JPH09160093A - Camera provided with slide cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a flashing device from being undesirably projected when a camera is not used by effectively utilizing a slide cover. SOLUTION: This camera is provided with the slide cover 1 which can slide along the front surfaces of camera bodies 2 and 3 between a closing position where the front surface of a photographing lens 4A is covered with the cover 1 and an opening position where the cover 1 is retreated from the front surface of the lens 4A by slidably engaging in a guide groove 3d formed on the camera bodies 2 and 3, and the flashing device 20 movable between a housing position where it is housed in the camera bodies 2 and 3 and a using position where it is projected from the camera bodies 2 and 3. The cover 1 is provided with a projection preventing part 1A preventing the device 20 from being projected to the using position by engaging with the device 20 at the housing position when the cover 1 is at the closing position and allowing the device 20 to be projected to the using position by retreating from the device 20 when the cover 1 is at the opening position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera having a slide cover and a pop-up type flash device which are slidable between a position covering a front surface of a taking lens and a position retracting from the front surface of the taking lens.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems] Stored in the camera body /
In a camera having a so-called pop-up type flash device that can project, the flash device is stored in the camera body when the camera is not used, but the flash device in the storage position may undesirably project from the camera body for some reason. In this case, the light emitting portion of the flash device may be damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera having a slide cover which effectively prevents the flash device from undesirably protruding when the camera is not used by effectively utilizing the slide cover.

[0004]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention will be described in association with
Along the front surface of the camera body 2, 3 between a closed position that slidably engages with the guide groove 3d formed on the front surface of the taking lens 4A and an open position that retracts from the front surface of the taking lens 4A. It is applied to a camera having a slidable slide cover 1 and a flash device 20 which is movable between a storage position stored in the camera bodies 2 and 3 and a use position protruding from the camera bodies 2 and 3. Then, when the slide cover 1 is in the closed position, it is engaged with the flash device 20 in the storage position to prevent the flash device 20 from projecting to the use position, and when the slide cover 1 is in the open position, the flash device 20 moves from the flash device 20. The slide cover 1 is provided with a protrusion blocking portion 1A that retracts and allows the flash device 20 to protrude to the use position. According to this, when the slide cover 1 is in the closed position, that is, when the camera is not used, the protrusion blocking portion 1 of the slide cover 1 is provided.
A prevents the flash device 20 from protruding. Claim 2
In the invention, the flash device 20 is formed with the communication groove 22a which communicates with the guide groove 3d of the camera body at the storage position, and the projection blocking portion 1A of the slide cover 1 is
A guide protrusion 1a that engages with the guide groove 3d is provided, and when the slide cover 1 is slid to the closed position, the guide protrusion 1a moves from the guide groove 3d to the communication groove 22a. According to the third aspect of the invention, the camera body includes the outer cover 2 that forms the outer contour of the camera body, and the groove forming member 3 that is disposed inside the outer cover 2 and that forms the guide groove 3d. The penetrating portion 1A that penetrates the outer cover is provided, and the protrusion blocking portion is formed in the penetrating portion 1A. In the invention of claim 4, the switch 14 that detects the movement of the slide cover from the open position to the closed position and outputs a close signal, and the flash device 20 in the use position in response to the output of the close signal are set to the storage position. Further provided are drive control means 25, 50 for driving.

In the section of the means for solving the above-mentioned problems for explaining the structure of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments are used for the sake of easy understanding of the present invention. It is not limited to.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 are front views of a camera according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are III-III in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV. Reference numeral 2 is an outer cover that forms the outer shell of the camera body.
The portions forming the front surface, the upper surface and the lower surface of the camera body are referred to as a front cover 2A, an upper cover 2B and a lower cover 2C, respectively. An opening 2a (FIG. 2) is formed in the center of the front surface of the front cover 2A, and a tunnel forming member 2D is attached to the left end of the front cover 2A. Both ends of the tunnel forming member 2D are fixed to the upper and lower ends of the front cover 2A, respectively, and a tunnel for accommodating one end of a slide cover 1 described later is formed between the member 2D and the front surface of the front cover.

Reference numeral 3 denotes an inner cover arranged inside the outer cover 2, and a finder window 3a and a distance measuring window 3b can be provided on an upper part and a lens barrel 4 can be projected / retracted on a lower part at a predetermined position on the front surface thereof. The respective lens windows 3c are formed. The finder window 3a, the distance measuring window 3b, and the lens window 3c can be exposed through the opening 2a of the front cover 2A. The lens barrel 4 includes a plurality of photographing lenses 4A.
And the optical axis L from the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 to the wide-angle end position shown in FIG.
It can be moved in any direction.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a slide cover arranged on the front surface of the front cover 2A, which is slidable in the lateral direction of the camera between a closed position shown in FIG. 1 and an open position shown in FIG. The slide mechanism of the slide cover 1 will be described later,
At the closed position, the opening 2a of the front cover 2A is closed to cover the taking lens 4A, the finder window 3a, and the distance measuring window 3b, and at the open position, they are retracted from the opening 2a to be exposed.

