JPH06324389A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the shape of a camera main body and to make it light in weight by providing the mutual coupling part of exterior parts at a wedge- like thick part provided at the position of a gap between the outside circumferential surfaces of two cylindrical large parts. CONSTITUTION:The wall 1a of the camera main body 1 constitutes part of the walls of the non-appearance sides of a battery chamber and a capacitor chamber. The inside wall 3a of the first exterior part 3 and the inside wall 4a of the second exterior part 4 constitute the walls of the appearance sides of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber. The first part 3 is coupled to the main body 1 by screwing one end thereof to the main body 1 at a position 9 on the front side of a camera and the other end to the second part 4 at the position 10 on the side surface side of a grip. On the other hand, one end of the second part 4 is screwed to the main body 1 at a position 11 on the back side of the camera and the other end is fixed to the main body 1 at the coupling position 10 with the first part 3. That means, the first and the second parts 3 and 4 are mutually coupled and held at the position 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to a structure of a storage chamber for a battery or the like of the camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, most batteries used in cameras are of a cylindrical shape, and many cameras are designed to be stored in a battery storage chamber provided on the grip side of the camera. In recent years, the number of cameras with built-in flash has increased not only in lens shutter cameras but also in single-lens reflex cameras. In these built-in strobe cameras, large capacitors for strobe light emission are also cylindrical in shape, so the camera of Often located on the grip side. Further, in a camera having a built-in film feeding motor, the film feeding motor is often arranged on the grip side.

As described above, the arrangement of large cylindrical parts tends to be concentrated on the grip side. This is because, in general, the grip portion tends to project a little to improve the holding feeling and operability of the camera, so that the projecting portion can be easily used as a storage space for the large-sized cylindrical part as described above. . Conventionally, a space for accommodating these large-sized components is formed in the camera body, and exterior components that have been subjected to a special appearance treatment are stacked and mounted on the camera body.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional camera structure. 1
Reference numeral 8 is a camera body, and 18a is a film spool chamber.
19 and 20 are cylindrical batteries, and two batteries are installed.
It is housed in a battery chamber 18b formed in the camera body. 21 is a capacitor that is a strobe circuit component,
It is also housed in a condenser chamber 18c formed in the camera body. As shown in the figure, the wall of the camera body is present outside the battery chamber 18b and the condenser chamber 18c, and the exterior of the camera body wall is subjected to a special appearance treatment such as painting or satin finish. The first external component 22 and the second external component 23 are mounted. The first external component 22 has one end screwed to the camera body at a position 24 on the front side of the camera and the other end screwed to the camera body at a position 25 on the side surface of the grip portion, or from a vertical direction (not shown). It is screwed to the camera body. The second external component 23 has one end screwed to the body at a position 26 on the back side of the camera and the other end at a position 25 at the camera body 1.
8 or by screws from the up and down direction (not shown).

[0005]

The conventional camera structure described above has the following drawbacks.

(I) In the above-described conventional structure, each storage chamber is composed of the camera body, and the exterior parts are mounted on the outside of the storage chamber, so that the camera itself becomes large.

(Ii) When each storage chamber is composed of the camera body as described above, in the conventional molding method of the camera body, the draft of the mold must be taken into consideration as the condition for molding the camera body. As a result, the shape of each storage chamber is wider than the originally desired circular diameter of the cylindrical shape at the inlet portion, and the originally desired circular diameter is formed in the portion near the back of each storage chamber. Therefore, a cylindrical part such as a battery or a capacitor easily swings in the camera, and the structure is vulnerable to vibration and the like, which adversely affects the quality and reliability of the camera itself.

(Iii) Considering the manufacture of the camera body in the above-mentioned configuration, the camera body is large and the molding is very difficult even in the structure in which the storage chamber such as the battery is not provided in the camera body. Increasing the size of the camera body by adding each storage chamber increases the defective rate of parts due to defective molding.

