Camera including first, second and third exterior members defining the exterior thereof

• US 7,525,596 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Toshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan V
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, KENT F
• Application Number:
  US10/935,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 348/375, 348/373, 348/345, 348/376, 396/27, 396/26, 396/28, 396/29
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

Camera includes a first, second and third exterior members for covering an inner assembly. The first and second exterior members cover a front face, a rear face, a top face, a bottom face and a side face of the inner assembly. The side face is closer to a center of gravity of the inner assembly. The third exterior member extends along the top face, the bottom face and the side face to cover mated portions of the first and second exterior members and does not cover another side of the inner assembly, away from the center of gravity.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

an inner assembly which has a plurality of camera components, the camera components including (a) an image-pickup element, (b) a lens arranged on a front face of the inner assembly and providing an image of an object on the image-pickup element and (c) a display device arranged on a rear face of the inner assembly, wherein the image-pickup element, the lens and the display device are arranged so as to be deviated toward a first side face of the inner assembly, and the center of gravity of the inner assembly is closer to the first side face than a second side face of the inner assembly, the second side face being located on an opposite side from the first side face;

a first exterior member which covers the front face of the inner assembly and a part of each of a top face, a bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly;

a second exterior member which covers the rear face of the inner assembly and an another part of each of the top face, the bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly; and

a third exterior member which extends along the top face, the bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly to cover mated portions of the first and second exterior members, and does not cover the second side face of the inner assembly,

wherein the first, second and third exterior members form an exterior of the camera.

2. A camera comprising:

an inner assembly which has a plurality of camera components, the camera components including (a) an image-pickup element and (b) a lens arranged on a front face of the inner assembly and providing an image of an object on the image-pickup element, the inner assembly having a first side face and a second side face located on an opposite side from the first side face;

a fitting member which is used for fixing a strap to the camera;

a first exterior member which covers the front face of the inner assembly and a part of each of a top face, a bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly, wherein the fitting member is provided at one side end of a front face of the first exterior member, the one side end being closer to the second side face of the inner assembly than the first side face thereof;

a second exterior member which covers a rear face of the inner assembly and another part of each of the top face, the bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly; and

a third exterior member which extends along the top face, the bottom face and the first side face of the inner assembly to cover mated portions of the first and second exterior members, and does not cover the second side face of the inner assembly,

wherein the first, second and third exterior members form an exterior of the camera.