JP5106076B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as a video camera or a digital still camera provided with an accessory shoe.

  An imaging device such as a video camera is provided with an accessory shoe for mounting accessory equipment such as a light and a microphone.

  FIG. 8 shows the appearance of a video camera having a conventional accessory shoe. Reference numeral 101 denotes a video camera body, and reference numeral 102 denotes an accessory shoe for attaching an accessory device to the video camera 101. Reference numeral 103 denotes an accessory device (video light), and reference numeral 104 denotes a fixing screw provided in the accessory device 103.

  The accessory shoe 102 is fixedly provided on the video camera main body 101. In order to attach the accessory device 103 to the accessory shoe 102, first, the accessory device 103 is disposed on a clearance space 106 provided on the upper surface of the video camera body 101 behind the accessory shoe 102 (on the viewfinder eyepiece 105 side). Then, by sliding the accessory device 103 forward from the escape space 106, a shoe (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the accessory device 103 is engaged with the accessory shoe 102. Then, the accessory device 103 is fixed to the video camera body 101 by rotating the fixing screw 104 in the tightening direction.

  As described above, in order to attach the accessory device to the accessory shoe fixedly provided on the main body of the imaging apparatus, it is necessary to provide a clearance space for the slide stroke (about 20 mm) behind the accessory shoe. As a result, the structure around the accessory shoe in the imaging apparatus becomes large.

  Further, after the shoe of the accessory device is slidably engaged with the accessory shoe, it is necessary to further fix the accessory device by tightening a fixing screw. For this reason, it takes time to mount the accessory device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an accessory shoe in which a plurality of contacts are arranged in a circumferential direction around a virtual axis. By rotating the shoe on the accessory device side around the virtual axis with respect to the accessory shoe, the accessory device is mounted and the contact point is connected.

Patent Document 2 discloses an accessory shoe that can be engaged with a shoe on the accessory device side with a short slide stroke by providing a concave portion and a convex portion inside the accessory shoe.
JP 2005-209357 A JP 2005-315989 A

  However, since the accessory shoe disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a mechanism for rotation in both the accessory device and the accessory shoe, the configuration becomes complicated and the alignment in the rotation direction becomes complicated. There is a problem that.

  Further, the accessory shoe disclosed in Patent Document 2 requires a fixing operation with a fixing screw after slide engagement although the slide stroke is short.

  The present invention provides an imaging apparatus having an accessory shoe structure in which an accessory device can be easily slide-mounted without providing a clearance space for slidingly mounting the accessory device on the imaging device side.

An imaging apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is an imaging apparatus in which the accessory device is attached to and detached from an accessory shoe by sliding the accessory device, and an opening is formed on an outer surface of the imaging device, and the accessory shoe Between the first position where the accessory device can be detached and the second position where the accessory shoe is stored in the opening and the accessory device cannot be detached. A support mechanism for pivotally supporting the accessory shoe in the opening, and the pivot center of the support mechanism is set on one side of the accessory shoe in the optical axis direction of the imaging device, when using the equipment the optical axis direction rear side of one side of the imaging device of the accessory shoe is held in the lock mechanism provided in the opening And wherein the door.

  According to the present invention, an accessory device can be slid to be attached to or detached from an accessory shoe that is rotated and protruded from the main body of the imaging device to the first position. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a clearance space for sliding the accessory device on the main body of the imaging apparatus. As a result, the imaging device including the accessory shoe can be reduced in size.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show a configuration around an accessory shoe in a video camera (imaging device) that is an embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows a state when an accessory device is mounted or removed. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a video camera body (hereinafter referred to as a camera body). Reference numeral 11 denotes an accessory shoe. Reference numeral 12 denotes an accessory device, which shows a video light here. As an accessory device, a device other than a video light such as a stereo microphone may be used. Reference numeral 13 denotes a lock release lever.

  The accessory shoe 11 is rotatable in the vertical direction with respect to the camera body 10 around a support shaft constituting a part of a support mechanism described later in a rectangular opening formed on the upper surface of the camera body 10. It is attached. The support shaft serving as the center of rotation supports the front end of the accessory shoe 11 (one side in the optical axis direction of the camera body 10) so as to be rotatable about the center of rotation. As a result, the accessory shoe 11 rotates so that its rear part is larger than the front part and away from the camera body 10.

