JP3296869B2 - Pop-up strobe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, a pop-up strobe which can be automatically projected and stored in a camera body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, pop-up strobes to which various systems as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 are applied have been known.

[0005] In the method shown in FIG.
Is configured to be able to move up and down in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens 4 in the direction of arrow S in the figure.
Automatically rises to the outside of the camera body 6 by the drive system (not shown), and is maintained in a strobe-capable state.

[0004] In the method shown in FIG.
Is configured to be rotatable in the direction of arrow T in the figure around a rotation axis 8 parallel to the optical axis of the lens 4, and automatically driven by a drive system (not shown) of the camera body 6 during shooting. The camera is pivoted up to the outside of the camera body 6 and is maintained in a strobe-capable state.

In the method shown in FIG.
Is configured to be rotatable in a direction indicated by an arrow M around a rotation axis 10 orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens 4, and is automatically turned on by a drive system (not shown) of the camera body 6 at the time of shooting. The camera is pivoted up to the outside of the camera body 6 and is maintained in a strobe-capable state.

[0006]

However, the system shown in FIG. 5 requires, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism in the camera body 6, so that there is a problem that the configuration becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases.

In the systems shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the strobe main body 2 is configured to rotate around rotation shafts 8 and 10, respectively, for simplification. However, in these methods, when the strobe main body 2 is stored, even when a foreign object such as a finger or sand is caught between the strobe main body 2 and the camera main body 6, the rotating shafts 8 and 10 are continuously connected to the strobe. It is rotating in the storage direction. For this reason, there is a problem that the rotating shaft itself and its surroundings are overloaded, causing damage, and the strobe body 2 is forcibly moved with the camera body 6 in a state where foreign matter is caught.
If the strobe is to be housed inside, there is also a problem that the strobe body itself and the camera body are also damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to absorb the load applied to the strobe main body during the storing / projecting operation, thereby securely and securely storing the strobe main body. An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive pop-up strobe which can be protruded.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is to automatically start a photographing body incorporating the photographing means in conjunction with a photographing start operation and a photographing stop operation of the photographing means. In a pop-up strobe configured to be able to protrude and to be automatically housed in the photographing main body, a strobe main body configured to emit light and a bias for urging the strobe main body to always project from the photographing main body are provided. A biasing member, an actuating member driven in accordance with a photographing start operation and a photographing stop operation, one end of which is freely contactable with the strobe main body, and the other end of which is actuated in accordance with an operation of the actuating member in an operation region And an elastic member disposed so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the main body. The other end of the elastic member is brought into contact with the operating member in conjunction with the photographing stop operation, thereby gradually moving forward. The urging force of the elastic member is increased to apply a urging force in a direction in which the strobe main body is housed in the photographing main body against the urging force of the urging member, and the elastic body is interlocked with the photographing start operation. As the other end of the member is separated from the contact state with the operating member, the urging force of the elastic member is gradually reduced, and the strobe main body projects from the photographing main body by the urging force of the urging member. It is characterized by making it.

[0010]

[0011]

In the pop-up strobe according to the present invention, the biasing force of the elastic member is gradually increased by bringing the other end of the elastic member into contact with the operating member in conjunction with the photographing stop operation. The strobe main body is accommodated in the photographing main body against the urging force of the urging member by the urging force of the elastic member. Further, the urging force of the elastic member is gradually reduced by separating the other end of the elastic member from the contact state with the operating member in conjunction with the photographing start operation, so that the elastic member is reduced. The strobe main body is protruded from the photographing main body by the urging force of the urging member against the urging force.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pop-up strobe according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pop-up strobe according to the present embodiment is a photographing body having a built-in photographing means, that is, a camera body, in conjunction with a photographing start operation and a photographing stop operation of a photographing means (not shown). 12 and can be automatically stored in the camera body 12.

Such a pop-up strobe includes a strobe main body 14 configured to emit light, an urging means or an up-spring 16 for urging the strobe main body 14 in a direction to always project from the camera main body 12, In conjunction with the start operation, the strobe main body 14 is made to protrude from the camera main body 12 by the urging force of the up spring 16, and in conjunction with the shooting stop operation, the strobe main body 14 is moved up.
An elastic member, that is, a down spring 18 that is housed in the camera body 12 against the urging force of No. 6 is provided.

The strobe main body 14 is rotatably supported by the camera main body 12 via a rotation shaft 20 provided at one end. The rotation shaft 20 is attached to the camera body 12 in parallel with the optical axis of the lens 22. For this reason, the strobe main body 14 is in a state where it can be turned around the turning shaft 20 in the direction of arrow F in FIG. It should be noted that such a strobe main body 14 is provided with a built-in light source that is disposed obliquely.
A xenon tube 31 and the flash of the xenon tube 31
Strobe window for projecting light toward object (not shown)
24 are provided. This strobe window 24 is
The lens of the Fresnel lens has a strobe
When the main unit 14 pops up,
Looks vertical.

