JP2006047448A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dustproof/waterproof imaging device without any increase of the number of components without impairing the original function of the imaging device by obtaining sealing performance by an internal components composed of elastic members. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging device has an almost flat outer shape, an opening for a photographic lens in its front face, and the components composed of the elastic members. In the imaging device, a mechanical component projecting from a partly external opening, which is composed of the elastic member, serves as a dustproof/waterproof packing for a peripheral opening. Alternatively, an operation switch, which is composed of the elastic member, and the dustproof/waterproof packing are integrally formed. Further, a cover member for an external connection terminal, which is composed of the elastic member, and the dustproof/waterproof packing are integrally formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a component configuration of an imaging apparatus having a dustproof / waterproof structure.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, imaging apparatuses (digital still cameras and the like) that can display an image captured by an imaging element or the like or record it on a recording medium have been widely used.

  In such an imaging apparatus, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 or the like, an imaging apparatus in which a thin plate-like elastic member is provided between an opening of the imaging apparatus main body and a lid that closes the opening for the purpose of waterproofing, or An imaging device is known in which a packing is arranged for each of a plurality of window portions (such as a viewfinder).

JP 09-325396 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-15510

  However, disposing packings in each of a plurality of parts of the imaging apparatus for the purpose of dustproofing and waterproofing contributes to an increase in cost due to an increase in the number of parts, an increase in molds associated with the number of parts, and an increase in assembly man-hours.

  Also, in recent years, imaging devices that use an integrated switch using an elastic material such as rubber, which is less expensive with the increase in operation switches, and gripping of the imaging device body so that camera shake does not occur during shooting. The use of elastic materials has increased as a performance improvement.

  Elastic materials are materials that exhibit sealing performance due to the stress generated by crushing, and typical materials include synthetic rubbers such as nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, fluoro rubber, acrylic rubber, butyl rubber, styrene rubber, urethane rubber, etc. Are better.

  The present invention provides a dustproof / waterproof imaging device that does not increase the number of components without impairing the functions of the imaging device inherently, by combining the sealing performance with the internal parts made of the elastic material in the imaging device. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an imaging apparatus having a substantially flat outer shape, a photographing lens opening on a front surface, and a component made of an elastic member. A functional part made of the elastic member and partially protruding from the exterior opening serves also as a dustproof / waterproof packing for the surrounding opening.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, an operation switch made of an elastic member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed.

  A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, a cover member for an external connection terminal made of an elastic member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed.

  The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1, a grip member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed for the purpose of improving the gripping performance of a camera constituted by an elastic member.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the peripheral portion of the portion having the hole on the exterior side plate of the optical viewfinder or the liquid crystal display device is covered with an elastic member and pressed by the rear side plate. A dustproof / waterproof packing and an operation switch (or other elastic component) formed of the elastic member are integrally formed.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer peripheral edge of the front side plate and the rear side plate is covered with an elastic member, and the dustproof / waterproof packing pressed by the mating portion of the front side plate and the rear side plate, The operation switch (or other elastic component) made of an elastic member is integrally formed.

  The invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2, at least two or more colors can be provided for each of the dustproof / waterproof packing portion, the operation switch, and the operation switch.

  According to the present invention, by making full use of the characteristics of the internal parts formed of the elastic member in the imaging device, the number of components is not increased and the number of assembling steps is reduced without impairing the function of the inherent imaging device. A dustproof / waterproof imaging device can be provided.

  Further, by changing the color for each dustproof / waterproof packing, operation switch, and operation switch, the visibility of the switch function is improved, and erroneous operation is prevented. In addition, the degree of freedom in design can be improved.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 5 show an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention. The positions of constituent members in which a dustproof / waterproof packing 11, a grip member 5, and a cover member 8 for external connection terminals are integrally formed are indicated by hatched portions. Yes.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, and the positions of the components in which the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 and the operation switch 9 are integrally formed are indicated by hatched portions. FIG. 3 is a schematic rear perspective view of the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, and the positions of constituent members in which the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 and the operation switch 9 are integrally formed are indicated by hatched portions. FIG. 4 is a schematic rear perspective view of the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, and the positions of constituent members in which the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 on the outer peripheral edge and the operation switch 9 are integrally formed are shown by hatched portions (dustproof / (The connection between the waterproof packing 11 and the operation switch 9 is not shown). FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the operation switch portion of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an image pickup apparatus body, and various internal components of the image pickup apparatus are covered by a front side plate 1a and a rear side plate 1b. A photographing lens opening 2 is disposed on the front surface, and a subject image is formed on the image sensor by an optical system disposed therein.

  Thereafter, the image formed is converted into an electric signal by the image pickup device and subjected to signal processing inside the main body. Also, an optical viewfinder 3 is provided on the upper side, a strobe light emission window 4 that emits light as needed when the amount of light is insufficient at the time of shooting, and a grip member 5 for improving the gripping performance of the camera on the left. .

