JPS62246028A - Waterproof camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a waterproof camera to be used in both wide-angle and telephoto modes underwater by performing telephoto/wide-angle switching operation not in water by coupling a lens barrel with the camera body in a watertight state when the lens barrel is at a telephoto position and a wide-angle position. CONSTITUTION:When the camera body is placed in the wide-angle state by operating a switch, the step part 3b of the lens barrel 3 abuts on the lock claw 2a of a guide part 2 across packing, so the lens barrel is shielded from water and contacts the guide part 2 in the watertight state. Therefore, the camera lens barrel 3 enters an underwater photographable state. Then when the lens barrel is used in the telephoto state, the camera is taken out of water temporarily and the switch is operated to its telephoto position, so that the lens barrel 3 moves forth. The lens barrel 3 and guide part 2 are placed in a non-watertight state during said movement. When the lens barrel 3 is extended to the telephoto state, the step part 3c of the lens barrel 3 abuts on the lock claw 2a of the guide part 2 and is made waterproof by the packing to connect with the guide part 2 watertightly. Thus, underwater telephotography is enabled.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to waterproof cameras, and more particularly to telephoto cameras.

This invention relates to a waterproof camera whose lens barrel can be moved back and forth for wide-angle switching.

(Prior art) Waterproof cameras have a liquid-tight camera body, so when the lens barrel is made to move back and forth to switch between telephoto and wide-angle, the volume of the entire camera including the lens barrel increases. As a result, the air pressure inside the camera changes, which is difficult to realize in reality.

Therefore, as mentioned above, waterproof cameras whose internal air pressure can change due to the back and forth movement of the lens barrel,
Strictly speaking, it cannot be made liquid-tight, and in order to perform underwater Wi-type with these non-liquid-tight cameras, the camera must be stored in a liquid-tight transparent case and the camera inside must be operated from outside the case. This is necessary and is extremely inconvenient in practice.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof camera that can be easily handled without being housed in a transparent case or the like. be.

(Structure of the Invention) The waterproof camera of the present invention is provided on the camera body so that it can take a first position close to the camera body and a second position roughly protruding outward from the first position. A lens barrel is provided that is movable along a guide portion, and is engaged with the guide portion so as to be liquid-tight with the camera body only when the lens barrel is in the first position and the second position. It is characterized by:

In the waterproof camera of the present invention, the lens barrel is liquid-tight with the camera body at the first position @ and the second position, so by arranging the lens barrel at the first position and the second position, a wide-angle , switch to telephoto, and do this switch! = If you use the rear camera underwater, you can get a waterproof camera that can switch between wide-angle and telephoto. In addition, when the lens barrel is in a position other than the first and second positions, that is, during the switching operation, it is not liquid-tight with the camera body, so if the switching operation is performed when the camera is not underwater, the lens barrel Even if the volume inside the camera changes due to the movement of the cylinder, air moves in and out according to the change in volume, and the air pressure inside the camera does not change, allowing easy switching.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing an outline of a waterproof camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The illustrated waterproof camera includes a camera body 1 and a camera body 1.
This lens #f! is equipped with a lens barrel 3 that can be moved back and forth relative to the lens #f! lH3 is provided integrally with the camera body 1,
Cylindrical guide part 2 protruding forward from the front of the camera body
and moves back and forth along this guide section 2.

When the lens barrel 3 is in the first position close to the camera body 1 shown in FIG. 1(a), it becomes a wide-angle lens, and when it is in the first position shown in FIG. When it is in the second position protruding from the lens, it becomes a telephoto lens. This movement of the lens barrel 3 is performed, for example, by pressing a switch 4 provided on the top surface of the camera body 1. Further, the lens barrel 3 engages with the guide portion 2 so as to be liquid-tight with the camera body 1 only when it is in the first position and the second position,
The cIX is adapted to engage with the guide portion 2 in a non-liquid-tight manner when moving the bar between the first and second positions.
Referring to FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) below, this lens barrel 3
The movement and engagement with the guide section 2 will be explained.

Figure 2 (a) and (bl) are horizontal cross-sectional views of the vicinity of the lens barrel of a waterproof camera, respectively, and Figure 2 (a) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the lens barrel of a waterproof camera.
FIG. 2(b) shows the telephoto state shown in FIG. 1(b).

A lens barrel 3 is disposed inwardly of the guide section 2 and engages with the guide section 2, and this lens barrel 3 is connected to the guide means 7.
It is guided so that it can move forward and backward. Also lens tA
A glass front plate 3a is waterproofed and fixed to the front surface of the tube 3 with an O-ring 3a', and an objective lens 5 and a converter lens 7 which can be freely taken in and out are arranged behind the glass front plate 3a. The converter lens 7 is moved into the optical path by a switching mechanism (not shown) so that it is removed from the optical path for wide angle (Fig. 2(a)) and inserted into the optical path only for telephoto (Fig. 2(b)). It is taken in and out.

