JP3071127B2 - Electronic equipment cover mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cover which is provided in a remote control unit such as a VTR or TV, or an electronic device such as an electronic still camera, and which constitutes a lid of an accessory parts storage section for storing accessories such as dry batteries. Regarding the mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In portable electronic devices such as remote control units such as VTRs and TVs and electronic still cameras, it is necessary to replaceably attach accessories such as dry batteries used as a power supply. A storage section is provided to store the accessory parts, and it is common to attach the accessories to this storage section and then close the storage section with a cover. This cover is openable and closable with respect to the storage section so that it can be replaced.

[0003] As a method of attaching the cover to the device, a concave portion serving as a storage portion is formed on the rear surface of the cabinet of the device main body, a cover capable of closing the concave portion is formed of a hard resin, and the cover has a flexible shape. In general, a hook portion having a property is integrally formed, and a cover is simply locked on the rear surface of the cabinet.

In the configuration in which the cover is locked to the cabinet by the hook portion and the storage portion is closed as in the above-mentioned prior art, the mechanism itself is very simple and plays a minimum role of closing the storage portion. Although it is very good, since the cover itself is molded with hard resin, if the cover itself is slightly bent, play will inevitably occur between the cover and the cabinet. It was inevitable that the cabinets intermittently contacted and rubbed each other, causing noise.

By the way, this cover mechanism simply operates the accessory such as a dry battery in the storage portion and does not allow the operator to come into contact with the accessory in normal operation. When the operator grasps the cabinet of the equipment main body, the positions of the storage unit and the cover are relatively set on the rear surface of the cabinet so that the fingers and hands of the operator do not touch the cover and deflect the cover itself. If it was set at a position where it was difficult for the user to touch, the generation of abnormal noise was suppressed, and there was no particular problem. Further, since the cover is extremely unlikely to be touched by the operator, the tactile sensation is not a problem.

[0006]

However, due to the recent miniaturization of portable equipment, it has become difficult to provide a space for accommodating storage parts for accessories such as batteries on the rear surface of the cabinet. The frequency with which the operator frequently touches the cover for closing the cover is increasing. In such a case, an unusual noise is frequently generated due to the play, and the operator feels uncomfortable.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an elastic cover mounted on a cabinet so as to lock an integrally formed locking portion to a cabinet so as to close a storage portion. When mounted on the cabinet, the cover is in contact with the cabinet and elastically deforms. In particular, the cover has a two-layer structure in which each layer is formed of a different resin, and at least the resin on the surface side has elasticity. It is characterized by.

[0008]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the generation of play between the cover and the cabinet is prevented by the elastic deformation of the cover itself, and the generation of abnormal noise caused by the play can be reduced. Further, a stroke at the time of mounting the cover to the cabinet can be easily secured.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic still camera according to the present embodiment. Reference numeral 1 denotes a cabinet of a camera body, and four AA batteries are horizontally arranged on the front side of the camera body. The battery housing 2 is formed in a concave shape with respect to the cabinet 1, and two through holes 3 a and 3 b are formed at the right end of the housing 2. Further FIG.
As is clear from FIG. 2A, a concave portion 4 is formed at a corner portion adjacent to the storage portion 2, and a through hole 5 is also formed at an end portion of the concave portion 4. Reference numeral 30 denotes a shutter button, and 31 denotes a lens.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an L detachable from the cabinet 1.
When the battery storage unit 2 is attached to the cabinet 1, the battery storage unit 2 is closed by the cover 6, and it is impossible to touch the dry battery from the outside. This cover 6
As shown in FIG. 2, 2 is made of two kinds of resins having different materials.
It has a layered structure. That is, the back side has a back side resin portion 6b made of a hard resin, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin for maintaining the strength and rigidity of the entire cover, and the front side has a rubber like polyurethane or elastomer. The front side resin portion 6a is formed of a resin having a shape of elasticity. A molding method for forming the structure into a two-layer structure using such different kinds of resins is particularly generally widely known.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 7 denotes a projection integrally formed with the back side resin portion 6b, and reference numeral 8 denotes a lock member for realizing a locked state when the cover 6 is mounted on the cabinet 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lock member 8 includes a slider 9 having a hook 9a formed at the end and a knob 9b formed on a side surface thereof, and a holder 10 for slidably storing the slider 9 in the direction of arrow A. Consists of a holder 1
One end of the coil spring 11 is inserted into a shaft 10a formed in the inside of the slider 9, and the other end of the coil spring 11 is brought into contact with the back surface of the hook portion 9a of the slider 9; Guide portions 10a and 10b formed on the holder 10 so as to extend linearly and parallel to each other.
By being housed between the sliders 9, the slider 9 can move the guides 10a,
While being guided by the coil spring 11, the holder 10 is urged in the direction of arrow A by the urging force of the coil spring 11, but the tip 9 c of the slider 9 abuts on the inner surfaces of the regulating walls 10 b and 10 b formed on the holder 10. The position is regulated and integrated as shown in FIG. In this state, only the hook 9a protrudes from the notch 10c between the regulating walls 10b.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lock member 8 having the above-described structure is provided with the screw 12 so that the knob 9b is loosely fitted in the long hole 13 formed on the back surface of the cover 6.
Is fixed to the inner surface of the cover 6 by screwing, so that the lock member 8 is attached to the cover 6 as shown in FIG. A step 14 is formed on the surface 6a side of the cover 6.

