JPH0764159A - Connector connecting between waterproof camera and speed light - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent water from being sucked and infiltrated into the inner side in the case of disconnecting a connector linking a camera main body with a speed light by providing a closed space for temporarily storing the water infiltrated between a tightening means and a sealing means. CONSTITUTION:In the case of using a camera under water being at high pressure, the water is infiltrated through a contact surface between screw parts for tightening 1a and 10a and stored as retained water in the small closed space constituted of a gap 2b in the ring groove of a socket 2 and a gap 10b in the screw clearance part of a fixed ring 10. In such a state, the screw of the fixed ring 10 is loosened and removed in order to remove a plug 9 from the socket 2, whereby the water retained in the small closed space naturally flows out to the outside of the connector. Even when the plug 9 is pulled out from the socket 2, the water is not sucked in the gap 2a being at low pressure formed between the socket 2 and the plug 9 as in the conventional manner. Therefore, waterdrop does not adhere to the pin terminal of the socket and the pin terminal is not corroded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a waterproof camera and an underwater speedlight.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the progress of computerization of cameras, a so-called TTL automatic light control system has been popularized between the camera and the speedlight, and the applicant of the present invention has a fairness of 52903. Such applications have also been published. In this type of camera and speedlight, the connector section is usually a shutter time setting signal pin terminal and receiving terminal, an X contact pin terminal and receiving terminal, a TTL automatic light control signal pin terminal and receiving terminal, and a ground contact pin. It is configured to have pin terminals and receiving terminals for exchanging various electric signals such as terminals and receiving terminals. The mechanism will be described below based on a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is one of the conventional examples and shows a sectional view of a synchro connector for connecting a waterproof camera and an underwater speedlight. Plug 29 and socket 22
, The plug receiving terminal 37 is connected to the corresponding socket pin terminal 36, and the plug fixed terminal 32 is connected to the corresponding socket movable pressing pin terminal 2
Connect with 6. Although not shown in this cross-sectional view, there are other receiving terminals and pin terminals to be connected, which will be described later with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The socket 22 is provided in the waterproof camera body 21, and the plug 29 is attached to the underwater speedlight. Plug 29
An O-ring 31 for waterproofing is fitted in the ring groove of, and the O-ring 31 presses against the inner peripheral surface 21c of the camera body 21 to prevent water from entering the connector. A fixed ring 30 for fixing the plug is fitted to the outside of the plug 29, and the fixed ring 30 has a male screw portion 3 attached thereto.
0a is provided, while the camera body 21 has a female thread 21
a is provided, and the connection between the plug 29 and the socket 22 is fixed by the screw connection of 30a and 21a. The O-ring 23 fitted in the ring groove of the socket 22 serves to waterproof the inside of the camera body 21. The movable pressing pin terminal 26 is in the hole 22b of the socket 22 and is biased by the force of the compression spring 27. The movable pressing pin terminal 26 slides and presses down when a force of a certain amount or more is applied to its tip. The compression spring 27 is fixed to the socket 22 by the fixed terminal 28, and the socket 2
It is enclosed in 2b and also has a role of electrically connecting the fixed terminal 28 and the movable pressing pin terminal 26. The fixed terminal 28 is connected to a circuit (not shown) of the camera body and forms a TTL automatic light control pin terminal.

FIG. 7 is a view of the socket 22 in the direction of arrow C in FIG. A shutter time setting signal pin terminal 25, an X contact pin terminal 36, and a ground contact pin terminal 38 are fixed to the socket 22, and a movable pressing pin terminal 26 is provided. The angular positioning protrusions 34 are arranged so as to fit into the angular positioning grooves 35 of the plug 29, which will be described later, and to determine the fitting angular positions of the socket 22 and the plug 29.

FIG. 8 shows the plug 29 in FIG.
It is the figure seen in the direction. The plug 29 has receiving terminals 33, 37, 39 corresponding to the pin terminals 25, 36, 38 of the socket 22 described above, and a fixed terminal 32 corresponding to the movable pressing pin terminal 26. Further, a positioning groove 35 for the plug 29 corresponding to the positioning protrusion 34 of the socket 22 is provided. When the fixed ring 30 is screwed into the camera body 21, the pin terminals 25, 36,
38 is each receiving terminal 33, 37, 39 on the plug side.
Inserted in. At this time, the movable pressing pin terminal 26 is
It comes into contact with the fixed terminal 32 and comes into pressure contact with the biasing force of the compression spring 27.

