JP5807387B2 - Lens barrel and photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lens barrel that can be housed in a photographing apparatus main body by an electric force and that can be manually operated in a photographing region, and to a photographing apparatus including the lens barrel.

  In various photographing apparatuses such as a digital camera, it is common to mount a zoom lens capable of continuously changing a focal length as a photographing lens, and further, high performance and miniaturization of the zoom lens are required. . Particularly in digital cameras, miniaturization has progressed, and most of them incorporate a so-called collapsible photographing lens in which a lens barrel is housed in the camera body except during photographing.

  Many compact cameras equipped with a retractable zoom lens barrel perform all of the retracting operation and the zooming operation in the imageable region electrically by switch operation. Other lens barrel operation methods include manual switching between the retracted position and the position where shooting is possible, and zooming that can be performed manually as seen on single-lens reflex cameras. Various operation methods are adopted.

  Patent Document 1 discloses that a lens barrel is configured such that when an autofocus driving unit and a zooming driving unit are combined and a zooming operation start switch is operated, the autofocus driving unit operates for zooming. A lens barrel and a camera system are described in which the lens barrel is reduced in size and weight and the drive device is effectively used. According to the invention described in Patent Document 1, since the high-power motor for performing the zooming operation is also used for autofocus driving, there is a problem that the overall power consumption increases.

  Patent Document 2 describes a retractable camera in which a lens can be exchanged. This camera includes a body-side mount as a mounting device for making the lens barrel detachable on the body side. The mounting device is provided to prevent rotation around the optical axis and to be able to advance and retract in the optical axis direction, and is configured to store the lens barrel in the camera body by the advancement and retraction of the mounting device in the optical axis direction. ing. Further, zooming is performed by a zoom motor provided in the camera body. According to the invention described in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to attach and detach the lens barrel at the extended position of the lens, and in the stored state, the thickness of the lens barrel must be the same as the thickness of the camera body. There is a drawback that the zoom magnification cannot be increased.

  In Patent Document 3, a first state suitable for photographing, that is, a state where the photographing lens system is extended to a position where photographing can be performed, and a second state suitable for carrying, that is, a so-called retracted state, can be switched by manual operation. Cameras and lenses are described. A storage detection switch for detecting whether the state is the first state or the second state is provided, and when the state is the second state, the live view operation is stopped, the photographing operation is disabled, and power is wasted. It is configured to prevent. According to the invention described in Patent Document 3, it is not possible to take a picture simply by turning on the power switch, and it is necessary that the lens barrel is drawn out to a position where it can be taken by manual operation. It is troublesome and there is a risk of missing a photo opportunity. Further, the lens barrel does not retract only by turning off the power switch, and it is necessary to manually retract the lens barrel, which is troublesome.

  In the conventional lens barrel and photographing apparatus including the inventions described in the patent documents described above, there are a so-called power zoom method in which zooming is performed by an electric force and a method in which manual operation is performed. In the power zoom method, for example, the zoom motor is rotated forward or reverse depending on whether the zoom lever is operated to the telephoto side or the wide-angle side, and the zoom lens is driven toward the telephoto side or the wide-angle side. Yes. However, according to the power zoom method, it is difficult to finely adjust the stop position, and it is necessary to repeatedly operate the zoom lever to the telephoto side and the wide angle side until it stops at the position desired by the user. There is. In that regard, according to zooming performed by manual operation, the user can quickly stop at a desired position.

  Therefore, when an area driven from the state in which the lens barrel is housed in the camera body to a position where photographing can be performed is referred to as a “housing area”, the housing area is driven by an electric force and can be photographed (hereinafter referred to as this area). For example, a lens barrel and a photographing apparatus in which a zooming operation is manually performed in a region (referred to as “photographing region”) can be considered. In the “storage area”, it is desirable to store almost the entire lens barrel including the zooming operation member in the photographing apparatus main body, and it is difficult to perform manual operation. Is done. According to the lens barrel and the photographing apparatus thus configured, when the lens barrel is retracted into the camera body, the lens barrel is manually moved to the retracting start end, and then, for example, the power switch is turned on. It is necessary to perform an operation such as turning it off, and there is a problem that the collapsing operation becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been conceived based on the state of the prior art described above. The photographing lens system can be driven by an electric force in the storage area, and the photographing lens system can be manually driven in the photographing area. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lens barrel and a photographing apparatus that can perform a so-called collapsing operation quickly regardless of where the photographing lens system is in the photographing region.

The present invention
A lens barrel that can be stored in the main body of the photographing apparatus,
A switching operation member for switching between the state stored in the storage area of the photographing apparatus main body and the state extended to the shootable area;
A power transmission mechanism that is driven by an electric force to move the photographic lens system between the shootable region and the storage region;
A power interrupting mechanism for interrupting power transmission by the power transmission mechanism,
The power interruption mechanism cuts off the power transmission when the photographing lens system is extended to the photographing possible region by the operation of the switching operation member,
Has a manual operating member which can be moved manually in the photographing lens system photographable area when the power interrupting mechanism is disconnected power transmission,
When the photographic lens system is in the shootable region, the switching operation member is switched to the storage side, so that the electric power generates power toward the storage side, and the power interrupting mechanism transmits power most. Features.

