JP2012203012A - Lens cap - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lens cap capable of securing sufficient sliding stroke in operation sections even with a small diameter and having good operability.SOLUTION: The lens cap has a cap body and the pair of operation sections composing a substantially disk-like lens cap along with the cap body. In this case, the pair of operation sections has at least one portion faced in the direction of a diameter and the operation sections are respectively attached to the cap body to be capable of sliding in the direction of the diameter. In between respective operation sections and the cap body, one or more energizing members are respectively provided for energizing the respective operation sections in the outward direction in the direction of the diameter. All of the energizing members are arranged to cross with a virtual plane which is a perpendicular surface to the sliding direction of the operations sections and going through the center in between the pair of operation sections.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens cap that is detachably attached to an engagement portion at the inner periphery of the front end of a lens barrel of a lens used in, for example, a still camera or a video camera.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are the following lens caps that are attached to the engaging portion of the inner periphery of the front end of the lens barrel in order to protect the lens when the camera is not photographed. In other words, the circular cap body is provided with a pair of operation parts, and the operation parts engage with the engagement part on the inner periphery of the front end portion of the lens barrel and are moved to the center of the cap body by the user's operation. It slides toward and releases engagement.

  This operation part is urged | biased by the compression spring to the radial direction outer side with respect to the cap main body. Further, one compression spring is provided for each operation unit. These compression springs are arranged on a straight line in the sliding direction of the operation portion via a spring receiving portion provided in the cap body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Registered Utility Model No. 3007668

  However, the conventional lens cap has a problem that when the diameter of the lens barrel front end inner diameter is small and similar, the sliding stroke of the operation unit is shortened and the operability is deteriorated. . In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a lens cap that can secure a sufficient sliding stroke even when the diameter is reduced and has good operability.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a cap body and a pair of operation parts that together with the cap body constitute a substantially disk-shaped lens cap, and at least a part of the pair of operation parts is in the radial direction. The operation parts are attached to the cap body so as to be slidable in the radial direction, and the operation parts are arranged radially outward between the operation parts and the cap body. One or more urging members to be urged are provided, and each of the urging members is a surface perpendicular to the sliding direction of the operation portion and passes through the center between the pair of operation portions. Provided is a lens cap which is arranged so as to intersect with a virtual plane.

  According to the present invention, a sufficient sliding stroke can be ensured even when the diameter is reduced, and a lens cap with good operability can be provided.

It is the top view and sectional drawing which show the lens cap of 1st Embodiment of this application. (A) is a top view of the surface on the side facing the lens when the lens cap of the first embodiment is attached to the lens barrel, and shows a state in which a pair of operation units are removed from the cap body. FIG. 2B is a plan view when viewed from the lens side in a state where the lens cap of the first embodiment is attached to the lens barrel. (C) shows the hole which accommodates the biasing member provided in the cap main body in the AA cross section of (b), and the guide shaft which guides the biasing member provided in the 2nd operation part. (D) shows the cap main body in the BB cross section of (b), the operation side guide part of the 2nd operation part, and the latching protrusion part. It is the top view and sectional drawing which show the lens cap of 1st Embodiment of this application. (A) is a top view of the surface on the opposite side to the surface by the side of the lens of the lens cap which concerns on this embodiment. (B) is the CC cross section of (a). It is the top view and sectional view which show the lens cap of 2nd Embodiment of this application. (A) is a top view of the surface on the side facing the lens when the lens cap is attached to the lens barrel, the left side is a state in which the operation unit is removed, and the right side is the lens cap attached to the front end of the lens barrel. Indicates the state. (B) is the DD cross section of (a), and shows that the attachment part is mutually shifted by a half pitch.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the description, when the lens cap is attached to the front end of the lens barrel, the side facing the lens is the “lens side”, the side opposite to the lens side of the lens cap is the “front side”, and the lens side and front of the lens cap The direction perpendicular to the side surface is defined as the “direct axis direction”.

  FIG. 1A is a plan view of the lens-side surface of the lens cap according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which a pair of operation portions are removed from the cap body. As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D, the lens cap 100 includes a cap body 1 mainly formed of a synthetic resin or the like, and a first operation unit 2 and a second operation unit 3 formed of a synthetic resin or the like. It consists of. The cap body 1 is formed with attachment portions 4a and 4b for attaching a pair of operation portions 2 and 3 to positions in the peripheral portion facing each other in the radial direction.

