JP2018077366A - Lens device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems of existing lens devices, including a situation in which an operator accidentally makes a connection with an external device and this makes a desired operation more difficult to perform if a connection connector in the housing of a lens is exposed or a situation in which a control circuit is broken depending on a supplied capacity of a power source and imaging is affected in some cases.SOLUTION: In order to solve the programs, the lens device includes: a substantially cylindrical lens housing; a drive unit for performing a zoom driving and an iris driving of the lens housing; attachment means for attaching the lens housing and the drive unit detachably; a connection cable in the drive unit; a connector housing in the lens housing, the connector housing being substantially in the shape of a convex; a connection connector in the connector housing, the connection connector connecting to the connection cable; a protective cover protecting the connection connector; and opening/closing means for opening the protective cover and being the connection cable and the connection connector into a connectable state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens device, and more particularly to a lens device having a connector for connecting to an external device in a lens body.

  Patent Document 1 is a lens device including a drive unit and a wireless adapter. A technique is disclosed in which a wireless adapter is disposed in an extender housing part of a lens body, and a drive unit attached to the lens body is connected to each other's connector via a cable wired around the lens body.

JP 2011-257694 A

  However, the conventional lens apparatus has the following problems. A connector and a connection cable provided in the drive unit are connected to a camera device and an operation device that performs lens focus and zoom operations. Similarly, the wireless adapter disclosed in Patent Document 1 is also connected to the connector of the operation device via a cable, performs transmission / reception for performing wireless operation, and can receive power supply necessary for operation from the drive unit.

  By the way, the connector on the wireless adapter side is exposed to the outside of the housing of the lens body, and can be connected to an external device other than the drive unit if the connector shape matches. Therefore, it is possible for an operator to connect an external device that is not originally connected by mistake, and it becomes difficult to perform a desired operation due to a malfunction, or the control circuit is damaged depending on the supplied power capacity, thereby causing trouble in photographing. There is a fear.

  Accordingly, an exemplary object of the present invention is to provide a lens device that operates smoothly while avoiding a malfunction with respect to connection of a lens body to a connector.

  A substantially cylindrical lens housing, a drive unit that performs zoom driving and iris driving of the lens housing, attachment means for detachably attaching the lens housing and the drive unit, a connection cable provided in the drive unit, and a lens housing A substantially convex connector housing, a connector provided on the connector housing and connected to the connection cable, a protective cover for protecting the connection connector, and a state in which the protective cable can be opened to connect the connection cable and the connection connector. The problem of the prior art is solved by having the opening / closing means.

  Further objects and other features of the present invention will be made clear by the preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, regarding the connection to the connector of a lens body, the lens apparatus which avoids a malfunctioning and can operate | move smoothly can be provided.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a lens apparatus having a configuration according to claims 1 to 5 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a lens housing and a drive unit of a lens device having a configuration according to claims 1 to 5 of the present invention. It is the schematic showing the outline | summary of the connection part of the lens housing and drive unit which concerns on Claims 1-5 of this invention. It is the schematic showing the outline | summary of the connection part of the lens housing and drive unit which concerns on Claims 1-5 of this invention. It is the schematic showing the outline | summary of the switching knob and surrounding structure which concerns on Claims 1-5 of this invention. It is the schematic showing the outline | summary of the opening / closing structure of the protective cover which concerns on Claims 1-5 of this invention. It is the schematic showing the outline | summary of the opening / closing structure of the protective cover which concerns on Claims 1-5 of this invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a lens housing and a drive unit of a lens device having a configuration according to claims 1 to 5 of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Example]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a lens apparatus having the configuration of the present invention. The lens apparatus 100 includes a lens housing 200 and a drive unit 300 that performs zooming and iris operations of the lens housing 200. The lens housing 200 and the drive unit 300 can be attached and detached by a connecting portion described later.

  The lens housing 200 includes a front housing 1, a middle housing 2, and a mount housing 3 that are substantially cylindrical from the front. The intermediate housing 2 has a focus rotation gear 4, a zoom rotation gear 5, and an iris rotation gear 6, and the mount-side housing 3 has a lens mount 7 connected to a camera device (not shown). A convex mount housing described later is provided on the lower side of the mount housing 3.