  In a state where the lens barrel is housed in the photographing apparatus body, when the switching operation member is operated and the photographing lens system is driven to the photographing possible region by the electric force, the photographing lens system is manually operated by operating the manual operation member. It can be moved with. When the switching operation member is switched to the storage side when the photographing lens system is in the photographing region, a so-called collapsing operation of the photographing lens system is performed by an electric force, and the collapsing is quickly performed without performing a manual operation.

It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of the Example of the lens-barrel which concerns on this invention, and an imaging device. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the Example of the lens-barrel concerning this invention was accommodated in the imaging device. It is a perspective view which shows the state by which the said lens barrel is extended to the imaging | photography possible area | region. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state by which the said lens barrel is extended to the imaging | photography possible area | region. It is a perspective view which shows the part of the large rotation cylinder and small rotation cylinder in the said Example. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state in which the lens barrel which concerns on the said Example was accommodated. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state which the lens-barrel concerning the said Example was extended to the attitude | position of the wide-angle end which can be image | photographed. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state which the lens-barrel concerning the said Example was extended to the position of the telephoto end which can be image | photographed. It is a perspective view which shows a part of lens barrel and the power transmission mechanism part which concern on the said Example. It is a perspective view which shows another operation | movement aspect of a part of said lens-barrel and a power transmission mechanism part. It is a perspective view which shows the rotation cylinder in the lens barrel which concerns on the said Example. It is a perspective view which shows the said power transmission mechanism with a power interruption mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the said power transmission mechanism and a power interruption mechanism from another angle. It is a perspective view which mainly shows the power interruption mechanism in the said power transmission mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows another operation | movement aspect of the said power transmission mechanism and a power interruption mechanism from the same angle as the angle shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the said power transmission mechanism and a power interruption mechanism with a rotating cylinder.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a lens barrel and a photographing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, an outline of an embodiment of a lens barrel and a photographing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The photographing apparatus according to the present embodiment is a camera represented by a digital camera. The lens barrel mounted on the camera is a so-called collapsible lens barrel that can be housed in the camera body, and is a zoomable lens barrel in the shootable region. In FIG. 1, an operation area for storing the lens barrel in the camera body is referred to as a “storage area”, and a zoomable area is referred to as a “shooting area”. A position at which the lens barrel is stored to one end of the storage area up to the final end is indicated by R. One end of the photographing area is a zooming wide-angle end, and the wide-angle end is represented by W. The other end of the imaging region is a zooming telephoto end, and this telephoto end is represented by T. The wide-angle end W is continuous with the other end of the storage area. It is assumed that time t elapses from top to bottom in FIG. 1, and each operation step is represented as S1, S2,.

  Now, it is assumed that the power switch of the camera is turned on at the position R where the lens barrel is stored to the final end (S1). When the power switch is turned on, a power interrupting mechanism incorporated in a power transmission mechanism, which will be described in detail later, is connected (S2), and a motor as a driving source is activated, and the lens barrel is moved by the electric force. It is driven out from the camera body (S3). When the lens barrel reaches the wide-angle end W, which is the other end of the storage area and one end of the photographing area, the power interrupt mechanism is activated and the power transmission by the power transmission is cut off (S4). Therefore, the driving of the lens barrel by the electric force is stopped and the photographing lens system can be moved by manual operation.

  In the photographing region, the photographing lens system can be moved from the wide-angle side to the telephoto side by manual operation (S5), and conversely, the photographing lens system can be moved from the telephoto side to the wide-angle side ( S6). Since the zooming is performed by manual operation, the user can quickly zoom to the intended position. When the photographing lens system is moved to the wide-angle end W of the photographing region and the power switch is turned off (S7), the power interrupting mechanism is actuated to connect the power transmission mechanism (S8), and the motor that is the driving source Is activated. The direction of driving by the motor is opposite to that when driving from the storage area to the photographing area, and the lens barrel is driven by the electric force and retracted into the camera body (S9). At the position R where the lens barrel is accommodated to the final end, driving by the electric force is stopped, and so-called collapsing operation is completed.

  The embodiment of the present invention is configured to perform the following operations in addition to the operations described above. That is, as long as the photographing lens system is in the photographing region, the lens barrel can be moved to the storage position by electric power by turning off the power switch at any position. In FIG. 1, when the power switch is turned off when the photographing lens system is at an arbitrary position in the photographing region (S11), the power interrupting mechanism is activated to connect the power transmission mechanism (S12), and the drive source Is activated in the reverse direction, and the lens barrel is driven by the electric force and is retracted into the camera body (S13). At the position R where the lens barrel is accommodated to the final end, driving by the electric force is stopped, and so-called collapsing operation is completed.

  As described above, the feature of the embodiment of the present invention is that the lens barrel is retracted by an electric force by turning off the power switch regardless of the position of the photographing lens system in the photographing region. It is in the point. Therefore, when the lens barrel is retracted, the power switch is turned off without the troublesome operation of manually moving the photographing lens system to the wide-angle end and then turning off the power switch. Can only be retracted.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the wide-angle end of the shooting area is continuous with one end of the storage area. However, depending on the design specifications of the shooting lens system, the telephoto end of the shooting area may be continuous with one end of the storage area. possible.

