Camera having variable field shooting sizes

A shooting size switching camera has a mechanism for varying the size of the shooting field, for example between a standard size and a panorama size. The camera is structured to have an operation member to conduct the switching of shooting size, at least one light shielding member which interlocks with the operation member and which moves with movement of the operation member to switch shooting size, a support member to support the light shielding member in such a manner that the light shielding member is allowed to move, and a first regulation structure to regulate the movement range of the operation member relative to the support member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a shooting size switching camera capable 
of switching shooting size. More specifically, the invention relates to a 
camera having a mechanism for varying the size of the shooting field, for 
example between standard size and panorama size. 
2. Description of Related Art 
Conventionally, this type of device comprises the structure described in 
FIGS. 5-8, FIG. 5 comprising a schematic drawing illustrating a 
conventional device. FIG. 6 is a front view of a shutter 30 in a 
conventional device. FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which an interlocking 
component 21 rests in a regulation unit 26p, explained hereafter. FIG. 8 
illustrates a state in which the interlocking component 21 stops in a 
regulation component 26f, also explained hereafter. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the shutter 30 is anchored to an I-board 22 and to a 
mirror box 23, the I-board 22 and the mirror box 23 are anchored on a 
front plate 24, and the front plate 24 is anchored on a back body 25. A 
bottom cover 26 is anchored on the front plate 24 and the back body 25. 
As shown in FIG. 6, a standard field frame 30f is formed in the shutter 30 
and a panorama lever 33 is joined to a fulcrum pin 33j in such a manner 
that the lever 33 is allowed to slide. Similarly, the panorama light 
shielding plate 31 is joined to a fulcrum pin 31j in such a manner that 
the plate 31 is allowed to slide vertically. A fulcrum pin 31r is anchored 
on the panorama light shielding plate interlocking with the panorama lever 
33. Moreover, a middle lever 34 is joined to a fulcrum pin 34j in such a 
manner that the lever 34 is allowed to slide and a fulcrum pin 33r is 
anchored on the panorama lever 33 interlocking with the middle lever 34. 
The panorama light shielding plate 32 is joined to a fulcrum pin 32j in 
such a manner that the plate 32 is allowed to slide vertically and a 
fulcrum pin 32r is anchored on the panorama light shielding plate 32 
interlocking with the middle lever 34. An interlocking pin 33a to 
interlock with the interlocking component 21, explained later, is anchored 
on the panorama lever 33. 
In FIG. 7, an external operation lever 27 is anchored on the interlocking 
component 21 and is sub-assembled in the bottom cover 26. The movable 
range of the interlocking component 21 is regulated by the regulation 
units 26p and 26f provided in the bottom cover 26 and the interlocking pin 
33a interlocking with the interlocking component 21. In the state in which 
the interlocking component 21 is stopped by the regulation unit 26p, the 
panorama light shielding plates 31 and 32 shield light at the top and the 
bottom sections of the standard field frame 30f and form the panorama 
size, establishing the panorama field shooting state. 
In FIG. 8, the interlocking component 21 is stopped by the regulation unit 
26f. In this state, the panorama light shielding plates 31 and 32 are 
positioned in the top and bottom sections outside of the standard field 
frame 30f, hence light is not shielded from inside the standard field 
frame 30f, establishing the standard field shooting state. 
In a conventional device such as described above, the movable range of the 
interlocking component 21 is regulated and limited by the regulation units 
26p and 26f provided in the bottom cover 26. However, the bottom cover 26 
and the regulator units 26p and 26f are not secured or positioned relative 
to the shutter 30 and plates 31,32. Thus, if the positioning of the cover 
26 or the regulator units 26p and 26f are assembled misaligned or become 
misaligned relative to the shutter 30 and plates 31,32, the movement of 
the plates will not correspond to either the panorama field on the stand 
and field. 
Moreover, the shutter 30 is anchored in the I-board 22 and the mirror box 
23, but is not anchored directly on the bottom cover 26. Thus, slippage 
occurs between the bottom cover 26 and the shutter 30 during assembly, 
which, in turn, causes slippage between the interlocking component 21 
positioned by the regulation units 26p or 26f relative to the shutter 30. 
