JP4527943B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for displaying an operation state of a camera.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a digital camera, captured image data is recorded on a recording medium such as a memory provided in the camera. Image data recorded on a recording medium is generally transferred to a PC (Personal Computer) or the like, where image data is processed or stored. As a method for transferring data to a PC, if the recording medium is detachable like a memory card, the memory card is removed from the camera and attached to the PC to transfer image data. In addition, there is a method in which a communication cable is connected between the camera and the PC and the data is directly transferred from the camera, or a method in which the camera is mounted on a cradle connected to the PC and the data is transferred through the cradle. For example, see Patent Document 1.)
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-359761
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when data transfer is performed using a cradle, if there is a display that makes it easy to see whether or not the transfer is in progress, it is very convenient in preventing erroneous operations. In general, a camera is provided with a display device for confirming the number of images that can be shot, shooting conditions, and the like, so that data transfer can be displayed using the display device. However, in the conventional camera, the display device is provided on the upper surface of the camera or on the rear surface of the camera because of the ease of confirmation and the design of the display device in the camera holding state. Therefore, it is difficult to confirm whether data is being transferred from the front direction of the cradle where the camera is mounted, that is, from the front direction of the camera.
[0005]
The present invention provides a user-friendly camera including a display device having excellent visibility from the upper surface of the camera and from the front of the camera.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The camera according to the first aspect of the present invention is a camera that can be mounted on the cradle and includes a single light emitting display means that projects from the camera upper surface cover and displays a predetermined operating state of the camera, A part of the luminous flux from the light source is emitted above the camera top cover, and at least a part of the remaining luminous flux is emitted forward of the camera, and the light emitting display means emits a predetermined light before the camera is mounted on the cradle. By emitting light in the form, the light emitting display means displays a predetermined operating state of the camera, and when the camera is mounted on the cradle, the light emitting display means emits light in a light emitting form different from the predetermined light emitting form, The light emitting display means displays at least one transmission state of data and power with the cradle, and the light emitting display means clicks at least a part of the rest. Characterized by releasing the front of Doru.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the camera according to the first aspect, the light emitting device includes a rotary dial that is set to any one of a plurality of settings prepared in advance with respect to camera shooting conditions and the like, and protrudes from the upper surface cover of the camera. The projecting portion of the display means also serves as an index of the rotary dial.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are external views of the digital still camera according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the camera 1, and FIG. 2 is a plan view. FIG. 3 is a view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. The camera 1 includes a main body 1a and a lens barrel 1b in which a photographing lens is housed. The lens barrel 1b is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body 1a. 1 to 3 show a non-photographing state, and the photographing lens faces upward. At the time of shooting, as shown in FIG. 4, the lens barrel 1b is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the main body 1a, and the shooting lens is directed forward.
[0008]
An LCD display device 3 and various operation buttons 4a, 4b, 5, 6a to 6c are provided on the back side of the camera. For example, the operation buttons 4a and 4b are zoom buttons for operating zoom-up / zoom-down of the photographing lens (zoom lens). When the operation button 4b is operated, the zoom is increased, and when the operation button 4a is operated, the zoom-down is performed. The LCD display device 3 displays a photographed image and a reproduced image. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, no operation buttons, a display unit, or the like is provided in the portion on the front side of the camera in the non-photographing state.
[0009]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a power switch 5, a shutter release button 6, and a mode dial 7 are provided on the upper surface of the main body 1a. The mode dial 7 is an operation dial for setting camera shooting conditions and operation modes such as a shooting mode and a playback mode, and a mark (not shown) corresponding to the setting mode is drawn on the upper surface of the dial. Then, the mode of the camera is set to a mode corresponding to the mark by rotating the mode dial 7 and aligning any mark with the index 8a.
[0010]
The cover of the main body 1a and the lens barrel 1b is formed of a double structure member in which the surface of the resin cover is covered with a metal plate material. In the camera 1 according to the present embodiment, an aluminum material is used as the metal plate material. However, a stainless steel material is used for the outermost layer of the corner portion 9 adjacent to the release button 6 as a metal plate material in consideration of decoration.
[0011]
The power switch 5 is a ring-shaped operation member provided so as to surround the release button 6, and the power is turned on by rotating the ring-shaped power switch 5 by a predetermined angle. When the power is turned on, the indicator 8a is lit. In other words, the indicator 8a also serves as a display unit for displaying the on / off state of the power source, and the on / off state of the power source can be recognized by turning on / off the indicator 8a.
