JPH11260194A - Locking mechanism of rotary operating member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dispense with a wall between lock grooves and to make a locking mechanism compact by engaging a lock pin vertically movably mounted on a dial member of a rotary operating member, with a plurality of lock pins vertically movable and kept into contact with the same through a weak spring mounted on a locking member. SOLUTION: A slide face 25 for sliding a lock pin projecting from a lock shaft of a dial member, is mounted in a lower large diameter cylindrical part 23 of a lock block support member of a locking member 20, and a block sliding groove 24 is formed on a part of the slide face 25. Two locking blocks 27, 28 are slidably mounted in the groove 24 in a condition that they are kept into contact with each other, and the locking blocks 21, 28 are downwardly energized by the weak springs. A rotary operating member is assembled on an upper part of the locking member 20, and the lock pin of the lock shaft of its dial member is upwardly energized by a strong spring. On the locking position, the lock pin is downwardly pressed to be separated from the slide face 25 and engaged with a lower face of one of the locking blocks 28, and then the lock pin is pushed up by the energization force of the spring to be fixed between a side face of the groove 24 and the other locking block 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lock mechanism for locking a rotary operation member at a plurality of positions in a rotation direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a lock mechanism for a rotary operation member of this kind used for a shutter speed setting dial, a mode setting dial, an exposure correction value setting dial, etc. of a camera, a rotatably supported dial member is used. The shaft portion supports a lock shaft having a lock pin that protrudes in the radial direction in a manner that the shaft portion is movable in the axial direction and does not cause relative rotation in the rotation direction, and the lock shaft is protruded from the dial member in the direction of protruding from the dial member. When the lock shaft is pushed in, the lock pin is disengaged from the lock member (fixed member) in accordance with the lock position of the dial member, and the lock pin is disengaged when the lock shaft is released. An apparatus for forming a plurality of locking grooves that are combined is known. This device exhibits the locking function without any problem when the dial member is large or the lock groove formation interval (lock interval of the dial member) is large.

However, when the size of the dial member is reduced and the lock interval between the dial members is reduced, the interval between the lock grooves is reduced, and the strength of the wall surface defining the adjacent lock groove is reduced. For this reason, there is a limit in downsizing the dial member and reducing the lock interval.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the above awareness of the problems with the conventional lock mechanism of a rotary operation member, and defines an adjacent lock groove even if the dial member becomes smaller and the lock interval becomes shorter. An object of the present invention is to obtain a lock mechanism that can be locked without making the strength of a wall surface a problem.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an operating member that is rotated and operated.
In a lock mechanism of a rotary operation member having a lock side member for locking the rotary operation member at a plurality of positions in a rotation direction, a dial member rotatably supported by the rotary operation member; A lock shaft supported so as to be movable in the direction of rotation and not cause relative rotation in the rotation direction; a lock pin projected radially from the lock shaft; and biasing the lock shaft to project from the dial member. A lock shaft biasing spring means; and a lock side member; a lock block support; and a plurality of positions for locking the rotary operation member on the lock block support, and circumferentially contacting each other. A plurality of lock blocks supported in a positional relationship; each of the plurality of lock blocks being individually moved and urged in a direction against the lock shaft urging spring means to be positioned at the protruding end; And a lock block biasing spring which is weaker than the lock shaft biasing spring means. The plurality of lock blocks are locked when the lock pin of the lock shaft is at the moving end by the lock shaft biasing spring means. And can be moved to an axial position apart from the lock block when pressed and displaced against the lock shaft biasing spring means.

A mechanism for supporting a lock shaft in such a manner that the shaft portion of the dial member can move in the axial direction and does not cause relative rotation in the rotation direction is, for example, a mechanism in which the lock pin of the lock shaft is attached to the dial member in the axial direction. If a slit to be movably fitted is formed, it can be simply configured. In addition, the lock block support has a free rotation area of the rotary operation member for sliding the lock pin in a portion where the plurality of lock blocks do not exist, and both ends of the free rotation area are regulated by the plurality of lock blocks. can do.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a rotary operating device of a type in which a rotary operating member has two adjacent lock positions, and can be rotated except in these two lock positions. It is. 1 and 2 show an example of an external configuration on the side of the rotation operating member 10, and FIGS. 3 to 5 show examples of an external configuration on the side of the lock member 20, and FIGS.
Shows a cross-sectional structure and operation in which both are combined.