  Between each of the cap body 1 and the operation units 2 and 3, there are provided a first urging member 5a and a second urging member 5b, which are, for example, coil springs that urge the operation units 2 and 3, respectively. The urging members 5a and 5b are both arranged perpendicularly to a straight line passing through the center point of the lens cap 100 perpendicular to the sliding direction of the operation unit in a plan view and shifted from each other in a non-linear manner. Thereby, the lens cap 100 has a space for accommodating the urging member as compared with the case where the first urging member 5a and the second urging member 5b are arranged linearly via the spring receiver. The sliding direction can be significantly shortened. According to such a configuration, the diameter of the lens cap 100 can be reduced by reducing the length without the biasing member itself being shortened. A sufficient sliding stroke of the part can be ensured.

  In the lens cap 100 of the present embodiment, the urging members 5a and 5b are arranged in parallel in a plan view, but in order to obtain the effect of the present invention, they are arranged in parallel in the orthogonal axis direction. It may be arranged. Further, the number of urging members is not limited to one for each operation unit, and the number of urging members provided in each operation unit does not need to be the same, and three or more lens caps can be arranged as a whole. is there. Furthermore, the urging member may not be arranged in parallel with the sliding direction of the operation unit as long as it can urge the operation unit. In addition, the urging members 5a and 5b may be members other than the coil spring as long as they can urge the operation portion, or may be a combination thereof.

  The cap body 1 is formed with holes 6a and 6b for accommodating the urging members 5a and 5b, respectively. The operation parts 2 and 3 are provided with guide shafts 7a and 7b for guiding each urging member in the sliding direction of the operation part. Although it is conceivable to form the hole portions 6a and 6b for accommodating the biasing members 5a and 5b in the operation portions 2 and 3, the cap body 1 and the operation portions 2 and 3 are fitted to the cap body 1 on the female side, Since the operation part is on the male side, the structure becomes complicated if the hole (6a, 6b) on the female side with respect to the biasing member is formed in the operation part on the male side. By forming the holes 6a and 6b in the cap body 1 as in the present embodiment, the structure can be simplified and the lens cap can be made thinner. Similarly to the holes 6a and 6b, the male operation portions 2 and 3 are provided with the guide shafts 7a and 7b on the male side with respect to the hole, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the thickness of the lens cap. Can be

  The operation parts 2 and 3 are provided with operation side guide parts 8a and 8b extending from the vicinity of both ends of the end surface facing the other operation part respectively toward the other operation part side in parallel with the sliding direction of the operation part. Forming. The operation side guide portion 8a formed in the operation portion 2 is arranged radially outside the operation side guide portion 8b formed in the operation portion 3 so as not to interfere with the operation portion 8b. Yes. The operation side guide portions 8a and 8b guide the operation portion in an appropriate direction when the operation portion is pressed.

  In the present embodiment, two operation side guide portions are provided in each of the operation portions 2 and 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to provide one or three or more.

  A locking projection 9 that protrudes toward the front side is formed at the tip of the operation side guides 8a and 8b to prevent the urged operation unit from coming off.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (d), the locking projection 9 has a gradually increasing protrusion from the distal end side to the operation unit body side, and the end surface on the operation unit body side is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the operation unit. It is a surface. As a result, as described later in the assembly method, the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b can be elastically deformed, and after assembly, when the operation portion is urged by the urging member, it is locked at a predetermined position. It has a structure that is hard to come off.

  The cap main body 1 is formed with main body side guide portions 10a and 10b for receiving the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b. The main body side guide portions 10a and 10b are further provided with locking projections as the operation portion slides. Each of the groove portions 11 is formed with a locking contact surface 12 on which the locking projection 9 contacts when the operating portion is urged radially outward. .

  As will be described later in the lens cap assembling method, the locking projection 9 is elastically deformed like the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b so that the locking projection 9 does not interfere with the assembly. Although it is necessary to form in the easy part, as a part which is easy to be elastically deformed, the rod-like part like the operation side guide part 8 of this application is provided in the lens side of the cap main body 1, and it is the protrusion which protrudes toward the front side at the front-end | tip. It is also conceivable to provide the operation portions 2 and 3 with the groove portions 11 in which the stop protrusion portions 9 are formed and the locking protrusion portions 9 move as they slide. However, in this case, since the rod-shaped portion is provided further on the lens side of the operation portion, the thickness of the lens cap 100 is not preferable. In the present embodiment, the lens cap can be made thin by forming the locking projection 9 on the operation side guide 8 that is easily elastically deformed and forming the groove 11 on the cap body 1.