  A liquid crystal display device 6 is provided on the rear surface portion, and is used for confirming a subject image to be captured and for reproducing and displaying the captured image. Reference numeral 7 denotes a shutter button. By operating the shutter button 7, a subject is imaged and recorded on a recording medium. Reference numeral 8 denotes a cover member that covers an external connection terminal made of an elastic material. A video jack for displaying a captured image on an external monitor (TV or the like) or an image captured on a PC is transferred to the external connection terminal. There is a connection part to use.

  Reference numeral 9 denotes an operation switch made of an elastic material. The operation switch 9 integrally formed with the dustproof / waterproof packing is composed of a plurality of switches having various functions such as a power switch, and is fixed by being sandwiched between the rear side plate 1b and the operation board 10.

  When the operation switch 9 is pressed in the G direction, the operation switch 9 comes into contact with the operation switch conductive portion 9a and the operation substrate conductive pattern 10a and transmits an electrical signal.

  Next, the component member layout of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, it has a substantially flat outer shape, has a photographing lens opening 2 on the front surface portion, and is made of a grip member 5 made of an elastic member and a cover member 8 for external connection terminals that are dustproof and waterproof. The packing 11 is integrally formed (the integrally formed member is indicated by a hatched portion).

  The elastic member integrally formed with the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 may be both the grip member 5 and the cover member 8 for external connection, or one of them.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral portion of the optical viewfinder 3 or the liquid crystal display device 6 is covered with a dustproof / waterproof packing 11 and is integrally formed with an operation switch 9 made of an elastic member (the integrally formed member is a hatched portion). ). The operation switch 9 and the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 are pressed and fixed by the rear side plate.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic rear perspective view of the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral portion of the optical viewfinder 3 or the liquid crystal display device 6 is covered with a dustproof / waterproof packing 11 and is integrally formed with an operation switch 9 made of an elastic member (the integrally formed member is a hatched portion). ). The operation switch 9 and the dustproof / waterproof packing 11 are pressed and fixed by the rear side plate.

  The dustproof / waterproof packing 11 is not limited to the optical viewfinder 3 and the liquid crystal display device 6, but is a hole on an exterior side plate such as the photographing lens opening 2, the shutter button 6, and the periphery of the external connection terminal 8. What covers the peripheral part of the site | part which has is included.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic rear perspective view of the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the outer peripheral edges of the front side plate 1a and the rear side plate 1b are covered with a dustproof / waterproof packing 11 and are integrally formed with an operation switch 9 which is made of an elastic member (the integrally formed member is a hatched portion). Show). The dustproof / waterproof packing 11 is pressed and fixed at the joining portion of the front side plate 1a and the rear side plate 1b.

  In FIG. 4, the front side plate 1 a and the rear side plate 1 b are configured to divide in the front-rear direction.

  FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the operation switch 9 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the operation switch 9 is configured to send an electrical signal by contacting the operation switch conductive portion 9a and the operation substrate conductive pattern 10a when pressed in the G direction.

  As a result, by making full use of the characteristics of the structural members made up of elastic members in the imaging device, there is no increase in the number of parts without impairing the functions of the original imaging device, and a dustproof / waterproof imaging device with a small number of assembly steps Can be provided.

1 is a schematic front view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic rear view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic rear perspective view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a schematic rear perspective view of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the operation switch of the imaging device which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image pick-up device body 2 Shooting lens opening 3 Optical viewfinder 4 Strobe light emission window 5 Grip member 6 Liquid crystal display device 7 Shutter button 8 External connection terminal cover 9 Operation switch 10 Operation board 11 Dust / waterproof packing

Claims (7)

In an imaging device having a substantially flat outer shape, having a photographing lens opening on the front surface portion, and provided with a component part made of an elastic member,
An image pickup apparatus comprising the elastic member and partially serving as a dustproof / waterproof packing for a peripheral opening by a functional component partially protruding from an exterior opening.   2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation switch made of an elastic member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed.   2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cover member for an external connection terminal made of an elastic member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed.   2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a grip member for improving the grip performance of the camera constituted by an elastic member and a dustproof / waterproof packing are integrally formed.   The peripheral part of the part having the hole on the exterior side plate such as the optical viewfinder or the liquid crystal display device is covered with an elastic member, and the dustproof / waterproof packing pressed by the rear side plate and the operation switch composed of the elastic member (or other The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an elastic part is integrally formed.   The outer peripheral edge of the front plate and the rear plate is covered with an elastic member, and a dustproof / waterproof packing pressed by the mating portion of the front plate and the rear plate and an operation switch (or other elastic component) composed of the elastic member are integrally formed. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein   3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the dustproof / waterproof packing portion, the operation switch, and the operation switch can have at least two colors.

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