JP4407125B2 - Electronics - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device that can reliably supply air to a fuel cell serving as a power source.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a portable electronic device such as a camera uses a lithium battery, an alkaline battery, or the like as a power source, but a small fuel cell has been proposed as a next-generation power source.
[0003]
Since the fuel cell uses oxygen in the air as the fuel, it needs to circulate air.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when a fuel cell is used as the power source of the camera, there is a problem that there is a possibility that sufficient air cannot be supplied to the fuel cell because the casing of the camera is not air permeable.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and makes it possible to reliably supply air to a fuel cell.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The electronic device of the present invention is outside the housing, and when the electronic device is prepared for photographing, is operated by a user and slides between a first position that covers the photographing lens and a second position that is exposed. A slide cover, a ventilation part for ventilating the air around the fuel cell, a rack arranged inside the slide cover and sliding integrally with the slide cover, a gear meshed with the rack and connected to a fan of the ventilation part When the slide cover is slid , the ventilation section is provided with a transmission section for ventilating the air around the fuel cell by rotating the fan by the rotation of the gear accompanying the slide of the rack .
[0010]
A battery chamber that houses the fuel cell, at least one first air hole that communicates the space of the battery chamber to the outside of the housing of the electronic device, and a space between the slide cover and the housing communicates with the outside of the housing And at least one second air hole, and a pipe that is a passage for air flowing between the first air hole and the second air hole, and when the slide cover is slid, The air in the inner space can be sucked from one of the first air hole and the second air hole and exhausted from the other.
The electronic device can be an electronic camera.
[0011]
The electronic device of the present invention includes a rack that is disposed inside the slide cover and slides integrally with the slide cover, and a gear that meshes with the rack and that is connected to the fan of the ventilation unit. When it is slid, the air around the fuel cell is ventilated by rotating the fan by the rotation of the gear accompanying the sliding of the rack .
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a horizontal section in a state where a camera 1 to which the present invention is applied is in an inoperative state and a lens barrel 35 is housed in the camera 1.
[0014]
The camera 1 has a camera cover (housing) 4. A lens barrel 35 having a photographic lens 10 is provided at a substantially central portion of the camera 1, and a film chamber 3 is provided on the right side of the lens barrel 35.
[0015]
A cartridge chamber 34 is provided on the left side of the lens barrel 35. The cartridge chamber 34 accommodates the cartridge 2, and a film 36 drawn from the cartridge 2 is wound around a spool 37 of the film chamber 3.
[0016]
The battery chamber 9 is provided on the left side of the cartridge chamber 34 in the drawing. A fuel cell 7 is housed in the battery chamber 9, and power from the fuel cell 7 is supplied to each unit that requires power from the camera 1.
[0017]
A slide cover 5 is provided on the front surface of the lens barrel 35 in the accommodated state on the front surface (lower side in the figure) of the camera 1. The slide cover 5 is moved by the user between the state shown in FIG. 4 (the state in which the lens barrel 35 is covered) and the state shown in FIG. 6 (the state in which the lens barrel 35 is exposed), as shown in FIG. To slide.
[0018]
A ventilation unit 6 is provided on the left side of the slide cover 5 in the drawing (the lower side of the cartridge chamber 34 in the drawing). The ventilation unit 6 includes a fan 32, a gear 33, and a shaft 81 (FIG. 8 described later), which will be described later.
[0019]
An air hole 31 is provided on the side surface (left surface in the figure) of the camera cover 4 so as to communicate with the battery chamber 9, and outside air flows into and out of the battery chamber 9 through the air hole 31.
[0020]
On the lower side of the battery chamber 9 and the cartridge chamber 34 in the figure, a pipe 8 serving as an air passage is provided in parallel with the slide cover 5. The pipe 8 is formed so as to communicate with the battery chamber 9. An air hole 72 (FIG. 8 described later) is provided between the ventilation unit 6 and the slide cover 5 at the right end of the pipe 8 in the drawing. The air hole 72 communicates between the pipe 8 and the outside.
[0021]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration example of the camera 1 of FIG.
[0022]
The camera 1 includes a slide cover 5, a fuel cell 7, a switch 40, a microcomputer 41, a release button 42, a feed motor 43, and a shutter 44.
[0023]
The fuel cell 7 uses methanol as a fuel, generates energy using oxygen in the air, and supplies power to each part of the camera 1.
[0024]
The switch 40 is turned on or off according to the slide position of the slide cover 5. The release button 42 is operated by the user when operating the shutter 45. The microcomputer 41 controls the operation of the camera based on inputs from the switch 40 and the release button 42.
