JP4066350B2 - Waterproof digital camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a waterproof digital camera provided with a waterproof case.
[0002]
In recent years, digital cameras equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) have been widely used. A digital camera has a lens unit that includes a focus lens, zoom lens, aperture, filter unit, and a drive system that moves the lens, a CCD that receives a subject image and outputs the signal, and a signal that processes the signal from the CCD. A processing system, a liquid crystal display (LCD) display unit, a battery system, a control system that controls the operation of each component, a data communication with a personal computer, etc., and a cradle for connecting a battery to an external power source for charging Is provided.
[0003]
In addition, when shooting with a digital camera, the camera is equipped with an autofocus function, so that shooting failures are reduced and good images can be obtained, so it is widely used and used in various environments. It has come to be.
[0004]
However, in a use environment where the camera gets wet, the cradle is not waterproof, so that a waterproof measure is required.
[0005]
As a measure for waterproofing, the configuration in which the camera is housed in a waterproof case is generally versatile and simple, so that it is common. Recently, a waterproof camera provided with a dehumidifying means for preventing fogging of the waterproof case has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0006]
In addition, an underwater camera has been proposed in which a strobe can be attached and detached freely in water and can control the proper strobe emission (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-194048 (paragraphs 0012 to 0033, FIGS. 1 and 2)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-11-237662 (paragraphs 0011 to 0014, FIG. 1)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if data communication with an external device is attempted at the shooting site, data communication is possible using a connector lid provided on the waterproof case, but it is necessary to open the lid and connect to a connector or cable. For this reason, user convenience has been greatly impaired. In addition, since it is necessary to open the lid of the waterproof case, even if the external device has a waterproof structure, a clean environment that does not splash water during data communication is required.
[0009]
Further, since the opening of the waterproof case is provided on the back side of the camera and the cross section for waterproof sealing is large, a large waterproof structure is required, and there is a problem in the reliability of waterproofing.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the prior art, and is capable of communication with the outside while being accommodated in a waterproof case, and can improve the reliability of waterproofing. An object is to provide a digital camera.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A waterproof digital camera according to the invention of claim 1 provided to solve the above-mentioned problems is a digital camera body in which a connector A for inputting / outputting electric signals is provided on a side surface of a minimum area of the body, and the digital It is a hollow case that can store the camera body, and is a waterproof lid that can be opened and closed by closing one side of its minimum area, and the side facing the main surface of the waterproof lid is an electrical signal on its inner surface side. The connector B is provided with a connector B for input / output, and a waterproof case provided with a connector C capable of inputting / outputting signals between the connector B and the outside on the outer surface side. The connector A and the connector B are connected to each other. The digital camera body is housed in a waterproof case.
[0012]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the connector and the cable can be connected in one operation without opening the cover of the waterproof case during data communication or when using an external power supply, so that convenience for the user is improved. In addition, since it is possible to connect to an external device while waterproofing is ensured, if the external data communication means is waterproof, data communication is possible even in a non-clean environment with moisture. . Furthermore, the waterproof structure of the opening limited to the minimum area in the longitudinal direction of the waterproof digital camera can minimize the cross section for waterproof sealing, and the waterproof reliability is also improved.
It is preferable that the connector A be a plug-shaped connector, the connector B be a socket-shaped connector, and the connector A be inserted into the connector B to be electrically connected.
[0013]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof digital camera according to a second aspect of the present invention, wherein the digital camera body is connected to an external power source via the connector A, the connector B, and the connector C. It is connectable with.
[0014]
According to the invention of claim 2, by using a connector for both communication and power, the number of parts can be reduced, the waterproof digital camera can be reduced in size and simplified, and the waterproof reliability of the connector portion is also improved. Can be made.
[0015]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof digital camera according to a third aspect of the present invention, wherein the waterproof case includes a charging circuit connected to a connector B.
[0016]
According to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to charge the battery as it is without taking out the battery from the digital camera body. Furthermore, since the charging circuit can be omitted, the digital camera body can be downsized.
[0017]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof digital camera according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein a communication means using an optical method is used between the connector B and the connector C. Signals are input and output.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof digital camera according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein a communication means using a magnetic method is used between the connector B and the connector C. Signals are input and output.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waterproof digital camera according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein a communication means using a radio wave method is used between the connector B and the connector C. Signals are input and output.