Thus, a substantial amount of dislocation occurs in the positions of the 
panorama light shielding plates 31 and 32. 
Therefore, the problem occurs in the panorama field shooting state as 
described above, that the panorama light shielding plates fail to achieve 
the formation of an accurate panorama size. Furthermore, in the standard 
field shooting state, the problem occurs that the panorama light shielding 
plates 31 and 32, with the dislocation, shield the top and the bottom 
sections of the standard field frame 30f. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been developed in light of the above-noted 
problems. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a 
position regulation device to place panorama light shielding plates in 
accurate positions. 
In order to overcome the above-noted problems, it is an object of the 
invention to provide a shooting size switching camera equipped with an 
operation member to switch shooting size; at least one light shielding 
member which interlocks with the operation member and which moves with 
movement of the operation member to switch the shooting size; a support 
member which supports the at least one light shielding member while 
enabling the movement of the at least one light shielding member; and a 
first regulation means to regulate the movement range of the operation 
member relative to the support member. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide the shooting size 
switching camera with a second regulation means to regulate the movement 
range of the at least one light shielding member wherein the movement 
range of the at least one light shielding member includes the movement 
range of the operation member. 
It is another object of the invention to provide the second regulation 
means of the shooting size switching camera comprising at least one 
aperture provided in the light shielding member and at least one 
protrusion provided in the support member. 
Furthermore, it is another object of the invention to provide the first 
regulation means of the shooting size switching camera comprising at least 
one groove provided in the operation member and at least one protrusion 
provided in the support member. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a shooting size switching 
camera equipped with a shutter for introducing light into the camera, at 
least one panorama light shield plate for varying the amount of light 
entering the shutter; a lever for operating the at least one shield plate; 
an operation member for moving the lever; and a position regulation 
extending from the shutter and cooperating with the operation member for 
regulating a movement range of the lever relative to the shutter member is 
provided in the anchoring member to mechanically stop the interlocking 
component. 
Moreover, another object of the invention is to provide the camera as 
described in the above with a range regulation member in the shutter to 
regulate the movable range of the at least one panorama light shield 
plate, the movable range including the movement range of the at least one 
panorama light shield plate being at least equal to the range in which the 
motion of the interlocking component is regulated by the position 
regulation member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
An embodiment of the present invention is described hereafter with 
reference to FIGS. 1-4. 
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a structure of a standard panorama 
external switching device utilizing a position regulation device according 
to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the shutter 10. FIG. 3 
illustrates a state in which the interlocking component 1 is stopped by a 
regulation unit 2p, which will be explained later. FIG. 4 illustrates a 
state in which the interlocking component 1 is stopped by a regulation 
unit 2f. 
In FIG. 1, the shutter 10 is anchored on the I-board 2 and the mirror box 
3. The shutter 10 is equipped with the fulcrum pins 11j, 11r, 12j, 12r, 
13j, 13r, and 14j. The I-board 2, or support member, and the mirror box 3 
are anchored on the front plate 4, which, in turn, is anchored on the back 
body 5. The bottom cover 6 is anchored on front plate 4 and the back body 
5. 
An interlocking pin 13a is provided on a panorama lever 13. The pin 13a is 
inserted in a groove 1b provided in the interlocking component 1. 
Moreover, a protrusion 2a, provided in the I-board 2, is sub-assembled in 
such a manner that the protrusion 2a is inserted in a groove 1a provided 
in the interlocking component 1. The protrusion 2a has first regulators, 
such as regulation units 2p and 2f (FIG. 3). 
In FIG. 2, the standard field frame 10f is formed in the shutter 10. The 
panorama lever 13 is joined to fulcrum pin 13j so that the lever 13 is 
allowed to pivot and slide. 
A panorama light shielding plate 11 is joined to a fulcrum pin 11j so that 
the plate 11 is allowed to slide vertically. The sliding range of the 
panorama light shielding plate 11 is regulated by second regulators such 
as fulcrum pins 11j within the boundaries of apertures or slots 
(unlabeled) of the panorama light shielding plate 11. 
