JPH07325331A - Information input device for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an information input device for a camera capable of taking out much more information without increasing the number of information tracks. CONSTITUTION:This device is constituted of a code board 30 installed on a shutter dial 20 and a brush group installed on a camera body. The code board 30 is provided with two information tracks 46 and 48 formed in a shape like a concentric ring and one ground track 50, the brush group is constituted of 1st and 2nd information brushes 52 and 54 which separately come into contact with the 1st information track 46 at a different position, 3rd and 4th information brushes 56 and 58 which separately come into contact with the 2nd information track 48 at a different position and a ground brush 60 which comes into contact with the ground track 50.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera information input device provided for setting information necessary for camera control such as shutter speed and aperture value.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an information input device of this type, a shutter dial rotatably provided on a camera body has been conventionally used. On the shutter dial, numerical values that specify the shutter speed are printed radially.
By matching one of these numerical values with the index on the camera body side, information about the shutter speed is electrically read from the rotational position of the shutter dial and input to the control circuit of the camera.

An information input device using a shutter dial of this type is provided with a code plate on the dial side in which a plurality of rows of information tracks and ground tracks are formed in a concentric ring shape, and a camera body contacts each information track. The information brush and the ground brush that come into contact with the ground track are provided, and the information is taken out from the conduction state between each information brush and the ground brush.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional information input device, since one information brush is provided corresponding to one row of information tracks, when increasing the information amount, the information tracks are increased. However, there is a problem in that the size of the cord plate is increased.

That is, in the conventional configuration, the number of bits of information to be taken out is 2 ^{n at} maximum when the number of information tracks is n columns. Therefore, for example, when obtaining 16 bits of information, 4 columns of information tracks are used. Therefore, a total of 5 tracks are required for 1 line of grand track.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and provides an information input device for a camera capable of extracting a larger amount of information without increasing the number of information tracks. The purpose is to

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information input device for a camera according to the present invention has one of a camera body and a rotary dial rotatably provided on the camera body. A code plate in which at least one row of information tracks having an information pattern is formed in a ring shape is provided, and on the other hand, a plurality of code tracks are provided for each row of the information tracks of the code plate so as to read information from circumferentially spaced positions. An information detecting element group including the above described information detecting elements is provided.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments in which the information input device for a camera according to the present invention is applied to a single-lens reflex camera will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a single-lens reflex camera 10 according to an embodiment. The single-lens reflex camera 10 according to the example includes a camera body 12 and a taking lens 14 detachably attached to the camera body 12.

A main slide switch 16 is provided on one side of the upper surface of the camera body 12, and a release button 17 is provided on the grip portion 12a on the other side.

Behind the release button 17, there is provided a shutter dial 20 as a rotary dial provided so as to be rotationally adjustable with respect to the camera body 12, and a dial lock button provided so as to be pushed into the central portion of the shutter dial 20. An information input device 18 having an input terminal 22 is provided.

Numerical values indicating the shutter speed are radially printed on the upper surface of the shutter dial 20. In the camera of the embodiment, by rotating the shutter dial 20 to a position where the numerical value of the shutter speed to be set matches the index 21 provided on the camera body 12, the information of this shutter dial 20 is read into the control circuit. Then, the shutter speed is set.

The shutter dial 20, as shown in FIG. 2, is a top decoration member 2 that covers the upper surface of the camera body 12.
4 is rotatably inserted in a circular through hole 26 formed to penetrate in the thickness direction. On the lower surface of the shutter dial 20 in the figure, a ring-shaped click plate 28,
A ring-shaped code plate 30 having a diameter larger than that of the click plate 28 is fixed by bolts 32.

On the outer peripheral upper surface of the click plate 28, 16
The individual click grooves are formed at equal angular intervals (22.5 °), and the top decoration member 24 is provided with click ball receiving holes 34 for holding the click balls 36 in a state of being opposed to the click grooves. ing. The click ball 36 is biased toward the click plate 28 by a spring 38. With this click mechanism, the shutter dial 20
Is locked every time it is rotated by 22.5 °, and the operator can recognize 16 stop positions by one click with a click feeling.

A substrate 44 provided inside the camera body 12.
Is provided with a brush group 42 composed of a plurality of brushes that come into contact with the code plate 30 to take out information. The information extracted from the brush group 42 is transmitted to a control circuit (not shown) via the flexible substrate 62 provided on the substrate 44.

A flat circular recess 20a is formed in the center of the upper surface of the shutter dial 20, and a shaft hole having a circular cross section that penetrates the shutter dial 20 in the thickness direction is formed in the center of the recess 20a. 20b is formed.