[0018]
According to the fourth to sixth aspects of the present invention, since there is nothing that penetrates the partition wall of the waterproof case, the reliability of waterproofing can be further improved.
In addition, communication means using a magnetic method can transmit data with higher accuracy without being affected by light disturbance unlike optical communication.
Furthermore, the communication means using the radio wave method can transmit data with higher accuracy to a further distance.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A waterproof digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In addition, embodiment shown below is an illustration and is not limited to this.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
The waterproof digital camera 10 includes a digital camera body 11 provided with a connector 11c (not shown) for inputting and outputting electrical signals on a side surface of the minimum area of the body, a case body 121, and a waterproof lid 122. A waterproof case 12 that forms a space in which the main body 11 is housed and has a connector 12c on the inner surface side of the bottom surface of the case main body 121, which is a surface facing the waterproof lid 122, and a terminal portion 12t that is one mode of the connector on the outer surface side; Consists of. Further, when the digital camera body 11 is housed in the waterproof case 12, the connector 11c and the connector 12c are in a connected state.
[0020]
A block diagram of the digital camera body 11 is shown in FIG.
The digital camera body 11
(1) Lens system 20; a focus lens 21, a zoom lens 22, a diaphragm / shutter mechanical mechanism 23, motors 24, 25, 26, 2a and drivers 27, 28, 29, 2b. Optical system drive unit that moves the focus lens and zoom lens in the optical axis direction (2) Imaging unit / image processing unit; TG (Timing Generator) unit 31 that drives CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 32, and sampling output signal of CCD 32 The digitized CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit 33, variable gain amplifier (AGC amplifier) 34, A / D converter 35, IPP (Image Pre-Processor) 36, RAM (internal memory) 37, DCT (DiscreteCosine) Transform 38, Coder (Huffman) Encoder / Decoder) 39, MCC (Memory Card Controller) 3a, card interface 3b, PC card (including memory card, etc.) 3c, strobe 50
(4) Control unit: controller (CPU) 40, flash memory (EEPROM) 41, controller A / D converter 42, controller D / A converter 43, system bus line (5) image display unit; lens system, A liquid crystal display (LCD) driver circuit 61, an LCD display unit 62, an auxiliary light lamp 63, and an auxiliary light lamp driving circuit 64 for displaying an image output via the imaging unit and the image processing unit.
(6) Power supply system; DC-DC converter 70, batteries 71 and 72, AC adapter 73
(7) Audio system; audio amplifier unit 80, microphone 81, speaker 82, earphone 83
(8) Operation system: operation unit 90, release switch 91, mode input means 92
(9) Other: Vibration motor driver a1, vibration motor a2
Each part should just have the structure and function similar to a conventionally well-known technique.
[0021]
The structure of the waterproof case 12 is shown in FIG.
The waterproof case 12 includes a case main body 121 that is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped with one side surface of a minimum area, a waterproof lid 122 that is attached to the opening of the case main body 121 so as to be openable and closable. A connector 12c is provided on the inner surface side of the bottom surface of the case main body 121 to be a surface to be connected, and a terminal portion 12t (not shown) is provided on the outer surface side thereof.
[0022]
The hollow space inside the case main body 121 may be the smallest space that can be accommodated in the digital camera main body 11, and the opening of the case main body 121 is made slightly larger than the side surface of the minimum area of the body of the digital camera main body 11. The camera body 11 can be easily inserted.
[0023]
When the waterproof lid 122 is closed with respect to the opening of the case main body 121, the waterproof lid 122 attached to the waterproof lid 122 is locked on the inner surface of the case main body 121, so that the waterproof lid 122 is fixed in a closed state. .
[0024]
Further, by the closed state of the waterproof lid 122, the main surface of the waterproof lid 122 and the rubber packing 124 provided on the end surface of the opening of the case main body 121 are pressed against each other, and the case main body 121 and the waterproof lid 122 are interposed. It becomes possible to prevent water from entering from the outside.
[0025]
Camera guides 125 provided at the upper two corners inside the case body 121 are for guiding the digital camera body 11 to an appropriate position. The upper surface of the digital camera body 11 is pressed against the camera guide 125 and inserted into the case body 121 while sliding. The connector 11c of the digital camera body 11 can be connected to the connector 12c at an appropriate position by adjusting the vertical position. It becomes. Further, the left and right positions of the connector 11c may be adjusted by pressing the front and back surfaces of the digital camera body 11 against the camera guide 125.
