JP2003023560A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera where the fine powder generated by the actuation of its focal-plane shutter will not adhered to the incident-surface side of its photographic element. SOLUTION: In the digital camera, an auxiliary bottom-plate 2 provided closest to the side of its photographic element within the scope of the constituent members of its blade chamber has guiding portions 2b, 2c and attaching portions 2d, 2e on the surface of the side of its photographic element. The lower halves of the attaching portions 2d, 2e comprise flexible portions 2d-1, 2e-1 wherein protruding portions 2d-2, 2e-2 are formed. When moving upward a thin-plate member 12, by using as guides the guiding portions 2b, 2c having a lateral U-shaped section, the flexible portions 2d-1, 2e-1 are so widened pushingly, that the thin-plate member 12 is thereafter brought into a mounted state in a stage of the protruding portions 2d-2, 2e-2 being engaged respectively with recessed portions 12d, 12e. Thereafter, there is maintained the state, where a transparent region 12a is interposed between an opening 2a and the photographing element. When drawing down a knob portion 12f, the thin-plate member 12 can be taken out to the outside of the camera, so as to make possible the cleaning of the fine powder adhered in the transparent region 12a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera provided with an image pickup device having a photoelectric conversion function such as a CCD and a focal plane shutter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A focal plane shutter used in a digital camera has a front blade (group) and a rear blade disposed in each blade chamber, like the focal plane shutter used in a film camera. It is equipped with two shutter blades called (group), and when shooting, they are operated in sequence at predetermined time intervals, and the slits formed by them cause one side of the rectangular imaging surface It has only one shutter blade and a type that continuously exposes toward the other long side, and normally the imaging surface is exposed to the subject light, and at the end of shooting There is known a type in which only the image pickup surface is temporarily covered.

Further, in any of the above types, each shutter blade is usually pivotally supported by a plurality of arms each having one end rotatably attached to a shutter base plate. The strip-shaped at least one blade is configured as a mechanism to which the parallelogram link mechanism is applied, and the pivotal configuration of each arm and blade is formed by the arm and blade. The tip of the connecting shaft, which is a rivet component, is inserted into the hole from the arm side and is caulked to the blade. The caulking portion is configured not to protrude from the sliding surface of the blade, but the head portion of the connecting shaft is configured to protrude from the arm.

[0004]

By the way, the shutter blades having the above-mentioned structure seemingly operate regularly on a predetermined plane and stop at a predetermined position without any problem. Although it looks like this, it actually operates with complicated movement in a direction different from the operating direction at times, and when stopped, it receives a strong impact and the arms and blades temporarily deform. To be made. Therefore, when such an operation is repeated, the shutter blades are formed by the friction between the members forming the shutter blades, and between the head of the connecting shaft and the shutter base plate. The surface of each member is abraded by the friction between the member that forms the blade chamber and the plate member that forms the blade chamber, and CC
It may adhere to the surface of the image pickup device such as D.

Of course, such fine powder is generated even in the case of a camera using a film. However, in the case of a camera using film, even if the fine powder adheres to the film surface, the image frame area is rolled up when the photographing is finished, and the fine powder is removed from the photographing stage while being adhered. It is almost unlikely that the fine powder will affect the next shooting. Also,
In most cases, the fine powder is generated during the exposure operation of the shutter, so that it adheres immediately after the film surface is exposed and does not affect the exposure conditions of the photosensitive surface. Furthermore, even if the fine powder generated during the previous shooting happens to adhere to the film surface to be exposed next time, the effect will appear on the printed photographic paper surface due to the characteristics of the photosensitive material. Almost never.

However, in the case of a digital camera, since the image pickup device is fixed in the camera, once the fine powder adheres to the incident surface of the image pickup device, it affects all subsequent photographing. It will appear, and something like a shadow will appear in a part of the image. Therefore, when such a phenomenon occurs, conventionally, the lens is removed, the mirror is up, and the shutter blade is retracted from the front surface of the image pickup device (fully open state). The fine powder had to be removed with a brush or the like. However, the operation of removing the fine powder in this way is by no means an easy task. Also, some cameras do not allow the lens to be removed.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and the purpose thereof is to detect the fine powder when it is detected by monitor observation or the like. (EN) Provided is a digital camera equipped with a focal plane shutter which can be removed immediately and by a simple operation.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a digital camera according to the present invention includes a plurality of plate members and an image pickup device such as a CCD having an image pickup surface arranged on an image pickup surface of a photographing lens. A focal-plane shutter that forms at least one blade chamber in front of the image-capturing element, and has a transparent region that covers the image-capturing surface at least during photographing, and the image-capturing element and the focal-plane shutter. A thin plate member removably arranged between
Is equipped with.

