JP2007079385A - Zoom operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a zoom operation device good in operability, constituted of a small number of parts and achieving the simplification of a manufacturing process and the reduction of manufacture cost. <P>SOLUTION: A zoom ring 18 is provided on the upper surface part 3a of a camera body 3 so as to freely turn with the pressing direction of a release button or the like as an axis. Switches on a telephoto side and on a wide angle side 34t and 34w are arranged just under the zoom ring 18. The switches on the telephoto side and on the wide angle side 34t and 34w are constituted of rubber buttons 42t and 42w, a movable contact, fixed contacts 44w and 44t on a printed circuit board 46, and pressing projections 42ta and 42wa having slopes are provided on the rubber buttons 42t and 42w. When the zoom ring 18 is turned by slopes provided at respective parts to be pressed, the rubber buttons 42t and 42w are pressed downward by a pressing projection 23 provided integrally with the zoom ring 18, and the switches are turned on. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a zoom operation device operated when changing a focal length of a photographing lens.

  As a camera, a photographic film camera using a photographic (silver salt) film, a digital camera using an image sensor, and the like are widely used. Many of these cameras are provided with buttons for performing various settings in addition to the release button, and such various operation buttons are often provided on the upper surface of the camera body.

  Usually, a release button or the like to be pressed is provided with a rubber switch immediately below it. A rubber switch is composed of a fixed contact formed on a printed circuit board and a rubber button having a movable contact portion corresponding to the fixed contact. By pressing the rubber button while elastically deforming the rubber switch, the movable contact portion is It is brought into electrical contact with the fixed contact. Such a rubber switch can be integrated with a single printed circuit board by providing a plurality of fixed contacts and integrally forming a plurality of rubber buttons, and the manufacturing cost is low. There are advantages.

Some cameras are equipped with a zoom lens that can change the focal length as a photographic lens, and cameras equipped with the zoom lens are provided with a zoom operation device for changing the focal length. The zoom operation device includes an operation member operated by a photographer and two zoom switches for zooming the photographing lens to the telephoto side and the wide-angle side. For example, in Patent Document 1, a telephoto button and a wide-angle button are provided as operation members. When the telephoto button is pressed, the telephoto switch is turned on, and when the wide-angle button is pressed, the wide-angle switch is turned on. It is comprised so that it may become. Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, there is also known one provided with one operation member that can swing up and down at a telephoto position and a wide-angle position.
JP-A-7-199031 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-2111302

  By the way, when various operation buttons for zoom, such as a release button, are provided on the upper surface of the camera body and the switch for each operation button and the zoom switch are to be integrated as a rubber switch, It has been necessary to move the operating member in the direction of pressing the rubber switch. In other words, if the movement (operation) direction of the operation member is not the direction to press the rubber switch, it is necessary to provide a zoom switch composed of, for example, a micro switch separately from the rubber switch of the release button. There was a problem of increasing the number of points, manufacturing processes, and manufacturing costs.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a zoom operation device that has high operability, can reduce the number of parts, simplify the manufacturing process, and reduce the manufacturing cost. .

  In order to achieve the above object, in the zoom operation device according to claim 1, a telephoto switch and a wide-angle switch are provided with a fixed contact provided on the substrate and a movable contact having conductivity on a surface facing the fixed contact. A movable portion that is movable between a contact position where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact and a separated position where the movable contact is separated, and the pressed portion is supported at the separated position. A rubber button placed on the substrate, which comprises a support portion that elastically deforms as the pressed portion moves to the contact position when a pressing force in a direction toward the contact position is applied. The zoom operation member is a rubber switch, and the operation direction of the zoom operation member is substantially orthogonal to the direction from the separation position toward the contact position, and a pressing protrusion is provided integrally, and the telephoto and wide-angle switches A pressing portion is arranged on the movement locus of the pressing protrusion, and when the zoom operation member reaches a telephoto position or a wide-angle position, the pressing portion comes into contact with the pressing protrusion, and the force from the pressing protrusion is moved from the separated position to the contact position. It is converted into a pressing force in a direction toward the position, and a slope toward the neutral position is formed which is displaced from the separated position to the contact position.

