Projection apparatus

Abstract: A projection apparatus comprises an illumination device for emitting onto a film an illumination light for projecting the film, an index member for focus adjustment, a moving mechanism for moving the index member to a focus adjusting position where the index member is in contact with a surface of the film within an optical path of the projection light, and a member to be operated for focus adjustment.

Description: Field of the Invention: This invention relates to a film projection apparatus for projecting an image formed on a film and more particularly to a focus adjustment mechanism and a film holding member of the film projection apparatus. Description of the Related Art: The conventional film projection apparatus is arranged as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In the case of the film projection apparatus shown in Fig. 10, a light flux emitted from a projection light source 2, together with reflection light obtained with the light flux reflected by a reflection mirror 1, illuminates through condenser lenses 3 and 4 a film F which is disposed within a film holding member 5. A light image which comes from the film F thus illuminated is projected onto the original-board glass 9 of an image reading device through a projection lens 6 and a Fresnel lens 8. In making focus adjustment, the operator of the apparatus rotates a focus adjustment knob 11 while keeping the projected image in sight. A desired in-focus state is obtained by rotating the focus adjustment knob 11 to move via an intermediate gear 10 a lens barrel 7 which holds the projection lens 6. Fig. 11 shows this film projection apparatus in an oblique view. With the conventional apparatus arranged in the above-stated manner, however, it has been not easy for the operator to make focus adjustment. Therefore, an image reading process has occasionally been performed to give a blurred image as a result of inadequate focus adjustment. In other words, in order to obtain a high-quality image, the operator must bring the apparatus into an adequate in-focus state by rotating the focus adjustment knob 11 while watching the image projected on the Fresnel lens 8, as shown in Fig. 11. An in-focus state can be easily attained without fail if some suitable high-contrast part that is usable as a criterion for a discrimination between an in-focus state and a defocus state exists within the projected image. However, in a case where the projected image does not have such a suitable high-contrast part, the image quality might become hardly acceptable as the apparatus tends to be in a defocus state after focus adjustment under such a condition, depending on the skill of the operator. Further, in a case where a negative film original is projected, every bright part of the real image is dark, because the image on the film is reversed. Then, even if a suitable high-contrast part is included in the projected image, the focus adjustment work is much more difficult than in the case of a positive film original. Therefore, in such a case, the probability of a failure to obtain an acceptable image quality further increases. With respect to the structural arrangement of the film holding member 5, the member 5 consists of an upper holding plate 13 and a lower holding plate 14, as shown in Fig. 12. These plates 13 and 14 are rotatably mounted on a hinge shaft 15 respectively by means of hinge parts 13a and 14a. A negative film original F is arranged to be sandwiched in between the upper and lower holding plates 13 and 14. Further, the negative film original F is longitudinally positioned by abutting one longitudinal end thereof on the longitudinal guide 14d of the lower holding plate 14 and transversely positioned by transverse guides 14b and 14c, which are opposed to each other on the lower holding plate 14. The upper holding plate 13 is provided with escape holes 13b, 13c and 13d for receiving the guides 14b, 14c and 14d. The operator first turns the upper holding plate 13 around the hinge shaft 15 to open the film holding member 5. The negative film original F is set in between the opposed transverse guides 14b and 14c while abutting one longitudinal end of the film original F on the longitudinal guide 14d. The setting work on the negative film original F is completed with the upper holding plate 13 closed by turning the upper holding plate 13 around the hinge shaft 15. However, with the conventional film holding member 5 arranged as described above, the negative film original F cannot be adequately positioned sometimes in the transverse direction and is thus set in a state of deviating from a correct setting position, depending on the condition of the film original F. In the worst case, the negative film original F is deformed by the setting work. More specifically, in cases where the negative film original F is, for example, curved in a concave shape as shown in Fig. 13, if the curving amount S exceeds the height h of the transverse guide 14c of the lower holding plate 14, the negative film original F might be set in a state of overriding the transverse guide 14c. If the film holding member 5 is closed by turning the upper holding plate 13 around the hinge shaft 15 with the negative film original F in that state, the negative film original F is set in a deflected state. In the worst case, the negative film original F is deformed under such a condition. If the negative film original F is either in a flat state or in a convex shape, instead of the concave shape shown in Fig. 13, the film original F is safe from the above-stated trouble. However, the negative film original F is formed by coating a transparent polyester film with an emulsion. Therefore, the negative film original F might be caused to act like a bimetallic material by a difference in expansion coefficient between two matters due to ambient temperature and humidity. The negative film original F thus tends to curve in an arbitrary direction and thus might result in the concave shape to hinder adequate setting work and to be deformed by the setting work. JP-A-1-268254 describes a projection apparatus comprising illuminating means for projecting