JP2896682B2 - Optical device having protective cover and protective member for optical device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical device having a protective cover and a protective member for an optical device that can be operated while being worn even during use.

[Background of the Invention]

Optical devices are likely to impair their functions and performance due to the ingress of dust and moisture, so they are usually stored indoors, even when not in use, but with a special cover. If possible, it is preferable that at least only important parts are covered with the protective member during use. The protective member may be always attached if it is covered by the protective member during use.

Especially for devices that are used for a long time outdoors, such as small still cameras and video cameras, protection is possible, such as dust-proofing and drip-proofing, which can be used for shooting without any hindrance to operation. Use of a cover is desired.

However, since optical devices have an optical member that moves back and forth, such as a photographic lens in a camera, a bellows function is partly provided as a stretchable member that always covers between the moving part and the fixed part. It is necessary to form, it is removable as a protective member having a bellows function,
There is a demand for a protective cover that has the above-described dust-proof and drip-proof functions and does not impair operability.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, as is well known, the bellows device is formed by folding, and the material is limited. In addition, the productivity is extremely low, and it is not suitable for mass production, and therefore has the disadvantage of high cost.

Naturally, the folded bellows are stacked in the direction of expansion and contraction, so there is a difficulty in manufacturing if it is necessary to save space and make only a part of the protection member a bellows device. A protective member or a protective cover having been realized has not been realized.

The present invention has been made as a result of solving and improving this point, and has a very simple processing that allows the movable portion and the fixed portion to be stretchable, has a dustproof / dripproof function, and has improved operability. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical device having a protective cover and a protective member for an optical device that does not impair the optical device.

[Means for solving the problem]

The object is to provide a thin flexible resin material that can be attached in close contact with an optical device having an optical member that moves with respect to the main body, and that when the cover is attached to the optical device, the optical member is Is provided with a plurality of concentric concave and convex portions having different radii on the periphery of the optical member, and expands and contracts in accordance with the movement of the optical member. The protective cover of the optical device, and the optical member moving back and forth and the main body are covered with a thin flexible resin material, one of which is in close contact with the main body, and the concentric radius attached to the other optical member is reduced. An optical device having a protection member characterized in that the different uneven portions parallel to the optical axis expand and contract in accordance with the movement of the optical member.

〔Example〕

A still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 (a) shows a protective cover 10 which is used as a protective member for a still camera always attached to the camera, and FIG. 1 (b) is an AA cross section thereof.

The protective cover 10 is a transparent, highly elastic, flexible resin material and is a thin, flexible, stretchable cover integrally formed of, for example, silicone rubber (commercially available from Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). And a projection that covers the lens barrel 22 containing the taking lens.

The cover body 11 includes a camera viewfinder, a strobe,
The parts corresponding to the photographing display panel etc. are transparent parts 15, 16,
17, or combined with another transparent member such as plastic. Also, the part corresponding to the release button is particularly thin
Finder even when attached to the camera as 18,
The function of the strobe, the display panel, etc. is not lost, and the shutter is activated by pressing the button from above the thin portion 18,
The photographing operation can be performed without any trouble.

On the other hand, the protruding portion is inserted through a lens barrel 24 of a photographing lens 23 having a cylindrical or prismatic shape, and a ring-shaped concave and convex portion 14 is formed concentrically over a plurality of rows on the periphery of the opening 13. I have.

Since the uneven portion 14 has a planar arrangement as shown in the figure, it is very easy to mold and can be formed extremely thin, so that it is easily applied to a state shown by a dashed line by applying a slight force in the vertical direction. It can be extended, and as soon as the applied force is removed, it is reduced to a planar state and restored to the free state shown by the solid line.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the protective cover 10 is mounted on a still camera to be mounted.

In the mounted state, the cover body 11 of the protective cover 10 closely covers the body 21 of the camera 20, and covers the transparent portions 15, 16, 17 described above.
The viewfinder 25, strobe 26, and shooting display panel 27 of the camera 20 can be seen, and the thin section 18 can be released with the release button.
Position at the top of 28. Similarly, for a distance measuring unit such as a light emitting unit or a light receiving unit for distance measurement, the cover main body 11 transmits infrared light.

On the other hand, the protruding portion also covers the lens barrel 22 attached to the front face of the camera 20 as necessary with the filter glass or the like as necessary, and furthermore, the opening 13 is an optical member 24 which is an optical member that moves back and forth of the taking lens 23. And a photographic lens provided around the lens barrel 24 in a state where the outer periphery thereof is crimped.
The gap for the 23 feeding operation is shielded in a state close to hermetic.

Therefore, the camera 20 is capable of performing various functions such as photographing operation of each part and extending and retracting the photographing lens 23 while the front surface of the camera 20 except the photographing lens 23 is covered by the protective cover 10. As a result, intrusion of dust and raindrops during use is prevented, and at the same time, protection from accidental damage, dirt, and the like is provided.

Further, the protective cover 10 can be formed into a shape limited to only the protruding portion, and can be used as an easily attachable / detachable protective member for mainly protecting the lens barrel 22 of the camera 20.

FIG. 3 shows a protective cover 10A as such a simple protective member. The protective cover 10A is a lens barrel of a camera.
It is held by close contact with 22 and the shooting lens 23
An uneven portion 14A similar to the uneven portion 14 in the protective cover 10 of the previous example is provided on the periphery of the opening through which the lens barrel 24 is inserted.

In this embodiment, only the still camera and the protective cover as its protective member have been described. However, the present invention is applicable to all optical devices that need to be dustproof, moistureproof, etc. The present invention can be applied to an optical device in which a portion moves, and an optical device in which only the above-described ring-shaped uneven portion is attached and used alone is also included in the scope of the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, a protective cover that protects the optical device from dust and moisture and at the same time allows the lens unit to move without any trouble in handling and operating the optical device even when the optical device is mounted, and consequently for a long time An optical device having a protective member capable of maintaining its appearance and constantly exhibiting functions and performance stably is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a protective cover of a camera according to the present invention and a sectional view of a main part thereof, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a camera equipped with the protective cover. 10, 10A: Protective cover, 11: Cover body 13: Opening 14, 14A: Irregularity, 15, 16, 17, Transparent 18: Thin part, 20: Still camera 21: Camera Body 22, 22 Lens barrel 23 Photographic lens, 24 Lens barrel

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G03B 17/02-17/04 G03B 17/08 G03B 17/56 G02B 7/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thin flexible resin material which can be attached to an optical device having an optical member which moves with respect to a main body in a state in which the optical member is in close contact with the optical device. A part corresponding to the member is provided with a plurality of concentric concave and convex portions having different concentric radii on the periphery of the optical member, and expands and contracts according to the movement of the optical member. Protective cover for optical equipment. 2. An optical member moving back and forth and a main body are covered with a thin flexible resin material, one of which is in close contact with the main body, and the other of which has a different concentric radius attached to the other optical member. An optical apparatus having a protective member, wherein the plurality of uneven portions parallel to the optical axis expand and contract in accordance with the movement of the optical member. 3. The camera according to claim 2, wherein the main body is a camera main body, and the optical member is a lens barrel of a photographing lens.
An optical device comprising the protective member according to item 1.