U.S. patent number 3,768,387 [Application Number 05/294,520] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-30 for photographic camera having an electric timer device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Goro Hasegawa.
United States Patent |
3,768,387 |
Hasegawa |
October 30, 1973 |
PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA HAVING AN ELECTRIC TIMER DEVICE
Abstract
A photographic camera having an electric timer device
incorporated therein permits a power supply unit for the electric
timer and a flash unit to be interchangeably mounted on the body of
the camera by means of a retainer provided on the camera body.
Detector means is provided for detecting the presence of the power
supply unit or the flash unit retained by the retainer.
Inventors: |
Hasegawa; Goro (Tokyo,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo,
JA)
|
Family
ID: |
13793133 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/294,520 |
Filed: |
October 3, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 20, 1971 [JA] |
|
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46/83113 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
396/65; 396/155;
396/251; 396/535; 396/301; D16/209 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03B
7/16 (20130101); G03B 9/70 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G03B
9/00 (20060101); G03B 7/16 (20060101); G03B
9/70 (20060101); G03b 009/08 (); G03b 019/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;95/11R,31R,31EL,53R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peters; Joseph F.
Claims
I claim:
1. A photographic camera having an electric shutter comprising:
a shutter;
a housing for the camera;
a power supply unit mounted on a portion of said housing;
power supply unit retainer means provided on a side wall of said
housing for mounting said power supply unit;
first detector means for detecting the casing of said power supply
unit retained by said retainer means;
shutter opening means;
shutter closing means engageable with said detector means for
starting the closing operation of the shutter;
electromagnet means operatively associated with said shutter
closing means;
an electronic timer circuit having the output thereof connected
with said electromagnet means for electrically effecting a
time-counting operation and changing over the operation of said
electromagnet means in accordance with the output at the end of
said time-counting operation;
said detector means having an engaging member movable into
engagement and disengagement with said shutter opening means, said
shutter closing means being released in response to said engaging
member;
said engaging member being displaced into disengaged position by
said detector member when said power supply unit is mounted on said
camera housing, and displaced into engaged position when said power
supply unit is removed from said camera housing.
2. A photographic camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera
housing includes a fixed shoe receiving means for mounting said
power supply unit, said shoe receiving means being engageable with
a shoe provided on said power supply unit.
3. A photographic camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera
housing includes a side wall having retainer means carrying an
electrode, and said power supply unit comprises a casing, a power
supply battery contained in said casing, a second engaging member
formed on one side wall of said casing and engageable with said
retainer means, and an electrode led out to the surface of said
second engaging member, said power supply unit being held by said
retainer means of the camera with the aid of said second engaging
member and supplying a current to the camera through said
electrode.
4. A photographic camera according to claim 3, wherein said
detector means includes a detector member operatively associated
with said second engaging member, said detector member being
projectedly formed on the surface of said retainer means, said
detector member being adapted to be displaced into engagement with
the surface of said power supply unit casing when said power supply
unit is mounted on said camera, thereby displacing said second
engaging member into disengaged position.
5. A photographic camera having an electric shutter comprising:
a shutter;
a housing for the camera;
a power supply unit mounted on a portion of said housing;
power supply unit retainer means provided on a side wall of said
housing for mounting said power supply unit;
first detector means for detecting the casing of said power supply
unit retained by said retainer means;
shutter opening means;
shutter closing means engageable with said detector means for
starting the closing operation of the shutter;
electromagnet means operatively associated with said shutter
closing means;
an electronic timer circuit having the output thereof connected
with said electromagnet means for electrically effecting a
time-counting operation;
said detector means having an engaging member movable into
engagement and disengagement with said shutter opening means, said
shutter closing means being released in response to said engaging
member;
said engaging member being displaced into disengaged position by
said detector member when said power supply unit is mounted on said
camera housing, and displaced into engaged position when said power
supply unit is removed from said camera housing;
second retainer means for retaining a flash unit on said camera
housing;
second detector means provided contiguously with said second
retainer means and displaceable in engagement with the casing of
said flash unit;
aperture stop means;
distance adjust means for the objective lens of said camera;
means for controlling said aperture stop means by said distance
adjust means, and
changeover means controlled by said second detector means for
enabling operation of said aperture stop control means when said
flash unit is retained on said camera housing.
