Waterproof type electronic device

• US 7,409,148 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Nobutatsu, Amatatsu, Seiya
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US11/267,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 396/29, 396/25, 396/27, 396/420, 396/539, 348/81, 348/333.01, 348/333.11, 348/373, 348/376, 358/906, 358/909.1, 206/811
• US Class Current: 396/29
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/027 Covers G11B33/022 takes precedence; with means for guiding the record carrier G11B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A waterproof type electronic device is composed of a disc lid 13 capable of opening and closing an opening portion (17) of a camera apparatus body (2), a buckle (12) capable of detachably fastening the disc lid (13) to the camera apparatus body (2) and a sealing member (24) provided on at least one of the buckle (12) and the camera apparatus body (2) to hermetically seal the buckle 12 and the camera apparatus body (2). When the disc lid (13) is fastened to the camera apparatus body (2) by the buckle (12), the camera apparatus body (2) is hermetically sealed at least at its part of the portion covered with the buckle (12). In this kind of related-art waterproof type electronic device, operation buttons are not formed so as to have waterproof structures and water and water component can therefore enter this waterproof type electronic device relatively easily. If the operation buttons are formed so as to have waterproof structures, then such waterproof structures are increased in space from a structure standpoint and hence the overall arrangement of the apparatus may not be made compact in size.

Claims

1. A waterproof type electronic device, comprising:

a lid capable of opening and closing an opening portion of an electronic device body, the lid including an engagement protrusion;

a buckle for fastening said lid to said electronic device body such that said lid can be detachably fixed to said electronic device body, the buckle including a fastening means with a roller, wherein the fastening means is detachably engaged with the engagement protrusion by means of the roller; and

a sealing member provided on a peripheral edge of an inner surface of said buckle so as to seal said buckle and said electronic device body hermetically, wherein at least part of the portion covered with said buckle is hermetically sealed when said lid is fastened to said electronic device body by said buckle.

2. A waterproof type electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said waterproof type electronic device is a waterproof type camera apparatus for outputting an image of a shooting object in the converted form of an electric signal and which has an information recording medium, capable of recording said electric signal, detachably attached thereto, said information recording medium being made exchangeable when said lid is opened.

3. A waterproof type electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

operation means for opening said lid which covers said opening portion in which said information recording medium is housed and wherein said operation means is provided on said electronic device body at its portion hermetically covered with said lid.

4. A waterproof type electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said operation means includes first operation means and second operation means, said first operation means being composed of a recording stop switch energized to output a signal instructing predetermined information to be recorded on said information recording medium and which immediately energizes said second operation means after recording of said predetermined information was ended or after recording of said predetermined information has been ended, said second operation means being composed of a slide lever energized to release said lid from being locked to open said lid when said second operation means can be made operable by said first operation means.

5. A waterproof type electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said electronic device body has in its inside a partition member for dividing its inside space into a first chamber to house therein said information recording medium and which is covered with said lid and a second chamber hermetically covered with said buckle, said partition member having an air hole by which said first and second chambers communicate with each other.

6. A waterproof type electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said partition member is a battery holder to which a battery is detachably attached as a power supply.