Photography – Camera detail – Body structure or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-17
2002-10-08
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Body structure or housing
C396S536000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06463221
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery accommodating device for a digital camera or the like, and more particularly to a locking structure for a lid which closes and opens a battery accommodating portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable apparatus such as a digital camera usually includes: a case which accommodates a battery; a lid which is pivotally attached to the case to close and open a battery accommodating portion; and an elastic lock member which is disposed on the lid. The lock member is engaged with an engaging portion of the case to close the battery accommodating portion by the lid. A battery accommodating device having such a locking structure is disclosed in, for example, JP-B-63-48941U and JP-B-3-6620.
In such a conventional device, in a situation such as that a shock is applied to the case, that the case drops, or that the user accidentally touches the lock member, the engagement between the lock member and the case may be canceled so that the lid is opened and the battery inside the case jumps out. When the battery jumps out, there arises a fear that the battery drops on the foot of the user or an article to cause an injury or a damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a battery accommodating device which can solve the above-discussed problem, and in which, even when application of a shock, dropping of the device, or the like occurs, a battery is prevented from jumping out, so that safety can be ensured.
In order to solve the problem, according to the invention, a first protrusion which is to be engaged with an engaging portion of a case in a state where a lid closes a battery accommodating portion, and a second protrusion which is to be engaged with the engaging portion of the case when the lid is pivoted to open the battery accommodating portion are disposed on a lock member.
In this structure, in a usual state, the first protrusion is engaged with the engaging portion of the case to hold the lid at a locked state. When application of a shock, dropping of the device, or the like occurs, the engagement between the first protrusion and the case may be canceled and the lid may be opened. Even in this situation, the second protrusion is engaged with the engaging portion of the case, and hence the lid rests in a state where the lid is opened by a certain angle. Therefore, an opening of the accommodating portion is opened only to an intermediate position, whereby the battery can be prevented from jumping out to drop.
In the invention, the lock member may be configured by a U-like arm member in which one end is a fixed end and another end is a free end, and the first and second protrusions may be disposed on an arm piece on a side of the free end. According to this configuration, the lock member is provided with a sufficient elastic force so that the locking can be surely attained. In this configuration, preferably, an arm piece on a side of the fixed end is configured by a pair of arm pieces which are dividedly formed to be respectively on both sides of a groove, in order to easily cancel the engagement of the second protrusion.
In the invention, the second protrusion may be a protrusion having an arcuate curved face. According to this configuration, an operation of canceling the engagement of the second protrusion is further facilitated.
In the invention, the lock member which is structured as described above may be molded integrally with the lid. According to this configuration, the lock member is not required to be formed as a separate member, and the double locking mechanism can be realized by only the lid.
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patent: 8-255604 (1996-10-01), None
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patent: 9-251330 (1997-09-01), None
Adams Russell
Crowell & Moring LLP
Esplin D. Ben
Funai Electric Co. Ltd.
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