  3. The zoom operation device according to claim 2, wherein a fixed contact of a rubber switch corresponding to the push button of the camera is provided on the substrate, and the rubber button is integrated with a rubber member formed with the rubber button of the rubber switch corresponding to the push button. Is formed.

  In the zoom operation device according to claim 3, the zoom operation member is rotatable between a telephoto position and a wide-angle position on a plane parallel to the substrate. The zoom button includes a release button for causing the push button to perform shooting, and the zoom operation member is formed in a ring shape so as to surround the release button, and between the telephoto position and the wide-angle position on a plane parallel to the substrate. It is made to rotate with.

  According to the present invention, when the pressing force is applied to the pressed portion, the telescopic side and the wide angle side switch are configured by the rubber switch in which the movable contact contacts the fixed contact, respectively, and the pressing protrusion provided on the zoom operation member includes Since the abutting slope is provided on each pressed portion so that the force from the pressing projection is converted into a direction substantially orthogonal to the operation direction, the direction to be pressed is relative to the operation direction in which the zoom operation member moves. A zoom switch can be obtained by using a rubber switch in a substantially orthogonal direction. For this reason, the fixed contact of the operation button rubber switch and the zoom operation rubber switch that have different operation directions from the zoom operation member can be provided on the same substrate, and each rubber button can be integrally formed on the same rubber member. The number of parts can be reduced, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The front of the camera 2 incorporating the zoom operation apparatus of this invention is shown. The camera 2 has a camera body 3 with a photographing mechanism and electronic circuits for performing various controls. On the front surface of the camera body 3, a zoom type photographing lens 4 and an objective window 5a of the finder 5 are provided. The photographing lens 4 has a retractable lens barrel 6 and a lens barrier 7. When the power of the camera 2 is turned on, the illustrated lens barrel 6 is extended from the retracted position stored in the camera body 3 to the protruding position protruding to the front, and the lens barrier 7 covers the lens of the photographing lens 3. The open position exposes the lens from the closed position. When the power is turned off, the lens barrel 6 moves from the protruding position to the retracted position, and the lens barrier 7 moves from the open position to the closed position.

  On the back surface of the camera body 3, an eyepiece side window 5b of the finder 5, a film loading lid and the like (not shown) are provided. The photographer can know the photographing range of the photographing lens 4 by looking into the eyepiece side window 5b. By sliding the lock lever 8 provided on the side surface of the camera body 3 downward, the lock of the film loading lid or the like is released, and the film loading lid can be rotated from the closed position to the open position. When the film loading lid is in the open position, the photographic film cartridge can be loaded and unloaded. When the film loading lid is moved from the open position to the closed position, the lock lever 8 automatically slides upward to load the film. The lid is locked in the closed position.

  On the upper surface 3 a of the camera body 3, a strobe light emitting unit 11, an LCD 12, an operation button 14 of the operation unit 13, a release button 16, and a zoom ring 18 of the zoom operation device 17 are provided. The strobe light emitting unit 11 is movable between a storage position shown in the drawing and an up position that protrudes upward and exposes the strobe light emitting surface. The strobe light emitting unit 11 is in the up position by pressing the pop-up button 19 and can be brought into the storage position by pressing the strobe light emitting unit 11 itself in the up position downward. When the strobe light emitting unit 11 is in the up position, strobe light is emitted from the strobe light emitting surface toward the subject in synchronization with shooting when the subject brightness is below a predetermined level.

  The LCD 12 displays shooting information such as the set shooting mode, the shooting sensitivity of the loaded photo film, the number of remaining shots of the photo film, and the like. By pressing each operation button 14, various settings relating to photographing such as power on / off, photographing sensitivity, self-timer, presence / absence of strobe light emission can be performed.

  The release button 16 can be operated by pressing halfway and pressing the shutter button halfway and then pressing the shutter button halfway down, and the subject brightness and shooting distance are measured by halfway pressing. Shooting is done with full press. In this example, the release button 16 and the operation button 14 are camera push buttons corresponding to rubber switches.

  The zoom ring 18 has a ring shape and is disposed so as to surround the release button 16. The zoom ring 18 is provided with a finger hook 18a for rotating the zoom ring 18. The zoom ring 18 is a zoom operation member that is moved along a predetermined operation direction to one of a telephoto position and a wide-angle position across the neutral position, and from the neutral position illustrated in the circumferential direction thereof. Rotate in the direction of arrow W to rotate between the wide-angle position where the photographic lens 4 is zoomed to the wide-angle side and the telephoto position where the photographic lens 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow T from the neutral position to zoom the photographic lens 4 toward the telephoto side. It is free. That is, the zoom ring 18 is movable in a direction orthogonal to the pressing direction of the operation button 14 and the release button 16 that are pressed.

  The zoom ring 18 arranged as described above is configured so that, when the photographer holds the camera body 3, the index finger for operating the release button 16 can be placed on the finger hook 18a so that it can be naturally rotated. You can move from the zoom operation to the release operation, and from the release operation to the zoom operation.

  FIG. 2 shows the bottom side of the zoom ring 18. A cylindrical outer sleeve 21 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the zoom ring 18 is provided on the lower surface of the zoom ring 18. The outer sleeve 21 guides the rotation of the zoom ring 18 in cooperation with an inner sleeve on the camera body 3 side described later. Engaging claws 22 for assembling to the camera body 3 are provided on the circumferential surface of the outer sleeve 21 at respective positions that are equally divided into four in the circumferential direction. Further, a pressing projection 23 that presses the zoom switch is provided at the front end of the outer sleeve 21, and a spring that biases the zoom ring 18 at a position shifted by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction from the pressing projection 23. An engaging piece 24 to be hung is provided.

  FIG. 3 shows the main configuration. FIG. 4 shows an attachment portion 25 provided on the upper surface portion 3a to which the release button 16 and the zoom ring 18 are attached. The attachment part 25 is provided with parts for assembling the release button 16 and the zoom ring 18 in a circular dish-like part that is one step lower than the upper surface part 3a.

  The release button 16 and the zoom ring 18 are attached to the attachment portion 25 of the camera body 3 from the outside. The release button 16 is provided with a pressing shaft 16a on the lower surface thereof, and an engaging claw 16b extending downward at each position divided into four equal parts in the circumferential direction on the periphery. In the release button 16, the pressing shaft 16 a is inserted into a guide hole 26 provided in the center of the mounting portion 25, and each engagement claw 16 b is inserted into a hole 27 provided around the guide hole 26, and the edge of the hole 27 is inserted. By being engaged with each other, it is assembled so as to be movable up and down.

  The zoom ring 18 is formed by inserting a cylindrical inner sleeve 28 projecting from the mounting portion 25 into the outer sleeve 21 and engaging the engaging claws 22 with the projections 29 provided on the outer periphery of the mounting portion 25. , Can be pivotally assembled. The engaging claws 22 and the protrusions 29 are wide along the rotation direction of the zoom ring 18, and even when the zoom ring 18 is rotated between the wide-angle position and the telephoto position, the engagement is not released. It is like that. The pressing protrusion 23 and the engaging piece 24 protrude into the camera body 3 through openings 31 and 32 provided outside the inner sleeve 28. When the pressing protrusion 23 rotates together with the zoom ring 18 and contacts the end of the opening 31, the zoom ring 18 is regulated to rotate in the range of the wide angle position and the telephoto position.

  A torsion coil spring (hereinafter simply referred to as a spring) 33 as an urging means for urging the zoom ring 18 toward the neutral position inside the upper surface portion 3a and a wide-angle side as a zoom switch A switch 34w and a telephoto switch 34t are provided. These spring 33, wide-angle side switch 34w, telephoto side switch 34t, and zoom ring 18 constitute a zoom operation device 17.