Further, in the digital camera of the present invention, the plate member closest to the image pickup device among the plurality of plate members is formed with a guide portion for guiding the attachment / detachment operation of the thin plate member. , It will be more functionally advantageous.

Further, in the digital camera of the present invention, a plate member closest to the image pickup device among the plurality of plate members is provided with a mounting portion for maintaining the mounting state of the thin plate member. This is advantageous in terms of the overall configuration of the camera.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiment. The focal plane shutter used in this embodiment is a focal plane shutter used in a camera using film. Similarly to the above, two shutter blades, a front blade and a rear blade, are provided, and each of these shutter blades is a focal plane shutter having a structure in which two blades are pivotally supported by two arms. . 1 and 2 are plan views of the focal plane shutter as viewed from the subject side.
FIG. 1 shows a set state, and FIG. 2 shows a fully opened state of the exposure opening. Further, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of mounting the thin plate member, and the focal plane shutter is a plan view seen from the photographer side. Further, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part when the thin plate member is mounted on the camera as seen from the photographer side, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the main part as viewed from below in FIG. In the description of the configuration of this embodiment, the subject side is referred to as the front side and the photographer side is referred to as the back side.

First, the structure and operation of the focal plane shutter used in this embodiment will be described. The basic structure of this shutter is not much different from the known one, and therefore, the well-known constituent parts thereof. Will be explained briefly. The shutter base plate 1 has an opening 1a having a horizontally long rectangular shape formed in a substantially central portion thereof. On the back side of the shutter base plate 1, a known intermediate plate and an auxiliary base plate 2 (see FIGS. 3 to 5) are provided with a predetermined space therebetween.
Although they are sequentially attached by means not shown, the intermediate plate among these three plate members is not shown.

The three plate members are the shutter base plate 1
The blade chamber of the leading blade is formed between the intermediate plate and the intermediate plate, and the blade chamber of the trailing blade is formed between the intermediate plate and the auxiliary base plate 2. Further, the intermediate plate and the auxiliary base plate 2 have substantially the same outer shape as the shutter base plate 1, and an opening having a shape similar to the opening 1a is also formed in the substantially central portion thereof. Two
The planar shape of the opening 2a formed in FIG. 3 is shown in FIGS. Then, there is also one in which the exposure opening is regulated by arranging these three openings in an overlapping manner, but in the case of this shutter, the shape of the opening 1a regulates the exposure opening. Has become.

On the front side of the shutter base plate 1, there are three shafts 1.
b, 1c, 1d are erected, and four shafts 1e, 1e,
1f, 1g and 1h are erected. Further, on the front surface side of the shutter base plate 1, the shutter control mechanism 3 having a complicated structure is attached to the area on the left side of the opening 1a, but in the present embodiment, only a well-known structure is adopted. Therefore, the specific structure thereof is not shown, and the whole is shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. In the shutter control mechanism 3, the drive member for the leading blade, which is rotatably attached to the shaft 1b, has its driving pin inserted into the elongated hole formed in the shutter base plate 1 in an arc shape, and It faces the feather chamber. Further, the driving member for the trailing blade, which is rotatably attached to the shaft 1c, has its driving pin inserted into another arc-shaped long hole of the shutter base plate 1 so as to face the trailing blade chamber. .

A well-known set member is rotatably attached to the shaft 1d of the shutter base plate 1. When the set operation is performed, the set member is rotated from the initial position to drive the leading blade driving member and the trailing blade driving member. , Rotate to the set position against the biasing force of the leading blade driving spring and the trailing blade driving spring, and bring the iron piece members provided on the respective driving members into contact with the leading blade electromagnet and the trailing blade electromagnet. . Further, after the respective electromagnets are energized at the time of photographing and the respective iron piece members are attracted and held, the front blades are returned to the initial position before the exposure operation is started.

Next, the structure of the leading blade and the trailing blade attached to the back side of the shutter base plate 1 will be described. First, the leading blades are two arms 4 and 5 rotatably attached to the shafts 1e and 1f on the back side of the shutter base plate 1, and two blades 6 and 7 pivotally supported toward their tips. The blade 7 pivotally supported at the tip and arranged on the shutter base plate 1 side is a slit forming blade. A long hole 4a is formed in one arm 4 of the leading blade, and the drive pin of the leading blade driving member described above is fitted therein.

On the other hand, the rear blade has exactly the same construction as the front blade, but is arranged with the front blade turned upside down. That is, the rear blade is the shaft 1g on the back side of the shutter base plate 1,
Two arms 8 and 9 rotatably attached to 1h
And the two blades 1 that are pivoted in order toward their tips
The blade 11 which is composed of 0 and 11 and which is pivotally supported at the tip and arranged on the side of the auxiliary ground plate 2 serves as a slit forming blade. The drive pin of the rear blade drive member described above is fitted into the elongated hole 8a formed in the arm 8.

The structure described so far is a part related to the original function of the shutter. Therefore, the operation of this shutter will be described before the description of the other configurations. FIG. 1 shows a set state of the shutter. Therefore, the opening 1a is covered by the two blades 6 and 7 which are the leading blades in the expanded state. On the other hand, the two rear blades 10 and 11 are in a superposed state and are stored at a position above the opening 1a.
Further, in this state, as described above, the drive members bring the iron piece members into contact with the respective electromagnets by the set member.

When the release button of the camera is pressed during photographing, first, the electromagnet for the leading blade and the electromagnet for the trailing blade are energized. Therefore, since the iron piece members of the leading blade driving member and the trailing blade driving member are attracted and held by the respective electromagnets, the setting member is returned to the initial position at this stage. Then, when the energization of the leading blade electromagnet is cut off by the signal from the control circuit, the leading blade driving member attached to the shaft 1b is rotated clockwise by the urging force of the leading blade driving spring, The drive pin causes the arm 4 to rapidly rotate clockwise. Therefore, the two blades 6 and 7 of the leading blades are operated downward while increasing the mutual overlapping, and the state in which the slit forming blade 7 fully opens the opening 1a and stops is the state shown in FIG. Is.

After that, when the energization of the trailing blade electromagnet is cut off by a signal from the control circuit, the trailing blade driving member attached to the shaft 1c is rotated clockwise by the urging force of the trailing blade driving spring. The drive pin causes the arm 8 to rapidly rotate in the clockwise direction. for that reason,
The two blades 10 and 11 of the rear blades are operated downward while reducing the overlapping with each other, completely covering the opening 1a and then stopped, and the exposure operation is completed. In the description of the exposure operation, the case where the operation of the trailing blade is started after the opening of the leading blade is fully opened has been described, but in reality, the operation of the trailing blade is performed during the operation of the leading blade. Is often started, in which case the two slit forming blades 7,
A slit is formed by 11, and the exposure operation is performed by the movement of the slit.

When the exposure operation is completed in this way, the set member attached to the shaft 1d is then rotated from the initial position, and the leading blade driving member and the trailing blade driving member are moved to the leading blade driving spring. And is rotated against the drive spring for the trailing blade. Then, when the iron piece members provided on the respective drive members come into contact with the leading blade electromagnet and the trailing blade electromagnet, the rotation of the setting member is stopped and the state shown in FIG. 1 is restored. Although the description of the operation has been made assuming the case of a single-lens reflex camera having an optical viewfinder, when it is desired to configure the camera as an electronic viewfinder, the subject can be observed in the state shown in FIG. At the time of photographing, the front blade is operated in the state of FIG. 1 and then the exposure operation is started as described above, and after the exposure operation is completed, only the rear blade is operated to the set position to observe the object. You can return to.

