JPH03220538A - Drip-proof type camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To move a lens barrel forth and back smoothly while maintaining its watertightness by fixing one end of a cylindrical expansible waterproof member to the internal surface of the periphery of the opening part in contact, folding and fixing the other end to the inward end part of the camera in contact, and making the folded part move in the direction of the optical axis while following up the lens barrel. CONSTITUTION:One end 41a of the cylindrical flexible waterproof member 41 which is larger than the outward appearance of the lens barrel 1 is fixed to the reverse surface of the opening part 40a of a lens barrel support part 40 formed on the front wall of a camera body 12 in watertight contact. Further, the other end 41b of the waterproof member 41 is folded back and fixed to the external surface of the rear end part 14a of the lens barrel 14 inserted into the waterproof member 41 from the camera inward side in watertight contact. Then, when the lens barrel 14 moves back in the optical axis direction, the waterproof member 41 has the other end 41b moved following the lens barrel and the folded part 44 moved in the same direction. Consequently, the lens barrel moves forth and back smoothly while the watertightness as to the camera body is securely maintained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a so-called everyday waterproof type drip-proof camera, and more particularly to a drip-proof camera having a lens barrel that can move forward and backward in the optical axis direction.

"Prior Art and its Problems" The present applicant has created a breath hole in the camera body that communicates the inside and outside of the camera in a camera whose internal volume changes greatly due to zooming, etc. We proposed a drip-proof camera that is equipped with a water-based filter to make it possible to make cameras whose internal volumes vary widely. This drip-proof camera can perform zooming or focusing without increasing or decreasing the operating force due to changes in internal volume by balancing the air pressure inside and outside the camera using the breath hole.

By the way, the above-mentioned drip-proof camera has a lens barrel.

It is slidably supported and attached to an opening formed in the front wall of the camera body. A seal ring made of rubber or the like is attached to the opening and brought into close contact with the outer surface of the lens barrel to prevent water from entering through the gap between the lens barrel and the opening.

However, according to this, the lens barrel advances and retreats while being pressed against the seal ring, which increases the load during this operation, and in severe cases, the lens barrel does not operate smoothly during zooming. A problem occurs. Furthermore, since the lens barrel has a seal ring that slides into contact with the seal ring while maintaining watertightness, a high degree of precision is required in the shape of the outer surface of the lens barrel, which is disadvantageous in that it takes time and effort to process.

``Object of the Invention'' The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.
The objective is to obtain a drip-proof camera in which the forward and backward movement of the lens barrel is smooth.

"Summary of the Invention" The present invention provides a drip-proof camera in which an opening is provided in the front wall of a watertight camera body, and a lens barrel is slidably supported in the opening. On the inside surface,
One end of a cylindrical, expandable waterproof member is tightly fixed in a watertight manner, and the other end of this waterproof member is folded back and sealed in a watertight manner to the inner end of the camera of the lens barrel inserted into the waterproof member. It is characterized in that the folded portion of the waterproof member is configured to move in the optical axis direction following the forward and backward movement of the lens barrel.

Therefore, when the lens barrel moves back and forth in the optical axis direction due to zooming, the other end of the waterproof member moves together with the camera-inward end of the lens barrel, so that the folded portion moves in the optical axis direction. Therefore, the lens barrel can smoothly move forward and backward while reliably maintaining watertightness with respect to the camera body.

“Embodiment J of the invention The invention will now be described with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a drip-proof camera 1o to which the present invention is applied.

The camera body 12 of the drip-proof camera 10 is configured to be watertight, and its lens barrel 14 is provided to maintain watertightness. This lens barrel 14 is moved forward and backward in the optical axis direction for zooming by a pair of zoom switches 30 and 32 installed on the top surface of the camera body 12. As a result, the lens barrel 14 and the inside of the camera body 12 are zoomed. The internal volume changes.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, this lens barrel 14 has a large number of lenses constituting short focus lenses, and moves forward and backward in the optical axis direction with respect to the lens group 38 located at the rear. A protective glass 15 for protecting the lens is fitted into the front end of the lens barrel 14 in a watertight manner.

A cylindrical lens barrel support portion 40 is formed on the front wall 12a of the camera body 12 so as to protrude forward.

This lens barrel support part 40 has an inner diameter that is a lens barrel 1 that is slidably inserted into an opening 40a formed in the center.
The outer diameter is larger than that of 4.

On the back surface of the opening 40a in the lens barrel support section 40, a flexible waterproof member 41 made of rubber or the like and having a cylindrical shape larger than the outer diameter of the lens barrel 14 is tightly fixed at one end 41a in a watertight manner. be done) This one end 41a is formed thicker than other parts of the waterproof member 41, and is configured to prevent folding, which will be described later, from occurring here.