an image of a film original located by a film holding member at a plane crossing the optical path of the illuminating means and an optical system for focusing the projected image at a predetermined image plane, the optical system comprising a lens moveable along the optical path to adjust the focusing of the projected image at the predetermined image plane. As shown in Figure 10 of this document, the film holding member has a film support surface receiving the film original between two apertures and a hinged cover member carrying two index or focus marks which marks register with the apertures when the cover is closed. The fixed relation between the index marks is compared with that of an image of the index marks to enable the operator to determine the focus state of an image of the film original. According to the present invention, there is provided a projection apparatus in accordance with claim 1. A projection apparatus embodying the invention allows the index to be tightly in contact with the film original in such a way as to enable the operator of the apparatus to adequately perform focus adjustment by making a discrimination between an in-focus state and a defocus state by watching the focused state of a projected image of the index member which has a high-contrast part. Even in the event of a film original not permitting easy focus adjustment because of few high-contrast parts thereof or a negative film original showing only a vague contrast in a dark state as a whole because of its reversed image, the arrangement of the above-stated means enables the operator to make focus adjustment by watching the projected image of the index member which has a high-contrast part. Therefore, a sharply in-focus high-quality image is obtainable irrespectively of the skill of the operator in the focus adjustment work. A film projection apparatus embodying the invention is not only capable of facilitating the focus determining work in the same manner as described above but also prevents the film original from being abraded by the above-stated focus adjustment index member. In an embodiment, the film projection apparatus comprises means for fixedly engaging the film holding member when the index member has entered the projection optical path. By this means, the film holding member is held immovable unless the index member is retracted from the projection optical path. Therefore, the film original can be effectively prevented from being damaged by sliding friction with the index member. An embodiment provides a film projection apparatus which, in addition to the above-stated arrangement, comprises means for preventing the focus adjustment index member from entering the projection optical path when the film holding member is not in a film projecting position. The focus adjustment index member is thus prevented from coming into contact with the film holding member by that means. An embodiment provides a projection apparatus of the above-stated kind, wherein a film holding member which is arranged to determine the transverse position of a negative film original by means of a pair of opposed positioning guide parts included in one of two holding plates and to have the negative film original sandwiched in between these two holding plates is provided with restricting means which is arranged at least on one of the opposed pair of positioning guide parts to restrict and prevent the negative film original from buoying up more than a given extent from the holding plate. The film original thus can be reliably positioned in the transverse direction thereof by virtue of the restricting means. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the essential parts of a film projection apparatus arranged according to this invention as a first embodiment thereof. Fig. 2 is a sectional view also showing the essential parts of the first embodiment. Figs. 3(A), 3(B) and 3(C) show the examples of an index shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an oblique view showing a film projection apparatus which is arranged as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an oblique view showing a film projection apparatus which is arranged as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the essential parts of a film projection apparatus arranged as a second embodiment of the invention. Fig. 7 is a top view showing a fixing mechanism for fixing the film holding member of the second embodiment in position. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the essential parts of a film projection apparatus arranged as a third embodiment of the invention. Fig. 9 is a top view showing a fixing mechanism for fixing the film holding member of the third embodiment. Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing the conventional film projection apparatus. Fig. 11 is an oblique view showing the conventional film projection apparatus. Fig. 12 is a top view showing the film holding member of the conventional film projection apparatus. Fig. 13 is a sectional view showing the film holding member of the conventional film projection apparatus. The following describes a first embodiment of this invention with reference to Figs. 1 to 5: Figs. 1 and 2 are enlarged views showing a film original setting part and parts arranged around it in a film projection apparatus which is the first embodiment of the invention. In these drawings, parts similar to the parts of Fig. 16 are indicated by the same reference numerals. Figs. 3(A), 3(B) and 3(C) show examples of an index used in accordance with this invention. Figs. 4 and 5 are oblique views showing the film projection apparatus in a focus adjusting state. Referring to Fig. 1, an index film 21 is stuck to a holder 22. A supporting projection 23 which is provided on the casing of the film projection apparatus vertically supports the holder 22. A shaft 22a which is provided on the holder 22 engages a slot 24 formed in the casing. In this state, the holder 22 is carried by a U-shaped part 25b formed at the fore end of a swing lever 25 which has its rotation shaft 25a engaging the casing. When the holder 22 is in a position indicated by two-dot chain lines