By the way, in the case of such a focal plane shutter, as described above, fine powder may be generated during its operation and adhered to the incident surface of the image pickup device. However, the present embodiment adopts a configuration in which such fine powder does not directly adhere to the incident surface of the image pickup element and the fine powder can be suitably discharged to the outside of the camera. There is. So, below,
The configuration will be specifically described.

The above focal plane shutter is arranged close to the image pickup device in the camera. And
Among the shutters, the auxiliary base plate 2 arranged closest to the image pickup device has a special structure, which is not used in the conventional focal-plane shutter, on the surface of the image pickup device side. First, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the opening 2a
Guide portions 2b and 2c are formed along the left and right edges of the. And as can be seen from FIG. 5, this guide portion 2
b and 2c form a groove having a U-shaped cross section together with the plate surface on the back surface side of the auxiliary main plate 2, but the plate surface of the auxiliary main plate 2 at the part where the groove is formed is the other part. The thickness is slightly thicker on the back side than the thin plate member 12 described later so as not to contact the other surface of the auxiliary base plate 2.

Further, in FIG. 3, the above-mentioned guide portion 2
Mounting portions 2d and 2e are provided below the positions b and 2c, respectively. Then, the mounting portions 2d and 2e use the middle of the vertical direction as a fulcrum, and the lower half thereof are the flexible portion 2
d-1 and e-2, and both can be bent in the left-right direction so that a C-shape is formed. Further, on the flexible portions 2d-1 and 2e-1, convex portions 2d-2 and 2e-2 are formed so as to face each other in the middle of the vertical direction thereof. Further, a stopper 2f is formed above the opening 2a in parallel with the long side of the opening 1a, and hook-shaped stoppers 2d-3, 2e- are formed in the middle of the mounting portions 2d, 2e. 3 is formed.

A thin plate member 12 having a planar shape as shown in FIG. 3 is detachably attached to the back side of the auxiliary base plate 2 having such a special shape. Further, this thin plate member 12 has a transparent region 12a indicated by diagonal lines, step portions 12b and 12c and concave portions 12d and 12e are formed on the outer peripheral portions on the left and right sides, and a knob is provided at a lower position. The part 12f is formed.

Then, the attaching / detaching operation of the thin plate member 12 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 3, the thin plate member 12 is moved upward from the lower side of the auxiliary base plate 2 so that the mounting portions 2d, 2
The opposite surface of e is slid as a guide surface, and both sides of the upper end are inserted into the grooves of the guide portions 2b and 2c. Then, when it is moved upward as it is, the stepped portions 12b and 12c push the convex portions 2d-2 and 2e-2 of the mounting portions 2d and 2e, and the flexible portions 2d-1 and 2e-1 are formed into a V-shape. Spread to. After that, when the tip of the thin plate member 12 comes into contact with the stopper 2f and the steps 12b and 12c come into contact with the stoppers 2d-3 and 2e-3, the recesses 12d and 12e of the thin plate member 12 are reached.
Comes to face the convex portions 2d-2, 2e-2 of the mounting portions 2d, 2e, and the convex portions 2d-2, 2e-2 are flexible portions 2d.
The elasticity of -1, 2e-1 engages with the recesses 12d, 12e. Therefore, even if the hand is released at that stage, the thin plate member 12 maintains the mounted state.

In the thus mounted state,
In the thin plate member 12, one surface of the transparent region 12a faces the opening 2a of the auxiliary base plate 2, and the other surface of the thin plate member 12 has an optical component such as a low-pass filter which is arranged in front of the image capturing device. (Including) immediately before that. For this reason, the subject light is transmitted, and there is no hindrance to shooting. Further, fine powder generated by the operation of the shutter and dust entering from the outside may adhere to the surface of the thin plate member 12 on the object side, but never to the incident surface of the image sensor. . Therefore, the thin plate member 12 in such a mounted state is taken out of the camera and cleaned at regular intervals or when it is sensed that fine powder or the like has adhered. At that time, the thin plate member 12 is cleaned. When a finger is applied to the knob portion 12f of 12 and pulled downward, the flexible portions 2d-1 and 2e-1 of the attachment portions 2d and 2e can be pulled out while being expanded.