The rotary operating member 10 includes a dial member (for example, a shutter dial) 12 having a bottomed cylindrical portion 11 for inserting a lock shaft on a shaft portion, a lock shaft 13 inserted into the bottomed cylindrical portion 11, and a lock shaft A compression spring 14 is provided to bias the shaft 13 in a direction protruding from the dial member 12. A slit 15 parallel to the axial direction is formed in the bottomed cylindrical portion 11, and a lock pin 16 provided integrally with the lock shaft 13 is movably fitted in the slit 15 without a circumferential gap. I have. The protruding end (upward end) of the lock shaft 13 is regulated at a position where the lock pin 16 contacts the upper end of the slit 15, and the push end (downward end) is such that the lock pin 16 contacts the bottom wall 11 a of the bottomed cylindrical portion 11. It is regulated at the contact position. With the above configuration, the lock shaft 13 can move in the axial direction with respect to the dial member 12, and always rotates together when the dial member 12 is rotated (the dial member 12 and the lock shaft 13 do not rotate relative to each other).

The lock member 20 has a lock block support 21 having a cylindrical shape as a whole. The lock block support 21 includes an upper small-diameter cylindrical portion 22 that rotatably supports the bottomed cylindrical portion 11 of the rotary operation member 10 and a lower large-diameter cylindrical portion 2.
The lower large-diameter cylindrical portion 23 is fixed on the camera body C, for example. A slide surface 25 is formed between the upper small-diameter tube portion 22 and the lower large-diameter tube portion 23 to slide the lock pin 16 of the rotary operation member 10 slidably (rotatably) perpendicular to the axis.

The lock member 20 has a block sliding groove 24 which is opened in the slide surface 25 and has a substantially fan-shaped plane centered on the axis and whose center is cut off. In the block sliding groove 24, two independent lock block urging springs 26 are used to lock the lock shaft 13 by the compression spring 14.
The two lock blocks 27 and 28 urged to move in the directions opposite to the urging direction are provided in a positional relationship in which they contact in the circumferential direction. This lock block 27, 28
Always protrudes from the slide surface 25, and the protruding ends of the protruding ends 27 a and the lock block 28 a
Regulates. Each of the lock blocks 27 and 28 has a shape in which a central portion thereof is cut out in a substantially fan-shaped plane centered on the axis, and the minimum width in the circumferential direction corresponds to the diameter of the lock pin 16.

FIG. 3 shows a free state in which the lock blocks 27 and 28 protrude. At this time, the lock pin 16 of the rotary operation member 10 comes into contact with the slide surface 25 by the force of the compression spring 14. In this state, the rotation operation member 10
Can freely rotate within a free rotation area F (FIGS. 10 and 11) in which both ends in the circumferential direction are regulated by the lock blocks 27 and 28. Of course, in this free rotation range b,
A suitable click stop mechanism can be provided.

The force of the lock block urging spring 26 is set to be weaker than the force of the compression spring 14 of the rotary operating member 10, and the lock pin 16 of the rotary operating member 10 can be selected from one of the lock blocks 27 and 28. Then, the lock blocks 27 and 28 are pushed into the block sliding groove 24 by the force of the compression spring 14 of the lock shaft 13.

The present apparatus having the above configuration operates as follows. The lock pin 16 of the lock shaft 13 is
(FIGS. 10 and 1)
In 1), the rotation operation member 10 can freely rotate within the free rotation area F, and both rotation ends thereof are lock blocks 27 and 28.
(FIGS. 3 and 10). If the rotary operation member 10 is a shutter speed setting dial, the free rotation area F can be a normal shutter speed setting area, and a click stop mechanism can be provided corresponding to each shutter speed value. .

