JP2001333814A - Water-proof case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water-proof case which does not need a lock mechanism and excels in air-tightness and water-tightness. SOLUTION: A water-proof case comprises a case body 11a and 11b, which forms an air-tight space to contain an instrument like a camera, and a one-way valve 16 attached to the case body, and as well as the one-way valve 16 is closed when the internal pressure of the case body is lower than the outside pressure, the internal air can be sucked outwards by an external force.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a still camera,
The present invention relates to a case for storing a digital camera, a video camera, a mobile phone device, a personal computer, a sound reproducer, and other devices, and particularly to a case for easily storing these various devices and protecting them from rainwater and dust.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various waterproof cases have been proposed in which imaging devices such as video cameras can be used underwater. Since this type of waterproof case is required to have high water pressure resistance and water tightness, the case body is made of a rigid synthetic resin shell, and a seal packing such as an O-ring provided at the joint is firmly attached. It is equipped with a metal fixing ring to be tightened.

[0003] However, the conventional waterproof case is a fixing ring (lock mechanism) for firmly tightening the seal packing.
Was needed, so the cost was high.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and does not require a lock mechanism.
An object is to provide a waterproof case excellent in airtightness and watertightness.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a case body forming an airtight space for accommodating a device, and a one-way valve provided in the case body. The one-way valve is closed when the internal pressure of the case main body is lower than the external pressure, and provides a waterproof case capable of sucking air inside the case main body to the outside when an external force is applied.

Further, there is provided a waterproof case further including a pump for sucking air inside the case body to the outside through the one-way valve.

In the waterproof case of the present invention, since the case main body forms an airtight space inside, when the equipment is housed in the space of the case main body and the air in the internal space is sucked out using a pump, the internal pressure is reduced. Becomes negative with respect to the external pressure,
Thus, the case is airtightly locked without providing a lock mechanism in the case body. If you release the one-way valve from this state,
Since air enters the case body, the internal pressure and the external pressure become equal, and the device can be taken out of the case.

[0008] The case of the present invention can be used for all kinds of equipment such as an imaging device such as a camera and a video camera, a portable telephone (including a simple portable telephone), a personal computer, a portable audio reproducing device and the like.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a waterproof case of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1 (A), and FIG. 2 (A) is a no-load state, FIG. 2 (B).
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state where a nozzle of the pump is mounted.

The waterproof case of the present invention is, for example, shown in FIG.
It can be used as the case for a still camera shown in (A), or as a case for a video camera, a case for a mobile phone, a case for a digital camera, a case for a personal computer, or a case for a portable audio reproducing device. Since the basic configuration of each waterproof case is the same, in the following embodiments, the present invention will be described using a still camera case as an example.

The case 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has case bodies 11a and 11b for accommodating a still camera (detailed illustration is omitted). In this example, the case 1 has an outer shape on the front side of the still camera. It is composed of two members, a case main body 11a having a corresponding shape and a case main body 11b having a shape corresponding to the outer surface shape on the back side. These two case bodies 11a and 11b are joined by a hinge 12, and the case body 1 is
When 1a and 11b are closed, a space for accommodating a still camera is formed therein. Note that the inner surface of this space may substantially correspond to the outer shape of the steel camera, or may be formed so that steel cameras of several shapes can be stored for general use.

The case bodies 11a and 11b can be formed by injection molding of synthetic resin such as polypropylene, for example, or by drawing a sheet, but the material is not particularly limited to the resin material. Further, in order to enhance the visibility of push buttons, display screens, and the like of the still camera, the camera can be made of a transparent or translucent material. Of course, coloring and patterning are also possible.

The thickness of the case body 11a is smaller than that of a general surface at positions corresponding to various button switches provided on the still camera, for example, shutter buttons. In FIG. 1, the thin portion 13 is shown. However, such a thin portion 13 can be easily formed by the shape of a molding die at the time of injection molding or drawing, and the steel camera is housed in the case 1 by the thin portion 13. , External button operation becomes possible. Further, glass or the like is provided in a lens portion, a finder, and a portion corresponding to a flash lamp of the camera.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a convex portion 14a and a concave portion 14b are formed on the entire circumference of each of the opening edges of the case bodies 11a and 11b. The convex part 14a and the concave part 14b are provided in the case body 11a,
Since the case 11b is made of a synthetic resin, the case bodies 11a and 11b can be integrally formed when the case bodies 11a and 11b are formed by injection molding or drawing. An O-ring 15 is attached to the concave portion 14b, and the convex portion 1 is inserted through the O-ring 15.
The case bodies 11a and 11b are air-tightly and water-tightly joined by fitting the recesses 4a and the recesses 14b with each other.

The specific shape of the fitting portion to be formed at the opening edge of each of the case bodies 11a and 11b is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, but can be changed as appropriate.

In particular, in the waterproof case 1 of the present embodiment, a one-way valve 16 is provided in one of the case main bodies 11a and 11b. The specific structure of the one-way valve 16 is shown in FIG.
It is shown in (B).

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a no-load state, and as shown in FIG.
The valve 162 is provided on the bottom surface of the concave portion 161 into which the is inserted so as to be vertically movable, and an elastic force is applied upward by a spring 163 in the figure. In the state shown in FIG. 8A, the valve 162 abuts on the annular valve seat 164 by the elastic force of the spring 163, thereby closing the through hole 165 formed inside the annular valve seat 164. The inside and outside of the case bodies 11a and 11b are isolated.

On the other hand, the nozzle 31 of the suction pump 3
Is inserted into the recess 161, and the head of the valve 162 is pressed by the tip of the nozzle 31, so that a gap is generated between the valve 162 and the valve seat 164. When the suction pump 3 is operated in this state, the air inside the case bodies 11a and 11b is discharged to the outside through the gap and the through hole 165.

The nozzle 31 can be fixed to the case body 11b by engaging the key 32 provided at the tip of the nozzle 31 with the recess 166 provided on the side wall of the recess 161. Is improved.

As described above, in the waterproof case 1 of the present embodiment, the two case bodies 11a and 11b
Are sealed by the concave and convex fittings 14a, 14b through
Since the internal air is discharged from the one-way valve 16 to the outside, the internal pressure becomes negative with respect to the outside.
Even if the case main bodies 11a and 11b are not provided with a lock mechanism, they are airtightly locked. In particular, in a waterproof case used underwater, the water pressure further acts in a direction to close the case body, so that the case becomes more airtight and watertight.

The embodiments described above are described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a waterproof case of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.
(A) is a sectional view showing a no-load state, and (B) is a state showing a state where a nozzle of a pump is mounted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Waterproof case 11a, 11b ... Case main body 111 ... Space 12 ... One-way valve 2 ... Pump 21 ... Nozzle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A one-way valve, comprising: a case main body forming an airtight space in which a device is accommodated; and a one-way valve provided in the case main body, wherein the one-way valve has an internal pressure of the case main body lower than an external pressure. A waterproof case that can be closed when the external force is applied and the air inside the case body can be sucked out. 2. The waterproof case according to claim 1, further comprising a pump for sucking air inside the case body to the outside through the one-way valve.