JPH10153816A - Camera structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new camera structure in which miniaturization different in the right-and-left direction of a camera can be realized in the camera utilizing a film cartridge housing such a photographing film as a silver salt film in a roll state. SOLUTION: This camera separately has a photographing optical system 30 and a finder optical system, and a film F coming out from the cylindrical film cartridge FC is wound by a film winding spool 43. A film passing surface Fe orthogonal to the photographing optical axis O of the photographing optical system crosses a plane C passing through the respective central shafts of the film cartridge and the film winding spool, the rear surface 11b of a camera body is nearly in parallel with the plane C passing through the respective central shafts of the film cartridge and the film winding spool, the plane P1 including the rear surface of the camera body and the extending surface P2 of the film passing surface are provided to cross each other, and the eyepiece window of the finder optical system is provided on either of the right and left sides of the rear surface of the camera body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera structure of a camera using a cartridge type film in which a photographing film such as a silver halide film is stored in a roll shape as a film to be used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A camera using a silver halide film as a photographic film generally uses a film cartridge containing a silver halide film in a roll, such as a CH135 or a recently developed IX240.

In this type of camera, a cartridge chamber for storing a film cartridge and a spool chamber for storing a film delivered from the film cartridge stored in the cartridge chamber are arranged on the left and right sides of the camera body. Is arranged between the cartridge chamber and the spool chamber substantially in parallel with the left-right direction of the camera body.

In a camera having such a conventional structure,
In order to secure an optical path from the taking lens to the film surface between the cartridge chamber and the spool chamber, the distance between the cartridge chamber and the spool chamber in the left and right direction of the camera must be at least a certain distance. In particular, there is a limit in reducing the width of the camera in the left-right direction.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is directed to a camera using a film cartridge in which a photographic film such as a silver halide film is housed in a roll shape. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel camera structure capable of realizing further miniaturization of the camera.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The camera structure of the present invention has a photographing optical system and a finder optical system separately, and a film wound from a pillar-shaped film cartridge is wound by a film winding spool. With respect to a plane passing through the respective central axes of the above, the film passing surface orthogonal to the photographing optical axis of the photographing optical system is crossed, and the rear surface of the camera body passes through the respective central axes of the film cartridge and the film winding spool. Provided so as to be substantially parallel to the plane and intersecting a plane including the rear surface of the camera body and an extension surface of the film passing surface, and providing an eyepiece window of the finder optical system to one of the left and right sides of the rear surface of the camera body. It is characterized by being provided in.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a front view of a lens shutter camera 10 in a photographable state to which the present invention is applied, viewed from the front of a photographing optical axis O, FIG. 2 is a rear view of the camera 10, and FIG. Camera 1 along the line III-III in FIG.
0 is shown, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the camera 10 taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a camera 1 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the camera 10 taken along line III-III in FIG. Note that FIG.
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the camera 10 viewed from the direction of arrow B (a direction parallel to the optical axis O) shown in FIG.

The camera 10 is a single focus type lens shutter type compact camera in which a finder optical system and a photographing optical system are independent of each other, and has a substantially box-shaped camera body 11. 1, 3, and 4 show the camera 10 in a photographable state, and FIG. 5 shows the camera 10 in a housed state. A release button 13 is provided near one end of the upper surface of the camera body 11.

Above the front wall 11a of the camera body 11, the strobe window 15, the AF ranging window 16, the finder objective window 17, and the front window 11a are arranged in order from the left as viewed from the front of the camera (upward in FIG. 3). A photometric window 18 is provided. A rectangular opening 20 is formed in the front wall 11a of the camera body 11 below each of the windows.

On the front wall 11a of the camera body 11,
A lens master plate 23 for opening and closing the opening 20 is provided.
This lens master plate 23 is attached to the front wall 11a via a shaft 22 extending in the vertical direction of the camera 10 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1) along one side of the opening 20, and is shown in FIGS. Is rotatable between an open position shown in FIG. 5 and a closed position shown in FIG.

