JP4136082B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera such as a digital camera having a sublimation printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a digital camera is known that connects a printer and prints an image photographed by the printer on a recording sheet.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a digital camera, since it is necessary to connect a printer when printing a photographed image, the printing operation is inconvenient, and it is always necessary to carry the printer with the digital camera when performing printing. The portability was bad. In view of this, it is conceivable that a digital camera is provided with a printer. As the printer, a sublimation type printer capable of printing a photographed image, for example, a portrait image or a landscape image, with high resolution is conceivable. However, a sublimation type printer has a thermal head, and generates heat during printing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a ventilation hole in the digital camera to prevent malfunction of the printer.
[0004]
On the other hand, when a vent hole is provided in the digital camera, there is a problem that dust or the like enters the digital camera from the vent hole when the digital camera is not in use, thereby adversely affecting the circuit of the digital camera.
[0005]
The present invention provides an electronic camera such as a digital camera having a sublimation printer, for example, by providing a shielding member for opening and closing the ventilation hole, and causes malfunction due to heat generation of the printer and intrusion of dust or the like when not in use. The purpose is to prevent.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An electronic device according to the present invention is an electronic device capable of releasing heat generated due to an operation of a power source from a ventilation hole to the outside, and includes a power supply switching unit for switching power ON / OFF, and a ventilation hole. A shielding means for opening and closing, as the power switching means switches the power ON, the shielding means opens the ventilation hole, and the power switching means switches the power OFF, the shielding means vents It is characterized by closing the hole.
[0007]
Preferably, the power supply switching means also functions as a shielding means. When the power supply switching means switches the power supply to ON, the ventilation hole is opened, and when the power supply switching means switches the power supply to OFF, the ventilation hole is closed. Alternatively, preferably, the shielding unit also functions as a power source switching unit. When the shielding unit opens the ventilation hole, the power source is switched ON, and when the shielding unit closes the ventilation hole, the power source is switched OFF.
[0008]
An electronic camera according to the present invention includes a printer that generates heat due to an operation of a power supply, and a shielding unit that opens and closes a ventilation hole for releasing heat generated from the printer to the outside. It is a feature.
[0009]
Preferably, power switching means for switching the power ON / OFF is provided, and as the power switching means switches the power to ON, the shielding means opens the ventilation hole, and the power switching means switches the power to OFF. Accordingly, the shielding means closes the ventilation hole. In this case, preferably, the power supply switching means also functions as a shielding means. When the power supply switching means switches the power supply to ON, the ventilation hole is opened, and when the power supply switching means switches the power supply to OFF, the ventilation hole is closed. . Alternatively, preferably, the shielding unit also functions as a power supply switching unit. When the shielding unit opens the ventilation hole, the power source is switched on, and when the shielding unit closes the ventilation hole, the power source is switched off.
[0010]
For example, the printer is a sublimation type printer. The power source switching means is a slide switch. In particular, this electronic camera is a digital camera.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a comparative example will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital camera as a comparative example , and is a view when the power of the built-in printer is switched off. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a digital camera as a comparative example , and is a view when the power supply of the built-in printer is switched on.
[0012]
The electronic camera 10 is a digital camera with a built-in sublimation printer, for example. The digital camera 10 can record a captured image in a built-in memory (not shown), and can print an image recorded by a built-in printer.
[0013]
On the upper surface 10a of the digital camera 10, a push button 51 for recording a photographed image (captured image) is provided, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) 14 for displaying an operation mode or the like is provided. In the vicinity of the LCD 14, a selection button 52 for selecting a recorded image and the like, and a mode switching button 53 for switching operation modes such as photographing and printing are disposed.
[0014]
On the upper surface 10a of the digital camera 10, a cover 11 that is rotatable in the direction of arrow A is supported by a hinge portion 10d. The cover 11 can be stored in a recess 10c formed on the upper surface 10a. When printing a captured image, the cover 11 holds the printing paper 20 in a state of being separated from the recess 10c as shown in FIG. An insertion port 12 for inserting the printing paper 20 is formed in the recess 10 c, and a discharge port 13 for discharging the printing paper 20 is formed on the upper surface 10 a, and the printing paper 20 inserted from the insertion port 12. The image is printed and discharged from the discharge port 13.