The fulcrum pins 11j do not act to stop the panorama shielding plate 11 
until the interlocking component 1, as explained hereafter, is stopped by 
the regulation units 2p and 2f. Also, as explained hereafter, fulcrum pin 
11r is anchored on the panorama shielding plate 11, which interlocks with 
the panorama lever 13. 
Moreover, middle lever 14 is joined to fulcrum pin 14j so that the lever 14 
is allowed to pivot and slide. A fulcrum pin 13r is anchored on the 
panorama lever 13, which interlocks with the middle lever 14 at the 
fulcrum pin 13r. The sliding range of the panorama shielding plate 12 is 
regulated by fulcrum pins 12j within the boundaries of apertures or slots 
(unlabeled) of the panorama light shielding plate 12, but the fulcrum pins 
12j do not act to stop the panorama shielding plate 12 until the 
interlocking component 1, is stopped by the regulation units 2p and 2f. 
Also, fulcrum pin 11r is anchored on the panorama shielding plate 11, 
which interlocks with the middle lever 14. The interlocking pin 13a which 
interlocks with the interlocking component 1 is anchored on the panorama 
lever 13. 
As seen in FIG. 3, an external operation lever 7 is anchored on the 
interlocking component 1 and is sub-assembled in the bottom cover 6. 
Stopping units 1p and 1f are provided on the interlocking component 1. The 
movable range of the interlocking component 1 is regulated by regulation 
units 2p and 2f provided in the protrusion 2a of the I-board 2. The 
interlocking pin 13a interlocks with the interlocking component 1. In the 
position in which the stopping unit 1p is stopped by the regulation unit 
2p, the panorama light shielding plates 11 and 12 shield light at the top 
and the bottom sections of the standard field frame 10f and form the 
panorama size, establishing the panorama field shooting state. 
In FIG. 4, the stopping unit if is stopped by the regulation unit 2f. In 
this position, the panorama light shielding plates 11 and 12 are 
positioned in the top and the bottom sections outside of the standard 
field frame 10f, hence light is not shielded inside the standard field 
frame 10f, establishing the standard field shooting state. 
In the above discussion, the embodiment of the present invention describes 
a camera capable of switching between the standard size and the panorama 
size for the shooting size. However, the present invention is not limited 
to switching between the standard size and the panorama size, and is 
equally effective for a camera in which shooting size is switched to other 
sizes, including any specific sizes, such as the high-vision size and the 
half size. 
In the above discussion, the embodiment of the present invention describes 
a camera with panorama light shielding plates. However, the present 
invention is not limited to two panorama light shielding plates, and any 
number of plates could be provided for shielding light. 
In the above discussion the embodiment of the present invention describes 
an operation member with two grooves. However, the present invention is 
not limited an operation member with two grooves, and any number of 
grooves could be provided in the operation member. 
Also, in the embodiment described above, the support means is described 
with at least one protrusion. However, the present invention is not 
limited to one protrusion on the support means and any number of 
protrusions could be provided. 
The present invention permits various components to be subassembled, 
however, in no particular order. For example, interlocking component 1 and 
external operation lever 7 may be subassembled onto the bottom cover 6 
prior to the final assembly of the camera. Similarly, prior to the final 
assembly of the camera, the light shielding plates and the levers 13 and 
14 may be provided on the fulcrum pins of the shutter. Therefore, the 
various components of the camera may be subassembled to facilitate the 
final assembly of the camera. The order of subassembly and assembly are 
not limiting to the structure of the present invention. Various changes in 
the assembly may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the invention as defined in the claims. 
With the invention as described above, because a first regulation means 
regulates the movement range of the operation member relative to the 
support member, accurate switching of shooting size is possible. Further, 
because a second regulation means regulates the movement range of the 
light shielding member, large movement of the light shielding member is 
prevented even before the elements are joined together. 
While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific 
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications 
and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, 
the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are 
intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in 
the following claims.