  FIG. 1 shows a state in which the rear portion of the accessory shoe 11 protrudes upward with respect to the camera body 10, in other words, is turned to a flipped position (first position: hereinafter referred to as a flipped position). At this position, the accessory device can be attached and detached. Further, the accessory shoe 11 is urged in the direction of the flip-up position by a flip-up spring 33 described later.

  With respect to the accessory shoe 11 in the flip-up position, a shoe (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the accessory device 12 is slid from the rear side of the accessory shoe 11 (the side that is largely jumped up opposite to the support shaft). . Thereby, both shoes can be engaged with each other. Specifically, the left and right sides of the accessory shoe 11 are provided with claw portions 11c formed by being bent inward. By sliding and inserting the shoe of the accessory device 12 into the space between the claw portion 11c and the bottom surface of the accessory shoe 11, the accessory shoe 11 (claw portion 11c) and the shoe of the accessory device 12 are engaged.

  Then, by rotating the accessory device 12 together with the accessory shoe 11, the accessory device 12 can be moved to an appropriate position with respect to the camera body 10. The accessory device 12 that has been engaged with the accessory shoe 11 can be detached from the accessory shoe 11 by sliding it backward in the flip-up position.

  In this way, the accessory device 12 can be attached and detached by sliding the accessory shoe 11 in a state in which the accessory shoe 11 is flipped up from the camera body 10, so that a conventional long clearance space is provided behind the accessory shoe 11 on the upper surface of the camera body 10. Need not be provided. Therefore, the camera body 10 (video camera) can be reduced in size.

  In FIG. 2, the accessory shoe 11 (however, the accessory device 12 is not attached) is stored in the opening of the camera body 10 from the above-mentioned flip-up position (second position: hereinafter stored position). ) Shows the rotated state. At this position, the accessory device cannot be attached or detached.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 14 denotes a fixed pin that is urged by a spring spring 33 in a protruding direction. Reference numeral 15 denotes a contact provided on the camera body 10. Reference numeral 16 denotes a rattle removing rib (protrusion).

  In this retracted position, the accessory shoe 11 is urged rearward by the spring spring 33 and is slid slightly rearward in the optical axis direction of the camera body 10 within the opening by the urging force. Then, the rear end portion of the accessory shoe 11 is engaged with a bending engagement portion formed at the rear end portion of the support base described later, and the fixing pin 14 is inserted into the hole portion 11a formed in the accessory shoe 11. As a result, the accessory shoe 11 is locked and held in the retracted position. The hole 11a is also shown in FIG. With such a configuration, a lock mechanism that automatically locks and holds the accessory shoe 11 in the storage position in accordance with the rotation of the accessory shoe 11 from the flip-up position to the storage position is configured.

  When attaching / detaching the accessory device 12 to / from the accessory shoe 11, a hole formed in the accessory shoe 11 against the urging force of the spring 33 by operating the lock release lever 13. Retreat downward from 11a. Then, the accessory shoe 11 is slightly slid forward with respect to the support base, so that the rear end portion of the accessory shoe 11 is disengaged from the bending engagement portion, and the accessory shoe 11 is rotated to the flip-up position. Is possible.

  Further, in the retracted position, the above-described bending engagement portion (disengagement prevention portion) provided at the rear end portion of the support base contacts the rear end portion of the shoe of the accessory device 12 attached to the accessory shoe 11. . As a result, the accessory device 12 is prevented from slipping back (disengaging) from the accessory shoe 11.

  Furthermore, as shown also in FIG. 1, the groove part 11b is formed in the left and right of the accessory shoe 11. When the accessory shoe 11 is rotated to the retracted position, the play removing rib 16 protrudes from the upper surface of the accessory shoe 11 through the groove 11b. The backlash removal rib 16 abuts against the bottom surface of the shoe of the accessory device 12 and lifts it upward, thereby pressing the shoe of the accessory device 12 against the claw portion 11 c of the accessory shoe 11 from below. As a result, rattling of the accessory device 12 with respect to the accessory shoe 11 (that is, the camera body 10) is prevented.