(Iv) Then, in order to reduce the size of the camera body and reduce the weight of the camera, if the structure is made by simply removing the outer wall of the body of each of the storage chambers, the conventional exterior parts will not be used. Since the strength and rigidity are weak and the grip portion is used, a squeak noise is easily generated when the camera is held, and as a result, the quality of the camera is significantly deteriorated. In addition, since the storage chamber is a holding portion for the power source, the outer wall of the storage chamber unless it has a strong structure may cause an electrical malfunction or an accident and seriously adversely affect the quality and reliability of the camera.

(V) Further, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, it is very difficult to expose the outer surface of the camera body forming each storage chamber as it is to make it the appearance surface of the camera. Because it is usual to apply a special appearance treatment such as painting or satin finish to the appearance surface of the camera to improve the appearance quality, but such a surface treatment is difficult for complicated and large parts such as the camera body. This is because management becomes complicated and, as a result, costs are increased. In addition, it is important to install the external parts as far as possible in the assembly process to prevent scratches on the external surface of the camera. Becomes impossible. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid exposing the external appearance of the camera itself.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera having an improved structure, eliminating the drawbacks inherent in the prior art described above.

[0012]

In the camera of the present invention, the outer (camera exterior side) wall of the storage chamber for storing the large columnar parts such as the battery and the condenser is composed of only the first and second exterior parts. In addition, the non-appearance side wall of the storage chamber is composed of a camera body, and the connecting portion of the exterior parts is provided in a wedge-shaped thick portion provided at the position of the gap between the outer peripheral surfaces of the two large cylindrical parts. And the end plate (ceiling plate) of the storage chamber is engaged with a protrusion projecting on the inner surface of the exterior component, and the outer wall of the storage chamber is firmly configured with the exterior component by these structures. On the other hand, the shape of the camera body is simplified and the weight is reduced.

Therefore, in the camera of the present invention, although the outer wall of the storage chamber for large cylindrical parts such as batteries and capacitors is composed of only exterior parts, the wall may be bent or deformed. In addition, the camera body forming the wall on the non-appearance side of the storage chamber has a simpler shape and is lighter than that of the conventional camera.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a top view of the vicinity of a grip portion of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a camera body which is a main structural component of the camera, 2 denotes a film spool chamber provided in the camera body,
Reference numeral 3 is a first exterior component that constitutes the outer wall of the grip portion of the camera, and 4 is a second exterior component.

5-1 and 5-2 are batteries, 6 is a capacitor which is a strobe circuit component, and these three are a space 7 sandwiched between the camera body 1 and the first and second exterior components 3 and 4. It is housed in. That is, the wall 1a of the camera body constitutes a part of the non-appearance side walls of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber, and the inner wall 3a of the first exterior component 3 and the second exterior component 4 are formed.
Inner wall 4a of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber on the exterior side does not have a wall between the battery 5-1 and the battery 5-2, and also between the battery 5-2 and the capacitor 6. There is no wall. The first exterior component 3 is coated as a surface treatment on the exterior side, and the second exterior component 4 is surface-finished on the exterior side to enhance the appearance quality.

Further, the second exterior component 4 is provided with a projecting portion 4b which projects into the space formed by the outer circular arcs of both the battery 5-2 and the capacitor 6, and, as described above, the battery chamber and the battery chamber. A part of the wall of the capacitor chamber is formed and a thick portion that fills the fitting length of the screw is formed.

One end of the first exterior part 3 is screwed to the camera body 1 at a position 9 on the front side of the camera, and the other end is screwed to a second exterior part at a position 10 on the side of the grip. Is connected to the camera body. The thick portion 3b of the first exterior component 3 is thinned out in consideration of sink marks during molding on the outer appearance side while maintaining the shape forming a part of the outer wall of the battery chamber as described above. It has a rib shape.

On the other hand, one end of the second exterior component 4 is screwed to the main body 1 at a position 11 on the rear side of the camera, and the other end is fixed at a connecting position 10 with the first exterior component 3. That is, at position 10, both the first and second exterior components are adapted to be joined and held together.