  The focus rotation gear 4 connects a focus lens group (not shown) for adjusting the focal length in the lens housing 200 to a focus moving mechanism (not shown) that moves straight in the direction of the optical axis O, and The focal length can be adjusted by rotating to the center. The zoom rotation gear 5 is connected to a zoom movement mechanism (not shown) that moves a variable power lens group (not shown) that changes the angle of view in the lens housing 200 in the direction of the optical axis O. The angle of view can be changed by rotating around 0. Further, the iris rotation gear is connected to an aperture diameter changing mechanism (not shown) that changes the aperture diameter in the lens housing 200, and the aperture value can be changed by rotating around the optical axis 0.

  When the lens housing 200 and the drive unit 300 are attached, the zoom rotation gear 5 and the iris rotation gear 6 are screwed together with respective drive gears (not shown) provided in the drive unit 300. The gears rotate in response to an operation from each operation unit (not shown) from the drive unit 300 and a command from a control circuit board (not shown) that receives the operation instruction, The aperture diameter changes and the desired optical performance can be derived.

  In the embodiment, zoom and iris operations are used. However, a focus operation is also possible by providing a drive gear, a drive unit, and a control circuit that are screwed together with the focus rotation gear in the drive unit 300.

  The lens mount 7 is provided with an electrical contact 8 for energization. When the lens device 100 and the camera device are connected by the lens mount 7, the lens device 7 is energized with a contact (not shown) on the camera device side. Communication and power supply between 100 and the camera device are possible. The electrical contact 8 is energized with a connection connector of a connector housing described later via a wiring cable inside the lens mount 7 and the mount side housing 3.

  In the drive unit 300, a connection cable 10 is attached to a connection port 9 provided in the direction of the camera device. The connection cable 10 is connected to the camera device, and performs zoom in the drive unit 300, power supply to the control circuit board of the iris, and serial bidirectional communication. In the serial communication, the iris control is performed by a control signal from the camera device side, and the zoom and iris position information of the lens device 100 is transmitted to the camera device side.

  The connection cable 10 includes an external connection device (not shown) that can communicate with the lens device 100 other than the connection with the camera device, and an external power supply device (not shown) that supplies power suitable for the operation of the drive unit 300. Also used to connect to. Further, the connection cable 10 can be connected to a connection connector in a connector housing described later, and can be used for energization with the camera device via the electrical contact 8.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the lens device 100 as viewed from the camera device side. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same part as the figure demonstrated previously. In FIG. 2, the drive unit 300 is detached from the lens housing 200. In FIG. 2, the lens housing 200 and the drive unit 300 are provided with a connecting portion for connecting each other. The lens housing 200 is provided with a connecting member (upper) 11a and a connecting member (lower) 11b on the intermediate housing 2 and a housing 12 of the drive unit 300 with a connecting member (upper) 13a and a connecting member (lower) 13b. . In addition, although two places are shown up and down in the figure, since there are also provided in the front and rear in the optical axis 0 direction, there are a total of four connecting portions.

  FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are schematic views in which the upper side and the lower side of the connecting part are enlarged, and the configuration of the connecting part will be described here. Between the connecting members (upper) 11a and 13a and between the connecting members (lower) 11b and 13b, there are contact surfaces 14 and 15 for contacting each other, and the connecting member (upper) 11a and the connecting member (lower) Screw holes 16 and 17 are provided in 11b, and through holes 18 and 19 are provided in connecting member (upper) 13a and connecting member (lower) 13b. The housing 12 is provided with concave recesses (not shown) around the perforations 18 and 19, and the perforations 18 and 19 are easily visible from the outside.

  When the drive unit 300 is connected to the lens housing 200, the fixing screw 20 is inserted into the holes 18 and 19 and fastened to the screw holes 16 and 17, and the connecting members (upper) 11a and 13a and the connecting member (lower) Connect 11b and 13b respectively. By the way, although it connects using the fixing screw 20 in a present Example, you may use the rotating lever for fixing with the hook of a hook shape, and it is not limited to the form of an Example.

