JPH1124118A - Collapsible mount type camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a collapsible mount type camera capable of protecting a lens barrel by automatically housing the lens barrel at a collapsing position when the photographing operation of the camera is not performed for a predetermined time. SOLUTION: The lens barrel 10 is extended from the collapsing position to a photographing preparation position with the actuation of turning on the power source switch 20 of the camera, is extended or withdrawn within a zoom range from a wide end to a telephoto end in accordance with the operation of a zoom switch 12, and is withdrawn to the collapsing position with the actuation of turning off the switch 20. The lapse of time taken from extending the lens barrel 10 to the photographing preparation position is measured to discriminate whether a camera operation member such as a shutter release button 16 is operated within the predetermined time. When the camera operation member is operated, a timer is reset, and when the camera operation member is not operated for the predetermined time, control to drive the lens barrel 10 to the collapsing position is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a retractable camera, and more particularly, to a control based on a timer function of a retractable camera capable of electrically driving a lens barrel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional retractable camera of this type, when a power switch is turned on, a lens barrel (movable barrel) 1 at a retracted position indicated by a broken line as shown in FIG. When the power switch is turned off, the movable barrel 1 is retracted to the retracted position and stored in the fixed barrel 2 in the camera. In FIG. 3, 3 is a chassis, and 4 is a film.

[0003]

If the power switch of the conventional collapsible camera is turned on, that is, if the camera is carried around with the lens barrel extended, there is a high possibility that the lens barrel will hit something. As a result, camera performance may be degraded or a failure may occur. In addition, in retractable cameras, there are many movable parts for which light shielding measures must be taken.
As shown in the figure, when the movable cylinder 1 is extended, it is in a state that is very weak against light leakage as compared with the collapsed state. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide a retractable camera that can automatically store the lens barrel in a retracted position and protect the lens barrel.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the lens barrel is extended from the retracted position to the photographing preparation position in accordance with the ON operation of the power switch of the camera, and is operated in response to the operation of the zoom switch. In the retractable camera in which the lens barrel is extended or retracted within the zoom range from the wide end to the telephoto end, and the lens barrel is retracted to the retracted position when the power switch is turned off, the lens barrel is moved to the shooting preparation position. A timer that measures the passage of time from the start
It is determined whether or not a camera operation member such as a shutter release button has been operated within a predetermined time, and when it is determined that the camera operation member has been operated, the timer is reset, and the state in which the lens barrel is in the extended state is determined. When the operation of the camera operation member is not performed for a predetermined time based on the time measured by the timer, control means for performing control for driving the lens barrel to the retracted position is provided.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the camera operation member is a shutter release button.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when the camera operation member such as the shutter release button is not operated for a predetermined time while the lens barrel is extended to the photographing preparation position, the shutter release button or the like is not operated. Drives the lens barrel to the retracted position. At this time, the power switch of the camera is set to O
In the N state, when the camera operating member is operated again for photographing, the lens barrel can be extended to the photographing preparation position again. Further, in order to notify the user that the retracted state is different from the state when the power switch is turned off, the fact is displayed on an external display means. Further, when the retracted state continues for a predetermined time, the camera is turned off. The power can be turned off to prevent battery consumption.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a retractable camera according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a retractable camera according to the present invention. In the figure, the taking lens is a retractable zoom lens, and its lens barrel 10 can be moved between a retracted position (a position shown by a dashed line) and a photographing preparation position (a position shown by a broken line). A predetermined zoom range from a position (wide end) to a tele end (position indicated by a solid line) can be electrically moved stepwise or steplessly by the zoom switch 12. The central processing unit (CPU) 14
The overall operation of the camera is controlled and controlled. Here, only the control of the lens barrel and the like related to the operation of the control means of the present invention will be described. The CPU 14 outputs a signal indicating whether or not a button operation or touch has been performed from the shutter release button 16, and whether or not a camera hold (touch to the camera hold detector 18) has been detected from the camera hold detector 18 disposed on the camera grip. From the power switch 20 whether the camera power is on or not.
A signal indicating the F state is added. Next, CP
The processing operation of U14 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the processing operation of the CPU 14 is started when the power switch 20 is turned on. At the same time as the power switch 20 is turned on, the lens barrel 10 is advanced from the retracted position to the photographing preparation position (step 100). That is, the first
As shown in the figure, the CPU 14 is turned on from the power switch 20.
When a signal indicating the state is added, a signal for moving the lens barrel 10 to the shooting preparation position is output to the lens driving device 22 when the signal rises, and the lens driving device 22
As a result, the lens barrel 10 is electrically driven to the shooting preparation position.
Then, the zoom switch 1 which is one of the camera operation members
When a zoom signal is applied from the zoom lens 2 to the lens barrel 1 within the zoom range from the shooting preparation position (wide end) to the telephoto end.
0 can be moved via the lens driving device 22.