  By using such a looseness prevention structure and a rattling prevention structure, the accessory device 12 attached to the accessory shoe 11 in the flip-up position is rotated together with the accessory shoe 11 to the retracted position, so that the camera body 10 can be touched with one touch. Can be fixed to.

  FIG. 3 shows a cross section around the accessory shoe in the retracted position. FIG. 7 shows a cross section different from that of FIG. 3 around the accessory shoe in the storage position.

  In these drawings, reference numeral 32 denotes the support shaft described above, and reference numeral 31 denotes a support base that holds the support shaft 32 and is fixed to the camera body 10. The support shaft 32 and the support base 31 constitute a support mechanism.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the support shaft holding portion 32 a provided at the front end of the support base 31 has an opening with a long hole shape that is slightly longer in the front-rear direction C, and by passing the support shaft 32 through this opening, The support shaft 32 is held while allowing a slight movement in the front-rear direction C.

  Reference numeral 33 denotes the above-described spring spring (biasing member) attached to the support base 31. The spring spring 33 biases the accessory shoe 11 to the flip-up position, biasing force to bias the accessory shoe 11 in the storage position backward, and biasing force to bias the fixing pin 14 in the protruding direction. Is generated. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 34 denotes the above-described bending engagement portion formed at the rear end portion of the support base 31.

  As shown by an arrow A in FIG. 3, the accessory shoe 11 is urged rearward (right side in the figure) by a spring spring 33. With this urging force, as described above, the accessory shoe 11 rotated from the flip-up position to the retracted position slides slightly rearward with respect to the support base 31 together with the support shaft 32, and the rear end portion of the accessory shoe 11 is supported. Engage with the bending engagement portion 34 of the base 31. Further, the rear end portion of the shoe 12 a of the accessory device 12 attached to the accessory shoe 11 comes into contact with the bending engagement portion 34.

  Further, a part of the spring spring 33 urges the fixing pin 14 upward as indicated by an arrow B in the drawing. With this urging force, the fixing pin 14 is inserted into the hole 11 a of the accessory shoe 11 described above.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross section around the accessory shoe in the flip-up position. FIG. 5 shows a top view, a rear view, and a side view of the accessory shoe 11, the support base 31, the support shaft 32, and the flip-up spring 33 in a state where the accessory shoe 11 is in the flip-up position. Further, FIG. 6 shows a perspective view from the rear of the accessory shoe 11, the support base 31, the support shaft 32, and the spring spring 33 in the same state.

  In FIG. 4, by operating the lock release lever 13, the fixing pin 14 is moved downward (in the direction of the arrow B ′) against the urging force of the spring 33 to move the fixing pin 14 to the hole of the accessory shoe 11. Retreat from the unit 11a. Then, the accessory shoe 11 is slightly slid forward along with the support shaft 32 with respect to the support base 31 to release the engagement between the rear end portion of the accessory shoe 11 and the bending engagement portion 34 of the support base 31. Accordingly, the accessory shoe 11 is rotated to the flip-up position by the urging force of the flip-up spring 33.

  The accessory shoe 11 is supported by the urging force of the flip-up spring 33 even after rotating to the flip-up position, and when the shoe 12a of the accessory device 12 is slid with respect to the accessory shoe 11, the accessory shoe 11 is in the retracted position. It does not fall. For this reason, the accessory device 12 can be easily attached to and detached from the accessory shoe 11.

  In FIG. 5, 51 is a rotation restricting portion formed on the accessory shoe 11, and 52 is a rotation restricting portion provided at the front end portion of the support base 31. When the accessory shoe 11 rotates to the flip-up position set at an angle of 13 degrees with respect to the support base 31, the rotation restricting portions 51 and 52 come into contact with each other, thereby exceeding the jump-up position of the accessory shoe 11. The upward rotation is prevented. This is to prevent the structure around the accessory shoe from being damaged even if an inadvertent force that causes the accessory shoe 11 to rotate beyond the flip-up position is applied to the accessory shoe 11 when the accessory device 12 is attached or detached. It is the composition. In particular, since this rotation prevention structure is constituted by the front end portion of the support base 31 and the bending portion of the accessory shoe 11 both having high rigidity, the rotation prevention structure has a strength that can sufficiently withstand the above-mentioned inadvertent force.

