Photography – Camera detail – Lens cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-08
2001-07-10
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Lens cover
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257776
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on application No. H10-194148 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera, and particularly to a camera having a barrier that is slidable between a position in which it keeps a taking lens covered and a position in which it leaves the taking lens uncovered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a camera, a barrier slides between a fully-closed position in which it covers the front-end surface of a taking lens and a fully-open position in which it is retracted from the front-end surface of the taking lens. In this way, the barrier serves to protect the taking lens when no shooting is performed and, in some cases, also serves as a starting switch to make the camera system ready for shooting.
FIG. 6
is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional example of the structure of such a barrier.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a barrier
3
has two, upper and lower, rails
40
and
41
provided integrally therewith, and these rails
40
and
41
are held between a plurality of rotatable guide rollers
8
or the like provided integrally with a body cover
2
of a camera
1
. The rails
40
and
41
are linearly guided by these guide rollers
8
so that the barrier
3
slides across the front-end surface of a taking lens L. Moreover, a click roller
7
is provided that is pressed against one of the rails
40
from above by a compression spring
6
or the like so as to be slidable by rotation along the rail
40
. When the barrier
3
is in a fully-open position or in a fully-closed position, this click roller
7
engages with an engagement groove
40
a
or
40
b
, respectively, formed in the rail
40
so as to exert a clicking force in those two positions.
However, as long as such a sliding mechanism is used to slide the barrier
3
, as the camera is made more compact, the rails
40
and
41
need to be made shorter so as not to protrude from the barrier
3
. Correspondingly, the intervals between the guide rollers
8
a
and
8
b
and between the guide rollers
8
c
and
8
d
need to be made shorter so that the rails
40
and
41
will not come off the guide rollers
8
when the barrier
3
is in the fully-open position.
Between the guide rollers
8
a
,
8
b
,
8
c
, and
8
d
and the rails
40
and
41
, there are secured gaps that allow the rails
40
and
41
to slide, and thus the barrier
3
is somewhat inclined while sliding. Accordingly, making the intervals between the guide rollers
8
a
and
8
b
and between the guide rollers
8
c
and
8
d
shorter causes the barrier
3
to be more inclined while sliding. This makes the sliding movement of the barrier
3
unstable, and thereby degrades the feel of operation of the camera.
Moreover, though not shown in
FIG. 6
, it is necessary to separately provide positioning members to restrict the movement of the barrier
3
in the front-rear direction of the camera so as not to come off the body cover
2
. This increases the number of components required, and thus increases the overall costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera that requires less components and thus less costs and that can be made more compact without sacrificing stable sliding movement of a barrier and thus with an improved feel of operation.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided with: a taking lens; a cover for covering the body of the camera, the cover having an opening; a barrier; and a holding mechanism for holding the barrier on the cover in such a way that the barrier is slidable between a position in which it keeps the taking lens covered and a position in which it leaves the taking lens uncovered. The holding mechanism has: a rail provided on the barrier and inserted through the opening of the cover into the body of the camera in such a way that the cover is sandwiched between the rail and the barrier; and a guide member provided inside the body of the camera so as to guide the rail.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided with: a taking lens provided on the front surface of the body of the camera; a barrier; and a holding mechanism for holding the barrier on the body of the camera in such a way that the barrier is slidable between a position in which it keeps the taking lens covered and a position in which it leaves the taking lens uncovered. The holding mechanism is provided on the rear surface of the body of the camera.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3599553 (1971-08-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5608478 (1997-03-01), Kamoda
patent: 5708891 (1998-01-01), Ando et al.
patent: 5805947 (1998-09-01), Miyamoto et al.
patent: 5822638 (1998-10-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5943521 (1999-08-01), Lamphron et al.
patent: 6036376 (2000-03-01), Owashi et al.
patent: 07013242 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 09197479 (1997-07-01), None
Gray David M.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
LandOfFree
Camera having a barrier slidable between positions to cover... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Camera having a barrier slidable between positions to cover..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Camera having a barrier slidable between positions to cover... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2501910