JPH10104495A - Lens barrel and optical equipment equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To securely prevent a lens barrel from extending by gravitation by engaging and locking an operation member to the shortest length or such length that it can be stored in a lens case, etc., and restricting the rotation or axial movement of the operation member. SOLUTION: The lock member 3 when having its knob part 3a operated in a long hole 4a along an optical axis moves forward and backward between a lock position where its front part projects from the front opening of a cover 4 and an unlock position where it retracts into the front opening. When a zoom operation ring 2 is set (by making the overall length of the lens barrel from the rear end of a fixed cylinder 1 to the front end of a moving cylinder the shortest) so that a cut part 2a faces the lock member 3 and the lock member 3 is operated to the lock position, the front part of the lock member 3 engages the cut part 2a. Consequently, the zoom operation ring 2 is locked to securely prevent the moving cylinder 5 from moving forward to the fixed cylinder 1 by its own weight (increasing in overall lens barrel length). When the camera is used, the lock member 3 is operated to the unlock position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens barrel, and more particularly to a lens barrel having a zoom function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a lens barrel whose entire length changes due to zooming has been widely used. However, when carrying such a lens barrel attached to a camera body,
Normally, the lens barrel is kept in the shortest state (for example, the housed state). However, there is a case where the entire length of the lens barrel has been extended without the knowledge of the wearer due to vibration during carrying. In such a case, it is easy to damage the lens barrel by hitting the tip of the lens barrel while carrying. Therefore, in the conventional lens barrel, an appropriate frictional resistance is given to the operation of the zoom operation member and the operation of the zoom drive mechanism interlocked with the zoom operation member, so that the lens barrel is prevented from becoming longer due to its own weight.

[0003]

However, in the method of suppressing the self-weight extension of the lens barrel by the frictional resistance as described above, the operation of the zoom operation member at the time of use becomes heavy due to the frictional resistance, and the operation becomes difficult. There's a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a lens barrel capable of lightly operating an operation member and reliably preventing the weight of the lens barrel from extending, and an optical apparatus having the same.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a lens barrel having an operating member for driving a lens, locking means for locking and holding the operating member to the barrel main body is provided. ing.

That is, when the lens barrel body becomes shorter or longer due to the operation of the operating member, the operating member is locked and locked in the shortest state or in a state that can be stored in a lens case or the like. By restricting the rotation or axial movement of the operation member, the self-weight extension of the lens barrel can be prevented more reliably than in the case of frictional resistance, and the operation member can be operated lightly.

In the present invention, by providing such a lens barrel, it is possible to realize an optical device such as a camera which is easy to carry and can smoothly perform zoom photographing and the like.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an interchangeable lens barrel according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixed barrel constituting a lens barrel main body, and a bayonet portion 1a for mounting on a camera body (not shown) is provided at a rear end (right end in the drawing) of the fixed barrel 1 in the optical axis direction. have. Reference numeral 2 denotes a zoom operation ring (an operation member referred to in the claims), which is attached to the outer periphery of the fixed cylinder 1 so as to be rotatable around the optical axis.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a moving cylinder which moves in the optical axis direction with respect to the fixed cylinder 1 by rotating the zoom operation ring 2. A lens (not shown) is held inside each of the fixed cylinder 1 and the movable cylinder 5, and zooming is performed by moving the movable cylinder 5 back and forth with respect to the fixed cylinder 1. The mechanism for converting the rotation of the zoom operation ring 2 into the forward and backward movement of the movable barrel 5 is a known mechanism.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, a lock member 3 and a knob 3a of the lock member 3 are provided at a rear portion of the fixed cylinder 1.
And a cover 4 having an elongated hole 4a penetrating therethrough. The front portion of the lock member 3 has a cover 4 when the knob 3a is operated back and forth in the optical axis direction in the elongated hole 4a.
It moves back and forth between a locked position protruding from the front opening and an unlocked position retracted into the front opening.

On the other hand, a cutout portion 2a that opens rearward is formed at one position in the circumferential direction of the zoom operation ring 2. The position where the notch 2 a is formed in the zoom operation ring 2 is a position where the movable barrel 5 is most retracted with respect to the fixed barrel 1 when this position faces the lock member 3.

In the lens barrel configured as described above, the zoom operation ring 2 is set so that the notch 2a faces the lock member 3 (ie, from the rear end of the fixed barrel 1 to the front end of the movable barrel). 2) with the shortest overall length of the lens barrel.
When the lock member 3 is operated to the lock position as shown in (b), the front part of the lock member 3 engages with the notch 2a. As a result, the zoom operation ring 2 is locked, and the moving barrel 5 is reliably prevented from moving forward with respect to the fixed barrel 1 (the overall length of the lens barrel becomes longer) by its own weight.

When the camera is used, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the lock member 3 is operated to the unlock position, the engagement between the front portion of the lock member 3 and the notch 2a is released.
The rotation of the zoom operation ring 2 is allowed. Since there is no friction material or the like in the zoom operation ring 2 or a mechanism for converting the rotation thereof to the forward / backward movement of the movable barrel 5, there is no friction material or the like for preventing the movable barrel 5 from moving under its own weight. Zooming can be performed.