[0026]
The lens barrel space 126 is provided corresponding to the digital camera body 11 having a retractable lens barrel. The digital camera main body 11 is inserted into the case main body 12 in a state in which the lens barrel is housed, and the lens barrel can be expanded and contracted according to the shooting conditions by the lens barrel space 126 at the time of shooting. Accordingly, the waterproof digital camera 10 can be reduced in size and the lens system 20 can be zoomed in consideration of the retractable lens barrel.
[0027]
The mode dial 127 can be switched to the photographing mode from the outside of the waterproof case 12 by interlocking with the mode dial 92 of the digital camera body 11. The mechanism for operating the mode dial 127 and the mode dial 92 in conjunction with each other may be any conventionally known technique.
[0028]
Next, a configuration example of the connector 11c and the connector 12c is shown in FIG.
The connector 11c is provided on the side surface of the minimum area facing the longitudinal direction of the body of the digital camera body 11, and is provided on the contact portion support portion 11e which is a convex plug, and on the top and side surfaces of the contact portion support portion 11e. A contact portion 11d.
The contact portion 11 d is electrically connected to the external communication driver 3 d and the communication / power adapter A in the digital camera body 11.
[0029]
Further, the connector 12c is provided on the surface of the case main body 121 on the surface of the minimum area facing the waterproof lid 122, and has a concave portion 12e having a convex mirror image shape of the contact portion support portion 11e, and a side surface of the concave portion 12e. Among them, the contact portion 12d provided on the side surface and the bottom surface corresponding to the side surface with the contact portion 11d of the contact portion support portion 11e, and the contact portion support portion 11e that is connected to the contact portion 12d and penetrates the waterproof case 12 toward the outside. It is a contact part support part provided with the conductor part 12f (not shown).
12 d of contact parts are electrically connected by the terminal part 12t provided in the outer surface side of the waterproof case 12, and the conductor part 12f.
[0030]
When the digital camera body 11 is housed in the waterproof case 12, the contact portion support portion 11e of the connector 11c is inserted into the recessed portion 12e of the connector 12c and is fitted, and the contact portion 11d and the contact portion 12d are accurately in contact with each other. Then, it is electrically connected.
[0031]
The contact portion support portion 11e can be finely moved up and down and left and right with reference to the digital camera body 11 side of the contact portion support portion 11e, so that the fitting with the recess 12e of the connector 12c can be performed more accurately and simply. become. Alternatively, the connector 12e may be finely movable up and down and left and right starting from the case body 121 side of the connector 12e, and this mechanism may be applied to both the contact portion support portion 11e and the connector 12e.
[0032]
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional configuration related to the connection between the connector 12c and the terminal portion 12t in the waterproof case 12.
The contact portion support portion 12e of the connector 12c is fitted into the through hole 12a of the partition wall 129, and the terminal portion support portion 12b that supports the terminal portion 12t is joined to the end face that protrudes to the outside of the waterproof case 12.
Further, the terminal portion support portion 12b has a larger cross-sectional size than the cross section of the contact portion support portion 12e, and a portion protruding from the contact portion support portion 12e at a joint portion with the contact portion support portion 12e and the partition wall 129. It has a structure that waterproofs the through hole 12a by sandwiching the rubber packing 12g.
[0033]
Furthermore, the contact portion 12d of the connector 12c is connected to the terminal portion 12t outside the waterproof case 12 by a conductor portion 12f that penetrates the contact portion support portion 12e and the terminal portion support portion 12b, respectively. Thereby, it is possible to input / output electric signals between the inside and outside of the waterproof case in a state where the inside of the waterproof case 12 is waterproof.
[0034]
In addition, although the configuration for communication is shown in the drawing, when the connector 12c and the terminal portion 12t include a connector and a terminal for connecting to an external power source, the waterproof case 12 is waterproofed, Power can be supplied from an external power source together with signal input / output. In addition, by using a connector for both communication and power, the number of components can be reduced, the waterproof digital camera 10 can be reduced in size and simplified, and the waterproof reliability of the connector portion can be improved. .
[0035]
In addition, by providing a charging circuit connected to the connector 12c in an empty space inside the waterproof case 12, it is possible to charge the battery 71 and 72 without taking them out from the digital camera body 11. Further, since the charging circuit can be omitted, the digital camera body 11 can be downsized.