in the drawing, the fore end 22b of the holder 22 and the index film 21 are retracted to the outside of the area of a projection optical path indicated by two-dot chain lines in the drawing. When focus adjusting work begins, a mechanism which is not shown causes the swing lever 25 to swing counterclockwise, as viewed on the drawing, from its position indicated by two-dot chain lines. This movement of the lever 25 causes the shaft 22a of the holder 22 to be pushed by the U-shaped part 25b of the lever 25. As a result, the holder 22 moves in the direction of arrow "a" with the lower face of the fore end 22b sliding over the supporting projection 23. When the holder 22 moves further in the direction of arrow "a", a projection 22c located at the lower part of the holder 22 comes to impinge on the supporting projection 23. Then, since one end 24a of the slot 24 of the casing is formed to be wider than other parts of the slot 24, the shaft 22a of the holder 22 disengages the U-shaped part 25b of the swing lever 25. After that, the weight of the holder 22 itself causes the holder 22 to turn clockwise around the supporting projection 23 until the index film 21 comes to abut on a film (original) F to be in a position as indicated by full lines in the drawing. The index film 21 is thus arranged to come perpendicularly from above to abut on the film F, so that the film F can be prevented from being abraded by sliding friction with the index film 21 at the time of contact. Upon completion of focus adjusting work by the operator under this condition, the mechanism which is not shown causes the swing lever 25 to swing clockwise as viewed on the drawing. Then, the U-shaped part 25b formed at the fore end of the swing lever 25 comes to abut on the shaft 22a of the holder 22. When the swing lever 25 swings further, the holder 22 turns counterclockwise, as viewed on the drawing, as if it is pulled up with the supporting projection 23 acting as a fulcrum. The index film 21 is detached from the film F by this. The index film 21 then moves perpendicularly upward off from the film F, so that sliding friction between the film F and the index film 21 can be prevented also this time. The holder 22 moves in the direction of arrow "b" as the swing lever 25 swings further clockwise, as viewed on the drawing, until there is obtained a state as shown by two-dot chain lines in the drawing. With the embodiment in this state, as mentioned in the foregoing, the fore end 22b of the holder 22 and the index film 21 are retracted outside the area of the projection optical path as indicated by two-dot chain lines. Since the index film 21 is thus retracted, it is possible to read out the real film image projected. In the case of Fig. 2, the projection apparatus is provided with an operation part to be operated by the operator for moving the index film 21. In Fig. 2, a reference numeral 26 denotes an adjustment button which serves as the operation part and has its shaft part 26b engaging a slot 25c formed in the swing lever 25. When the operator pushes the fore end part 26a of the adjustment button 26 to begin focus adjustment work, the swing lever 25 swings counterclockwise as viewed on the drawing as the slot 25c is engaging the shaft part 26b of the button 26. Then, the index film 21 is moved into the projection optical path by the mechanism described in the foregoing. Figs. 3(A), 3(B) and 3(C) show some examples of an index formed on the index film 21. The index is preferably formed to have either a high-contrast part or clear image edges in such a way as to facilitate making a discrimination between an in-focus state and a defocus state in the focus adjustment work, as shown in Fig. 3(A), 3(B) or 3(C). Fig. 4 shows the focus adjustment work being performed by using the index shown in Fig. 3(A). An in-focus state is obtainable with a focus adjustment knob 11 rotated by the operator while watching a projected index 20 which is superposed on an image projected on a Fresnel lens 8. Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of Fig. 2 in an oblique view under the focus adjustment work. In this case, the apparatus is provided with an adjustment button 26 which is disposed, as shown, on one side of the apparatus. Next, a second embodiment of this invention is described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7, wherein Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the essential parts of the second. embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view showing the essential parts of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, parts 4 to 7 and 21 to 26b are similar to those parts of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2. In the second embodiment, a protruding part 26c is disposed in front of the adjustment button 26 (on the side opposite to the fore end part 26a of the button 26). The film holding member 5 has a peripheral part 5c which is opposed to the protruding part 26c and is provided with notches 5b. The notches 5b are formed, in a projection setting position for every one of film images, and arranged to be capable of engaging the protruding part 26c of the adjustment button 26. A casing guide 27 is arranged to guide the fore end part 26a of the adjustment button 26. The rest of the second embodiment is arranged in the same manner as in the cases of Figs. 2, 5 and 10 used in the foregoing description. With the second embodiment arranged as described above, the operator of the apparatus pushes the fore end part 26a of the adjustment button 26 which slidably engages the casing guide 27 for focus adjustment work, the holder 22 moves forward in the direction of arrow "a" in the same manner as in the case of the first embodiment. The fore end part 26a thus causes the index film 21 to abut on the film F. At the same time, the protruding part 26c of the adjustment button 26 comes to engage the notch 5b of the film holding member 5. The film holding member 5 is thus fixed in position as shown in Fig. 7. Under this condition, the film holding member 5 is immovably held by the engagement of the protruding part 26c of the adjustment button 26 with the notch 5b of the film