The CPU 14 has a timer.
When the lens barrel 10 is extended, the time from that point is measured. Then, before the measurement time which elapses for a predetermined time T _1, when the power switch 20 is turned OFF, is moved to the collapsed position the lens barrel 10 as in the conventional camera (step 110, 120). Next, the power switch 20 is turned off.
The case where it is not performed will be described. In this case, within a predetermined time T _1, it is determined whether a button operation of the shutter release button 16, the touch of a camera or the like and hold detector 18 (step 130, 140). When there is a button operation or the like of the shutter release button 16 within a predetermined time T _1, the timer is reset and the lens barrel 10 feeds back photographing preparation position barrel 10 because of the photographing preparation position Without returning to step 110 via step 150.

On the other hand, if the shutter release button 16 is not operated within the predetermined time T ₁ and the time T ₁ elapses, the lens barrel 10 is moved to the retracted position (step 16).
0) In addition, in order to inform the user that this collapsed state is different from the state caused by turning off the power supply step, the external display 24 indicates this, for example, “TIME OV”.
ER "is displayed (step 170). Thereafter, it is further determined whether or not a predetermined time T ₂ (T ₂ > T ₁ ) has elapsed (step 180). When the predetermined time T _{2 has} elapsed, the power switch 20 is turned off and the process is terminated. (Step 190). Incidentally, during the period from the predetermined time T ₁ to time T _2, when the power supply is a button operation or the like in the ON state, the lens barrel 10, which is temporarily stored in the collapsed position are fed back to the photographing preparation position (step 130, 150).

[0011]

As described above, according to the collapsible camera according to the present invention, when the camera operating member is not operated for a predetermined time while the power is on, the lens barrel is moved. Since the lens barrel is automatically driven to the retracted position, the lens barrel can be protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a retractable camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart used to explain the operation of the CPU in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a retractable camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 lens barrel 14 central processing unit (CPU) 16 shutter release button 18 camera hold detector 20 power switch 22 lens driving device 24 external display

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A lens barrel is extended from a retracted position to a shooting preparation position in accordance with an ON operation of a power switch of a camera, and the lens barrel is extended within a zoom range from a wide end to a telephoto end in response to operation of a zoom switch. Alternatively, in a retractable camera in which the lens barrel is retracted to the retracted position in accordance with the turning-off operation of the power switch, the elapsed time from when the lens barrel is extended to the shooting preparation position is measured. A timer to determine whether or not the camera operating member has been operated within a predetermined time, and reset the timer when it is determined that the camera operating member has been operated, in a state where the lens barrel is in the extended state. When the operation of the camera operation member is not performed for a predetermined time based on the measurement time of the timer, control means for performing control for driving the lens barrel to the retracted position is provided. Vignetting was, collapsible camera, characterized in that. 2. The retractable camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera operation member is a shutter release button. 3. The control means, when the camera operating member is operated in a state where the lens barrel is driven to the retracted position without operating the camera operating member for a predetermined period of time, the lens barrel is returned to the shooting preparation position. A retractable camera characterized by being controlled so as to be fed out.