Photography – Camera detail – Body structure or housing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-22
2001-06-12
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Body structure or housing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246840
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a backside cover of a camera.
A locking mechanism for locking a backside cover in the closed state is provided for cameras. It is common that the locking mechanism comprises a fixed locking member on either one of a camera main body or a backside cover, and a movable locking member on the other one to be movable between the locking position for engagement with the fixed locking member and the unlocking position for disengagement therefrom. The movable locking member is biased toward the locking position in this kind of the locking mechanism. The movable locking member can be arranged to retract in the unlocking direction by contact with the fixed locking member during the course of closure of the backside cover. If the force for closing the backside cover is weak or insufficient, the fixed locking member may be sandwiched between the movable locking member and an adjacent member without establishing the complete engagement with the movable locking member, and held in that state due to the biasing force for the movable locking member. This incomplete closing of the backside cover looks as if the backside cover is closed, but actually the backside cover is not locked. This incomplete closing leads to problems that the backside cover is unintentionally opened during photographing to expose a film, and the backside cover is opened during the carriage of the camera to damage mechanisms inside the camera or the backside cover. Moreover, the incomplete closing of the backside cover is highly liable to malfunction the switch for electrically detecting the opening or closing of the backside cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism for a backside cover of a camera, capable of preventing incomplete closure of the backside cover, with a simple and inexpensive arrangement.
A locking mechanism for a backside cover according to the invention has an entrance hole which allows a lock pin to enter into a position where the lock pin is engaged with the hook part of the movable locking member when the backside cover is closed. A tapered surface is formed on one of the opposing surfaces of the entrance hole so that when the lock pin is forced in the biasing direction of the movable locking member, the tapered surface contacts with the lock pin to guide the lock pin in a direction in which the lock pin is discharged from the entrance hole.
A locking mechanism for a backside cover according to a preferred embodiment comprises: a lock pin provided on one of the camera main body and the backside cover; a movable locking member supported by the other of the camera main body and the backside cover, the movable locking member being operable from an outside of the camera main body and movable between a locking position in which a hook part of the movable locking member is engaged with the lock pin in a state where the backside cover closes the back side of the camera main body, and an unlocking position in which the hook part is disengaged from the lock pin; a biasing mechanism which biases the movable locking member toward the locking position; an entrance hole formed on the one of the camera main body or the backside cover where the movable locking member is provided, the entrance hole allowing the lock pin to enter into an engagement position in which the locking pin is engaged with the hook part when the backside cover closes the back side of the camera main body; and a tapered surface provided in the entrance hole, wherein when the locking pin does not enter into the engagement position and is pressed in a biasing direction by the movable lock member, the tapered surface contacts with the lock pin and guides the lock pin externally from the entrance hole using a pressing force of the movable locking member.
In this arrangement configuration, since the lock pin is forced out from the entrance hole by the force acting on the movable locking member when the force of closing the backside cover is insufficient, there is no case that the backside cover is closed halfway without locking of the backside cover.
It is preferable that the entrance hole is formed in a plate-like member, provided independently from the camera main body and fixed on the camera main body, and the movable locking member is supported movably by the plate-like member. Moreover, it is preferable that the surface of the lock pin to be contacted with the tapered surface is cylindrical.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese patent application No. Hei. 10-332986 (filed on Nov. 24, 1999), which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3358574 (1967-12-01), Liverano
patent: 3820146 (1974-06-01), Nesson et al.
patent: 5347335 (1994-09-01), Misawa
patent: 5708856 (1998-01-01), Cloutier
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Gray David M.
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
LandOfFree
Locking mechanism for backside cover of camera does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Locking mechanism for backside cover of camera, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Locking mechanism for backside cover of camera will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2516746