[0025]
The feeding motor 43 performs a feeding process for winding or rewinding the film 36 by one frame.
[0026]
Next, photographing processing in the camera 1 of FIG. 2 will be described. When the user slides the slide cover 5 from the state shown in FIG. 3 (closed state) described later (closed state) to the state shown in FIG. 5 (opened state), the switch 40 slides the slide cover 5. Is detected (detected that the slide cover 5 was opened) and turned on. When the switch 40 is turned on, the microcomputer 41 activates the camera 1.
[0027]
When the release button 15 is operated by the user, the microcomputer 41 executes processing for photographing the subject. Specifically, the microcomputer 41 operates the shutter 44. The taking lens 10 included in the lens barrel 35 exposes the film 36 with light from the subject at the moment when the shutter 44 is operated. After completing the shooting of one frame, the microcomputer 41 controls the feeding motor 43 to move the film 36 by one frame (a portion exposed by shooting).
[0028]
Thereafter, when the slide cover 5 is slid by the user from the state shown in FIG. 5 (opened state) described later (opened state) to the state shown in FIG. 3 (closed state), the switch 40 is moved to the slide cover 5. Is detected (detected that the slide cover 5 is closed) and turned off. The microcomputer 41 deactivates the camera 1 when the switch 40 is turned off.
[0029]
Thus, the subject can be photographed by the camera 1.
[0030]
FIG. 3 shows a front configuration of the camera 1 in a non-operating state (a state where the slide cover 5 is closed), and FIG. 4 shows a horizontal cross-sectional configuration of the camera 1 in FIG. 5 shows a front configuration of the camera 1 in an operating state (a state where the slide cover 5 is opened), and FIG. 6 shows a horizontal cross-sectional configuration of the camera 1 in FIG. In addition, in FIG. 3 thru | or FIG. 6, the hole 51 and the ventilation part 6 (dotted line part) are seen through.
[0031]
The slide cover 5 is an operation member that is operated by the user when the camera 1 prepares for photographing. When the slide cover 5 is closed as shown in FIG. 3 (or FIG. 4), the camera 1 becomes inoperative, and when the slide cover 5 is opened as shown in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 6), the camera 1 becomes the operating state.
[0032]
A hole 51 is formed near the right end of the slide cover 5 in FIG. When the slide cover 5 is in the closed state, the hole 51 is engaged with a click 51A formed on the right side of the lens barrel 35 of the camera cover 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. It is possible to keep it closed. Further, when the slide cover 5 is opened to the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hole 51 is opened by engaging with a click 51 </ b> B formed on the left side of the lens barrel 35 of the camera cover 4 in the drawing. It is possible to keep it as it is.
[0033]
When the slide cover 5 is slid by the user from the non-operating state of the camera 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to the operating state of the camera 1 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the switch 40 in FIG. The slide cover 5 is detected to be slid and turned on.
[0034]
The microcomputer 41 turns on the power when the switch 40 is turned on (power is supplied from the fuel cell 7 to each part). Further, the microcomputer 41 controls, for example, to feed out the lens barrel 35. As described above, when the release button 42 is operated in the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the photographing process is performed.
[0035]
7 shows a configuration of a longitudinal section from the front of the camera 1, and FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section of the camera 1 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the right side (film chamber 3 side) of the camera 1, for example. The configuration is shown (however, it is shown enlarged compared with FIG. 1). FIG. 9 shows a configuration of a vertical section (a surface of the slide cover 5 facing the camera cover 4) of the camera 1 of FIG.
[0036]
The ventilation part 6 is provided in the vicinity of the right end in FIG. 7 of the pipe 8, and the battery chamber 9 is provided in the left end in FIG. 7 of the pipe 8.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 8, the ventilation unit 6 includes a fan 32, a gear 33, and a shaft 81.
[0038]
A rack 71 is provided on the right side of the slide cover 5 in FIG. 8 (inside the camera 1), and the gear 33 of the ventilation unit 6 is engaged with the rack 71. A shaft 81 and a fan 32 are integrally attached to the gear 33.
[0039]
An air hole 72 that connects the pipe 8 to the outside of the camera 1 is provided around the shaft 81 in FIG. 8 (between the slide cover 5 and the ventilation unit 6).
[0040]
Next, the operation of supplying air to the fuel cell 7 performed with the movement of the slide cover 5 will be described.