(Second Embodiment) FIGS. 3 and 4 show an interchangeable lens barrel according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, reference numeral 11 denotes a fixed barrel which constitutes a lens barrel main body, and a rear end (right end in the figure) of the fixed barrel 11 in the optical axis direction has a bayonet portion 11a for mounting on a camera body (not shown). have. Reference numeral 12 denotes a zoom operation ring (an operation member referred to in the claims), which is attached to the outer periphery of the fixed cylinder 1 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a moving barrel which moves in the optical axis direction with respect to the fixed barrel 1 by moving the zoom operation ring 2. A lens (not shown) is held inside each of the fixed barrel 11 and the movable barrel 15, and zooming is performed by moving the movable barrel 15 back and forth with respect to the fixed barrel 11. The mechanism for converting the movement of the zoom operation ring 12 into the forward and backward movement of the movable barrel 5 is a known mechanism.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4, a lock operation member 13 and a lock operation member
And a cover 14 having an elongated hole 14a through which the knob 13a passes. This lock operating member 13
Is provided with a push-up portion 13b that extends through the through-hole 11b formed in the fixed cylinder 11 to the inside of the fixed cylinder 11. It is inclined to face. Lock operation member 13
When the knob 13a is operated back and forth in the optical axis direction in the elongated hole 14a, the knob 13a moves back and forth between a lock position located in front and an unlock position located in back.

Further, inside the front of the cover 14 of the fixed cylinder 11, a protruding position protruding outside the fixed cylinder 11 through a through hole 11 c formed in the fixed cylinder 11 and a through hole 1.
A lock pin 15 is provided which is movable between a storage position where the lock pin 15 is retracted into 1c. The lower end of the lock pin 15 is formed with a slope to receive the contact of the slope of the push-up portion 13b of the lock operation member 13. The lock pin 15 is urged in the housing direction by a spring 16 attached between the lock pin 15 and the peripheral wall of the fixed cylinder 11.

On the other hand, a lock hole 12a is formed at one position on the inner periphery of the zoom operation ring 12 in the circumferential direction. The lock hole 12 in the zoom operation ring 2
The position where “a” is formed is a position where the movable cylinder 15 is most retracted with respect to the fixed cylinder 11 when this position is opposed to the lock pin 15.

In the lens barrel constructed as described above, the zoom operation ring 12 is set so that the lock hole 12a faces the lock pin 15 (ie, the fixed cylinder 11).
4B), and when the lock member 3 is moved to the lock position as shown in FIG. 4B, the urging force of the spring 16 is increased by the push-up portion 13b. Lock pin 15 pushed up to the protruding position in opposition
Engages with the lock hole 12a. Then, the lock operation member 13 is held at the lock position by a lock holding member (not shown), for example, so that the zoom operation ring 12 is held.
To prevent the movable barrel 15 from moving forward with respect to the fixed barrel 11 by its own weight (the overall length of the barrel becomes longer).

At the time of using the camera, if the holding of the lock operation member 13 by the lock pressing member is released, the state shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the urging force of the spring 16 returns the lock pin to the storage position and the lock operation member 13.
Is returned to the unlock position, and the movement of the zoom operation ring 12 is allowed. The zooming ring 12 and a mechanism for converting the movement thereof into forward and backward movements of the moving barrel 15 include a moving barrel 15.
Since there is no friction material or the like for preventing the self-weight movement, zooming can be performed only by operating the zoom operation ring 12 lightly.

Note that the lock means in the present invention is not limited to the mechanism described in each of the above embodiments.

In each of the above embodiments, a lens barrel for a camera has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a lens barrel for an optical device other than a camera.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operating member is locked and locked by setting the lens barrel main body to the shortest state or the state capable of being stored in the case or the like. Compared with a conventional device that suppresses the movement of the operation member and the operation of the zoom drive mechanism, the self-weight extension of the lens barrel can be reliably prevented, and the operation member can be operated lightly.

By providing such a lens barrel, it is possible to realize an optical device such as a camera which is easy to carry and can smoothly perform zoom photographing and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a lens barrel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a lock portion of the lens barrel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lens barrel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a lock portion of the lens barrel according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11 Fixed cylinder 2, 12 Zoom operation ring 3 Lock member 5, 15 Moving cylinder 13 Lock operation member 15 Lock pin 16 Panel

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A lens barrel having an operation member for driving a lens, comprising: a lock means for locking and holding the operation member with respect to a lens barrel main body. 2. The lens barrel main body can be brought into a stowable state by operating the operation member, and the lock unit locks and holds the operation member in the stowable state. The lens barrel according to item 1. 3. The operation of the operation member changes the total length of the lens barrel, and the locking means locks and holds the operation member in a state where the total length of the lens barrel is minimized. The lens barrel according to claim 1. 4. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein said locking means locks rotation of said operation member with respect to said barrel main body. 5. The lens barrel according to claim 1, wherein the lock unit locks the operation member in an axial direction with respect to the barrel body. 6. An optical apparatus comprising the lens barrel according to claim 1.