One end of the up spring 16 is connected to the camera body 12.
And the other end is arranged so as to be abutted on the strobe main body 14. As a result,
The up spring 16 receives the repulsive force from the contact portion 26,
The strobe main body 14 is always maintained in a state of being urged in a direction in which the strobe main body 14 projects from the camera main body 12.

The down spring 18 is attached to an end of the flash main body 14 with one end thereof being supported by the flash main body 14. Further, the other end of the down spring 18 is arranged so as to be able to abut on the convex portion 30 of the cam ring 28 built in the camera body 12, and the other end is pressed by the convex portion 30 that has moved with the rotation of the cam ring 28. It is configured to be elastically deformable. Such a down spring 18 is convex
It is possible to ride on the slope or the top of the part 30
Have been. An example of the down spring 18 is shown in FIG.
You.

The cam ring 28 accommodates and holds predetermined lenses (not shown) therein, and functions to relatively change these lenses from a collapsed state to a wide state and a tele state. have. Further, the urging force of the down spring 18 is set slightly higher than the urging force of the up spring 16. Next, the operation of the pop-up strobe of this embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 1A and 2A show a state in which the flash main body 14 is stored in the camera main body 12, that is, a collapsed state. That is, the strobe body 14 is rotated about the rotation shaft 20 in a direction against the urging force of the up spring 16 by the pressing force from the projection 30 applied to the other end of the down spring 18, and It is in the state stored in.

At this time, when the photographing means is operated via a photographing start / end switch (not shown) provided on the camera body 12, the cam ring 28 has its convex portion 30 separated from the other end of the down spring 18. Rotate in the direction.

The pressing force from the convex portion 30 applied to the other end of the down spring 18 decreases with the separating operation of the convex portion 30. Accordingly, the urging force of the up spring 16 acting on the flash main body 14 gradually increases, and the flash main body 14 is gradually moved around the rotation shaft 20 as indicated by an arrow G (FIG. 2).
(See (B)), and protrude from the camera body 12.

As shown in FIG. 2B, when the projection 30 is completely separated from the other end of the down spring 18 and the pressing force acting on the down spring 18 from the projection 30 is eliminated, the strobe body 14 Only the urging force from the up spring 16 acts. As a result, the strobe main body 14 rotates around the rotation shaft 20 in the direction G in the drawing, and is maintained in a state of being inclined and protruding from the camera main body 12 (see FIG. 1B). In this state, photographing can be started.

When the photographing means is stopped again via the photographing start / end switch after the end of the predetermined photographing, the cam ring 28
Rotates in a direction in which the projection 30 approaches the other end of the down spring 18.

With this rotation, the convex portion 30 gradually applies a pressing force to the other end of the down spring 18 while contacting the other end of the down spring 18. As the pressing force from the convex portion 30 acting on the other end increases, the strobe main body 14
And rotates inward in the camera body 12 against the urging force of the up spring 16.

When the flash main body 14 is completely housed in the camera main body 12, the photographing means is stopped. As a result, the flash main body 14 is maintained in the collapsed state again (see FIG. 1A).

In such a pop-up flash, the down spring 18 is elastically deformed corresponding to the load applied to the flash main body 14 when the flash main body 14 is stored in the camera main body 12, for example, to absorb the load. Has a function.

Specifically, when the strobe main body 14 is rotating in the direction of the camera main body 12, foreign matter such as dust, sand, or a finger of the photographer is interposed between the strobe main body 14 and the camera main body 12. In this case, the other end of the down spring 18 receiving the pressing force from the convex portion 30 is elastically deformed and rides on the convex portion 30, so that the pressing force from the convex portion 30 is not directly applied to the strobe main body 14. ing. For this reason,
The strobe main body 14 is maintained in a state where the rotation in the direction of the camera main body 12 is temporarily stopped with the foreign matter interposed therebetween.

As described above, by temporarily stopping the rotation of the flash main body 14, the pressure applied to the foreign matter from the flash main body 14 can be reduced. As a result,
Damage to the foreign object can be prevented, and the repulsive force generated by the foreign object can cause the strobe body 14 or the camera body 12
Can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, even when the strobe body 14 is forcibly pulled out in the projecting direction by applying a pulling force during the storing operation, the other end of the down spring 18 is elastically deformed and
Riding on zero absorbs the tensile force and prevents this tensile force from acting directly on the strobe body 14.

When the strobe body 14 is forcibly pressed toward the camera body 12 during the storing operation and the protruding operation, the up spring 16 has a function of absorbing the pressing force. Therefore, adverse effects such as damage to the flash main body 14 due to the pressing force applied to the flash main body 14 are prevented. In addition, as a waterproofing mechanism of the pop-up strobe of the present invention, for example, the one according to the following modified example is preferable.