[0006]

Problems of the prior art will be described with reference to FIG. When a waterproof camera is used in high-pressure water, water penetrates through the contact surface between the female screw portion 21a of the camera body 21 and the male screw portion 30a of the fixed ring 30, and the O-ring 31 of the plug 29 is fitted into the ring groove. Water stays in a small closed space defined by the inner clearance 29a and the clearance 21b of the screw escape portion of the camera body. Next, when the user removes the connector on land, normally, the plug 29 is placed in a position above the socket 22, as shown in FIG. This is because the removal work can be easily performed in this posture. To remove the plugs, first turn the fixing ring 30 to remove the screw connection, and then plug 29
To remove the connector from the socket 22. Here, when the fixed ring 30 is removed, the accumulated water in the small closed space consisting of the gap 29a in the ring groove of the plug 29 and the gap 21b of the screw escape portion of the camera body is surrounded by a wall. It cannot flow out and stays in the connector as it is. When the plug 29 is further pulled out from the socket 22, the gap 22a between the plug 29 and the socket 22 becomes O in the pulling process.
Since the inside of the connector is sealed by the ring 31, the volume expands and the internal pressure becomes lower than the external pressure. If the plug 29 is further pulled out from this state, when the sealing between the O-ring 31 and the waterproof camera body 21 is released, air is rapidly sucked into the gap 22a due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside. At this time, together with the air that is sucked in, the above-mentioned accumulated water is simultaneously sucked in and enters the gap 22a. The water droplets that have penetrated the socket 2
Each pin terminal 2 stays in 2 and is not noticed by the user
Corrodes 5, 36, 38, 26, causing poor electrical continuity between the camera and speedlight. Even if the user notices water droplets inside the socket 22, it is extremely difficult to wipe them off because the pin terminals interfere with each other.

[0007]

The means for solving the above problems will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The apparatus according to claim 1 has a fixing pin terminal (36) provided in a protruding manner, and has a waterproof camera. Socket (2) placed in watertight state on the body (1)
A sealing member (11) arranged in an annular groove provided on the outer peripheral portion of the socket; a receiving terminal (37) corresponding to the fixed pin terminal of the socket; and a watertight state with respect to the sealing member. A speedlight plug (9) having an abutting inner peripheral surface (9c); and fastening means (1a, 10a) for fastening the socket and the plug.
In a connector for connecting a waterproof camera (1) and a speedlight, a predetermined closed space (10b, 2b) closed by the fastening means and the sealing member when the fastening means is fastened causes the fastening means to be in a non-fastened state. By doing so, the water is released and the accumulated water in the closed space flows out of the connector to solve the above problem.

[0008]

When the connector of the present invention is used in high-pressure water, water penetrates through the gap between the fastening means for fixing the plug and the socket and enters the closed space inside the connector. However, when the fastening means is released to remove the connector on land, the closed space is also released at the same time, and the water in the invaded closed space flows out of the connector. Therefore, this water does not penetrate into the socket and adhere to the terminal pins to corrode the terminal pins.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a connection state of a synchro connector between a waterproof camera of the present invention and an underwater speedlight. In the waterproof camera sync connector, the socket 2 is attached to the waterproof camera body 1, and the plug 9
Is attached to an underwater speedlight. The waterproof camera body 1 is provided with an annular ring groove 1b,
The O-ring 3 attached to 1b prevents water from entering the inside of the camera body 1 through the gap between the socket 2 and the camera body 1. The plug 9 has receiving terminals 37, 33, 3
9 (33 and 39 are shown in FIG. 3) and the fixed terminal 32, and the stopper 7 of the fixed ring 10 is provided. The fixed ring 10 is fitted coaxially with the plug 9, and has a mechanism capable of moving up and down between the stopper 7 of the plug 9 and the end surface 9 a of the plug 9. A threaded portion 10a that meshes with the threaded portion 1a of the camera body 1 is provided at the end of the fixed ring 10. When the fixed ring 10 is screwed in, the surface 9a is pushed and the plug 9 is fixed to the socket 2, and the O-ring 11 The inner peripheral surface 9c of the plug 9 is pressed against the inner surface of the plug 9 to prevent water from entering the inside of the connector, thus forming a so-called watertight state. As the fastening means, a method of fixing the plug 9 and the socket 2 by another known means instead of screw fastening may be used. When inserting the plug 9 into the socket 2, the end portion 9b of the inner peripheral surface 9c that abuts the O-ring 11 is chamfered so as not to damage the O-ring 11 at the corners. The movable pressing pin terminal 26 has a hole 2b in the socket 2.
It is inside and is biased by the force of the compression spring 27.
The compression spring 27 is sealed in the socket hole 2b by the terminal 28 fixed to the socket 2, and the fixed terminal 28
And also has a role of a conductive wire for electrically connecting the movable pressing pin terminal 26. The fixed terminal 28 is connected to a circuit (not shown) of the camera body and forms a TTL automatic light control pin terminal. In FIG. 1, the plug 9 is arranged right above the socket 2. However, as described above, when the plug 9 is above the socket 2, it is easy to remove the plug 9 from the socket 2. Because it can be done. However, the work does not necessarily have to be right above, and the work is similarly easy if the plug 9 is located above the horizontal with respect to the socket 2. FIG. 2 is a view of the socket 2 of FIG. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow A. The socket 2 is provided with a shutter time setting signal pin terminal 25, an X contact pin terminal 36, a ground contact pin terminal 38, and a movable pressing pin terminal 26. The function of each member is the same as that of the conventional example. Similarly to the conventional example, the positioning projection 34 is also fitted into a plug positioning groove 35, which will be described later, so that the fitting angular positions of the socket 2 and the plug 9 are determined.

