Abstract:
A camera includes a body member ( 1 ) having a first portion ( 1   c ), a second portion ( 1   b ) and a third portion ( 1   d ) which are integrally formed. The first portion is provided for forming at least a part of a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is loaded, the second portion is provided for forming at least a part of a spool chamber in which a spool is disposed to wind thereon a film of the film cartridge, the third portion is provided for connection between the first portion and the second portion and is disposed behind the film in a photo-taking optical axis direction to overlap the film in the photo-taking optical axis direction while the film is transported. Accordingly, the third portion, which serves as a connection part, is arranged to have a large width in a direction perpendicular to the direction of film transport and along the surface of the film, so that the strength of the connection part can be increased.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a camera having a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is loaded and a spool chamber in which a spool is disposed to wind thereon a film of the film cartridge. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional cameras, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. HEI 8-194252 and No. HEI 8-278543 and as shown in FIG. 11, each have a spool chamber (not shown), a cartridge chamber (not shown) and a connection part  101   a  provided for connection between the spool chamber and the cartridge chamber. In the structure of such conventional cameras, the connection part  101   a  is disposed on the side of a photo-taking optical system with respect to a film transport path in a photo-taking image frame, and an aperture part  101   b  is formed in the connection part  101   a.    
     However, due to the recent trend of reducing the size of cameras, a lens barrel has been becoming smaller and the length in height of cameras has been becoming shorter. Therefore, the vertical width of the connection part  101   a  has been becoming shorter. Further, in the case of cameras having a retractable-type lens barrel, the thickness of the connection part  101   a  in an optical axis direction has been becoming thinner for the purpose of minimizing the thickness of the camera with the lens barrel retracted into its stowed position. Hence, the strength of the connection part  101   a  in the camera body decreases accordingly. Therefore, the camera body having such weak connection part  101   a  tends to be distorted by an external force on a front or rear cover of the camera. Such distortion of the camera body then tends to bring about various problems, such as a focus deviation of the photo-taking optical system, inaccuracy of film transportation, etc. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera, which comprises a body member having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion which are integrally formed, the first portion being provided for forming at least a part of a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is loaded, the second portion being provided for forming at least a part of a spool chamber in which a spool is disposed to wind thereon a film of the film cartridge, the third portion being provided for connection between the first portion and the second portion and being disposed behind the film in a photo-taking optical axis direction to overlap the film in the photo-taking optical axis direction while the film is transported. Accordingly, the third portion, which serves as a connection part, is arranged to have a large width in a direction perpendicular to the direction of film transport and along the surface of the film, so that the strength of the connection part can be increased. 
     The above and other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the camera according to the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the camera according to the first embodiment, as viewed in a cutting position different from that of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a body member of the camera according to the first embodiment, as viewed from below on the rear side of the camera. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according to a second embodiment of the invention, as viewed from below on the rear side of the camera. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according to a third embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according a fourth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according a fifth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according a sixth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a body member of a camera according a seventh embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. 
     FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional camera. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     FIGS. 1 to  4  relate to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a camera according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the camera. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the camera, as viewed in a cutting position different from that of FIG.  1 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a body member  1  shown in FIGS. 1 to  4 , as viewed from below on the rear side of the camera. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  4 , the body member  1  has a spool chamber  1   b , a cartridge chamber  1   c , a connection part  1   d  provided for connection between the spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c , and a pressure plate part  1   e  provided for supporting a film  19  from behind. The camera is provided with, in addition to the camera body  1 , a spool  2  which is rotatably supported by the spool chamber  1   b , a fork  3  which is rotatably supported by the cartridge chamber  1   c , a viewfinder  4 , an AF (automatic focusing) sensor  5 , an AE (automatic exposure) sensor  6 , a flash light emission part  7  of a flash device, a display member  8  using a liquid crystal, etc., a cartridge chamber lid  9  arranged to close the cartridge chamber  1   c , a hook lever  10  which is provided for keeping the cartridge chamber lid  9  in a closing position, a battery chamber  11 , a main capacitor  12  for the flash device, a moving tube  13 , a moving-tube driving mechanism  14 , a reduction gear train  15  for the moving tube  13 , a front cover  16 , a rear cover  17 , an aperture member  20  provided for supporting the film  19  from the front side in a photo-taking optical axis direction, a film transport motor  21 , a fixed tube  22 , and a photo-taking optical system  23 . The film  19  is contained in a film cartridge  18 , which is loaded into the cartridge chamber  1   c.    
     As shown in FIG. 4, the body member  1  is integrally composed of the spool chamber  1   b , the cartridge chamber  1   c , and the connection part  1   d  which holds the chambers  1   b  and  1   c  at a predetermined distance. The spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c  are respectively arranged to rotatably support the spool  2  and the fork  3 . A film transport mechanism (not shown) is mounted on the upper part of the connection part  1   d  and is arranged to transport the film  19  by transmitting a driving force of the film transport motor  21  disposed inside of the spool  2  to the spool  2  and the fork  3 . 
