JP2001142124A - Camera, lens barrel and camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an interchangeable lens type camera whose space efficiency is excellent without making bones about the existing shape. SOLUTION: This interchangeable lens system camera constituted so that a camera body 1 and a lens barrel 2 can be attached and detached is respectively independently provided with secondary batteries 154 and 254 at the camera body 1 side and the lens barrel 2 side. Besides, it is respectively provided with display means 181 and 281 displaying the charging state of the secondary batteries at the camera body 1 side and the lens barrel 2 side. At least one out of the display means 181 and 281 at the camera body 1 side and at the lens barrel 2 side is constituted so that both of the charging state of one battery and the charging state of the other battery can be displayed. Besides, both of them can be charged on a condition that the lens barrel 2 is attached to the camera body 1. Moreover, the lens barrel 2 is not attached to the camera body 1, one out of them can be charged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interchangeable lens type camera in which a lens barrel can be attached to and detached from a camera body, a lens, and a camera system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an interchangeable lens type camera,
The mount for connecting the camera body and the lens barrel is
A power supply means such as an electric contact for electric communication for communicating information between the camera body and the lens barrel and an electric contact for electric power supply for driving an actuator in the lens barrel are arranged. Power in the camera body was supplied to the lens barrel side.

[0003]

However, in the case of a camera that does not require a mechanical structure as in the prior art, for example, a digital camera or the like does not have a roll-shaped film, so that there is no need to mount a winding and rewinding mechanism. C
Since the image from the CD is directly monitored, it is not necessary to mount a mirror elevating mechanism as a finder mechanism, so that the electric power consumption on the camera side is greatly reduced.

As a result, it is inefficient to mount a power supply on the camera and supply the power to the lens barrel side with the power supply because of a large loss of electrical contacts and the like.

Further, if the power supply of the entire camera system is mounted only on the camera body side, the space efficiency is deteriorated due to restrictions on the arrangement and the like, and this is an obstacle to promoting the miniaturization of the camera body itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera, a lens and a camera system of an interchangeable lens type which is space-efficient and does not stick to an existing shape.

[0007]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interchangeable lens type camera system in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable. It is characterized by having an independent power supply battery.

[0008] A display means for displaying a battery state of the power supply battery is provided on each of the camera body side and the lens barrel side.

[0009] The display means on the camera body side or the lens barrel side can display a battery state on the camera body side and a battery state on the lens barrel side, respectively.

The power supply battery is a rechargeable secondary battery.

Each of the camera bodies can be charged while the lens barrel is mounted on the camera body.

[0012] It is characterized in that either one of the lenses can be charged while the lens barrel is not attached to the camera body.

An interchangeable lens barrel in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable has independent secondary batteries on the camera body side and the lens barrel side, respectively. A display means is provided on the lens barrel side for transmitting a signal to the lens barrel side to display a battery state.

Further, in an interchangeable lens type camera in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable, independent secondary batteries are provided on the camera body side and the lens barrel side, respectively.
A display means is provided on the camera body side to send the charging signal on the lens barrel side to the camera body side to display the battery status.

According to the above configuration, the camera body-side power supply and the lens barrel-side power supply are provided as independent power supply batteries, respectively, so that there is an effect of eliminating a loss at the time of power supply from the camera body side.

Further, the display means for displaying the battery status of the power supply battery is mounted on each of the camera body and the lens barrel, so that the battery status of either power supply battery can be immediately recognized and it is convenient.

Further, since the power supply battery is a rechargeable secondary battery, a compact camera body and a lens barrel with good space efficiency can be provided.

Further, display means for displaying the state of charge of the power supply battery is mounted on each of the camera body and the lens barrel, and one display means can display both one state of charge and the other state of charge. Therefore, if one gazes at one display means, it will not be overlooked.

Further, both the camera body and the lens barrel can be charged while the lens barrel is mounted on the camera body, or either the camera body or the lens barrel when the camera and the lens are not mounted. Since one can be charged, usability can be improved so that one charger can be used in various ways.