[0012]
<< Detailed explanation about index 8a >>
5 is a diagram showing in detail the mode dial 7 portion of the main body 1a, FIG. 5 (a) is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 (b) is a view taken in the direction of arrow B in FIG. FIG. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A, the indicator 8a uses a part of the block 8 formed of a substantially triangular transparent light guide member. That is, in the block 8, the protruding portion that protrudes outside the cover surface (upper surface) of the camera constitutes the index 8 a.
[0013]
On the circuit board 10 provided inside the cover, a lamp 11 for illuminating the block 8 is provided. An LED or the like is used for the lamp 11 and light is emitted toward the upper surface of the camera, which is the surface on which the mode dial 7 is provided. The light introduction part 8 b of the block 8 extends in the emission direction of the lamp 11, and the light of the lamp 11 is introduced into the block 8 from this light introduction part 8 b. The illumination light that has entered the block 8 propagates through the block 8 and exits from the side surface 8c of the block 8 or the protruding portion (index) 8a.
[0014]
A reflection surface 8d shown in FIG. 5B is formed on the protrusion 8a constituting the index, and a part of the illumination light is reflected by the inclined surface 8d, and the rest is transmitted upward. The illumination light reflected by the reflecting surface 8d is emitted forward of the camera. Therefore, it is possible not only to visually recognize that the indicator 8a is lit by illumination light from the upper surface side of the camera, but also to check the lighting state of the indicator 8a from the front side of the camera.
[0015]
The camera of this embodiment can be connected to an information device such as a personal computer via a connection device called a cradle. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the camera 1 according to the present embodiment mounted on the cradle 20, FIG. 6A is a front view, and FIG. 6B is a side view. A connection terminal (not shown) is provided on the bottom surface of the camera, which is a connection part with the cradle 20. When the camera 1 is attached to the attachment part 21 of the cradle 20, the cradle with the connection terminal provided on the attachment part 21 is provided. Connected to the connection terminal on the side.
[0016]
When data such as image information is transferred from the camera 1 to the cradle 20 or from the cradle 20 to the camera 1, the indicator 8 a provided on the camera 1 is blinked to indicate that data is being transferred. To do. As described above, in the camera 1 of the present embodiment, the index 8a protrudes from the camera cover surface, and further, the reflection surface 8d is provided so that a part of the light is emitted forward of the camera (FIG. 5 ( b)). Therefore, as indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 6B, whether or not the index 8a is blinking, that is, whether or not data transfer is in progress, just by looking from the front of the cradle 20 without looking into the camera 1 from above the cradle. Can be easily confirmed. Further, since the protrusion 8a serves as both the indicator of the mode dial 7 and the display device that indicates the data transfer state, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.
[0017]
As described above, the camera 1 according to the present embodiment projects the index 8a from the camera cover surface and provides the reflecting surface 8d, thereby changing the display state of the index 8a in two directions, the camera upper surface direction and the camera front direction. And the visibility of the indicator 8a is improved. In the above-described example, the indicator 8a blinks to indicate that data is being transferred. For example, the cradle 20 is provided with a charging device for the power source of the camera 1 and displays that the battery is being charged during charging. It may be used for
[0018]
<< Detailed Description of Shutter Release Button 6 >>
FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a portion of the shutter release button 6 and is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. Note that FIG. 7 is simplified and mainly shows the portions necessary for explaining the present invention. A convex portion 6 a protruding in the direction of the circuit board 10 is formed at the center of the back side of the release button 6. The release button 6 is urged toward the outer side of the cover (upward in the figure) by an elastic member 30 such as a spring. A flange 6 b is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the release button 6, and the upper side of the release button 6 urged by the elastic member 30 when the flange 6 b comes into contact with the lower end 5 a of the ring-shaped power switch 5. Movement to is regulated. The release button 6 is formed of a conductive member.
[0019]
Reference numerals 31a and 31b denote terminals constituting shutter release switches. The terminal 31 a is provided at the tip of the convex portion 6 a of the release button 6, and the terminal 31 b is provided at a position facing the convex portion 6 a on the circuit board 10. When the release button 6 is pushed down to perform the release operation, the release switch terminal 31a moves downward to contact the terminal 31b on the circuit board 10, and the release switch is turned on. When release of the release button 6 is released, the release button 6 is moved upward by the urging force of the elastic member 30, and the release switch is turned off.
