JPH0792551A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To switch a picture frame with excellent operability and to obtain a high degree of freedom as for a design by making the operating direction of a picture frame switching operation member different from that of a back cover opening and closing operation member and arranging the picture frame switching operation member on the side surface of a body together with the back cover opening and closing operation member. CONSTITUTION:On the side plate 13 of the body 1, the back cover opening operation member 21 is arranged together with the picture frame switching operation member 15. When an opened back cover 22 is closed, the operation member 21 is automatically returned upward be cause of that the cover 22 is locked to a lock member in the body 1. Then, the closed state of the cover 22 is held. When the operation member 21 is slid downward in a state where the cover 22 is closed, the lock of the body 1 and the cover 22 is released and the cover 22 is opened. Since the operating directions of two operation members 15 and 21 are made different in such a way, the cover 22 is not opened even when the operation member 21 is erroneously operated back and forth so as to switch the picture frame to standard or panorama.

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 camera having an image frame switching operation member and a back cover opening operation member on a side surface of a body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Single-lens reflex cameras capable of standard / panoramic switching have already become common. This standard / panorama switching is performed by an image frame switching mechanism including a light shielding member and an image frame switching drive member, and an image frame switching operation member.
When the image frame switching operation member is operated, the light blocking member is switched by the image frame switching drive member. As a result, if the light-shielding member is retracted from the aperture, the standard shooting state is set,
If a light blocking member is inserted into the aperture to regulate the exposure range of the film, a panoramic shooting state is set.

In the conventional camera, the image frame switching mechanism is
The image frame switching operation member is provided between the focal plane shutter and a portion of the body that constitutes the aperture, and the image frame switching operation member is provided above or below the back cover of the body while avoiding the back cover.

[0004]

However, the arrangement of the image frame switching operation member has the following problems. First,
There is a problem of poor operability. Since the back of the body is covered with the face when looking into the finder, the image frame switching operation member provided on the back of the body cannot be operated. Therefore, each time the image frame is switched, there is the annoyance of having to keep an eye on the viewfinder.
Secondly, there is a problem that the degree of freedom in design is restricted. Since the back cover is provided on the back of the body, it is easy for mechanics to concentrate in a narrow space avoiding the back cover. When the image frame switching operation member is provided in the limited narrow space, the space for providing other members is restricted,
This leads to an increase in the size of the body.

Even if the image frame switching operation member is to be provided on the side surface of the body, the operability is limited.
For example, in a general single-lens reflex camera, a grip is configured on the spool chamber side of the body, and a case back opening operation member is provided on the side surface of the body on the side of the cartridge chamber. Therefore, even if an operation member (not limited to the image frame switching operation member) is provided on the side surface of the grip, the operation cannot be performed during shooting, and the image frame switching operation member is provided on the side surface of the body together with the case back opening operation member. If it is provided, there is a possibility that an erroneous operation such as accidentally operating the back lid opening operation member to open the back lid will be performed.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of performing an image frame switching operation with excellent operability and having a high degree of freedom in design. .

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a camera according to the present invention has an image frame switching operation member for switching an exposure range of a film, and a back cover is opened on a side surface of a body. In the camera having a back lid opening operation member for operating, the image frame switching operation member has an operation direction different from that of the back lid opening operation member, and is arranged on the side surface of the body together with the back lid opening operation member. Is characterized by.

[0008]

