JP2009128626A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera which absorbs shock force, and which suppresses the increase in the size of a camera main body. <P>SOLUTION: The digital camera has: an optical housing 4 having flat shape as a whole and having a bending optical system for reflecting light entering along a first optical axis to a second optical axis direction perpendicular to the first optical axis to form an image on an image pickup device 25 positioned on the optical axis, and a concave portion 4e having prescribed area at least on one surface; a camera body having a containing portion 2x for containing the optical housing slidably only in the second optical axis direction and having support portions 2f, 2g, 2h and 2i for supporting the optical housing provided on each of both side surfaces of the containing portion across the second optical axis of the bending optical system; and shock absorbing means arranged between an inner surface in which the support portions are not provided and the concave portion, and comprising a shock absorbing member 24 having thickness greater than the depth of the concave portion and a thin plate 23 fixed to the shock absorbing member and the inner surface of the containing portion. When the optical housing whose one surface is fixed to the concave portion and whose other surface is fixed to the thin plate is displaced by sliding in the second optical axis direction in the containing part by shock, the shock absorbing member absorbs the shock by shearing force in the second optical axis direction generated in the shock absorbing member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is arranged on a second optical axis by bending a subject light incident along a first optical axis, specifically, a second optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis. The present invention relates to a digital camera in which an optical housing having a bending optical system configured to form an optical image on a light receiving surface of an image sensor is housed in a camera body.

  Conventionally, a digital device including an optical housing including a lens barrel unit including a plurality of optical lenses and the like, and an imaging unit including an imaging device that photoelectrically converts an optical image of a subject formed by the optical lens. Various cameras have been put into practical use.

  These digital cameras are always required to be downsized as a whole so that the user can always carry and carry them and use them easily without choosing a place.

  On the other hand, when a user always carries a digital camera, there is a high possibility that the user will accidentally drop the digital camera while carrying it, or accidentally collide with a wall or the like. However, since such a digital camera is an extremely precise device, the impact of the external force may reach the internal components when it receives an impact force from the outside, thereby damaging the internal components. Or it could be damaged.

  Therefore, in a small device such as a conventional digital camera, in order to cope with an impact such as dropping, an internal component is configured to be movable on the inner surface of the device main body, and the movable internal component For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-258971, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-306078, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-80987, and the like, which have a floating structure so as to provide a buffer member between the outer surface and the inner surface of the apparatus main body, Various proposals are made in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-40503.

  In such a small device with a floating structure, when an impact force due to an external force is applied to the outside of the device body, the impact force is absorbed by compressing the buffer member.

  The small device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-258971 is a mobile phone or the like having a main body case that holds a camera unit and delimits an outline, and alleviates the impact force applied to the camera unit through the main body case In order to achieve this, a buffer member is provided between the unit case and the main body case and along each of the lens moving directions (optical axis direction; X-axis direction) and directions perpendicular thereto (Y-axis direction). It is composed.

  The small device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-306078 is an in-vehicle player device installed on a dash panel in a vehicle interior, and includes an outer case incorporated in the dash panel, and the outer case. A buffer member is interposed between the apparatus main body and the apparatus main body.

The small device disclosed by the above Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-80987 and the above Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-40503 includes an outer surface of a slot portion that detachably stores a disc-shaped recording medium cartridge stored in the device main body, A buffer member is interposed between other internal components.
JP 2003-258971 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-306078 JP 2006-80987 A JP 2006-40503 A

  However, in the means disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-258971, the buffer member is disposed on the surface along each of the lens movement direction (X-axis direction) and the direction perpendicular thereto (Y-axis direction). When an impact force is applied in the lens moving direction (X-axis direction), the force applied to the buffer member becomes a pressing force and a shearing force. In this case, the repulsive force and the shearing force when the buffer member is compressed cancel each other out.

  Further, in a digital camera or the like, an optical housing having an optical lens or the like is housed inside the camera body, and this optical housing has a direction other than the lens moving direction (X-axis direction), That is, in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, it can be said that the strength against external impact force is ensured by the camera body or the like. On the other hand, the optical lens in the optical housing is configured to be freely movable in a predetermined direction (optical axis direction), for example, for a focusing operation or a zooming operation. This can be said to be a disadvantageous configuration particularly when an external force in a direction along the optical axis is applied to the optical housing. In addition, in the means for absorbing an impact by the compression force of the buffer member as described above, the repulsive force generated with the compression of the buffer member may affect the optical housing.