The die cutting direction of the first exterior component is basically a structure which can be set in two directions shown by an arrow A in the drawing, while considering a fine slide portion at the connecting position 10.
Similarly, in the die cutting direction of the second exterior component, the fine slide portion at the fixed position 11 must be taken into consideration.
Basically, the structure is possible in two directions shown by arrow B in the figure.

<Embodiment 2> FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the case where the battery type is not cylindrical is shown. A battery 5 and a capacitor 6, which is a strobe circuit component, are housed in a space 7 surrounded by the camera body 1, the first exterior component 3, and the second exterior component 4. That is, the wall 1a of the camera body constitutes a part of the non-appearance side wall of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber, and the inner wall 3a of the first exterior component 3 and the inner wall 4a of the second exterior component 4 are the battery chamber and the capacitor. It forms part of the exterior wall of the room. The second exterior component 4 has a protrusion 4b that protrudes into the space formed by the outer arcs of the battery 5 and the capacitor 6.
Is provided, and forms a part of the walls of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber and forms a thick portion that fills the fitting length of the screw. Furthermore, one end of the first exterior component 3 is screwed to the camera body 1 at a position 9 on the front side of the camera, and the other end is screwed to a second exterior component 4 at a position 10 on the side surface of the grip. On the other hand, one end of the second exterior component 4 is screwed to the main body 1 at a position 11 on the rear side of the camera, and the other end is fixed at a coupling position 10 with the first exterior component 3.

<Third Embodiment> FIGS. 3 and 4 show the third embodiment of the present invention.
An example is shown.

Reference numeral 1 is a camera main body which is a main structural component of the camera, 2 is a film spool chamber provided in the main body, 3 is a first exterior component which constitutes a grip portion of the camera, 4 is a second exterior component, Is.

Reference numerals 5-1 and 5-2 are first and second batteries, respectively, and 6 is a condenser which is a strobe circuit component. These three members are the camera body 1 and the first and second exterior components 3 and 4. It is stored in the space 7 surrounded by. That is, the wall 1a of the camera body constitutes a part of the non-appearance side wall of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber, and the inner wall 3a of the first exterior component 3 and the inner wall 4a of the second exterior component 4 are the battery chamber and the capacitor. It forms part of the exterior wall of the chamber, there is no wall between the first battery 5-1 and the second battery 5-2, and the battery 5
There is no wall between -2 and the capacitor 6.

In this embodiment, the first battery 5-1 is normally stored with the positive electrode terminal facing the battery chamber ceiling side, and the second battery 5-2 is normally stored with the negative electrode terminal facing the battery chamber ceiling side. The position.

The first exterior component 3 is painted as a surface treatment on the appearance side, and the second exterior component 4 is surface-finished on the appearance side to enhance the appearance quality.

The second exterior component 4 has a second battery 5-
2 and the capacitor 6 are provided with a protrusion 4b that protrudes into the space formed by the outer arcs of the components, and forms a part of the wall of the battery chamber and the capacitor chamber as described above, and also fits a screw. A thick part that fills the length is formed.

One end of the first exterior component 3 is screwed to the camera body 1 at a position 9 on the front side of the camera, and the other end is screwed to a second exterior component 4 at a position 10 on the side of the grip. ing. The thick portion 3 of the first exterior component 3
As described above, b has a rib portion that is lightened in consideration of sink marks during molding on the outer appearance side while maintaining the shape that constitutes a part of the outer wall of the battery chamber.

On the other hand, one end of the second exterior component 4 is screwed to the camera body 1 at a position 11 on the rear side of the camera, and the other end is fixed at a connecting position 10 with the first exterior component 3. That is, at position 10, both the first and second exterior components hold each other.

