Waterproof camera and lens mount therefore

• US 4,994,829 A
• Filed: 11/15/1989
• Issued: 02/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US07/436,687
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 354/64, 354/286, 354/195.1, 354/455, 350/255, 350/257, 350/588, 350/589
• US Class Current: 396/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

A waterproof camera having a detachable imaging lens system comprises a lens inner tube for holding an imaging lens, a watertight optical member for covering a front plane of the imaging lens, a lens outer tube for holding the watertight optical member and supporting the lens inner tube to permit relative displacement by a predetermined distance along an optical axis only, an inner mechanism support having a camera body mechanism including at least a film holder, an outer housing for housing the inner mechanism support therein, a first bayonet mount provided in the outer housing for removably supporting one end of the lens outer tube, a second bayonet mount fixed to the inner mechanism support to support the lens inner tube and having a mount reference plane contactable to a mount reference plane of the lens inner tube, spring means provided between the lens outer tube adn the lens inner tube for biasing the lens inner tube when the lens outer tube is mounted to the outer housing through the first bayonet mount so that the mount reference plane of the lens inner tube is pressed and contacted to the mount reference plane of the second bayonet mount, and waterproof seal means provided between the lens outer tube and the first bayonet mount.

Claims

1. A waterproof camera having a detachable imaging lens system, comprising:

an inner tube for holding the imaging lens system;

a waterproof optical member for covering a front of said imaging lens system;

an outer tube for holding said waterproof optical member and supporting said inner tube therein such that said inner tube is displaceable by a predetermined distance only along an optical axis;

an inner support member for supporting imaging means;

an outer casing for holding said inner support member therein;

a first bayonet mount arranged in said outer casing for removably supporting one end of the outer tube;

a second bayonet mount arranged in said inner support member to removably support said inner tube and having a reference plane for determining a position of said imaging lens system of said inner tube along the optical axis;

spring means arranged between said outer tube and said inner tube for biasing said inner tube toward the reference plane of said second bayonet mount when said outer tube is mounted on said outer casing through said first bayonet mount; and

waterproof seal means provided between said outer tube and said first bayonet mount.

2. A waterproof camera according to claim 1 wherein said inner tube has a plurality of bayonet pawls, said second bayonet mount has a plurality of bayonet pawls for coupling to the bayonet pawls of said inner tube and a plurality of leaf springs provided one for each of said bayonet pawls for pressing said inner tube toward the reference plane of said second bayonet mount.

3. A waterproof camera according to claim 1 further comprising:

a connection including a first contact and a second contact for electrically connecting said inner tube and said inner support member,

wherein said first contact is arranged in said second bayonet mount, and said second contact is arranged in said inner tube.

4. A waterproof camera according to claim 1 further comprising:

detection means for detecting a mount state of said inner tube and said second bayonet mount.

5. A waterproof camera according to claim 4 wherein said detection means includes a movable member and a groove arranged at positions to face each other when said inner tube is completely mounted in said second bayonet mount, and switch means engaged with said movable member to produce an electrical signal in accordance with the displacement distance of said movable member.

6. A waterproof camera with a detachable lens bodytube for holding an inner tube for holding an imaging lens system and a waterproof optical system for covering a front of said imaging lens system and having an outer tube for holding said inner tube therein, comprising:

an inner support member for holding imaging means;

an outer casing for supporting said inner support member therein;

a first bayonet mount arranged in said outer casing and adapted to be coupled with said outer tube;

a second bayonet mount arranged in said inner support member and adapted to be coupled to said inner tube; and

link means arranged between said outer tube and said inner tube for linking the coupling of said outer tube to said first bayonet mount and the coupling of said inner tube to said second bayonet mount.

7. A waterproof camera with a detachable lens bodytube having an inner tube for holding an imaging lens system, an outer tube for holding said inner tube therein and an electrically driven electrical device, comprising:

an inner support member for holding imaging means;

an outer casing for supporting said inner support member therein;

a first bayonet mount arranged in said outer casing and adapted to be coupled to said outer tube;

a second bayonet mount arranged in said inner support member and adapted to be coupled to said inner tube; and

a connector arranged in said inner support member and adapted to be connected to said electrical device when said inner tube is coupled to said second bayonet mount.

8. An imaging lens bodytube adapted to be mounted on a waterproof camera having an inner support member for holding imaging means and an outer casing for holding said inner support member therein, comprising:

an imaging lens system;

an inner tube member for holding said imaging lens system and having a bayonet pawl member at an end thereof for coupling to said inner support member;

a waterproof optical member for covering a front of said imaging lens system;

an outer tube member for holding said waterproof optical member and having a bayonet pawl member at one end thereof for coupling to said outer casing and supporting said inner tube member therein; and

link means arranged between said outer tube member and said inner tube member for linking the coupling of said outer tube member to said outer casing and the coupling of said inner tube member to said inner support member.

9. An imaging lens bodytube adapted to be mounted on a waterproof camera having an inner support member for holding imaging means, an outer casing for holding said inner support member therein, and an electrical driver, comprising:

an imaging lens system;

an inner tube member for holding said imaging lens system and having a bayonet pawl member at one end thereof for coupling to said inner support member;

a lens outer tube having a bayonet pawl member at one end thereof for coupling to said outer casing and supporting said inner tube member therein;

link means arranged between said outer tube member and said inner tube member for linking the coupling of said outer tube member to said outer casing and the coupling of said inner tube member to said inner support member; and

a connector arranged in said inner tube member adapted to be connected to said electrical driver when said inner tube member is coupled to said inner support member.