[0015]
A printer power switch 55 for driving a built-in printer is provided on the side surface 10e of the digital camera 10. The printer power switch 55 is a slide switch and functions as a shielding member for opening and closing the ventilation hole 70. As shown in FIG. 2, when the built-in printer is in operation, that is, when the printer power switch 55 is switched to ON (lower left in the figure), the printer power switch 55 opens the ventilation hole 70. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, when the printer is not in operation, that is, when the printer power switch 55 is turned off (upper right side in the figure), the vent hole 70 is closed by the printer power switch 55.
[0016]
Inside the digital camera 10, a cooling fan, which will be described later, is provided in the vicinity of the ventilation hole 70, and an electric circuit (not shown) constituting the built-in printer is provided at a position corresponding to the insertion port 12 and the discharge port 13. It is done. The electric circuit of the built-in printer and a thermal head described later generate heat during operation. In order to prevent the circuit of the digital camera 10 from malfunctioning due to this heat, an electric circuit of the built-in printer is provided in the vicinity of the ventilation hole 70, and heat generated from the electric circuit and the thermal head etc. is transmitted from the ventilation hole 70 by the cooling fan. Released outside the digital camera 10. A cooling fan may not be provided.
[0017]
A camera power switch 56 for driving the digital camera 10 as a camera and a photographing lens 18 are provided on the side surface 10 b of the digital camera 10, and a strobe 19 is provided in the vicinity of the photographing lens 18.
[0018]
The electrical configuration and operation mode of the digital camera 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the digital camera 10. The digital camera 10 is controlled by the CPU 40. The operation unit 50 is provided with a push button 51, a selection button 52, and a mode switching button 53 shown in FIG. 1, and the operation of the digital camera 10 is selected by these buttons 51, 52 and 53.
[0019]
The digital camera 10 is provided with a battery 46, and a camera power switch 56 and a printer power switch 55 are connected to the battery 46 via a DC / DC converter 45.
[0020]
The voltage of the battery 46 is stabilized by the DC / DC converter 45 and applied to each circuit except the printer unit 60 by switching the camera power switch 56 to ON. Similarly, the voltage stabilized by the DC / DC converter 45 is applied to each circuit except the camera unit 39 by switching the printer power switch 55 to ON as shown in FIG.
[0021]
Under the control of the LCD drive circuit 48, characters indicating the operation mode are displayed on the LCD 14, and when the operation mode is switched by the mode switching button 53, display corresponding to the operation mode is performed.
[0022]
First, the case where the digital camera 10 is used as a camera will be described. When the camera power switch 56 is switched ON, the mode switch button 53 of the operation unit 50 is switched to the shooting mode, and the push button 51 is pressed, the area sensor 30 is driven by the sensor drive circuit 33 and the subject image is captured. Is done.
[0023]
Light from the subject is detected by the area sensor 30 via the lens 18 and converted into an electrical image signal corresponding to the subject image. This image signal is amplified by an amplifier 31 and converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by an A / D converter 32. The digital image signal is subjected to processing such as shading correction and interpolation processing in an image processing circuit (DSP) 41, and is stored in the built-in memory 44 by the memory controller 42.
[0024]
Next, a case where the built-in printer of the digital camera 10 is used will be described. The printer unit 60 is a sublimation printer. In this printer, the motor Ma21 is rotated by the motor drive circuit 22, and the printing paper is intermittently conveyed. As a result, the thermal head 64 generates heat at a predetermined temperature, whereby the ink is colored on the printing paper 20 and an image is printed.
[0025]
When performing printing, the operator separates the cover 11 from the recess 10 c as shown in FIG. 2, and the printing paper 20 is inserted into the insertion slot 12.
[0026]
When the printer power switch 55 is switched to ON as shown in FIG. 2, the ventilation hole 70 is opened, the motor Mb is rotated by the control of the motor drive circuit 73, and the cooling fan 71 is operated. As a result, heat generated mainly by the operation of the thermal head 64 is released to the outside from the ventilation holes 70.
[0027]
When the mode switching button 53 of the operation unit 50 is switched to the printing mode, a number (image number) corresponding to the image recorded in the built-in memory 44 is displayed on the LCD 14. The operator selects an image number by pressing the selection button 52 and presses the recording button 51. Thereby, an image (selected image) of the selected image number is printed.