As described above, in the case of this embodiment, the guide portions 2b and 2c and the mounting portions 2d and 2e are provided on the auxiliary base plate 2 which is arranged closest to the image pickup device in the shutter unit. . Therefore, this structure has a feature that the fine powder generated by the shutter can be processed on the shutter unit side, and can be handled as the shutter unit in the design and assembly work of the camera. It will further improve the production efficiency. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a guide portion, a mounting portion, or the like corresponding to the above may be configured on the camera body side.

Next, an example of the case where the shutter unit configured as described above is installed in the camera will be described. 4 and 5 show the shutter unit disposed in the camera as seen through the camera housing 13. FIG. 4 is seen from the photographer side, and FIG. It is seen from below. The shutter unit as described above has the holes 1i, 1 formed at the three corners of the shutter base plate 1.
It is attached with screws using j and 1k.

Further, an opening portion for taking out the thin plate member 12 to the outside is formed in the bottom portion of the camera housing 13, and a finger is inserted through the opening portion, and the grip portion 12f of the thin plate member 12 is formed.
It is possible to hang on. However, it is not preferable that light and dust enter through the opening. Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, a hinge-type lid 14 is provided as a lid whose opening can be opened and closed.
4 shows a state in which the lid 14 is opened, and FIG.
Indicates a closed state.

In the above embodiment, the leading blade and the trailing blade each have four blades, but the present invention does not limit the number of blades, and each blade may be one. . Further, in the above embodiment, the blade chamber of the leading blade is formed between the shutter base plate 1 and the intermediate plate (not shown), and the blade chamber of the rear blade is formed between the intermediate plate and the auxiliary base plate 2. However, the present invention is also applicable to the one in which the blade chamber of the trailing blade is formed between the shutter base plate 1 and the intermediate plate, and the blade chamber of the leading blade is formed between the intermediate plate and the auxiliary ground plate 2. can do. Further, as a focal plane shutter for a digital camera, one having only one shutter blade is also known, but the present invention can be applied to such a shutter.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transparent region of the detachable thin plate member is arranged between the focal plane shutter and the image pickup device, so that the fine powder is directly attached to the image pickup device. There is no such thing. Also, when it is detected by monitor observation that the fine powder has adhered to the thin plate member, the fine powder can be immediately and easily removed without the trouble of disassembling a part of the camera. It can be removed by operation. Further, when the thin plate member is damaged during cleaning of the fine powder, the photographer can obtain only the thin plate member and replace it by himself, which is extremely effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a focal plane shutter used in an embodiment as seen from the subject side, showing a set state of the shutter.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the state in which the focal plane shutter shown in FIG. 1 has an exposure opening fully opened, as viewed in the same manner as in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of mounting the thin plate member in the embodiment, and is a plan view of the focal plane shutter when the state of FIG. 2 is viewed from the photographer side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part of the thin plate member according to the embodiment mounted on a camera as viewed from a photographer side.

5 is a perspective view of a main part viewed from the lower side of FIG. 4. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Shutter base plate 1a, 2a opening 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h axis 1i, 1j, 1k holes 2 auxiliary ground plane 2b, 2c guide part 2d, 2e mounting part 2d-1, 2e-1 Flexible part 2d-2, 2e-2 convex part 2d-3, 2e-3, 2f stopper 3 Shutter control mechanism 4, 5, 8, 9 arms 4a, 8a long hole 6,7,10,11 blades 12 Thin plate member 12a transparent area 12b, 12c steps 12d, 12e recess 12f picking section 13 camera housing 14 Lid

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A focal plane which is arranged in front of an image pickup element such as a CCD having an image pickup surface arranged on an image pickup surface of a photographing lens, and at least one blade chamber is formed between a plurality of plate members. A shutter; and a thin plate member that has a transparent region covering at least the image pickup surface during shooting and is detachably arranged between the image pickup element and the focal plane shutter. A digital camera characterized by. 2. The guide member for guiding the attachment / detachment operation of the thin plate member is formed on the plate member closest to the image pickup device among the plurality of plate members.
Digital camera described in. 3. The plate member closest to the image pickup device among the plurality of plate members is provided with a mounting portion for maintaining the mounting state of the thin plate member. The digital camera described in 2.