JP2001343682A - Apparatus provided with outer cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus provided with an outer cover capable of preventing the apparatus from getting larger nor the number of parts from being increased. SOLUTION: A main body 30 is provided with a rise part or a fall-in part 34 extended in the moving direction of the outer cover 50 at one part of its outer surface. The cover 50 is provided with a fitting part 54 fit in the rise part or the fall-in part 34 so as to freely move along the rise part or the fall-in part 34.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device having an outer cover, and more particularly to a technique applicable to a camera having a slide cover for covering a taking lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the size of lens shutter cameras has been reduced. Under such circumstances, in order to achieve the design of the camera and the ease of use during shooting, a configuration is provided in which a slide cover that can slide along the camera body to cover the front of the shooting lens when the camera is not in use is provided. Various proposals have been made.

In order to provide a slide cover, a guide for guiding the slide cover is required. Conventionally, as the guide portion, a method of attaching a separate member serving as a guide member to the inner surface of the slide portion and sliding the member and the surface of the camera body, or providing the slide member with respect to a slide rail provided on the camera body. (For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-29095).

[0004]

However, in each of these methods, a new separate member is required to slide the slide cover. As a result, the cost is increased due to an increase in the number of parts, and the size of the camera is increased. Will be invited.

Accordingly, a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a device provided with an outer cover which does not increase the size of the device and does not increase the number of parts.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Action / Effect The present invention, in order to solve the above technical problems, provides an apparatus provided with an outer cover having the following configuration.

[0007] The equipment provided with an outer cover is of a type having an outer cover that moves along the main body. The main body has, on a part of its outer surface, a raised portion or a depressed portion extending in the moving direction of the outer cover. The exterior cover has a fitting portion that is movably fitted along the raised portion or the depressed portion and that fits into the raised portion or the depressed portion.

In the above structure, the fitting portion of the outer cover moves along the raised or depressed portion of the main body, whereby the outer cover moves with respect to the main body, and at least a part of the outer periphery of the main body can be exposed. Cover.

According to the above configuration, the exterior cover can be guided without providing a separate member for guiding the exterior cover.

Therefore, the device can be provided with the outer cover without increasing the size and without increasing the number of parts.

Preferably, the device is a camera. The exterior cover has a flash light emitting unit.

That is, in a conventional camera having a built-in flash, the red-eye phenomenon becomes a more serious problem because the optical axis and the flash light-emitting portion approach each other as the camera is miniaturized. As a countermeasure, pre-emission for reducing red-eye is performed before main emission of a flash. However, there is a problem in that the person who becomes the subject becomes confused because the flash fires before the main light emission.

According to the above configuration, at the time of photographing, by moving the outer cover, the light emitting portion of the flash provided on the outer cover can be moved away from the photographing lens provided on the main body. Therefore, the red-eye effect can be reduced.

Preferably, the raised or depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are formed on two opposing surfaces of the device.

According to the above configuration, the exterior cover is stably guided on the two opposing surfaces.

As a specific embodiment, the device is a camera. The raised portion or the depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are configured on the front and back of the device in the front and rear directions in the optical axis direction.

In another aspect, the device is a camera. The raised portion or the depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are formed on upper and lower upper and lower surfaces in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the device.

Preferably, on at least one surface of the device, when viewed from a normal direction of the surface, the raised portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover fitted with the raised portion are respectively provided. Are formed in a pair of concave or convex shapes that mesh with each other.

That is, when at least one surface of the device is viewed from the normal direction, the main body and the outer cover are exposed in a pair of concave or convex shapes that fit each other. When the protruding portion of the main body is formed in a concave shape, the fitting portion of the exterior cover is formed in a convex shape having a protruding piece that enters the recess of the concave protruding portion of the main body. When the protruding portion of the main body is formed in a convex shape, the exterior cover is formed in a concave shape so as to have a recess surrounding the protrusion of the protruding protruding portion of the main body. The outer cover and the main body may be configured such that the surfaces of the concave and convex fitting portions are in sliding contact with each other, so that the outer cover is guided in the concave and convex meshing direction with respect to the main body. it can.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a camera according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a camera 10 according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 1A and 1B are front perspective views of the camera 10, that is, a perspective view from the subject side, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the camera, that is, a perspective view from the photographer side.