Further, the camera body side and the lens barrel side have independent secondary batteries, respectively, and a charge signal of the camera body side is sent to the lens barrel side to display a battery state. Either the display unit is provided, or the display unit is provided on the camera body side to send the charge signal on the lens barrel side to the camera body and display the battery state, so which of the secondary batteries is consumed It is easy to find out how easy it is.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. (First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 10 are views showing features of a mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Is a perspective view showing the appearance of the camera body and the interchangeable lens barrel,
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the camera-side mount and the lens-side mount.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a camera body having a rectangular camera mount 101 on the front surface, and a rectangular lens mount 201 of the interchangeable lens barrel 2 can be mounted on the camera mount 101. .

A detachment switch 10 for detaching the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is provided on the front surface of the camera body 1.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the camera-side mount.

The camera mount 101 has a pair of lens locking claws 102 and 103.

One of the locking claws 102 has an elongated hole 102a.
The other locking claw 103 has a pair of long holes 103a,
103b.

A pair of guide pins 104 and 105 implanted in the fixed portion of the camera body 1 engage with the long hole 102a, a guide pin 106 engages with the long hole 103a, and a long hole 103b. The guide pin 107 is engaged, and the locking claw 102
And the locking claw 103 are held so as to be slidable on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

The locking claw 102 and the locking claw 103 have other elongated holes 102b and 103c, respectively.

Guide pins 114 and 115 implanted in the rack 108 engage with one of the long holes 102b,
08 is slidably supported by the locking claw 102, and a pin 120 and a guide pin 115 implanted in the locking claw 102 are provided.
A tension coil spring 118 is hung between them and is biased by the spring.

A pair of guide pins 116 and 117 implanted in the rack 109 are engaged with the other elongated hole 103c, and the rack 109 is slidably supported by the locking claw 103. A tension coil spring 119 is hung between the provided pin 121 and the guide pin 116 to be biased.

The racks 108 and 109 are engaged with a gear 110, respectively. The gear 110 is connected to a motor 111 by a reduction gear 112 and a reduction gear 113.

The gear 110 is rotated by the rotation of the motor 111, and the locking claw 10 is
2. Each of the locking claws 103 slides in opposite directions.

Even when the motor 111 is stopped, if an external force greater than the urging force of the tension coil springs 118, 119 is applied to the locking claws 102, 103, the locking claws 102, 103 are opposed to each other. The pawls 102 and 103 slide in the left and right directions, respectively.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of main parts of the camera-side mount and the lens-side mount of FIG.

In FIG. 1, a camera-side mount 101 has engaging portions 101a and 101b, and a lens-side mount 2 is provided.
Positioning is performed when 01 is mounted.

Further, the above-mentioned one locking claw 102 has a chamfered portion 102a for facilitating mounting of the lens and a chamfered portion 102b for preventing backlash after mounting.

The lens-side mount 201 is
c and 201d, and is used for positioning when mounted on the camera-side mount 101.

The lens-side mount 201 has a chamfered portion 201a for facilitating mounting on the camera body 1, and an inclined portion 201b for preventing backlash after mounting.

The other locking claw 103 is the same as the locking claw 102, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the appearance of the camera viewed from the front.

The release switch 10 has a lock release button 11 so as not to be operated carelessly.

When the lock is released by pressing the button 11, the switch 10 can slide downward along the guide groove 1a of the camera body 1.

FIGS. 6 to 9 are cross-sectional views of main parts showing the configuration of the release switch.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the locked state of the release switch. In this figure, the release switch 10 has a hole 10a, the lock release button 11 is fitted and supported, and is fixed to the protrusion 10b. The lock release button 11 is biased and held at the projecting position by the leaf spring 12.

The release switch 10 is urged to the locked position by a compression coil spring 13 disposed between the protrusion 10b and the protrusion 1d of the camera body.

Since the flange 11a of the button 11 is engaged with the hole 1b of the camera body 1, the release switch 10
Is locked.

The camera body 1 has a release switch 10
Switch 14 using a pair of contact spring structures for position detection
Are fixed, and are in the OFF state when the release switch 10 is locked.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the unlocked state of the release switch. In FIG. 8, the position detection switch 14 of the release switch 10 is pressed by the button 11 and turned on.
It is in a state of having been done.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a camera and a lens.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the case where the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is mounted on the camera body 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the camera-side mount 101
Position of the lens-side mount 201 and the camera-side mount 101a.
Insert a.