  Next, the connection configuration between the connector housing and the drive unit 300 will be described. A convex connector housing 21 is attached to the lower side of the mount housing 3. The connector housing 21 is fixed with a connection connector 23 connected to the electrical contact 8 via the internal cable 22 and has a connection surface in the direction of the drive unit 300. When manually operating each operation gear (focus rotation gear 4, zoom rotation gear 5, iris rotation gear 6) of the lens housing 200, since the operation is performed from the left hand (left side of the paper), the cable at the connection surface described above is used. Even if is connected, the operation is not impaired.

  Further, since the connection surface is below the drive unit 300 and is away from the area to be operated, the drive unit can be operated without any problem.

  In FIG. 2, a protective cover 24 for protecting the connection connector 23 is attached. A rotation hinge 25 having a rotation center in the direction of the optical axis O is attached to the upper end surface of the protection cover 24, and the protection cover 24 can be opened and closed by the rotation hinge 25. When the protective cover 24 is closed, the connection connector 23 cannot be connected from the outside. When the protective cover 24 is opened, the connection to the connection connector 23 is possible from the outside.

  The connector housing 21 is provided with a guide hole 26 that is opened in the direction of the drive unit 300 in the vicinity of the rotary hinge 25. Further, a guide shaft 27 is attached to the drive unit 300, and the guide shaft 27 is inserted into the guide hole 26 when the drive unit 300 is connected to the lens housing 200. The guide shaft 27 is slidable in the direction toward the lens housing 200 by a linear motion mechanism (not shown) in the housing 12, and the guide shaft 27 is protruded by using a switching knob 28 provided on the housing 12. The amount of tension can be switched.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the switching knob 28. In FIG. 5, in the switching knob 28, the index 29 displayed on the switching knob 28 matches the position of the display “AUX”. At this time, the guide shaft 27 is in a state where the amount of protrusion to the lens housing 200 side is small. The switching knob 28 has a convex protrusion 30 on the side surface portion, and is fitted into a concave notch 31a or 31b provided in the housing 12, so that the movement position is restricted. In FIG. 5, it fits into the notch 31a. When the switching knob 28 is moved, the protrusion 30 is fitted into the other notch 31b and the movement position is restricted. At this time, the indicator 29 matches the position of the display “LENS”.

  At this time, the guide shaft 27 is in a state where the amount of protrusion to the lens housing 200 side is large. In the state where the lens housing 200 and the drive unit 300 are connected, the protruding amount of the guide shaft 27 is increased, so that the pressing plate 32 inside the guide hole 26 in FIG. 2 is pushed into the back side of the guide hole 26. It becomes. The pressing plate 32 is connected to the rotary hinge 25 and is in a substantially opposite direction to the protective cover 24 around the rotary hinge 25. When the pressing plate 32 is pushed into the guide shaft 27, it escapes from the guide hole 26 by the rotary hinge 25 and is protected at the same time. The cover rotates in the opening direction.

  By the way, the projection 30 of the switching knob 28 is made of an elastically deformable material such as resin, and when it is removed from the notches 31a and 31b, the switching knob 28 moves due to elastic deformation. Here, the operating force required for releasing from the notches 31a and 31b is set to be stronger than the elastic force of the spring spring of the protective cover 24 described later. In FIG. 5, the movement of the switching knob 28 is restricted by the combination of the protrusion 30 and the notches 31a and 31b, but other conventional positioning means using a ball plunger or a hook by a spring can be used instead. It is not limited to examples.

6 and 7 are schematic views showing the structure of the structure in which the protective cover 24 opens and closes, FIG. 6 shows the protective cover 24 and the surrounding structure in FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is seen from the right side of FIG. The structure is shown.
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same part as the figure demonstrated previously.