For example, when the operation direction of the back lid opening operation member is downward and the operation direction of the image frame switching operation member is the front-back direction of the camera, the back lid opening operation member is mistakenly opened when trying to switch the image frames. Even if you try to operate it back and forth, the back cover will not open, which prevents erroneous operations that expose the film in the camera. Even if the back surface of the body is covered with the face by looking through the finder, the image frame switching operation member is provided on the side surface of the body, so that the image frame switching operation can be performed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A camera according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an outline of the basic configuration inside the camera will be described based on FIG. 1 (plan view) and FIG. 2 (front view). As shown in the figure, the body 1 has an aperture 1a and a film rail surface 1b formed in a central portion thereof, and a cartridge chamber 1c and a spool chamber 1d formed on both side portions thereof. The focal plane shutter unit 2 is arranged with a slight space left between the exposure surface of a film (not shown) located between the cartridge chamber 1c and the spool chamber 1d. A mirror box 3 is arranged in front of the focal plane shutter unit 2, and a penta prism 14 is arranged above it.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the image frame switching mechanism in this embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side view showing the appearance of the body 1. As shown in FIG. 8, this image frame switching mechanism constitutes a light shielding member which constitutes the light shielding portions (thin portions) 4e and 5e of the light shielding plates 4 and 5, and an image frame switching drive member for driving the same. It comprises thick portions 4a and 5a of the light shielding plates 4 and 5, a boss 4j, a connecting lever 6 and the like. The light shielding plates 4 and 5 are arranged substantially vertically symmetrically so as to face each other in front of the aperture 1a, and are integrally formed in a substantially L shape when viewed from the upper side. The long side of the L-shape is the light-shielding portions 4e, 5
e, and the short side of the L-shape is the thick portions 4a and 5a.

An image frame for limiting the exposure range of the film in the standard photographing state is constituted by a portion of the body 1 forming the aperture 1a. The image frame in the panoramic shooting state is configured by a combination of the portion forming the aperture 1a of the body 1 and the light shielding portions 4e and 5e that regulate the exposure range from above and below the aperture 1a. As shown in FIG. 1, the light shielding portions 4e and 5e are arranged in a slight space A between the body 1 and the focal plane shutter unit 2. If the light-shielding portions 4e and 5e are arranged in front of the focal plane shutter unit 2, there arises a problem that an image frame projected on the film surface is out of focus or its dimensional accuracy is deteriorated. However, in this embodiment, since the light shielding portions 4e and 5e are arranged immediately in front of the film, such a problem can be prevented.

By the way, in the conventionally known single-lens reflex camera, since the light-shielding member and the image frame switching drive member are both arranged at the position corresponding to the space A, the size of the camera increases in the front-rear direction. Is inevitable. Moreover, according to this arrangement, the image frame switching operation member has to be arranged above or below the back cover on the rear surface of the body 1. Further, since the light shielding member and the image frame switching drive member, which are made of a thin material, are overlapped with each other and are coupled by the caulking pin, and the rotation mechanism is configured around the same, the light shielding member and the image frame switching drive member are arranged to some extent. Metal pins and caulking are often used because they need to be integrated in a rigid state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image frame switching drive member in this embodiment has a small space B between the body 1 and the mirror box 3 (that is, between the side surface of the cartridge chamber 1c and the side surface of the mirror box 3). ). This space B is located above the AF motor 17 (a part of the focal plane shutter unit 2 in the case of a manual machine) in the single-lens reflex camera, and due to the layout of the AF motor 17, a dead space is formed between the mirror box 3 and the body 1. It was what was.

Therefore, if the image frame switching drive member is arranged in the space B as in the present embodiment, the size of the image frame switching operation member 15 (FIG. 9) remains the same as in the conventional case, but there is a restriction on the position. Can be suppressed. That is, since the image frame switching drive member is close to the side surface or the front surface of the body 1, the image frame switching operation member 15 can be arranged on the side surface of the body 1 or on the front surface of the body 1 as shown in FIG. It will be possible. Moreover,
As described above, the arrangement of the image frame switching operation member is limited in the limited narrow space on the back surface of the body, whereas the image frame switching operation member 15 is provided on the side surface or the front surface of the body 1.
Since there are few restrictions on the arrangement of the image frame switching operation member 15, there is an advantage that the degree of freedom in designing the image frame switching operation member 15 and the like is large.

In this embodiment, the light shielding portions 4e and 5 are provided in the space A.
Since e is arranged and the image frame switching driving member such as the thick portions 4a and 5a and the connecting lever 6 is arranged in the space B, the light shielding member and the image frame switching driving member are both provided in the space A. Compared with the conventional example, the camera is thinner and more compact in the front-back direction. The light-shielding plates 4 and 5 are integrally formed of plastic. As shown in FIG. 8, the light-shielding portions 4e and 5e form a light-shielding member, and the thick-walled portions 4a and 5e are formed.
The image frame switching drive member is constituted by a. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts such as metal pins for connecting the members and the number of caulking steps. Further, since the protrusion of the metal pin is eliminated, the space occupied by each of the light shielding member and the image frame switching drive member becomes flat, so that the entire camera can be made compact.

