Watertight body for accomodating a photographic camera

Abstract: A watertight body (10) having a first (1a) and a second (1b) body shell of rigid polymer material that can be joined together for accommodating a photographic camera (11) is designed such that, using a multiple-component injection moulding process, a sealing means (2) comprising elastic polymer material is moulded on an edge (2a) of at least one body shell (1a, 1b) that forms the joint, and a covering means (3) is moulded on surface areas of said body shells and is connected to the body shell by chain looping of the polymer materials. The result is that the body is reliably sealed against water and is nevertheless inexpensive and simple to manufacture. For a simple and correspondingly inexpensive recyclability of the body, the body shells (1a, 1b) can be crushed without separation of the polymer materials using known devices, with the resultant material mix being usable as an admixture for the manufacture of new camera components.

Description: The invention relates to a watertight body for a photographic camera having two body shells which can be joined together and comprise a rigid polymer material. Photographic cameras with an outer body enclosing the camera for protection against the effects of moisture and dust are known. For example, US-PS 4 882 600 as well as DE-OS 37 21 556, DE-OS 37 33 403 and DE-OS 44 14 854 or JP 7-104367 disclose such bodies, in some cases watertight. The joint created in the assembled condition of the body elements is mostly sealed using separate elastic sealing elements, for example O-rings, gaiter-like rubber elements, sealing elements etc. DE-OS 4414 854 describes a roll film pack consisting of a light-tight core body with roll film, shutter, film transport device, lens etc., said core body being enclosable by two shells formed out of rigid plastic. Sealing of the body shells, which though not watertight is effective against dust and splash water, is achieved by welding the shells together and sealing the joint by means of an elastic but nevertheless stable stuck-on strip. These rigid shells can be produced by so-called injection molding processes (2-k-process) as described in the publication "Kunststoffe", 84 (1994) June, No. 6, Munich, DE: Configurations of this type are therefore marked by a large number of joinable individual parts, so that manufacture of the body is intensive in time, material and cost. The object underlying the present invention is to create a watertight body for accommodating a photographic camera that can be designed and manufactured in a simple manner and ensures dependable watertightness. The object of the invention is attained by the features of claim 1. By using a multiple-component injection moulding process for moulding a sealing means made of elastic polymer material, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, on an edge of at least one body shell that forms the joint, and for connecting it to said body shell by chain looping (molecular entanglement) of the polymer materials, a body can be provided that manages without additional and separately attached sealing elements. The adhesion of the sealing means in accordance with the invention is achieved by the chain looping of the molecules between the material of the body shell and that of the sealing means during moulding. Additional adhesion connectors, such as adhesives or the like, are not necessary. In the embodiment of the invention, the sealing means is of droplet shape on the edge of the first body shell, with the second body shell having a circumferential groove in which the sealing means is deformed in the assembled state of the body shells such that the camera body is watertight. Owing to a sealing element-like configuration of the second body shell in the area of the circumferential seal, the latter is well protected against mechanical effects, such as knocks etc. A covering means moulded on the outer surfaces of the body shells using the multiple-component injection moulding process is also connected to the body shells by chain looping. By a suitable color additive to the elastomer, a camera body that can be advantageously designed is achievable. Raised areas of the covering means and areas free of the latter ensure in addition a good grip on the camera under water. A carrying means designed as a lug for attachment of a carrying strap or the like forms an integral unit with the covering means, such that a low-cost manufacture is possible without additional fitted parts and handling of the camera under water is further improved. In addition, a good shock-absorbing effect for the camera can be achieved using the "covering means enclosure". In a further advantageous embodiment, the sealing, covering and carrying means are designed in one piece, i.e. they are moulded on the body shells during one manufacturing process step using the multiple-component injection moulding process, thereby achieving a particularly inexpensive manufacture. The configuration of the body in accordance with the invention further prevents any inadvertent opening of the camera by the user, since the locking means provided on the body shells are concealed by the shells in the connected state. Thus, a watertight body for accommodating a photographic camera is achievable in accordance with the invention with a minimum number of individual parts to be assembled. Another advantage during manufacture of a waterlight body made of a first and a second body shell of rigid polymer material which can be joined together and have openings for a lens and a viewfinder, consists in that at least the body shell forming the body front is moulded in a tool using a rigid polymer material and that in the same tool a covering layer made of an elastic polymer material is then connected to the body shell by chain looping of the polymer materials using the two-pack injection moulding process. Better recyclability than in the prior art, and hence also better protection of the environment, is achieved in that the body shells can be crushed without separation of the polymer materials using known devices, and the resultant material mix can be used as an admixture to the new polystyrene material being in a ratio not exceeding 25 : 100. As a result, a greatly improved impact strength is achieved in the newly manufactured body components when compared with polystyrene. Further advantages of the invention are shown in the sub-claims and in an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing. The drawing shows in Fig. 1 the body in accordance with the invention in a front view, Fig. 2 the front body shell in a side view, Fig. 3 the body in a rear view, Fig. 4 the rear body shell in a side view, Fig. 5 in a schematic view the opened body with a camera along the line I-I in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 in a schematic view the watertight closed body with a camera along the line I-I in Fig. 1. The watertight body 10 comprises a front body shell 1a and a rear body shell 1b for accommodating a photographic camera 11, as schematically shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The camera 11 is a so-called single-use camera, which is loaded with photographic film by the manufacturer and given to a finisher for development of the film after the latter has been exposed. Since cameras of this type are sufficiently known, no further description is provided. It is merely pointed out that the outer camera body shape and the inner shape of the body shells 1a and 