Camera

• US 6,393,225 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/580,622
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 396/541, 396/535, 396/448, 396/419, 396/420, 396/424, 396/421, 396/540, 396/661, 396/373, 396/376, 396/55, 396/29
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera which gives, to the user, a suggestion of how the camera be hand-gripped readily and properly and can prevent camera shaking beforehand. The camera comprises a picture-taking lens for forming a subject image, a camera body section connected to the picture-taking lens, and an outer covering member covering the picture-taking lens and camera body section, in which, in the outer covering member, the bottom surface of a covered section corresponding to the camera body section and bottom surface of a covered section corresponding to the lower portion of the picture-taking lens are formed of a member of a higher friction coefficient than a remaining surface.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

a picture-taking optical system for forming a subject image;

a camera body section connected to the picture-taking optical system;

an outer covering member for covering the picture taking optical system; and

a grip section situated at a lower portion of the outer covering member extending from the picture-taking optical system to the camera body section and having a higher coefficient of friction than the remaining surface of the outer covering member.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the grip section is comprised of a rubber member having an uneven or ragged surface.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the grip section comprises a layer of paint.

4. A camera comprising:

a picture-taking optical section for forming a subject image;

a camera body connected to the picture-taking optical system;

an outer covering member for covering the picture-taking optical section and the camera body; and

a grip section for a left hand of a user situated on a lower surface, extending from the picture-taking optical section to the camera body of the outer covering member, wherein the grip section for a left hand of a user is obtained by a surface treatment process different from that used for the remaining surface of the outer covering member, whereby a grip position is visually recognizable.

5. A camera according to claim 4, wherein the grip section for a left hand has a higher coefficient of friction than the remaining surface of the outer covering member.

6. A camera according to claim 4, wherein the grip section for a left hand comprises a rubber member having an uneven or rough surface.

7. A camera according to claim 4, wherein the grip section for a left hand comprises a layer of paint.

8. A camera comprising:

a picture-taking optical section for forming a subject image;

a camera body connected to the picture-taking optical section;

an outer covering member for covering the picture-taking optical section and the camera body; and

a grip section formed on a lower surface, extending from the picture-taking optical section to the camera body of the outer covering member, wherein a grip position is recognizable by hand touching owing to a surface of the grip section being different from the remaining surface of the outer covering member.

9. A camera according to claim 8, wherein the grip section has a higher coefficient of friction than the remaining surface of the outer covering member.

10. A camera according to claim 8, wherein the grip section comprises a rubber member having an uneven or rough surface.

11. A camera according to claim 8, wherein the grip section comprises a layer of paint.