Movable member positioning mechanism

• US 5,281,045 A
• Filed: 05/26/1992
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/887,817
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 403/330, 403/327, 403/329, 403/325, 403/108, 354/266, 354/267.1, 354/288
• US Class Current: 403/329
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/105 locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/38 Releasing-devices separate from shutter integral with shutter G03B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32459 Retainer extends through aligned recesses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/602 by separate spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/606 Leaf spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/608 Pivoted

Abstract

A movable member positioning mechanism in which the number of components of lock and click mechanisms is decreased, and the number of assembling steps is decreased accordingly. In the movable member positioning mechanism, a remote controller 20 is movably arranged along an inner wall 11 of a housing 10, a locking pawl (K) is arranged between the inner wall 11 and an outer wall 12, a lock hole 21 and a click hole 22 are formed in the surface of the remote controller 20 which is confronted with the inner wall 11, and the locking pawl (K) comprises: a lever 14 extended between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12; a locking portion 17 which is formed at one end of the lever 14 in such a manner as to be able to engage with the lock hole 21 and the click hole; an operating portion 16 which is formed at the other end of the lever 14 so as to cause the locking portion 17 to protrude towards the remote control 30 through the inner wall 11; and a spring member 18 for urging the locking portion 17 towards the lock hole 21 and the click hole 22.

Claims

1. A movable member positioning mechanism comprising:

a movable member, movably arranged along with a first wall of a main body, said movable member having a positioning recess in a surface which is confronted with said first wall; and

a locking pawl arranged between said first wall and a second wall of said main body;

said locking pawl comprising a base piece including a fulcrum which is abutted against said first wall, a locking portion and an operating portion formed on opposite sides of said fulcrum in a longitudinal direction of said base piece, in such a manner that said locking portion is protrudable outside said first wall and engageable with said positioning recess of said movable member, and said operating portion being exposed outside said second wall to permit said locking portion to protrude outside said first wall, and said locking pawl further comprising spring means for urging said locking portion towards said recess of said movable member, wherein said positioning recess is at least one of a lock hole substantially U-shaped in section, and a click hole substantially trapezoidal in section.

2. A movable member positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking portion of said base piece has a sloped curved surface so that when said locking portion is held engaged with said lock hole, said movable member is locked to prevent movement in one direction relative to said first wall while said movable member can be moved in another direction relative to said first wall.

3. A movable member positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring means is made of metal plate, and is connected to said base piece by resin molding.

4. A movable member positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fulcrum, locking portion, operating portion and spring means are portions of a single integrally molded member comprising said locking pawl.

5. A movable member positioning mechanism comprising:

a movable member, movably arranged along with a first wall of a main body for sliding movement relative to said first wall in first and second opposite directions, said movable member having a positioning recess and a locking recess in a surface which is confronted with said first wall; and

a locking pawl arranged between said first wall and a second wall of said main body;

said locking pawl comprising a base piece including a fulcrum which is abutted against said first wall, a locking portion and an operating portion formed on opposite sides of said fulcrum in a longitudinal direction of said base piece, in such a manner that said locking portion is protrudable outside said first wall and engageable with said positioning recess of said movable member, and said operating portion being exposed outside said second wall to permit said locking portion to protrude outside said first wall, and said locking pawl further comprising spring means for urging said locking portion towards said recess of said movable member,

wherein said positioning recess has a side surface which is not perpendicular to said first and second opposite directions of sliding movement of said movable member relative to said first wall for abutting against a first surface of said locking portion as said movable member slides in said first direction relative to said first wall,

said locking recess having a side surface which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second directions of sliding movement for abutting against said first surface of the locking portion as said movable member slides in said first direction relative to said first wall, and

said locking portion includes said first surface substantially parallel to said side surface of said locking recess and includes a second surface which is not perpendicular to said first and second directions of sliding movement, so that said movable member is slidable in said second direction relative to said first wall but is not slidable in said first direction relative to said first wall when said first surface of said locking portion engages said side surface of said locking recess.

6. A movable member positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one side surface of said positioning recess is a surface closest to said locking recess.