Next, details of the standard / panoramic image frame switching mechanism and the image frame switching operation member for operating the same will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS. 5 and 6 are a side view and a front view showing the image frame switching mechanism, respectively. FIGS. 3 and 5 show a state at the time of standard image frame when performing standard photographing, and FIGS. 4 and 6 show a state at the time of panoramic image frame when performing panoramic image capturing. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the image frame switching mechanism.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the light shielding plates 4 and 5 have an edge portion 4 on the inner side (opposing side) of the light shielding portions 4e and 5e.
f and 5f are formed, and outside of the light shielding portions 4e and 5e.
Recesses 4g and 5g are formed (on the side opposite to the opposite side). The edge portions 4f and 5f are provided to accurately regulate the exposure range so that the image frame projected on the film surface is not blurred. The recesses 4g and 5g are
It is provided as an escape for preventing burrs from being generated in the edge portions 4f, 5f inside the light shielding portions 4e, 5e.
In other words, if burrs generated during the molding of the light blocking plates 4 and 5 appear inside the light blocking portions 4e and 5e, an image frame having a correct shape cannot be obtained during panoramic photography, so the burr at the time of molding is protected from the burr.
The recesses 4g and 5g formed outside the light-shielding portions 4e and 5e are arranged outside the light-shielding portions 5e and 5e, thereby avoiding the dimensional restriction due to the excessive protrusion of the burr.

The light-shielding portions 4e and 5e are formed at a slightly obtuse angle with respect to the thick-walled portions 4a and 5a, and their tips 4h and 5h are lightly pressed against the surface of the body 1 on which the aperture 1a is formed. ing. This is the root part 4i, 5i
This is to prevent the contact with the surface of the body 1 where the aperture 1a is formed. When the root portions 4i, 5i hit the body 1, the bending force of the light shielding plates 4, 5 is directly applied to the body 1, and as a result, the generated frictional force deteriorates the movement of the light shielding plates 4, 5 and the light shielding portions 4e, 5e. This is because 5e is inclined with respect to the image frame. On the other hand, according to the above configuration, the root portion 4
Since there is no friction at i and 5i, the light shielding plates 4 and 5 can be moved smoothly. Further, when the light blocking plates 4 and 5 move, it is possible to prevent the light blocking portions 4e and 5e from being tilted with respect to the image frame and causing distortion in the shape of the film exposure range.

In addition, as described above, the light-shielding portions 4e and 5e are previously formed.
If the front end portions 4h and 5h of the shutter are pressed against the surface of the body 1 where the aperture 1a is formed, even if the light shielding portions 4e and 5e are warped to the focal plane shutter unit 2 side, the light shielding plates 4 and 5 will be the focal plane. It is possible to prevent a collision with a shutter blade (not shown) of the shutter unit 2.

As shown in FIG. 8, the light shielding plates 4 and 5 have elongated holes 4b, 4c, 5b and 5c in thick portions 4a and 5a located next to the cartridge chamber 1c. , 4c,
The bosses 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d of the base plate 20 fixed to the body 1 are movably mounted by 5b and 5c. In addition, the light shielding plates 4 and 5 are provided on the thick portions 4a and 5a,
It has elongated holes 4d, 5d whose longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the direction of the elongated holes 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c.

The connecting lever 6 has a hole 6a in the center, and is rotatably mounted on the boss 20e of the base plate 20 through the hole 6a. Bosses 6b and 6c are provided at both ends of the connecting lever 6, and the bosses 6b and 6c are inserted into the elongated holes 5d and 4d, respectively.
And are connected. Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the thick portion 4a of the light shielding plate 4 is integrally formed with a driving boss 4j on the side of the cartridge chamber 1c.