  The spring 33 is held at a predetermined position by passing a pin 38 provided on the inner surface of the upper surface portion 3a through the coil portion. The ends of the spring 33 are arranged so as to extend substantially in parallel to each other in the direction of the central axis of rotation of the zoom ring 18, and between the engagement piece 24 of the zoom ring 18 and the upper surface between them. A restriction pin 39 is provided on the inner surface of the portion 3a.

  When the zoom ring 18 is rotated toward the wide-angle position, the other end of the spring 33 is rotated together with the engagement piece 24 while maintaining one end of each end of the spring 33 engaged with the restriction pin 39. As a result, the zoom ring 18 rotates while accumulating the spring 33. Further, when the rotating operation is performed toward the telephoto position, the spring 33 is stored by rotating the one end together with the engagement piece 24 while maintaining the state where the other end of the spring 33 is locked to the restriction pin 39. The zoom ring 18 rotates while energizing. As a result, the zoom ring 18 is urged toward the neutral position by the spring 33 when it rotates toward the wide-angle position and the telephoto position, and at the neutral position when the rotation operation is released by the urging force. Return.

  The wide-angle switch 34w includes a wide-angle rubber button 42w, a movable movable contact 43w (see FIG. 6) provided on the lower surface of the wide-angle rubber button 42w, and a wide-angle fixed contact 44w with which the movable contact 43w contacts. The rubber switch is turned on when the movable contact 43w contacts the fixed contact 44w. The wide-angle side rubber button 42w is integrally formed with the rubber member 45 together with the other rubber buttons, and the wide-angle side fixed contact 44w is formed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 46 and is electrically connected when the movable contact 38 contacts. This conduction portion turns on the wide-angle side switch 34w. The rubber member 45 is placed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 46. The board on which the fixed contact 44w is provided is not limited to a printed board.

  As shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, the wide-angle rubber button 42w is formed by integrating a thick pressed portion 42wa that is pressed when the switch is turned on and a cylindrical skirt portion 42wb as a support portion. It has a substantially dome shape provided, and a movable contact 43w is integrally provided on the surface of the pressed portion 42a on the printed board 46 side.

  As shown in the figure, the pressed portion 42wa is movable in the vertical direction between a separated position where the movable contact 43w is separated from the fixed contact 44w and a contact position where the movable contact 43w is brought into contact. When no pressing force is applied to the pressed portion 42wa, the skirt portion 48 supports the pressed portion 42wb in the separated position by its rigidity. When a downward pressing force of an appropriate magnitude is applied to the pressed portion 42wa, the skirt portion 42wb is elastically deformed and allows the pressed portion 47 to move to the contact position by the pressing force. When the pressing of the pressed portion 42wa is released, the skirt portion 42wb restores the pressed portion 47 to the separated position by its elastic force.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 to 7, the telephoto switch 34t includes a telescopic rubber button 42t provided integrally with the rubber member 45, and the telescopic rubber button 42t, like the wide-angle rubber button 34w. The movable contact 43t is provided on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 46, and the telephoto fixed contact 44t is formed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 46. The telescopic rubber button 42t includes a pressed portion 42ta and a skirt portion 42tb. Similarly to the wide-angle side rubber button 34w, the telephoto switch 34t is configured such that when a downward pressing force is applied to the pressed portion 42ta, the skirt portion 42tb is elastically deformed and the pressed portion 42ta moves to the contact position. When the pressing is released, the pressed portion 42ta is restored to the separated position by the elastic force of the skirt portion 42tb.

  The pressed portion 42wa of the wide-angle side switch 34w is disposed on the movement locus of the pressing protrusion 23, and is disposed at a position where the zoom ring 18 contacts the pressing protrusion 23 when the zoom ring 18 is in the wide-angle position. The direction from the spaced position of the pressed portion 42wa to the contact position, that is, the direction to be pressed, is downward, and the moving direction (operation direction) of the zoom ring 18 is substantially orthogonal to this direction. Yes. Therefore, the pressed portion 42wa is pressed downward by the pressing projection 23 that moves in a direction orthogonal to the direction (downward) to press the pressed portion 42wa, and the zoom ring 18 rotates during the pressing and pressing. In order to facilitate the smoothing, an inclined surface 47 facing the neutral position is provided on the pressed portion 42wa.