  The rotary hinge 25 engages with the rotary shaft 33, and both end surfaces of the rotary shaft 33 are held by bearings 34 and 35. A pressing plate 32 is attached to the rotary hinge 25 via a connecting member 36. The pressing plate 32 stays in the guide hole 26 when the protective cover 24 is closed, and stops at a position where the rotary hinge 25 is rotated and detached from the guide hole 26 when the protective cover 24 is opened. A spring spring 37 is attached to the left side of the rotary hinge 25 in the drawing.

  An arm 38 extending from the spring spring 37 is fixed to the protective cover 24, and the other arm 39 is fixed to a partial wall surface of the connector housing 21. The spring spring 37 has an elastic force in the direction in which the protective cover 24 is closed. At this time, the protective cover 24 is accommodated in the opening frame 40 of the connector housing 21.

  Next, the operation of connecting to the connection connector 23 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, when the drive unit 300 is removed from the lens housing 200, the protective cover 24 of the connector housing 21 is held in a closed state by the elastic force of the spring spring 37, and is connected to the connection connector 23 from the outside. Connection is not possible. At this time, the pressing plate 32 is in the guide hole 26. The switching knob 28 of the drive unit 300 is in the “AUX” position in FIG. 2, and the guide shaft 27 is in a state where the amount of protrusion is small.

  Next, the drive unit 300 is connected to the lens body 200 at the locations of the connecting members (upper) 11a and 13a and the connecting members (lower) 11b and 13b using the fixing screw 20. At this time, the guide shaft 27 is inserted into the guide hole 26, and the attachment positions of the lens housing 200 and the drive unit 300 are determined. Further, at the time of connection, a drive gear (not shown) on the drive unit 300 side is screwed to the zoom rotation gear and the aperture rotation gear, so that the lens casing 200 can be operated.

  Here, when the switching knob 28 is in the “AUX” position, the guide shaft 27 does not reach the position where the pressing plate 32 is pushed in, so the protective cover 24 is closed. Therefore, when power supply or communication is performed to the drive unit 300, the connection cable 10 is connected to an external power supply device or an external connection device.

  When the switching knob 28 is set to the `` LENS '' position, the protruding amount of the guide shaft 27 increases as shown in FIG. 8 and the pressing plate 32 is pushed against the elastic force of the spring spring 37, and the protective cover 24 is opened and connected. Connection to the connector 24 is possible. In FIG. 8, the connection cable 10 is connected. Therefore, power supply and communication to the drive unit 300 are performed from the camera device side via the electrical contact 8.

  As described above, in the embodiment, since it is impossible to connect to the connection connector 23 unless the protective cover 24 is intentionally opened by the operator, it is possible to provide a lens device that operates smoothly while avoiding malfunction. In particular, when the drive unit 300 is detached from the lens housing 200, the connection is always impossible and smooth.

8 Electrical contacts
10 Connection cable
21 Connector housing
23 Connector
24 Protective cover
25 Rotating hinge
26 Guide hole
27 Guide shaft
28 Switching knob
32 Pressing plate
37 Spring spring

Claims (5)

  Cylindrical lens housing, drive unit for performing zoom driving and iris driving of the lens housing, mounting means for detachably mounting the lens housing and the drive unit, a connection cable provided in the drive unit, and the lens housing A convex connector housing provided on the connector, a connection connector provided on the connector housing and connected to the connection cable, a protective cover protecting the connection connector, and opening the protective cover to connect the connection cable And an opening / closing means for enabling the connection connector to be connected.   The opening / closing means is provided on the opposite side of the protective cover via the rotating shaft, a rotating shaft for opening / closing the protective cover, a holding means having elastic force for holding the protective cover in a closed state, and 2. The contact plate according to claim 1, further comprising: a contact plate, and a contact shaft provided in the drive unit that presses the contact plate against the elastic force of the holding means to open the protective cover. The lens device described.   The lens apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a switching unit that switches an open / close state of the protective cover by the opening / closing unit when the lens housing and the drive unit are mounted by the mounting unit.   The lens device according to claim 3, wherein the switching unit switches the open / close state of the protective cover by changing a protruding position of the contact shaft.   5. The lens device according to claim 3, wherein the contact shaft is a reference shaft for positioning when the lens housing and the drive unit are attached.