The lens barrel 3 slides within the guide portion 2 from the first position shown in FIG. 2(a), which is the position after #1, to the position shown in FIG.
), the lens barrel 3 moves back and forth between the second position, which is the foremost position, as shown in FIG. By abutting the stepped portion 3c provided at the sharp end, the rod is stopped at the first position and the second position.

When the camera body enters the wide-angle state by pressing switch 4, the lens barrel 3 is placed in the first position shown in FIG. 2
comes into contact with the front surface of the locking claw 2a.

As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 3(a), a backing 8 is fixed to the front and rear surfaces of the locking pawl 2a, and the stepped portion 3b comes into contact with the locking pawl 2a via this backing 8. , is waterproofed by the backing 8 and engages with the guide portion 2 in a fluid-tight manner.

Therefore, the camera in which the lens barrel 3 is placed in the first position and the entire camera is in a liquid-tight state can be carried underwater.

On the other hand, this waterproof camera can also use the lens barrel 3 in a telephoto state, and this switching is performed after the camera is once taken out of the water.

That is, take the camera out of the water and press the switch 4.
When the camera is set to the telephoto state by pressing , the lens barrel 3 moves forward, and during this movement, both the step portions 3b and 3C of the lens barrel 3 are separated from the backing 8, and the lens barrel 3 and The guide portion 2 is in a non-liquidtight state. Therefore, even if the volume inside the camera increases due to the lens barrel 3 being pulled out, the air pressure inside the camera does not change because air enters the camera in proportion to the increase in volume.

When the lens barrel 3 is pulled out to the second position in the telephoto state in this way, the stepped portion 3c of the lens barrel 3 engages with the locking claw of the guide portion 2, as shown in FIG. 3(b). a,
The converter lens 7 is waterproofed by a backing 8 fixed to the rear surface of the locking claw 2a and comes into liquid-tight contact with the guide portion 2.The converter lens 7 also rotates around an axis 7a as shown in FIG. 2(b). The camera is then moved onto the optical axis of the objective lens 5, and the camera, now in a telephoto state, is again able to take pictures underwater.

If you want to return the camera from telephoto to wide-angle, take the camera out of the water and insert the lens barrel into the second lens barrel.
If the lens barrel 3 is moved back to the position shown in FIG. Can be done. Further, by always returning the lens barrel 3 to the first position when storing the camera, the camera can be stored in a compact state without increasing its size.

In this way, in this waterproof camera, the lens barrel 3 and the guide section 2 are engaged in a liquid-tight manner only when using telephoto or wide-angle, and are engaged in a non-liquid-tight manner when switching. By performing the switching between , telephoto and wide-angle outside of the water, we have developed a waterproof camera that can be used underwater for both wide-angle and telephoto without causing changes in air pressure due to changes in the volume inside the camera. Become. Note that the unique structure of the lens barrel, etc. is not limited to that shown in the above embodiments, and the liquid-tight or non-liquid-tight state of the lens barrel and guide section may be controlled by members other than the backing. It is also possible. The guide portion that roughly engages with the lens barrel may be installed at any position as long as it can engage with the lens barrel, and does not necessarily need to protrude forward from the camera body.

(Effect of explanation) As explained above, according to the waterproof camera of the present invention, when the lens barrel is in the telephoto position and the wide-angle position, it is liquid-tight with the camera body. It becomes possible to take pictures in both wide-angle and telephoto settings without having to be stored in a transparent case or the like. Telephoto again.

Since the lens barrel and camera body become non-liquid-tight when switching to wide-angle, if this switching is performed outside of water, the switching can be easily performed regardless of changes in the volume inside the camera.

The waterproof camera of the present invention can be used for 1lffl shadow underwater, and can also be suitably used as a so-called everyday waterproof type camera used in environments with a lot of water.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(a) and (b) are perspective views showing the wide-angle and telephoto states of a waterproof camera according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively. FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are main points of the waterproof camera described above. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are partially enlarged views of FIGS. 2(a) and (b). 1...Camera body 2...Guidance part? a
...locking ton 3...lens mirror 3b,
3c...Column 8...Engraving of backing drawing (no change in content) Fig. 1 (b) Fig. 2 (a) (b) Fig. 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A lens barrel is movable along a guide provided on the camera body so that it can take a first position close to the camera body and a second position protruding further outward from the first position. A waterproof camera, wherein the lens barrel engages with the guide portion so as to be liquid-tight with the camera body only when the lens barrel is in the first position and the second position.