Next, a procedure for attaching the cover 6 to the cabinet 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, FIG.
From the state of (a), the protrusions 7a, 7b are removed from the through holes 3a, 3b.
When the cover 6 is slid in the direction indicated by the arrow B to close the housing, the edge 1a of the housing 1 of the cabinet 1 comes into contact with the tip 6c of the front resin portion 6a of the cover 6, and the cover 6 further extends in the direction of arrow B. 6 is shifted, the front side resin portion 6a is elastically deformed, and as shown in FIG.
Reach the top position.

In this state, when the cover 6 is slightly rotated clockwise about the protrusions 7a and 7b as a fulcrum, FIG.
As described above, the hook portion 9a is fitted in the through hole 5 and engages with the locking piece 1e formed in the cabinet 1 so as to be adjacent to the through hole 5, and the cover 6 closes the storage portion 2 in a completely closed state. It is mounted on the cabinet 1 and is in a locked state. Even in this locked state, the front side resin portion 6a abuts on the edge portion 1a and slightly elastically deforms as shown in FIG. 8, and the cover 6 is urged against the cabinet 1 in the direction opposite to the arrow B. Thus, the engagement between the hook portion 9a and the locking piece 1e can be made more reliable. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the protrusion 7a in FIG.

As described above, the elasticity of the front resin portion 6a makes it possible to secure a stroke in the direction of arrow B required for locking the cover.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the mounting of the cover 6 on the cabinet 1 is completed. When the operator uses the electronic still camera, the operator uses the step 6 d of the cover 6.
The middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the right hand can be placed on the step portion 14, the thumb can be applied to the rear surface, the index finger can be applied to the shutter button 30, and the camera can be supported. In this case, since the surface of the cover 6 has elasticity as described above, the tactile sensation when the camera is gripped with the right hand, that is, when the cover 6 functions as a grip, is improved. . Even in this mounting state, the front side resin portion 6a and the edge portion 1a are always in contact with each other, and the elastic deformation of the front side resin portion 6a eliminates backlash therebetween, thereby preventing generation of abnormal noise.

As described above, it is effective to form the cover 6 from an elastic resin in order to secure the lock stroke, securely maintain the lock, and prevent abnormal noise. In order to have sufficient strength and rigidity, a two-layer structure using two kinds of resins as in the embodiment is effective.

When the batteries in the storage section 2 are replaced, the cover 6 must be removed from the cabinet 1. In this removal, the knob 9b must be manually moved upward in the state shown in FIG. By sliding, the slider 9 slides upward, the hook portion 9a comes out of the through hole 5 and the engagement with the locking piece 1e is released, and FIG. 3 (c) → (b) →
The cover 6 is removed from the cabinet 1 in the order shown in FIG.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the generation of play between the cover and the cabinet is prevented by the elastic deformation of the cover itself, so that the generation of abnormal noise due to the play can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to secure a stroke for locking when the camera is mounted and secure locking, thereby improving a feeling of contact when the operator touches the cover and grips the cover.

In particular, if the cover is made of two kinds of resins, an elastic material and a hard material, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained while maintaining the strength and rigidity of the cover itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram when a cover is mounted on a cabinet according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a lock member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lock member according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the lock member mounted on the cover according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view when the lock member is attached to the cover according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a main part near a protrusion in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cabinet 2 Battery storage part 6 Cover 7a Projection part 7b Projection part 6a Front side resin part 6b Back side resin part

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cabinet of an apparatus main body in which a storage portion for storing accessory parts is formed, and a two-layer structure formed of two different resins, an elastic front-side resin portion and a hard rear-side resin portion. An L-shaped cover member having a first closing surface portion and a second closing surface portion that are substantially orthogonal to each other, a first engaging portion formed on the first closing surface portion, and a second engaging surface portion formed on the second closing surface portion. A second engaging portion, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion engage with the cabinet at a position near the storage portion, respectively, to lock the storage portion with the first closing surface portion and the second The cover mechanism of an electronic device, wherein the front side resin portion is elastically deformed in a direction in which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion maintain the engagement with the cabinet in a state of being closed by a closing surface portion. .