The camera 10 has a slide cover 50 having a substantially convex shape on the left side when viewed from the subject side.
Of the arrow 90 along the camera body 30.
It slides right and left as shown by. on the other hand,
The substantially concave portion 32 on the right side of the camera body 30 is always exposed to the outside.

More specifically, the slide cover 50 is a substantially cylindrical main body 5 that covers substantially half of the camera body 30.
2 and a pair of projecting pieces 54 and 55 projecting from the front and back of the main body 52 toward the exposed portion 32 of the camera body 30.
And Guide grooves 34 and 35 are formed in the camera body 30 so that the protrusions 54 and 55 of the slide cover fit therein. The opposing upper and lower surfaces of the guide grooves 34 and 35
The opposing upper and lower surfaces of the projecting pieces 54 and 55 of the slide cover 50 are sandwiched, and the projecting pieces 54 and 55 are slidably guided in the projecting direction.

Since the slide cover 50 is configured to be guided at the front and back faces of the camera body 30, the slide cover 50 can be guided only by the sliding contact surface between the camera body 30 and the slide cover 50. It is.

Incidentally, for example, as shown in the sectional view of FIG.
Projections 5 are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the projections 54 and 55 of the slide cover 50.
4s and 55s are formed, and the guide groove 3 of the camera body 30 is formed.
Guide grooves 34 s and 35 s are formed on the upper and lower surfaces opposed to each other, and the projection 5
The configuration may be such that the movement of the 4, 55 in the direction perpendicular to the plane is reliably prevented, so that the guideability is further improved. In addition,
In general, the camera body 30 and the slide cover 50 are preferably configured to be flush with each other. In this case, the left side in FIG. 4 is the outside of the camera, and the right side is the inside of the camera.

The slide cover 50 has a release button 12 on the upper surface of its main body 52,
Is located at the upper right of the front of the exposed portion 32.
1 and are always exposed.

The camera body 30 is exposed or hidden according to the opening and closing of the slide cover 50.
Viewfinder objective window 14, AF units 16, 17
And a liquid crystal display section 18 for appropriately displaying the number of shot frames, exposure conditions, mode settings, and the like, a finder eyepiece window 15, a self-timer button 22, and a flash mode selection button 24.

The protrusion 54 on the front side of the slide cover 50
When the slide cover 50 is at the closed position as shown in FIG. 1A, the front surface of the taking lens 20 arranged on the camera body 30 is covered. Projection piece 5 on the front side of slide cover 50
4 has a circular through-hole 54x formed at the end thereof, and when the slide cover 50 is in the open position as shown in FIG. 20 is exposed, and photographing is possible.

FIG. 2 shows a camera 10a according to the second embodiment. FIGS. 2A and 2B are front perspective views of the camera 10a, that is, a perspective view seen from the subject side, and FIG.
Is a perspective view seen from the back of the camera, that is, from the photographer side.

The camera 10a has a slide cover 50a disposed in the left and right directions opposite to that of the first embodiment, but is generally configured in the same manner as the first embodiment. Hereinafter, differences will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

That is, the camera 10a includes a slide cover 50a having a substantially convex shape on the right side as viewed from the subject side, and is fitted around substantially half of the camera body 30a.
It slides right and left as shown by an arrow 92 along a. On the other hand, the substantially concave portion 32a on the left side of the camera body 30a is always exposed to the outside.

More specifically, the slide cover 50a has a substantially cylindrical main body 52a that covers substantially half of the camera body 30a, and protrudes from the front and back of the main body 52a toward the exposed portion 32a of the camera body 30a. And a pair of projecting pieces 54a and 55a. The camera body 30a has guide grooves 34a and 35a into which the projecting pieces 54a and 55a of the slide cover 50a fit. First
Similarly to the embodiment, the opposing upper and lower surfaces of the guide grooves 34a, 35a are formed by the projecting pieces 54a, 55a of the slide cover 50a.
The upper and lower surfaces are sandwiched, and the projecting pieces 54a and 55a are slidably guided in the projecting direction.