Further, the die cutting direction of the first exterior component takes into consideration the fine slide portion at the coupling position 10,
Basically, the structure is possible in two directions indicated by arrow A in the figure. Similarly, the die cutting direction of the second exterior component 4 is at position 11
Although it is necessary to consider the fine slide portion in (1), the structure is basically possible in two directions shown by arrow B in the figure.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a ceiling of a battery chamber formed by the camera body, to which a positive electrode battery contact piece 13-1 and a negative electrode battery contact piece 13-2 are fixed. The planar shape of the battery chamber ceiling 12 is substantially along the inner wall of the first exterior component 3.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view in the vicinity of the grip portion of the camera of this embodiment. Here, the first battery 5-1 indicated by the solid line is mounted at a regular position, and the positive electrode terminal 15 is in contact with the positive electrode battery contact piece 13-1. Further, as shown in this figure, the first exterior component 3 is provided with a projecting portion 3c, and the camera body 1 with the first exterior component 3 incorporated in the regular position is shown.
Is located below the battery chamber ceiling 12 and above the end surface 15a of the first battery 5-1 on the positive electrode terminal side. Reference numeral 17 denotes a battery lid, which holds the battery in a regular position after accommodating the battery.

The dotted line shows the state in which the first battery is turned upside down, and the end face 16 on the negative electrode terminal side of the first battery 5-1 is in contact with the protruding portion 3c. In this state, the battery lid 17 cannot be closed because it is blocked by the positive electrode terminal 15 shown by the dotted line.

[0035]

According to the camera structure of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(I) Since the exterior wall of each storage chamber for parts such as a battery and a capacitor, which is a strobe circuit component, can be formed of exterior parts while maintaining the strength and rigidity of the camera grip, the weight of the camera can be reduced. Downsizing is possible, and
Since the strength and rigidity of the power supply holder are maintained, it is possible to prevent electrical malfunction and self-operation.

(Ii) Since the draft of the mold when molding the walls of each of the storage chambers is not required and each storage chamber can be configured in accordance with the originally desired shape, parts such as batteries and capacitors can be installed in the camera. It is possible to suppress swinging and to have a structure that is strong against vibrations and the like, so that the quality and reliability of the camera itself can be improved.

(Iii) Since it is not necessary to add each storage chamber to the camera body to make it even larger than usual because it is sufficiently large and very difficult to mold, it is possible to reduce the percentage of defective parts due to defective molding.

(Iv) The exterior surface of the camera body forming each storage chamber is not exposed to the exterior surface as it is, and only the exterior parts can be subjected to a special exterior treatment, which increases the cost of the camera body. It is possible to eliminate the anxiety of the factor and to prevent the damage by installing the exterior parts at the end of the assembly process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the vicinity of a grip portion of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vicinity of a grip portion of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vicinity of a grip portion of a camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vicinity of a grip portion of a conventionally known camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera main body 2 ... Spool chamber 5, 5-1, 5-2, 19, 20 ... Battery 6, 21 ... Capacitor 3 ... First exterior part 4 ... Second exterior part 22 ... Exterior part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a camera in which a battery and at least one substantially cylindrical component are arranged in the vicinity of a grip portion, the camera body constitutes a part of a non-appearance side wall of a storage chamber for the battery and the substantially cylindrical component. Together with the exterior component, a part of the exterior wall of the storage chamber is configured, the exterior component is composed of at least first and second exterior components, and one end of the first exterior component is fixed to the camera body. At the same time, the battery is connected to the second exterior part in a gap formed by the outer shape arc of the battery and the substantially cylindrical part or a gap formed by the outer shape arc of the battery, and the second outer part is at least one end. A camera fixed to the camera body. 2. A camera in which a battery is arranged near a grip portion, wherein the camera body constitutes a part of a non-appearance side wall of the battery storage chamber and a ceiling portion of the battery storage chamber, and an exterior component is used to form the battery. A camera comprising: a part of a wall on the exterior side of a storage chamber, a projection provided on the non-appearance side of the exterior component, and the projection abutting against a ceiling portion of the battery storage chamber.