A cover plate 25 is mounted on the front wall 11a of the camera body 11 via a shaft 24 extending vertically along the other side of the opening 20 opposite to the one side. The cover plate 25 is rotatable between an open position shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 and a closed position shown in FIG. 5, and is opened from the open position (counterclockwise in FIG. 3). Further rotation in the direction ()) is restricted. FIG. 6 shows the lens master plate 23.
Is in the closed position and the cover plate 25 is in the open position. The lens master plate 23 and the cover plate 25 are each manually opened and closed.

When the cover plate 25 is moved to the closed position after the lens parent plate 23 is moved to the closed position, the cover plate 25 covers the front surface of the lens parent plate 23 to protect the photographing lens 30 and thereby the camera. 10 is in the housed state shown in FIG. In this stored state, the cover plate 25 and the lens master plate 23 are positioned on the front of the camera body 11 (the front of the front wall 11a).
And the rear surface 11b of the camera body 11
Becomes substantially parallel. Also, when the lens parent plate 23 is moved to the open position after the cover plate 25 is moved to the open position as shown in FIG. 6, the camera 10 is brought into the photographable state shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

When moving the lens main plate 23 in the closed position from the opened state of the cover plate 25 to the open position, the lens main plate 23 slides its end 23a against the inner side surface 25a of the cover plate 25. While rotating about the shaft 22 while reaching the open position, the end 23a engages with the vertical groove 25b formed on the inner surface 25a of the cover plate 25 and is supported at the open position. That is, the open position of the lens master plate 23 is
5b.

The lens master plate 23 is provided with a photographic lens 30 that constitutes a photographic optical system of the camera 10. The taking lens 30 is supported by an AF / AE shutter unit 32 (indicated by a two-dot chain line) fixed to the back surface 23 c of the lens master plate 23, and has a circular opening 23 b formed substantially at the center of the lens master plate 23. Through the lens main plate 23. The taking lens 30 is provided so that its taking optical axis O is orthogonal to the lens master plate 23. Therefore, in the photographable state, the photographing optical axis O is inclined with respect to the left-right direction of the camera 10 (direction D in the figure).

Between the upper edge of the lens master plate 23 and the front wall 11a and between the lower edge of the lens master plate 23 and the front wall 11a, a film surface Fe (filming light) A bellows (not shown) made of a rubber material or the like is provided for shielding a photographing optical path reaching a film passing surface perpendicular to the axis O). With this bellows, the lens master plate 23
External light does not enter the camera 10 when the camera 10 and the cover plate 25 are both located at the open position in a photographable state.
The upper and lower bellows are folded inward and stored in the camera body 11 in a storage state in which the lens master plate 23 and the cover plate 25 are both located at the closed position.

As shown in FIG. 4, inside the camera body 11, the flash window 15, the AF ranging window 16, the finder objective window 17 and the photometric window 18
A strobe light emitter 32, an AF sensor module 33, a finder optical system 34, and a photometric sensor module 35 are provided. The optical axes of the strobe light emitter 32, the AF sensor module 33, the finder optical system 34, and the photometric sensor module 35 are substantially parallel to the photographing optical axis O. That is, the optical axes of the strobe light emitter 32, the AF sensor module 33, the finder optical system 34, and the photometric sensor module 35 are also the same as the photographing optical axis O.
The camera 10 is inclined with respect to the left-right direction.

The finder optical system 34 has a shape in which the optical axis is bent at two right angles in the plane of FIG. 4 as shown in FIG. The eyepiece side end 34b is connected to the camera body 1
1 faces the finder eyepiece window 14 formed above the rear surface 11b.

The finder eyepiece window 14 is located on the upper left side of the rear surface 11b of the camera body 11 (the left side in FIG. 2), that is, the rear surface 11b of the camera body 11 is an extension line O 'of the photographing optical axis O (see FIGS. 3 and 3). 4), and extend rearward (downward in FIG. 4). That is, the finder eyepiece window 14 is provided near the left side LE of the camera body 11 above the rear surface 11 b of the camera body 11.