Next, an embodiment of a lens barrel that realizes the operation shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
2 to 6, reference numeral 17 denotes a base member of the lens barrel. The base member 17 includes a fixed cylinder 10 and is incorporated in the camera main body, that is, the photographing apparatus main body 100 together with the fixed cylinder 10. A large rotating cylinder 15 is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the fixed cylinder 10, and a cylindrical large rectilinear guide 16 is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the large rotating cylinder 15 from the rear end side (right end side in the drawing). A female helicoid 103 having a relatively large pitch is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fixed cylinder 10, and rectilinear grooves 101 are formed at a plurality of locations in parallel with the central axis. The helicoid 103 is fitted with a male helicoid (not shown) formed to protrude from the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the large rotating cylinder 15. The male helicoid is an extremely short protruding helicoid and is formed at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction of the large rotating cylinder 15.

  The large rotating cylinder 15 is a zoom operation member, and is configured to be rotated by an electric force and can be rotated by a manual operation when the lens barrel is extended to the photographing region. Therefore, a specific configuration of a power transmission mechanism for rotationally driving the large rotating cylinder 15 with electric force and a power interrupting mechanism for enabling the large rotating cylinder 15 to be rotationally driven by manual operation will be described.

  A rack 151 is formed on the outer periphery of the rear end of the large rotary cylinder 15 as shown in FIGS. 10, 11, and 16. The rack 151 meshes with a pinion 209 that is rotationally driven by a motor. The pinion 209 is rotationally driven by a power transmission mechanism 200 configured as shown in FIGS. 9 to 16. 9 to 16, the power transmission mechanism 200 includes a motor 201 as a drive source, and a worm 202 is fixed to an output shaft of the motor 201. The rotational force of the worm 202 includes a worm wheel 203, a gear 204 integral with the worm wheel 203, a large diameter gear 205 meshed with the gear 204, a small diameter gear 206 integral with the gear 205, a large diameter gear 207 meshed with the gear 206, A small-diameter gear 208 integrated with the gear 207 and the pinion 209 meshing with the gear 208 are transmitted. The gear train extending from the worm 202 to the pinion 209 constitutes the power transmission mechanism 200. When the motor 201 is controlled to rotate forward and backward, the pinion 209 is driven to rotate forward and backward, and this driving force is transmitted to the rack 151. The large rotary cylinder 15 is configured to be driven to rotate forward and backward around its central axis.

  A power interrupt mechanism 300 is incorporated in the gear train. The power interrupt mechanism 300 includes the large-diameter gear 205 and the small-diameter gear 206 that are integrally formed, a fixed shaft 302 that holds the gears 205 and 206 so as to be rotatable and slidable along the shaft, and a fixed shaft 302. A plane-shaped U-shaped frame 301 that is slidably supported on the frame 301, a coil spring 303 that biases the frame 301 in one direction along a fixed shaft 302, and an actuator 305. . Since the fixed shaft 302 penetrates the walls on both sides of the frame 301, the frame 301 can slide along the fixed shaft 302, and the gears 205 and 206 are located between the walls on both sides of the frame 301. . Therefore, when the frame 301 moves along the fixed shaft 302, the gears 205 and 206 move along the fixed shaft 302 together with the frame 301.

  A coil spring 303 is fitted on the outer periphery on one end side of the fixed shaft 302, and one side wall of the frame 301 is pushed by the elastic force of the coil spring 303, and the frame 301 is moved to the right in FIGS. 13, 15, and 16. Furthermore, in FIG. 12 and FIG. 14, it is biased toward the left. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the frame 301 and the gears 205 and 206 are moved by the elastic force of the coil spring 303 and the gear 206 and the gear 207 are engaged with each other. FIG. 15 shows a state in which the frame 301 and the gears 205 and 206 are moved against the elastic force of the coil spring 303 and the gears 206 and 207 are disengaged.

  As the actuator 305, a self-holding solenoid is used that operates linearly in this embodiment and maintains its operating mode when operating in one direction, and maintains its operating mode when operating in the other direction. ing. In the aforementioned “storage area”, as shown in FIGS. 13, 15, and 16, the frame 301 and the gears 205 and 206 are moved by the urging force so that the gear 206 and the gear 207 are engaged, and the motor 201 is used as a drive source. The electric force is transmitted to the rack 151 of the large rotating cylinder 15, and the large rotating cylinder 15 is rotationally driven by the electric force.

  As described with reference to FIG. 1, when the large rotary cylinder 15 reaches the wide-angle end W of the imaging region, which is one end of the storage region, this is detected by a limit switch or other appropriate detection means, and the actuator 305 is detected based on this detection signal. Is driven in the opposite direction, and the drive position in the opposite direction is maintained. The actuator 305 has a hook-shaped member 306 that sandwiches one end of the frame 301 on its output shaft, and the frame 301 moves together with the gears 205 and 206 as the hook-shaped member 306 moves. ing. At the reverse driving position of the actuator 305, the gear 206 and the gear 207 are disengaged, and the power transmission / reception mechanism 300 cuts off the power transmission by the power transmission mechanism 200.

  In the mode in which the power interrupting mechanism 300 cuts off the power transmission, the rotational force from the large rotating cylinder 15 side is transmitted to the pinion 209 and the gears 208 and 207, and these are merely idled. Manual rotation can be performed in the absence of any. The manually operated rotation range of the large rotary cylinder 15 is the above-described “imaging area”. When a switching operation member of the imaging apparatus, for example, a power switch is switched off in this “imaging area”, the motor 201 is driven in the opposite direction to generate power in the direction of driving the lens barrel toward the storage side. In addition, the actuator 305 of the power interrupt mechanism 300 moves the frame 301 and the gears 205 and 206 in the same direction as the direction of urging by the coil spring 303 so that the power transmission mechanism 200 can transmit the electric force.