  Furthermore, when a buffer member is provided on the inner surface of the device, the space inside the device is required by the thickness. In particular, when the buffer member is provided on the surface along the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, the size in the optical axis direction, which is the direction in which the optical lens moves, must be ensured. There is also the problem of being connected.

  On the other hand, in the means for absorbing the impact by compressing the buffer member, the thickness of the buffer member contributes to the shock absorption, and the effect tends to decrease as the buffer member becomes thinner.

  On the other hand, in digital cameras that are carried around, there is always a demand for downsizing and thinning of the device body, so a buffer with sufficient shock absorption performance between the device body and internal components. There is also a problem that it is difficult to secure a space for arranging the members.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and an object of the present invention is to absorb an impact force applied in the moving direction of the lens without being affected by a repulsive force generated by the buffer member. Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera that can suppress an increase in the movement direction of the lens of the device body even if an impact member is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, a digital camera according to the present invention has a flat shape as a whole, and allows subject light incident along the first optical axis to pass through a first light beam perpendicular to the first optical axis. An optical housing having a bending optical system for reflecting in the direction of the optical axis of 2 and forming an optical image on an image pickup element positioned on the second optical axis, and a recess having a predetermined area on at least one surface And a storage portion that slidably stores the optical casing only in the second optical axis direction, and the storage portion is provided on each of both surfaces sandwiching the second optical axis in the bending optical system. A camera body provided with a support portion for supporting the optical housing; and an inner surface portion of the camera body housing portion where the support portion is not provided and a recess of the optical housing; A bump having a thickness larger than the depth of the recess. And an impact absorbing means comprising an absorbing member and a thin plate fixed to the shock absorbing member and the inner surface portion of the storage portion. The shock absorbing member has one surface fixed to the recess and the other surface to the thin plate. By being fixed, the second optical axis direction generated in the shock absorbing member when the optical casing receives an impact and is slid and displaced only in the second optical axis direction inside the camera body housing portion. The shock is absorbed by the shearing force.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to absorb an impact force applied in the moving direction of the lens when an impact is applied to the camera body, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the moving direction of the lens of the camera body even if an impact member is provided. A digital camera can be provided.

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

  1-8 is a figure which shows one Embodiment of this invention. Among these, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the digital camera of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the back side of the digital camera of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of an optical housing provided inside by breaking a part of the back side of the digital camera. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part schematically showing an arrangement state of the optical housing with respect to the camera body of the digital camera. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the assembly structure of the camera body and the optical housing of the digital camera of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is an external perspective view mainly showing the front side of the digital camera according to the present embodiment with the optical housing and the shock absorbing means taken out. In FIG. 5, the shock absorbing means disposed on the front surface of the optical housing is shown in an exploded manner. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view mainly showing the back side of the digital camera according to the present embodiment with the optical housing and the shock absorbing means taken out. In FIG. 6, the shock absorbing means disposed on the front surface of the optical housing is shown in an assembled state. FIG. 7 is a front view of the optical housing of the digital camera of the present embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a state where the impact absorbing means is attached to the front surface of the optical casing. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line [8]-[8] in FIG. 7 of the optical housing of the digital camera of this embodiment. In FIG. 8, the attachment state of the shock absorbing member is shown with respect to the front surface of the optical casing.

  A digital camera (hereinafter abbreviated as “camera”) 1 according to the present embodiment includes a camera body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape, an optical housing 4 assembled in the camera body, various units, electric circuits, and the like. And the various operation members disposed on the surface of the camera body and linked to the internal components.

  The optical housing 4 constituting the camera 1 of the present embodiment bends the subject light incident along the first optical axis in the second optical axis direction orthogonal to the first optical axis. A lens barrel unit including a bending optical system configured to form an optical subject image on a light receiving surface of an image sensor disposed on the second optical axis, a shutter, a lens driving device, and the like It is mainly composed by.

  Further, as shown in the figure, the camera body constituting the camera 1 of the present embodiment covers a front cover member 2 formed so as to cover the front surface, both side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface, and mainly covers the back side. The back cover member 3 to be formed is combined into a box shape. And the optical housing | casing 4 is arrange | positioned at the predetermined site | part inside this camera body so that a movement is possible.

  The rear cover member 3 on the rear side of the camera body includes, for example, a zoom T button and W button, an operation mode setting button, a shooting and playback operation switching button, a menu display operation button, a shooting area switching button (macro button), and a flash. There are provided a plurality of operation members 13 used for performing various operation inputs to be executed at the time of shooting and reproduction, such as a mode switching button, a self-timer button, an exposure correction switching button, and the like, and a display unit 16 of the display device. .

  A display window 16a (see FIG. 4) is opened at a substantially central portion of the back cover member 3 so that the display of the display unit 16 can be exposed to the outside. Operation members such as a shutter button 14 and a power operation button 15 are disposed on the upper surface side of the camera body.

  The front cover member 2 includes a photographing window 2d for allowing a light beam to enter an optical casing 4 (not shown in FIG. 1) provided inside the camera body, a light emitting window 2e of a flash light emitting device, and the like. It is open.

  In the state in which the front cover member 2 and the rear cover member 3 are combined, the camera 1 is fixed to each other at the four corners using a connecting member such as a screw to form a box-shaped camera body. It has become.

  In the internal space of the camera body formed in this way, a plurality of internal configuration units such as the optical casing 4 and the display device, a plurality of circuit boards and electric members that form various electric circuits (for example, in FIG. The main board 18 and the strobe capacitor 17 shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, attention is particularly paid to the arrangement of the optical casing 4 among the plurality of internal components.

  The optical housing 4 has a flat shape as a whole, and reflects a light beam from a subject incident along the first optical axis O1 from the photographing window 2d (see FIG. 1) of the front cover member 2. It is bent in a direction orthogonal to the first optical axis O1 by a prism (see reference numeral 30a in FIG. 8), and is on the second optical axis O2 after being bent and on the bottom surface side of the optical casing 4 A plurality of optical lenses constituting a bending optical system that is guided to an image pickup device 25 (see FIG. 3 and the like) disposed on the light receiving surface and is configured to form an optical subject image on the light receiving surface; A lens barrel unit including the lens holding frame is provided.

  In addition, although the detailed illustration is omitted, the optical housing 4 includes, for example, a shutter unit, a shutter drive motor that drives the shutter unit, a focusing motor, a zooming motor, and an image sensor 25 (FIG. 3 and the like). The electric board or the like on which the reference is mounted is integrally movable in the direction of the optical axis O2. Since these components and their arrangements are not directly related to the present invention, the detailed description thereof is based on the configuration of a camera provided with an optical casing having a general bending optical system. Omitted.

  The optical casing 4 is disposed inside a camera body of the camera 1 at a predetermined portion near one side surface inside the camera body, for example, as shown in FIG. Note that the arrangement of the optical housing 4 inside the camera body is not limited to the example of this embodiment, and may be arranged, for example, at a substantially central portion inside the camera body.

  In this case, on the inner surface of the front cover member 2 of the camera 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the storage portion 2x is stored so that the optical casing 4 can be slidably stored only in the direction along the second optical axis O2. Is formed. In addition, it has shown that the site | part in the frame shown by the oblique line in FIG. 3 corresponds to the accommodating part 2x.

  The storage portion 2x is formed with a step on the inner surface of the front cover member 2 of the camera 1 in accordance with the outer shape of the optical casing 4, and both sides sandwiching the second optical axis O2 of the optical casing 4 Are provided with support portions 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i.

  In the state where the optical casing 4 is disposed in the storage portion 2x, the portions near the four corners of the optical casing 4 with respect to the support portions 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, that is, the reference numeral 4f shown in FIG. , 4g, 4h, 4i are in surface contact.

  In other words, each of the four corner portions 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i of the optical casing 4 comes into surface contact with the support portions 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i of the storage portion 2x, so that the optical casing 4 has the front cover. The Y-axis shown in FIG. 4 is supported in the housing 2x of the member 2 so as to be slidable only in the direction along the second optical axis O2 and is orthogonal to the second optical axis O2. Movement in the direction is restricted.

  Further, a plate-shaped spring member 21 (not shown in FIG. 3) shown in FIG. 4 is disposed on the outer surface of the optical casing 4 on the back side. The plate-shaped spring member 21 is a front cover member. The fixing members 2j, 2k, 2l provided on the inner surface side of 2 are fixed by screws with a plurality of screws 31 (see FIG. 4).

  In other words, the optical housing 4 is disposed in a state of being sandwiched between the inner surface of the front cover member 2 and the plate-shaped spring member 21 in a state of being disposed in the storage portion 2x of the front cover member 2. . Therefore, the movement of the optical housing 4 in the direction along the second optical axis O1 and the direction along the Z axis shown in FIG. 4 is restricted.

  On the other hand, on the front side of the optical casing 4, an impact absorbing member 24 made of a butyl rubber member having elasticity and formed in a thin flat plate shape is fixed to a thin plate 23 made of metal or resin. Shock absorbing means is disposed.

  In the optical housing 4, a rectangular frame portion 4 f is formed on one surface parallel to the direction along the second optical axis O 2, that is, on the front surface side, as shown in FIGS. A recess 4e is formed inside the frame portion 4f. An impact absorbing member 24 is disposed in the recess 4e. In this case, one surface of the impact absorbing member 24 is adhered to the flat surface portion of the bottom surface of the recess 4e by, for example, a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Therefore, the impact absorbing member 24 is thereby moved relative to the optical casing 4 in a state where movement in the direction along the second optical axis O2 (X-axis direction in FIG. 4) is restricted by the inner wall surface of the frame portion 4f. It is supposed to be fixed.

  The shock absorbing member 24 is set so that its thickness dimension is larger than the depth dimension of the recess 4e. Thereby, the shock absorbing member 24 is set so as to protrude outward from the frame portion 4f by a slight amount toward the front surface in the depth direction of the recess 4e.

  The thickness of the shock absorbing member 24, the size of the bonding area, and the like are determined by the weight of the optical housing 4 and the applied impact acceleration, but in a small camera or the like exemplified in the present embodiment. The thickness of the shock absorbing member 24 is, for example, about 0.5 to 1 mm (millimeter). In addition, the protrusion amount that the impact collecting member 24 protrudes toward the front surface side in the depth direction of the recess 4e is, for example, about 0.2 to 0.3 mm (millimeter).

  One surface of the thin plate 23 is similarly attached to the other surface of the shock absorbing member 24 by, for example, a double-sided tape or an adhesive. In this case, a hole 23a is formed in the vicinity of the approximate center of the thin plate 23 as shown in FIG. The hole 23a is provided to allow excess adhesive or the like to escape when the impact absorbing member 24 and the thin plate 23 are bonded and fixed.

  The thin plate 23 is formed with notches 23m and 23n on both side edges facing each other across the second optical axis O2 when the shock absorbing means is disposed at a predetermined position of the optical housing 4.

  Correspondingly, when the optical housing 4 with the shock absorbing means assembled is housed in the front cover member 2 (camera body side) of the camera 1, the housing portion 2 x of the front cover member 2 On the inner surface side, locking projections 2m and 2n are formed at portions of the thin plate 23 facing the notches 23m and 23n.

  With this configuration, when the optical casing 4 with the shock absorbing means assembled is stored in the storage portion 2x of the front cover member 2, each of the cutout portions 23m and 23n of the thin plate 23 is engaged with the locking protrusion of the storage portion 2x. The parts 2m and 2n are respectively locked. Accordingly, the thin plate 23 is thereby fixed to the front cover member 2 in a state where movement in the direction along the second optical axis O2 (X-axis direction in FIG. 4) is restricted.

  As described above, when the optical casing 4 is placed in the housing portion 2x of the camera body of the camera 1, the shock absorbing means is arranged so that the inner surface portion of the housing portion 2x of the front cover member 2 Between the concave portion 4e of the optical casing 4 facing to the shock absorbing member 24 and the concave portion 4e.

  Therefore, when the optical housing 4 is slid and displaced relatively in the direction along the second optical axis O2 inside the camera body of the camera 1 due to, for example, an impact, the inner surface portion of the camera body, that is, The impact can be absorbed by the shearing force in the direction of the second optical axis O2 generated between the inner surface of the housing portion 2x of the front cover member 2 and the front surface of the optical housing 4.

  In other words, since the shock absorbing member 24 is made of a rubber-based member having elasticity as described above, the shearing direction, that is, the direction along the second optical axis O2 of the optical casing 4 (shown in FIG. 4). When an external force (including the component force in the X axis direction) in the direction along the X axis; the direction in which the optical lens moves) is applied, the impact absorbing member 24 shears and deforms the optical housing 4 to the camera. It can be moved slightly in the same direction (direction along the second optical axis O2 and along the X axis) relative to the main body (front cover member 2).

  In this case, since the shock absorbing member 24 is disposed so as to be housed in the recess 4e on the front surface of the optical housing 4, the optical housing 4 is slightly moved in the direction of the second optical axis O2. It is regulated.

  On the other hand, in order to allow the optical casing 4 to move in the direction along the second optical axis O2 (the direction along the X axis) and avoid the optical casing 4 from interfering with the camera body, the optical casing 4 is formed at a predetermined portion between both end portions in the moving direction (second optical axis direction) 4 and the inner surface of the camera body, that is, a portion indicated by reference characters A and B in FIGS. As described above, the arrangement of the optical casing 4 with respect to the inner surface of the front cover member 2 is defined.

  The gap spaces A and B are elastic force determined by the material of the shock absorbing member 24, shock absorbing force in the shear direction, the weight of the optical casing 4, the weight of the camera 1 itself, the amount of external force applied by the impact, etc. It is set by various factors.

  The gap spaces A and B should have a sufficient dimension in consideration of, for example, the amount of movement of the optical casing 4, but if a larger gap dimension than necessary is secured by assuming a larger amount of impact force or the like. The demand for downsizing the camera body cannot be met. Therefore, when considering the downsizing of the apparatus in designing, in the small camera or the like exemplified in the present embodiment, for example, the dimension of the gap spaces A and B is about 1 mm (millimeter). Secured.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the shock absorbing member 24 may be disposed between the back side of the optical housing 4 and the plate-like spring member 21.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the optical housing 4 is moved in the direction along the moving direction of the optical lens (the direction along the second optical axis O2; the X-axis direction in FIG. 4) with respect to the camera body. When the optical housing 4 is relatively displaced in a certain direction within the housing portion 2x of the camera body when an external force due to impact or the like is applied, the optical housing 4 and the camera body The optical housing 4 is disposed with respect to the camera body by providing a predetermined gap in the moving direction of the optical housing 4 so that the optical housing 4 does not interfere with each other, and between the one surface of the optical housing 4 and the inner surface of the camera body. Since the elastic thin plate-shaped shock absorbing member 24 is interposed so as to be sandwiched, the shock absorbing member 24 is configured such that when the optical housing 4 is relatively displaced inside the camera body, the optical housing 4 Change in shear direction between one side and one side in the camera body To absorb. Accordingly, it is possible to absorb and attenuate external force applied by an external impact on the camera body, and to protect the optical casing 4 inside the camera body.

  Further, since the shock absorbing member 24 can absorb the displacement in the shearing direction, it can be formed in a thinner plate shape, thereby contributing to the downsizing of the apparatus while having sufficient shock absorption. it can.

  Furthermore, since the shock absorbing member 24 is arranged not on the moving direction of the optical lens that requires a space for movement but on the surface along the moving direction of the optical lens, it contributes to downsizing of the apparatus. Can do.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications can of course be implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the effect of the invention Can be obtained as an invention.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the rear side of the digital camera according to the present embodiment with a part broken; The principal part enlarged view which shows roughly the arrangement | positioning state of the optical housing with respect to the camera main body of the digital camera of this embodiment. The exploded perspective view which takes out the camera main body and optical housing | casing of the digital camera of this embodiment, and shows the assembly structure. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view mainly showing the front side of the digital camera according to the present embodiment with the optical housing and shock absorbing means taken out. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view mainly showing the rear side of the digital camera according to the present embodiment with the optical housing and shock absorbing means taken out. The front view of the optical housing | casing of the digital camera of this embodiment. Sectional drawing which follows the [8]-[8] line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera 2 ... Front cover member 3 ... Back cover member 4 ... Optical housing 4e ... Recessed part 21 ... Plate-shaped surface member 23 ... Thin plate 24 ... Shock absorption member

Claims (4)

The object light which has a flat shape as a whole and has entered along the first optical axis is reflected in a second optical axis direction perpendicular to the first optical axis, and the second optical axis An optical housing having a bending optical system for forming an optical image on an image sensor located above, and a concave portion having a predetermined area on at least one surface;
The optical housing has a housing portion that slidably accommodates only in the second optical axis direction, and the optical housing is provided on each of the surfaces of the housing portion on both sides of the second optical axis in the bending optical system. A camera body provided with a support part for supporting the body;
An impact-absorbing member disposed between an inner surface portion of the camera body housing portion where the support portion is not provided and a recess of the optical casing, and having a thickness larger than the depth of the recess; An impact absorbing means comprising a member and a thin plate fixed to the inner surface portion of the storage portion;
Comprising
The shock absorbing member has one surface fixed to the concave portion and the other surface fixed to the thin plate, so that the optical casing receives an impact and moves in the second optical axis direction inside the camera body housing portion. A digital camera that absorbs an impact by a shearing force in the second optical axis direction generated in the impact absorbing member when only the sliding displacement is performed.   The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the support portion provided in the storage portion supports the optical casing in the second optical axis direction by making surface contact with the optical casing.   The support unit provided in the storage unit supports the optical casing in the second optical axis direction by making surface contact in the vicinity of the four corners of the optical casing. Digital camera.   The optical housing has a space between the both ends of the optical housing in the second optical axis direction and the camera body so that the optical housing moves when the camera body receives an impact. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a body and the camera body are arranged.

Images