holding member 5. When the operator pulls back the adjustment button 26 to the left, as viewed on the drawing, after completion of focus adjustment, the protruding part 26c disengages the notch 5b of the film holding member 5. The film holding member 5 then becomes movable. The following describes the operation of the embodiment performed when the film holding member 5 is not in the film projecting position: Referring to Fig. 7 , with the film holding member 5 not in the film projecting position, the protruding part 26c of the adjustment button 26 comes to impinge on the peripheral part 5c of the film holding member 5 and would not move any further even if the operator pushed the adjustment button 26. The holder 22 to which the index film 21 is attached comes to a stop in a position before the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 6. Therefore, even if the operator happens to push the adjustment button 26 while the film holding member 5 is not in the film projecting position, the index film 21 and the holder 22 are prevented from coming into contact with the film F and the film holding member 5. A third embodiment of the invention is arranged as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In the second embodiment described above, the adjustment button is arranged to be pushed in. In the case of the third embodiment, this pushing arrangement is changed to a sliding arrangement. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, an adjustment button 31 is arranged to be slidable over a casing which is not shown. The adjustment button 31 is provided with a knob part 31a which is disposed in front and a shaft part 31b and a protruding part 31c which are disposed in rear. The shaft part 31b engages a slot 25c which is formed in a swing lever 25. A lock lever 32 is swingably interposed in between the adjustment button 31 and a film holding member 5. The lock lever 32 is provided with a shaft part 32a which is arranged on one side of the lever 32 to abut on the peripheral edge of the protruding part 31c of the adjustment button 31, and a protruding part 32b which is arranged on the other side of the lever 32 to engage and disengage one of notches 5b formed in the film holding member 5. The rest of the arrangement of the third embodiment is similar to that of the second embodiment. With the third embodiment arranged as described above, when the operator of the apparatus slides the knob part 31a of the adjustment button 31 from its position indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 8 in the direction of arrow "c" for focus adjustment, the shaft part 31b of the adjustment button 31 moves also in the direction of arrow "c". The swing lever 25 then swings clockwise, as viewed on the drawing. The U-shaped part 25b of the swing lever 25 comes to push the shaft 22a of a holder 22. With the shaft 22a thus pushed, the holder 22 moves in the direction of arrow "c" while sliding the lower surface of its fore end 22b over a supporting projection 23. When the holder 22 moves further in the direction of arrow "c", the lower projection 22c of the holder 22 comes to impinge on the supporting projection 23. A slot 24 which is formed in the casing has one end 24a of it formed to be wider than other parts. The wider end 24a allows the shaft 22a of the holder 22 to part from its state of abutting on the U-shaped part 25b of the swing lever 25 and to turn counterclockwise, as viewed on the drawing, by its own weight, with the supporting projection 23 used as a fulcrum, until the index film 21 comes to abut on the film F. The holder 22 thus takes its position as shown by full lines in the drawing. The index film 21 is thus arranged to come to abut on the film F perpendicularly from above to prevent any abrading friction between the film F and the index film 21. Referring to Fig. 9, with the adjustment button 31 slid in the direction of arrow "c" as mentioned above, the protruding part 31c of the adjustment button 31 pushes the shaft part 32a of the lock lever 32. The lock lever 32 is thus caused to swing in the direction of arrow "e". The protruding part 32b of the lock lever 32 then comes to engage the notch 5b provided in the film holding member 5 as indicated by full lines in Fig. 9. Under this condition, the engagement of protruding part 32b of the lock lever 32 and the notch 5b of the film holding member 5 holds the film holding member 5 immovable. When the operator of the apparatus brings the adjustment button 31 back to its position indicated by two-dot chain lines in the drawing by pushing it in the direction of arrow "d" upon completion of focus adjustment work, the lock lever 32 which is under an urging force of a mechanism (not shown) swings in the direction of arrow "f" following the movement of the adjustment button 31. The engaged relation between the protruding part 32b of the lock lever 32 and the notch 5b of the film holding member 5 then disappears to make the member 5 movable. When the film holding member 5 is not in a film projecting position, even if the operator slides the adjustment button 31 in the direction of arrow "c" as shown in Fig. 9, the protruding part 32b of the lock lever 32 which swings in the direction of arrow "e" following the sliding movement comes to impinge on the edge part 5c of the film holding member 5 to make the adjustment button 31 immovable any further. The holder 22 to which the index film 21 is stuck then comes to a stop before it reaches its position indicated by full lines as shown in Fig. 8. Therefore, the index film 21 and the holder 22 is effectively prevented from coming into contact with the film F and the film holding member 5 even if the operator happens to slide the adjustment button 31 in the direction of arrow "c" when the film holding member 5 is not in its film projecting position. In the event of a film original for which focus adjustment is difficult because of few clear image edge parts or a negative film original which is dark as a whole showing little contrast because of a reversed state, the use of the index member which has a high contrast part enables the operator to adequately make focus adjustment