Swing lid structure and electronic apparatus
A swing lid structure may include a body having a cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with slots extending in a predetermined direction, a swing lid provided with through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body, and a support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body. The swing lid may slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots and may turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
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This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2006-076545 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Mar. 20, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swing lid structure and an electronic apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for simplifying a swing lid structure including a swing lid rotatably and slidably supported on a body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic apparatuses include, for example, video cameras, still cameras, television receivers, cellular telephones, audio devices and such. Some of those electronic apparatuses have a body provided with a cavity for holding a predetermined part, such as a rechargeable battery.
A cavity defined in a body included in an electronic apparatus disclosed in, for example, JP-UM-A-2-113895 is covered with a swing lid. The swing lid is slid to a predetermined position on the body, and then the swing lid is turned relative to the body to open the space.
The swing lid of the electronic apparatus mentioned in JP-UM-A-2-113895 has a cover body and a connecting member formed by bending a metal sheet in a predetermined shape. The connecting member is supported on the body so as to be turnable, and the cover body is supported slidably on the connecting member. To open the space, first the cover body is slid on the connecting member, and then the cover body is turned together with the connecting member relative to the body.
In this known electronic apparatus, the swing lid has the cover body and the connecting member, the connecting member is supported on the body so as to be turnable relative to the body, and the cover body is supported on the connecting member so as to be slidable on the connecting member. Thus a mechanism including the swing lid and the body is inevitably complicated. A connecting member making process that bends the metal sheet in the predetermined shape is troublesome
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is desirable to provide a simple supporting structure, for supporting a swing lid on an electronic apparatus, capable of solving the forgoing problems.
To address the foregoing problems, a first embodiment of the present invention is directed to a swing lid structure which may include a body having a cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with slots extending in a predetermined direction, a swing lid provided with through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body, and a support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body, wherein the swing lid may slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots and may turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
To address the foregoing problems, a second embodiment of the present invention is directed to an electronic apparatus which may include a body having a cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with slots extending in a predetermined direction, a swing lid provided with through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body, and a support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body, wherein the swing lid may slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots and may turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
In each of the swing lid structure and the electronic apparatus, the swing lid may slide together with the support shaft relative to the body.
The swing lid structure of the first aspect may include the body defining the cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with the slots extending in a predetermined direction, the swing lid provided with the through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body, and the support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body, and the swing lid may slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots, and may turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
The swing lid structure in which the swing lid is supported by the support shaft on the body so as to be slidable and turnable relative to the body is simple.
In a swing lid structure in the first aspect, the swing lid may be slidable between a first position where the swing lid can turn relative to the body and a second position where the swing lid can not turn relative to the body, a coil spring having a coil and first and second arms extending from the opposite ends of the coiled spring body, respectively, may be put on the support shaft, the swing lid may be provided with a spring retaining part against which the first arm of the coil spring is pressed, and the body may be provided with a stopping projection having a first retaining surface against which the second arm of the coil spring is pressed at least when the swing lid is at the first position, and a second retaining surface against which the second arm of the coil spring is pressed when the swing lid is at the second position so as to push the swing lid toward the first position. Thus the operator does not need to perform all the operations necessary for moving the swing lid from the first position where the swing lid is turnable to the second position where the swing lid is unturnable, which facilitates using a device provided with this swing lid structure.
In a swing lid structure in the first embodiment, the stopping projection of the body may have a restraining surface for restraining the swing lid at the second position from turning, and the first and the second retaining surface may be formed on the stopping projection. Thus the restraining surface for restraining the swing lid from turning and the retaining surfaces for bearing the second arm of the coil spring do not need to be formed separately, which simplifies the swing lid structure.
In a swing lid structure in the first embodiment, the first and the second retaining surface may be formed so as to extend perpendicularly to each other, and an inclined surface inclined to both the first and the second retaining surface may be extended between the first and the second retaining surface such that the second arm slide along the inclined surface when the swing lid slides relative to the body. Thus the swing lid can be moved by a small force to slide the swing lid from the second position toward the first position, and a moving force can be applied at an early stage of sliding the swing lid when the swing lid is slid from the first position toward the second position.
The electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment may include the body provided with the slots extending in a predetermined direction, the swing lid provided with the through holes, and the support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body, and the swing lid can slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots can turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
Since the swing lid may be supported by the support shaft on the body so as to be slidable and turnable relative to the body, the electronic apparatus is simple in construction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention will be described as applied to a still camera by way of example. The present invention is not limited in its practical application to the still camera specifically described herein and is applicable widely to various devices including video cameras. In the following description, vertical directions and transverse directions are those as a user looks when the user uses the still camera for photographing. For example, the user is on the rear side of the still camera and an object is on the front side of the still camera. Vertical directions and transverse directions are used for convenience in the following description and do not place any restrictions on the embodiments of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a still camera 1 has a body 2 holding component parts therein. The body 2 is formed in a shape substantially resembling a flat, transversely elongate, rectangular solid. The body 2 has a front wall 2a, a rear wall 2b, a top wall 2c, a bottom wall 2d, a left side wall 2e and a right side wall 2f. As shown in
A slide cover 9 is vertically slidably supported on the surface of the recess 3. The slide cover 9 has a height lower than that of the body 2, and a width equal to that of the recess 3. The slide cover 9 has a forward convex, gently curved front surface 9a, a flat upper surface 9b and a flat lower surface 9c. The right end section 4 has a forward convex, gently curved front surface 4a of a curvature equal to that of the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9. Thus the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 is smoothly continuous with the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 as shown in
The upper surface 9b of the slide cover 9 is flush with the upper surface 2c of the body 2 when the slide cover 9 is positioned at an upper closed position as shown in
A strap lug 10 protrudes forward from a lower end part of the right end section 4. As shown in
Referring to
A shutter button 16 is disposed at a part of the top wall 2c of the body 2 near the right end of the top wall 2c. The shutter button 16 is depressed for still photography and motion picture photography. On the top wall 2c of the body 2, a main switch button 17 is disposed on the left side of the shutter button 16 and a camera-shake prevention button 18 is disposed on the right side of the shutter button 16. When the main switch 17 is depressed repeatedly, the power source is alternately connected to and disconnected from the electric circuit of the still camera 1. When the camera-shake prevention button 18 is depressed, a camera-shake preventing function is actuated.
The power source is connected to the electric circuit when the slide cover 9 is slid from the closed position to the open position. The power source is disconnected from the electric circuit when the slide cover 9 is slid from the open position to the closed position.
A slide key 19 is disposed on a rear end part of the top wall 2c. The slide key 19 is a selector key for selecting a still picture photographing mode, a motion picture photographing mode or an image reproducing mode.
Referring to
Referring to
The user holds the still camera 1 in the left hand 200 and the right hand 300 for photographing as shown in
The still camera 1 has the stepped or projecting finger support part 5a, the upper end 9b of the slide cover 9 and the strap lug 10. Therefore, the users fingers put to parts of the body 2 are prevented from slipping, the still camera 1 can be firmly held and the still camera 1 is handy.
In some cases, the middle finger 303 of the user holding the still camera 1 is placed across the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9. Since the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 are gently curved continuous surfaces as mentioned above, the user can put the idle finger 303 across the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 without feeling any wrong sensation.
Although the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 are supposed to be gently curved continuous surfaces in the foregoing description, the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 may be continuous flat surfaces. The user can put the idle finger 303 across the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 without feeling any wrong sensation even if the front surface 4a of the right end section 4 of the body 2 and the front surface 9a of the slide cover 9 are continuous flat surfaces.
In the still camera 1, the display panel 11 is placed on the rear wall 2b of the body 2, and the shutter button 16 is placed on the top wall 2c. Therefore, an image displayed on the display panel 11 can be easily recognized and the finger can be easily put to the shutter button 16 when the still camera 1 is gripped by hands. Thus the visibility of the images on the display panel 11, and the operability and handiness of the still camera 1 are satisfactory.
The strap lug 10 that serves also as a finger rest when the still camera 1 is held for photographing is formed on the right end section 4 of the front wall 2a of the body 2. Therefore, the strap lug 10 does not move when the slide cover 9 is moved and hence the still camera 1 can be stably gripped.
Since the strap lug 10 serves also as a finger rest, the still camera 1 does not need any additional, special finger rest, which is effective in reducing the number of parts of the still camera 1 and in simplifying the construction of the still camera 1.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are combined by a method which will be described below with reference to FIGS. 13 to 17. First, the operating part 39a of the second push button module 14 is fitted in the central opening 35a of the annular operating button 35 of the first push button module 13. Then, the second push button module 14 is turned about the axis of the central operating button 39 to move the connecting parts 41 toward the pins 36a as shown in
In the compound push button thus built by combining the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14, the connecting parts 41 of the second push button module 14 are pressed against the radial projections 36 of the first push button module 13 by the resilience of the flexible legs 40 of the second push button module 14 as shown in
Referring to
A wiring board provided with a switching circuit is disposed at a position in front of the button unit 28 in the body 2. The wiring board is provided with switches respectively corresponding to the zoom button 12, the first push button module, the second push button module 14 and the operating buttons 15.
