Camera

Details Camera Camera

1999-10-13

2001-03-06

Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)

Photography

Self-developing camera

C396S132000, C396S349000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198882

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a plurality of mechanisms driven by an electric motor which is rotatable in both the forward and backward directions, including a lens barrel driving mechanism for performing a drive of extension and collapse of a lens barrel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there are known many types of cameras provided with various mechanisms, for example, a mechanism for performing a drive of extension and collapse of a lens barrel, a focusing mechanism, a film feed mechanism, a film development discharge mechanism in an instant camera and so on. Of the cameras incorporating those mechanisms, there is a camera having such an arrangement that an electric motor is included and those mechanisms are driven by the motor.
As to a camera having such an electric motor, hitherto, in order to reduce the number of motors, there is known such a technical concept that a direction of a rotation of a single electric motor is changed on a switching basis so that the respective mechanisms are driven by the same motor. For example, according to the Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 1869801, there is known such a technology that a single electric motor is used so that a selection mechanism for wide-angle/telephoto of barrel is performed by rotation of the electric motor in a certain direction, and another mechanism, for example, a film feed mechanism or a shutter mechanism, is driven by rotation of the electric motor in a reverse direction.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid Open Gazette Hei. 9-236854 discloses a technology that a single electric motor is used so that a film feed, a film wide and a film rewind are performed by rotation of the electric motor in a certain direction, and another mechanism is driven by rotation of the electric motor in a reverse direction.
The technical concepts disclosed in the above-mentioned publications are to drive different mechanisms in accordance with a direction of a rotation. However, the above-mentioned publications simply propose objects to be driven by a single electric motor, for example, in such a way that a lens mechanism or a film feed mechanism is driven in a certain direction of a rotation, and fails to suggest any solution for problems involved in practical use of the switching driving mechanism.
For example, in the event that different mechanisms are driven in accordance with a forward rotation and a reverse rotation of an electric motor, it is general that a planetary mechanism for switching a transmission of a rotary driving force of the electric motor between those mechanisms. Further, in some schemes of extension and collapse of a lens barrel, there is provided a screw barrel in which extension and collapse of a lens barrel are performed on a rotational transfer basis. In the event that a lens barrel having such a screw barrel is provided, and a planetary mechanism is disposed in such a manner that when a single motor is rotated forward, the lens barrel is driven, and when the motor is rotated reversely, another mechanism is driven, when the electric motor is reversely rotated after the electric motor is rotated forward so that the lens barrel is extended, there is offered such a state that an engagement between the planetary mechanism and the mechanism for driving the lens barrel is released while the lens barrel is kept on extension. This causes a situation that simply touch on the screw barrel by a finger permits a rotation of the screw barrel, so that an extension position of the lens barrel is out of the proper position. Thus, there is a possibility that a photography involving no suitable focusing is performed.
This is the same also in the even that the electric motor is stopped without being reversely rotated, after the electric motor is forwardly rotated to extend the lens barrel. When an external force is applied to the screw barrel in a direction wherein the electric motor is reversely rotated, an engagement between the planetary mechanism and the mechanism for driving the lens barrel is relatively easily released. Thus, this causes the same problem as the event that the motor is reversely rotated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a camera preventing an extension position of a lens barrel from being out of a proper position.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides a camera comprising:
a camera main frame;
an electric motor reversely rotatable;
a lens barrel free in an extension and a collapse with respect to said camera main frame, said lens barrel having a member rotatable in accordance with an extension and a collapse, disposed on a portion exposing in at least an extended state;
a plurality of mechanisms driven in accordance with a forward rotation and a reverse rotation of said electric motor, said plurality of mechanisms including a lens barrel driving mechanism for transmitting one rotation of the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of said electric motor to said lens barrel and for reciprocating said lens barrel between a collapsed state and the extended state in accordance with said one rotation;
a planetary mechanism for transmitting a rotation of said electric motor to said lens barrel driving mechanism and other mechanisms of said plurality of mechanisms excluding said lens barrel driving mechanism in accordance with a rotary direction of the rotation of said electric motor; and
a stop lock mechanism for blocking a movement of said lens barrel by detachably engaging with a rotary transmission member rotating when a rotation of said electric motor is transmitted thereto, said constituting said lens barrel or said lens barrel driving mechanism.
A provision of such a stop lock mechanism makes it possible to prevent an extension position of the lens barrel from being varied inadvertently, even if a force in the rotary direction is applied imprudently to the screw barrel of the lens barrel, since the rotation is blocked.
In the camera as mentioned above, it is preferable that said rotary transmission member is a member constituting said lens barrel.
It is acceptable that the rotary transmission member, in which a rotation is blocked by the stop lock mechanism referred to in the present invention, is a member constituting the lens barrel driving mechanism. In such a case, however, there is a possibility that the lens barrel somewhat moves corresponding to the back-lash of gears and the like. To the contrary, in the event that the rotary transmission member, in which a rotation is blocked by the stop lock mechanism referred to in the present invention, is a member constituting the lens barrel, a movement of the lens barrel is directly blocked, and thus it is possible to more reliably prevent the movement of the lens barrel.
Further, in the camera according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is preferable that said stop lock mechanism maintains, while said electric motor drives said lens barrel driving mechanism, a state that an engagement of said stop lock mechanism with said rotary transmission member is released, and said stop lock mechanism maintains, while said electric motor stops and drives said other mechanisms, a state that an engagement of said stop lock mechanism is engaged with said rotary transmission member.
To operate the stop lock mechanism, it is acceptable to provide such an arrangement that a driving force is obtained from an electric motor, and when the electric motor is concerned with a reverse rotation for driving mechanisms other than the lens barrel driving mechanism, the stop lock mechanism is engaged with the rotary transmission member to stop the rotation of the rotary transmission member, and when the electric motor is concerned with a forward rotation for the lens barrel driving mechanism, the engagement is released to drive the lens barrel. In such a case, however, when the electric motor is in the state of a stop without being reversely rotated after the forward rotation, the eng

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