Photography – Camera detail – Lens cover
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-05
2002-09-03
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera detail
Lens cover
C396S079000, C396S349000, C359S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443634
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention mainly relates to a zoom lens camera, and more particularly to a barrier opening-and-closing device and to a lens barrel and a camera having the barrier opening-and-closing device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. HEI 7-191380, a pair or a plurality of barrier members are arranged at the fore end part of a lens barrel to be opened and closed within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis by utilizing drawing-in and drawing-out motions of the lens barrel.
In another camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. HEI 04-091341, a door-like barrier member is arranged at the fore end of a lens barrel to be manually opened toward an object of photo-taking.
However, the camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. HEI 7-191380 necessitates use of a complex mechanism for driving the barrier members within the lens barel and also necessitates a large space for retracting the barrier members into the lens barrel in opening them.
In the barrier mechanism of the camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. HEI 04-091341, the fore end of the barrier member is in a pointed shape when it is in an open state, and thus can not be used as a hood. Therefore, the camera necessitates a hood member to be arranged separately from a barrier member. This, however, causes an increase in the number of parts.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera or an optical apparatus, which comprises a barrier member disposed in front of a lens and arranged to be openable and closable, an urging member arranged to exert an urging force on the barrier member, and an abutting member arranged to be capable of abutting on the urging member, wherein, when the abutting member abuts on the urging member, the urging member exerts on the barrier member an urging force acting in a direction of closing the barrier member, and, when the abutting member does not abut on the urging member, the urging member exerts on the barrier member an urging force acting in a direction of opening the barrier member, so that the structural arrangement of a barrier can be simplified.
The other and further aspects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5294954 (1994-03-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5541696 (1996-07-01), Bittner
patent: 5862426 (1999-01-01), Ichino et al.
patent: 6125237 (2000-09-01), Park
patent: 6312168 (2001-11-01), Naruse et al.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Mathews Alan A.
Robin Blecker & Daley
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