Camera having a sheath which is incorporated into the camera body without being distorted

• US 6,324,349 B2
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Toshifumi, Takahashi, Shinya, Suzuki, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/360,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 396/6, 396/25, 396/27, 396/29, 396/287, 396/439, 396/440, 396/535, 396/541
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies

Abstract

A camera comprising a camera sheath composed of a front cover unit and a rear cover unit, a camera body supported in the camera sheath, and positioning mechanism for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath without fixing them. The positioning mechanism is composed of a pair of protrusions protruding from the front cover unit and a pair of hole portions formed in a reinforcing plate unit of the camera body and capable of being fitted individually on the protrusions. A gap of about 1 mm or less is formed in the whole area between the camera body and the camera sheath except fitting portions including the positioning mechanism.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

a camera sheath;

a camera body supported in the camera sheath such that space is provided between the camera body and an inner surface of the camera sheath; and

positioning means composed of the camera sheath and the camera body, and having fitting means for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath, the fitting means allowing the camera body to be movable to the camera sheath,

wherein said positioning means comprises a pair of protrusions and a pair of hole portions capable of being fitted individually on the protrusions.

2. A camera comprising:

a camera sheath;

a camera body supported in the camera sheath such that space is provided between the camera body and an inner surface of the camera sheath; and

positioning means composed of the camera sheath and the camera body, and having fitting means for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath, the fitting means allowing the camera body to be movable to the camera sheath,

wherein the camera body has at least a camera lens, a film cartridge compartment, and a film take-up compartment, and

wherein said positioning means comprises a pair of protrusions and a pair of hole portions capable of being fitted individually on the protrusions.

3. A camera according to claim 2, wherein one of said hole portions is circular and the other of said hole portions is slot-shaped.

4. A camera comprising:

a camera sheath;

a camera body supported in the camera sheath such that space is provided between the camera body and an inner surface of the camera sheath; and

positioning means composed of the camera sheath and the camera body, and having fitting means for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath, the fitting means allowing the camera body to be movable to the camera sheath,

wherein the camera body has at least a camera lens, a film cartridge compartment, and a film take-up compartment, and

wherein said camera body includes a plate member fixedly fitted with the camera lens, film cartridge compartment, and film take-up compartment, the plate member having part of the positioning means.

5. A camera according to claim 4, wherein said plate member includes a pair of hole portions, and said camera sheath includes a pair of protrusions capable of being fitted individually in the hole portions.

6. A camera comprising:

a camera sheath;

a camera body supported in the camera sheath such that space is provided between the camera body and an inner surface of the camera sheath; and

positioning means composed of the camera sheath and the camera body, and having fitting means for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath, the fitting means allowing the camera body to be movable to the camera sheath,

wherein said camera body has at least a camera lens, a film cartridge compartment, and a film take-up compartment, and includes a flexible electric substrate; and

wherein said electric substrate extends from the camera body, the extending portion of the substrate having thereon a display device fixed to the camera sheath.

7. A camera comprising:

a camera sheath;

a camera body supported in the camera sheath such that space is provided between the camera body and an inner surface of the camera sheath; and

positioning means composed of the camera sheath and the camera body, and having fitting means for positioning the camera body with respect to the camera sheath, the fitting means allowing the camera body to be movable to the camera sheath,

wherein the positioning means has a first projection, a second projection, a circular hole into which the first projection is fitted, and a slot-shaped hole into which the second projection is fitted, and the first and second projections are movable with respect to the circular and slot-shaped holes, respectively, in a direction along which the first and second projections are fitted into or removed from the circular and slot-shaped holes, respectively.