JP2009193012A - Optical device, lens barrel, and camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical device surely connecting two members requiring electrical connection. <P>SOLUTION: The optical device (1) is provided with a plurality of structural members (20, 40 and 60) which have conductive parts (24, 46 and 65) and are electrically conducted by bring the conductive parts (24, 46 and 65) into contact with each other. At least a part of the conductive part of at least one structural member (40) is formed by plating the surface of a first material (44) in a member manufactured by two-color molding of the first material (44) easily plated and a second material (45) which is harder to plate than the first material (44). At the contact places of the conductive part (46) formed by plating with the conductive parts (24 and 65) of the other structural members (20 and 60), at least one conductive part (24 and 65) of the conductive parts can be elastically deformed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical device, a lens barrel, and a camera.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an optical device, for example, a lens barrel, a VR mechanism and a shutter arranged in the lens barrel and a circuit board that controls them are electrically connected between two members that require electrical connection. In order to achieve this, a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as FPC) is used (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-140022

  However, when connecting the two members by extending the FPC long in the lens barrel, a space for storing the FPC when the lens barrel contracts is required. Further, the FPC may be degraded and cut by repeated contraction. Further, there is a problem that the FPC becomes a load when driving the lens barrel, or the lens barrel operation is hindered without moving as designed.

  An object of the present invention is to reliably connect two members that require electrical connection in an optical device such as a lens barrel.

  The present invention solves the above problems by the following means. In addition, in order to make an understanding easy, although the code | symbol corresponding to embodiment of this invention is attached | subjected and demonstrated, it is not limited to this.

The invention according to claim 1 includes a plurality of structural members (20) that have a conducting portion (24, 46, 65) and are electrically conducted by bringing the conducting portions (24, 46, 65) into contact with each other. , 40, 60), and at least a part of the conducting portion of the at least one structural member (40) is easy to be plated than the first material (44) and the first material (44). Formed by plating the surface of the first material (44) in a member manufactured by two-color molding with two materials (45), and the conductive portion (46) formed by the plating and other structural members The optical device (1) is characterized in that at least one of the conducting portions (24, 65) can be elastically deformed at a contact portion of the (20, 60) with the conducting portion (24, 65).
The invention according to claim 2 is the optical device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the structural members (20, 40, 60) are movable relative to each other, and the structural members move relative to each other. One structural member (20, 40) includes a rectilinear guide portion (22, 48) for guiding the movement of the other structural member (40, 60), and the contact point is along the rectilinear guide portion (22, 48). It is an optical apparatus (1) characterized by moving.
The invention according to claim 3 is the optical device (1) according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the rectilinear guide portions (22, 48) are provided, and the contact portion has two rectilinear guide portions (22, 48). 48), the optical device (1).
Invention of Claim 4 is an optical apparatus (1) of any one of Claims 1-3, Comprising: The said contact location is provided in the flat part, The optical apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. (1).
Invention of Claim 5 is an optical apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4, Comprising: A through-hole (121) is provided in the said structural member (120), This through-hole (121) The conductive portion (122) is formed on the inner surface of the structural member, and the conductive portion (122) provided on the inner surface provides a conductive portion provided on one surface of the structural member (120) and a conductive portion provided on the other surface (and Is an optical device characterized by being continuous.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is a lens barrel (1) comprising the optical device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.
A seventh aspect of the invention is a camera comprising the optical device (1) according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

  Note that the configuration described with reference numerals may be modified as appropriate, and at least a part of the configuration may be replaced with another component.

  According to the present invention, in an optical device such as a lens barrel, it is possible to reliably connect two members that require electrical connection.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each figure shown below is provided with an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system for ease of explanation and understanding. In this coordinate system, the direction toward the left side as viewed from the photographer at the position of the camera when the photographer shoots a horizontally long image with the optical axis A horizontal (hereinafter referred to as a normal photographing position) is the X plus direction. . In addition, a direction toward the upper side at a normal photographing position is a Y plus direction. Furthermore, the direction toward the subject at the normal shooting position is the Z plus direction.