Since the light-shielding plates 4 and 5 are configured in this way, when the driving boss 4j of the light-shielding plate 4 is moved up and down,
The shading plate 5 connected by the connecting lever 6 is the shading plate 4
And moved in the opposite direction. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8,
The holding plate 7 (not shown in FIGS. 3 to 6) is provided with the boss 2
There are 6 holes (not shown) for fitting with 0a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20f, 20g, and in the fitted state, the light shielding plates 4, 5 and the connecting lever 6 mounted on the base plate 20 are It prevents pinching, dropout of each component, and inclination and rattling of the light shielding plates 4 and 5.

The switching lever 8 has a hole 8a and is rotatably screwed to a boss 20h on the base plate 20 through the hole 8a. The switching lever 8 has a long hole 8b, and the long hole 8b
The drive boss 4j of the light shielding plate 4 is engaged with the. The switching lever 8 has a hole 8d, and a pin 9 is caulked in the hole 8d. Further, the switching lever 8 has holes 8e and 8f,
The contact piece 11 has a pin 12 (hole 8e in FIG. 8) in the holes 8e and 8f.
(Only shown).

A flexible substrate (not shown) having a predetermined encoder pattern is fixed on the base plate 20, and when the contact piece 11 rotates integrally with the switching lever 8 around the hole 8a, the contact piece 11 is rotated. The brush part 11a of the above slides on the encoder pattern. A signal corresponding to the state (standard / panorama) of the image frame switching mechanism is generated depending on the contact position of the brush portion 11a with respect to the encoder pattern. Based on the signal, control is performed on the parts other than the image frame switching mechanism of the camera. For example, the signal is used as information for standard / panoramic display in the viewfinder. Further, in the panoramic state, the upper and lower portions of the photographing screen in the standard state are shielded from light, so that it is also used as information for changing the photometry / distance measurement range.

The spring 10 is a torsion coil spring. The ends 10a and 10b of the spring 10 are connected to the boss 20 on the base plate 20.
i and the pin 9 are engaged with each other. This spring 10
Is designed to always perform a snap action for urging the switching lever 8 to either the standard end side or the panorama end side with the neutral position as a reference. 8 is prevented from stopping. Therefore, the switching lever 8 contacts the stopper 20S as shown in FIG. 5 when switched to the standard photographing side, and as shown in FIG. 6 when switched to the panoramic photographing side.
It comes into contact with P.

The image frame switching operation member 15 shown in FIG. 9 is for switching the exposure range of the film to standard photographing or panoramic photographing. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,
The image frame switching operation member 15 includes an operation member pressing plate 16 and a side plate 1.
It is integrally connected with a screw (not shown) through 3. The shaft portion 15a of the image frame switching operation member 15 has a hole 13a in the side plate 13.
And is rotatably held. Since the claw portion 16a of the operation member pressing plate 16 is adapted to engage with the end portion 8c of the switching lever 8 above and below, when the image frame switching operation member 15 is operated, the image frame switching operation member 15 is operated. Is converted into rotation of the switching lever 8.

In the above structure, the switching from the standard photographing state to the panoramic photographing state is performed as follows. First, the mark 15M of the image frame switching operation member 15 is displayed by rotating the image frame switching operation member 15 in the counterclockwise direction (arrow mL direction) with the knob 15K shown in FIG.
When aligned with the mark 13P of "ANORAMA", as shown in FIG. 6, the claw portion 16a of the operation member pressing plate 16 moves from the top to the bottom. Then, the end 8c of the switching lever 8
Rotates clockwise. At this time, the oblong hole 8b at the other end of the switching lever 8 is rotated clockwise (that is, generally moved from the bottom to the top), and the driving boss 4j of the light shielding plate 4 engaged with the oblong hole 8b is moved. Move from bottom to top. As a result, the light blocking member 4
e moves upward, and the light shielding plate 5 connected by the connecting lever 6 moves downward. Finally, with the light-shielding portions 4e and 5e protruding from the top and bottom with respect to the aperture 1a, a panoramic shooting state is achieved in which the upper and lower edges of the shooting area of the film are covered.

