JP2002131812A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera with good properties in manipulation capable of carrying out a suitable automatic operable control in the case that no operation succeeds for a determined period, protecting a lens mirror tube and saving the consumption power. SOLUTION: The lens mirror tube in the camera is driven and moved by a set up motor 14 between a collapsed position to be in a containing condition and a photographing position where photographing can be carried out. In the case that the non-operation succession time of an operation button for a release switch 18, a zoom operation switch 19 and the like exceeds a determined reference time, the lens mirror tube that is moved out is automatically operated so as to be moved into the collapsed position, while the automatic operation is inhibited regardless of the succession of the non-operation succession time by switching an inhibition switch 21 for the operation into the turned on state in accordance with photographing conditions, thereby the manipulation properties are improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to control of a retraction operation in a camera having a photographing lens barrel that can be driven forward and backward.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, regarding a camera having a photographing lens barrel that can be driven forward and backward to a photographing position or a storage position,
The collapsible camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-24118 controls the lens barrel to be automatically retracted to the collapsed position in order to protect the lens barrel when the photographing operation of the camera is not performed for a predetermined time. Is what is done.

[0003]

However, the collapsible camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-24118 discloses a lens retractable lens after a predetermined period of time. Not suitable for shooting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has been made so that the automatic retraction control of the lens barrel when no operation is continued for a predetermined time can be performed as required. To provide a good camera.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera in which a photographic lens barrel is retracted when a non-operation state continues, and a switch for arbitrarily setting the inhibition of the retracting operation. Setting means having means, and control means for inhibiting the retraction operation by an output of the setting means, and the retraction operation is permitted by the control means based on an output of a switch means of the setting means, or ,It is forbidden.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the camera according to the first aspect, the setting means is a button operation switch, and the control means detects an electrical ON of an electric circuit by the switch.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the camera according to the first aspect, the setting means is a state detection switch for mechanically holding the output information.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a retracted / extended state of a taking lens barrel (hereinafter, referred to as a lens barrel), and FIG. 1B shows a zoom wide state, FIG. 1C shows a zoom standard state, and FIG. 1D shows a zoom telephoto state. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of an electric control circuit unit in the camera.

The camera according to the present embodiment has a zoom-type lens barrel 2 that can be retracted.
A lens frame member mainly including a plurality of relatively moving lens groups, and includes a first frame 3, a second frame 4, and a third frame 5. However, depending on the configuration of the zoom lens, the plurality of lens frame members include a frame that does not hold a lens in addition to a lens frame that holds a lens.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lens barrel 2 is located at the shortest focal length position from the retracted (housing) state, which is a non-shooting state housed in the camera body 1, to a shooting ready state set up. It is possible to move back and forth to the zoom wide end, the zoom standard position in the shooting state, and the zoom tele end which is the longest focal length position in the shooting state.

That is, in the retracted state of the lens barrel 2, all the frames 3, 4, and 5 are all retracted to the retracted position P2A, which is the storage position in the camera body 1, as shown in FIG.

In the zoom wide end state, FIG.
A wide end position P2B where the front portion of the third frame 5 slightly exposes from the camera body 1 with the third frame 5 holding the first frame 3 and the second frame 4 inside as shown in FIG. It is paid out.

In the above-mentioned zoom standard state, FIG.
As shown in (C), the first frame 3 and the second frame 4 are extended to the intermediate zoom position P2C.

Further, in the zoom telephoto end state, FIG.
As shown in (D), the first frame 3 and the second frame 4 are extended to the tele end position P2D.

When the lens barrel 2 is at the wide end position P
2B, the focal length of the taking lens is set to the shortest focal length at the wide end, and when at the intermediate zoom position P2C, the focal length of the taking lens is set to the standard focal length (for example, the wide end and the tele end). It is assumed that the focal length of the photographing lens is set to the longest focal length at the telephoto end when the zoom lens is set at the substantially telephoto end position P2D.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electric control circuit section of the camera includes a power supply section (battery) 11, a CPU 12 as a control section (control means) for controlling the entire camera, and each lens of the lens barrel 2. To change the focal length of the setup lens (first motor) 14, a motor driver 13 for the setup motor, and the focal length of the lens barrel 2 for driving the frame between the collapsed position P2A and the wide end position P2B. Each lens frame from the wide end position P2B to the tele end position P
A zoom motor (second motor) 16 serving as a photographing lens driving unit driven during 2D, a motor driver 15 for the zoom motor, a main switch 17, and a release including a two-stage switch (1st switch and 2nd switch). Switch 18 and wide (W) end direction or tele (T)
A zoom switch 19 having two contacts for instructing switching of the zoom operation toward the end, a zoom detection switch (zoom encoder) 20 of focal length detection means for detecting a zooming state of the lens barrel 2, and an automatic lens barrel A retraction inhibiting switch (setting means, state detection switch) 21 for prohibiting the retraction operation, and photographing as a shutter driving unit, a film feeding driving unit, and a camera operation switch which are electric control elements for camera control (not shown). It has a mode change switch, a film rewind switch, and the like.

In addition to the control unit of the camera, the CPU 12 has a non-operational photographing state duration T0 (hereinafter referred to as a non-operational continuation time) for detecting a duration of a non-operational state in which no operation switch is operated in a camera photographable state. The non-operation continuation time counter unit 12a, which is a time measurement unit (hereinafter referred to as time) (non-operation state detection unit), and a time output (no operation continuation time data) of the counter unit 12a is used as a reference time TA as reference determination time information. A timer output discriminating section 12b, which is a clock output discriminating means for comparing and discriminating with the motor driver 13 and 1 based on the output of the clock output discriminating section.
5 or the above-mentioned retraction inhibiting switch 2
Prohibit automatic renormalization operation based on the output of 1 or
A lens barrel control unit 12c, which is control means for permitting, is built in.

Note that the automatic retraction operation is to rewind the lens barrel 2 to the retracted position based on the output of the timing output discriminating unit which detects that the non-operation continuation time T0 has exceeded the reference time. Processing operation.

As an operation switch for interrupting the measurement of the no-operation continuation time, the release switch 1 is used.
8, a zoom switch 19, a shooting mode changeover switch, a film rewind switch, and the like correspond. The reference time TA (reference determination time information) is stored in a memory unit (reference time storage means) built in the CPU 12.

The retraction inhibiting switch 21 is a switch for mechanically holding its output state, for example, a state detecting switch (setting means) composed of a slide switch, a toggle switch and the like. Further, a zoom encoder may be applied to the zoom detection switch 20. Further, the value of the reference time may be set according to the specifications of each camera.

In the camera according to the present embodiment, when the main switch 17 is turned on, the lens barrel 2 moves from the retracted state to the photographing preparation position (wide end position P2B), and enters a photographable state. Then, in response to the operation of the zoom switch 19, the lens barrel 2 moves the intermediate zoom position P2C or the tele end position P2D.
(A photographable state). Under the photographing enabled state, the non-operation continuation time T0 of the camera whose operation switch is not operated is counted.
While the non-operation continuation time T0 continues, the focal length of the lens barrel 2 is of course constant without change.

The no-operation duration T0 is equal to the reference time TA.
Is exceeded, the extension state of the lens barrel 2 is detected by the zoom detection switch 20. If the extension state is other than the wide end, the lens barrel 2 is once extended to the wide end position, and then extended to the retracted position. Put in. This automatic retraction operation protects the lens frame members.

The photographing sequence of the camera including the above-mentioned automatic re-arranging operation will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a main routine in the photographing sequence, and FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a counter check of a subroutine called in the main routine.

When the main switch 17 is turned on, the CPU 1
The photographing sequence starts under the control of 2. First, initialization is performed in step S1, and the setup motor 14 is driven in step S2 to set up the lens barrel 2, and the lens barrel 2 is extended from the retracted position P2A to the wide end position P2B. Note that this extended state is a shooting preparation state (shooting initial state), and the shooting lens is at a shooting preparation position (shooting initial position). Main switch 1 in step S3
After confirming that 7 has been turned on, the process proceeds to step S4. If the main switch 17 is off, the process proceeds to step S22, in which the setup motor 14 is driven to retract the lens barrel 2. Thereafter, the CPU 12 of the camera enters a HALT (mnemonic display) state, suspends itself and turns off the camera.

In step S22, when the lens barrel 2 is on the telephoto side from the wide position P2B, the zoom motor 16 is driven to widen the lens barrel 2 once before the retracting drive by the setup motor 14. Retract to position P2B.

In step S4, the non-operation continuation time counter 12a of the CPU 12 starts counting time (time counting means,
No-operation state detecting means). Proceeding to step S5, the ON / OFF of the first release of the release switch 18 is checked. If it is on, the process jumps to step S17. If it is off, the process proceeds to step S6 and the counter 12
A counter check process (see FIG. 4) of a subroutine for checking the timing of a is called.

In the counter check process, the CPU 1
Under the control 2, first, the output of the retraction inhibiting switch 21 is checked in step 31. If it is on, the process returns to the main routine without checking the no-operation continuation time. That is, even if the no-operation continuation time T0 exceeds the reference time TA, the automatic rewinding operation is not performed. On the other hand, if the output of the retraction inhibition switch 21 is off,
Proceed to step 32.

In step S32, it is checked whether or not the non-operation continuation time T0 counted by the non-operation continuation time counter section 12a has exceeded the reference time TA (time output determining means). If the reference time TA has not yet elapsed, the process returns to the main routine. If the reference time TA has elapsed, the routine proceeds to step 22 of the main routine, in which the setup motor 14 is driven to move the lens barrel 2 to the retracted position P.
Renormalize to 2A. However, when the lens barrel 2 is extended from the wide end position P2B, the lens barrel 2 is once extended to the wide end position P2B by the zoom motor 16, and thereafter,
It is moved to the retracted position P2A.

After performing the above-described subroutine counter check processing in step S6, the process proceeds to step S7.
It is checked whether the wide end direction switch (zoom W switch) of the zoom switch 19 has been operated. If it is on, the process proceeds to step S11. If it is off, the process proceeds to step S8.

When the process proceeds to step S11, the CPU
The non-operation continuation time counter unit 12a is reset (initialized) to start time measurement (time measurement means, non-operation state detection means). In step S12, it is checked whether the focal length of the lens barrel 2 is at the wide limit (wide end, shortest focal length). If the focal length has reached the wide limit, the process returns to step S5 without driving the zoom motor 16. If the wide limit has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S13, in which the zoom motor 16 is driven to execute a predetermined zoom-down operation. Thereafter, the process returns to step S7.

When the process proceeds to step S8, the above-described counter check processing of the subroutine (see FIG. 4) is repeated.

Subsequently, in step S9, a tele end direction instruction switch of the zoom switch 19 (zoom T switch).
Is checked, and if it is on, the process proceeds to step S14. If it is off, the process proceeds to step S10.

In step S14, the non-operation continuation time counter 12a of the CPU 12 is reset (initialized) to start time measurement (time measurement means, no-operation state detection means). In step S15, it is checked whether the focal length of the lens barrel 2 is at the tele limit (tele end, longest focal length),
If the tele limit has been reached, the process returns to step S5 without driving the zoom motor 16. If the tele limit has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S16, in which the zoom motor 16 is driven to execute a predetermined zoom-up operation. Thereafter, the process returns to step S7.

When the process proceeds to step S10, the above-described counter check processing of the subroutine (see FIG. 4) is repeated.

After the operation of the first switch of the release switch 18 described above, when jumping to step S17, the on / off of the second release of the release switch 18 is checked, and if it is off, the process returns to step S5. If it is on, the flow advances to step S18 to open and close the shutter and execute exposure. Then, in step S19, the film is wound up, and in step S20, the non-operation duration counter unit 12a is initialized, and the process returns to step S3.
The photographing sequence processing is repeated.

According to the camera of the first embodiment described above,
When the camera is ready to take a picture and the prohibition switch 21 is off, the no-operation duration T0 is equal to the reference time TA.
Is exceeded, the lens barrel 2 is automatically retracted to the retracted position P2A, and the lens barrel 2 is protected from mechanical obstacles. At the same time, the control of the CPU 12 is switched to the stop state to enter the power saving state. However, if the photographer intentionally takes a long standby photo,
If the retraction inhibition switch 21 is turned on,
Since the above-mentioned automatic rerun operation is not performed, it is possible to perform the above-described photographing requiring a long standby time exceeding a predetermined reference time TA, for example, several minutes.

Next, a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The camera of this embodiment is a switch for prohibiting or permitting the automatic nesting operation,
The camera according to the first embodiment is characterized in that a tripod screw switch is separately provided in addition to the retraction inhibiting switch 21 in the camera of the first embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those of the camera of the first embodiment, and the main routine in the photographing sequence is also the same as the routine shown in FIG. However, the counter check processing of the subroutine called in the main routine is different. Hereinafter, different parts will be described.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state where a tripod mount is mounted on a tripod seat of the camera body 1 of the camera. The tripod seat 30a has a tripod female screw 30b.
Are provided, and a tripod screw switch 22 is provided inside the female screw 30b. The tripod screw switch 22 is a switch for detecting that the tripod male screw 32a is screwed in and recognizing the tripod mounting state.