  The lens barrel 1 of the present embodiment is a collapsible lens barrel used for, for example, a photographing lens barrel of a non-lens interchangeable digital camera. 1 to 3 are sectional views including the optical axis A of the lens barrel 1. FIG. 1 shows a retracted state in the lens barrel 1, FIG. 2 shows a wide state, and FIG. 3 shows a tele state.

  The lens barrel 1 includes a first lens group L1, a second lens group L2, a third lens group L3, a CCD 10, an optical low-pass filter (LPF) 11, a CCD base 12, a fixed cylinder 20, a cam cylinder 30, a rectilinear cylinder 40, A first lens group cylinder 50 and a second lens group cylinder 60 are provided.

  The first lens group L1, the second lens group L2, and the third lens group L3 constitute a zoom lens having a three-group structure, and are sequentially arranged from the subject side (subject side) along the optical axis A direction. ing.

  The CCD 10 is a solid-state imaging device that converts the subject image formed by the zoom lens described above into an electrical signal, and is disposed on the exit side of the third lens group L3. The LPF 11 prevents occurrence of moire on an image acquired by the CCD 10 and is provided at a position close to the imaging surface of the CCD 10.

  The CCD base 12 is a disk-shaped member provided at the end of the lens barrel 1 on the Z minus side, and is disposed substantially orthogonal to the optical axis A. A CCD 10 and an LPF 11 are fixed at the center of the CCD table 12.

  The fixed cylinder 20 is fixed to the CCD table 12. The fixed cylinder 20 has a cam groove 21 that engages with a protrusion 31 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) of the cam cylinder 30 on its inner peripheral surface, and a rectilinear guide groove that guides the protrusion 41 of the rectilinear cylinder 40. 22 is formed.

  4 is a cross-sectional view of the fixed cylinder 20 and the rectilinear cylinder 40 taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion where the fixed cylinder 20 and the rectilinear cylinder 40 in FIG. 3 are engaged with each other. As shown in FIG. 4, on the inner surface side of the fixed cylinder 20, the rectilinear guide grooves 22 that guide the linear movement of the protrusion 41 of the rectilinear cylinder 40 are provided at three locations. The inner surface of the fixed cylinder 20 between the two rectilinear guide grooves 22a in the Y plus direction of the rectilinear guide grooves 22 is formed flat without being curved. In the flat portion, an elastic member 23 such as foam or elastomer is disposed from the Z plus direction end to the Z minus direction end of the fixed cylinder 20. Further, the surface of the elastic member 23 is also formed flat, and the FPC 24 is attached to the surface of the elastic member 23 from the Z plus direction end portion to the Z minus direction end portion of the fixed cylinder 20 similarly to the elastic member 23. Has been. The FPC 24 passes between the lens barrel 1 and the CCD base 12 on the Z minus side and is connected to the main board inside the camera.

  The cam cylinder 30 is a cylinder inserted on the inner diameter side of the fixed cylinder 20, and cam grooves 33 and 32 for driving the second lens group cylinder 60 and the first lens group cylinder 50 are formed on the inner peripheral surface. Yes. A protrusion 31 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) to be inserted into the cam groove 21 of the fixed cylinder 20 is formed on the outer peripheral surface. The cam barrel 30 includes a gear 34 on the side surface, and is rotated around the optical axis A by a driving device (not shown) when the lens barrel 1 is driven to move between the retracted state, the wide state, and the telephoto state. Driven. By this rotation, the cam cylinder 30 rotates with respect to the fixed cylinder 20 and can be moved along the optical axis A by the cam groove 21, and further, the rectilinear cylinder 40, the first lens group cylinder 50 and the second lens group cylinder 60. Are driven in the direction of the optical axis A.

  The rectilinear cylinder 40 is a cylinder inserted on the inner diameter side of the cam cylinder 30, and guides a projection 51 of the first lens group cylinder 50 and a projection 61 of the second lens group cylinder 60 described later on the inner surface thereof. A rectilinear guide groove 48 is provided. The rectilinear cylinder 40 includes an annular flange portion 42 formed radially outward at the end on the minus side of the optical axis A direction Z. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the outer peripheral side of the flange portion 42, projections 41 that engage with the rectilinear guide groove 22 are provided at three locations.

  The rectilinear cylinder 40 is manufactured by two-color molding of a first material 44 that is easily metal-plated and a second material 45 that is difficult to be metal-plated. As these materials, for example, an ABS resin for plating is used as the first material 44, and polycarbonate is used as the second material 45.

