Abstract:
A camera includes a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is loaded, a spool chamber in which a spool arranged to take up thereon a film pulled out from the film cartridge is provided, a battery chamber which houses a battery therein, and a capacitor which accumulates electric charge for flash light emission, wherein one of the battery chamber and the capacitor is disposed above the spool chamber, and the other of the battery chamber and the capacitor is disposed below the spool chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a camera having a battery stowing part and a capacitor for flash light emission disposed therein. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Cameras are desired to be compact as a whole for portability and operability. Therefore, an efficient layout of parts is necessary for having them arranged as compact as possible. This is important particularly to a camera designed to have large parts, such as a battery and a capacitor for a flash device, disposed inside the camera. In such a case, such large parts must be carefully disposed in relation to component parts essential to photo-taking., such as a photo-taking lens barrel, a cartridge chamber, a spool chamber, a viewfinder device, a distance measuring device, a film transport device, a flash device and a display device for displaying information of varied kinds. 
     For example, in the case of a camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 7-295048 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/423,902), a battery stowing part is disposed above a spool chamber, and a capacitor for a flash device is disposed below an aperture part. 
     Further, in the case of a camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-278543 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/423,902), either a battery stowing part or a capacitor for a flash device is disposed above or below a spool chamber. 
     Further, in the case of a camera disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 10-39387, a capacitor for a flash device is disposed inside a film take-up spool disposed in a spool chamber, and a battery stowing part is disposed below the spool chamber. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera arranged to permit reduction in size thereof by disposing one of a battery chamber and a capacitor for a flash device above a spool chamber and disposing the other of the battery chamber and the capacitor below the spool chamber. 
     The above and other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the front side of a camera according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing one side of the camera according to the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the front side of a camera according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing one side of the camera according to the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the front side of a camera according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     (First Embodiment) 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show the construction of a camera according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the front side of the camera, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing one side of the camera. 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, there are illustrated a film cartridge  1 , a cartridge chamber  2  for housing the film cartridge  1  therein, and a film  3  pulled out from the film cartridge  1 . 
     A spool chamber  6  is arranged to stow therein the film  3  pulled out from the film cartridge  1 . A take-up spool  4  is disposed within the spool chamber  6  to take up and wind the film  3  thereon. A spool rubber  5  is provided around the take-up spool  4  to facilitate winding the film  3  around the periphery of the take-up spool  4 . 
     A film transport motor  7  for transporting the film  3  is housed inside the take-up spool  4 . 
     An aperture  8  is provided between the cartridge chamber  2  and the spool chamber  6  for exposing to light the film  3  sent out from the film cartridge  1 . A lens barrel  9  is arranged to be drawn into the body of the camera and to permit a zooming operation thereon. 
     A battery  10  which is in a cylindrical shape is used as a power source of the camera. A battery chamber  11  which is arranged to house the battery  10  therein is disposed at a portion near to the rear side of the camera body above the spool chamber  6  in such a way as to extend in the right-and-left direction (in the width direction). 
     A battery chamber cover  12  is arranged to be opened and closed, by swinging around a hinge shaft  12   b,  for inserting and taking out the battery  10  into and from the battery chamber  11  on the rear side of the camera body. For this purpose, a claw part  12   a  is formed at the fore end part of the battery chamber cover  12 . The claw part  12   a  is arranged to be hooked on the camera body when the battery chamber cover  12  is closed, so that the battery chamber cover  12  can be prevented from being inadvertently opened. 
     A main capacitor  13  for a flash device, which is in a cylindrical shape, is disposed at a portion near to the front side of the camera body below the spool chamber  6  in such a way as to extend in the right-and-left direction (in the width direction). In the rear of the main capacitor  13 , an output part of the film transport motor  7  protrudes from the spool chamber  6 . Further, parts disposed in the rear of the main capacitor  13  include a film transport mechanism arranged to transmit the rotation of the output part of the film transport motor  7  to the spool  4  and to a fork gear  20  provided for driving a spool disposed within the film cartridge  1 . 
     A lens barrel driving motor  14  which is arranged to drive the lens barrel  9  to move to a drawn-in position or to a zoomed position is disposed in a space near to the lens barrel  9  in front of the cartridge chamber  2 . 
     A flash light emitting part  15  of the flash device is arranged to illuminate an object of shooting with light in photo-taking. The flash light emitting part  15  is disposed at a portion near to the front side of the camera body above the spool chamber  6 . An objective window  16  of a viewfinder for viewing the object of shooting is disposed above the lens barrel  9 . A distance measuring unit  17  is arranged to measure a distance to the object of shooting, and a light measuring sensor  18  is arranged to measure the luminance of the object of the shooting. A part of the distance measuring unit  17  and the light measuring sensor  18  are disposed at a portion near to the front side above the spool chamber  6  in such a way as to be juxtaposed by the side of the flash light emitting part  15 . 
