Camera housing

• US 7,679,674 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nishizawa, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOGUE, DENNIS A
• Application Number:
  US11/502,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 348 81- 85, 34833301-33313, 348373-376, 396/25, 396 27- 29, 396535-537, 396/543, 345/173, 345/179, D16/204
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

Providing a camera housing which is suitably used to house a camera with a liquid crystal monitor having a touch panel and is capable of preventing the touch panel from being broken. The camera housing includes, an external operation unit provided outside the camera housing, a contact member provided inside the camera housing for operating the touch panel by contacting the touch panel, and an elastic member provided between the external operation unit and the contact member for transmitting pressing force which is applied on the external operation unit to the contact member.

Claims

1. A camera housing for housing a camera with a display portion includes a touch panel, comprising:

an external operation unit including an externally operating member having an end portion located outside the camera housing to be externally operated and an other end portion located inside of the camera housing;

a movement restriction unit that restricts an amount of movement of the externally operating member, said movement restricting unit including a first restricting member formed on the externally operating member and a second restricting member formed on the camera housing to oppose the first restricting member, whereby when said end portion of said externally operating member is externally operated to move inward the camera housing, the first restricting member approaches the second restricting member and is blocked thereby restricting a further movement of the externally operating member;

a contact members, provided inside the camera housing, to operate said touch panel by contacting said touch panel; and

an elastic member, disposed inside the camera housing and provided between said other end portion of said external operation unit and said contact member, to transmit a pressing force which is applied on said external operation unit, to said contact member.

2. A camera housing according to claim 1, wherein said elastic member is configured to restrict the contact member from further pressing on the touch panel, when the pressing force exceeds a predetermined value.

3. A camera housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said contact member is formed of transparent resin.

4. A camera housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said external operation unit and said elastic member are provided at positions outside said display portion as viewed in a direction in which the pressing force is applied, while said camera is housed in said camera housing.

5. A camera housing according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is rotatably disposed inside the camera housing;

and

when the externally operating member is externally operated, the elastic member is rotated by being pushed by said other end portion of the externally operating member, thereby bringing the contact member into contact with the touch panel.

6. A camera housing according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member rotates around a shaft and includes a torsion spring.

7. A camera housing according to claim 6, wherein the torsion spring has projections on arms of the torsion spring, and the projections interleaf when the pressing force is applied.

8. A camera housing according to claim 6, wherein, if the pressing force exceeds a predetermined value, the elastic member dissipates an amount of force exceeding the predetermined value and does not further move the contact member towards the touch panel.

9. A camera housing for housing a camera with a display portion that includes a touch panel, comprising:

a push button outside said camera housing on which a user applies a pressing force towards inside of the camera housing to operate the touch panel;

a contact member, provided inside the camera housing, to move between a rest position in which the contact member is not in contact with said push button, and a contact position in which the contact member is in contact with said touch panel; and

an elastic member to rotate upon receiving the pressing force from said push button, to push said contact member to move from the rest position to the contact position.