Waterproof housing for camera

• US 4,375,323 A
• Filed: 08/25/1981
• Issued: 03/01/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1978
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Iwata, Takashi, Oya, Tetsuro, Inagaki, Tetsuhiko, Imura, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzales John
• Application Number:
  US06/295,981
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 354/63, 354/64, 354/288, 352/242, 358/99, 358/229, 206/204, 206/316, 206/811, 220/378, 220/324, 220/295, 220/298, 220/304, 220/285, 220/357, 220/358, 220/319, 220/322, 150/52 J
• US Class Current: 396/29
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

A camera water-tight housing includes a hollow body member having a rectangular rear access opening delineated by the rear borders of the body member walls and a rectangular transparent lid having grooves formed in its inside face along its long sides. Each groove includes opposing faces, the inside faces being stepped and a resilient packing engages the face stepped portions and is retained therein by the borders of a pressure plate secured to the lid inside face. In the housing closed condition, the wall end borders along the opening long sides engages the lid grooves between the backing and the groove outer faces to compress the packing and effects a water-tight seal. Locking members are provided on the body member end walls and include hook portions for engaging tabs projecting from the lid to lock it in its closed position and cams for engaging the tabs and ejecting the lid when the members are rotated to separate the hook portions from the tabs. A camera mechanism is located in the housing and includes separate covers for the film and battery chambers, the covers being locked in closed position by the lid carried pressure plate in the housing closed condition.

Claims

1. A waterproof housing structure for cameras comprising:

separably intercoupled first and second members delineating a sealed chamber;

a projecting first abutting portion provided on one of said members and having an inside face facing said sealed chamber and an outside face positioned at the backside of said inside face;

a second abutting portion provided on the other of said members and having therein a groove defined by a pair of opposite side faces and a bottom for loosely receiving therein said first abutting portion;

a packing interposed between said first abutting portion inside face and one of said groove side faces, the other one of said groove side faces engaging said outside face of said projecting first abutting portion so as to press said packing against said one of said groove side faces when said first and second members are intercoupled; and

a member fixed to said second abutting portion and partly covering said groove so as to prevent said packing from slipping from said groove when one of said first and second members is separated from the other.

2. A waterproof housing structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said other one of said groove side faces is of the configuration so as to engage in face-to-face contact with said outside face of said projecting first abutting portion.

3. A waterproof housing structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein one of said first and second members includes an outer case for housing a camera mechanism and has therein an opening of flat rectangular configuration, and the other of said first and second members includes a lid member of flat rectangular configuration separably closing said opening.

4. A waterproof housng structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first and second abutting portions are respectively provided along long sides of said opening and said lid member.

5. A waterproof housing structure for cameras comprising:

separably intercoupled first and second members delineating a sealed chamber, one of said members including an outer case for housing a camera mechanism and having therein an opening of flat rectangular configuration and a film chamber accessible through said opening and an auxillary lid member for opening and closing said film chamber and the other of said members including a lid member of flat rectangular configuration separably closing said opening;

a projecting first abutting portion provided in one of said members;

a second abutting portion provided on the other of said members and having therein a groove defined by a pair of opposite faces and a bottom for loosely receiving therein said first abutting portion; and

a packing positioned in said groove in mutually overlapping relationship with said first abutting portion, said overlapping first abutting portion and packing member being embraced between said groove side faces.

6. A waterproof housing structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said auxiliary lid member has a window and said lid member is made of transparent material.

7. A waterproof housing structure as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a pressure plate secured to said lid member for urging said auxiliary lid member toward said film chamber, and wherein said lid member is provided with said groove in which said packing is located, said groove being partly covered by said pressure plate, thereby preventing the separation of said packing.

8. A waterproof housing structure as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a tab projecting from an end of said lid member, and a locking member rotatably mounted on said outer case proximate said opening and including a hook portion and a cam portion alternatively engaging said tab to respectively press said lid member against said outer case and urge said lid member for forcibly removing said lid member from said outer case.

9. A water-tight housing comprising a pair of separably coupled housing members which in their coupled condition delineate a housing cavity and in their uncoupled condition provide access to said cavity through an opening formed in one of said members, a first coupling section extending along a border of said opening and a second coupling section located on said other member, one of said coupling sections including a groove having opposing first and second faces and the other said coupling sections including a tongue having an end face, an inside face facing said cavity and an opposite outside side face and projecting into and extending along said groove with said tongue outside side face in substantially parallel face-to-face engagement with said groove first face in the coupled condition of said members and a resilient packing superimposed on said inside face of said tongue and with said tongue being embraced between said groove opposing faces to compress said packing in the coupled condition of said members.

10. The water-tight housing of claim 9 including means for releasably locking said members in a coupled condition.

11. The water-tight housing of claim 10 wherein one of said housing members includes a hollow member having a rectangular access opening in an end thereof with said tongue extending along a long side of said opening and the other of said housing members includes a rectangular lid having said groove formed in its inside face and extending along a long border thereof.

12. The water-tight housing of claim 11, wherein said locking means comprises a tab projecting from an end of said lid and a locking member rotatably mounted on said hollow member proximate said access opening and including a hook portion and a cam portion alternatively engaging said tab to respectively forcibly advance said lid toward said hollow member and lock said lid in coupled condition and to unlock and urge said lid to a separated condition.

13. The water-tight housing of claim 11, wherein one of said groove opposite faces is provided with a groove in which said packing is retained.

14. The water-tight housing of claim 10 including means for releasably latching said locking means in a position locking said housing members in their coupled condition.

15. A water-tight housing comprising a pair of separably coupled housing members which in their coupled condition delineate a housing cavity, one of said housing members including a hollow member having a rectangular access opening in an end thereof and a tongue extending along a long side of said opening and the other of said housing members including a rectangular lid having a groove with opposing faces formed in its inside face and extending along a long border thereof and in the coupled condition of said housing members closing said opening with said tongue projecting into and extending along said groove, means for releasably locking said housing members in coupled condition, a resilient packing superimposed on a face of said tongue with said tongue being embraced between said groove opposing faces to compress said packing in the coupled condition of said housing members, a film cartridge chamber located in said hollow member and having a rear opening, an auxilliary cover separably closing said rear opening and a pressure plate mounted on the inside face of said lid and bearing on and retaining said cover in closed condition in the coupled condition of said housing members.

16. A waterproof camera comprising:

a camera body case immediately housing a camera mechanism, said case having an opening and a film chamber accessible through said opening;

a lid member separably intercoupled to said case;

a resilient packing enclosing said opening, said resilient packing positioned between said case and lid member; and

an auxilliary lid member for opening and closing said film chamber.

17. The waterproof camera of claim 16, wherein said auxilliary lid member has a window and said lid member is made of transparent material.

18. A waterproof camera as set forth in claim 16, wherein said lid member and said auxilliary lid member respectively have window portions for verification of the existence of a film cartridge loaded in said film chamber.

19. A waterproof camera as set forth in claim 18, wherein said camera mechanism includes a viewfinder system having an eyepiece located within said opening and located beside said auxilliary lid member, and wherein said lid member also has a transparent portion in alignment with an optical axis of said viewfinder system.

20. A waterproof camera as set forth in claim 19, wherein said camera mechanism includes a battery chamber accessible through said opening, said waterproof housing structure further comprising a second auxilliary lid member for opening and closing said battery chamber independently of said auxilliary lid member.

21. A waterproof housing structure for cameras comprising:

an outer case for housing a camera mechanism, said outer case having an opening and a film chamber accessible through said opening;

a lid member separably intercoupled to said outer case;

a resilient packing enclosing said opening, said resilient packing positioned between said outer case and lid member;

an auxilliary lid member for opening and closing said film chamber; and

a pressure plate secured to said lid member for urging said auxilliary lid member toward said film chamber.