When the camera platform 31 is attached to the tripod seat 30a of the camera body 1 in order to attach a tripod to the camera,
The male screw 32a of the tripod screw 32 is screwed into the tripod female screw 30b, and the tripod screw switch 22 switches from off to on.

The tripod screw switch 22 is connected to the CPU 12 in a state parallel to the retraction inhibition switch 21, that is, independently, as shown in the electric control circuit of FIG. This tripod screw switch 22 also functions as a switch for inhibiting the automatic retraction operation.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a counter check process of a subroutine called in a main routine in a photographing sequence of the camera according to the present embodiment. When the counter check process is called in the main routine, the output of the tripod screw switch 22 is first checked in step 41 under the control of the CPU 12. If it is on, the tripod is attached, and the process returns to the main routine in a state where retraction is prohibited. That is, even if the non-operation continuation time T0 exceeds the reference time TA, the operation returns to the main routine without performing the retracting operation. If it is off, the process proceeds to step S42.

In step 42, the output of the retraction inhibiting switch 21 is checked. If the output is on, the retraction is inhibited and the no-operation continuation time T0 is set to the reference time TA.
Without returning to the main routine. If the output of the retraction inhibition switch 21 is off, the process proceeds to step S43.

In step 43, it is checked whether or not the no-operation continuation time T0 exceeds the reference time TA. If not, the process returns to the main routine. If it exceeds, the lens barrel 2 is retracted to the retracted position. However, when the lens barrel 2 is extended from the wide end position P2B, the lens barrel 2 is temporarily moved by the zoom motor 16 to the wide end position P2B.
2B, and then to the retracted position P2A.

According to the camera of the second embodiment described above,
In addition to the effects of the camera of the first embodiment,
When a tripod is mounted on the camera body, the tripod screw switch 22 is turned on, and the automatic retraction operation is automatically prohibited. The shooting with the tripod mounted usually has a long waiting time, but as described above, the automatic retraction operation is prohibited only by the tripod mounting operation, so that the shooting with the tripod mounted can be performed conveniently. In a normal photographing state where a tripod is not attached, the automatic retraction operation can be prohibited or permitted by the presence of the retraction prohibition switch 21.

Next, a camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The camera according to this embodiment has a button which is turned on by a pressing operation in place of the mechanical output holding type retraction inhibition switch 21 in the camera of the first embodiment as a switch for prohibiting or permitting the automatic retraction operation. An operation type switch is applied. Other configurations are the same as those of the camera of the first embodiment.
However, the counter check processing of the main routine in the photographing sequence and the subroutine called in the main routine are different. Hereinafter, different parts will be described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an electric control circuit in the camera of this embodiment. In the electric control circuit of the present camera, a reentry prohibition switch 23 which is a button operation switch (a switch for turning on when the button is pressed and off when releasing) is connected to the CPU 12 instead of the retraction prohibition switch 21 in the block diagram of FIG. Have been.

When the automatic retraction operation of the lens barrel 2 is prohibited in the camera of this embodiment, the retraction prohibition switch 23 is pressed once to rewrite the retraction prohibition flag from off to on. In order to perform the automatic running-in operation, the running-in prohibition switch 23 is pressed once again to rewrite the running-in prohibition flag from off to on. In the photographing sequence, either the automatic retraction of the lens barrel 2 is permitted (when the repetition prohibition flag is off) or prohibited (when the repetition prohibition flag is on) by referring to the reprohibition flag. .

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a main routine in a photographing sequence of the camera according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a counter check process of a subroutine called in the main routine.
In the main routine of FIG. 9, step S in the main routine of the camera of the first embodiment of FIG.
Steps S51 to S54 for rewriting the repetition prohibition flag are inserted between the main switch off check of No. 3 and the timer counting start process of Step S4. That is, C
After confirming that the main switch 17 is not turned off in step S3 under the control of the PU 12, the process proceeds to step S3.
At 51, it is checked whether the retraction inhibition switch button has been operated. When the ON signal of the retraction inhibition switch 23 is detected, the process proceeds to step S52. If the above-mentioned ON signal is not detected, the process jumps to step S4 without rewriting the repetition inhibition flag.

