Switch mechanism usable underwater

• US 7,426,338 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2005
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Naoki, Hirabayashi, Tsuyoshi, Mori, Ikko
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/281,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 396/25, 396/26, 396/27, 396/29, 396/543
• US Class Current: 396/25
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/002 Details of arrangement of components in or on camera body
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/06 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/5888 Terminals of surface mounted devices [SMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/016 Lever; Rocker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/014 located in recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/044 Under water
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/046 Camera
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/06 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/143 having a generally flat elongated shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/164 with rectilinearly movable member carrying the contacts

Abstract

The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the rear cover, an O-ring watertightly maintaining the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member being engaged with the two shaft members in a manner to be capable of pressing-down or pulling-up the shaft member, and being configured to balance water pressure applied to one shaft member with that applied to the other shaft member.

Claims

1. A switch mechanism usable underwater comprising:

an exterior member having a first hole and a second hole;

a first pressing operation member being watertight against the first hole of the exterior member;

a second pressing operation member being watertight against the second hole of the exterior member;

first switch means being turned on/off by the first pressing operation member;

second switch means being turned on/off by the second pressing operation member; and

a lever member being rotatable around a fulcrum being provided in the exterior member, pressing the first pressing operation member at a first contact point when rotating in a first direction, and pressing the second operation member at a second contact point when rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction,

wherein, when a cross-sectional area at a boundary of water and air in a state of the first pressing operation member being inserted into the first hole is defined as S1, and a cross-sectional area at a boundary of water and air in a state of the second pressing operation member being inserted into the second hole is defined as S2, and wherein, when a distance between the fulcrum and the first contact point is defined as R1, and a distance between the fulcrum and the second contact point is defined as R2, and wherein, when static frictional force occurring when the first pressing operation member is forced into the first hole is defined as F1, and static frictional force occurring when the second pressing operation member is forced into the second hole is defined as F2, and wherein, when the water pressure is defined as P, the lever member has a rotational balance of the water pressure when the following mathematical formula is satisfied;

P×

S1×

R1+F1×

R1=P×

S2×

R2+F2×

R2.

2. The switch mechanism usable underwater according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing operation member is configured to satisfy a condition, P×

S1>

>

F1 against the water pressure P at a predetermined depth of water, and the second pressing operation member is configured to satisfy a condition, P×

S2>

>

F2 against the water pressure P at a predetermined depth of water, and wherein the first hole and the second hole are configured to satisfy a condition, S1=S2, and wherein the lever member is configured to satisfy a condition, R1=R2.

3. The switch mechanism usable underwater according to claim 1, wherein the first hole and the second hole are respectively configured to serve as a shaft hole for inserting a shaft-shaped member, and wherein the first pressing operation member comprises the first shaft member fitting into the first hole being watertight against thereto and displaceable in a shaft direction, and the second pressing operation member comprises the second shaft member fitting into the second hole being watertight against thereto and displaceable in a shaft direction, and wherein the lever member is configured such that when the first pressing operation member is pressed to be operated, a point thereof pressing the first shaft member serves as a first point of force and a point thereof pulling up the second shaft member serves as a first point of action, and when the second pressing operation member is pressed to be operated, a point thereof pressing the second shaft member serves as a second point of force and a point thereof pulling up the first shaft member serves as a second point of action.

4. The switch mechanism usable underwater according to claim 3, wherein the first shaft member, the second shaft member and the lever member are separately formed, and wherein the first shaft member displaces along a first axis being a straight line perpendicular to a surface of the exterior member, and the second shaft member displaces along a second axis being a straight line perpendicular to a surface of the exterior member regardless of a rotation of the lever member.

5. The switch mechanism usable underwater according to claim 3, wherein the first shaft member, the second shaft member and the lever member are integrally formed of an elastic material.

6. The switch mechanism usable underwater according to claim 1, wherein the lever member is formed into an approximately polygonal line passing through the fulcrum serves as a rotational axis, and wherein a condition of an angle α

defined by a straight line drawn from a center of the rotational axis to a point of force and a straight line drawn from the center of the rotational axis to a point of action is satisfied by 0°

<

α

≦

180°

.