JP2002148703A - Photographing auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To freely attach a photographing auxiliary device to a photographing device such as a still camera and a video camera so as to realize remote control photography and automatic photography corresponding to various photographing conditions with high operational reliability by easy operation without requiring a special mechanism or special processing for the photographing device. SOLUTION: This photographing auxiliary device is equipped with an actuator means 1 for actuating the shutter button of the photographing device, a driving power source 8 for the actuator means 1, a switch means 7 for the driving power source 8, and an attaching means 9 for attachably/detachably fixing the actuator means 1 at the specified position of the photographing device. The actuator means 1 is constituted of an electromagnetic solenoid 2, an elastic pressing means 4 attached to the tip of the plunger shaft 3 of the solenoid 2 and abutting on the shutter button of the photographing device, and a supporting means 6 for setting the actuator means 1 at a position where the pressing means 4 comes into contact with the shutter button of the photographing device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photographing assisting device which is mounted on a photographing device such as a still camera or a video camera and operates a shutter button. The present invention relates to a photographing assistance device that enables remote operation or unattended operation of buttons.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various devices and devices have been disclosed as devices which are mounted on a photographing device such as a still camera or a video camera and operate a shutter button instead of a human operation. As this type of apparatus, there is an apparatus that operates a shutter button using a motor, for example. However, the mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor to the shutter button, the mechanism for mounting the device on the camera, and the like are complicated, the operability is difficult, and the price is expensive. Although a device for operating a shutter button using an electromagnetic solenoid is also known, in a conventional device of this type, a camera is mounted in a predetermined positional relationship of a housing in which an electromagnetic solenoid is mounted in advance. , Which is disadvantageous in that the device is large and inconvenient to use. In the case of a system in which a solenoid is incorporated in a release cable connected to the female screw portion of the shutter button, a specific structure is required on the camera side. In the ecology survey of animals and plants, remote control of photographing, automatic operation, and operation corresponding to a specific time are indispensable. However, in order to apply shutter operation to a photographing apparatus that does not have a remote code terminal, It requires a certain specialized technique, and is difficult for ordinary researchers and the like to carry out.

[0003]

According to the present invention, there is provided a photographing assisting device which includes an actuating means for operating a shutter button of a photographing apparatus, a driving power supply for the actuator means, and a switching means for the driving power supply. , The actuator-
Mounting means for detachably fixing the actuator means to a predetermined position of the photographing apparatus, wherein the actuator means contacts an electromagnetic solenoid and a shutter button of the photographing apparatus which is mounted on a tip of a plunger shaft of the electromagnetic solenoid. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problem by comprising elastic pressing means that comes into contact with the supporting means and setting the actuator means at a position where the elastic pressing means comes into contact with a shutter button of a photographing apparatus.

In the above configuration, the switch means of the drive power supply may be a thermal switch.

Further, in the above, the switch means of the drive power supply may be constituted by an infrared sensing switch.

Further, in the above, the switching means of the driving power supply may be provided with an operating means using a radio signal.

[0007] In any of the above switch means,
In some cases, a timer means for performing a switch operation at a set predetermined time is provided.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As means for operating a shutter button of a photographing device such as a still camera and a video camera,
Using a well-known electromagnetic solenoid, the end of the plunger is in contact with the shutter button, and the shutter button is operated by raising and lowering the plunger by turning on / off the power supply from the drive power supply to the coil by the switch means. And execute shooting. An elastic pressing means made of rubber, a soft plastic material, or the like is interposed at the tip of the plunger to ensure a quiet pressing operation on the shutter button. Actuator means comprising an elastic pressing means, an electromagnetic solenoid, and a supporting means is attached to and detached from the photographing device by a mounting means via a supporting means for bringing the elastic pressing means into contact with a shutter button of the photographing apparatus. It is fixed freely. As the switch means interposed between the electromagnetic solenoid and the drive power supply, a general manual switch, a heat-sensitive switch that operates by detecting heat of a subject, a transmission-type or reflection-type infrared switch, and a wireless operation switch are used. A timer that operates at a set time or at a predetermined time interval may be used together with the switches.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing a photographing assisting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an actuator means for operating a shutter button of a photographing device C such as a still camera or a video camera. It is. This actuator means 1 includes a well-known electromagnetic solenoid 2 for raising and lowering a plunger shaft by intermittently supplying current to a peripheral coil.
And an elastic pressing means 4 mounted on the tip of the plunger shaft 3 of the electromagnetic solenoid and in contact with a shutter button of the photographing apparatus, and a supporting means 6. The elastic pressing means 4 is made of rubber or soft resin material, and is covered at the tip of the plunger shaft 3 for stable engagement with the shutter button, proper transmission of the pressing force, and movement of the plunger shaft 3 to the shutter button. Vibration or the like at the time of contact is prevented to realize a quiet pressing operation.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a mounting means for detachably fixing the actuator means at a predetermined position of the photographing apparatus C. The mounting means 5 comprises, for example, a belt having a detachable fastening means such as a flat fastener. The support means 6 is interposed between the electromagnetic solenoid 2 and the photographing device, and sets the actuator means at a position where the elastic pressing means 4 contacts a shutter button of the photographing device C. 7 is provided in a circuit connecting the drive power supply 8 and the electromagnetic solenoid 2 to turn on / off the current.
Various types of switch means having an off function.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the photographing assisting apparatus having the above-described configuration. Actuator means 1
A well-known electromagnetic solenoid 2 that raises and lowers a plunger shaft 3 due to intermittent energization of a peripheral coil, and elastic pressing means mounted on the tip of the plunger shaft 3 of the electromagnetic solenoid 2 and abutting a shutter button of a photographing device. 4 and support means 6. In this example,
The elastic pressing means 4 is constituted by a rubber cap mounted on the tip of the plunger shaft 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a belt as a mounting means for detachably fixing the actuator means 1 at a predetermined position of the photographing apparatus, and a flat fastener as a fastening means is mounted on both ends thereof.

