Imaging apparatus and lock mechanism

• US 20080049135A1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okudaira, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The image apparatus has: a camera body; a viewfinder unit including a frame; a revolving mechanism for revolving the frame; a frictional mechanism including a detachable plate and giving frictional resistance to the frame and maintaining rotation of the frame; and a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking rotation of the frame. The lock mechanism includes a cylindrical member and a manipulating member for locking. When the manipulating member is rotated in one direction, the manipulating member moves the cylindrical member toward the detachable plate. The part of the frame around a pivot-receiving hole is held between the front end of a barrel and the detachable plate. When rotated in the other direction, the manipulating member permits the cylindrical member to move away from the detachable plate.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a camera body including a case, an imaging device accommodated in the case and acting to image a subject, and a signal-processing portion accommodated in the case and acting to create a video signal based on an imaging signal created by the imaging device;

a viewfinder unit including a display portion for displaying an image based on the video signal and a frame supporting the display portion;

a revolving mechanism for revolving the frame, the revolving mechanism including a detachable plate detachably connected to a detachable portion of the case, a pivot protruding from the detachable plate, and a shaft-receiving hole which is formed in the frame and into which the pivot is rotatably inserted;

a frictional mechanism for giving frictional resistance to the frame and maintaining rotation of the frame; and

a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking rotation of the frame;

wherein the lock mechanism includes

a cylindrical member coupled to the pivot so as to be movable axially of the pivot and having a barrel part which covers the pivot over a part of the frame that is around the shaft-receiving hole, and

a manipulating member for locking, the manipulating member being rotatably coupled to the pivot;

wherein when the manipulating member is rotated in one direction, the manipulating member moves the cylindrical member toward the detachable plate and the part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole is held between the front end of the barrel part and the detachable plate; and

wherein when the manipulating member is rotated in the other direction, the manipulating member permits the cylindrical member to move away from the detachable plate.

2. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frictional mechanism includes biasing members which are mounted between a front end of the pivot protruding from the shaft-receiving hole and the part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole and which bias the part of the frame into abutment with the detachable plate, and wherein the barrel part covers the biasing members as well as the pivot over the part of the frame.

3. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a flange is mounted to a part of the pivot protruding from the shaft-receiving hole,

the frictional mechanism includes biasing members which are mounted between the flange around the pivot and a part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole opposite to the flange, the friction mechanisms biasing the part of the frame into abutment with the detachable plate, and

the barrel part covers the biasing members as well as the pivot over the part of the frame.

4. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface,

the second surface is provided with an open recessed portion about the shaft-receiving hole,

the frictional mechanism is located within the recessed portion,

the barrel part covers the frictional mechanism within the recessed portion, and

the cylindrical member is coupled to the pivot so as to be movable axially of the pivot and having an annular plate portion which is placed opposite to a bottom portion of the recessed portion and which is connected to the barrel part,

wherein the manipulating member for locking is rotated in one direction, whereby the cylindrical member is moved toward the detachable plate via the annular plate portion.

5. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a flange is mounted in a part of the pivot protruding from the shaft-receiving hole,

the frictional mechanism includes biasing members which are mounted between the flange around the pivot and the part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole opposite to the flange and which bias the part of the frame into abutment with the detachable plate,

the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface,

the second surface is provided with an open recessed portion about the shaft-receiving hole,

the flange and the biasing members are located within the recessed portion,

the barrel part covers the flange and the biasing members within the recessed portion,

the cylindrical member is coupled to the pivot so as to be movable axially of the pivot, the cylindrical member having an annular plate portion which is placed opposite to the flange and which is connected to the barrel part, and

the cylindrical member is moved toward the detachable plate via the annular plate portion by rotating the manipulating member for locking in one direction.

6. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a female thread is formed in a part of the pivot protruding from the shaft-receiving hole,

the manipulating member for locking has a male thread brought into threaded engagement with the female thread, and

the male thread is rotated relative to the female thread and the manipulating member for locking is moved axially of the pivot by rotation of the manipulating member for locking.

7. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member is non-rotatably coupled to the pivot.

8. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a flange is mounted to a part of the pivot protruding from the shaft-receiving hole,

the frictional mechanism includes biasing members which are mounted between the flange around the pivot and a part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole opposite to the flange and which bias the part of the frame into abutment with the detachable plate,

the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface,

the second surface is provided with an open recessed portion about the shaft-receiving hole,

the flange and the biasing members are located within the recessed portion,

the barrel part covers the flange and the biasing members within the recessed portion,

the cylindrical member is non-rotatably coupled to the pivot so as to be movable axially of the pivot, the cylindrical member having an annular plate portion which is placed opposite to the flange and which is connected to the barrel part,

the cylindrical member is moved toward the detachable plate via the annular plate portion by rotating the manipulating member for locking in one direction, and

a resilient member is mounted between the annular plate portion and the flange to bias the annular portion and the flange away from each other.

9. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the resilient member is a wave washer.

10. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface, and wherein a spacer is interposed between the first surface and the detachable plate.

11. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the spacer is made of a material having a low coefficient of friction.

12. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the frictional mechanism includes biasing members which are mounted between a front end of the pivot around the pivot and a part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole and which bias the part of the frame into abutment with the detachable plate,

the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface, and

washers are interposed among the second surface, the biasing members, and the front end of the barrel part.

13. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the washer is made of a material having a low coefficient of friction.

14. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the frame has a first surface placed opposite to the detachable plate and a second surface facing away from the first surface,

a first washer is interposed between the second surface and the front end of the barrel part, and

a second washer is interposed between the biasing members and the first washer.

15. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the first washer is made of a material having a low coefficient of friction, and wherein the second washer is made of a metal material.

16. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manipulating member for locking has a surface facing the cylindrical member, and wherein a third washer is interposed between this surface and the cylindrical member.

17. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the third washer is made of a material having a low coefficient of friction.

18. A lock mechanism mounted in a revolving mechanism for revolving a frame, the revolving mechanism having a detachable plate, a pivot protruding from the detachable plate, and a shaft-receiving hole formed in the frame, the pivot being rotatably inserted in the shaft-receiving hole, the lock mechanism acting to lock and unlock rotation of the frame, the lock mechanism comprising:

a cylindrical member coupled to the pivot so as to be movable axially of the pivot and having a barrel part that covers the pivot over a part of the frame that is around the shaft-receiving hole; and

a manipulating member for locking, the manipulating member being rotatably coupled to the pivot,

wherein when the manipulating member is rotated in one direction, the manipulating member moves the cylindrical member toward the detachable plate and the part of the frame around the shaft-receiving hole is held between the front end of the barrel part and the detachable plate, and

wherein when the manipulating member is rotated in the other direction, the manipulating member permits the cylindrical member to move away from the detachable plate.

19. A lock mechanism as set forth in claim 18, wherein the revolving mechanism has a frictional mechanism that gives frictional resistance to the frame to maintain rotation of the frame.