  In addition, the operation portions 2 and 3 are each formed with a stepped arc-shaped projection 13 which is stepped on the inner diameter side of the end surface of the arc shape, and the front end of the lens barrel is formed on the outer diameter side surface of the arc-shaped projection portion 13. Threaded portions 14a and 14b for engaging with the engaging portion on the inner periphery of the portion are formed. The screw portions 14a and 14b are in phase with a screw portion (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front end portion of the lens barrel, so that the screw portions 14a of the first operation portion 2 and the screw portions of the second operation portion 3 are in phase. In 14b, they are shifted from each other by a half pitch. Thereby, when the lens cap is attached to the lens barrel, the screw connection between the two can be deeper and surely performed.

  The lens cap according to the first embodiment is assembled as follows. The first urging member 5a and the second urging member 5b, which are coil springs, are set on the guide shafts 7a and 7b of the operation portions 2 and 3, respectively, and the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b of the operation portions 2 and 3 are connected to the main body side. The operation portions 2 and 3 are pushed in toward the center side of the lens cap so as to be opposed to the drag force of the spring in accordance with the guide portions 10a and 10b. When the locking projection 9 comes into contact with the main body portion that forms the locking contact surface 12 of the groove 11, the locking projection 9 gradually protrudes from the distal end side toward the operation portion main body side. Therefore, when the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b are elastically deformed to the lens side and further pushed in, the locking projection 9 completely passes over the locking contact surface 12, and the operation side guide portions 8a and 8b are restored to the original positions. Return to shape. Here, when the force that pushes the operating portions 2 and 3 is released, the operating portions 2 and 3 are biased by the biasing members 5a and 5b, respectively, and the vertical surface of the locking projection 9 is the locking contact surface of the groove 11 12, the assembly is completed.

  In the first embodiment, the screw phases in the orthogonal axis direction of the screw portions 14 of the pair of operation portions 2 and 3 are formed so as to be shifted from each other by a half pitch as described above. 8a and 8b have different positions in the operation units 2 and 3, so that the same type of operation unit having the same screw phase is erroneously attached to the cap body 1 and the screw phase does not match. Can be prevented.

  In addition, since the basic shapes of the pair of operation units 2 and 3 are the same, the mold and the core mold in the injection molding can have a common configuration. On the other hand, since the screw portion 14 is an undercut portion, it is molded by a slide mold. At this time, since the phase of the screw in the orthogonal axis direction is shifted by a half pitch between the pair of operation parts 2 and 3, the slide type cannot be made common, but the shape of the screw part 14 of both operation parts is almost the same. Therefore, it is possible to cope with sink and weld measures in molding.

  FIG. 1B is a plan view when the lens cap 100 is viewed from the lens side in a state where the lens cap 100 of the first embodiment is attached to a lens barrel (not shown). Therefore, the arc-shaped projection 13 formed on the cap body 1 and the arc-shaped projection 13 formed on the operation units 2 and 3 are arranged on substantially the same circumference, but the lens cap is removed from the lens barrel. When removed, the operating portions 2 and 3 are urged by the urging members 5a and 5b and project outward in the radial direction until the locking projection 9 contacts the locking contact surface 12. Stopped.

  In the first embodiment, the front side surface has a plane shown in FIG. 2, and each of the operation portions 2 and 3 has a knob protruding toward the front side on the inner diameter side of the arc-shaped end surface. Part 15 is formed. The knob portion 15 is a portion that a user pinches with a finger to operate the operation portion when the lens cap is attached to or detached from the lens barrel. The distance from the arc-shaped end surface to the knob portion 15 is set such that the fingernail does not hit the lens hood when the lens cap is attached or detached with the lens hood attached to the lens barrel.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the radially outer surface of the knob portion 15 is inclined inward in the sliding direction of the operation portions 2 and 3 as it advances from the front side to the lens side, and further on the lens side. When proceeding to, it has a shape that is almost arcuate. As a result, finger grip is good and it is easy to operate. This is particularly effective when the depth (length in the orthogonal axis direction) of the knob portion 15 cannot be sufficiently secured by making the lens cap thinner.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. However, unlike the first embodiment, the first operation unit 23a and the second operation unit 23b have the same shape, and the lens cap in plan view. The straight line in the direction of the orthogonal axis passing through the center point is arranged on the rotation target. When it is attached to the cap main body 21, it arranges so that it may become alternate in planar view so that the operation side guide parts 22c and 22d which oppose may not mutually interfere. Specifically, the operation side guide part 22d is arranged closer to the center than the operation side guide part 22c. By adopting such a configuration, even when the first operation portion 23a and the second operation portion 23b have the same shape in a plan view, the operation side guide portion 22c that is opposed when attached to the cap body 1, 22d does not interfere with each other.

