JPS62179606A - Signal setter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the positioning of an encoder pattern to a control member simply and with high accuracy, by incorporating a pattern for expressing a reference position of the control member into an encoding pattern. CONSTITUTION:Encoding patterns 2a-2d and 2e are formed at an encoder section 2 on a circuit board 1. An encoding bit signal is generated corresponding to the patterns 2a-2d through a slide brush 3 of a control member to perform a required computer control with a microcomputer MC1 or the like. Here, the brush 3 generates a reference encoding output for positioning through the pattern 2e. Depending on the presence of this output, the positioning of a encoder pattern and the control member is accomplished simply at a high accuracy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Bone of the Invention) The present invention relates to an encoder for converting the set position of an actuating member in an optical device into an electrical signal.

(Background of the Invention) In recent years, the digitization of photographic equipment has progressed significantly, and various types of information are processed in the form of electrical signals in photographic equipment in order to automate automatic exposure, automatic focusing, and the like.

For example, in an interchangeable lens for an eye reflex camera, information on a set focal length is transmitted as a digital electrical signal to a microcomputer in the camera body in response to the operation of a zoom operation ring. In this way, in order to convert the set position of an operating member such as a zoom operation ring into an electrical signal, a brush is slid on an encoder pattern made of a conductive pattern formed on an insulating substrate, and the brush is moved according to the brush position. A so-called encoder that outputs a signal code is used.

Looking at the structure of encoders in conventional photographic equipment, the relative position between the engoder pattern and the brush is usually adjusted visually while looking at the conductor shape and plan of the pattern. However, such a structure has the disadvantage that the accuracy of the encoder is likely to deteriorate due to parallax and pattern reading errors during alignment. In addition, when the adjustment is performed visually, the encoder section needs to be visible from the outside of the device, which poses a design constraint.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to solve these drawbacks and provide a signal setting device for an optical device that can easily and accurately align the encoder pattern and the operating member.

(Summary of the Invention) Technical points of the present invention include that the encoder pattern is formed so as to output a signal code representing the reference position of the operating member position in order to perform relative positioning between the encoder pattern and the operating member. It is said that

(Example) FIGS. 1 to 3 show examples of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a signal setting device applied to a lens information setting device for an interchangeable lens for a camera, and FIGS. The figure is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between a camera and an interchangeable lens.

In a zoom lens barrel that can be attached to a camera that has an automatic focus detection device, various information such as focal length information at the set focal length of the zoom lens barrel must be transmitted to the automatic focus detection device on the camera side. For this purpose, an encoder (signal setting device) is installed that is linked to a lens operating member such as a zoom operation ring. The configuration of this encoder is shown in FIG. 1, in which a circuit board (e.g.
Conductor patterns 2a to 2d and 2g are formed on an insulating substrate as an encoder pattern in the encoder section 2 on the flexible printed board +ff1) I, and each conductor pattern is connected to a one-chip microcomputer ( It is electrically connected to the input ports (1), ~I4 and the ground pin GND of the MCI (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer). The communication input/output ports 01 to C4 of the microcomputer MCI input/output the microcomputer including the automatic focus detection device provided in the camera (not shown) via electrical contacts provided in the lens mount section and the camera mount section. Connected to the boat.

In FIG. 1, the sliding brush 3 is installed on a lens operating member such as a zoom operation ring, and slides on the conductor pattern of the encoder section 2 in the direction of arrow X in conjunction with the movement of the operation ring. The sliding parts 3g, 3a-3c of this brush 3 are made of a conductive member, and the respective conductor patterns 2g, 2a-2c
It is configured to slide with the This conductor pattern 2
g is a ground pin (potential 0) of the microcomputer MCI, and is connected to the ground pin GND. Input port N where the sliding brush 3 and the conductor pattern are in contact
, to 14), it becomes a low level signal, and in the non-contacting part, it becomes an H level signal.

For example, when the sliding brush 3 is located at position P, 3g of the sliding parts 3g, 3a to 3c of the brush 3,
3b, 3c contact the conductor patterns 72g, 2b, 2c, only the input ports -Fz, Ix of the microcomputer MCI become L level signals, and the remaining input ports I1. ta is H
It becomes a level signal.

Cholera, positions P, ~P representing the position of the sliding flange 3
At each position of input port 1. ~■ Table 1 below summarizes the signals input to 4.

Table 1 Furthermore, the microcomputer MCI reads lens information corresponding to the input codes to the input ports I and 4 from the internal memory, and outputs it as a digital signal from the data output port C1 according to a predetermined format. For example, if a communication format is defined to output signals in chronological order, it is possible to send multiple pieces of data to the camera body.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of signals when the zoom lens barrel on which the flexible printed circuit board l having the encoder section shown in FIG. 1 is installed is attached to the camera body B.

As described above, the contact position between the sliding brush 3 and the encoder section 2 is determined by the set position of the lens operating member (for example, the zoom operation ring), and the encoder section 2 outputs a signal code. Here, the positions P and ~P on the encoder section 2 indicate focal length information of the zoom lens barrel, and each position corresponds to one piece of focal length information. The signal code output from the encoder section 2 is manually input to a microcomputer MCI including a lens information setting circuit.