When the zoom button 12 is pressed, the elastic tongues 31 of the button unit 28 are flexed elastically, the zoom switch is operated to actuate a zooming function. When the annular operating button 35 of the first push button 35 is pressed, the flexible parts 37 are elastically deformed and the switch corresponding to the pressed part of the annular operating button 35 is closed to actuate a desired function, such as a flash photographing function. When the central operating button 39 of the second push button module 14 is pressed, the flexible legs 40 are elastically deformed and the switch corresponding to the central operating button 39 is closed to actuate a predetermined function assigned to the central operating button 39. When each of the operating buttons 15 is pressed, a predetermined function, such as a menu displaying function, assigned to the operating button 15 is actuated.
In the still camera 1, the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are combined by elastically warping the flexible legs 40 of the second push button module 14 in a direction in which the central operating button 39 of the second push button module 14 is fitted in the central opening 35a, and fitting the pins 36a of the radial projections 36 of the first push button module 13 in the openings 41a of the connecting parts 41 of the second push button module 14. Thus the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 do not need to be welded together, can be combined by simple combining work in a short time. When the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are plated, the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 cannot be connected by welding because metal films coating the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 do not melt. The surfaces of the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 can be finished by a plating process when the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are thus combined by fitting the pins 36a of the radial projections 36 of the first push button module 13 in the openings 41a of the connecting parts 41 of the second push button module 14. When the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are plated, fine, concentric, circular grooves s can be formed in the rear end surfaces of the annular operating button 35 of the first push button module 13 and the central operating button 39 of the second push button module 14 as shown in
In the still camera 1, the pins 36a are first connecting parts, and the connecting parts 41 provided with the openings 41a are second connecting parts, and the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 are combined by fitting the pins 36a in the openings 41a. Thus the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 can be easily combined.
The connecting parts 41 are pressed against the projections 36 of the first push button module 13 by the resilience of the flexible legs 40 of the second push button module 14 as shown in
In the foregoing still camera 1, the first push button module 13 is provided with the pins 36a and the second push button module 14 is provided with the connecting parts 41 provided with the openings 41a. The openings may be formed in the first push button module 13 and the pins may be formed in the second push button module 14 to combine the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14.
In the foregoing still camera 1, the pins and the connecting parts provided with the openings are used to combine the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14. Projections may be formed in the first push button module 13 (the second push button module) and recesses may be formed in the second push button module 14 (the first push button module 13), and the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14 may be combined by fitting the projections in the recesses, respectively. Hooks may be formed in the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14, and the hooks may be engaged to combine the first push button module 13 and the second push button module 14.
Referring to
A vertically elongate stopping projection 44 is formed at an upper position of the right end part of the holding frame 27 as shown in
A swing lid 24 for covering the open end of the cavity 22 has an upper end part connected to the body 2 such that the swing lid 24 can turn on the body 2 as shown in
Suppose that the length of the swing lid 24 extends vertically as shown in
The swing lid 24 is supported for turning on the body 2 by a support shaft 53. As shown in
The swing lid 24 can turn on the support shaft 53. When the support shaft 53 is moved vertically in the slots 43, the swing lid 24 moves vertically relative to the body 2 together with the support shaft 53. An upper limit position in a moving range of the swing lid 24 on the body 2 is an unturnable position where the swing lid 24 cannot turn, and a lower limit position in the moving range of the swing lid 24 on the body 2 is a turnable position where the swing lid 24 can turn.
In a state where the swing lid 24 is supported on the body 2, the first arm 51 of the coil spring 49 is elastically pressed against the spring retaining part 47a of the projection 46 from the left side, and the second arm 52 of the coil spring 49 is elastically pressed against the second retaining surface 44c, the inclined surface 44d or the first retaining surface 44b of the stopping projection 44 depending on the position of the swing lid 24 relative to the body 2.