In a direction perpendicular to the photographing optical axis O and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the photographing aperture 46 (the left-right direction in FIG. 4), the viewfinder eyepiece extends from the left end of the left side LE of the camera body 11 (that is, the left end of the camera body 11). Distance FL to center of window 14
(See FIGS. 2 and 4) is set to 20 mm. Preferably, this distance FL is set within a range of about 5 mm to 30 mm. The finder eyepiece window 1 is located at this predetermined position.
The provision of 4 makes it easy for a photographer who looks through the finder eyepiece window 14 with his right eye to look and photograph easily. The reason will be described below.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the photographer's head H and the camera 10 when the photographer holds the camera 10. In this figure, the photographer is in the viewfinder eyepiece window 1.
I'm looking into 4 with my right eye.

As shown in FIG. 1, the photographer sets the camera 10 in a photographable state so that the photographing optical axis O faces the subject (upper side in FIG. 7). In this case, the photographer usually
The right side RE of the camera body 11 is supported by a right hand (not shown), and the camera 10 is held in a state where the left side LE of the camera body 11 is applied to the vicinity of the right side of the nose N as shown in FIG. At this time, the photographer may further support the left portion LE of the camera body 11 with the left hand. When the right side RE of the camera body 11 is supported by the right hand, and the left side LE of the camera body 11 is supported by the left hand, the photographer holds the left side LE of the camera body 11 near the right side of the nose N. , And as shown in FIG.
May be held slightly away from the vicinity of the right side of the nose N.

When the camera 10 is held as shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8, the finder eyepiece window 14 is located immediately before the photographer's right eye Re, so that the photographer can view the finder eyepiece window 14.
Can be easily peeped. If the finder eyepiece window 14
Is provided near the center or on the right side of the rear surface 11b, when the right eye Re looks through the finder eyepiece window 14, the photographer's nose N interferes with the camera body 11 and it is difficult to photograph.
In the camera 10 of the present embodiment, such a disadvantage does not occur because the camera 10 is provided near the left side LE of the camera body 11.

Each of the left and right side portions LE and RE of the camera body 11 has a substantially arc-shaped cross section as can be seen from FIGS. As described above, the photographer normally puts the left side LE of the camera body 11 near the right side of the nose N when holding the camera 10 as shown in FIG. Therefore, if the surface shape of the left side LE is formed in a substantially arc-shaped cross section, the left side LE can be easily applied to the vicinity of the right side of the nose N, and the fit is further improved. In order to improve the fit, a sheet member 60 (shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) made of an elastic material such as urethane foam or rubber is attached to the left side L.
It may be provided along the surface of E.

On the left and right inside the camera body 11, a spool chamber 40 and a cartridge chamber 41 are formed. Inside the cartridge chamber 41, a column-shaped film cartridge FC loaded in a predetermined direction from a film cartridge insertion opening (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the camera body 11 is stored. A winding spool (film winding spool) 43 for winding the film F sent from the cartridge FC is provided.

The distance L (see FIG. 3) between the spool chamber 40 and the cartridge chamber 41 is larger than the horizontal length (the horizontal length in FIG. 3) of the rectangular photographing aperture (aperture) 46 that determines the screen size. Has been made smaller. More specifically, the shooting aperture 46 has a size of 24 mm × 36 mm, so that the horizontal length of the shooting aperture 46 is 36 mm, and the distance L
Is about 28 mm.

A frame member 45 is fixed between the spool chamber 40 and the cartridge chamber 41 inside the camera body 11 and surrounds a photographing optical path extending from the opening 20 to the inside of the camera body 11. Is the shooting aperture 4
An aperture frame 47 provided with an aperture 6 is integrally formed.
The aperture frame 47 extends in parallel with the lens master plate 23 located at the open position. That is, the aperture frame 47
Is provided on a plane extending in the up-down direction of the camera 10 (up-down direction in FIG. 1) and inclined with respect to the left-right direction of the camera 10. Further, since the lens parent plate 23 and the aperture frame 47 located at the open position are parallel to each other, the optical axis O of the photographing lens 30 in a photographable state extends perpendicular to the aperture frame 47.

