JP3132295B2 - binoculars - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to binoculars and, more particularly, to a binocular with improved convenience for protecting an eyepiece and an objective lens when not in use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, binoculars have an eyepiece and an objective lens provided at the front and rear ends of left and right lens barrels, which are exposed to the outside. There is a danger that the dirt components such as the components easily adhere, and the lens may be damaged when wiping the attached dust and the like. As a countermeasure for eliminating such inconvenience, binoculars are usually provided with four lens caps, one pair before and after the lens surface, corresponding to the eyepiece lens and the objective lens. The eyepiece and the objective lens can be protected by fitting the cap around the lens barrel.

[0003]

However, as described above, as many as four lens caps are required for each pair of binoculars, and when each lens cap is fitted in the lens barrel, the lens cap is in contact with the peripheral surface of the lens barrel. Since the mounted state is maintained only by the pressure contact, it is easily disengaged even if a slight vibration or external force is applied. For this reason, in many cases, one of the lens caps is lost without noticing, even if all four lenses are not lost.

In addition to such a problem that the cap is easily lost, it is impossible to adjust the interpupillary distance without removing the cap each time it is used. There is also a problem that handling during use is tedious and inevitable and complicated since it must be kept.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is intended to prevent the eyepiece and the objective lens from being damaged when not in use, and to remove the protection means when in use. It is an object of the present invention to provide binoculars capable of opening a lens with one touch without any need.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a binocular main body, and a pair of left and right optical systems mounted on the main body. And binoculars configured to be deformable into at least two forms of a use form in which the left and right optical systems are moved outside of the storage form for eye width adjustment, wherein the left and right optical systems are Shield the exposed surface of the lens from the outside,
Equipped with left and right protection members for protection in the main body,
Further, the protection members are provided on the left and right optical systems, respectively.
And the right and left optical systems approach or separate from each other.
The protection member is opposite to the left and right optical systems
It was configured to move in the direction of. Further, the protection member may cover both the objective lens and the eyepiece constituting the optical system, or may cover either one of the two lenses.

[0007]

According to the above construction, when not in use, the storage form, that is, the left and right optical systems are brought closest to each other, so that the left and right protection members are relatively retracted from the left and right optical systems.
It relatively moves to a position that protects the left and right optical systems. As a result, the left and right optical systems have their lens exposed surfaces covered by the corresponding protective members, so that the cause of damage due to the attachment of external dust and the like is eliminated, and the lens is reliably prevented from being damaged.

In use, the left and right optical systems are moved outward to deform from the storage mode to the use mode, so that the left and right protection members are moved from the position for protecting the left and right optical systems to the retracted position. Relatively move to. Thereby, the lenses of the left and right optical systems are exposed, and the binoculars can be used. In other words, the protection member moves the left and right optical systems.
Moves in the opposite direction to the direction
The left and right optics were moved outward to match the eye width
At this time, the protection member moves from the center of the binoculars. Further, the protective member may cover both the objective lens and the eyepiece of the left and right optical systems, or may cover only the other lens if one of the lenses has a hood-like member.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the binoculars according to the present invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a storage form, respectively, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show a use form, respectively. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a binocular main body, and the main body 1 is formed in a box shape having left and right end portions opened, and includes a partition wall 2 extending in the front-rear direction inside the center of the box-shaped frame. In addition, the front and rear vertical wall portions of the box-shaped frame are configured to function as barriers 3 and 4 as left and right protection members, respectively.

Further, in the optical system of the binoculars, lens barrels 5 are arranged on the left and right with a central axis along the partition wall 2 of the main body 1 as a symmetric axis, and the left and right optical systems are built in the lens barrel 5. . That is, inside the left and right lens barrels 5, the objective lens 6 is arranged forward and the eyepiece 7 is arranged rearward along the incident optical path. The objective lens 6 is configured to be able to simultaneously move back and forth along the optical axis in the lens barrel 5 for focus adjustment, and the eyepieces 7 independently move in the respective lens barrels 5 for diopter adjustment. It can move.