The second arm 52 slides on the stopping projection 44 between the second retaining surface 44c and the first retaining surface 44b as the position of the swing lid 24 relative to the body changes. A front part of the end part 52a of the second arm 52 bent at right angles projects forward from the stopping projection 44 as shown in
Motions of the swing lid 24 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 21 to 27. In a state where the swing lid 24 is at the unturnable position, namely, the upper limit position in the moving range of the swing lid 24 as shown in
When the user slides the swing lid 24 down from the unturnable position by hand, the second arm 52 of the coil spring 49 slides from the second retaining surface 44c of the stopping projection 44 past the inclined surface 44d onto the first retaining surface 44b. During this movement of the first arm 52 of the coil spring 49, the support shaft 53 supporting the swing lid 24 slides down in the slots 43. Eventually, the swing lid 24 reaches the lower limit position, namely, the turnable position. When the swing lid 24 reaches the turnable position, the catching parts 46c of the swing lid 24 are disengaged from the locking projections 47a, and the first arm 51 of the coil spring 49 applies a rightward force as indicated by the arrow M in
The rechargeable battery 23 held in the cavity 22 is locked in place by the battery locking member 42. The battery locking member 42 is turned to unlock the rechargeable battery 23, and then the rechargeable battery 23 can be taken out from the cavity 22. To put the rechargeable battery 23 into the cavity 22, the battery locking member 42 in a direction in which the same is turned to unlock the storage batter 23. The battery locking member 42 is turned in the reverse direction after the rechargeable battery 23 has been received in the cavity 22 to lock the rechargeable battery 23 in place in the cavity 22. The swing lid 24 is turned in the closing direction to the turnable position as shown in
The swing lid structure of the still camera 1 is simple because the swing lid 24 is supported on the body 2 by the support shaft 53 so as to be slidable and turnable relative to the body 2. The coil spring 49 exerts the upward force Fu on the swing lid 24 to slide the swing lid 24 from the turnable position to the unturnable position. The user does not need to move the swing lid 24 from the turnable position to the unturnable position entirely by a manual operation, which improves the handiness of the still camera 1.
Since the coil spring 49 exerts the upward force Fu to move the swing lid 24 from the turnable position to the unturnable position, the swing lid structure is simple and the mechanism of the still camera 1 is simple, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the still camera 1.
In the still camera 1, the stopping projection 44 that restrains the swing lid 24 at the unturnable position from turning has the first retaining surface 44b and the second retaining surface 44c for retaining the first arm 52 of the coil spring 49. Therefore, the swing lid structure does not need to have two separate parts respectively for restraining the swing lid 24 at the unturnable position from turning and retaining the second arm 52 of the coil spring 49, which simplifies the swing lid structure.
Moreover, since the stopping projection 44 has the inclined surface 44d along which the second arm 52 of the coil spring 49 slides, the lid can be slid from the unturnable position to the turnable position by a small force and the upward force Fu can be applied to the swing lid 24 at an early stage of sliding the swing lid 24 from the turnable position to the unturnable position.
Although the inclined surface 44d is formed on the stopping projection 44 to apply the upward force Fu top the swing lid 24 as mentioned above, the upward force Fu can be applied to the swing lid 24 even if the stopping member 44 does not have the inclined surface 44d. For example, when the first retaining surface 44b and the second retaining surface 44c meet at an edge as shown in
Although the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.
Claims
1. A swing lid structure comprising:
- a body having a cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with slots extending in a predetermined direction;
- a swing lid provided with through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body; and
- a support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body;
- wherein the swing lid can slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots and can turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
2. The swing lid structure according to claim 1, further comprising a coil spring having a coil, a first arm extending from one of the opposite ends of the coil, and a second arm extending from the other end of the coil;
- wherein the swing lid slide on the body between an unturnable position where the swing lid cannot turn relative to the body and a turnable position where the lid can turn relative to the body,
- the swing lid is provided with a spring retaining part against which the first arm of the coil spring is pressed,
- the body is provided with a stopping projection having a first retaining surface against which the second arm of the coil spring is pressed at least in a state where the swing lid is at the turnable position, and a second retaining surface against which the second arm of the coil spring is pressed in a direction from the unturnable position toward the turnable position when the swing lid is at the unturnable position.
3. The swing lid structure according to claim 2, wherein the stopping projection having the first and the second retaining surface has a stopping surface for restraining the swing lid at the unturnable position from turning relative to the body.
4. The swing lid structure according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second retaining surface extend perpendicularly to each other, and
- the first and the second retaining surface are connected by an inclined surface inclined to the first and the second retaining surface such that the second arm of the coil spring slides along the inclined surface when the swing lid slides on the body.
5. An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a body having a cavity for holding a predetermined part therein and provided with slots extending in a predetermined direction;
- a swing lid provided with through holes and capable of covering the cavity of the body; and
- a support shaft passed through the through holes of the swing lid and slidably fitted in the slots of the body;
- wherein the swing lid can slide on the body as the support shaft moves in the slots and can turn on the support shaft relative to the body.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 19, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2007
Applicant: Sony Corporation (Tokyo)
Inventor: Tetsuya Okuchi (Tokyo)
Application Number: 11/725,600
International Classification: B65D 43/26 (20060101);