Then, the locking claw 1 of the camera-side mount 101
The chamfered portion 102a of the tip of the lens 02 (the same applies to 103) and the chamfered portion 201a of the lens-side mount 201 abut.

When further pressed, the locking claws 102 (103) are opposed to the tension coil springs 118 (119) shown in FIG.
Slides, and the chamfered portion 201a climbs over the chamfered portion 102a.

Then, the positioning part 101b of the camera-side mount 101 and the positioning part 2 of the lens-side mount 201
01d abuts and engages, the locking claw 102 (103) of the camera-side mount 101 is pulled by the tension coil spring 118 (11).
The chamfered portion 102b of the locking claw 102 (103) and the chamfered portion 201b of the lens-side mount are brought into contact by the biasing force of 9), and the mount is locked without play and the mounting of the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is completed.

Next, the case where the interchangeable lens barrel 2 mounted on the camera body 1 is removed will be described.

The release button 10 of the release switch 10 shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 is pressed against the leaf spring 12 so as to escape from the flange portion 11a and the engagement hole 1b, and the release switch 10 is pressed against the compression coil spring 13. And slide.

Then, the position detecting switch 14 is pressed to switch from OFF to ON. When the ON state is maintained, the camera microcomputer 172 operates the motor drive circuit 16.

At this time, the motor 111 shown in FIG.
The gear 110 is rotated via the
9 slides in opposite directions, so that both locking claws 102,
103 slides in opposite directions to the left and right integrally with the racks 108 and 109 and stops at the retracted position.

Accordingly, the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is connected to the camera body 1
It can be easily removed from.

When the hand is released from the release switch 10 shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the release switch 10 slides due to the urging force of the compression coil spring 13, and the position detection switch 14 is released from being pressed to switch from ON to OFF.

Then, the flange portion 11a of the lock release button 11 is engaged with the engagement hole 1b by the leaf spring 12, and the release switch 10 is locked.

The position detection switch 14 is turned on.
When the motor 111 is switched to OFF, the motor 111 shown in FIG.
Rotates by a predetermined amount in the direction opposite to the direction of dismounting, rotates the gear 110 via both reduction gears 112 and 113, and slides both racks 108 and 109 left and right. , 109 and return to the mount lock position by sliding in opposite directions.

Next, the power supply and information communication of the camera body and the interchangeable lens barrel will be described.

11 to 14, FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing a state in which the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is mounted on the camera body 1 and connected to the charger 3 in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the camera of FIG. 11 as viewed from the rear.

In both figures, power storage cores 151 and 2 are provided below the camera body 1 and the interchangeable lens barrel 2, respectively.
51, coils 152 and 252, a power storage circuit 153,
253 and secondary batteries 154 and 254, respectively, and the charger 3 has the respective cores 151, 2 and
51, coils 352 and 362 having cores 351 and 361 forming closed magnetic circuits, and a power supply circuit 353, respectively.

FIG. 13 shows an interchangeable lens barrel 2 attached to the camera body 1.
FIG. 3 is an external view as viewed from above with the device mounted.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part of a monitor of a camera.

In both figures, on the upper surface of the camera body 1 and the interchangeable lens barrel 2, an indicator 1 showing the state of the camera and the lens is shown.
81 and 281 are arranged.

The camera body 1 and the interchangeable lens barrel 2 communicate various data such as the current state and the like of the camera and lens, and the state of charge of the secondary battery, etc. Can be displayed mutually.

Further, even when looking through the viewfinder of the camera body 1, the monitor 191 displays either the camera body 1 side or the interchangeable lens barrel 2 side, whichever has a poor charge state.

A warning is displayed when the state of charge falls below a predetermined level.

Below the camera body 1, there is a light emitting / receiving unit 171 for optical communication between the camera body 1 and the interchangeable lens barrel 2 connected to the camera microcomputer 172, and the lens microcomputer 272 of the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is provided. The light emitting / receiving unit 271 for optical communication connected to the camera is disposed so as to face the photographing optical path.

As described above, even with a rectangular mount adapted to the imaging screen, the smallest mount is possible by crossing the photographing optical path.

When the release button 5 of the camera body 1 shown in FIG.
1 performs optical communication.