A specific mechanism for focus adjustment and diopter adjustment is not an essential part of the present invention, and is omitted in the drawings to avoid complication. Further, a diopter adjustment mechanism for moving the eyepiece 7 is not provided depending on the model.

Each of the left and right lens barrels 5 has an opening on one side facing the main body 1, and the inner circumference of the opening is fitted to the outer circumference of the left or right opening end of the main body 1 in a state in which detachment from the main body 1 is prohibited. It is configured to be slidable in directions approaching and separating from each other for adjusting the interpupillary distance.

In this mounted state, the partition wall 2 of the main body 1 functions as one side wall of the left and right lens barrels 5, whereby the light shielding properties of both lens barrels 5 are related to the movement of the lens barrels 5. Is kept without. Reference numeral 8 denotes an entrance window, and 9 denotes an eyepiece window, which are provided at front and rear ends of the left and right lens barrels 5 facing the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece lens 7 on the incident optical path, respectively.

In such a configuration, in this embodiment,
The barrier 3 for protecting the objective lens provided at the front of the main body 1 is between the entrance window 8 and the objective lens 6, and the barrier 4 for protecting the eyepiece provided at the rear is provided with the eyepiece window 9 and the eyepiece 7. It is interposed between. A pinion-shaped rotary gear 10 that rotates around a vertical axis in the vertical direction is attached to the center of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body 1.

On the other hand, on the upper and lower surfaces of the left and right lens barrels 5, rack-shaped linear gears 11 are respectively provided orthogonal to the axial direction of the lens barrel 5. These linear gears 11 are always meshed with the rotating gear 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, when the lens barrel 5 is slid along the main body 1 to adjust the interpupillary distance, these rotating gears are rotated. The engagement of the gear 10 and the linear gear 11 causes the lens barrel 5 to approach and separate equally to the left and right. At the outer end of each of the linear gears 11, a stopper 12 for interfering with the rotary gear 10 is integrally provided. When the left and right lens barrels 5 are separated to the maximum extent, the stopper 12 moves The interference is regulated and the departure is regulated.

In this case, since the optical system in the lens barrel 5 is linked with the movement of the lens barrel 5 in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. The exposed surfaces of the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece 7 overlap the positions of the barriers 3 and 4 fixed to the main body 1 to shield from the outside.
Will be protected. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, in a usage mode in which the left and right lens barrels 5 are moved outward, that is, in a direction in which the left and right lens barrels 5 are separated for eye width adjustment, the barriers 3 and 4 include the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece lens 7. , And the binoculars can be used.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the barriers 3 and 4 are provided opposite to the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece 7 as an alternative to the conventional cap. Just perform the normal operation of changing to the opposite direction, or vice versa.
4 can retreat from above the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece 7 or shield both lenses 6, 7 from the outside.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the binoculars according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the barriers 3 and 4 during storage, and FIG. 6 shows a barrier drive mechanism. In the present embodiment, portions having the same configuration and operation as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, the objective lens protection barrier 3 and the eyepiece protection barrier 4 are configured to move in the opposite directions to the approach and separation movement directions of the left and right optical systems, respectively. If so, the distance between the lens protection position and the retracted position can be made smaller than that in the first embodiment.

That is, in the present embodiment, the front and rear barriers 3 and 4 are formed separately from the main body 1 and individually correspond to the objective lenses 6 and the eyepieces 7 of the left and right lens barrels 5. The four barriers 3, 4 for convenience in front, rear, left and right are linked to the movement of the left and right lens barrels 5 by a barrier drive mechanism having the following configuration.

The front and rear barriers 3 and 4 respectively have a main body 1.
And linear gears 13 and 14 extending from the end near the center of the gears, respectively, and these linear gears 13 and 14 are engaged with front and rear barrier opening and closing gears 15 and 16 in the form of pinions. The front and rear barrier opening / closing gears 15 and 16 are
And driven pulleys 17 and 18 are provided coaxially therewith.