The support means 6 is fixed to the lower portion of the electromagnetic solenoid 2 as described above, and sets the actuator means 1 at a position where the elastic pressing means 4 is in contact with the shutter button at a predetermined position of the photographing apparatus. In this embodiment, the supporting means 6 has an upper bottom portion 6a at one end as shown in FIG. 3 and has a hollow cylindrical shape with the other end opened, as shown in FIG. Has a hole 6b through which the plunger shaft 3 passes. Further, a pair of abutting pieces 6c, 6c facing each other are integrally formed at the edge of the opening, and the pair of abutting pieces 6c, 6c sandwich a predetermined portion of the photographing apparatus. I have.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing a mounting state of the photographing assistance device shown in FIG. 2 to the photographing device. The photographing assisting device is set so that a pair of abutting pieces 6c, 6c sandwich the upper part of the body of the camera C as a photographing device as shown in the figure, and in this state, the rubber covered on the tip of the plunger shaft 3 The lower end of the cap 4 is located in contact with the shutter button of the camera C. Next, the photographing assistance device is fixed by the belt 5 as a mounting means.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the operation of the photographing assist device mounted on the camera C. In FIG. 6 (a), the actuator means 1 is in a standby state for pressing the shutter button B, The circuit from the drive power supply (not shown) to the electromagnetic solenoid 2 is shut off and the plunger shaft 3 is in the normal position, so that the rubber cap 4 remains in a position only in contact with the shutter button B. When a current flows through a circuit between a drive power supply (not shown) and the electromagnetic solenoid 2 by operating a switch means (not shown), FIG.
The plunger shaft 3 descends, as shown in FIG. 3, whereby the rubber cap 4 presses the shutter button B to operate the shutter. Then, the switch means is operated again to cut off the current, and the plunger shaft 3 is turned off. Returns to the normal position, and the predetermined photographing ends. If the switch means is extended by a code, it is possible to take a picture from a remote position, which is optimal when the subject is an animal or the like.

In the present invention, the switch means may be a general manual switch, a heat-sensitive switch which operates by detecting heat of a subject, or a transmission type or reflection type infrared switch. As a thermal switch having a temperature sensor, a thermopile switch, a pyroelectric switch, or the like, which operates by detecting infrared radiation from a heat source, is used. If these switch means are attached to appropriate positions of the photographing assistance device and are directed to the predicted subject position,
When an animal or the like as a heat source enters the position and the infrared rays are radiated, the infrared rays are immediately caught and switched on and the shutter is turned on.
Is activated and shooting is automatically performed.

Also, even if a transmission type or reflection type infrared switch is used as the switch means, predetermined automatic photographing can be performed. That is, by setting these switches so as to capture a subject at a desired position in the same manner as described above, the reflection type switch receives infrared rays reflected from the subject, and the transmission type switch receives signals from the transmitting side. When the infrared rays between the side and the subject are blocked by the subject, the switch is activated and shooting is automatically executed,
Suitable for shooting wild animals.

Further, the use of a wireless operation switch as the switch means makes remote operation extremely easy.

By using a timer that operates at a set time or at a predetermined time interval in combination with the switches, it is possible to cope with more various photographing conditions. In this case, the switch of the timer is used. Connection or use of a switch with a timer function.

[0019]

As described above, the present invention does not require any special processing or a complicated mechanism in various photographing apparatuses.
It enables remote operation shooting and automatic shooting corresponding to various shooting conditions, and has a simple configuration. Therefore, operation reliability is high and operation is extremely easy, which greatly contributes to ecology research of wild animals and the like. Further, it can be freely attached to and detached from the imaging device, and when it is removed, the imaging device returns to its original function.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a support.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a mounting state of the photographing assistance device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 to a camera.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of the photographing assistance device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. . . . . . . . Actuator means 2. . . . . . . . 2. Electromagnetic solenoid . . . . . . . Plunger shaft 4. . . . . . . . Elastic pressing means 5. . . . . . . . 5. Mounting means . . . . . . . Supporting means 7. . . . . . . . Switch means 8. . . . . . . . Drive power supply

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G03B 15/00 G03B 15/00 D 17/40 17/40 A B Z

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Actuator means for operating a shutter button of a photographing apparatus, a drive power supply for said actuator means, a switch means for said drive power supply, and said actuator means at a predetermined position of the photographing apparatus. The actuator means comprises an electromagnetic solenoid, an elastic pressing means mounted on a tip of a plunger shaft of the electromagnetic solenoid and in contact with a shutter button of a photographing device, and the elastic pressing means. And a supporting means for setting the actuator means at a position where the means contacts a shutter button of the photographing apparatus. 2. The photographing assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the switch means of the driving power supply is a thermal switch. 3. The photographing assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the switch means of the driving power supply is an infrared sensing switch. 4. The photographing assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the switch means of the drive power supply is provided with an operation means by a radio signal. 5. The photographing assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means for the driving power supply includes a timer means for performing a switching operation at a set predetermined time.