  The motor 201, the actuator 305, the fixed shaft 302, and other shafts that indicate the other gears constituting the power transmission mechanism 200 and the power interrupt mechanism 300 are attached to the base member of the lens barrel.

  Returning to FIGS. 2 to 8, the description of the configuration of the lens barrel will be continued. When the pinion 209 is rotationally driven by the motor 201, the helicoid of the large rotating cylinder 15 is guided to the helicoid 103 of the fixed cylinder 10, whereby the large rotating cylinder 15 rotates around the central axis in the fixed cylinder 10. It moves in the direction (hereinafter referred to as “optical axis direction”). The pinion 209 has a long axial dimension so that the large rotation cylinder 15 does not disengage from the rack 151 even when the large rotation cylinder 15 moves back and forth.

  The large rectilinear guide 16 has a plurality of projections projecting radially outward at the rear end, and these projections are fitted in the rectilinear grooves 101 of the fixed cylinder 10. Accordingly, the large linear guide 16 is guided by the linear groove 101 and can move linearly in the direction of the central axis. A plurality of straight grooves are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the large rotating cylinder 15 in parallel with the optical axis. Each of the rectilinear grooves is continuous with a groove formed in the circumferential direction at the front end portion of the large rotating cylinder 15. A number of protrusions corresponding to the rectilinear grooves are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the front end portion of the large rectilinear guide 16. After these protrusions are inserted along the straight grooves, the large rotation cylinder 15 and the large straight guide 16 are rotated relative to each other around the central axis, so that the protrusions fit into the circumferential grooves following the straight grooves. waiting. Therefore, the large linear guide 16 moves in the direction of the central axis integrally with the large rotating cylinder 15 by fitting each of the protrusions in the circumferential groove, and rotates around the central axis. The cylinder 15 can be rotated relative to the cylinder 15. A female helicoid 163 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front end portion of the large straight guide 16.

  When the large rectilinear guide 16 is the first rotating cylinder, the small rotating cylinder 12 as the second rotating cylinder is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the large rectilinear guide 16 as the first rotating cylinder. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a male helicoid 121 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end portion of the small rotating cylinder 12, and an appropriate number of cylindrical pins 123 (see FIG. 5) are formed in a part of the helicoid 121 forming portion. 5). As shown in FIG. 4, the helicoid 121 meshes with the helicoid 163 of the large rectilinear guide 16, and the pin 123 fits into the rectilinear groove of the large rotating cylinder 15 through the escape groove formed in the peripheral wall of the large rectilinear guide 16. waiting. Therefore, when the large rotating cylinder 15 rotates around the optical axis, this rotational force is transmitted from the straight groove 152 to the pin 123, and the small rotating cylinder 12 rotates around the optical axis together with the large rotating cylinder 15. When the small rotating cylinder 12 is rotated with respect to the large rectilinear guide 16, the small rotating cylinder 12 is advanced and retracted in the optical axis direction by meshing between the helicoid 121 and the helicoid 163 of the large rectilinear guide 16. The pin 123 moves while rotating in accordance with the pitch between the helicoid 121 and the helicoid 163 due to the rotation of the small rotating cylinder 12. Therefore, the escape groove is formed in the helicoid so that the pin 123 does not interfere with the large linear guide 16. 121 and helicoid 163 are formed at a pitch that is the same as the pitch of the helicoid 163 and somewhat wider than the diameter of the pin 123 so as to be separated from the pin 123.

  An appropriate number of cam grooves 124 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the small rotating cylinder 12. A ring-shaped first lens frame 11 holding the first lens group 1 is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the small rotating cylinder 12. An appropriate number of pin-shaped cam followers 111 are arranged on the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the lens frame 11, and each cam follower 111 is fitted in the cam groove 124. A cylindrical small rectilinear guide 13 is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the lens frame 11. A guide protrusion is formed on the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the small rectilinear guide 13 so as to protrude outward in the radial direction. The guide protrusion is fitted in a rectilinear groove in the optical axis direction formed on the inner peripheral surface of the large rectilinear guide 16. ing. Therefore, the small rectilinear guide 13 can move relative to the large rectilinear guide 16 in the optical axis direction, but cannot rotate around the optical axis like the large rectilinear guide 16.

  An appropriate number of rectilinear grooves are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the small rectilinear guide 13 in parallel with the optical axis. On the inner peripheral surface side of the lens holding frame 11, a projection (not shown) that fits into the rectilinear groove is formed. Therefore, the lens holding frame 11 can be moved relative to the small rectilinear guide 13 in the optical axis direction. When the small rotating cylinder 12 rotates around the optical axis, the fitting position of the cam follower 111 of the lens holding cylinder 11 with respect to the cam groove 124 continuously fluctuates, and the lens holding cylinder 11 is pushed against the side wall of the cam groove 124. It moves in the direction of the optical axis. A barrier unit 18 is fixed to the front end of the lens holding cylinder 11 to protect the lens by closing the front surface of the lens when not in use.