The camera body 30a has a release button 12
, And the slide cover 50a is
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 2B, in the camera 10a, the flash emission unit 11 moves away from the photographing lens 20 with the movement of the slide cover 50a during photographing, so that the red-eye phenomenon can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows a camera 10b according to the third embodiment. FIGS. 3A and 3B are front perspective views of the camera 10b, that is, a perspective view seen from the subject side, and FIG.
Is a perspective view seen from the back of the camera, that is, from the photographer side.

Although the camera 10b is different from the first and second embodiments in that the slide cover 50b is guided on the upper and lower surfaces, the configuration is substantially the same as in the first and second embodiments. Hereinafter, differences will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

As in the second embodiment, the slide cover 50b is mounted on the camera body 30 from the right side when viewed from the subject side.
b. In addition, camera body 3
0a is provided with a release button 12 and a slide cover 50a.
a includes a flash light emitting unit 11.

On the upper and lower surfaces of the camera body 30b, raised portions 36, 3 extending toward the slide cover 50b are provided.
7 are formed. Correspondingly, guide grooves 56, 57 for holding the raised portions 36, 37 are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface of the slide cover 50b, whereby the slide cover 50b is moved along the camera body 30b by arrows 9
As shown by reference numeral 4, it is slidably guided left and right.

As described above, the camera of each of the above-described embodiments does not require a new member and increases the number of parts by engaging the slide cover and the camera body in an uneven shape. Instead, the slide cover slides with respect to the camera body. Therefore, the cameras of the above embodiments can be made smaller than conventional cameras.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be implemented in other various modes.

For example, the present invention can be applied to a silver halide camera and a digital camera. Further, similarly to the conventional camera, the main switch of the camera may be turned on / off in conjunction with opening and closing of the slide cover.

Instead of providing a pair of protrusions or a pair of guide grooves on the slide cover, it is also possible to provide only one protrusion or a guide groove. In that case, for the side of the slide cover that is not guided by the protrusion or the guide groove, a conventional guide method may be used,
Nevertheless, miniaturization can be achieved as compared with a conventional camera.

Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a camera having a slide cover but also to various devices. In particular, the present invention is suitable for a portable small device, for example, a portable TV or a car navigation system having a slide cover for covering a screen.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a guide portion according to a modified example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 10a, 10b Camera (equipment) 11 Flash emission unit 12 Release button 14 Finder objective window 15 Finder eyepiece window 16, 17 AF unit 18 Display unit 20 Shooting lens 22 Self-timer button 24 Flash mode selection button 30, 30a, 30b Camera Guide grooves (depressed portions) 36, 37 Raised portions 50, 50a, 50b Slide covers (exterior covers) 54, 55; 54a, 55a Protrusions (fitting portions) 56, 57 Guide groove (fitting part)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus provided with an exterior cover moving along a main body, wherein the main body has, on a part of an outer surface thereof, a raised portion or a depressed portion extending in a moving direction of the external cover, The device, wherein the exterior cover has a fitting portion that fits into the raised portion or the recessed portion so as to be movable along the raised portion or the recessed portion. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a camera, and the exterior cover has a flash light emitting unit. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion or the depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are formed on two opposing surfaces of the device.
The described equipment. 4. The device is a camera, wherein the raised portion or the depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are formed on the front and back of the device in the front and rear directions in the optical axis direction. The device according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The device is a camera, wherein the raised portion or the depressed portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover are formed on upper and lower surfaces in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the device. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein
Or the apparatus of 2. 6. In at least one surface of the device, when viewed from the normal direction of the surface, the raised portion of the main body and the fitting portion of the exterior cover fitted with the raised portion are respectively: The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device is formed into a pair of concave or convex shapes that mesh with each other.