A film guide rail (not shown) extending in the left-right direction of the camera 10 is provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the aperture frame 47 with the photographing opening 46 interposed therebetween. 50 is the aperture frame 47
And are provided in parallel. The film F travels between these film guide rails and the pressure plate 50. Therefore,
The exposure surface of the film F, which is located on the pressure plate 50 and faces forward from the photographing opening 46, that is, the film surface Fe exposed by the shutter release, is parallel to the lens master plate 23 located at the open position. The camera 10 is located on a plane inclined with respect to the left-right direction of the camera 10. Also, film surface F
e is the film cartridge FC and the take-up spool 43
, The rear surface 11b of the camera body 11 is substantially parallel to the plane C (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 3). Therefore, the rear surface 1 of the camera body 11
The plane P1 including 1b intersects with the extension plane P2 of the film surface Fe (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the space surrounded by the frame member 45 between the front surface of the camera body 11 and the film surface Fe is formed as a substantially wedge-shaped space 48, and includes a lens including the photographing lens 30. When the lens master plate 23 is closed, as shown in FIG.
Is stored inside.

A pressure plate 50 is provided inside the camera body 11.
The camera 1 is located at a position close to the end on the spool chamber 40 side of the camera 1.
A guide roller 51 extending in a vertical direction of 0 is provided rotatably. The film F sent from the film cartridge FC and reaching the spool chamber 40 through the space between the film guide rail and the pressure plate 50 is wound around the guide roller 51 and wound around the winding spool 43.

A pressure plate 50 is provided inside the camera body 11.
Motors 5 each having a cylindrical shape and located behind
2 and a capacitor 54 are provided. Motor 52
Is a drive motor used for winding and rewinding the film F.
Strobe condenser for

A battery storage chamber 56 is formed in the camera body 11 in a space between the spool chamber 40 and the camera body 11. The battery storage chamber 56 is provided on the bottom of the camera body 11. A rechargeable plate-gum battery 58 (NiCad battery, nickel-metal hydride battery, lithium ion battery, etc.) loaded in a predetermined direction from a battery insertion slot (not shown) is accommodated.

In the camera 10 having the above configuration, the film surface Fe exposed by the shutter release is not formed in a structure parallel to the left-right direction of the camera 10 (direction D in the figure), but is a plane inclined with respect to the same direction. The space L between the spool chamber 40 and the cartridge chamber 41.
Is significantly reduced more than the horizontal length of the photographing opening 46, that is, the horizontal length of the film surface Fe. Due to the reduction of the interval L, the camera 10 at the time of storage is
Is reduced in the width in the left-right direction.

Further, since the finder eyepiece window 14 is provided at a specific position, it is easy to look through the finder eyepiece window 14. Further, the left side LE is applied to the vicinity of the right side of the nose N, and the camera 10 can be reliably supported in a state where the right side RE is supported by the right hand, so that the photographing can be performed without using the left hand. In this photographing, the left hand LE may be further supported by the left hand.
Even if E is not supported, the camera 10 can be reliably supported between the vicinity of the right side of the nose N and the right hand, so that imaging with less influence of camera shake can be performed.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 12 show other embodiments showing modifications of the camera configuration of the camera 10. FIG. In these drawings, members that are substantially the same as the members of the camera 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The camera 10a shown in FIG.
This is an embodiment in which the arrangement of the cartridge 10 and the cartridge chamber 41 is reversed from the arrangement of the camera 10. In this camera 10a,
Space 5 between cartridge chamber 41 and camera body 11
A film gum battery 58 is accommodated in 6 ′, and the film F sent from the film cartridge FC via the guide roller 51 provided near the film feed port of the film cartridge FC is sent to the spool chamber 40.

A camera 10b shown in FIG. 10 is an embodiment in which all the members of the camera 10 are arranged left and right. This camera 10b is suitable for a photographer who looks through the finder eyepiece window 14 with the left eye Le. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, when the photographer holds the camera 10, the left and right are reversed from those shown in FIGS.

The camera 10c shown in FIG. 12 is an embodiment in which the arrangement of the spool chamber 40 and the cartridge chamber 41 is reversed from the arrangement of the camera 10b.