A pop-up strobe according to a first modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the description of this modification, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the pop-up strobe of this modification, the strobe main body 14 is a camera main body 12 (see FIG. 1).
The rotation shaft 20 extends from the flash body 14 through an opening formed in the front cover 34. A waterproof O-ring 36 is provided at the periphery of the opening.
The ring 36 and the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 20 are aligned in a liquid-tight manner.

A strobe lever 32 extending in the direction perpendicular to the axis is attached to the extending end of the rotating shaft 20.
At the extending end of the strobe lever 32, the down spring 18 having the above-described characteristics is provided.

The rotation shaft 20 extends along the axial direction.
A communication hole is formed in the center portion up to the strobe main body 14, and a lead wire 38 connected to a power supply circuit for strobe light emission (not shown) is inserted through the communication hole.

As described above, according to the present modification, it is possible to provide a pop-up strobe having a simple and compact structure and a high waterproofness. Note that, similarly to the above-described embodiment, when the down spring 18 is pressed by the convex portion 30 (see FIG. 2), the rotation shaft 20 of the waterproof pop-up strobe is moved in the predetermined direction via the strobe lever 32. As a result, the flash body 14 is moved to the front cover 3.
4 will protrude.

Next, a pop-up strobe according to a second modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the description of this modified example, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment and the first modified example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the pop-up strobe according to this modification, the strobe main body 14 is rotatably housed in a front cover 34 via a turning shaft 40. The strobe main body 14 is connected to the camera main body 12 from one end on the rotation shaft 40 side.
(Refer to FIG. 1) A portion bent in an L-shape in the direction has a waterproof bellows rubber 46 on the outer peripheral surface of the bent portion.
Are arranged in a liquid-tight manner.

Since the strobe main body 14 has a hollow structure from the bent portion, the lead wire 38 is inserted into the hollow portion 42 and connected to the strobe main body 14. A cover 44 for shielding is provided on the insertion end side of the rotating shaft 40. The operation and effect of the pop-up strobe according to the present modification are also the same as those of the above-described embodiment and modification, and thus description thereof will be omitted.

[0039]

In the pop-up strobe of the present invention, since the strobe main body is provided with an elastically deformable elastic member, even when a load is applied to the strobe main body during the projecting operation or the storing operation of the strobe main body. The elastic member can be elastically deformed to absorb the load.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B are external views of a camera to which a pop-up strobe according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a state in which a strobe main body is housed in a camera main body;
FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the strobe main body is projected from the camera main body.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views of a portion of the pop-up strobe shown in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows a state of being housed in a camera body, and FIG. FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are enlarged views of a pop-up strobe according to a first modification of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is an enlarged plan view of a rotating shaft, and FIG. Sectional view.

4A and 4B are enlarged views of a pop-up strobe according to a second modification of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4A is an enlarged plan view of a rotating shaft, and FIG. Sectional view.

5A and 5B are external views of a camera to which a conventional pop-up strobe is applied, in which FIG. 5A shows a state in which the strobe main body is housed in the camera main body, and FIG. The figure which shows the state in which was projected.

6A and 6B are external views of a camera to which a conventional pop-up strobe is applied, wherein FIG. 6A shows a state in which the strobe main body is housed in the camera main body, and FIG. FIG.

7A and 7B are external views of a camera to which a conventional pop-up strobe is applied, in which FIG. 7A shows a state in which the strobe main body is housed in the camera main body, and FIG. FIG. 3C shows a state in which is projected, (C).
Is its side view.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are perspective views each showing an example of a down spring.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 strobe body, 16 up spring, 18 down spring, 20 rotary shaft, 24 strobe window, 28 cam ring, 30 convex part.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-18537 (JP, A) JP-A-62-134631 (JP, A) JP-A-59-184129 (JP, U) (58) Survey Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 15/05 G03B 15/03

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pop-up configured to be able to automatically protrude from a photographing body incorporating the photographing means and to be automatically housed in the photographing body in conjunction with a photographing start operation and a photographing stop operation of the photographing means. In the strobe, a strobe main body configured to emit light, an urging member that constantly urges the strobe main body in a direction to protrude from the photographing main body, and an operation driven in accordance with a photographing start operation and a photographing stop operation An elastic member, one end of which is arranged to be able to contact the strobe body and the other end is arranged to be able to contact and separate from the operating member in accordance with the operation of the operating member in the operating region. Then, the other end of the elastic member is brought into contact with the operating member in conjunction with the photographing stop operation, so that the urging force of the elastic member is gradually increased, and the strobe main body is attached to the flash body. A biasing force is applied in a direction to be accommodated in the photographing main body against the biasing force of the biasing member, and the other end of the elastic member is brought into contact with the operating member in conjunction with the photographing start operation. A pop-up strobe wherein the urging force of the elastic member is gradually reduced by being separated, and the strobe main body is protruded from the photographing main body by the urging force of the urging member.