     Further, the body member  1  is provided with the pressure plate part  1   e , which is formed integrally with the connection part  1   d  to support the film  19  from behind in the photo-taking optical axis direction at an aperture plane. The aperture member  20  is fixed to the body member  1  from the front side in the photo-taking optical axis direction, and is arranged to form a tunnel part (film transport path) between the pressure plate part  1   e  and the aperture member  20 , in such a way as to restrict the position of the film  19  in the photo-taking optical axis direction. 
     The moving tube  13  is arranged to hold the photo-taking optical system  23 . The fixed tube  22  is fixed to a part of the spool chamber  1   b  and a part of the cartridge chamber  1   c . The photo-taking optical system  23  which is held by the moving tube  13  is supported by the fixed tube  22  in such a way as to be movable in the photo-taking optical axis direction jointly by the moving-tube driving mechanism  14  and the moving-tube reduction gear train  15  which are mounted on the fixed tube  22 . 
     The viewfinder  4  is fixed to the body member  1  while supporting the AF sensor  5  and the AE sensor  6 . The display member  8  is supported also by the viewfinder  4  at an upper part thereof. The flash light emission part  7  is fixed to the body member  1  above the spool  2 . 
     The cartridge chamber lid  9  is pivotally supported by the body member  1  to be openable and closable on the lower side of the body member  1 . The hook lever  10 , which is turnably supported on one side of the body member  1 , is arranged to keep the cartridge chamber lid  9  in its closed state and to permit the cartridge chamber lid  9  to be released from the closed state by a turning operation thereof. A cartridge loading mechanism (not shown) which is fixed to the body member  1  is arranged to load or unload the film cartridge  18  according to the state of the cartridge chamber lid  9  and that of the film cartridge  18 . The film cartridge  18 , which contains the film  19  therein, is loaded into the cartridge chamber  1   c , as described above. 
     The battery chamber  11  is fixed to the body member  1  on the lower side of the spool chamber  1   b . The capacitor  12  is fixed to the body member  1  below the moving tube  13 . The front cover  16  and the rear cover  17  are mounted on the body member  1 . 
     In the structural arrangement of the camera described above, the connection part  1   d  provided for connection between the spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c  in the neighborhood of the aperture plane is located behind the surface of the film  19  in the photo-taking optical axis direction. It is, therefore, not necessary to provide any aperture opening in the connection part  1   d  for securing a photo-taking optical path. Hence, the strength of the connection part  1   d  can be prevented from being lowered by the aperture opening. Therefore, with the thickness of the body member  1  assumed to be the same as that of the body member of the conventional camera, the body member  1  has the strength equal to or greater than that of the body member of the conventional camera. Further, since the spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c  are integrally formed with the body member  1 , they have the rigidity greater than that of the conventional camera. 
     By virtue of the above structure, the connection part  1   d , which heretofore would be most easily deformable by external forces among other parts of the body member  1 , can be prevented from being deformed by any external forces exerted on the front cover  16  or the rear cover  17  which is supported by the body member  1 . Therefore, a film transport path which is formed between the aperture member  20  and the pressure plate part  1   e  to provide a space for the travel of the film  19  is never narrowed, and a distance between the spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c  is never changed to increase a load on a film transport system. The film  19  thus can be adequately transported without hindrance. The position of the moving tube  13  which is supported by the spool chamber  1   b  and the cartridge chamber  1   c  is also effectively prevented from deviating or slanting with respect to the film  19  to bring about a defocused state. 
     Since the connection part id is located behind the surface of the film  19  in the photo-taking optical axis direction, a pressure plate, which heretofore would be formed separately from a body member, can be formed into the pressure plate part  1 e which is formed integrally with the connection part  1   d . The arrangement thus permits reduction in cost and in thickness of the camera in the optical axis direction. 
     Another advantage of the first embodiment lies in that the structural arrangement which differs from that of conventional cameras gives a greater design latitude than the conventional cameras. 
     Further, since the spool  2  and the fork  3  are held directly by the body member  1  in a rotatable manner, any possible mounting error can be eliminated by the direct mounting arrangement. The error elimination enhances the accuracy and stability of film transport. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a second embodiment of the invention, as viewed from below on the rear side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is thus omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the second embodiment, the upper face, lower face and outer side face of the spool chamber  1   b  and the upper face and periphery of the cartridge chamber  1   c  are formed with the body member  1 . The parts of these chambers  1   b  and  1   c  which correspond to other faces, i.e., the front and rear side faces of the spool chamber  1   b , are formed as opening parts. The body member  1  is thus arranged to rotatably support the spool  2  at the upper and lower parts of the spool chamber  1   b  and thus enhances the workability of dies in molding a film entrance part of the spool chamber  1   b.    