On the other hand, also in this embodiment, a rotary gear 10 is provided on the main body 1 side and a linear gear 11 is provided on each of the left and right lens barrels 5 as in the first embodiment. A drive pulley 19 is provided coaxially. The driving pulley 19 and the driven pulleys 17 and 18 are linked and connected by belts 20 and 21, respectively.

In the barrier driving mechanism having such a configuration, in the storage state of the lens barrel 5 shown in FIG. 5, the front, rear, left and right barriers 3, 4 are located at positions facing the corresponding objective lens 6 and eyepiece 7, respectively. Thus, these lenses 6 and 7 are shielded and protected. When the left and right lens barrels 5 are moved away from each other to adjust the interpupillary distance from this state, the rotating gear 10
Rotate counterclockwise, the rotation drive pulley 19
, Via the belts 20, 21 to rotate the barrier opening / closing gears 15, 16 in the same direction. This gear 15,
The rotation of 16 is transmitted to the linear gears 13 of the barriers 3 and 4, and the left and right barriers 3 and 4 move in a direction approaching each other, and quickly retreat from the protection positions facing the lenses 6 and 7.

In the use mode of the lens barrel 5, the barriers 3 and 4 are in the retracted position. In order to make the storage state from this state, the left and right lens barrels 5 are moved in the approaching direction.
The left and right barriers 3 and 4 in the retracted position move away from each other by the operation in the direction opposite to the above-described use, and the lens 6 and
It returns to the protection position facing 7.

As described above, according to the above configuration, the barriers 3, 4 on the front, rear, left and right are moved toward the center by the outward movement of the left and right lens barrels 5, so that the present invention can be applied to binoculars having a large size.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment of the binoculars according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the barriers 3 and 4 during storage, and FIG. 8 shows a barrier drive mechanism. In the present embodiment, portions having the same configuration and operation as those of the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this embodiment, the front and rear barriers 3 and 4 are independently separated from the main body 1 and provided separately for the objective lens 6 and the eyepiece 7 of the left and right lens barrels 5. By linking these four barriers 3, 4 for convenience in front, rear, left and right with the movements of the left and right lens barrels 5 by a barrier drive mechanism having the following configuration, the barrier 3 for protecting the objective lens and the barrier 4 for protecting the eyepiece are respectively provided. It is configured so that the posture is displaced substantially in the direction of the optical axis in conjunction with the separation movement of the left and right optical systems, so that if the binoculars have the same size, the distance between the lens protection position and the retracted position is the first and second distances.
The number can be further reduced as compared with the embodiment.

The front and rear barriers 3 and 4 are formed of a material that can be easily deformed, such as a rubber plate, and the outside, that is, tension springs 22 and 23 stretched between the outer end and the main body 1. The barriers 3 and 4 are urged toward the protection position. The urging forces of the tension springs 22 and 23 are set to be smaller than the frictional force between the lens barrel 5 and the main body 1.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, as in the first and second embodiments, the rotary gear 10 is provided on the main body 1 side and the linear gears 11 are provided on the left and right lens barrels 5, respectively. A take-up pulley 24 is provided coaxially with the rotating gear 10. The take-up pulley 24 and the ends of the barriers 3 and 4 on the center side of the main body 1 are linked and connected by belts 25 and 26, respectively. In addition, 27 and 28 are belts 2
Guide pulleys 29, 30 for guiding the barriers 5, 26 and the barriers 3, 4 are tension pulleys.

In the barrier driving mechanism having such a configuration, in the housing mode of the lens barrel 5 shown in FIG. 7, the front, rear, left and right barriers 3 and 4 are located at positions facing the corresponding objective lens 6 and eyepiece 7, respectively. Thus, these lenses 6 and 7 are shielded and protected. When the left and right lens barrels 5 are moved away from each other to adjust the interpupillary distance from this state, the rotating gear 10
While rotating in the counterclockwise direction, the winding pulley 1
4 rotates in the same direction, that is, the direction in which the belts 25 and 26 are wound up. Further, the direction is changed by being guided by the guide pulleys 27 and 28, and the guide pulley 27 is pulled toward the winding pulley 24,
Immediately retreat from the protection position facing the lenses 6,7.