A waterproof member 4 is provided on the outer surface of the rear end portion 14a of the lens barrel 14 inserted into the waterproof member 41 from the inside of the camera.
The other end 41b of 1 is folded back and fixed in a watertight manner. As a result, when the lens barrel 14 moves back and forth in the optical axis direction, the waterproof member 41 causes the other end 41b to follow this movement, thereby moving the folded portion 44 in the same direction while moving the lens barrel 14 and the camera body. Maintain watertightness with 12.

On the other hand, a release button 28 is located on the top surface of the camera body 12.
is provided. Further, a rear cover 34 is installed on the rear surface of the camera body 12 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the body 12. On the wall surface 12a in front of the camera body 12, there are a light projection window 20 that emits infrared light for distance measurement, a light receiving window 22 that receives infrared light reflected by the subject, an objective window 24 of the finder, and a strobe light. A light emitting window 26 is provided.

Furthermore, a breather hole 36 (FIG. 1A) is formed below the light emitting window 26 of the front wall 12a.
A protective cover 35 is installed in front of the breather hole 6 to protect the breathable and water-impermeable filter 17 affixed to the breather hole 36 . This protective cover 35 has a large number of communication grooves 35a formed along its circumference, and these communication grooves 35
At point a, the air-impermeable filter 36 is brought into contact with the outside air, and at the same time, the filter 36 is protected from scratches and damage. In the figure, reference numeral 39 indicates internal structural members of the camera, such as electronic parts and electronic circuit boards, which are various members for making the camera function.

According to the drip-proof camera 10 having the above structure, the lens barrel 14
When the camera body 12 is moved forward or backward relative to the camera body 12, the internal volumes of the body 12 and the lens barrel 14 change. Then, air corresponding to the amount of change flows into and out of the camera body 12 through the numerous communication grooves 35a of the protective cover 35, the air-permeable non-water filter 17, and the breath hole 36. Therefore, the operating force for moving the lens barrel 14 forward and backward does not vary due to changes in the internal pressure within the body 11 and the lens barrel 14.

When moving back and forth, the lens barrel 14 moves in the optical axis direction while being slidably supported by the opening 40a of the lens barrel support 40, but at this time, the other end 41b is closely fixed to the rear end 14a. The waterproof member 41 moves its folded portion 44 in the optical axis direction following this forward and backward movement.

Therefore, the lens barrel 14 moves smoothly forward and backward while maintaining watertightness with respect to the camera body 12. Furthermore, the problem that the waterproof member 41 is bent and caught between the lens barrel 14 and the opening 40a does not occur, and the sliding movement of the lens barrel 14 is prevented or the waterproof member 41 is damaged. Problems such as these can be reliably prevented.

Furthermore, since the waterproof member 41 moves forward and backward within the space surrounded by the lens barrel support 40 and the lens barrel 14, problems such as deterioration caused by exposure to sunlight are also prevented.

``Effects of the Invention'' As described above, according to the drip-proof camera of the present invention, one end of the cylindrical extensible waterproof member is tightly fixed in a watertight manner to the inner surface around the opening, and the other end is fixed to the inner surface of the periphery of the opening. The lens barrel is folded and fixed in a watertight manner to the inner end of the camera, and the folded part of the waterproof member follows the lens barrel and moves in the optical axis direction. can be moved smoothly forward and backward while reliably maintaining watertightness with respect to the camera body. Furthermore, watertightness is maintained if one end and the other end of the waterproof member are in close contact with the inner surface around the opening and the end of the lens barrel, respectively. High precision is not required on the outer surface of the material, making processing easier and reducing costs. Since there is no need for a structure that makes sliding contact with the seal ring, the lens barrel does not necessarily have to be cylindrical, and flexibility can be given to the design of the lens barrel and camera body.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the drip-proof camera according to the present invention, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the lens barrel during zooming, and FIG. 2 is an external view of the drip-proof camera according to the present invention. FIG. 0... Splash-proof camera, 12... Camera body, 2a.
...Front wall, 14... Lens barrel, O... Lens barrel support part, 40a... Opening, 1... Waterproof member, 41
a...One end, 41b...Other 44...Folded portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a drip-proof camera in which an opening is provided in the front wall of a watertight camera body and a lens barrel is slidably supported in this opening, a cylindrical shape is formed on the inner surface around the opening. Fix one end of the expandable waterproof member in a watertight manner, and then fold the other end of the waterproof member into the inner end of the camera of the lens barrel inserted into the waterproof member, making it watertight. A drip-proof camera characterized in that the folded portion of the waterproof member is configured to move in the optical axis direction following the advance and retreat of the lens barrel when the waterproof member is tightly fixed.