[0028]
A digital image signal corresponding to the selected image is read from the built-in memory 44. This digital image signal is converted into a digital image signal of a color component corresponding to the color of ink in the printer DSP 61, subjected to processing such as gamma correction, and further to the ambient temperature of the thermal head 64 detected by the temperature sensor 65. Based on this, temperature correction is performed. The thermal head drive circuit 62 based on the signal subjected to this processing performs pulse control of the thermal head to generate heat. As a result, the selected image is printed on the printing paper 20.
[0029]
When printing is completed, the printer power switch 55 is turned off as shown in FIG. This closes the vent hole 70 and prevents dust and the like from entering the inside of the digital camera 10 when being carried.
[0030]
The digital camera 10 can be connected to an external device such as a computer. In response to a command from the CPU 40, a digital image signal is read from the built-in memory 44 and output to an external device via an external interface.
[0031]
As described above, according to the comparative example , since the built-in printer is provided in the digital camera 10, an image recorded in the built-in memory 44 can be printed by the built-in printer, and it is necessary to connect a printer as an external device. The printing operation is simple and the portability is improved. Further, a ventilation hole 70 for releasing heat generated by the built-in printer to the outside is provided, and this ventilation hole 70 opens and closes when the printer power switch 55 is switched ON / OFF. As a result, when the printer power switch 55 is turned on, that is, when the built-in printer is operating, the ventilation hole 70 is opened, the cooling fan 71 is driven, and the heat generated by the built-in printer is It is discharged to the outside, and malfunction of the digital camera 10 due to the heat of the built-in printer is prevented. When the digital camera 10 is not used, the printer power switch 55 is turned off and the ventilation hole 70 is closed, so that dust or the like can be prevented from entering the inside of the digital camera 10 from the ventilation hole 70. The
[0032]
Further, since the printer power switch 55 is a shielding member for opening and closing the ventilation hole 70, the ventilation hole 70 is always opened when the built-in printer is operating, and the built-in printer is always inactive. The ventilation hole 70 is closed. Therefore, forgetting to open the vent hole 70 when the built-in printer is operated or forgetting to close the vent hole 70 when carrying the digital camera 10 is prevented. In the comparative example , the operation mode of the digital camera 10 may be automatically switched to the print mode when the printer power switch 55 is switched ON and the built-in printer is activated.
[0033]
This embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment, and is a view when the power of the digital camera 100 is switched to OFF. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment, and is a view when the power of the digital camera 100 is switched to ON. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, and is a view when the power of the built-in printer is switched to ON. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the digital camera 100 of the present embodiment.
[0034]
This embodiment is different from the comparative example in that the configuration of the shielding member for opening and closing the ventilation hole 170 is different. Power switch 55 of the comparative example in built-in printer has become a shielding member for opening and closing the vent holes 70, in one Hohon embodiment, the power switch of the shielding member 155 is a digital camera 100 for opening and closing the vent hole 170 And the built-in printer power switch. Since other points are the same, only different points will be described below.
[0035]
The digital camera 100 has a built-in printer. On the upper surface 100a of the digital camera 100, a push button 151 for recording a photographed image, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 114 for displaying an operation mode, a selection button 152 for selecting a recorded image, and the like. A mode switching button 153 for switching operation modes such as photographing and printing is provided.
[0036]
The front surface 100b of the digital camera 100 is provided with a shielding member 155 for covering the photographing lens 118 and opening / closing the ventilation hole 170. This shielding member 155 is slidable in two directions in the direction of arrow B, and is a power switch for switching ON / OFF of the digital camera 100 and the built-in printer.
[0037]
When the shielding member 155 is slid by one step from the state shown in FIG. 4, the photographing lens 118 and the photometric filter 117 appear as shown in FIG. 5, the digital camera 100 is driven, and the printer unit shown in FIG. The circuit except 60 is applied with voltage. As a result, the digital camera 100 can be used as a camera.
[0038]
When the shielding member 155 is further slid by one step from the state shown in FIG. 5, the vent hole 170 is opened as shown in FIG. 6, and the built-in printer is driven. That is, each circuit of the printer unit 60 shown in FIG. Therefore, during operation of the built-in printer, heat generated by the built-in printer is released from the vent hole 170 to the outside of the digital camera 100.