  A cam cylinder 14 is fitted on the inner peripheral side of the small rectilinear guide 13. A pair of protrusions (not shown) are formed at the rear end of the cam cylinder 14 so as to protrude outward in the radial direction. These protrusions are fitted into a notch (not shown) formed at the rear end of the small rotating cylinder 12, and the cam cylinder 14 rotates around the optical axis integrally with the small rotating cylinder 12, It is movable in the optical axis direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the cam cylinder 14 has a cam groove 142 on the front side in the optical axis direction and a cam groove 143 on the rear side in the optical axis direction. A second lens frame 21 is fitted on the inner side of the cam cylinder 14 and a shutter unit 31 is fitted on the rear side so as to be relatively rotatable and relatively movable in the optical axis direction.

  The second lens frame 21 holds the second lens group 2. An appropriate number of pin-shaped cam followers 211 are set on the outer periphery of the second lens frame 21, and an appropriate number of pin-shaped cam followers 311 are set on the outer periphery of the shutter unit 31. The cam follower 211 of the second lens frame 21 passes through the cam groove 142 of the cam cylinder 14 and further fits in a rectilinear groove 135 (see FIG. 7) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the small rectilinear guide 13. Therefore, when the cam cylinder 14 rotates, the intersection position of the cam groove 142 in which the cam follower 211 is fitted and the rectilinear groove of the small rectilinear guide 13 moves in the optical axis direction, and the second lens frame 21 moves in the optical axis direction. Is configured to move. The cam follower 311 of the shutter unit 31 passes through the cam groove 143 of the cam cylinder 14 and is further fitted in a rectilinear groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the small rectilinear guide 13. Therefore, when the cam cylinder 14 rotates, the intersection position of the cam groove 143 in which the cam follower 311 is fitted and the rectilinear groove 136 (see FIG. 7) of the small rectilinear guide 13 moves in the optical axis direction, and the shutter unit 31 is moved. It is configured to move in the optical axis direction.

  The lens barrel described so far constitutes a retractable zoom lens. Therefore, an operation of extending each member from the housed state to a state where it can be photographed, and an operation between the wide-angle end W and the telephoto end T in the state where the member can be photographed will be described.

  When the motor 201 is driven and the rotational driving force of the motor 201 is transmitted to the large rotating cylinder 15 via the power transmission mechanism 200, the helicoid of the large rotating cylinder 15 is read by the helicoid 103 of the fixed cylinder 10 and the optical axis. Move in the direction. The large rectilinear guide 16 fitted on the inner peripheral side of the large rotating cylinder 15 has a protrusion fitted in the rectilinear groove 101 of the fixed cylinder 10 and is integrated with the large rotating cylinder 15 in the optical axis direction as described above. Therefore, the large rotation cylinder 15 moves in the optical axis direction together with the movement in the optical axis direction without rotating around the optical axis. Since the straight groove formed in the inner peripheral surface of the large rotation cylinder 15 is fitted with a pin that stands on the small rotation cylinder 12 and passes through the escape hole of the large straight movement guide 16, the large rotation cylinder 15 This rotation force is transmitted to the small rotating cylinder 12 by rotating, and the small rotating cylinder 12 also rotates around the optical axis. When the small rotating cylinder 12 rotates, the small rotating cylinder 12 advances and retreats in the optical axis direction by meshing between the helicoid 121 and the helicoid 163 of the large linear guide 16.

  A first lens frame 11, a small rectilinear guide 13, and a cam cylinder 14 are fitted in this order on the inner peripheral side of the small rotation cylinder 12. The cam cylinder 14 is substantially integrally coupled to the small rotation cylinder 12. The small rectilinear guide 13 can move straight in the optical axis direction with respect to the large rectilinear guide 16 by fitting the guide protrusion into the rectilinear groove of the large rectilinear guide 16, but cannot rotate around the optical axis. . When the small rotation cylinder 12 rotates around the optical axis, the first lens frame 11 in which the cam follower 111 is fitted in the cam groove 124 of the small rotation cylinder 12 and the rotation is stopped by the straight movement groove of the small rectilinear guide 13 is obtained. It is moved in the optical axis direction by the cam groove 124.

  When the cam cylinder 14 rotates together with the small rotation cylinder 12, the cam follower 211 of the second lens frame 21 that passes through the cam groove 142 and fits in the rectilinear groove 135 of the small rectilinear guide 13 moves in the optical axis direction. Together with this, the second lens frame 21 moves in the optical axis direction. Similarly, the cam follower 311 of the shutter unit 31 that passes through the cam groove 143 and fits in the rectilinear groove 136 of the small rectilinear guide 13 moves in the optical axis direction, and at the same time, the shutter unit 31 moves in the optical axis direction.

  2 and 4, other members except the fixed frame 10 are retracted toward the fixed frame 10, and the front end surfaces of the first lens holding cylinder 11, the small rotating cylinder 12, and the large rotating cylinder 15 are substantially the same plane. It shows the state of being stored compactly. In this stored state, the barrier unit 18 closes the barrier and protects the lens. The lens configuration in this embodiment includes a third lens group 3 and a fourth lens group 4 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in addition to the first lens group 1 and the second lens group 2 described above. In the retracted state, the third lens group 3 and the fourth lens group 4 are retracted to the outside of the optical axis and contribute to downsizing of the lens barrel and the camera equipped with the lens barrel. .