  Similarly, the pressed portion 42ta of the telephoto switch 34t is arranged on the movement locus of the pressing projection 23 at a position where the zoom ring 18 contacts the pressing projection 23 when the zoom ring 18 is in the telephoto position. The direction from the separation position toward the contact position, that is, the direction to be pressed is downward, and the moving direction (operation direction) of the zoom ring is substantially orthogonal to this direction. For this reason, a slope 48 facing the neutral position side is provided at the upper portion of the pressed portion 42ta, and the pressing projection 23 presses the pressed portion 42ta downward, and the zoom ring 18 rotates at the time of pressing and pressing. The movement is performed smoothly.

  In this example, the inclined surface 23a (see FIG. 2) facing the wide-angle position direction and the telephoto position direction is also provided at the tip of the pressing protrusion 23 that contacts the pressed parts 42wa and 42ta, so that the pressed parts can be pressed more smoothly. The parts 42wa and 42ta are pressed and the zoom ring 18 is rotated at the time of pressing.

  A rubber button 52 constituting the rubber switch 51 is integrally formed on the rubber member 45, and the rubber button 52 includes a pressed portion 52a and a skirt portion 52b. The operation button 14 is constituted by a pressed portion 52a and a button cover 14a made of, for example, resin covering the pressed portion 52a, and the button cover 14a is exposed from an opening 55 provided in the upper surface portion 3a.

  Each rubber switch 51 includes the rubber button 52, a movable contact 53 provided on the lower surface of the rubber button 52, and a fixed contact 54 formed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 46. The rubber switch 51 configured as described above may have the same configuration as that of the conventional rubber switch. In this example as well, the movable contact 53 contacts the fixed contact 54 by pressing the operation button 14. By releasing the pressure, the pressed portion 52a is pushed up by the elastic force of the skirt portion 52b, and the movable contact 52 is separated from the fixed contact 54 and turned off.

  A release rubber switch 56 is arranged immediately below the release button 16. The release rubber switch 56 includes a rubber button 57, a movable contact (not shown), and fixed contacts 58 a and 58 b formed on the printed circuit board 46, similar to the rubber switches described above. The release rubber switch 56 is pressed by the pressing shaft 16a of the release button 16 and is turned on. The fixed contact 58a is for half-pressing that contacts the movable contact when the release button 16 is pressed halfway, and the fixed contact 58b is fully pressed to contact the movable contact when fully pressed fully. It is intended for use.

  As described above, the wide-angle switch 34w and the telephoto switch 34t, which are zoom switches, are composed of rubber switches, so that the rubber buttons 42w and 42t and the fixed contacts 44w and 44t constituting them are the release button 16 and the operation button 14 respectively. The rubber member 45 provided with the rubber buttons 51 and 56 and the printed circuit board 46 provided with the fixed contacts 54, 58a and 58b are advantageous in reducing the number of parts, the manufacturing process and the manufacturing cost.

  As described above, the printed circuit board 46 has the fixed contacts 44w, 44t, 54, 58a, and 58b provided on the upper surface thereof, and the LCD 12 is attached thereto. Various circuit components such as a microcomputer that controls the photographing sequence, an autofocus control circuit, and a drive circuit that drives the zoom mechanism of the photographing lens 4 are mounted on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 46. The presence / absence of conduction of each fixed contact 44w, 44t, 54, 58a, 58b, that is, each switch 34w, 34t, 51, 56 is turned on / off is sent to the microcomputer. To control.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described. When shooting, a predetermined operation button 14 of the operation unit 13 is pressed. When the operation button 14 is pressed, the pressed part 52a disposed immediately below the button 14 moves downward while elastically deforming the skirt part 52b, and the movable contact 53 contacts the fixed contact 54. As a result, the operation switch 51 corresponding to the operated operation button 14 is turned on. When the operation switch 51 is turned on, the microcomputer on the printed circuit board 46 starts to operate. Under the control of the microcomputer, the lens barrel 6 is extended from the retracted position to the protruding position, and the lens barrier 7 is opened. It is said.