  An example of two-color molding is to inject a second material 45 into a mold to mold a cylindrical part as a base of the straight cylinder 40, and then replace or move a part of the mold, The first material 44 is injected into the space formed by the exchange or movement. The first material 44 forms four lines extending along the optical axis A over substantially the entire area from the Z minus side end to the Z plus side end on the inner peripheral surface of the rectilinear cylinder 40. To be molded. When the chemical plating process is performed on the member manufactured by the two-color molding, only the surface of the first material 44 that is easily gold-plated is plated, and the surface of the second material 45 that is difficult to be gold-plated is not plated. As the chemical plating process, first, a chemical plating process for plating copper on the surface of the first material 44 as a base is performed, and then a chemical plating process for plating gold on the copper is performed. As a result, four line-shaped gold plating portions 46 extending along the optical axis A are formed.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a contact portion between the fixed cylinder 20 and the rectilinear cylinder 40. As shown in the drawing, in the straight cylinder 40, the second material 45 constitutes most of the straight cylinder 40, and the first material 44, that is, the plating portion 46, forms the inner surface of the straight cylinder 40 in four lines in the Z plus direction. The Z minus side of the flange portion 42 extends toward the outer peripheral side, and the outer peripheral portion of the flange portion 42 extends. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plating portion 46 extending from the outer peripheral portion of the flange portion 42 includes two protrusion portions 41 a existing in the y plus direction among the protrusion portions 41 provided on the flange portion 42. It is arranged between. As described above, the FPC 24 attached to the elastic member 23 provided between the rectilinear guide grooves 22a of the fixed cylinder 20 is in contact with each other. In this contact, the plated portion 46 and the FPC 24 are in contact with each other with a predetermined pressure applied, and the plated portion 46 and the FPC 24 are pressed against each other.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the first lens group cylinder 50 is disposed on the inner diameter side of the cam cylinder 30. Further, the first lens group cylinder 50 includes a protrusion 51 inserted into the above-described linear guide groove 48 of the linear cylinder 40 and the cam groove 32 of the cam cylinder 30 on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Further, the first lens group cylinder 50 is fixed with a first lens group chamber 52 which is an annular member to which the first lens group L1 is fixed on the inner diameter side in the optical axis A direction Z plus side.

  The second lens group cylinder 60 is a cylinder that is inserted on the inner diameter side of the rectilinear cylinder 40 and is a moving cylinder that is driven by the cam cylinder 30 in the optical axis A direction. The second lens group cylinder 60 has a protrusion 61 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, which penetrates the rectilinear guide groove 48 formed in the rectilinear cylinder 40 and is inserted into the cam groove 33 of the cam cylinder 30. Furthermore, the second lens group cylinder 60 includes a second lens group chamber 62 which is an annular member to which the second lens group L2 and the VR mechanism are fixed on the inner diameter side thereof.

  FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a contact portion between the second lens group cylinder 60 and the rectilinear cylinder 40 in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, two protrusions 63 are provided on the Y plus side of the second lens group chamber 62 that holds the second lens group L2 and the VR mechanism V. Between the protrusions 63, similarly to the elastic member 23 provided on the rectilinear cylinder 40, an elastic member 64 such as foam or elastomer is disposed, and the surface thereof is formed flat.

  Further, an FPC 65 that is electrically connected to the VR mechanism is attached to the second lens group chamber 62. And like the above-mentioned fixed cylinder 20, FPC65 and the plating part 46 provided in the rectilinear cylinder 40 contact, and both are mutually electrically connected. In this contact, the plating portion 46 and the FPC 65 are in contact with each other with a predetermined pressure applied, and the plating portion 46 and the FPC 65 are pressed against each other.

  Next, the operation at the time of driving the lens barrel 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the lens barrel 1, the FPC 24 attached to the inner surface of the fixed cylinder 20 connected to the main substrate is connected to the plating portion 46 of the rectilinear cylinder 40 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. Contact. At this time, since a predetermined pressure is applied between the FPC 24 and the plating portion 46 as described above, they are reliably contacted. Furthermore, since the apex of the plated portion 46 is aligned with the flat portion and the FPC 24 is also adhered to the flat portion, pressure is equally applied to the four contact points in the plated portion 46.