A protrusion 1b is formed on the upper and lower end surfaces of the slide cover 1.
Is formed over the entire length, and the front surface of these ridges 1b is
The front cover 2 can be brought into contact with the inner surfaces of the protrusions 2b provided at the upper and lower portions of the opening 2a (see FIG. 3). The right end of the slide cover 1 has a vertically protruding portion 1B as shown in FIG.
However, since the right end of the front cover opening 2a is formed according to the shape, the opening 2a should be closed without any gap when the slide cover 1 is closed. You can

Next, the slide mechanism of the slide cover 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along lines VV and VI-VI in FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are partially enlarged views of FIG. Projections 1A projecting toward the rear side of the camera are formed on the vertical protrusions 1B of the slide cover 1, respectively, and a pair of claws 1a are formed on the lower and upper ends of the vertical projections 1A in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis L. It is projected. On the other hand, on the upper and lower surfaces of the inner cover 3,
A guide groove 3d is extended in the lateral direction of the camera at a position recessed from the front surface to some extent, and a claw 1a of the slide cover 1 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 3d. The upper surface and the lower surface of the inner cover 3 are opposed to the lower surface of the upper cover 2B and the upper surface of the lower cover 2C at predetermined intervals, respectively, and the protrusion 1A of the slide cover 1 is located in the gap.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front cover 2
A slide cover open / close detection switch 14 is provided between A and the inner cover 3. This switch 14
When the slide cover 1 is in the open position, one contact piece 14a is moved to the other contact piece 1 by the lower left claw 1a.
The slide cover 1 is pressed by 4b and kept in the ON state.
Is moved in the closing direction, the contact piece 14a is separated from the contact piece 14b and turned off. The switch 14 is connected to a control circuit 50 provided inside the camera.

In FIG. 3, 5 is a liquid crystal display window provided on the upper cover 2B, 6 is a liquid crystal display panel, 7 is a liquid crystal display backlight, 8 is a mode selection switch, 9 is an electrical mounting substrate, and 10 is a click switch. , 12 is a finder, FIG.
13 is a release button.

Next, the flash device will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 are IX-IX lines and X in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X, and the pop-up flash device 20 provided at the upper right end of the camera in the drawing has a light emitting unit 21 and a holder 22 that holds the light emitting unit 21. Holder 22
The rear end portion is rotatably supported about the shaft 23, and the gear 23a formed on the peripheral surface of the shaft 23 is an idle gear 24.
It is meshed with a gear 25a attached to the rotating shaft of the stepping motor 25 via. Stepping motor 2
When the flash device 20 is rotated by 5, the flash device 20 is moved from the storage position (FIG. 9) stored in the camera body to the normal emission position (FIG. 10) where the light emitting unit 21 faces the front, and further to the bounce emission position where the light emitting unit 21 faces upward. It can be rotated. The stepping motor 25 is drive-controlled by the control circuit 50 described above.

The holder 22 is formed with a groove 22a extending in the lateral direction of the camera above the light emitting portion 21, and as shown in FIG. 5, the groove 22a is formed when the flash device 20 is in the storage position.
Is communicated with the guide groove 3d of the inner cover 3, and the claw 1a of the slide cover 1 engaging with the guide groove 3d can be moved to the groove 22a. Reference numeral 26 is a flash device position detection switch connected to the control circuit 50.
It turns on when 0 is in the storage position, and turns off otherwise.

In the camera constructed as described above,
When the slide cover 1 is in the closed position, the taking lens 4A, the finder window 3a and the distance measuring window 3b are covered as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper protruding portion 1A of the slide cover 1 projects toward the flash device 20, and the claw 1a formed on the right side of the protruding portion 1A engages with the groove 22a of the holder 22. Even if a force in the protruding direction is applied to the flash device 20 in the storage position for some reason, the flash device 20 does not undesirably protrude. The protrusions 1b formed on the upper and lower end surfaces of the slide cover 1 are in full contact with the protrusions 2b of the front cover 2, and thus the slide cover 1 is prevented from rising from the front cover 2A.

When a leftward force is applied to the slide cover 1,
The slide cover 1 slides leftward while the upper and lower claws 1a slide in the upper and lower guide grooves 3d of the inner cover 3. Only the claw 1a on the upper right side initially slides in the groove 22a of the flash device 20, and when the slide cover 1 is opened to some extent, the guide groove 3d is formed.
To the pop-up of the flash device 20.
The ridge 1b of the slide cover 1 slides on the projecting portion 2b, but since the projecting portion 2b is provided only at the upper and lower portions of the opening 2a, the ridge 1b is formed as the slide cover 1 is opened. It gradually separates from the protruding portion 2b, and the separated portion is exposed to the outside.