  When the motor 201 is activated so as to change from the housed state to a state where photographing can be performed, the rotational force of the motor 201 is transmitted to the rack 151 via the power transmission mechanism 200, and the large rotating cylinder 15 is rotationally driven. The rotation of the large rotating cylinder 15 leads the helicoid to the helicoid of the fixed cylinder 10 and feeds it forward in the optical axis direction, and the large linear guide 16 also advances straight forward in the optical axis direction. As described above, the small rotating cylinder 12 is also rotated around the optical axis by the rotation of the large rotating cylinder 15, and the small rotating cylinder 12 is advanced forward in the optical axis direction by meshing the helicoid 121 with the helicoid 163 of the large linear guide 16. Further, the cam cylinder 14 rotates integrally with the small rotation cylinder 12 and is fed in the optical axis direction, and the small rectilinear guide 13 moves straight forward in the optical axis direction as the small rotation cylinder 12 is extended in the optical axis direction. To do. The first lens frame 11 is extended in the optical axis direction by extending the small rotating cylinder 12 in the optical axis direction while rotating around the optical axis. When the cam cylinder 14 is rotated and extended in the optical axis direction, the side walls of the cam grooves 142 and 143 push the cam followers 211 and 311 of the second lens frame 21 and the shutter unit 31, and the second lens frame 21 and the shutter unit 31. Is extended in the direction of the optical axis. 4 and 7, the first lens group 1 and the second lens group 2 are extended in the optical axis direction, and the third lens group 3 and the fourth lens group 4 are advanced on the optical axis. This shows a state where the camera is ready to shoot. FIG. 3 shows the appearance at this time, and the barrier unit 18 opens the barrier.

  The position of each lens group shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 is the shortest focal length position that can be photographed, that is, the end of the storage area described with reference to FIG. 1 and the end of the imaging area that is continuous with the end of the storage area. The wide-angle end W. The power intermittent mechanism 300 incorporated in the gear train constituting the power transmission mechanism 200 is moved by the power transmission mechanism 200 by the operation of the actuator 305 by reaching from the storage area to the wide-angle end W that is the terminal end by the electric force. Disconnect power transmission. A feature of this embodiment is that the power transmission mechanism 200 incorporates the power interrupt mechanism 300 that operates as described above. When the power transmission by the power transmission mechanism 200 is cut by the power interrupt mechanism 300, the large rotating cylinder 15 can be manually operated.

  Since the large rotating cylinder 15 is retracted in the photographing apparatus main body 100 in the “storage area”, it is difficult to manually operate the large rotating cylinder 15, so that the large rotating cylinder 15 is driven by an electric force to move forward and backward with respect to the photographing apparatus main body 100. It is configured. When the large rotating cylinder 15 is extended to the “imaging area”, the large rotating cylinder 15 is exposed to the outside of the photographing apparatus main body 100 from the fixed cylinder 10, so that the large rotating cylinder 15 can be manually rotated. Therefore, when the large rotation cylinder 15 is extended to the “imaging area”, the power interrupt mechanism 300 cuts off the power transmission by the power transmission mechanism 200 so that the large rotation cylinder 15 can be manually operated. When the large rotating cylinder 15 is manually operated, the pinion 209 and the gears 208 and 207 are idled, and the gear train from the gear 206 to the worm 202 does not rotate. Therefore, the large rotating cylinder 15 can be rotated with an appropriate driving force. Since the large rotating cylinder 15 functions as a zoom operation member in the photographing region, manual zooming is possible by manually rotating the large rotating cylinder 15 and can be quickly moved to the zoom position intended by the user. .

  In order to facilitate manual zooming operation, it is preferable to form irregularities by knurling or the like on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the large rotating cylinder 15. The unevenness on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the large rotating cylinder 15 prevents slipping during operation, and the portion where a finger is applied for manual operation becomes clear, improving operability.

  In a conventional camera that performs zooming by manual operation, when shooting is finished and the lens barrel is to be retracted into the camera body, the lens barrel is one end of the shooting area and the wide-angle end that is one end of the storage area. Next, for example, a power switch as a switching member is turned off. When the power switch is turned off, the motor 201 is driven in the reverse direction, the power transmission mechanism 200 is driven in the reverse direction, the large rotating cylinder 15 is driven in the reverse direction, and the lens barrel is housed in the camera body.

  According to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, when the power switch is turned off, the motor 201 is driven in the reverse direction, and the actuator 305 of the power interrupting mechanism 300 is energized and the frame 301 is attached by the coil spring 303. The power transmission mechanism 200 is switched so as to transmit power, so that the retracting operation by the electric force is performed.

  Therefore, according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, for example, a power switch as a switching member can be provided at any position in the photographing region without moving the lens barrel to the wide-angle end W that is one end of the storage region. By turning it off, the lens barrel can be retracted into the camera body. When the power switch is turned off, similarly to the above operation, the motor 201 is driven in the reverse direction, the power transmission mechanism 200 is driven in the reverse direction, the large rotating cylinder 15 is driven in the reverse direction, and the lens barrel is moved to the camera. It is stored in the body.

  As described above, zooming in the imaging region is performed manually so that quick and intended zooming can be performed. However, when the lens is retracted, it can be retracted by electric force by operating the switching operation member at any position in the imaging region. Is configured to be performed. Therefore, the retracting operation after the photographing is completed is easy and the retracting can be performed quickly.