  The plated portion 46 is in contact with the FPC 65 attached to the second lens group tube 60 as shown in FIG. Also at the time of this contact, similarly to the above, the plating part 46 and the FPC 65 are pressed against each other, and both are reliably in contact. The FPC 65 is connected to the VR mechanism V, and a conduction path from the main board to the VR mechanism V is secured.

  When the lens barrel 1 shifts from the retracted state of FIG. 1 to the wide state of the photographing state shown in FIG. 2, the cam barrel 30 rotates around the optical axis A with respect to the fixed barrel 20 via a gear 34 from a driving device (not shown). And is guided by the cam groove 21 of the fixed cylinder 20 to move toward the subject side in the optical axis A direction. The rectilinear cylinder 40 moves to the subject side in the optical axis A direction along with the cam cylinder 30. The first lens group tube 50 is extended toward the subject side in the direction of the optical axis A by a cam mechanism including the rectilinear guide groove 48, the cam groove 32, and the protrusion 51.

  In this movement of the rectilinear cylinder 40 toward the subject side in the direction of the optical axis A, the rectilinear cylinder 40 slides while being guided by the rectilinear guide groove 22 of the fixed cylinder 20. At this time, the contact between the FPC 24 and the plating portion 46 between the protrusions 41a shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 also moves. Since the contact is in a pressed state during movement, it can be moved while maintaining a reliable contact state. Further, since the contact point is provided between the rectilinear guide grooves 22a (protrusions 41a), when the rectilinear cylinder 40 moves with respect to the fixed cylinder 20, the contact is not likely to be unstable, and a reliable contact state is maintained. Be drunk.

  Further, when the lens barrel 1 shifts from the retracted state of FIG. 1 to the wide state of the photographing state shown in FIG. 2, the second lens group tube 60 moves in the Z plus direction with respect to the rectilinear tube 40. In this movement, the contact between the plating part 46 and the FPC 65 between the linear guide grooves 48a (projections 63) of the second lens group cylinder 60 shown in FIG. 8 also moves. Since the contact is in a pressed state during movement, it is moved while maintaining a reliable contact state. Further, since the contact point is provided between the straight guide grooves 48a (protrusions 63), a reliable contact state is maintained without wobbling.

  When the cam cylinder 30 is further rotated from the wide state, the first lens group cylinder 50 advances straight toward the subject side in the optical axis A direction, and enters the tele state. In this case, in this embodiment, the rectilinear cylinder 40 and the fixed cylinder 20 do not move, and the second lens group cylinder 60 moves in the Z plus direction with respect to the rectilinear cylinder 40. Also in this movement, the contact point between the plated portion 46 and the FPC 65 between the linear guide groove 48a (projection portion 63) also moves. Since the contact is in a pressed state during movement, it is moved while maintaining a reliable contact state. Further, since the contact point is provided between the straight guide grooves 48a (protrusions 63), a reliable contact state is maintained without wobbling.

As described above, the present embodiment has the following effects.
(1) In this embodiment, the FPC 24 provided in the fixed cylinder 20 is disposed on the elastic member 23. In contact between the FPC 24 and the plating portion 46 provided on the rectilinear cylinder 40, the FPC 24 and the plating portion 46 are in contact with each other with a predetermined pressure applied. Since the elastic member 23 presses the plated portion 46 through the FPC 24 by a restoring force, the FPC 24 and the plated portion 46 can be pressed against each other and reliably contact each other. Further, the same effect can be obtained in the contact between the FPC 65 of the second lens group cylinder 60 and the plated portion 46 provided in the rectilinear cylinder 40.
(2) In the present embodiment, the FPCs 24 and 65 are used, and the FPCs 24 and 65 are attached to the surfaces of the fixed cylinder 20 and the second lens group cylinder 60, respectively. The FPCs 24 and 65 are not configured to be bent or bent. Therefore, problems such as disconnection of the conduction path due to deterioration caused by repeated bending and bending of the FPC do not occur. Further, a space for storing the FPC is not necessary.
(3) In this embodiment, the contact point between the plated portion 46 and the FPCs 24 and 65 is provided between the straight guide grooves 22a and 48a. Therefore, when moving, the contact is less likely to wobble and a reliable contact state is maintained. (4) In this embodiment, the apex of the plated portion 46 is arranged flat, and the FPCs 24 and 65 are also attached to the flat portion. . Therefore, pressure is evenly applied to the four contact points in the plated portion 46, and stable contact is maintained.