6. A photographic camera according to claim 5, wherein said first
and second retainer means are common.
7. A photographic camera according to claim 6, wherein said second
retainer means comprises a flash timing contact electrode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photographic camera having an electric
timer device, and more particularly to a photographic camera having
a flash unit therewithin or a camera of which a flash unit can be
removably mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a so-called electric shutter having an electric timer device
for controlling the time during which the shutter is opened and
closed, it is usually the case that comsumption of a power supply
battery would prevent obtainment of a proper shutter speed, thus
resulting in an improper exposure. For this reason, the use of an
electric shutter would not ensure the taking of a picture under an
accurate proper exposure without the operating condition of the
battery being checked every time. If one forgets to load one's
camera with a battery, the electric shutter would remain entirely
inoperative and thus fail to provide a proper exposure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these
disadvantages existing in the prior art and to enable an electric
shutter to be converted into a mechanical shutter when the power
supply battery for the electric shutter becomes unusable or when
one forgets loading of the battery, whereby the mechanical shutter
is set to a predetermined shutter speed.
To achieve the above object, the present invention incorporates an
electric timer circuit in a camera body and enables a power supply
unit for the electric timer circuit and a flash unit to be
interchangeably and removably mounted on the camera body. When the
power supply unit is mounted on the camera body, a first detector
member for detecting it is displaced to mechanically release a rear
screen retainer member which in turn is held by an electromagnet as
soon as the shutter release button is pressed. After an exposure
time determined by the electric timer started upon operation of a
front screen has passed, the power supply to the electromagnet is
cut off and the rear screen is operated for automatic photography.
When the power supply unit for the electric timer is removed from
the camera body, the first detector member returns to its initial
position to hold the rear screen retainer member and immediately
after the front screen operated upon shutter release terminates its
movement, the retention of the rear screen is released to provide a
predetermined time of fully open shutter position, so that a proper
F-value for such time is provided by manual adjustment to
accomplish photography.
The present invention achieves additional effects as shown
below.
1. Where artificial light (especially, electronic flash) is used
for photography, a predetermined time of fully open shutter
position may be mechanically provided without using the electric
timer;
2. Where the electric timer cannot be used, ordinary daylight
photography can be accomplished by utilizing the predetermined time
of fully open shutter position mentioned in item (1) above;
3. During daylight photography, the power supply unit for the
electric timer may be removed from the camera body to make the
camera lighter in weight and easier to handle; and
4. When the flash unit, instead of the power supply unit, is
mounted on the camera body, a distance adjust mechanism and
aperture adjust mechanism for the objective lens are operatively
associated together to enable an F-value matching the guide number
of the flash unit to be automatically selected in accordance with
the object distance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will become fully apparent from the following
detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGS. 1 to 3 are pictorial views of the camera according to the
present invention, FIG. 1 showing the camera with a power supply
unit mounted thereon, FIG. 2 showing the camera with the power
supply unit removed therefrom, and FIG. 3 showing the camera with a
flash unit mounted thereon instead of the power supply unit;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the interior mechanism of the
camera according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation, in vertical section, of the shutter
drive system of the camera;
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views taken along lines
VI--VI, VII--VII and VIII--VIII of FIG. 5, respectively;
FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the operation of the rear screen with
the shutter charged;
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and showing the front screen
released and the rear screen retainer member held;
FIG. 11 shows a mechanism for mechanically providing a
predetermined time of fully open shutter position, with a power
supply unit mounted and the shutter charged;
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 but with a flash unit mounted
instead of a power supply unit;
FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but with the front screen
released and the rear screen released;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the operative
association between a distance ring and an aperture ring;
FIG. 15 is a view of the mechanism for operatively associating the
distance ring with the aperture ring; and
FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 but with the flash unit
removed from the camera body.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a single lens reflex camera body C includes an
interchangeable lens L, a release button RB, a film advance knob
K1, a film rewind knob K2, and a finder eyepiece I. In the front
face of the camera body, an accessory shoe SH is provided for
selectively mounting a power supply battery unit P or a flash unit
F.
When the power supply unit P is mounted on the camera C as shown in
FIG. 1, an electric shutter circuit contained within the camera C
becomes effective and the exposure control may be effected in
accordance with a shutter speed determined by a later-described
photoelectric element for receiving a light beam passed through the
interchangeable lens L. When the power supply unit P is removed
from the camera C as shown in FIG. 2, the electric shutter in the
camera automatically becomes inoperative and provides a constant
speed shutter whose speed is mechanically controlled. When, as
shown in FIG. 3, the flash unit is mounted on the camera in the
position of FIG. 2, the electric shutter in the camera remains
inoperative and again provides a constant speed shutter whose speed
is mechanically controlled.
The interior construction of the camera C will now be described
more particularly with reference to FIG. 4 and so on.
When a power supply unit P for the electric timer is mounted on the
camera body (see FIG. 11), electrical connection is established
among terminals T1, T2, electric timer components R, C, A and
electromagnet 80 through a main switch MS. At the same time, lever
113 (a first detector) has one end 117 thereof urged into rotation
against the force of spring 118 by a wall of the power supply unit
P while a pin 116 provided on the other end of the lever is brought
to a position beyond the operating range of lever 104, and lever
109 is also rotated by pin 115 until one end 110 thereof is brought
to a position beyond the operating range of lever 73.
When the film advance knob 1 is rotated, gear 5 is rotated by means
of pins 2 and 6. This causes gear 9 meshing with gear 5 and gears
12 and 14 to be all rotated in the directions of respective arrows,
which in turn causes gear 17 to be rotated by lever 16 on a disc 15
secured to the shaft of the gear 14. The rotation of gear 17 is
transmitted to gear 19, which rotates rollers 20 and 21 integral
therewith and accordingly moves front screen ribbons 29 wound on
the rollers, thus winding up a front screen against the force of
spring 31.
Concurrently therewith, a rear screen drum 23 is also rotated by
means of pin 24 received in a groove 27 formed in the front screen
ribbon roller 21, thereby causing a rear screen wound on the drum
23 to be wound up against the force of drive spring 35 until pawl
26 of a pawl plate 25 rotatable with the drum 23 is engaged with a
pawled portion of lever 82, whereafter a pin on the gear 17 is
stopped by a stop member 132 (FIG. 6).
On the other hand, rotation of pin 11 on the intermediate gear 9
charges a charge lever 43 against the force of spring 54 until pin
46 on the lever 43 is engaged with pawl 42 of release lever 39,
whereafter the pin 11 may be shifted beyond the operating range of
one end of the lever 43 and stopped there.
Since the other end of the spring 54 is secured to a pin 52 on
lever 48, clockwise rotation of the charge lever 43 causes the
lever 48 to be rotated in the same direction, so that a pin 51
formed on the other end of lever 48 urges a portion 78 of lever 73
until an iron piece 79 attached to one end of lever 73 is urged
into contact with an electromagnet 80.
When shutter button 37 is depressed to release the shutter, the
main switch MS is closed to energize the electromagnet 80. Also,
the tapered end portion 38 of the release button 37 causes release
lever 39 to be rotated clockwise against the force of spring 41 and
thereby disengage the pawl 42 of lever 39 from pin 46, so that
charge lever 43 is rotated counter-clockwise by spring 54.
Thereupon, the end 55 of charge lever 43 causes pin 50 to rotate
lever 48 counterclockwise, thus disengaging pin 51 from the contact
portion 78 of lever 73.
Thereafter, the other end 43' of lever 43 strikes lever 16 at one
end 139 thereof (FIG. 6), to thereby rotate the lever 16
counter-clockwise against the force of spring 140 and disengage the
pawled portion 138 of lever 16 from a pin 131 on the front screen
gear, thus permitting the front screen to be moved with rotation of
the ribbon rollers 20 and 21. Simultaneously therewith, a pin 47 on
charge lever 43 is displaced to disengage switch contacts 98 and 99
from each other and start charging a capacitor C.
After a time determined by the resistance value R of the
photoelectric element and capacitor C at that moment has passed, a
time control circuit A is operated to deenergize the electromagnet
80. As a result, the iron piece 79 is released from the
electromagnet to allow lever 73 to be rotated clockwise by spring
81. At the same time, lever 82 engaged with pin 77 on lever 73 is
rotated in the same direction to disengage pawl 85 from the pawled
portion 26 of the rear screen moving pawl plate 25, so that the
rear screen wound on the drum 23 is moved to cover the surface of
film, thus completing a picture-taking cycle.
Flash Photography
With the flash unit F, instead of the power supply unit P, being
mounted on the camera body, the lever 113 (first detector member)
causes lever 109 to be rotated by the force of spring 118 until the
end 110 of the lever 109 strikes the lever 73. Thereupon, pin 116
on lever 113 is positioned within the operating range of lever
104.
On the other hand, the flash unit F thus mounted causes a circuit
to be formed by timing terminals T3, T4 and switches 107, 108, 123,
124. Also, lever 151 (second detector member) has the end 154
thereof urged against the wall of the flash unit F, thereby
bringing about a position as shown in FIG. 15. When a distance
adjust ring 169 is then rotated counter-clockwise, lever 160 is
rotated by means of cam 171 and roller 164 to displace pin 159
engaged with the other end of lever 160, thereby rotating lever 156
also counter-clockwise to displace to the right a portion 167 of
lever 165 which is in engagement with one end 158 of lever 156. As
a result, the lever 165 is rotated clockwise to cause the arm 181
of ring 180 to rotate cam ring 175, thus providing an F-value
matching the distance determined by the distance adjust ring
169.
The camming surface 177 of cam ring 175 is engaged by a pin 184 on
bell crank lever 182. The intermediate lever 195 is restrained from
movement with the underside of the arm 197 thereof engaged with
unshown shutter operating lever of the camera body.
When the shutter button 37 is depressed to release the shutter, the
main switch MS is first closed but no current flows to the
electromagnet 80 and the iron piece 79 is not attracted, because
the power supply unit P is not mounted on the camera body.
As the shutter operating lever is operated with the depression of
the shutter button 37, a windmill ring 186 operatively associated
therewith via intermediate lever 195, projection 196 and arm 189 is
rotated by the force of spring 190 until the arm 187 of ring 186
strikes the end of bell crank ring 182. Thereupon, a shutter blade
191 having a pin 192 received in an aperture 188 formed in the
windmill ring 186 is rotated to provide a predetermined F-value.
The position of the camming surface 177 of cam ring 175 may be
adjusted also by a preset ring 172.
Thereafter, as the front screen moving gear 17 is rotated with the
release of the front screen release lever 16, pin 51 urging a
portion 78 of lever 73 is disengaged from pin 51, but the lever 73
is not allowed to rotate because it is restrained by the end 110 of
lever 109.
Immediately before the movement of the front screen is terminated,
pin 131 strikes one end 102 of lever 101 to rotate this lever,
which closes switch contacts 107 and 108 to cause flashing of the
flash unit. Also, a portion 105 of lever 104 and pin 116 cooperate
together to rotate levers 113 and 109 against the force of spring
118. Thus, the end 110 of lever 109 escapes beyond the operating
range of lever 73 and the levers 73 and 82 are rotated clockwise by
the force of spring 81 to disengage pawl 85 from the pawl 26 of
pawl plate 25 to thereby allow movement of the rear screen.
Immediately before the movement of the rear screen is terminated,
the end 121 of lever 119 is struck to open switch contacts 123 and
124, thus completing a series of operations.
In the foregoing case, by forming a stepped portion 200 in the wall
surface of the flash unit F to be mounted on the camera body and by
making the dimensions of the stepped portion correspond to the
guide number, it is possible to provide a proper F-value in
accordance with the object distance.
Daylight Photography Using No Electric Timer
When the flash unit is removed from the camera body, the lever 151
(second detector member) is rotated by the force of spring 155 to
thereby displace the center of rotation of lever 156 pivotally
mounted on lever 151, so that levers 167 and 158 may not be engaged
with each other in any position of the distance adjust ring 169. On
the other hand, a predetermined time of fully open shutter position
is provided as described previously when the power supply unit P is
not mounted on the camera body, and therefore daylight photography
can be accomplished by using the preset ring 172 to set an F-value
matching the predetermined time.
Bulb Photography
By converting the change-over disc 95 to the bulb photography mode,
it is set so that the recessed camming surface 97 of the disc 95
may be engaged by one end 93 of lever 89 and at the same time, the
switch in the power supply circuit is opened.
When the shutter button 37 is depressed with the disc 95 converted
to the bulb photography mode, lever 56 is rotated clockwise against
the force of spring 59 to disengage the end 58 of lever 56 from pin
62. This permits levers 60 and 64 to be rotated by the force of
spring 68 to engage pawl 67 with a tooth of gear 5 to thereby
inhibit film advance during depression of the shutter button 37,
while pin 62 is moved to permit lever 89 to be rotated
counter-clockwise by the force of spring 94 and thus, the lever 89
is received into the recessed camming surface 97 of the change-over
disc 95. As a result, the pawled portion 95 is moved into
engagement with the pawl 53 of lever 48. In addition to the
described operation, the depression of the shutter button 37
releases the engagement between the pawl 42 of release lever 39 and
pin 46. Therefore, lever 43 is rotated counter-clockwise by the
force of spring 54 so that the end 43' thereof rotates lever 16 to
disengage pawl 138 from pin 131, thus starting the front screen.
One end 55 of lever 43 tends to actuate to rotate the pin 50 on the
lever 48, whereas such tendency is prevented by the engagement
between the pawl 53 of lever 48 and the pawl 92 of lever 89 and
accordingly, levers 78 and 82 are not actuated with the pawl 85 of
lever 82 maintained in engagement with the pawl 26 of the rear
screen moving pawl plate 25, thus maintaining the rear screen
unactuated.
When the depression of the shutter button 37 is now stopped, lever
56 is rotated counter-clockwise to its initial position by the
force of spring 59 to thereby cause pin 62 to rotate lever 89
clockwise and disengage pawl 92 from pawl 53, thus permitting
slight counter-clockwise rotation of lever 48 until the pin 51
thereon is disengaged from a portion 78 of lever 73. Thereupon,
levers 73 and 82 are rotated clockwise by the force of spring 81 to
disengage the pawl 85 of lever 82 from the pawl 26 of pawl plate
25, thus starting the rear screen to complete an exposure.
According to the present invention, as has been described above, an
electric timer circuit is incorporated in the camera body and a
power supply unit therefor and a flash unit may be interchangeably
mounted on the camera body. Therefore, automatic photography using
the electric timer can be accomplished when the power supply unit
is mounted on the camera body. When the power supply unit is
removed from the camera body, the first detector member retains the
rear screen retainer member and such retention of the rear screen
is released immediately before the termination of the front screen
movement in response to such movement, thereby mechanically
providing a predetermined time of fully open shutter position
without using the electric shutter. Therefore, ordinary daylight
photography can be achieved by manually adjusting and setting a
proper F-value for such fully open shutter time.
Also, when the power supply unit is removed and the flash unit is
mounted on the camera body, the second detector member establishes
an operative association between the distance adjust mechanism and
the aperture adjust mechanism to permit an F-value matching the
guide number of the flash unit to be automatically selected in
accordance with the distance adjustment, thus automating the flash
photography. Furthermore, the power supply unit for the electric
timer is unused and removed during flash photography, and this
contributes to a lighter weight of the camera body and to a greater
ease with which the camera body is handled.
* * * * *