The dial lock button 22 has a recess 20a.
It is integrally formed of a disk-shaped pressing operation portion 22a that fits into the pressing operation portion 22a and a shaft portion 22b that is formed coaxially with the pressing operation portion 22a and is slidably inserted into the shaft hole 20b. Further, a spring 40 for urging the dial lock button 22 in the direction of coming out of the shutter dial 20 is interposed between the recess 20 a of the shutter dial 20 and the pressing operation portion 22 a. On the other hand, the dial lock button 22 is provided with a retaining mechanism (not shown), so that the dial lock button 22 is elastically supported so as to be able to be pressed at the central portion of the shutter dial.

The dial lock button 22 has a function of permitting rotation of the shutter dial 20 in the pushed state and prohibiting rotation of the shutter dial 20 in the restored state.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the code plate 30 of the embodiment, two rows of information tracks 46 and 48 having information patterns divided into conductive and non-conductive, and a conductive portion only 1 are formed. The ground tracks 50 in a row are formed in a concentric ring shape.

The brush group 42 includes a first information track 46.
The first and second information brushes 52 and 54 contacting each other at different positions, and the third and fourth information brushes 56 and 58 contacting the second information track 48 at different positions.
The ground brush 50 is in contact with the ground track 50.

The conduction pattern formed on the code plate 30 is as shown in FIG. 4, and the first and second information tracks 46 and 48 each have 16 sections 46a-4.
It is divided into 6p and 48a to 48p. In the figure, the cross-hatched sections indicate the insulating portions, and the outlined sections indicate the conducting portions.

The first to fourth information brushes 52, 54, 5
Reference numerals 6 and 58 output a signal of "0" to the control circuit in a state of being in contact with the section made of the insulating portion and a signal of "1" being in contact with the section of the conducting portion.

In this embodiment, the information brushes 52, 54,
The signals of 56 and 58 are respectively the fourth of the 4-bit information.
The shutter speed is defined by the correspondence relationship shown in Table 1 as the bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the first bit.

[0024]

[Table 1]

As shown in Table 1, the rotational position of the shutter dial 20 can be identified in all 16 positions from the above 4-bit signal, and the shutter speed value (1/2000) corresponding to each rotational position can be identified. (Seconds to 15 seconds) will be uniquely defined.

In the above embodiment, the code plate 30 is attached to the lower surface of the shutter dial 20, and the brush group 42 is attached to the substrate 44 on the camera body 12 side. However, as shown in FIG. , Code plate 30
May be attached to the substrate 44, and the brush group 42 may be attached to the lower surface of the shutter dial 20.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, since the information input device using the rotary dial is applied to the shutter dial having a relatively large amount of information to be identified, 4-bit information is required, but it is required. When the amount of information to be stored is 2 bits, it can be configured as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

6 and 7 show, for example, a shooting mode setting,
The configuration of an information input device 66 using a function switching dial 64 for switching among four functions of drive mode setting, ISO setting, and warning sound setting is shown. This information input device 66 is
As shown in FIG. 7, a code plate 68 attached to the lower surface of the function switching dial 64 and a brush group contacting the code plate 68 are provided.

On the code plate 68, one row of information tracks 70 and one ground track 72 are concentrically formed, and the information track 70 is divided into four sections 70a, 70b, 70c, 70d in the circumferential direction. It is divided into intervals. Here, the sections 70a and 70b are made of an insulator, and the sections 70c and 70d are made of a conductor.

Two information brushes 74 and 76 are in contact with the information track 70 at different positions, and a ground brush 78 is in contact with the ground track 72.

Here, a signal of "0" is transmitted from the information brush contacting the sections 70a and 70b, and a signal of "1" is transmitted from the information brush contacting the sections 70c and 70d to the control circuit. The information from the first and second information brushes 74 and 76 defines the second bit and the first bit of the 2-bit information, respectively.

[0032]

[Table 2]

Therefore, as shown in Table 2, the turning position of the function switching dial 64 can be identified in all four positions, and the function corresponding to each turning position is uniquely defined.

In the above-described embodiment, only the configuration in which two information brushes contact each of the information tracks has been described. However, when there are a plurality of information tracks, at least a plurality of information tracks are provided for each information track. If the information brush is provided, more information can be obtained with a smaller number of tracks than before. Also, three or more information brushes can be provided for one information track.