(Deformation)
As described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications and changes as described below are possible, and these are also within the scope of the present invention.
(1) In the present embodiment, a foam or an elastomer is used as an elastic member in order to ensure contact between the fixed cylinder 20 and the rectilinear cylinder 40 and between the rectilinear cylinder 40 and the second lens group cylinder 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modification of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the two-color molding, for example, a second material 101 such as polycarbonate having elasticity can be molded into a thin plate shape, and the first material 102 can be molded into the thin plate portion. Since the thin plate-like portion has elasticity, it can elastically contact the other member 100 by its spring force. Then, by applying a pressing force between them, the elastic thin plate-like member is bent at the time of contact, and more reliable contact can be ensured by the spring force.
(2) In this embodiment, the FPC 24 is passed between the CCD table 12 and the fixed cylinder 20, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the fixed cylinder 120 is also manufactured by two-color molding, a through-hole 121 is provided on the side surface of the fixed cylinder 120, and a plated portion 122 is formed on the inner surface thereof. It is also possible to connect the outer peripheral surface.
(3) In the present embodiment, the line made of the first material 44, that is, the plated portion 46, extends from the image side (Z minus side) end of the rectilinear cylinder 40 to the subject side (Z plus side) end. Manufactured. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first material 44 (plated portion 46) may not extend to the end as long as the first material 44 (plated portion 46) is provided over a length that allows the two members to move relatively.
(4) In this embodiment, the conduction path that connects the main board and the VR mechanism has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a conduction path that connects the main board and the shutter drive unit, for example. .
Note that the embodiment and the modification can be combined as appropriate, but detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

It is a section of a lens barrel in one embodiment of the present invention, and is a figure showing a retracted state. It is a section of a lens barrel in one embodiment of the present invention, and is a figure showing a wide state. It is a section of a lens barrel in one embodiment of the present invention, and is a figure showing a tele state. It is sectional drawing along the III-III line in FIG. 2 of a fixed cylinder and a rectilinear cylinder. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a fixed cylinder and a straight cylinder that are engaged with each other in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a contact portion between a fixed cylinder and a rectilinear cylinder 4. It is an enlarged view of the contact part of a 2nd lens group cylinder and a rectilinear advance cylinder. It is sectional drawing along the VIII-VIII line of FIG. It is the figure which showed the modification of embodiment. It is the figure which showed the modification of embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  1: lens barrel, 20: fixed tube, 22: rectilinear guide groove, 23: elastic member, 24: FPC, 40: rectilinear tube, 44: first material, 45: second material, 46: plated portion, 48: Straight guide groove, 60: second lens group chamber, 64: elastic member, 65: FPC

Claims (7)

A plurality of structural members that have a conducting portion and are electrically conducted by bringing the conducting portions into contact with each other;
The first material in a member manufactured by two-color molding of a first material that is easy to plate and a second material that is harder to plate than the first material, at least a part of the conducting portion in at least one of the structural members Formed by plating the surface of
An optical device, wherein at least one of the conducting portions is elastically deformable at a contact portion between the conducting portion formed by the plating and a conducting portion of another structural member. The optical device according to claim 1,
The structural members are movable relative to each other;
One structural member of the structural members that move relative to each other includes a rectilinear guide portion that guides the movement of the other structural member,
The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion moves along the straight guide portion. The optical device according to claim 2,
A plurality of the straight guide portions are provided;
The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the contact point moves between two linear guide portions. The optical device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The optical device, wherein the contact portion is provided in a flat portion. The optical device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The structural member is provided with a through hole, the conductive portion is formed on the inner surface of the through hole, and the conductive portion provided on the inner surface is provided on one surface of the structural member and the other surface. An optical device characterized in that the conducting portion is continuous.   A lens barrel comprising the optical device according to claim 1.   A camera comprising the optical device according to claim 1.

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