FIG. 3 is a view of the plug 9 of FIG. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow B. The plug 9 has a receiving terminal 3 corresponding to each of the pin terminals 25, 36 and 38 of the socket 2 described above.
There are 3, 37 and 39. Further, there is a fixed terminal 32 corresponding to the movable pressing pin terminal 26 of the socket 2, and a positioning groove 35 corresponding to the positioning protrusion 34 of the socket 2 is provided.

Next, the operation when this embodiment is used will be described. When using the camera in high pressure water,
Water penetrates through the contact surfaces of the fastening screw portions 1a and 10a, and the gap 2b in the ring groove of the socket 2 and the fixed ring 10
The accumulated water remains in the small closed space formed by the clearance 10b of the screw escape portion. The small closed space is surrounded by the seal member 11, the plug 9, the socket 2, the camera body 1, and the fixed ring 10, and is located between the seal member 11 and the waterproof camera body 1 in terms of position. Next, in order to remove the plug 9 from the socket 2, first, the screw of the fixed ring 10 is loosened and removed, and the water retained in the small closed space disappears as a barrier to stop the flow of water, and naturally goes out of the connector. leak.
Therefore, even if the plug 9 is next pulled out from the socket 2, water is not sucked into the low-pressure gap 2a formed between the socket 2 and the plug 9 as in the conventional case. Therefore, water drops do not adhere to the pin terminals of the socket, and the pin terminals do not corrode. Up to this point, the operation has been described when the plug 9 is directly above the socket 2 as shown in FIG. 1, but the plug 9 is not directly above the socket 2 and the plug 9 is not above the socket 2.
The same effect as above also occurs when the position is above horizontal with respect to. That is, if the plug 9 is located above the socket 2, the water retained in the small closed space will naturally flow out of the connector when the screw of the fixed ring 10 is loosened and removed. Is.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the plug 9 in the embodiment of FIG.
The plug outer cylinder 6 is divided into two parts. The plug outer cylinder 6 is fixed to the outside of the plug inner shaft 8 in a watertight state. In order to fix in a watertight state, a fixing means such as an adhesive or welding is used. The plug inner shaft 8 includes the receiving terminals 37, 33, 39 and the fixed terminal 32, and the plug outer cylinder 6 includes the contact surface 6c with the stopper 7 and the O-ring 11. By dividing into two parts, optimum materials can be used for the plug inner shaft 8 and the plug outer cylinder 6, respectively. For example, a plastic material having excellent insulating properties can be used for the plug inner shaft 8, and a metal material having high strength and excellent durability can be used for the plug outer cylinder 6. 5 shows the waterproof camera body 1 with the speedlight 40 attached,
It shows that both are electrically connected by the synchro connector.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the connection of the connector connecting the camera body and the speedlight is removed, water enters the inside, and each contact pin is corroded by this water, so that the water between the waterproof camera and the speedlight. Does not cause poor electrical continuity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of a synchro connector between a waterproof camera and an underwater speedlight according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the socket 2 of FIG. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow A.

FIG. 3 is a view of the plug 9 of FIG. 1 viewed in the direction of arrow B.

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an overall view when the sync connector of the present invention is attached to a waterproof camera body.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a connected state of a synchro connector between a waterproof camera and an underwater speedlight in a conventional example.

7 is a view of the socket 29 of FIG. 6 viewed in the direction of arrow C. FIG.

8 is a view of the plug 29 of FIG. 6 viewed in the direction of arrow D. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Waterproof camera body 2 ... Socket 3 ... O ring 7 ... Stopper 9 ... Plug 10 ... Fixed ring 11 ... O ring 25 ... Shutter Setting signal pin terminal 26 ... Movable pressing pin terminal 27 ... Compression spring 32 ... Fixed terminal 34 ... Positioning projection 35 ... Positioning groove 36 ... X contact pin terminal 37. ..Reception terminals for X contacts 40 ... Underwater speedlight

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A socket having a protruding fixed pin terminal and arranged in a watertight state in a waterproof camera body; a seal member arranged in an annular groove provided in an outer peripheral portion of the socket; A plug for a speedlight having a receiving terminal corresponding to the fixed pin terminal, and an inner peripheral surface that abuts against the seal member in a watertight state; a fastening means for fastening the socket and the plug, In a connector for connecting a camera and a speedlight, a predetermined closed space closed by the fastening means and the sealing member when the fastening means is fastened is opened by bringing the fastening means into a non-fastened state, and the closed A connector that connects a waterproof camera and a speedlight, characterized in that accumulated water in the space flows out of the connector. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is a screw connection, and the waterproof camera and the speedlight are connected to each other. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug has a plug inner shaft having the receiving terminal, and a plug outer cylinder having the inner peripheral surface and fitted to the outside of the plug inner shaft. A waterproof camera and a speedlight, characterized in that it has fixing means for fixing the plug outer cylinder and the plug inner shaft, and the fixing means fixes the plug outer cylinder and the plug inner shaft in a watertight state. Connector to connect with.