Photography – With object illumination for exposure – Having flash built into camera
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2003-04-01
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
With object illumination for exposure
Having flash built into camera
Reexamination Certificate
active
06542697
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus, such as a camera, having a light emission unit arranged to be protrusible and stowable.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional optical apparatus, such as a compact camera, when a main switch is operated, the supply of electric power is started and, accordingly, a lens barrel is drawn out from its stowed position. Then, with the drawing-out motion of the lens barrel used as a drive source, a flash device, which has been stowed in the body of the camera, is caused to protrude, or pop up, to permit flash photography to be carried with the flash device used.
However, the above-mentioned conventional camera necessitates use of an interlocking mechanism for driving the flash device to protrude in association with the drawing-out motion of the lens barrel. The interlocking mechanism makes the structural arrangement of the camera complex to incur an increase in cost. Besides, the interlocking mechanism, which is arranged between the lens barrel which is disposed in the middle of the camera body and the flash device which is, in most cases, disposed at an upper part of the camera body near to one side thereof, requires a large space within the camera to hinder a reduction in size of the camera.
Further, since the flash device is arranged to be driven to protrude by utilizing the driving force on the lens barrel, the energy consumed for driving the flash device to protrude lowers the drawing-out force of the lens barrel. Hence, there is a possibility that the driving arrangement for the flash device brings about some problems in respect of the drawing-out driving action on the lens barrel.
In addition, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/054,990 filed on Apr. 3, 1998 (corresponding to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 10-288807), there is disclosed a camera in which a light emitting part of the flash device is mechanically interlocked with an operation switch provided for starting the supply of electric power to the camera and is made to protrude or to be stowed in the same direction as a direction in which the operation switch is operated.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a camera capable of changing over a flash device between a light-emission enabled state and a stowed state in association with an operation of an operation member provided for starting or stopping the supply of electric power to the camera.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a camera having a flash device arranged to protrude in a direction perpendicular to an operating direction of an operation member.
To attain the above objects, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera, which comprises a light emission unit having a light emitting part, an operation member provided for changing over the camera between an operative state and an inoperative state, a moving member coupled to the operation member and arranged to move in an operating direction in which the operation member is operated, the moving member having a cam groove formed therein, and a rotary member having an engaging part engaging the cam groove and arranged to be rotated around an axis parallel with the operating direction by the engaging part sliding along the cam groove, wherein the light emission unit is rotated around the axis in association with rotation of the rotary member.
Further, in the camera, the rotary member has a first rotary member and a second rotary member, the first rotary member and the second rotary member being connected to each other by an elastic member.
Further, in the camera, the first rotary member has the engaging part, and the light emission unit is driven by a rotating force of the second rotary member obtained through the elastic member.
Further, in the camera, the elastic member is a spring.
Further, in the camera, the operation member is a switch of sliding type.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6222997 (2001-04-01), Ebe
Adams Russell
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Robin Blecker & Daley
Smith Arthur A
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