In the cameras of the above embodiments, the surface shape of each of the left and right side parts LE and RE of the camera body 11 is substantially arc-shaped in cross section, but only the surface shape of the side part close to the finder eyepiece window 14 is shown. The cross section may be formed in a substantially circular arc shape, and the surface shape of the opposite side may be another shape. In addition, only the portion applied to the vicinity of the side of the photographer's nose N on the side near the finder eyepiece window 14, that is, only the periphery of the rearmost portion of the camera body 11 in the direction of the photographing optical axis O, It may be formed so as to have a substantially arc-shaped cross section. Also in these embodiments, the fitting feeling when the side of the camera body is applied near the side of the photographer's nose N is the same as that of the cameras of the above embodiments.

As the film cartridge FC used in the camera of each of the above embodiments, any type of film cartridge may be used as long as a silver film such as CH135 or IX240 is stored in a roll.

The cameras of the above embodiments are single-focus type compact cameras with lens shutters. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is a multi-focus type with a built-in bifocal switching lens or zoom lens. The present invention may be applied to a lens shutter type compact camera. Also,
The present invention may be applied to a single-lens reflex camera.

[0041]

As described above, according to the camera to which the camera structure of the present invention is applied, in a camera using a film cartridge in which a photographic film such as a silver halide film is stored in a roll shape, particularly in the lateral direction of the camera. Can be further reduced in size.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a lens shutter type camera in a photographable state to which the present invention is applied as viewed from the front of a photographing optical axis.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the camera taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the camera taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the housed state of the camera.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a lens parent plate is at a closed position and a cover plate is at an open position.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the head of the photographer and the camera when the photographer holds the camera.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between the head of the photographer and the camera when the photographer holds the camera.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a camera to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a camera to which the present invention is applied.

11 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the head of the photographer and the camera when the photographer holds the camera shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the camera to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 camera 11 camera body 13 release button 11a front wall 20 opening 23 lens main plate 23a opening 25 cover plate 30 photographing lens 32 shutter unit 40 spool chamber 41 cartridge chamber 43 winding spool 45 frame member 46 shooting opening 47 aperture frame 50 pressure plate 51 guide Roller 52 Motor 54 Capacitor 56 Battery storage room 58 Battery 60 Sheet member (elastic material) D Right and left direction of camera F Film FC Film cartridge Fe Film surface exposed by shutter release (Film passing surface orthogonal to the optical axis of photographing) FL Camera body From the left end of the camera to the center of the finder eyepiece window L Spacing between the spool chamber and cartridge chamber O Shooting optical axis

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A camera having a photographing optical system and a finder optical system separately and winding a film from a columnar film cartridge by a film winding spool, wherein the film passes through respective central axes of the film cartridge and the film winding spool. The plane passing through the film, which is perpendicular to the photographing optical axis of the photographing optical system, intersects the plane, and the rear surface of the camera body is made substantially parallel to the plane passing through the respective central axes of the film cartridge and the film winding spool. A plane including the rear surface of the camera body and an extension surface of the film passing surface are provided so as to intersect with each other, and an eyepiece window of a finder optical system is provided on one of left and right sides of the rear surface of the camera body. Camera structure. 2. The camera structure according to claim 1, wherein the eyepiece window is provided on a rear surface of the camera body, the rear surface of the camera body intersecting an extension of the photographing optical axis and extending rearward. Construction. 3. The camera structure according to claim 1, wherein the eyepiece window is provided near one of right and left sides of the camera body. 4. The camera structure according to claim 3, wherein
A camera structure in which a distance from a side end of the one side of the camera body to a center of the eyepiece window is set in a range of 5 mm to 30 mm. 5. The camera structure according to claim 3, wherein at least a part of the one side of the camera body has a substantially arc-shaped cross section. 6. The camera structure according to claim 5, wherein
A camera structure in which at least a part of the one side portion having a substantially arc-shaped cross section is provided at a rearmost portion of a camera body in a photographing optical axis direction. 7. The camera structure according to claim 3, wherein an elastic material is provided on a surface of the one side of the camera body.