When the slide cover 1 is completely opened as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the slide cover open / close detection switch 14 is turned on by the lower left claw 1a. At this time, the protrusion 1b is separated from the protrusion 2b, leaving only a very short portion of the right end thereof, but the left end of the slide cover 1 is accommodated in the tunnel between the tunnel forming member 2D and the front cover 2A. Front cover 2A of slide cover 1
It is possible to prevent lifting from above. That is, even if a force to the front of the camera is applied to the left end (opening end) of the slide cover 1 for some reason, the front surface of the slide cover 1 comes into contact with the tunnel forming member 2D to prevent the slide cover 1 from rising. To be done. Therefore, a large force is not applied to the guide protrusion 1a provided on the right end portion of the slide cover 1, and the damage can be prevented.

When a predetermined operation is performed while the slide cover 1 is in the open position, the control circuit 50 drives the stepping motor 25 to pop up the flash device 20 to the use position. Since the guide groove 3d of the inner cover 3 and the groove 22a of the flash device 20 do not communicate with each other when the flash device 20 is in the use position, the slide cover 1 cannot be slid to the closed position. However, in the present embodiment, when the slide cover 1 in the open position is slid to the right (close direction), the slide cover opening / closing detection switch 14 is turned off, and accordingly, the control circuit 50 causes the flash device position detection switch 26. If the switch 26 is off, that is, if the flash device 20 is in the use position, the stepping motor 25 is driven to store the flash device 20 to the storage position. As a result, the guide groove 3d and the groove 22a communicate with each other, so that the slide cover 1 can be slid to the closed position.

By the way, in the present embodiment, when the slide cover 1 is closed, the opening 2a of the front cover 2A is closed, and at this time, the guide groove 3d of the inner cover 3 is completely cut off from the outside. Therefore, no foreign matter enters the guide groove 3d of the inner cover 3 from outside. This is a configuration that can be realized by forming the guide protrusion 1a for slide guide only on the right end side of the slide cover 1. On the other hand, when the slide cover 1 is in the open state, the opening 2a of the front cover 2A is opened, so that the guide groove 3d communicates with the outside. There is little fear. Therefore, in the camera of the present embodiment, the slide cover 1 can always be opened and closed smoothly.

In the above embodiment, the outer cover 2 and the inner cover 3 constitute the camera body, the overhanging portion 1A constitutes the protrusion preventing portion and the penetrating portion, and the stepping motor 25 and the control circuit 50 constitute the drive control means. .

The flash device may be manually moved up / down without using an actuator such as a motor. Further, although the rotating type up / down type has been described, a sliding type up / down type may be used, for example. Furthermore, in the above, the groove with which the claw provided on the slide cover side is engaged is provided on the flash device side, but this kind of groove is not essential, and in short, the flash device pops up due to a part of the slide cover in the closed position. Any configuration that mechanically blocks is sufficient. The position of the guide groove is not particularly limited and may be provided at a position exposed to the outside. further,
The shape and opening / closing direction of the slide cover are not limited to those in the embodiment.

[0022]

According to the present invention, when the slide cover is in the closed position, that is, when the camera is not in use, the projection blocking portion of the slide cover prevents the flash device from projecting. The protrusion of the device can be reliably prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a slide cover is closed.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a state in which the slide cover is open.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 1;

6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG.

7 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG.

10 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Slide Cover 1A Overhang 1a Claw 1b Projection 2 Outer Cover 2A Front Cover 2a Opening 2B Top Cover 2b Projection 2C Lower Cover 2D Tunnel Forming Member 3 Inner Cover 3a Finder Window 3b Distance Measuring Window 3d Guide Groove 4 Lens Tube 4A Photographic lens 14 Slide cover open / close detection switch 20 Flash device 21 Light emitting part 22 Holder 22a Groove 25 Stepping motor 50 Control circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A front surface of the camera body between a closed position that slidably engages a guide groove formed in the camera body and covers the front surface of the shooting lens and an open position that retracts from the front surface of the shooting lens. A slidable slide cover, and a flash device that is movable between a storage position housed in the camera body and a use position protruding from the camera body, when the slide cover is in the closed position. Engaging the flash device in the storage position to prevent the flash device from projecting to the use position and retracting from the flash device when the slide cover is in the open position to use the flash device A camera having a slide cover, wherein the slide cover is provided with a protrusion blocking portion that allows protrusion to a position. 2. The flash device is provided with a communication groove that communicates with the guide groove of the camera body at the storage position, and the protrusion blocking portion of the slide cover is engaged with the guide groove. The slide cover according to claim 1, further comprising a guide protrusion for moving the slide cover to the closed position, the guide protrusion moving from the guide groove to the communication groove. With a camera. 3. The camera body includes an outer cover that forms an outer shell of the camera body, and a groove forming member that is disposed inside the outer cover and forms the guide groove, and the slide cover includes the outer cover. Equipped with a penetrating part that penetrates
The camera having a slide cover according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion blocking portion is formed in the penetrating portion. 4. A switch for detecting a movement of the slide cover from the open position to the closed position and outputting a close signal, and a flash device in the use position in response to the output of the close signal. 4. A camera having a slide cover according to claim 1, further comprising drive control means for driving to a position.