JP2541445Y2 - Drip-proof camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a drip-proof camera of a so-called life waterproof type, and more particularly to a drip-proof camera in which a lens barrel is moved forward and backward with respect to a body.

"Prior art and its problems" The present applicant proposed a drip-proof camera in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-113137. This drip-proof camera is a camera in which the inner volume changes greatly with zooming or focusing, by forming a breathing hole that communicates between the inside and outside of the camera, and providing a breathable and water-impermeable filter in this breathing hole. This makes it possible to make the life of a camera, whose product greatly changes, waterproof. That is, a drip-proof camera that can perform zooming or focusing without increasing or decreasing the operation force due to the change in the internal volume is obtained.

According to this drip-proof camera, it is possible to make the water resistant life of the zoom lens camera easier and smaller than a conventional waterproof camera or a waterproof case camera in which the whole is housed in a separate waterproof case.

However, if the air-permeable and water-impermeable filter is provided so as to be exposed to the exterior of the camera, the air resistance as a breathing hole is reduced, but the filter itself may be damaged, stained, or clogged. Do you get it.
If it is damaged and its function is impaired or clogged, the drip-proof function itself is impaired. Exposing the air-impermeable and water-impermeable filter is not preferable in terms of appearance.

[Purpose of the Invention] The present invention is based on the awareness of such problems, and in a drip-proof camera having a breathable hole provided with a ventilated and water-impermeable filter, protects the filter from scratches, breakage, contamination, or clogging, and Another object of the present invention is to obtain a drip-proof camera that is not different from a conventional camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a camera equipped with a lens barrel that moves forward and backward in the optical axis direction during zooming or focusing, and a breathing hole that allows communication between the inside and outside of the camera; And a cover for covering the ventilation / non-water-permeable filter with ventilation means for the ventilation / non-water-permeable filter; and the ventilation / non-water-permeable filter and the cover are provided along the curved surface of the camera. The air-permeable / non-water-permeable filter is characterized by having a curved shape along the curved surface of the camera.

The ventilation means includes: forming a ventilation hole in the cover itself; forming the cover itself from a ventilation material; forming a ventilation groove in a contact surface of the cover with the camera body; conversely, forming a ventilation groove in the camera body; And the like.

If the air-permeable / non-water-permeable filter is formed into a curved surface, water droplets to be attached to the filter are more likely to be formed in a polka dot shape and are not easily attached. Therefore, it is preferable to provide it along the curved surface of the camera. Since the grip portion and the lens barrel have curved surfaces, they are suitable as a case where a gas-permeable and non-water-permeable filter is provided.

It is also desirable that the cover be removable so that the ventilation and non-water-permeable filter can be replaced.

"Embodiments of the Invention" The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. A lens barrel 12 is provided in a camera body 11 having a watertight structure while maintaining a liquidtight state. The lens barrel 12 is moved forward and backward in the optical axis direction by, for example, a zoom switch 13 to perform zooming. As a result, the internal volume of the camera body 11 including the lens barrel 12 changes.

The body 11 has a grip 14 on its front left side,
The front curved surface portion 15 of the grip wall surface constituting the grip 14
In addition, a breathe hole 16 for communicating the inside and outside of the body 11 is formed. The breeze hole 16 is closed by a gas-permeable / non-water-permeable filter 17 having substantially the same curvature as the curved surface portion 15. The air-permeable and non-water-permeable filter 17 is commercially available as a filter having a property of not allowing water to pass therethrough but allowing air to pass therethrough, for example, a porous tetrafluoroethylene resin (trade name: Gore-Tex or Poreflon).