In step S52, the current state of the reprohibition flag is checked. If the flag is ON, the process proceeds to step S53, and the rewrite inhibition flag is rewritten to OFF. If the flag is off, step S
Proceeding to 54, the rewriting inhibition flag is rewritten to ON.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 and subsequent steps. Then, in steps S6, S8 and S10, the counter check processing of the subroutine of FIG. 10 is called. In the counter check process, the reprohibition flag is checked in step S61. If the run-in inhibition flag is on, it is determined that the automatic run-in operation is prohibited, and the process returns to the main routine without checking the no-operation continuation time T0, and the processing of the main routine is continued. If the re-prohibition flag is off, the automatic re-producing operation is not prohibited and the process proceeds to step S62.

In step S62, the no-operation continuation time T0
Check whether the time exceeds the reference time TA. If not, the process returns to the main routine. If it exceeds, the process proceeds to step 22 of the main routine, and the lens barrel 2 is retracted to the retracted position. However, wide end position P2B
When the lens barrel 2 is further extended, the lens barrel 2 is once extended by the zoom motor 16 to the wide end position P2B, and then is retracted to the retracted position P2A.

According to the camera of the third embodiment described above,
The same effect as that of the camera of the first embodiment is obtained. In particular, whether the automatic retraction operation of the lens barrel is prohibited or not is not determined by the mechanically held output state of the retraction inhibition switch, Is determined by the re-prohibition flag according to the switch output state latched by the switch.
Therefore, the retraction inhibiting switch 23 can be constituted by a switch operated by a button. The retraction inhibition switch 23 operated by the button is inexpensive as a single switch, has very little space on the camera body, and is effective in reducing the size of the camera. At the same time, the switch operation itself is simple and easy to use.

Note that the camera of each of the embodiments described above includes
Although a zoom lens barrel that can be retracted is applied, the present invention is not limited to this, and the gist of the present invention can be applied to a camera that incorporates a non-zoom lens barrel that can be stored.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, (1) setting means having switch means for arbitrarily setting the prohibition of the retraction operation in a camera in which the taking lens barrel is retracted when the non-operation state continues. When,
It is possible to propose a camera characterized by having a control means for prohibiting the retraction operation by an output of the setting means.

(2) A tripod seat, and a tripod screw switch for detecting a threaded state when a tripod male screw is screwed to the tripod seat, wherein the tripod screw switch and the setting means are provided. It is possible to propose the camera described in the above (1), wherein the switch means is arranged in parallel in an electrically controlled manner.

(3) The tripod switch further includes a tripod seat, and a tripod screw switch for detecting a screwed state when a tripod male screw is screwed into the tripod seat. The camera according to the above (1), wherein the camera is arranged separately from the switch stage of the setting means, can be proposed.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, when no operation is continued for a predetermined time, an appropriate automatic retraction control of the lens barrel is performed, so that protection and power saving of the lens barrel can be achieved and usability is improved. A good camera can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a retracted / extended state of a taking lens barrel. FIG. 1 (A) is a retracted state, and FIG. 1 (B) is a zoom wide. FIG. 1C shows a zoom standard state, and FIG. 1D shows a zoom telephoto state.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of an electric control circuit unit in the camera according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main routine in a shooting sequence of the camera according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a counter check process of a subroutine called in the main routine of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view around a tripod seat applied to a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a main part of an electric control circuit unit in the camera according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a counter check of a subroutine called in a main routine in a photographing sequence of the camera of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a main part of an electric control circuit unit in a camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a main routine in a shooting sequence of the camera according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a counter check process of a subroutine called in the main routine of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 lens barrel (photographing lens barrel) 12 CPU (control means) 21 reentry prohibition switch (setting means, switch means, state detection switch) 23 repetition prohibition switch (setting means, switch means, Button operation switch)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A camera in which a photographing lens barrel is retracted when a non-operation state continues, a setting means having switch means for arbitrarily setting prohibition of the retraction operation, and the retraction by an output of the setting means. A camera, comprising: control means for inhibiting operation. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said setting means is a button operation switch, and said control means detects an electrical ON of an electric circuit by said button operation switch. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said setting means is a state detection switch for mechanically holding its output information.