Generally, when the code plate is provided with n rows of information tracks and m information brushes are provided for each information track, a maximum of 2 ^mn from m × n information brushes. Bit information can be retrieved.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, only the structure in which the information of each information track of the code plate divided by the conducting and non-conducting patterns is detected by the brush which contacts the information track is shown. However, the applicable range of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one row of information tracks is arranged in a state in which at least binary information such as conduction and non-conduction, 1 and 0, and ON and OFF are divided at predetermined intervals.
As long as the plurality of detection elements are configured to read information of different sections of the same track, the present invention is not limited to the configuration using the code plate and the brush, and can be applied to other configurations.

For example, the information track of the code plate is provided with a pattern that is divided into a light-transmitting portion and a light-blocking portion, and this pattern is detected by a plurality of photointerrupters provided for each information track. You can also Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a pattern that is divided by the reflectance of light as an information track and detect this with a photo coupler provided as a detection element.

When the photo interrupter is used, the light transmittance is set, and when the photo coupler is used, the light reflectance is set in a plurality of steps, so that the information detected from each detection element is set to 0, 1 or 1. It is also possible to make information from one bit to two bits or more.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing a plurality of detecting elements for one row of information tracks on the code plate, it is possible to identify a large amount of information with a small number of tracks. The information identification capability of the information input device can be improved without increasing the configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a single-lens reflex camera to which an embodiment of an information input device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the shutter dial of the information input device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a cord plate and a brush of the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a conduction pattern of a code plate of the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified example of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a function switching dial as a rotary dial according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a cord plate and a brush of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 camera body 18 information input device 20 shutter dial 21 index 22 dial lock button 30 code plate 42 brush group 46 information track 48 information track 50 grand track 52, 54, 56, 58 information brush 60 grand brush

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An information track of at least one row, which is provided on either one of a camera body and a rotary dial rotatably provided on the camera body, and has an information pattern divided into conductive and non-conductive, respectively. A cord plate having a concentric ring-shaped ground track formed of only a conductive portion, the camera body, and the rotary dial, which are provided on the other side, and are arranged in the circumferential direction for each row of the information tracks. An information input device for a camera, comprising: a plurality of information brushes provided so as to be in contact with each other at positions spaced apart from each other; and a brush group consisting of one ground brush that comes into contact with the ground track. 2. The code plate is provided with n rows of information tracks, the information brushes are provided with m pieces for each row of the information tracks, and the information tracks are provided with m rows. 2. The information input device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the information input device is divided so that 2 ^mn bits of information can be taken out from xn information brushes. 3. The code plate is provided with two rows of information tracks, two information brushes are provided for each row of the information tracks, and four information tracks are provided. 3. The camera information input device according to claim 2, wherein the information input device is divided so that 16-bit information can be taken out from the information brush of the book. 4. The information input device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the code plate is provided on the rotary dial, and the brush group is provided on the camera body. 5. A plurality of rows of information tracks provided on either one of a camera body and a rotary dial rotatably provided on the camera body, the information tracks having information patterns divided into conductive and non-conductive, respectively. A code plate formed in a concentric ring shape with a row of ground tracks formed only of conducting parts, and provided on the other of the camera body and the rotary dial so as to contact the information track of the code plate. A plurality of information brushes that are provided so as to contact at least one row of information tracks at positions spaced in the circumferential direction, and a brush group including one ground brush that contacts the ground track are provided. Information input device for camera. 6. The information input device for a camera according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of information brushes are provided for each of the information tracks in a plurality of rows. 7. A plurality of rows of information tracks are concentrically provided on either one of a camera body and a rotary dial rotatably provided on the camera body and each has an information pattern divided into conductive and non-conductive. Information brushes provided on the other of the ring-shaped code plate, the camera body, and the rotary dial, and a plurality of information brushes provided so as to come into contact with each row of the information tracks at positions spaced in the circumferential direction. An information input device for a camera, comprising: 8. The cord plate is provided with one row of ground tracks formed only of conductive portions, and the brush group is provided with one ground brush which is in contact with the ground tracks. The information input device for a camera according to claim 7, wherein 9. A cord provided on either one of a camera body and a rotary dial rotatably provided on the camera body, wherein at least one row of information tracks each having an information pattern is formed in a concentric ring shape. On the other side of the plate, the camera body, and the rotary dial, a plurality of detection elements are provided for each row of the information tracks, and a detection element including a plurality of detection elements for detecting information from positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of each information track. An information input device for a camera, comprising: 10. The information track has a binarized information pattern sectioned at a predetermined interval, and the plurality of detection elements have the binarized information pattern in different sections of the information track. The information input device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein the information input device is arranged so as to read.