  As described above, the collapsing is enabled by the electric force from any position in the imaging region. Therefore, the rotation angle of the large rotating cylinder 15 required for the collapsing operation, and therefore the rotational drive amount by the motor 201 is different each time. Therefore, in order to be able to detect the rotational position of the large rotary cylinder 15 at all times, for example, a position at which a collapsing command is issued by operating the switching operation member using a rotary encoder or a sensor that calculates the number of teeth of the rack 151 is used. Therefore, it is preferable to calculate the number of rotations of the motor 201 required to complete the collapse, and to control the rotation of the motor 201 based on the calculation result. In that case, since it is necessary to accurately control the rotation of the motor 201 based on the calculation result, for example, the motor 201 may be a stepping motor, and the rotation may be controlled by the number of pulses for driving the motor 201. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, the rotation speed is obtained by fixing fins 210 formed radially at equal intervals to the rotation output shaft of the motor 201, and detecting and integrating the fins 210 optically or magnetically. May be calculated. Further, the limit switch may detect when the large rotating cylinder 15 reaches the end of the storage position, and the drive of the motor 201 may be stopped by this detection signal.

  When the large rotating cylinder 15 is driven by the electric force from the storage area to the wide-angle end W that is one end of the photographing area, the power interrupting mechanism 300 cuts off the power transmission by the power transmission mechanism 200 and stores the large rotating cylinder 15 by manual operation. It is necessary to make it impossible to operate toward the area. This is to clearly distinguish the operation in the storage area by the electric force from the operation in the imaging area by manual operation. Therefore, a restriction mechanism for the large rotation cylinder 15 is provided so that the large rotation cylinder 15 as a zoom operation member cannot enter the storage area from one end of the photographing area even if it is manually operated.

  As shown in FIG. 11, a protrusion 155 forming a part of the restriction mechanism is provided on the outer periphery of the rear end portion of the large rotating cylinder 15. Further, the frame 301 constituting the power interrupting mechanism 300 is moved from the retracted position to the wide angle when the frame 301 is moved against the urging force of the coil spring 303 by the actuator 305, that is, the large rotating cylinder 15 is electrically driven. When driven to the end W, a protrusion 310 is formed that advances immediately after the movement path of the protrusion 155 of the large rotating cylinder 15. The protrusion 310 which is a part of the frame 301 constitutes a part of the restriction mechanism together with the protrusion 155 of the large rotating cylinder 15. As shown in FIG. 16, when the surface 311 of the projection 310 facing the projection 155 of the large rotating cylinder 15 hits the projection 155, the lens barrel is returned from the wide-angle end W to the direction in which it is housed in the photographing apparatus. Blocking. In addition, even in the photographing area, even at the wide-angle end W, when the switching operation member such as the power switch is switched to the storage side (collapse side), the actuator 305 of the power interrupting mechanism 300 is driven in the opposite direction. The driving position is maintained, and the power transmission mechanism 200 is switched so that the electric power can be transmitted. In addition, the projection 310 of the frame 301 is retracted from the movement path of the projection 155 of the large rotating cylinder 15, and the lens barrel can be accommodated by electric force.

  By using a self-holding solenoid as the actuator 305 of the power interrupt mechanism 300, the actuator 305 only needs to be energized at the time of activation, and energization for holding the operating position is unnecessary, thereby reducing power consumption. Can do. However, a rotary motor or a linear motor may be used as the actuator 305, or a drive source of an appropriate type may be used.

  Although the switching operation member for switching the lens barrel between the storage area and the photographing area has been described as the power switch in the embodiment, a dedicated switching member different from the power switch may be employed. . Further, when the power switch also serves as the switching operation member, the operation format of the power switch is arbitrary. For example, it may be of a type that includes one operation switch and can be alternately switched on and off each time the operation switch is pressed, or can be switched on and off in a seesaw manner. It may be the one.

  When a large body cylinder 15 as a zoom operation member is provided with a human body contact detection unit and no detection signal is output from the human body contact detection unit for a certain period of time, the power transmission mechanism 200 is driven by an electric force so that the photographing lens system is within the photographing apparatus main body. It is good to be stored in the. Since it can be determined that the photographing apparatus is not in use after a certain period of time without a part of a human body such as a finger coming into contact with the large rotating cylinder 15, in that case, the lens barrel is retracted, This prevents waste of power and prevents the lens barrel from being physically damaged.

  When the state where the user is operating the rotating ring is detected by the human body detection unit, the driving by the motor 201 that is a driving source of the power transmission mechanism 200 may be stopped. By doing so, it is possible to prevent damage to the motor 201 and the gears constituting the power transmission mechanism 200 during manual operation.

  The configuration of the lens barrel shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 is an example of a lens barrel applicable to the present invention, and is not limited to the lens barrel having such a configuration. Therefore, the lens barrel may be of a type in which the entire lens system advances and retreats on the optical axis and is retracted and zoomed. The number of lens groups, the total number of lenses, and other lens system specifications are arbitrary. In short, any zoom lens that can be retracted and that can incorporate a power transmission mechanism and a power interrupt mechanism may be used.

