Camera

Details Camera Camera

2002-08-27

2003-09-30

Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)

Photography

With power supply detail

C396S448000, C396S502000, C396S543000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06628901

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera for photographing in response to a photographing operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a camera, which has a shutter button which is provided on an upper surface of the camera and is pushed down at the time of photographing and a power source switch which is provided on a back surface of the camera and turns on/off a power source, is known. However, in such a camera, since the shutter button and the power source switch are arranged on the upper surface and the back surface of the camera independently, there arises a problem as to improvement in operability and miniaturization. In order to solve this problem, one suggestion is made in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-258670 (1999).
FIG. 7
is an appearance perspective view that the camera suggested in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-258670 (1999) is viewed from a direction where its back surface and upper surface appear.
The upper surface of the camera
100
shown in
FIG. 7
is provided with a setting dial
102
, a shutter button
103
provided on a center portion of the setting dial
102
, a dial indicating section
104
, and a lock releasing button
105
for releasing lock of the setting dial
102
. The setting dial
102
has an off position for turning off a power source of the camera
100
, and a plurality of setting mode positions for setting modes necessary for a photographing operation.
The back surface of the camera
100
is provided with a finder eyepiece window
106
, a liquid crystal display section
107
, setting operation buttons
108
,
109
and
110
for executing setting other than the setting by means of the setting dial
102
.
In this camera
100
, since shutter button
103
and the setting dial
102
which serves as a power source switch are provided on the upper surface of the camera
100
, the camera can be easily operated and miniaturized in comparison with a camera in which a shutter button and a power source switch are provided on an upper surface and a back surface, independently.
However, in the above-mentioned camera
100
, since the shutter button
103
is provided to the center portion of the setting dial
102
which protrudes to a backward direction of the upper surface of the camera
100
(the side of the back surface of the camera
100
), a position of a finger for pushing down the shutter button
103
is a backward side of the camera
100
. For this reason, in the case where the camera
100
is miniaturized, there arises a problem that it is difficult to push down the shutter button
103
. Moreover, when the power source is turned on/off, the setting dial
102
is moved by a finger along a straight ridgeline of an outer edge of the camera
100
, there arises a problem that the operation is difficult.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-34720 also suggests a technique for performing both on/off operation of the power source and shutter releasing operation on an upper surface of a camera. This publication discloses a shutter button which also performs the power source on/off operation. A member, which performs the original function of the shutter button when it is pushed down in the state that the power source is on, is energized to a lateral direction by a spring, and every time when the member is once slid to the lateral direction against the spring energizing so that the power source is turned on and off alternatively.
However, in the case of the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-34720, since the shutter release and the on/off operation of the power source are performed by one member although operating directions are different, there is a fear that although the power source is intended to be turned off, the shutter is accidentally released or on the contrary, although the shutter is intended to be released, the power source is turned off and a chance to push the shutter button is missed.
In addition, similarly to the case of the camera which is shown in FIG.
7
and disclosed in above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-258670 (1999), in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-34720, the shutter button is provided at the center portion on the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the camera, and when the camera is miniaturized, there is a problem that it is difficult to push down the shutter button.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is devised in order to solve the above problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a camera with a high photographing operation.
A camera of the present invention which achieves the above object for photographing in response to a photographing operation, includes: a power source dial provided on an upper surface of the camera for turning on/off a power source upon a pivoting operation; and a shutter button surrounded by the power source dial and provided in a position closer to a front side of the camera than a pivoting center of the power source dial, the shutter button pivoting on the pivoting center of the power source dial upon the pivoting of the power source dial.
In the camera of the present invention, since the shutter button is provided in the position closer to the front side of the camera than the pivoting center of the power source dial, a position of a finger for pushing down the shutter button is a front side of the camera, so that the shutter button can be easily pushed down even in the case of a small camera. Therefore, a shake which easily occurs in a small camera can be reduced.
Here, preferably the camera is provided with a shutter release member which is affected by pushing-down of the shutter button when the power source dial is pivoted to a power source-on position, and free from the effect due to the pushing-down of the shutter button when the power source dial is pivoted to a power source-off position.
When such a shutter release member is provided, shutter lock at the time of disuse can be realized without a special lock mechanism.
In addition, it is preferable that an approximately cylindrical grip section which extends up and down is provided, and the power source dial is arranged on an upper surface of the grip section, and the power source dial has an operation protrusion which protrudes further than a cylindrical outer edge of the grip section and rotates the power source dial.
With such a grip section and power source dial, when a finger is moved along a ridgeline of an upper end of the grip section, catch between the finger and the operation protrusion is maintained naturally and continuously, and releasing of the finger from the operation protrusion is prevented even if the power source dial is pivoted. Moreover, the camera of the present invention has excellent operability in comparison with a conventional camera in which a finger is moved along a straight ridgeline and operates a setting dial so as to turn on/off the power source.
In addition, it is preferable that the camera of the present invention includes a click spring for elastically engaging with the power source dial in both the cases where the power source dial is in a power source-on position and in a power source-off position.
When such a click spring is provided, the power source dial can be stabilized in both the power source-on and power source-off positions. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the power source from being turned on accidentally at the time of disuse or the power source from being turned off accidentally when the shutter button is intended to be pushed down at the time of photographing.
In addition, it is preferable that the camera of the present invention includes: a photographing lens; and a lens barrier member for covering a front surface of the photographing lens so as to be freely opened and closed, wherein the lens barrier member is mechanically connected with the power source dial, and the power source dial retreats from the front surface of the photograph

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