  After turning on the power, the photographer holds the camera body 3 and looks through the finder 5 to perform framing. At this time, for example, the photographer holds the camera body 3 by holding the camera body 3 with the palm of the right hand placed on the right side of the camera body 3, the thumb on the back side, the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger on the front side. To do. Thus, when holding in a natural posture, the release button 16 and the zoom ring 18 can be operated with the index finger of the right hand without breaking the posture. Moreover, even when each operation of the release button 16 and the zoom ring 18 is performed, the amount of movement between them is small, so that the operation can be quickly switched.

  When zooming the photographic lens 3, a finger is placed on the finger ring 18a of the zoom ring 18, and the zoom ring 18 is rotated toward the wide-angle position or the telephoto position according to the zooming direction. For example, when zooming to the telephoto side, the zoom ring 18 is rotated in the arrow T direction in FIG. 1 to the telephoto position. By this operation, the zoom ring 18 is rotated to the telephoto position while accumulating the spring 33 so as to urge it toward the neutral position.

  In this way, when the zoom ring 18 is rotated to the telephoto position, the inclined surface 23a of the pressing projection 23 abuts on the inclined surface 48 provided on the pressed portion 42ta at the separated position. It is pressed downward by the pressing protrusion 23. Accordingly, the pressed portion 42ta is lowered while the skirt portion 42tb is deformed, and the movable contact 43t is brought into a contact position in contact with the fixed contact 44t. In this way, when the fixed contact 44t contacts the movable contact 43t, the telephoto side switch 34t is turned on, and the turn-on is sent to the microcomputer. Then, the zoom mechanism is driven by the drive circuit while the telephoto switch 34t is on, and the photographing lens 3 is zoomed to the telephoto side.

  When the finger is released from the zoom ring 18 or the operating force is weakened below a certain level, the zoom ring 18 is rotated by the bias of the spring 33 so that the zoom ring 18 is returned to the neutral position. When the zoom ring 18 reaches the neutral position, the zoom ring 18 is not biased by the spring 33, so that the zoom ring 18 is not rotated in any direction. Accordingly, the zoom ring 18 is restored to the neutral position, and this state is maintained.

  By the rotation of the zoom ring 18 from the telephoto position to the neutral position, the pressing protrusion 23 is separated from the inclined surface 48 of the telescopic rubber button 42t, and the pressing of the pressed portion 42ta is released. For this reason, the pressed portion 42ta is moved upward by the elastic force of the skirt portion 48, and the telescopic rubber switch 34t returns to the separated position. Thereby, since the movable contact 43t is separated from the fixed contact 44t, the telephoto side switch 34t is turned off and the zooming to the telephoto side is stopped.

  On the other hand, when zooming to the wide angle side, the zoom ring 18 is rotated to the wide angle position. As in the case of zooming to the telephoto side, when the zoom ring 18 is rotated to the wide-angle position, the inclined surface 23a of the pressing projection 23 comes into contact with the inclined surface 42wa of the wide-angle side rubber button 42w at the separated position. The pressing portion 42wa is pressed downward, the contact point where the movable contact 43w contacts the fixed contact 44w, and the wide-angle side switch 34w is turned on. While the wide-angle switch 34w is on, the zoom mechanism is driven by the drive circuit, and the photographing lens 3 is zoomed to the wide-angle side.