[0036]
With the above configuration, it is possible to connect the connector and the cable by one operation of inserting into the external terminal portion 12t without opening the lid of the waterproof case 10 during data communication or when using an external power supply. , User convenience is improved.
In addition, since it is possible to connect to an external device while waterproofing is ensured, if the external data communication means is waterproof, data communication is possible even in a non-clean environment with moisture. .
Furthermore, by providing the waterproof structure of the opening limited to the minimum area in the longitudinal direction of the waterproof digital camera 10, the cross section for waterproof sealing can be minimized, and the reliability of waterproofing is improved.
[0037]
Next, a second embodiment of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configuration of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention is different in the communication means between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and the external connector, and other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. .
[0038]
FIG. 6 shows a configuration in which signals are input and output between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and the external connector portion 12j by communication means using an optical method.
A signal modulation / demodulation means for converting the electrical signal from the connector 12c into an optical signal and converting the optical signal from the outside into an electrical signal by connecting the conductor 12f of the connector 12c together with the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 The optical communication unit 12h includes a, an optical transmission unit b using a photodiode or the like, and an optical reception unit c using a phototransistor or the like. The power of the optical communication unit 12h is supplied from the digital camera body 11 through the connector 12c.
An optical waveguide portion 12i is formed of a transparent resin or the like on a part or all of the partition wall 129 of the waterproof case 12 where optical communication is performed.
A connector portion 12j for optical communication is provided outside the waterproof case 12.
[0039]
With the above configuration, since there is nothing that penetrates the partition wall 129, the reliability of waterproofing can be further improved.
The optical communication unit 12h may be provided in the digital camera main body 11, and when the digital camera main body 11 is stored in the waterproof case 12, the optical communication unit 12h may be disposed in the optical waveguide unit 12i. .
Furthermore, it is good also as a structure which supplies electric power from the external power supply to the optical communication part 12h using together the connector structure shown in FIG. 5 with the said optical means.
[0040]
Next, a third embodiment of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configuration of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention is different in the communication means between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and the external connector, and other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. .
[0041]
FIG. 7 shows a configuration in which signals are input / output between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and an external connector when simultaneous bidirectional communication is performed by communication means using a magnetic method.
A signal modulation / demodulation means for converting the electrical signal from the connector 12c into a magnetic signal and converting the magnetic signal from the outside into an electrical signal by connecting the conductor 12f of the connector 12c together with the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 There is provided a magnetic communication unit 12k having a magnetic transmission unit e and a magnetic reception unit f that communicate with each other by using d and a magnetic loop coil. The power of the magnetic communication unit 12k is supplied from the digital camera main body 11 via the connector 12c.
A magnetic waveguide portion 12m is formed at a portion where the magnetic communication of the partition wall 129 of the waterproof case 12 is performed.
Outside the waterproof case 12, a signal modulation / demodulation means i for converting an electric signal from an external connector (not shown) into a magnetic signal, and converting a magnetic signal from the inside of the waterproof case 12 into an electric signal, and a magnetic loop A magnetic communication unit 12n having a magnetic transmission unit g and a magnetic reception unit h that are magnetically coupled using a coil or the like to perform communication is provided. The power of the magnetic communication unit 12n is supplied from an external power source via an external connector.
Note that the magnetic transmission unit e and the magnetic reception unit f and the magnetic transmission unit g and the magnetic reception unit h are arranged apart from each other so that no magnetic interference occurs.
[0042]
With the above configuration, since there is nothing that penetrates the partition wall 129, the reliability of waterproofing can be further improved, and unlike optical communication, data can be transmitted with higher accuracy without being affected by disturbance of light. It becomes.
In the case of unidirectional communication, there is no need to divide the magnetic transmitter and the magnetic receiver, and only one magnetic transmitter / receiver may be used. The communication method at that time may be performed by inserting a recognition signal between transmission and reception. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which supplies electric power from the external power supply to the magnetic communication part 12k by using together the connector structure shown in FIG. 5 with the said magnetic means.
[0043]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configuration of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention is different in the communication means between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and the external connector, and other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. .
[0044]
FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which signals are input / output between the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 and an external connector by communication means using a radio wave method.
A signal modulation / demodulation means for converting the electric signal from the connector 12c into a radio signal and converting the radio signal from the outside into an electric signal by connecting a conductor 12f of the connector 12c together with the connector 12c inside the waterproof case 12 A radio communication unit 12p having j and an antenna k is provided. The power of the wireless communication unit 12p is supplied from the digital camera main body 11 via the connector 12c.