  In FIG. 7, reference numeral 71 denotes a contact provided on the accessory device 12. When the contact 71 of the accessory device 12 mounted on the camera body 10 contacts the contact 15 of the camera body 10 described above, communication and power supply between the accessory device 12 and the camera body 10 can be performed. it can.

  As described above, the accessory shoe 11 and the accessory device 12 rotated from the flip-up position to the retracted position are slightly slid rearward with respect to the support base 31 by the urging force of the jump-up spring 33. At this time, the contact 71 of the accessory device 12 slides with respect to the contact 15 of the camera body 10. By this sliding, the contact area of both contacts 71 and 15 is cleaned, so that they can be in a stable connection state.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the accessory shoe 11 has a structure that can be flipped up with respect to the camera body 10, so that the clearance space for sliding the accessory device 12 with respect to the accessory shoe 11 can be eliminated. No need to secure on top. In addition, the accessory device 12 can be fixed to the accessory shoe 11 (that is, the camera body 10) simply by pushing the accessory device 12 to the storage shoe 11 after being engaged with the accessory shoe 11 by the lock mechanism described above. Therefore, it is possible to realize a camera with an accessory shoe that is effective in reducing the size of the camera and in which the accessory device can be easily attached and detached.

  In this embodiment, the video camera has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to various imaging apparatuses such as a compact digital still camera and a single-lens reflex digital camera other than the video camera.

  Each embodiment described above is only a representative example, and various modifications and changes can be made to each embodiment in carrying out the present invention.

1 is a perspective view showing a configuration around an accessory shoe (accessory shoe spring-up state) in a video camera that is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. The perspective view which shows the structure (accessory shoe storing state) of the said accessory shoe periphery. Sectional drawing which shows the structure (accessory shoe storing state) of the said accessory shoe periphery. Sectional drawing which shows the structure (accessory shoe flip-up state) of the accessory shoe periphery. The top view, side view, and back view which show the structure (accessory shoe springing up state) of the said accessory shoe periphery. The rear perspective view which shows the structure (accessory shoe flip-up state) of the said accessory shoe periphery. Sectional drawing which shows the contact structure of the accessory shoe periphery (accessory shoe storing state). The perspective view of the conventional video camera.

Explanation of symbols

10 camera body 11 accessory shoe 12 accessory device (video light)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Lock release lever 14 Fixing pin 15,71 Contact 16 Ribbing rib 31 Support base 32 Support shaft 33 Bounce spring

Claims (5)

An imaging device in which the accessory device is attached to and detached from the accessory shoe by sliding the accessory device,
An opening is formed on the outer surface of the imaging device,
A first position where the accessory shoe protrudes with respect to the opening and the accessory device can be attached / detached, and a second position where the accessory shoe is stored in the opening and the accessory device cannot be attached / detached. a support mechanism for supporting the accessory shoe rotatably between possess in the opening,
The center of rotation of the support mechanism is set to one side of the accessory shoe in the optical axis direction of the imaging device. When the accessory device is used, one side of the accessory shoe in the optical axis direction of the imaging device is rearward. An imaging apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus is held by a lock mechanism provided in the opening . The support mechanism includes a biasing member that biases the accessory shoe toward the first position, and holds the accessory shoe in the lock mechanism when the accessory shoe is in the second position. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging apparatus is urged to cause the imaging apparatus to perform the operation. The lock mechanism is configured such that one side of the accessory shoe on the rear side in the optical axis direction of the imaging device is engaged with an engaging portion provided on a base member fixed to the imaging device, and the accessory shoe is attached to the accessory shoe. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the apparatus is prevented from coming off from the accessory shoe . The support mechanism is characterized in that when the accessory shoe moves between the first position and the second position, the rotation center of the support mechanism is movable in the optical axis direction. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The accessory shoe to which the accessory device is mounted slides with respect to the main body of the imaging device at the second position, and the contact point provided on the accessory device is in contact with the contact point provided on the main body of the image pickup device. the imaging apparatus according to claim 1, any one of 4, characterized in that sliding Te.