by watching a projected image of the index member. A high-quality image thus can be obtained without any blur irrespectively of skill in the focus adjustment work. The embodiment is provided with the means for causing the index member to approximately perpendicularly come to abut on the surface of the film original at least at the time of bringing the former into contact with the latter. Therefore, the embodiment not only facilitates focus determining work but also prevents the index member from damaging the film original by friction when it abuts on the film original. The embodiment is further provided with the means for locking the film holding member when the index member enters the projection optical path. This locking means effectively prevents both the index member and the film original from being frictionally damaged by the movement of the film holding member when the film holding member is in contact with the index member. Therefore, the embodiment not only gives a high-quality image but also prevents the index member from being damaged. Further, the provision of means for preventing the index member from coming into the projection optical path when the film holding member is not in the film projecting position effectively prevents the index member and the index-member holding member from coming into contact with the film original and the film-original holding member, so as to protect the index-member, the index-member holding member and the film original from being damaged by friction, even if the index member is urged to enter the projection optical path by focus adjustment work inadvertently performed by the operator when the film holding member is not in the film projecting position.

Claims: A projection apparatus comprising illuminating means (1,2,3,4) for illuminating a film original (F) and projecting an image of the film original (F) along a projection optical path onto a predetermined image plane, a film holding member (5) for holding and positioning the film original (F) at a plane crossing the projection optical path of the illuminating means (2); an optical system (6,7) for focusing the projected image at the predetermined image plane, the optical system comprising a lens (6) moveable along the optical axis of the optical system to adjust the focusing state of the projected image at the predetermined image plane; and an index (21) for assisting in focusing, the index (21) being carried by a supporting member (22) which is moveable between a first position in which the index (21) is positioned outside of the projection optical path and a second position in which the index is positioned on the projection optical path on or adjacent the plane of the film original (F), characterised in that the supporting member (22) is arranged to cause the index (21) to move substantially linearly (a) along a predetermined portion of the trajectory of the index to enter the projection optical path at a distance from the film surface and then to move substantially perpendicularly to the film surface to bring the index into contact with the film surface so that the index is positioned on the projection optical path at a central portion of the image plane of the film original when the supporting member (22) moves from the first to the second position, and to cause the index (21) to move substantially perpendicularly away from the film surface and then, following a substantially linear trajectory, to move out (b) of the projection optical path when the supporting member (22) is moved from the second to the first position. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film holding member is moveable in a direction perpendicular to the projection optical axis of the illuminating means. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a restriction mechanism for inhibiting movement of the supporting member to the second position when the film holding member (5) is not in a film projectable position on the projection optical path of the illuminating means (2). An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a fixing member (26c,32b) for inhibiting movement of the film holding member (5) when the supporting member (22) is at the second position. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fixing member (26c,32b) comprises a projection (26c,32b) receivable in a recess (5b) of the film holding member (5) when the film holding member is in a film projectable position. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting member (22) is provided with a shaft (22a) engaging a free end (25b) of a pivotally mounted lever (25) arranged so that pivotal movement of the lever (25) causes the shaft (22a) to move along a guide slot (24) and the supporting member (22) to move between the first and second positions, a supporting projection (23) being provided to support the supporting member (22) in the first position. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a moveable operating member (26a,31a) is provided for causing pivotal movement of the lever (25). An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the film holding member comprises a film holding plate (14), a first restriction member (14a,14b) for restricting the position of the film original (F) in a direction parallel to the surface of the film original (F), and a second restriction member (13) for restricting the position of the film original (F) in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the film original (F). An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the film holding member includes a member arranged to bring the film into planar contact with said film holding plate (14) and to serve as said second restriction member (13). An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second restriction member (13) is coupled by a hinge (15) to the film holding plate (14). An apparatus according to claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the first restriction member (14a,14b) is secured to the film holding plate (14).

Inventors: SAIJO YASUTSUGU, SAIJO, YASUTSUGU, Saijo, Yasutsugu, c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G03B27
IPC codes: G03B27