Outside the waterproof case 12, a signal modulation / demodulation means n for converting an electric signal from an external connector (not shown) into a radio signal and a radio signal from the inside of the waterproof case 12 into an electric signal, and an antenna m There is provided a wireless communication unit 12q. The power of the wireless communication unit 12q is supplied from an external power source via an external connector.
The wireless transmission unit q does not need to be in contact with the partition wall 129 of the waterproof case 12 and may be separated.
[0045]
With the above-described configuration, since there is nothing that penetrates the partition wall 129, the reliability of waterproofing can be further improved, and more accurate data transmission can be performed further away.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the convenience of the user when using the external power supply during data communication is improved. Further, if the external data communication means is a waterproof structure, data communication is possible even in a non-clean environment with moisture, and the waterproof reliability is improved.
According to the invention of claim 2, the number of parts can be reduced, the waterproof digital camera can be reduced in size and simplified, and the waterproof reliability of the connector portion can be improved.
According to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to charge the battery without taking out the battery from the digital camera body, and the digital camera body can be downsized.
According to the inventions of claims 4 to 6, since there is nothing that penetrates the partition wall of the waterproof case, the reliability of waterproofing can be further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera body of a waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional perspective view showing a configuration example of a waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a connector portion of a waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the first embodiment in the connector portion of the waterproof case of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a second embodiment in a connector portion of a waterproof case of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a third embodiment in a connector portion of a waterproof case of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment in a connector portion of a waterproof case of the waterproof digital camera according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Waterproof digital camera 11 Digital camera main body 11c Connector 11d, 12d Contact part 11e Contact part support part 12 Waterproof case 12c Connector 12e Concave part 12f Conductor part 12g Rubber packing 12h Optical communication part 12i Optical waveguide 12j Optical communication connector part 12k , 12n Magnetic communication unit 12m Magnetic waveguide 12p, 12q Wireless communication unit 20 Lens system 21 Focus lens 22 Zoom lens 23 Mechanical mechanism 24, 25, 26, 2a Motor 27, 28, 29, 2b Driver 31 TG unit 32 CCD
33 CDS
34 AGC amplifier 35 A / D converter 36 IPP
37 RAM
38 DCT
39 Coder 3a MCC
3b Card Interface 3c PC Card 40 Controller 41 Flash Memory 42 A / D Converter 43 D / A Converter 50 Strobe 61 LCD Driver Circuit 62 LCD Display Unit 63 Auxiliary Light Lamp 64 Auxiliary Light Lamp Driver 70 DC-DC Converter 71, 72 Battery 73 AC Adapter 80 Audio Amplifier Unit 81 Microphone 82 Speaker 83 Earphone 90 Operation Unit 91 Release Switch 92 Mode Input Means 121 Case Main Body 122 Waterproof Lid 123 Waterproof Lid Lock 124 Rubber Packing 125 Camera Guide 126 Lens Body Space 127 Mode Dial 128 Strobe 129 Bulkhead A Communication / power adapter a1 Vibration motor driver a2 Vibration motors a, d, i, j, n Signal modulation, demodulation means b Optical transmitter c Optical receiver e, g Magnetic transmitter f, h Magnetic receiver k, m antenna

Claims (6)

A digital camera body provided with a connector A for inputting and outputting electrical signals on the side of the minimum area of the body;
The digital camera body is a hollow case that can be stored, and is a waterproof lid that can be opened and closed by closing one side of its minimum area, and the side facing the main surface of the waterproof lid is on the inner surface side. A connector B for inputting / outputting electric signals, and a waterproof case provided with a connector C capable of inputting / outputting signals between the connector B and the outside on the outer surface side;
A waterproof digital camera, wherein the connector A and the connector B are connected, and the digital camera body is housed in a waterproof case. The waterproof digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the digital camera body is connectable to an external power source via the connector A, the connector B, and the connector C. The waterproof digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising a charging circuit connected to the connector B in the waterproof case. 4. The waterproof digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a signal is input / output between the connector B and the connector C by communication means using an optical method. 4. The waterproof digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a signal is input / output between the connector B and the connector C by communication means using a magnetic method. 4. The waterproof digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a signal is input / output between the connector B and the connector C by communication means using a radio wave method.

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