  In the second embodiment, the first operating portion 23a and the second operating portion 23b have the same shape as the screw portions 25a and 25b formed on the outer diameter side surfaces of the arc-shaped protruding portions 24a and 24b. is doing. Therefore, if the same position is provided in the orthogonal axis direction, the phase in the linear axis direction of the screw portions 25a and 25b at the position facing the radial direction of the lens cap does not shift by a half pitch. The phase of the screw portion formed on the surface will not match. Therefore, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, the mounting portions 26a and 26b are provided in order to displace the first operating portion 23a and the second operating portion 23b by a half pitch in the orthogonal axis direction. They are shifted by half a pitch. As a result, the operation units used for the first operation unit 23a and the second operation unit 23b need only be created with the same shape, which reduces costs.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a sufficient sliding stroke can be ensured even when the diameter is reduced, and a lens cap with good operability can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cap main body 2 1st operation part 3 2nd operation part 4a Attachment part (1st operation part side)
4b Mounting part (second operation part side)
5a First urging member 5b Second urging member
6a Hole (first operation part side)
6b Hole (second operation part side)
7a Guide shaft (first operation section side)
7b Guide shaft (second operation part side)
8a Operation side guide section (first operation section)
8b Operation side guide section (second operation section)
9 Locking projection 10a Main body side guide section (first operation section side)
10b Main body side guide part (second operation part side)
11 Groove 12 Locking Contact Surface 13 Arc-shaped Protrusion 14a Thread (First Operation Unit)
14b Screw part (second operation part)
15 Knob part 21 Cap body 22c Operation side guide part (one far from the center)
22d Operation side guide (closer to the center)
23a 1st operation part 23b 2nd operation part 24a Arc-shaped projection part (1st operation part)
24b Arc-shaped protrusion (second operation part)
25a Screw part (first operation part)
25b Screw part (second operation part)
26a Mounting part (first operation part side)
26b Mounting part (second operation part side)
100 Lens Cap 200 of the First Embodiment 200 Lens Cap of the Second Embodiment

Claims (7)

A cap body;
Having a pair of operation parts constituting a substantially disk-shaped lens cap together with the cap body,
At least a part of the pair of operation parts is opposed to the radial direction,
The operation parts are attached to the cap body so as to be slidable in the radial direction,
Between each said operation part and the said cap main body, the urging member which urges | biases each said operation part to radial direction outward is provided, respectively,
All of the urging members are arranged so as to intersect with a virtual plane passing through the center between the pair of operation parts, which is a surface perpendicular to the sliding direction of the operation part. Lens cap to be used. The pair of operation units includes a first operation unit and a second operation unit,
The biasing member has a first biasing member and a second biasing member,
The first urging member for urging the first operation portion radially outward with respect to the cap body is disposed between the first operation portion and the cap body,
Between the second operation part and the cap body, the second urging member for urging the second operation part radially outward with respect to the cap body is disposed,
The lens cap according to claim 1, wherein the first urging member and the second urging member are disposed substantially parallel to the sliding direction.   The lens cap according to claim 1, wherein a hole portion that accommodates the urging member is formed in the cap body. The biasing member is a coil spring;
The guide shaft which is arrange | positioned inside the said coil spring and guides the said coil spring in the said sliding direction is integrally formed with the said operation part, The one of Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Lens cap. A locking projection for locking the position of the operating portion biased by the biasing member with respect to the cap body to a predetermined position is formed integrally with the operating portion,
5. The lens cap according to claim 1, wherein a groove portion in which the locking projection moves as the operation portion slides is formed in the cap main body. The operation unit is a surface facing the cap body when attached to the cap body, and has an end surface substantially parallel to the virtual plane,
The operation part has an operation side guide part extending in parallel with the sliding direction so as to protrude from the vicinity of both end parts of the end face,
The lens according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the cap bodies has a main body side guide portion formed by cutting out so as to guide the operation side guide portion. cap. The pair of operation parts have the same plan view shape,
The operation unit is a surface facing the cap body when attached to the cap body, and has an end surface substantially parallel to the virtual plane,
The operation part has two operation side guide parts extending in parallel with the sliding direction so as to protrude from the end face,
The two operation side guide portions are arranged in the pair of operation portions so that the two operation side guide portions are alternated in a plan view when the pair of operation portions are attached to the cap body. The lens cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lens cap is provided.

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