On the contrary, when the image frame switching operation member 15 is rotated clockwise (in the direction of arrow mR in FIG. 9) from the panoramic photographing state, the mark 15M is displayed "NORMA".
When the mark is aligned with the "L" mark 13N, the reverse operation (that is, the operation from the state of FIGS. 4 and 6 to the state of FIGS. 3 and 5) is performed. That is, the shading plates 4 and 5 are the apertures 1.
It is retracted to the outside of a and switches to the standard photographing state (FIGS. 4 and 6). It should be noted that although the rotary type image frame switching operation member is used in this embodiment, a sliding type image frame switching operation member may be used.

As shown in FIG. 9, the image frame switching operation member 15
Is provided on the side of the body 1, so even if the back of the body 1 is covered with your face by looking through the viewfinder,
The switching operation of the image frame is possible. Moreover, since the rewind side surface of the body 1 on which the image frame switching operation member 15 is arranged is not normally used as a grip like the winding side surface, there is no problem in operability. Therefore, it is possible to perform the image frame switching operation with excellent operability.

On the side plate 13 of the body 1, a back cover opening operation member 21 is arranged together with the picture frame switching operation member 15. The back cover opening operation member 21 is adapted to be operated in the downward direction (arrow mD direction) as in a normal single-lens reflex camera. When the open back cover 22 is closed, the back cover 22
By locking with a locking member (not shown) in the body 1, the back cover opening operation member 21 automatically returns upward,
The back cover 22 is held in a closed state. When the back lid opening operation member 21 is slid downward with the back lid 22 closed, the engagement between the body 1 and the back lid 22 is released and the back lid 22 is opened.

While the operation direction of the back cover opening operation member 21 is downward (direction of arrow mD), the knob 15K for rotating the image frame switching operation member 15 (direction of arrow mR, mL). The operating direction of is approximately the optical axis direction of the taking lens (not shown) (that is, the front-back direction of the camera). Like this, 2
Since the operation directions of the two operation members 15 and 21 are different from each other, the back cover 22 does not open even if the back cover opening operation member 21 is mistakenly operated back and forth in an attempt to perform a standard / panoramic image frame switching operation. Therefore, an erroneous operation that exposes the film in the body 21 is prevented. Even if the operation direction of the back lid opening operation member 21 is the upward direction, the vertical direction, or the like, the operation direction and the image frame switching operation member 15
It is sufficient if it is in a direction different from the operation direction of, and preferably,
The directions should be very different from each other in operation.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the image frame switching operation member is arranged on the side surface of the body,
You can switch the image frame while looking through the viewfinder. Even if the user tries to operate the back lid opening operation member by mistake in order to switch the image frames, the operation direction of the image frame switching operation member is different from that of the back lid opening operation member, so that the back lid is prevented from being opened by mistake. can do. Therefore, it is possible to realize a camera capable of performing an image frame switching operation with excellent operability. Further, since the image frame switching operation member is arranged on the side surface of the body together with the back lid opening operation member,
The narrow space on the back of the body is not restricted by the image frame switching operation member and the body does not become large, and as a result, the degree of freedom in design is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the internal structure of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention at the time of standard photographing.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention during panoramic photography.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a main part of the embodiment of the present invention at the time of standard photographing.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the main part of the embodiment of the present invention during panoramic photography.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the outer appearance of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Body 2 ... Focal plane shutter unit 3 ... Mirror box 4, 5 ... Shading plate 6 ... Connecting lever 7 ... Presser plate 8 ... Switching lever 9 ... Pin 10 ... Spring 11 ... Contact piece 12 ... Pin 13 ... Side plate 14 ... Penta Prism 15 ... Image frame switching operation member 16 ... Operation member pressing plate 17 ... AF motor 20 ... Base plate 21 ... Back cover opening operation member 22 ... Back cover

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Akihiro Baba 2-3-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Hidehiko Fujii 2-chome, Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka No. 13 Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A camera having an image frame switching operation member for switching an exposure range of a film, and a back cover opening operation member for opening a back cover on a side surface of a body, wherein the image frame switching operation is performed. The camera is characterized in that an operation direction of the member is different from that of the back lid opening operation member, and the member is arranged on a side surface of the body together with the back lid opening operation member.