     A cartridge chamber cover  19  is arranged to be opened and closed for placing the film cartridge  1  in or taking the film cartridge  1  out from the cartridge chamber  2 . 
     A release button  21  is provided for causing the camera to begin a photo-taking operation. A front cover  22  is arranged to cover the front side of the camera body. A rear cover  23  is arranged to cover the rear side of the camera body. 
     In the above-stated arrangement of the camera, the battery chamber  11  and the main capacitor  13  are dispersedly disposed respectively above and below the spool chamber  6 , which is smaller than the cartridge chamber  2  in the size in the up-and-down direction (in the height direction), while avoiding any position above or below the lens barrel  9 , which occupies a large space in the middle part of the camera. This arrangement permits reduction in size of the camera both in the up-and-down direction (the height direction) and the right-and-left direction (the width direction). 
     In the first embodiment, the battery chamber  11  is disposed at the position near to the rear side of the camera body above the spool chamber  6 . Therefore, such parts that must be disposed on the front side of the camera, such as the flash light emitting part  15 , a part of the distance measuring unit  17  and the light measuring sensor  18 , can be allocated by efficiently utilizing the front side of a space available above the spool chamber  6 . Accordingly, the dimension of the camera in the front-and-rear direction (the depth direction) can be lessened. The arrangement also permits the battery chamber cover  12  to be disposed on the rear side of the camera body where a space can be relatively easily found for the battery chamber cover  12 . 
     Further, since the main capacitor  13  is disposed at the portion near to the front side of the camera body below the spool chamber  6 , it is possible to have, in the rear of the main capacitor  13 , the output part of the film transport motor  7  protruding from the spool chamber  6 , and the film transport mechanism, etc., disposed there. A space available below the spool chamber  6  thus can be efficiently used. 
     The arrangement of the first embodiment thus permits reduction in size of the whole camera and also permits the lens barrel  9  to be arranged to have a relatively large diameter. 
     In the case of the first embodiment, the battery chamber  11  is disposed above the spool chamber  6  and the main capacitor  13  is disposed below the spool chamber  6 . However, the arrangement may be changed to have the battery chamber  11  disposed below the spool chamber  6  and the main capacitor  13  disposed above the spool chamber  6 . 
     (Second Embodiment) 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show the construction of a camera according to a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a front side of the camera, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing one side of the camera. 
     In FIGS. 3 and 4, there are illustrated a film cartridge  31 , a cartridge chamber  32  for housing the film cartridge  31  therein, and a film  33  pulled out from the film cartridge  31 . 
     A spool chamber  36  is arranged to stow the film  33  pulled out from the film cartridge  31 . A take-up spool  34  is disposed within the spool chamber  36  to take up and wind the film  33  thereon. The take-up spool  34  is provided with a spool rubber  35  which is arranged around the periphery of the take-up spool  34  to facilitate winding the film  33  thereon. 
     A film transport motor  37  for transporting the film  33  is disposed inside the take-up spool  34 . 
     An aperture  38  is provided between the cartridge chamber  32  and the spool chamber  36  for exposing to light the film  33  sent out from the film cartridge  31 . A lens barrel  39  is arranged to be drawn into the body of the camera and also to permit a zooming operation thereon. 
     A battery  40  which is in a cylindrical shape is used as a power source of the camera. A battery chamber  41  which is arranged to house the battery  40  therein is disposed at a portion near to the rear side of the camera body above the spool chamber  36  in such a way as to extend in the right-and-left direction (in the width direction). 
     A battery chamber cover  42  is arranged to be opened and closed, by swinging around a hinge shaft  42   b,  for inserting and taking out the battery  40  into and from the battery chamber  11  on the rear side of the camera body. For this purpose, a claw part  42   a  is formed at the fore end part of the battery chamber cover  42 . The claw part  42   a  is arranged to be hooked on the camera body when the battery chamber cover  42  is closed, so that the battery chamber cover  42  can be prevented from being inadvertently opened. 
     A main capacitor  43  for a flash device, which is in a cylindrical shape, is disposed at a portion near to the front side of the camera body above the spool chamber  36  in such a way as to be juxtaposed with the battery chamber cover  41  in the front-and-rear direction and to extend in the right-and-left direction (in the width direction). 