At this time, when the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is mounted on the camera mount, normal operation is performed by the light emitting / receiving unit 271 of the lens for optical communication connected to the lens microcomputer 272, and AE (automatic exposure control) , AF (automatic focus adjustment), IS (camera shake correction), etc., can be exchanged at high speed.

If the interchangeable lens barrel 2 is not mounted, proper communication cannot be performed, and it is assumed that no lens is mounted on the camera mount or a special lens that cannot perform communication is mounted. Various functions such as AF and IS are set to a predetermined manual mode.

[0079]

As described above, according to the present invention, the power loss at the time of power supply from the camera body side can be achieved by mounting the camera body side power supply and the lens barrel side power supply as independent power supply batteries respectively. Has the effect of eliminating

Further, since the display means for displaying the battery status of the power supply battery is mounted on each of the camera body and the lens barrel, the battery status of either power supply battery can be immediately recognized and it is convenient.

Since the power supply battery is a rechargeable secondary battery, it is possible to provide a compact camera body and a lens barrel with a good space efficiency.

Further, display means for displaying the state of charge of the power supply battery is mounted on each of the camera body and the lens barrel, and one display means can display both one state of charge and the other state of charge. Therefore, if one gazes at one display means, it will not be overlooked.

Further, both the camera body and the lens barrel can be charged while the lens barrel is mounted on the camera body, or either the camera body or the lens barrel when the camera and the lens are not mounted. Since one can be charged, usability can be improved so that one charger can be used in various ways.

Further, the camera body side and the lens barrel side have independent secondary batteries, respectively, and the charge signal of the camera body side is sent to the lens barrel side to display the state of the battery. Either the display unit is provided, or the display unit is provided on the camera body side to send the charge signal on the lens barrel side to the camera body and display the battery state, so which of the secondary batteries is consumed It is easy to find out how easy it is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a camera body and an interchangeable lens barrel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a camera-side mount and a lens-side mount according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a camera-side mount according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a camera-side mount and a lens-side mount in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the appearance of the camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a main part showing a locked state of a release switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the locked state of the release switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an essential part cross-sectional view showing the unlocked state of the release switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing an unlocked state of the release switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a camera and a lens according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a camera, a lens, and a charger according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a top view showing an appearance in which an interchangeable lens barrel is mounted on the camera body in the first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part of a camera monitor according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera main body 2 ... Interchangeable lens barrel 10 ... Release switch 14 ... Switch 101 ... Camera side mount 111 ... Motor 152 ... Coil 153 ... Power storage circuit 154 ... Secondary battery 171 ... Projection / light receiving unit 172 ... Camera microcomputer 181 ... Display 191, monitor 201, lens side mount 252, coil 253, power storage circuit 254, secondary battery 271, light emitting and receiving unit 272, lens microcomputer 281, display

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/225 H04N 5/225 A 5C022 DF F term (Reference) 2H002 BC03 BC06 FB36 GA74 2H044 AF01 DE08 2H100 DD13 2H101 EE08 EE21 2H102 AB01 5C022 AA13 AB40 AC01 AC16 AC32 AC42 AC73

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An interchangeable lens type camera system in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable, wherein an independent power supply battery is provided on each of the camera body side and the lens barrel side. 2. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein display means for displaying a battery state of the power supply battery is provided on each of the camera body side and the lens barrel side. 3. The camera according to claim 2, wherein the display means on the camera body side or the lens barrel side can display a battery state on the camera body side and a battery state on the lens barrel side, respectively. Camera system. 4. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply battery is a rechargeable secondary battery. 5. The camera system according to claim 4, wherein each of said camera bodies can be charged while a lens barrel is mounted on said camera body. 6. The camera system according to claim 4, wherein either one of the camera body and the lens barrel can be charged without being attached to the camera body. 7. An interchangeable lens-type lens barrel in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable, wherein independent secondary batteries are provided on each of the camera body side and the lens barrel side, and the camera body side is charged. A lens barrel having a display means on the lens barrel side for transmitting a signal to the lens barrel side to display a battery state. 8. An interchangeable lens-type camera in which a camera body and a lens barrel are detachable, wherein each of the camera body side and the lens barrel side has an independent secondary battery, and the charging signal on the lens barrel side is provided. And a display means on the camera body side for sending the battery status to the camera body side and displaying the battery status.