the cam ring 12 is driven in the CCW direction before the power is turned off. An operation reverse to the series of operations is performed. That is, the moving frame 13 of the photographing lens barrel 2 is moved to the retracted position P13A by the above rotation. In addition, the strobe main body 4a has its driven protrusion 4b
After reaching the cam recess 12g through the cam outer peripheral surface 12h of 2e and passing through the toggle spring neutral position, the strobe light emitting unit 4 moves down from the pop-up position P4A to the storage position P4B.

In the camera according to the present embodiment described above, the strobe light emitting portion 4 is driven by the cam portion 12e of the cam ring 12 mainly to the storage position, which is the non-light emitting position, and the pop-up position, which is the light emitting position. Since the driven projection 4b of the main body 4a is driven, the characteristics are not greatly affected by the characteristics of the urging means such as a spring. Therefore, parts such as springs can be easily managed. Further, when the strobe light emitting unit 4 is in the pop-up position or the stowed position, even if an external force is applied to the strobe main body 4a, the cam outer peripheral surface 12h of the cam ring 12 or the cam recess 12g does not exceed the toggle spring neutral position. Since the rotation is prevented within the range, there is no possibility that the above-mentioned positions change, and the usability is good.

In the camera of the above-described embodiment, the cam groove 12b of the cam groove 12b of the cam ring 12 is used.
Is a cam groove for extending the movable frame 13 from the retracted position to the photographable position. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the advance / retreat position of the movable frame 13 by the cam groove 12d is different from the focusing area or the zooming area. May be included.

The cam groove 12b is provided with a cam groove 12c extending in the circumferential direction as an area for driving only the strobe light emitting section 4. The load applied to the motor 7 is averaged. The area of the cam groove 12c is not required, and the strobe light emitting section 4 may be moved to the pop-up position or the storage position at the same time as the moving frame 13 advances and retreats.

In the case of the camera of the present embodiment, the cam outer peripheral surface and the cam concave portion of the cam portion 12e of the cam ring 12 are provided on the convex portion on the outer periphery of the cam ring. And a structure in which the outer peripheral surface of the cam ring 12 is directly used in the outer peripheral portion of the cam.

In the case of the camera of this embodiment, the cam ring 12 is driven by the motor 7, but the cam ring 12 or a separately rotatable cam portion is manually rotated. However, it is also possible to adopt a method of switching and moving the strobe light emitting unit 4 to the storage position or the pop-up position.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, (1) a flash light emitting device which can move to a light emitting position at which flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash light is emitted toward the subject. A flash light emitting section, driving means for driving the flash light emitting section to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position, and holding the flash light emitting section at each position, and driving the flash light emitting section in two directions of the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position. Urging means for applying an urging force; and holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position, wherein the holding means sets the flash light emitting portion at the light emitting position. And a closed position holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at the non-light emitting position.

(2) The flash light emitting device according to the above (1), wherein the holding means is a lens driving means for driving a lens barrel.

(3) In a flash light emitting device of a camera which can be moved to a light emitting position at which flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash light is emitted toward the subject, a flash light emitting section and the flash light emitting device A driving unit that drives the unit to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position and holds the flash light emitting unit in each position; Biasing means, holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position, the holding means, open position holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at the light emitting position,
A flash light emitting device for a camera, comprising: a closed position holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at a non-light emitting position.

(4) The flash light emitting device for a camera according to the above (3), wherein the holding means is a lens driving means for driving a lens barrel.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, the driving to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position can be performed without being significantly affected by the characteristics of the driving spring. A flash light emitting device to be held or a camera with a flash light emitting device incorporating the flash light emitting device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a camera with a flash light emitting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. FIG. 1B shows a stored state, and FIG. 1B shows a photographable state, in which the strobe light emitting unit pops up.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view around a lens barrel and a drive mechanism of a strobe light emitting unit of the camera with a flash light emitting device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a rotational positional relationship between a lens barrel and a strobe light emitting unit of the camera according to the first embodiment, and shows a strobe light emitting unit when the lens barrel (moving frame) is collapsed in a non-photographing state of the camera. The storage state is shown.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a rotational positional relationship between a lens barrel and a strobe light emitting unit of the camera according to the first embodiment, and shows a neutral position of a strobe main body of the strobe light emitting unit when the lens barrel (moving frame) is collapsed; FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a rotational positional relationship between the lens barrel and the strobe light emitting unit of the camera according to the first embodiment, wherein the strobe light emitting unit is extended when the lens barrel (moving frame) is extended or retracted. Indicates a pop-up state.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 4: Strobe light emitting portion (flash light emitting device) 12e: Cam portion of cam ring (driving means, holding means) 23: toggle spring (biasing means) P4A: Stow light emitting portion storage position (non-flash light emitting device) (Emitting position) P4B: Pop-up position of flash unit (Emitting position of flash light emitting device)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A flash light emitting device which moves to a light emitting position at which flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash light is emitted toward the subject, comprising: a flash light emitting unit; Driving means for driving to the position and the non-light emitting position and holding the respective positions; and urging means for applying the urging force to the flash light emitting unit in two directions of the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position. A flash light-emitting device comprising: 2. A flash light emitting device which moves between a light emitting position at which flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position at which no flash light is emitted toward the subject, comprising: a flash light emitting unit; Drive means for driving the flash light emitting portion to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position; and driving means for driving the flash light emitting portion to the light emitting position and the non-light emitting position.
And a biasing means capable of providing a biasing force in a direction. 3. A camera with a built-in flash light emitting device that moves to a light emitting position where flash light can be emitted toward a subject and a non-light emitting position where no flash light is emitted toward the subject. Driving means for driving the flash light emitting portion to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position; holding means for holding the flash light emitting portion at a light emitting position or a non-light emitting position; and driving the flash light emitting portion to a light emitting position and a non-light emitting position. A biasing means for providing a biasing force capable of providing a biasing force in two directions with respect to a position; and a camera with a flash light emitting device.