     In a space below the spool chamber  36 , an output part of the film transport motor  37  protrudes from the spool chamber  36 . Further, parts disposed below the spool chamber  36  include a film transport mechanism arranged to transmit the rotation of the output part of the film transport motor  37  to the spool  34  and to a fork gear  50  provided for driving a spool disposed within the film cartridge  31 . 
     A lens barrel driving motor  44  which is arranged to drive the lens barrel  39  to move to a drawn-in position or to a zoomed position is disposed in a space available in front of the cartridge chamber  32  on the side of the lens barrel  39 . 
     A flash light emitting part  45  of the flash device is arranged to illuminate an object of shooting with light in photo-taking. The flash light emitting part  45  is disposed above the cartridge chamber  32 . An objective window  46  of a viewfinder for viewing the object of shooting is disposed above the lens barrel  39 . A distance measuring unit  47  is arranged also above the lens barrel  39  to measure a distance to the shooting object. A light measuring sensor  48  is arranged also above the lens barrel  39  to measure the luminance of the object. 
     A cartridge chamber cover  49  is arranged to be opened and closed for placing and taking out the film cartridge  31  in and from the cartridge chamber  32 . Within the cartridge chamber cover  49 , a part of the fork gear  50  is arranged to receive a driving force transmitted from the film transport mechanism. Another part of the fork gear  50  which is arranged to engage the spool disposed inside the film cartridge  31  protrudes on the inside of the cartridge chamber cover  49 . 
     A release button  51  is provided for causing the camera to begin a photo-taking operation. A front cover  52  is arranged to cover the front side of the camera body. A rear cover  53  is arranged to cover the rear side of the camera body. 
     In the above-stated arrangement of the camera, the battery chamber  41  and the main capacitor  43  are disposed together above the spool chamber  36 , which is smaller than the cartridge chamber  32  in the size in the up-and-down direction (in the height direction), while avoiding any position above or below the lens barrel  39 , which occupies a large space in the middle part of the camera. This arrangement permits reduction in size of the camera both in the up-and-down direction (the height direction) and the right-and-left direction (the width direction). Besides, since the battery chamber  41  and the main capacitor  43  are disposed in such a way as to extend in the right-and-left direction (the width direction) of the camera, the dimension of the camera in the front-and-rear direction (the depth direction) can be prevented from increasing. 
     Besides, since the battery chamber  41  is disposed at the portion near to the rear side above the spool chamber  36 , the battery chamber cover  42  can be arranged on the rear side of the camera body where a space can be relatively easily found for the battery chamber cover  42 . 
     Further, since the output part of the film transport motor  37 , the film transport mechanism, etc., are disposed in a relatively wide space below the spool chamber  36  where the battery chamber  41  and the main capacitor  43  are not disposed, a space available below the spool chamber  36  thus can be efficiently used, and the film transport mechanism, etc., can be designed with a larger amount of design latitude. 
     The arrangement of the second embodiment thus permits reduction in size of the whole camera and also permits the lens barrel  39  to be arranged to have a relatively large diameter. 
     Further, in the second embodiment, the flash light emitting part  45  is disposed above the cartridge chamber  32 , which is larger than the spool chamber  36  in the size in the up-and-down direction (the height direction). The flash light emitting part  45 , therefore, can be arranged away from the photo-taking optical axis without leaving any useless vacant space. This arrangement is effective for reduction in size of the camera as well as for prevention of a red-eye phenomenon from taking place in photo-taking with light of the flash device. 
     (Third Embodiment) 
     FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing the construction of a camera according to a third embodiment of the invention. The basic construction of the third embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment. Therefore, the component elements of the third embodiment which are the same as those of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the details of them are omitted from the following description. 
     In the above-described second embodiment, the battery chamber  41  and the main capacitor  43  are disposed side by side in the front-and-rear direction (the depth direction) of the camera. In the case of the third embodiment, however, a battery chamber  41 ′, which houses a battery  40 ′ therein, and a main capacitor  43 ′ are juxtaposed in the right-and-left direction (the width direction) of the camera above the spool chamber  36  in such a way as to extend in the front-and-rear direction. (the depth direction) of the camera. 
     With the battery chamber  411  and the main capacitor  43 ′ disposed in the above-described manner, the same advantageous effects as in the second embodiment can be attained by the third embodiment, if the length of each of the battery chamber  411  and the main capacitor  43 ′ is approximately equal to the sum of diameters of the battery chamber  41  and the main capacitor  43  of the second embodiment. 
     Incidentally, in the third embodiment, the battery chamber cover (not shown) may be provided either on the rear side of the camera or on one side of the camera, or at a part located between the upper side and one side of the camera.