[0020]
As described above, the stainless plate 9a is provided on the outer side of the resin cover 9b at the corner portion 9 (see also FIG. 1) of the camera cover. A through hole 9c is formed in a portion of the resin cover 9b that faces the flange 6b of the release button 6. In FIG. 7, only one through hole 9c is shown, but the number is not limited to one, and a plurality of through holes 9c may be formed. As a result, the end face of the flange 6b directly faces the stainless steel plate 9a through the through hole 9c.
[0021]
When the release button 6 having a surface plated with metal is operated while static electricity is charged on the human body, the static electricity moves from the human body side to the release button 6 side. In the present embodiment, since the flange 6b is close to the stainless steel plate 9a which is a conductor with a slight gap, static electricity flowing into the release button 6 moves from the flange 6b to the stainless steel plate 9b of the camera cover. The stainless steel plate 9a is connected to the power supply ground of the camera 1, and static electricity flows to the power supply ground through the stainless steel plate 9a.
[0022]
For example, when there is no mechanism for releasing the static electricity flowing into the release button 6 to the cover side, the static electricity flows into the circuit board 10 through the space between the contact 31a and the contact 31b. As a result, there is a possibility that the influence of static electricity on the element provided on the circuit board 10, for example, malfunction or destruction of the element may occur. However, this adverse effect can be eliminated in the present embodiment.
[0023]
FIG. 8 is a view showing a modification of the structure in which the static electricity flowing into the release button 6 is released to the stainless steel plate 9a, and is a cross-sectional view of the same part as FIG. A part 9d of the stainless steel plate 9a extends through the resin cover 9b to the lower side of the power switch 5. The flange 6b of the release button 6 is in contact with the lower surface of the extending portion 9d. In the case of the modification shown in FIG. 8, since the release button 6 is in contact with the stainless steel plate 9a, the static electricity flowing into the release button 6 immediately moves to the stainless steel plate 9a of the cover, and is the same as in the case of FIG. The effect of can be produced.
[0024]
In the above-described example, the static electricity flowing into the release button 6 is guided to the power supply ground via the stainless steel plate material of the corner portion 9, but the aluminum material covering the resin cover with the same structure as in FIGS. You may make it move to the part of 32 (refer FIG. 8). If the aluminum material 32 is connected to the power supply ground, the static electricity flowing into the release button 6 flows to the power supply ground via the aluminum 32, and the same effect as the camera shown in FIGS.
[0025]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the transmission state can be easily confirmed from the front of the cradle to which the camera is mounted, the visibility is improved and the usability of the camera is improved .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera 1 according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the camera 1;
FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a shooting state of the camera.
5A and 5B are diagrams showing in detail a portion of a mode dial 7 of the main body 1a, where FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
6A and 6B are diagrams showing the camera 1 mounted on the cradle 20, wherein FIG. 6A is a front view and FIG. 6B is a side view.
7 is a view for explaining a portion of the shutter release button 6 and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of a structure in which static electricity flowing into the shutter release button 6 is released to the stainless steel plate 9a.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera 1a Main-body part 1b Lens-barrel part 5 Power switch 6 Shutter release button 6b 鍔 7 Mode dial 8 Block 8a Index (protrusion part)
8d Reflecting surface 9 Corner portion 9a Stainless steel plate material 9b Resin cover 9c Through hole 9d Extension portion 11 Lamp 20 Cradle

Claims (2)

A camera that can be attached to a cradle,
Providing a single light emitting display means that projects from the camera top cover and displays a predetermined operating state of the camera,
The light emitting display means emits a part of a light beam from a light source above the camera top cover,
Emitting at least a portion of the remaining luminous flux to the front of the camera;
Before the camera is mounted on the cradle, the light emitting display means emits light in a predetermined light emission form so that the light emitting display means displays a predetermined operating state of the camera, and when the camera is mounted on the cradle. The light emitting display means emits light in a light emitting form different from a predetermined light emitting form, so that the light emitting display means displays at least one transmission state of data and power between the light emitting display means and the light emitting display means. Releases at least part of the remaining part to the front of the cradle . The camera of claim 1,
It has a rotary dial that can be set to any one of a plurality of settings prepared in advance for camera shooting conditions, etc.
The projecting portion of the light emitting display means that projects from the camera top cover also serves as an index of the rotary dial.

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