[0041]
When the slide cover 5 is opened from the closed state, the slide cover 5 changes from the state shown in FIG. 3 (or FIG. 4) to the state shown in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 6). At this time, since the gear 33 is engaged with the rack 71, the gear 33 rotates around the shaft 81 as the slide cover 5 slides. Along with the rotation of the gear 33, the fan 32 coupled together via the shaft 81 rotates. Thereby, the air in the pipe 8 is ventilated.
[0042]
That is, by the rotation of the fan 32, for example, outside air flows from the air hole 72 and air is supplied to the battery chamber 9 through the pipe 8. Further, the air in the battery chamber 9 is discharged to the outside through the air holes 31.
[0043]
When the slide cover 5 is closed from the opened state, the slide cover 5 changes from the state shown in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 6) to the state shown in FIG. 3 (or FIG. 4). At this time, the gear 33 rotates in the direction opposite to that described above together with the slide of the slide cover 5.
[0044]
As the fan 32 rotates, outside air flows into the battery chamber 9 from the air hole 31. Air in the space of the battery chamber 9 is discharged to the outside through the pipe 8 and the air hole 72.
[0045]
The direction in which the air flows can be opposite to that described above or can be bidirectional depending on the direction and shape of the fan 32.
[0046]
As described above, when the slide cover 5 is operated, the movement of the slide cover 5 is transmitted to the ventilation unit 6, and the air hole 31 communicating with the outside is formed in the battery chamber 9 in which the fuel cell 7 is accommodated. Since the pipe 8 is provided and communicated, air can be easily and reliably supplied to the fuel cell 7 simply by sliding the slide cover 5 without any special operation.
[0047]
In addition, the slide cover 5 is a member that is always operated when the camera 1 is used, and can increase opportunities for ventilation.
[0048]
Furthermore, since the slide cover 5 is operated by the user, energy for ventilation is given by the user. For this reason, it is not necessary to use the power (fuel cell 7) of the camera 1, and the usable time of the camera (fuel cell 7) is made longer than when the fan 32 is rotated by a motor using the fuel cell 7. Can do.
[0049]
In the above-described embodiment, the ventilation is performed by operating the slide cover 5 outside the camera cover 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other operation members may be used.
[0050]
As described above, the case where the present invention is applied to a camera (film camera) using a film has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a digital camera and other portable electronic devices.
[0051]
In the present specification, the step of describing a computer program includes not only processing performed in time series according to the described order but also processing executed in parallel or individually even if not necessarily processed in time series. Is also included.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, air can be supplied to the fuel cell. In particular, air can be supplied easily and reliably without any special operation. Further, air can be supplied to the fuel cell without using electric power.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a horizontal cross section in a non-operating state of a camera to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the camera shown in FIG.
3 is a front view showing a front configuration of the camera of FIG. 1 in a non-operating state. FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a horizontal cross section of the camera of FIG. 3;
5 is a front view showing a front configuration of the camera of FIG. 1 in a non-operating state. FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a horizontal cross section of the camera of FIG. 5;
7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a vertical cross section viewed from the front of the camera of FIG. 1;
8 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a vertical cross section viewed from the right side of the camera of FIG. 1. FIG.
9 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a vertical cross section viewed from the back of the camera of FIG. 1. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera 4 Camera cover 5 Slide cover 6 Ventilation part 7 Fuel cell 8 Pipe 9 Battery chamber 31 Air hole 32 Fan 33 Gear 71 Rack 72 Air hole

Claims (3)

In electronic devices that use fuel cells as power sources,
A slide cover that is external to the housing and is operated by a user to slide between a first position that covers the photographing lens and a second position that is exposed when preparing to shoot the electronic device;
A ventilation section for ventilating air around the fuel cell;
Wherein disposed inside the slide cover, a rack for the sliding cover integrally with the slide, said rack meshing, and includes a fan and connected gear of the ventilation unit, when the slide cover is slid, the by rotating the fan by the rotation of the gear due to the sliding of the rack, an electronic apparatus, characterized in that Ru and a transmission unit for ventilation air around the fuel cell to the ventilation unit. A battery chamber for housing the fuel cell;
At least one first air hole communicating the space of the battery chamber with the outside of the housing of the electronic device;
At least one second air hole communicating the space between the slide cover and the housing to the outside of the housing;
A pipe which is a passage of air flowing between the first air hole and the second air hole;
Further comprising
When the slide cover is slid, the ventilation unit sucks air in the space in the pipe from one of the first air hole and the second air hole and exhausts it from the other. The electronic device according to claim 1 . The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is an electronic camera.

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