JP2004212834A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely supply air to a fuel cell serving as a power source. <P>SOLUTION: A cell chamber 36 houses the fuel cell 12 therein and the fuel cell 12 supplies electric power to respective sections. The cell chamber 36 is disposed adjacently to a lens barrel 35 and a space 35A behind the lens barrel 35 is communicatively connected through an air hole 51 to the space of the cell chamber 36. Also, the cell chamber 36 is communicatively connected through an air hole formed at the base of a camera cover 31 to the outside. When the lens barrel 35 moves to an optical axis direction, the air in the space 35A is thereby supplied through the air hole 51 to the cell chamber 36 and is used for power generation of the fuel cell 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device capable of reliably supplying air to a fuel cell serving as a power supply.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, lithium-ion batteries, alkaline batteries, and the like have been used as power sources for portable electronic devices such as cameras. Small-sized fuel cells have been proposed as next-generation power sources.
[0003]
A fuel cell uses oxygen in the air in addition to using methanol as its fuel, so air circulation is required.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when a fuel cell is used as a power source of the camera, there is a problem that sufficient air may not be supplied to the fuel cell because the housing of the camera has poor air permeability.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and aims to reliably supply air to a fuel cell.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the electronic device of the present invention, a battery chamber that houses a fuel cell, at least one first air hole that communicates the space of the battery chamber to the outside of the housing, and the space of the battery chamber communicates with the space in the lens barrel. And at least one second air hole, and control means for executing control for moving the lens barrel in the optical axis direction, wherein the control means controls the space in the lens barrel when the lens barrel moves in the optical axis direction. Is supplied to the battery chamber through the second air hole.
[0007]
The battery compartment may be adjacent to the lens barrel.
[0008]
The electronic device can be a camera or a digital camera.
[0009]
In the electronic device of the present invention, when the lens barrel is moved in the optical axis direction, air in the space in the lens barrel is supplied to the battery chamber through the second air hole.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical configuration of a camera 1 to which the present invention has been applied.
[0012]
The camera 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a fuel cell 12, a main SW (switch) 13, a zoom SW (switch) 14, a release button 15, a distance measurement unit 16, a photometry unit 17, a lens barrel drive motor 18, It comprises a feed motor 19 and a shutter 21.
[0013]
The fuel cell 12 uses methanol as a fuel, generates energy by using oxygen in the air, and supplies power to the entire camera 1.
[0014]
When the user starts using the camera 1 (when turning on the power), the user operates the main SW 13. The zoom SW 14 is operated by the user when performing a zoom operation. The release button 15 is operated by the user when operating the shutter 21. The CPU 11 controls the operation of the camera based on the input from the main SW 13, the zoom SW 14, and the release button 15.
[0015]
The distance measuring unit 16 measures the distance to the subject. The photometric unit 17 measures the brightness of the subject. The lens barrel drive motor 18 moves the lens barrel to a commanded position. The feeding motor 19 performs a feeding process of winding or rewinding the film 20 by one frame.
[0016]
The CPU 11 determines the shutter speed at the time of shooting, the presence or absence of a flash (not shown), and the like based on the measurement results (distance to the subject and brightness of the subject) of the distance measurement unit 16 and the photometry unit 17. 1 controls the entire operation.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a photographing process in the camera 1 of FIG. This process is started when the main switch 13 is turned on by the user.
[0018]
In step S1, when a signal indicating that the main SW 13 is turned on is input, the CPU 11 puts the camera into an operating state.
[0019]
In step S2, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the user has operated the zoom SW 14 to instruct zooming (instructing to change the magnification of photographing). If it is determined that a zoom command has been input, the process proceeds to step S3, where the CPU 11 controls the lens barrel drive motor 18 to move the lens barrel 35 to the commanded position as shown in FIG. Let it. When the lens barrel 35 moves, air is supplied to the fuel cell 12, which will be described later.
[0020]
After the process in step S3 or in step S2, when it is determined that the zoom command has not been input, the process proceeds to step S4, and the CPU 11 determines whether or not the shooting has been commanded (by operating the release button 15 by the user. Is determined. If it is determined that shooting has not been commanded (the release button 15 has not been operated by the user), the process returns to step S2, and the subsequent processes are repeated.
[0021]
If it is determined in step S4 that shooting has been instructed (the release button 15 has been operated by the user), the process proceeds to step S5, and the CPU 11 executes a process of shooting a subject. Specifically, the CPU 11 controls the distance measuring unit 16 and the photometric unit 17 to measure and acquire the distance to the subject and the brightness. Then, the CPU 11 controls the lens barrel drive motor 18 based on the measurement result, finely adjusts the position of the lens barrel 35, and calculates the exposure time. The shutter 21 is operated for the calculated exposure time, and the photographic lens 38 (see FIG. 3 described later) of the lens barrel 35 exposes the film 20 with light from the subject at the moment when the shutter 21 operates. After the photographing of one frame is completed, the CPU 11 controls the feed motor 19 to transfer only one frame of the film 20 (the portion exposed by the photographing).
[0022]
After the processing in step S5, in step S6, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the main SW 13 has been turned off. If it is determined that the main SW 13 has not been turned off, the CPU 11 returns to step S2 and repeats the subsequent processing.