When the rotary operation member 10 is locked at the position corresponding to the lock block 27 or 28, the lock shaft 13 of the rotary operation member 10 is opposed to the force of the compression spring 14 as shown in FIGS. The height position (axial position) where the lock pin 16 does not interfere with the lock blocks 27 and 28 when pushed in
In this state, the lock pin 16 rotates the rotary operation member 10 to a position corresponding to one of the lock blocks 27 and 28. When the lock shaft 13 is released, the lock pin 16 pushes the lock block 27 or 28 into the block sliding groove 24 by the force of the compression spring 14 (FIGS. 6, 7, 4, and 5). When the lock pin 16 is pushed into the lock block 27, the lock pin 16 is in contact with one side surface of the lock block 28 and the block sliding groove 2.
4 is locked by one side, and when the lock pin 16 pushes the lock block 28, the lock pin 16
Is locked by one side surface of the lock block 27 and the other side surface of the block sliding groove 24. If the rotary operation member 10 is a shutter speed setting dial, the two lock positions can be, for example, an auto (A) position and a strobe synchro speed position (X). To release the lock, push in the lock shaft 13 and push the lock pin 1
6 is removed from the block sliding groove 24, and the rotary operation member 10 is rotated in this state, the state returns to the state shown in FIGS.

In the above embodiment, the lock position of the rotary operation member 10 is set at two positions in the circumferential direction. However, it is obvious that the number of lock positions can be increased. No, it can be locked.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the lock pin of the lock shaft selectively engages with one of the adjacent lock blocks, the adjacent lock block engages with the lock pin. Therefore, the rotation operation member can be locked without making the strength of the wall surface between the lock grooves a problem. Therefore, the dial member becomes smaller,
Even if the lock interval becomes short, the lock mechanism can be configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a member on a rotation operation side used for a lock mechanism of a rotation operation member according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dial operation side member at different rotation positions.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a lock-side member used for a lock mechanism of a rotary operation member according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lock side member in a state different from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lock-side member in a state different from FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view in a locked state where the dial operation side member and the lock side member are assembled.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view in a state where the dial operation side member and the lock side member are assembled and the lock is released.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view in a state where the dial operation side member and the lock side member are assembled and in a free rotation state.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Rotation operation member 11 Bottom cylinder part 12 Dial member 13 Lock shaft 14 Compression spring 15 Slit 16 Lock pin 20 Lock member 21 Lock block support 24 Block sliding groove 25 Slide surface 26 Lock block biasing spring 27 28 Lock block

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A locking mechanism for a rotating operation member having a rotating operation member and a lock-side member for locking the rotating operation member at a plurality of positions in a rotation direction, wherein the rotating operation member is rotatably supported. A lock member supported on the shaft portion of the dial member so as to be movable in the axial direction so that relative rotation does not occur in the rotational direction; and a lock pin projected radially from the lock shaft; Lock shaft biasing spring means for biasing the lock shaft to move in a direction protruding from the dial member; wherein the lock-side member includes a lock block support; and the lock block support includes the rotation operating member. A plurality of lock blocks located at a plurality of positions to be locked and supported in a positional relationship of being in contact with each other in a circumferential direction; A lock block biasing spring, which is individually moved and biased in a direction opposing the biasing spring means and positioned at the protruding end, the lock block biasing spring being weaker than the lock shaft biasing spring means. When at the moving end by the urging spring means, the plurality of lock blocks can be selectively pressed and displaced against the lock block urging spring, and when the lock block is pressed and displaced against the lock shaft urging spring means, the lock can be moved. A lock mechanism for a rotary operation member, which is movable to an axial position away from the block. 2. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the dial member has a slit formed therein so that the lock pin of the lock shaft is relatively movably fitted in the axial direction, and the slit and the lock pin form the lock shaft. Is a lock mechanism for a rotary operation member supported on a shaft portion of a dial member so as to be movable in the axial direction and not cause relative rotation in the rotation direction. 3. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the lock block support has a free rotation area of a rotation operation member for sliding a lock pin in a portion where a plurality of lock blocks do not exist, A lock mechanism for a rotary operation member in which both ends of the free rotation area are regulated by the plurality of lock blocks.