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a third embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is thus omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the third embodiment, the upper face and lower face of the spool chamber  1   b  and the upper face of the cartridge chamber  1   c  are formed with the body member  1 . Other parts of these chambers  1   b  and  1   c  corresponding to their other faces are formed as opening parts. By this arrangement, the fork  3  and the upper and lower parts of the spool  2  can be rotatably supported by the body member  1  without lowering its strength and rigidity. Further, the arrangement permits simplification of structure of dies for molding the body member  1  and gives more latitude to the layout of the camera. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is, therefore, omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the fourth embodiment, the upper face of the spool chamber  1   b  and the upper face of the cartridge chamber  1   c  are formed with the body member  1 . The parts of these chambers  1   b  and  1   c  corresponding to other faces are formed as opening parts. By this arrangement, the fork  3  and the upper part of the spool  2  can be rotatably supported by the body member  1  without lowering its strength and rigidity. Further, the arrangement of the fourth embodiment also permits simplification of structure of dies for molding the body member  1  and gives more latitude to the layout of the camera. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is, therefore, omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the fifth embodiment, the lower face of the spool chamber  1   b  and the upper face of the cartridge chamber  1   c  are formed with the body member  1 . The parts of these chambers  1   b  and  1   c  corresponding to other faces are formed as opening parts. By this arrangement, the fork  3  the lower part of the spool  2  can be rotatably supported by the body member  1  without lowering its strength and rigidity. Further, the arrangement of the fifth embodiment also permits simplification of structure of dies for molding the body member  1  and gives more latitude to the layout of the camera. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a sixth embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is, therefore, omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the sixth embodiment, the upper face of the cartridge chamber  1   c  is formed with the body member  1 . The parts corresponding to other faces are formed as opening parts, except that a part of the periphery of the spool chamber  1   b  is formed with the body member  1 . By this arrangement, the fork  3  can be rotatably supported by the body member  1  without lowering its strength and rigidity. Further, the arrangement of the sixth embodiment also permits simplification of structure of dies for molding the body member  1  and gives more latitude to the layout of the camera. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a body member  1  of a camera according to a seventh embodiment of the invention, as viewed from above on the front side of the camera. The structural arrangement of other parts of the camera is similar to that of the first embodiment and is, therefore, omitted from illustration and description. All parts having the same functions as the corresponding parts of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
     In the seventh embodiment, the upper and lower faces of the spool chamber  1   b  are formed with the body member  1 . The parts corresponding to other faces are formed as opening parts, except that a part of the periphery of the cartridge chamber  1   c  is formed with the body member  1 . By this arrangement, the upper and lower parts of the spool  2  can be rotatably supported by the body member  1  without lowering its strength and rigidity. The arrangement of the seventh embodiment also permits simplification of structure of dies for molding the body member  1  and gives more latitude to the layout of the camera. 
     Each of the body members shown in FIGS. 1 to  10  presents the advantages of the invention independently. However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. The same advantages are attainable also by arranging other body members in accordance with the invention. 
     The arrangement of each of the embodiments described above enhances the rigidity of the connection part of the body member to ensure highly reliable film transport and to enable the photo-taking optical system to be stably supported. In addition to this advantage, the arrangement according to the invention permits reduction in size and cost of cameras. 
     According to the arrangement of each of the embodiments, a mounting error can be eliminated at least for one of a spool support member and a fork support member, so that a camera can be arranged to be capable of accurately and stably transporting a film. 
     According to the arrangement of each of the embodiments, it is possible not only to mold both the spool chamber and the cartridge chamber by using one and the same mold but also to have at least the upper faces of the spool chamber and the cartridge chamber formed integrally with the body member, so that the rigidity of the body member of the camera can be further increased. 
     According to the arrangement of each of the embodiments, the workability of dies for forming the film entrance part of the spool chamber can be enhanced without lowering the strength of the body member of the camera. 
     Further, the arrangement of each of the embodiments permits simplification of structure of a mold to be used in the manufacture of the body member without lowering the strength of the body member and also gives a greater latitude of layout in designing the camera. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to what is presently considered to be preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions. 
     The individual components shown in schematic or block form in the drawings are all well known in the camera arts and their specific construction and operation are not critical to the operation or best mode for carrying out the invention. 
     The invention may be carried out by combining as necessary the embodiments or their technological elements described in the foregoing. 
     The invention applies to cases where either the whole or a part of claims or the arrangement of each embodiment disclosed forms one apparatus or is used in combination with some other apparatus or as a component element of an apparatus. 
     Further, the invention is applicable to cameras or various kinds, such as a single-lens reflex camera, a lens-shutter type camera, a video camera, etc., optical apparatuses other than cameras, devices adapted for cameras, optical apparatuses and other apparatuses, and component elements forming these apparatuses and devices.