[0039]
When the shielding member 155 is slid from the state shown in FIG. 6 to the state shown in FIG. 5, the ventilation hole 170 is closed, and only the circuit of the printer unit 60 shown in FIG. It is turned off.
[0040]
When the shielding member 155 is slid from the state shown in FIG. 5 to the state shown in FIG. 4, the photographing lens 118 and the filter 117 are covered, and the circuit except for the printer unit 60 shown in FIG. The digital camera 100 is deactivated.
[0041]
According to this embodiment as described above, since the built-in printer are provided in the digital camera 10 0 As with Comparative Example, the operation becomes easy, thereby improving portability. Further, a ventilation hole 170 for releasing heat generated by the built-in printer to the outside is provided, and a shielding member 155 for opening and closing the ventilation hole 170 is provided. By opening / closing the shielding member 155, the digital camera 100 and the built-in printer can be switched between a driving state, that is, ON / OFF. Therefore, when the ventilation hole 170 is opened by the shielding member 155, the built-in printer is activated, and the heat generated by the built-in printer is released from the ventilation hole 170 to the outside of the digital camera 100, and the digital camera 100 malfunctions due to the heat of the built-in printer. Is prevented. Further, when the digital camera 100 is not used, the built-in printer is in an inoperative state, so the ventilation hole 170 is closed by the shielding member 155, and dust and the like are prevented from entering the inside of the digital camera 100 from the ventilation hole 170. Is done.
[0042]
Further, since the shielding member 155 for opening and closing the ventilation hole 170 is a power switch for switching ON / OFF of the built-in printer, the ventilation hole 170 is always opened when the built-in printer is operating, and the built-in printer In the non-operating state, the ventilation hole 70 is always closed. Therefore, as in the comparative example , it is possible to prevent the vent hole 170 from being forgotten to open when the built-in printer is operated, or to forget to close the vent hole 170 when the digital camera 100 is carried.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a shielding member for opening and closing the ventilation hole, an electronic camera such as a digital camera having a sublimation type printer is provided. Intrusion of dust and the like at the time is prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital camera according to a comparative example when the built-in printer is turned off.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a digital camera according to a comparative example when the built-in printer is turned on.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a digital camera of a comparative example .
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a digital camera according to the present embodiment when the power of the digital camera is switched off.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the digital camera according to the present embodiment when the power of the digital camera is switched on.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the digital camera according to the present embodiment when the built-in printer is turned off.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a digital camera according to the present embodiment.

Claims (9)

An optical member;
Photographing means for detecting light from the subject via the optical member and generating a subject image;
A printer that generates heat due to the operation of the power supply;
And shielding means for covering the optical member vents for releasing heat that has been allowed after leaving from the printer to the outside together with the open closes,
Power supply switching means for switching ON / OFF of the power supply of the printer and the power supply of the photographing means ,
As the power switching means switches the power of the photographing means and the power of the printer to ON, the shielding means opens the ventilation hole and the optical member appears, and the power switching means As the power source is switched ON and the printer power source is switched OFF, the shielding means closes the ventilation hole and the optical member appears, and the power switching means causes the power of the photographing means and the printer to As the power is switched off, the shielding means closes the vent hole to cover the optical member,
Electronic camera said power source switching means, characterized that you also functions as the shielding means. When the shielding means to open said vent hole, said power supply of the printer is switched to ON, when the shielding means closes the ventilation hole, to claim 1 where the power supply of the printer is characterized in that it is switched to OFF The electronic camera described. The electronic camera according to claim 1 , wherein the printer is a sublimation printer. The electronic camera according to claim 1 , wherein the power switching unit is a slide switch. The electronic camera according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic camera is a digital camera. The shielding means slides between a first position where the vent hole is opened and the optical member appears, and a second position where the vent hole is closed and the optical member is covered. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein The optical member appears by closing the ventilation hole when the shielding means is in a third position between the first position and the second position. 6. The electronic camera according to 6. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the optical member includes a photographing lens. The electronic camera according to claim 8, wherein the optical member further includes a photometric filter.

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