As a result, lens information (for example, set focal length) determined by the signal code is output as a digital signal from the microcomputer MCI, and this digital signal is connected to the camera body side electrical contact Ls and electrical contact RI of the lens mount. B is transmitted to the camera control microcomputer MC2 in the camera body. On the camera body side,
Automatic exposure is performed based on the lens information entered in this way.
Controls automatic focus detection, etc.

In Figure 1 and Table 1, Pl-1 to P I-3 and P
2 to P represent positions determined by the position of the sliding brush 3, and it has already been mentioned that a signal code is set according to each position.

Among these, the signal codes generated by input ports II to (1) are shown in Table 2. The 3-bit signal code created by this person's capo)1+ to ■1 is the first code for setting lens information. Lens information set according to this first code is transmitted to the camera side and used for automatic exposure, automatic focus detection, etc. That is, the first code corresponding to the lens information used for controlling the camera is the same data at the three positions PI-14P, -.

Table 2 In the encoder unit 2 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 1, the human-powered boat 1. By providing the conductor pattern 2d connected to the position, positions P1-1 to P1-3 are formed, and the above-mentioned 4-bit code is set. The conductor pattern 2d is formed with a certain width, for example, at the encoder reference position P0 corresponding to the rotation restriction position of the actuating member (here, the zoom operation ring). Only when the sliding brush 3 is located at or near the encoder reference position Wpo, the signal code shown in PI-1 in Table 1 is inputted to the microcomputer MCI by the encoder 2. This position P l-1
The signal code output at is the second code indicating the encoder reference position. This conductor pattern 2d is provided on a substrate 2e without a conductor pattern, on which a gray code pattern consisting of conductor patterns 2a to 2c is arranged. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate sliding brush portion that contacts the conductor pattern 2d for the input port I.

Therefore, there is no need to provide a wide range of sliding brushes 3 and encoder sections 2.

In addition to the lens information set by the first code input from the input ports 11 to 1 described above, the microcomputer MCI also stores encoder position information set by the second code input from the input ports ■1 to ■4. is output from output port c4. As an example of this encoder position information, Table 3 shows an example in which the states of input ports ()It to (4) are converted into data as they are.

Table 3 Among these, data rllllOJ shown in P I-2 corresponds to the encoder reference position signal.

With the above configuration, in normal use with the lens barrel attached to the camera, only the lens information set by the first code is communicated from the lens barrel's microcomputer MCI to the camera body's microcomputer MC2. Ru.

FIG. 3 shows the signal reading circuit M when adjusting the relative position between the encoder 2 and the sliding brush 3 during the manufacture of the lens barrel.
It is an explanatory view when a lens barrel is attached to the tool W built in C3f. This signal reading circuit MC3 reads encoder position information including an encoder reference position signal from the microcomputer (information setting circuit) MCI of the lens barrel via the lens contact and the tool contact W, and displays it on an external display section. do. Therefore, when adjusting the attachment of the sliding brush 3 to an operating member such as a zoom operation ring of a lens barrel,
The encoder position jN Il! displayed on the display section of the tool W with the operating member set at a position corresponding to the encoder reference position P0, for example, the rotation restriction position. The mounting position of the sliding brush 3 may be adjusted so that the position indicates the encoder reference position.

In the embodiment, the position adjustment of the zoom operation ring as the operation member and the encoder pattern has been described, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, a sliding brush may be linked to the aperture ring, distance ring, etc. Position adjustment may be performed in the same way. Also, the method for generating the signal code of this encoder is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, a reflective pattern may be provided in place of the encoder pattern. A method of using a reflector, a method of providing a light transmitting pattern instead of an encoder pattern and using a photo ink reflector, or a method of providing a magnetic pattern instead of an encoder pattern and performing magnetic detection may be used.

In addition, although the example shows the case of an interchangeable lens barrel for a camera, the present invention is not limited to lens barrels, but can be applied to all devices that require electrical signal settings, such as strobes and motor drive devices. Needless to say. In addition, the signal is not limited to a digital signal (an analog signal using a resistor etc. may also be used. Also, the signal representing the encoder reference position is not limited to the output signal from the signal setting circuit, but can be directly input from the encoder output code. It's a good way to read.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the encoder pattern and the operating member can be aligned easily and with high precision.

In addition, according to the embodiment, since the relative position adjustment between the encoder pattern and the sliding brush is performed not by visual observation but by electrically reading signals, parallax and pattern reading errors due to visual observation do not occur. In addition, since the encoder section does not need to be visible from the outside, the degree of freedom in design increases accordingly.Furthermore, by narrowing the width of the conductor pattern 2d representing the reference position, the accuracy of the relative position between the brush and the encoder pattern can be improved. It is also possible to increase it further. Furthermore, since signals are electrically read to adjust the position of the sliding brush and the encoder pattern, there is no need to rely on manual labor, and automatic assembly can be easily accommodated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a developed view showing the encoder pattern of the signal setting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the signal setting device and optical equipment, and FIG. 3 is the relationship between the signal setting device and tools. FIG. (Explanation of symbols of main parts) l...Flexible printed circuit board

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an optical device having an encoder that generates a code according to the setting position of an operating member and a signal processing circuit that outputs information corresponding to the code generated by the encoder as a signal, for setting the code on the encoder. The patterns include a first pattern for generating a first code for setting information, and a second pattern for generating a second code representing a reference position of the operating member, separate from the first pattern. A signal setting device for an optical device, characterized in that: