JPH04199035A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a camera that can incorporate or be attached with a strobe unit that is rotatably supported at a storage position and an extended position.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, various cameras with built-in auto hops-up strobes have been proposed.

For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-12428, there is a method in which a strobe is biased by a spring in the pop-up direction and the tension that is held by an electromagnetic magnet is released.

[Problem that the invention is trying to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when the strobe is popped up due to the spring force, the shock at the end of the pop-up is large and there are problems such as bouncing.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a camera in which a strobe unit that is rotatably supported between a storage position and an extended position is built in or can be attached, in which the strobe unit is unlocked and rotated from the storage position to the extended position by a spring force. In this case, by applying a frictional sliding motion using the spring force used in the locking mechanism, a camera is provided which reduces impact at the protruding position and prevents bouncing.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

First, the mechanical structure of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 1 and 2, and the details and operation will be explained using FIGS. 3 through 6, and FIGS. 7 and 8 will be explained. The operation based on the flowchart will now be explained.

] is the upper cover as the exterior of the camera body, and constitutes a part of the camera body. 2 is a case, upper cover 1
It is rotatably supported on the shaft and forms the framework of the strobe unit. 2a is an elongated hole and a lead wire 4, which will be described later.
It has the role of passing 0 through and absorbing the movement of the member due to zooming. 3 is a strobe cover that forms the appearance of the strobe unit, and is fixed to the case 2. Reference numeral 4 designates a panel that covers the entire surface of the strobe unit, and has a Fresnel lens portion 4a for controlling strobe light and a window portion 4b corresponding to a red-eye prevention lamp to be described later. Reference numeral 5 denotes a base plate, which has a plurality of gear shafts, a bearing 5a whose outer periphery serves as the rotation axis of the case 2, a bearing 5b, and a splash 5C, and is fixed to the back side of the upper cover 1 with screws.

A gear 6 meshes with a motor M2 fixed to the main body of the camera or the mirror box, and is connected to the motor M2 to transmit rotation in only one direction from a gear train including a planetary gear mechanism described later.

7 and 8 are gears, and the rotation of gear 6 is transmitted from gear 7 to gear 8.

A gear 9 meshes with the gear 8, and is rotationally fitted to the inner periphery of the bearing 5a of the base plate 5. A gear 10 meshes with the gear 9, and has a blade portion 10a on one side.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a lever, which has a shaft portion 11a, a protrusion 11b, a spring hook 11c, and a switch pushing portion lid,
, a are rotatably supported on the inner periphery of the bearing 5b. In addition, the switch pushing part lid is lever 1 when it is popped up.
1, switch SW3 is turned on. 12 is the claw part 1
2b, has a protrusion 12a near the claw portion 12b, and is fixed to the shaft 11a of the lever 11.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a spring, one end of which is hung on the spring hook 5c of the base plate 5, and the other end is hooked on the spring hook llc of the lever 11, so that the tension lever 12 is rotated counterclockwise, that is, in the locking direction of the claw portion 12b. to energize. A bearing 14 is partially fixed to the upper cover 1 and serves as a rotating shaft of the case 2.

15L and 15R are screws that serve as stoppers when the case 2 rotates in the protruding direction relative to the upper cover 1, and are tightened to the upper cover. A spring 16 biases the case 2 in the pop-up direction, and is attached to a part of the outer periphery of the bearing 14. The spring 16 is attached to a part of the outer periphery of the bearing 14, and the thin arm is hooked to the case 2 by a screw 15R. A fixed locking member 17 has a hook 17a for hooking the claw portion 12b of the tension lever 12, and has cams 17b and 17c as shown in detail in FIG.
c is a circular arc from the rotation axis of the case 2, and is fixed to the case 2.

When the motor M2 is driven as shown in FIGS. 5(A) to 5(C), the rotation is transmitted to the gears 6 to 1O, and the blade portion 10a of the gear 10 resists the spring 13 to move the lever 11. Push down the protrusion 11b. Then, the tension lever 12 is rotated clockwise like the lever 11, the claw portion 12b of the tension lever 12 is released from the hook 17a of the fixed locking member 17, and the case 2 is rotated in the projecting direction by the bias of the spring 16. The protrusion 12a engages the cam portion 17b of the fixed locking member 17.
comes into contact with.

Further, the case 2 rotates, and as the case 2 rotates due to the force of the spring 16, the cam portion 17 of the fixed locking member 17
b to 17c pushes the protrusion 12a of the tension lever 12, and the tension lever 12 rotates until the protrusion 11b of the lever 11 leaves the rotation region of the blade part 10a of the gear 10 in the area of the cam part 17c. (Figure 5 (B) ~
(C)). In other words, the tension lever 12 is
is released, the case 2 moves up, and the up movement of the case 2 further releases the tension lever 12, rotates the protrusion 11b of the lever 11 out of the rotation range of the blade 10a, and prevents further rotation of the motor M from the lever 11 and the lever 12. The tension lever 12 is prevented from being transmitted to the tension lever 12. Also, the protrusion 12a is connected to the spring 13.
While generating a constant frictional force on the circular arc portion of the cam portion 17c due to the urging force of
Rotate in the protruding direction until it comes into contact with (Fig. 5 (A) - (
C)).

Next, 18 is a gear, which is fixed coaxially with the gear 9 in the upper cover 1 and transmits the signal into the rotating case 2. 19.20
is an idler that transmits the rotation of the gear 18. 21 is a gear having a cam 21a on one surface and a contact piece 31 (see FIG. 2) fixed on the other surface. 32 is a substrate (see FIG. 2) on which the contact piece 31 slides, and detects the phase of the cam 21a. 2. The gears 19 to 21 are rotatably supported on the shaft of the case 2. Reference numeral 22 denotes a transmission lever having a bearing rotatably mounted on the shaft of the case 2, a roller 22a that traces the cam 21a, and a pusher 22b that presses the holder 27. A spring 23 is attached to the outer periphery of the bearing of the transmission lever 22, and has one end hung on the case 2 and the other end hung on a holder 27, which will be described later. Reference numeral 24 denotes a holding plate, which is screwed to the case 2 while holding down the gears 19 to 21 and the transmission lever 22.

25 is a xenon tube, which is fixed to the reflective shade 26 with rubber (not shown). A holder 27 holds the xenon tube 25 and the reflective shade 26. A holding member 28 is fixed to the inside of the case 2. A shaft 29 is held by the holding member 28 and extends perpendicularly to the surface of the panel 4. 30
is a rail, and the shaft 29 and the flat rail-shaped elongated hole 30a
and is fixed to the inside of the case 2. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the holder 27 is supported on one side by a shaft 29 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and on the other side, the host section 27b is supported by the rail 30.
It is slidably held on the rail portion 30a of the. One end of the spring 23 is applied to the protrusion 27a of the holder 27, and the holder 27 is biased toward the panel 4, and is restricted in the opposite direction by the transmission lever 22.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the transmission lever 22 is swung based on the cam displacement of the cam portion 21a of the gear 21 whose rotation is transmitted from the motor M2, and the push portion 22b pushes the protrusion 27a of the holder 27 against the spring 23. The xenon tube 25 of the holder 27 and the light emitting part of the reflective shade 26 are moved back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the panel 4.

Next, 33 is a red-eye prevention lamp, and 34 is a reflective shade that collects the light, which is fixed to the back side of the window 4b of the panel 4. As shown in Figure 2 above, case 2 is divided into three rooms,
The light emitting parts 25 to 27 moving to the center are laid out, the driving mechanisms 18 to 24 are laid out on the left side, and the red-eye prevention lamp units 33 and 34 are laid out on the right side. A lead wire 40 extends through the bearing 14 to one side of the case 2, is connected to the lamp 33, and is further connected to the xenon tube 25 through the elongated hole 2a.

In FIG. 4, a planetary gear mechanism that transmits the output of the motor M2 will be explained. Output gear 51 of motor M2 is transmitted to sun gear 53 via a transmission gear. A planetary lever 54 is coupled to the center shaft of the sun gear 53 in a flexible manner, and the planetary gear is pivotally supported by the planetary lever 54. Therefore, the sun gear, the planetary lever 54, the planetary gear 5
5 constitutes a planetary gear mechanism.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a mirror drive gear, and although detailed illustration is omitted, the unidirectional rotation of this mirror drive gear allows the main mirror 60 to be photographed from the observation position (down position) shown in FIG. 2 using a cam mechanism. Retracted position (up position)
and then return to the observation position.

When the motor M2 rotates in reverse, the sun gear 53 rotates counterclockwise to engage the planet gear 55 with the gear 6, and when the motor M2 rotates in the normal direction, the planet gear 55 meshes with the mirror drive gear 56.

FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram of this embodiment.

PR8 controls the camera, for example, it has an internal CPU.
(Central processing unit,) ROM, RAM, A, /
1-chip microcomputer with D conversion function (
(hereinafter abbreviated as microcomputer). Microcomputer PR3 is RO
A series of camera operations such as an automatic exposure control function, an automatic focus detection function, a strobe control function, a film winding function, and a mechanical charge function are controlled in accordance with the camera sequence program stored in the M.

For this purpose, the microcomputer PR3 uses the synchronous communication signal 5O131.
, 5CLK, communication selection signals CLCM, C3DR.

The CDDR is used to communicate with peripheral circuits and lenses within the camera body to control the operation of each circuit and lens.

SO is the data signal output from microcomputer PR3, SI
is the data signal output from microcomputer PR3, 5CLK
is the synchronization clock of signal 5oSSI. LCM is a lens communication buffer circuit that supplies power to the lens power terminal when the camera is in operation, and also supplies power to the microcontroller P.
The selection signal CLCM from R3 is at a high potential level (hereinafter “H”).
”), it becomes a communication buffer between the camera and the lens. In other words, the microcomputer PR3 transmits the selection signal CLCM as “
When set to "H" and sends predetermined data from the signal SO in synchronization with the synchronization clock 5CLK, the buffer circuit LCM outputs each buffer signal of the synchronization clock 5CLK and the signal SO to the lens via the camera-lens interface. Similarly, a signal such as the lens focal length from the lens is output as a signal SI, and the microcomputer PR3 inputs the signal SI as data from the lens in synchronization with the synchronization clock 5CLK.

SDR is a drive circuit for a line sensor device for focus detection consisting of a CCD, etc., and the communication selection signal C3DR is “
Selected when “H”, signal 5O1SI, clock 5C
Controlled using LK.

SPC is a photometric sensor for exposure control that receives light from the subject through the photographic lens, and its output 5spc is input to the analog input terminal of microcomputer PR3, and automatic exposure control (AE) is performed according to a predetermined A/D conversion program. ) used for

DDR is a switch detection and display circuit, which is selected when the signal CDDR is "H" and is controlled by the microcomputer PR3 using the signal 5OSS■ and the synchronous clock 5CLK. FMS is a film feed detection circuit, and the detection output is input to the circuit DDR as a signal SFMS. MES is a mechanical phase detection circuit such as a shutter or a mirror, and the detection output is input to the circuit DDR as a signal SMES.

FLS detects the presence or absence of pop-up or the zoom phase using the phase detection circuit of the strobe, and sends it to circuit D as a signal 5FLS.
Enter into DR. X is a switch that is turned on when the leading curtain has completed traveling, and CN2 is a switch that is turned on when the trailing curtain has completed traveling.

That is, the display on the display member DSP of the camera is switched based on data sent from the microcomputer PR3, and switches or status signals linked to various states of the camera are notified to the microcomputer PR3 by communication.

The switches SWI and SW2 are switches linked to a release button (not shown), and when the release button is pressed down to the first stage, the switch SWI is turned on, and when the release button is pressed down to the second stage, the switch SW2 is turned on. As will be described later, when the switch SW1 is turned on, the microcomputer PR3 performs photometry, automatic focus adjustment, strobe pop-up, and red-eye prevention flashing, and when the switch SW2 is turned on, it performs exposure control, strobe flashing, and film winding. SW3 is a switch that detects the completion of pop-up of the strobe, and detects the movement of the lever 11 mentioned above. Ml is a motor for film feeding, M2 is a motor for mirror up/down, shutter charge, strobe pop-up, and zoom drive, and forward rotation and backward rotation are controlled by respective drive circuits MDRI and MDR2. Signal MI input from microcomputer PR3 to drive circuits MDRI and MDR2
F.

MIR, M2F, and M2R are signals for motor control.

MCI and MG2 are magnets for starting the running of the front and rear shutter curtains, respectively, and are energized by the signals SMGI, 5MG2, and amplification transistors TRI and TR2, and the shutter control is controlled by the microcomputer PR3.

LAMP is a red-eye prevention lamp, which is energized by the signal SLAMP and the amplification transistor Tn3, and whose light emission is controlled by the microcomputer PR8.

FLS is a strobe circuit including a main capacitor and a cannon tube, and is controlled by PR8 via a light emission signal FS, a light emission stop signal FO1, a charge start signal SC1, and a charge completion signal CF.

SW4 is a switch that indicates whether or not the red-eye prevention mode is set.

The operation of the camera in the above configuration will be explained according to the flowchart in FIG. When a power switch (not shown) is turned on, power supply to the microcomputer PR3 is started, and the microcomputer PR3 starts executing the sequence program stored in the ROM. When execution of the program is started by the above operation, the switch SWI, which is turned on by pressing the release button in the first step, is detected through step l.
When the SWI is off, the process moves to step #3, where all control flags and variables set in the RAM in the microcomputer are cleared and initialized.

Step 2.3 is executed repeatedly until the switch SWI is turned on or the power switch is turned off.

When the switch SWI is turned on, the process moves to step 4. In step 4, a photometry subroutine for exposure control is executed. The microcomputer PR3 inputs the output 5 spc of the photometric sensor SPC shown in FIG. , determines the necessity of using the strobe and stores it at a predetermined address in the RAM. Then, the AF operation in step 5 is completed, and in step 6, if the strobe is required, the strobe is set to use. Further, during a release operation, the shutter and aperture are controlled based on these values.

In step 7, the motor M2 is reversed, the gears 6 to 10 mentioned above are rotated, the tension by the tension lever 12 is released, and the strobe is popped up. Next step 8a
and switch SW to check whether the strobe is up or not.
It is detected when 3 is turned on. Then, when the completion of lifting is detected, the motor M2 is temporarily stopped in step 8b.

In step 9, it is determined whether the strobe is fully charged. If the battery is not fully charged, the process moves to step 10, where the microcomputer PR8 outputs a strobe charge start signal SC to start charging, and when charging is completed, a charge completion signal CF is generated and the process moves to step 11. Here, the microcomputer PR3 inputs current focal length information of the photographic lens via the lens communication buffer circuit. Next, in step 12, the motor M2 is reversed again. Since the strobe pops up due to the reverse rotation of the motor M2 in step 7, the tension release mechanism retreats to the disengaged position and continues to miss, causing the protrusion 11b of the lever 11 to come out of the rotation area of the blade 10a.Strobe zoom Only the mechanism (transmission lever 22 swings by the cam 21a, thereby moving the boulder 27) is driven. The signal from the strobe zoom detection board 32 is transmitted to the microcomputer PRS via the strobe phase detection circuit FLS, and the reverse rotation of the motor M2 is stopped when the strobe irradiation angle reaches the position corresponding to the focal length of the photographic lens.

Note that the detection board 32 is formed with a pattern corresponding to the focal length (cam phase), and the zoom state of the strobe can be detected by sliding the contact piece 31 on the pattern. Next, the process moves to step 13, in which it is determined whether the red-eye prevention mode is set or not.

If red-eye prevention mode is not set, step 17
If the red-eye prevention mode is set, the process moves to step 14.

When the red-eye prevention mode is set, the “H” signal of the signal SLAMP of the microcomputer PR8 in Figure 7 causes the run-7”LA.
The MP (red-eye prevention lamp 33) is turned on to illuminate the subject and narrow the pupil to prevent red-eye. Next, the process proceeds to step 15, and the state of the switch SW2, which is turned on by the second pressing of the release button, is detected. If the switch SW2 is off, it waits here. If the switch SW2 is on, the process moves to step 16. In step 16, it is determined whether the time required to narrow the pupil has elapsed. If the required time has not elapsed, turn on the lamp L until the time has elapsed.
Keep AMP lit. When the necessary time has elapsed, the process moves to step 18. If it is determined in step 6 that the strobe is not necessary, the process proceeds to step 17, where it is determined whether the switch SW2 is on. Also, step 13
Even if the red-eye mode is not set, the process moves to step #17 and it is determined whether the switch SW2 is on. switch SW
2 is turned on, the process moves to step 18 and a release operation is performed. The motor M2 rotates forward in response to a signal M2F from the microcomputer PR3, causing the planetary gear 55 to mesh with the mirror drive gear to perform a mirror-up operation. When the mirror up is completed, the microcomputer P
A signal S1 is sent to R3, and motor M2 is stopped. Next, the front curtain magnet MG1 of the shutter is excited by the signal SMGI from the microcomputer PR3, and the shutter front curtain is moved by a spring force (not shown) to expose the film. Thereafter, the signal S M G 2 is generated with a predetermined time delay based on the shutter time calculated in step 4, and the shutter trailing curtain magnet MG2 is excited, causing the shutter trailing curtain to run. When a strobe is required, this shutter time is set to the strobe synchronization time. If a strobe is required, the process moves to step 19, where it is determined whether the X contact is turned on when the front curtain completes travel. When the X contact turns on, the circuit DDR
A signal is sent to the microcomputer PR3 via step 20.
The strobe emits light (flashes the xenon tube 25)
. If a strobe is not needed, the strobe will not fire. When the strobe emits light, a strobe light emission stop signal FO is generated based on the output of a dimming circuit (not shown), and the strobe light emission is stopped. Next, the process moves to step 21, and it is determined whether the trailing curtain has completed running. When the running of the trailing curtain is completed, the switch CN2 is turned on, a signal is transmitted to the microcomputer PR3 via the circuit DDR, and the process moves to step 22. vinegar
In step 22, the motor M2 rotates forward based on the signal M2F to lower the mirror and charge the shutter. When the mirror down and shutter charging are completed, a signal is transmitted to the microcomputer via the mechanical phase detection circuit MES, and the normal rotation of the motor M2 is stopped. Next, the process moves to step 23 to feed the film. Microcomputer PR3 signal MI
Based on F, motor M1 rotates forward and winds the film.

- When a frame of film is wound, a signal is transmitted to the microcomputer PR3 via the film signal detection circuit FMS,
The normal rotation of the motor M1 is stopped.

The motor M1 is configured to rotate in reverse direction based on the signal MIR to rewind the film. Said steps 22 and 23
do not necessarily have to operate in series, but may operate simultaneously.

When shutter charging and film feeding are completed, the process moves to step 24, where it is determined whether charging is complete, and if the battery is not fully charged, the process moves to step 25, where charging is carried out and preparation is made for the next photographing.

In the above-described embodiments, a type in which the strobe unit is built into the camera body has been described, but a type in which the strobe unit is detachable from the camera body may also be used. Even in this case, by aligning the rotation center axis of the strobe unit with the center axis of the transmission wheel, the transmission system will not be adversely affected in any way even if the position changes from pop-up (extended position) to down (retracted position). .

Furthermore, although gears were used in all of the transmission systems in the two embodiments, it is also possible to partially use belt drives.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention utilizes the spring force used in the locking mechanism to apply a braking force to the rotation of the strobe unit from the storage position to the protrusion position due to the spring force, thereby providing a camera that reduces the shock when the strobe unit is popped up.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the camera showing the configuration of the embodiment, Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagram showing how the holder is held in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a zoom of the strobe unit. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the operation of the automatic pop-up of the strobe unit; Fig. 6 is a diagram of the cam shape of the fixed locking member shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of the embodiment; FIG. 8 is a flowchart diagram. 1...Top cover 2...Strobe unit case 3...Strobe unit covers 6-10 and 18-21...Gear 11...Lever 12...Tension levers 13, 16, and 23... Spring 14... Bearing 17... Fixed locking member 22... Lever 24 - Holding plate 25... (A) 17mu/7t- CB) 5th Fuy Noah 7 (1

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A camera with a built-in or attachable strobe unit that is rotatably supported between a storage position and an extended position, comprising: a first spring that biases the strobe unit in the direction of the extended position; a lever mechanism that locks in the storage position and is supported so as to be movable between a locking direction and a locking release direction; a release mechanism that drives the lever mechanism in a locking release direction; and a lever mechanism that drives the lever mechanism in a locking release direction; a second spring that biases in the locking direction; and a second spring that is unlatched by the operation of the release mechanism and operates in conjunction with the first spring to move the strobe unit to the protruding position; 2. A camera characterized in that a member is provided that frictionally slides on the lever mechanism under the force of a spring, thereby applying a friction brake to the movement of the strobe unit to the protruding position. (2) Claim (1) characterized in that the portion of the member that frictionally slides on the lever mechanism is an arcuate cam.
) Cameras listed.