[0023]
If it is determined in step S6 that the main switch 13 has been turned off, in step S7, the CPU 11 deactivates the camera 1 as shown in FIG. 4 (accordingly, the lens barrel 35 is retracted). The process ends.
[0024]
In this way, the camera 1 can photograph the subject by the processing in FIG.
[0025]
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a horizontal cross section in a state where the camera 1 is operated and the lens barrel 35 is extended to a predetermined position. FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a horizontal section in a state where the camera 1 is not operated and the lens barrel 35 is housed in the camera 1. FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a vertical section of the camera 1.
[0026]
The camera 1 has a camera cover (housing) 31. In FIG. 3 of the camera 1, a patrone chamber 32 is provided on the left side, a lens barrel 35 is provided substantially at the center, and a film chamber 34 is provided on the right side of the lens barrel 35.
[0027]
A battery chamber 36 is provided between the patrone chamber 32 and the lens barrel 35. The fuel cell 12 is housed in the battery chamber 36, and the power from the fuel cell 12 is supplied to each unit that needs the power of the camera 1. The space 35 </ b> A behind the taking lens 38 of the lens barrel 35 communicates with the space of the battery chamber 36 through an air hole 51. Outside air flows into and out of the battery chamber 36 through an air hole 61 formed on the bottom surface of the camera cover 31 so as to communicate with the battery chamber 36.
[0028]
A patrone 33 is stored in the patrone chamber 32, and the film 20 drawn from the patrone 33 is wound around a spool 37 of the film chamber 34.
[0029]
When the photographing process as shown in FIG. 2 is performed, the feed motor 19 is controlled by the CPU 11 to take up one frame of the film 20 on the spool 37 of the film chamber 34.
[0030]
Next, an operation of supplying air to the fuel cell 12 performed with the movement of the lens barrel 35 will be described.
[0031]
When the lens barrel 35 is extended from the stored state, the space 35A behind the lens barrel 35 changes from the state shown in FIG. 4 to the state shown in FIG. That is, at this time, since the volume of the space 35A increases, the air pressure inside the space 35A decreases, and air is taken in from the air holes 61 communicating the space of the battery chamber 36 to the outside of the camera cover 31. The air taken in from the air holes 61 is supplied into the battery chamber 36, and further supplied to the space 35 </ b> A of the lens barrel 35 through the air holes 51 and stored.
[0032]
When the lens barrel 35 is stored from the extended state, the space 35A behind the lens barrel 35 changes from the state shown in FIG. 3 to the state shown in FIG. At this time, the air in the space 35A behind the lens barrel 35 is supplied to the battery chamber 36 through the air hole 51, and the air in the space in the battery chamber 36 is exhausted from the air hole 61.
[0033]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the operation in which air is supplied to the space of the battery chamber 36 in which the fuel cell 12 is housed is performed by repeating the operation of moving the lens barrel 35 forward and backward as shown in FIGS. And the air is refreshed. The fuel cell 12 performs a power generation operation using the air.
[0034]
As described above, the air hole 61 communicating with the outside and the air hole 51 communicating with the space 35A behind the lens barrel 35 are provided in the battery chamber 36 in which the fuel cell 12 is housed, and the photographing process (see FIG. Each time the lens barrel is moved by the process of step S3), the air in the lens barrel is supplied through one air hole and discharged through the other air hole. , Air can be supplied to the fuel cell 12 simply and reliably.
[0035]
In the above-described embodiment, the air holes 61 are provided on the lower surface of the camera 1, but may be provided on the upper surface. Although only one air hole 51, 61 is provided, a plurality of air holes may be provided.
[0036]
As described above, the case where the present invention is applied to a camera using a film (film camera) has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a digital camera or to a portable electronic device other than a camera. You can also.
[0037]
In this specification, a step of describing a computer program refers to not only a process performed in chronological order according to the described order, but also a process executed in parallel or individually even if not necessarily performed in chronological order. Is also included.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, air can be supplied to the fuel cell. In particular, it is possible to supply the air simply and reliably at a low cost without providing a complicated air blowing mechanism.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical configuration of a camera to which the present invention has been applied.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a photographing process in the camera of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a horizontal cross section in an operation state of the camera of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a horizontal cross section of the camera of FIG. 1 in a non-operating state.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a vertical section of the camera of FIG. 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Camera 11 CPU
12 fuel cell 31 camera cover 35 lens barrel 35A space 36 battery chambers 51, 61 air holes

Claims (3)

In electronic devices that use fuel cells as power sources,
A battery chamber for housing the fuel cell;
At least one first air hole communicating the space of the battery chamber to the outside of the housing;
At least one second air hole communicating the space in the battery chamber with the space in the lens barrel;
Control means for performing control to move the lens barrel in the optical axis direction,
An electronic device, wherein the control means supplies air in a space in the lens barrel to the battery chamber through the second air hole when the lens barrel moves in the optical axis direction. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the battery chamber is adjacent to the lens barrel. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a camera or a digital camera.

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