The effects obtained by the illustrated embodiment are listed below.
Transition from the retracted state of the lens barrel to the shooting state or from the shooting state to the retracted state is automatically performed by turning the power of the photographing apparatus on and off, and between the wide-angle end and the telephoto end in the photographing state. Since the transition is performed manually, it is possible to smoothly transition between the storage state and the photographing state when being carried, and the operability can be improved in the photographing state.

  By turning off the power of the photographing apparatus main body from an arbitrary position in the photographing state, the lens barrel can be automatically shifted to the housed state, and the portability of the lens barrel and the photographing apparatus can be improved.

  By providing a restricting mechanism so that only manual operation can move between the wide-angle end region and the telephoto end region, the operability during photographing can be improved.

  The length of the lens barrel in the retracted state, that is, the length in the optical axis direction when retracted is shorter than the length in the optical axis direction at the wide-angle end in the imaging region, thereby improving the portability of the lens barrel and the imaging device. be able to.

  In order to perform the transition from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end in the shooting area manually, the operability is improved by rotating the lens barrel, specifically the large rotating barrel. Can be achieved.

  The rotating ring is provided with a human body detection unit, and when a state in which the user is operating the rotating ring is detected, by stopping the driving of the motor that is the driving source of the power transmission mechanism, It is possible to prevent breakage of gears constituting the power transmission mechanism.

  If there is no response to the human body detection unit even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the lens barrel is configured to automatically shift to the retracted state, thereby preventing waste of power and preventing the lens mirror from being dropped. It is possible to prevent the tube from being physically damaged.

  By constantly detecting the moving position of the entire moving range from the storage area to the imaging area, for example, the rotation position of the large rotating cylinder with an encoder or the like, the storage position of the lens barrel can be accurately determined, and the lens mirror due to overrun of the storage operation The destruction of the tube can be prevented.

  When the lens barrel is stored to the shooting state, or the transition from the shooting state to the storage state, the power switch ON / OFF signal of the image pickup device main body is sent from the image pickup device main body to the lens barrel to drive the lens The operability can be improved by driving the motor for driving.

  Transition from the lens barrel storage state to the shooting state, or from the shooting state to the storage state, is automatically performed by turning the power switch of the imaging device main unit on and off, from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end in the shooting area. Since the transition between the two is performed manually, the transition between the lens barrel storage state and the photographing state when carried can be smoothly performed, and the operability can be improved in the photographing state.

10 Fixed cylinder 15 Zoom operation member (manual operation member, large rotation cylinder)
155 Protrusion as restriction mechanism 100 Imaging device body 200 Power transmission mechanism (gear train)
300 Power interruption mechanism 301 Frame 305 Actuator (self-holding solenoid)
311 Contact surface as regulating mechanism

JP-A-5-2123 JP-A-9-33969 JP 2010-103599 A

Claims (10)

A lens barrel that can be stored in the main body of the photographing apparatus,
A switching operation member for switching between the state stored in the storage area of the photographing apparatus main body and the state extended to the shootable area;
A power transmission mechanism that is driven by an electric force to move the photographic lens system between the shootable region and the storage region;
A power interrupting mechanism for interrupting power transmission by the power transmission mechanism,
The power interruption mechanism cuts off the power transmission when the photographing lens system is extended to the photographable region by the operation of the switching operation member,
Has a manual operation member for the image-taking lens system can be moved manually in the photographable region when said power interrupting mechanism is disconnected power transmission,
When the photographic lens system is in a shootable region, the switching operation member is switched to the storage side, whereby the electric force generates power toward the storage side, and the power interrupting mechanism transmits power. Lens barrel to be used.   The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein the manual operation member is a zoom operation member, and one end of a storage area of the photographing lens system by electric force is continuous with one end of a zoom range by the zoom operation member.   The zoom operation member restricting mechanism is provided according to claim 2, wherein even if the zoom operation member is manually operated, a restriction mechanism for the zoom operation member is provided so that the zoom operation member cannot enter the storage area from one end of a zoom range continuous to one end of the storage area. Lens barrel.   4. The lens barrel according to claim 3, wherein the zoom operation member restricting mechanism comprises a protrusion provided on the zoom operation member and a part of a power interrupting mechanism that advances on a path of the protrusion.   The lens barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the switching operation member is also used as a power switch of the photographing apparatus, and when the power switch is turned on, the lens barrel is extended to an imageable region by an electric force.   6. The lens barrel according to claim 5, wherein when the power switch is turned off, the power interrupt mechanism connects power transmission, and the power transmission mechanism is driven by an electric force so that the photographing lens system is housed in the photographing apparatus body.   The lens barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the power transmission mechanism includes a gear train, and a power interrupt mechanism is incorporated in the gear train. The power interrupting mechanism includes a self-holding solenoid as an actuator, slide the part of the gear train by the operation of the self-hold solenoid, the connection position and the cutting position of the power transmission by the dynamic Chikaraden our mechanism No The lens barrel according to claim 7, which is held by power feeding. The zoom operation member has a human body contact detection unit. When a detection signal is not output from the human body contact detection unit for a certain period of time, the power transmission mechanism is driven by an electric force, and the photographing lens system is housed in the photographing apparatus body. The lens barrel according to claim 2, 3 or 4 . An imaging apparatus having a lens barrel that can be accommodated in the body and capable of taking an image by extending the lens barrel to an imaging area, wherein the lens barrel is according to any one of claims 1 to 9. An imaging device that is a lens barrel.

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