In the present invention, the curved non-water-permeable filter 17 is provided with a semi-cylindrical cover 18 for covering the periphery of the curved non-water-permeable filter 17 so that the filter 17 is not exposed. The cover half-cylinder 18 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material or a rubber material, and is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape along the curved surface of the curved portion 15. Ventilation means for bringing the water filter 17 into contact with the outside air is provided. That is, this ventilation means can be constituted by a ventilation groove 20 (FIG. 3) formed on the inner surface of the cover half-cylinder 18, or a ventilation groove 21 (FIG. 4) formed on the curved surface portion 15.
Further, the cover semi-cylindrical body 18 itself may be made of a breathable material. The cover semi-cylindrical body 18 is made of an adhesive or a double-sided tape 22 applied to portions other than the ventilation grooves 20 or 21.
Thereby, it is adhered to the curved surface portion 15.

As shown by a chain line in FIG. 1, a breeze hole 16 'and a curved surface are formed in a fixed lens barrel 12' (or lens barrel 12) which also supports the lens barrel 12 so as to be able to move forward and backward, which is also a curved surface portion of the camera. Ventilation impervious filter 17 'and its curved surface cover
18 'may be provided.

Therefore, according to the drip-proof camera having the above structure, when the inner volume of the body 11 and the inner volume of the lens barrel 12 changes as a result of the lens barrel 12 moving forward and backward with respect to the body 11, air corresponding to the change amount is ventilated and non-permeable. Body 11 through filters 17, 17 '
In and out. Therefore, the operation force for moving the lens barrel 12 forward and backward does not fluctuate due to changes in the internal pressure in the body 11 and the lens barrel 12. And in normal use, the cover half cylinder
18, Even if water or other liquid is applied to the curved cover 18 ', the water rarely reaches the air-permeable non-water-permeable filters 17, 17', and even if it reaches the air-permeable non-water-permeable filters 17, 17 '. Since the liquid does not penetrate into the body 11, water-proof drip-proof properties can be obtained. In addition, the ventilation non-water-permeable filter
In the case where the liquid is to adhere to the surfaces of 17 and 17 ', the liquid W becomes more polka-dot and less likely to adhere when the filter has a curved surface. The present embodiment is excellent in this respect.

Further, according to the present invention, the air-permeable non-water
7 and 17 'are covered by the cover semi-cylindrical body 18 and the curved surface cover 18' so that hands and surrounding foreign substances do not come into contact. Therefore, the scratches, breakage, contamination, and clogging of the ventilation / non-water-passing filters 17, 17 'can be reliably prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the cover semi-cylindrical body 18 and the cover 18 'are bonded with an adhesive or a double-sided tape 22, but can be detachable by hooks, screws, or a combination thereof, and can be detached. In this case, even if it gets clogged, the air-permeable and non-water-permeable filters 17, 17 'can be easily replaced.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, the present invention communicates the inside and outside of a camera equipped with a lens barrel that advances and retreats in the optical axis direction with zooming or focusing through a breathe hole, and passes this through the air-impermeable Since the filter is closed with the filter and the air-impermeable filter is covered with a cover, it is possible to reliably prevent the air-impermeable filter from being damaged, damaged, contaminated, or clogged. In addition, it is possible to obtain a drip-proof camera that is not different in appearance from a conventional camera. Further, since the air-permeable / non-water-permeable filter and the cover are provided along the curved surface portion of the camera, adhesion of water droplets hardly occurs, and higher performance drip-proof property can be secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a perspective view, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are II-II in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line III-III, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment. 11 ... Body, 12 ... Lens tube, 13 ... Zoom switch, 14 ... Grip, 15 ... Curved surface, 16, 16 '... Breeze hole, 17, 17' ... Ventilation non-water-permeable filter, 18 …… Cover half-cylinder (cover), 18 '…… Curved cover (cover),
20, 21 ... vent groove, 22 ... adhesive or double-sided tape

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-302241 (JP, A) JP-A-56-11007 (JP, A) JP-A-63-113137 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A camera having a lens barrel which moves forward and backward in the optical axis direction during zooming or focusing, a breathing hole communicating between the inside and outside of the camera; a ventilation non-water-permeable filter closing the breathing hole; A cover for covering the air-permeable non-water-permeable filter; and the cover and the cover are provided along a curved surface portion of the camera, and The drip-proof camera, wherein the non-water-permeable filter has a curved shape along a curved portion of the camera.