  Also in this case, when the photographer releases the operation of the zoom ring 18, the zoom ring 18 returns to the neutral position by the bias of the spring 33. As the zoom ring 18 rotates from the wide-angle position to the neutral position, the pressing of the wide-angle side rubber button 42w by the pressing protrusion 23 is released, so that the pressed part 42wa is caused by the elastic force of the skirt part 42wb. The wide-angle side rubber switch 34w moves to the separated position by moving upward. Thereby, since the movable contact 43w is separated from the fixed contact 44w, the wide-angle side switch 34w is turned off and the zooming to the wide-angle side is stopped.

  As described above, the photographer rotates the zoom ring 18 to the telephoto position and the wide-angle position to zoom the photographing lens 3 to a desired focal length. For example, when the photographic lens 3 is zoomed, the finder 5 is corrected by the visual field correction mechanism (not shown) so that the visual field range corresponds to the focal range of the zoomed photographic lens 3. The photographer observes the corrected field of view of the finder 5 and stops the operation of the zoom ring 18 when the desired shooting range is reached, and presses the release button 16 to perform shooting. When the release button 16 is pressed, a release switch 56 disposed immediately below the ON button is turned on, and after the subject brightness and the shooting distance are measured, the shutter is activated to perform shooting.

  In the above embodiment, a camera using a photographic film has been described as an example. However, a digital camera or a video camera that captures a subject image with an image sensor may be used. Moreover, although the example in which the zoom ring is provided on the upper part of the camera has been described, it may be provided at other positions. Further, the zoom operation member is not limited to a rotating member, but may be slid linearly.

It is a perspective view which shows the front side external appearance of the digital camera which implemented this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the bottom face side of a zoom ring. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the principal part structure. It is explanatory drawing which shows the attaching part which attaches a zoom ring. It is a top view which shows the position of the cross section of FIG. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is an external view which shows the rubber button of a zoom switch.

Explanation of symbols

18 Zoom ring 23 Pressing protrusion 34w Wide angle side switch 34t Telephoto side switch 42w, 42t Rubber button 42wa, 42ta Pressed part 43w, 43t Movable contact 44w, 44t Fixed contact 45 Rubber member 46 Printed circuit board 47, 48 Slope

Claims (4)

When changing the focal length of the zoom lens, the zoom operation member is moved along a predetermined operation direction to either the telephoto position or the wide-angle position across the neutral position, and the zoom operation member is telephoto. In a zoom operation device comprising a telephoto switch that is turned on when moved to a position and a wide-angle switch that is turned on when moved to a wide-angle position,
The telephoto switch and the wide-angle switch have a fixed contact provided on the substrate and a movable contact having conductivity on a surface facing the fixed contact, and are separated from a contact position where the movable contact is brought into contact with the fixed contact. The pressed portion that is movable between the separated position and the pressed portion is supported at the spaced position, and when a pressing force in a direction from the separated position toward the contact position is applied, A rubber switch provided with a rubber button placed on the substrate consisting of a support portion that elastically deforms as the pressing portion moves to the contact position;
The zoom operation member has an operation direction substantially orthogonal to a direction from the separation position toward the contact position, and a pressing protrusion is integrally provided.
The pressed portion of the telephoto and wide-angle switch is arranged on the movement locus of the pressing protrusion, and comes into contact with the pressing protrusion when the zoom operation member reaches the telephoto position or the wide-angle position. A zoom operation characterized in that a slope toward the neutral position is formed to convert the force from the separation position into a pressing force in a direction from the separation position to the contact position and to displace the separation position to the contact position. apparatus.   The substrate is provided with a fixed contact of a rubber switch corresponding to the push button of the camera, and the rubber button is formed integrally with a rubber member on which the rubber button of the rubber switch corresponding to the push button is formed. The zoom operation device according to claim 1.   The zoom operation device according to claim 1, wherein the zoom operation member is rotatable between a telephoto position and a wide-angle position on a plane parallel to the substrate. The push button includes a release button for executing photographing, and the zoom operation member has a ring shape provided so as to surround the release button, and a telephoto position and a wide-angle position on a plane parallel to the substrate. The zoom operation device according to claim 2, wherein the zoom operation device is rotated between the zoom operation device and the zoom operation device.

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