In the use mode of the lens barrel 5, the barriers 3 and 4 are in the retracted position. To move the lens barrels 5 from left and right in the approaching direction in order to make the storage state from this state,
The left and right barriers 3 and 4 in the retracted position are pulled back to the protection position by the urging forces of the springs 22 and 23 by the operation in the direction opposite to that in the use.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the left and right lens barrels 5
As the barriers 3 and 4 move so as to enter the central portion of the main body 1 by the outward movement, they are displaced so as to be substantially parallel to the optical axis. Can be applied to large binoculars.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of each of the above-described embodiments.
It goes without saying that various modes are possible as long as the barriers 3 and 4 are opened and closed in conjunction with the use state.

In the above embodiment, all the objective lenses and the eyepieces of the left and right optical systems are covered with the barrier. However, depending on the form of the binoculars, for example, the objective lens side is surrounded by a hood-like member. In some cases, a protective member is not required. In such a case, the protective member of the present invention may be applied only to the necessary member, for example, only to the eyepiece side.

[0034]

The present invention described above, according to the present invention is equipped with a lens exposed surface of the right and left optical systems from the external shield, the left and right protection member for protecting the inside the body, further, the protective
The members are provided in the left and right optical systems, respectively,
Left and right optics move toward or away from each other
And the protection member moves in a direction opposite to the left and right optical systems.
When not in use, simply perform the normal operation of bringing the optical system closest to the left and right when not in use, the protection member relatively moves to the position where the optical system is protected, and when in use, By simply performing a normal operation for adjusting the interpupillary distance, the protection member is retracted relatively to the optical system.

Therefore, in the housing mode, the left and right optical systems are covered with the corresponding protection members on the exposed surfaces of the lenses, so that there is no damage due to the attachment of external dust and the like, and the lens is reliably prevented from being damaged. In addition, just by adjusting the interpupillary distance, it is possible to look immediately, and since there is no need for a conventional cap, it is possible to eliminate all the troublesome work of managing the cap, such as conventional It has a superior effect that cannot be seen. Further, since the configuration of the protective member is moved opposite to the direction of the moving direction of the left and right optical systems, the moving space of the protective member than the right and left optical systems rather by not provided outwardly applied to a large binocular size However, there is no inconvenience that the binoculars become larger.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a storage state of binoculars according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a use state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a barrier drive mechanism in a storage state of binoculars according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing a barrier driving mechanism in a storage state of binoculars according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Binocular main body 3, 4 Barrier (protective member) 5 Lens tube 6 Objective lens (optical system) 7 Eyepiece (optical system) 10 Rotating gear 11 Linear gear 13, 14 Linear gear 15, 16 Barrier opening / closing gear 17, 18 Follower Pulley 19 Drive pulley 20, 21 Belt 22, 23 Tension spring 24 Take-up pulley 25, 26 Belt

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-B-38-16582 (JP, B1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 23/00 G02B 23/18

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A binocular main body, and a pair of left and right optical systems mounted on the main body, and a storage configuration in which the left and right optical systems are closest to each other, and a left and right optical system for adjusting an interpupillary distance. A pair of binoculars configured to be deformable into at least two forms of a use form moved outward from a storage form, wherein the left and right optical system lens exposure surfaces are shielded from the outside,
Equipped with left and right protection members for protection in the main body,
Further, the protection members are provided on the left and right optical systems, respectively.
And the right and left optical systems approach or separate from each other.
The protection member is opposite to the left and right optical systems
Binoculars characterized by moving in the direction of. 2. The binoculars according to claim 1, wherein the protection member covers both an objective lens and an eyepiece constituting the optical system. 3. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the protective member is a pair of the optical system.
Covering either the object lens or the eyepiece
The binoculars according to claim 1, characterized in that: