Water-proof camera

• US 4,383,743 A
• Filed: 03/23/1981
• Issued: 05/17/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Kogaku KK (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Nozawa, Hideyo, Dobashi, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US06/246,217
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 354/64, 354/288, 220/326, 220/344
• US Class Current: 396/29
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

A water-proof camera comprises a camera body, a back lid rotatably supported on one side of the camera body, an elastic water-proof member disposed at a marginal area which requires water-proof integrity between the camera body and the back lid, and a back lid locking device positioned on the other side of the camera body when the back lid is closed.

Claims

1. A water-proof camera comprising:

(a) a camera body;

(b) a back lid adapted to cover the back side of the camera body;

(c) means for rotatably supporting a side end of the back lid at a side end of the camera body so that the back lid may be closed and opened, the supporting means having a first biasing means for biasing the back lid toward the front of the camera body;

(d) an elastic water-proof member disposed at a marginal area which requires water-proof integrity between the camera body and the back lid and sandwiched between the camera body and the back lid by closure of the back lid;

(e) a retaining member fixed at a second side end of said back lid;

(f) a locking member provided at a second side end of the camera body to be movable between a first position and a second position, the locking member having a cam provided with a first portion and a second portion with which said restraining member is brought into contact; and

(g) a second biasing means disposed between the camera body and the locking member, the second locking member storing its energy in response to the displacement of the locking member from the first position to the second position which displacement is caused by co-operation of the restraining member with the first portion of the cam upon closure of the back lid, and the restoring force of the second biasing means being converted to a force for biasing the back lid toward the front of the camera body by co-operation of the restraining member with the second portion of the cam,

whereby when the back lid is closed the elastic water-proof member is compressed by the first and second biasing means in the thrust direction between the camera body and the back lid biased toward the front of the camera body.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means include a slidable hinge supported at a side end of the camera body for sliding reciprocal movement and which supports rotatably the back lid so that the back lid may be opened and closed;

and said slidable hinge is biased toward the front of the camera body by said first biasing means.

3. A water-proof camera comprising:

(a) a camera body;

(b) a back lid adapted to cover the back side of the camera body;

(c) supporting means for rotatably supporting the back lid at a side end of the camera body so that a side end of the back lid may be opened and closed;

(d) an elastic water-proof member disposed in a marginal area which requires water-proof integrity between the camera body and the back lid and sandwiched between the camera body and the back lid by closure of the back lid, the water-proof member being depressed in its thrust direction between the back lid and the camera body in the neighborhood of said rotatably supporting means when the back lid is closed;

(e) an auxiliary hinge rotatably supported at a second side end of the back lid, the auxiliary hinge having a restraining member;

(f) a locking plate supported slidably to a second end of the camera body;

(g) means for biasing the locking plate toward the camera body, the biasing means being deformable between a first form and a second form;

(h) cam means fixed to the restraining member and adapted to cam said locking plate to sliding movement thereby to deform the biasing means from the first form to the second form in association with rotation of the auxiliary hinge for locking the back lid after closure of the back lid,

whereby, after rotational movement of the auxiliary hinge, the restraining member is brought into contact with the locking plate so that the restoring force of the biasing means from the second form to the first form causes the elastic water-proof member to be compressed in the thrust direction between the back lid and the camera body.

4. A water-proof camera comprising:

(a) a camera body;

(b) a back lid adapted to cover the back side of the camera body;

(c) supporting means for rotatably supporting a side end of the back lid to a side end of the camera body, the supporting means including a slidable hinge supported at the side end of the camera body for sliding movement in reciprocal directions relative to the camera body and rotatably supporting the back lid so that the back lid may be opened and closed and a biasing means for biasing the slidable hinge toward the front of the camera body;

(d) an elastic water-proof member disposed in a marginal area which requires water-proof integrity between the camera body and the back lid and sandwiched between the camera body and the back lid by closure of the back lid;

(e) an auxiliary hinge rotatably supported at the other side end of the back lid, the auxiliary hinge having a restraining member;

(f) a locking plate slidably supported at the other end of the camera body;

(g) means for biasing the locking plate toward the camera body, the biasing means being deformable between a first form and a second form;

(h) cam means fixed to the restraining member and adapted to cam said locking plate to sliding movement thereby to deform the biasing means from the first form to the second form in association with rotation of the auxiliary hinge for locking the back lid after closure of the back lid,

whereby, after rotational movement of the auxiliary hinge, the restraining member is brought into contact with the locking plate so that the restoring force of the biasing means from the second form to the first form causes the elastic water-proof member to be compressed in the thrust direction between the back lid and the camera body.

5. A water-proof camera comprising:

(a) a camera body;

(b) a back lid adapted to cover the back side of the camera body;

(c) supporting means for rotatably supporting a first side end of the back lid at a side end of the camera body so that a second side end of the back lid may be opened and closed;

(d) an elastic water-proof member disposed in a marginal area which requires water-proof integrity between the camera body and the back lid by closure of the back lid;

(e) an auxiliary hinge rotatably supported at a second side end of the back lid;

(f) biasing means deformable between a first form and a second form, the biasing means being deformed from the first to the second form when the auxiliary hinge is rotated toward the camera body after closure of the back lid; and

(g) means for engaging the auxiliary hinge with the camera body by rotational movement of the auxiliary hinge so that the restoring force of the biasing means from the second form to the first form causes the elastic water-proof member to be compressed between the back lid and the camera body.