1b are matched to one another and have elements/means to which reference is made in the following. Both body shells 1a and 1b comprise a rigid polymer material, preferably an optically transparent polystyrene. The inner wall of the body shell 1b has engaging elements 6a of nose type that engage with engaging elements 6b provided on the camera wall. The two body shells 1a and 1b are firmly connectable by locking means 9a and 9b. The locking means comprise the locking hooks 9a forming an integral unit with the body shell 1a, and the elastically flexible locking strips 9b forming an integral unit with the body shell 1b. In the assembled state of the body shells, the locking means 9a, 9b are covered by the body walls and are hence not accessible for unlocking. To that end, at least one marked wall area 9d is provided on the body shell 1a that can be cut through using a tool, for example a screwdriver, to unlock at least one of the engaged means 9a and 9b. This is achieved by providing in the wall areas 9d openings in the body shell 1a which are closed only by the thermoplastic covering means 3. On the body shell 1a, a sealing means 2 of droplet shape and comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-butadiene (ISO designation: TE(PEBBS+PP)) is provided on the edge 2a forming the joint of the body, said sealing means being adapted to be pressed into a groove 4 running all round the body shell 1b. In the pressed-in/assembled state of the body shells, watertightness is already achieved by an overdimensioning of the droplet-shaped sealing means 2 in comparison with the groove 4, without the aforementioned locking means 9a and 9b having to be connected to one another. Since the resetting forces of the sealing means act vertically to the joint, no further force is necessary to keep the body shells together in the unloaded state. The sealing means 2 is designed in its further embodiment on the outer surfaces of both body shells 1a and/or 1b as a covering means 3. The latter has, for improvement of the grip, areas 3a that are raised. Areas 3b free of covering means further improve the grip qualities owing to the resultant differing surface heights. The areas 3b, for example around the lens, carry an informative or decorative label. For carrying the camera, a carrying means 9c designed as a lug for suspension of a carrying strap or the like is provided and forms an integral unit with the covering means 3. The body shells 1a and 1b, the sealing means 2, the covering means 3 and 3a, the holding means and the carrying means 9c are made in a multiple-component injection moulding process, in particular a two-pack process (2K-process), such that looping of the molecule chains results between the two polymer materials. In a first injection moulding step, the body shell 1a is made from polystyrene and in a second step, without a change of the mould, the sealing means 2, the covering means 3 and 3a and the carrying means 9c designed as a lug are moulded. The manufacture of the body shell 1b from polystyrene with its surface areas of thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-butadiene, is achieved similarly. The covering means 3 and 3a are best restricted to certain surface areas improving the grip on the camera, but can also comprise the entire outer surface with the exception of the opening for the lens 7, the viewfinder 8, the opening for the flashlight and the areas 3b. By adding suitable colorants, the body can be colored to achieve light-tightness or left transparent. For expedient and aesthetic reasons a free surface 13 is provided in an area around the lens, which is not covered by the covering layer and on which a C-shaped information plate is arranged on the inside of the body. The information on said plate is readable from the exterior of the body because the body shell 1a is optically transparent. Between the lens 7 and the inner edge formed by the C-shaped plate, a non-transparent cup 14 is provided which encloses the lens and can be made of a thermoplastic elastomer. The C-shaped surface 13 and the information plate are configured such that they partially enclose the non-transparent cup 14. Furthermore, holding means 5 for the camera 11 are provided in the body wall of both body shells 1a, 1b. These are also formed from the styrenebutadiene elastomer and fill the cylindrical penetrations 5a of the body shells so as to project beyond the inner body wall. In the case of the embodiment shown, the surface of the camera 11 is therefore in contact with the holding elements 5 of the body shells in the state locked by the engaging elements 6a and 6b. For the body shells 1a, 1b and for the sealing, covering and holding means 2, 3, 3a and 9c, polycarbonate/polyurethane can also be used in addition to the mated combination already stated of polystyrene/styrenebutadiene. An actuating means 12, comprising a thumbwheel with an integrated release button for film transport and for release, is connected to the body shells in watertight form. To that end, the body shells have a special shaped collar for receiving a sealing element and for supporting the thumbwheel, which however is not shown in the drawing. The release button designed as a watertight rubber diaphragm release transmits in known manner the release movement by means of a plunger to a release lever arranged inside the camera (also not shown). After complete exposure of the film, the body 10 is opened using a tool, as already described, and both body shells are conveyed to a device known per se for crushing, for example a shredder, without separation of the materials. The resultant material granulate mixture can be used as an admixture for making new light-impermeable camera components by injection moulding, where exclusively the material combination polystyrene/styrene-butadiene is used for the body shells 1a and 1b and for the sealing, covering and holding means 2, 3, 5, 9c. The admixture to the new polystyrene material for injection moulding is expediently a maximum of 25% of the new material.

Claims: A watertight body (10) for a photographic camera (11), said body comprising: a first (1a) and a second (1b) body shell of rigid polymer material, said body shells being joined together to define a cavity arranged to accommodate said camera, at least one of said body shells having an edge (2a) disposed to define a joint between said body shells; and a seal (2) of elastic polymer on said edge (2a), characterized in that : said seal is connected to said edge by molecular entanglement of said rigid and elastic polymer materials. A watertight body according to claim 1, characterized in that said seal (2) has an undeformed cross-section that is droplet shaped, and said second body shell has a circumferential groove (4), said groove (4) being underdimensioned relative to said seal such that said seal (2) is deformed when said body shells (1a, 1b) are joined together, whereby said body (10) is watertight. A watertight body according to claim 1, further comprising a cover (3) of elastic polymer material on the surface areas of said body shells (1a, 1b) and being connected to said body shells by molecular entanglement of said rigid and elastic polymer materials. A watertight body according to claim 3, characterized in that said cover (3) is transparent. A watertight body according to claim 3, characterized in that said cover (3) is light-tight. A watertight body according to claim 3, characterized in that: said body shells define a surface when joined together; and said cover (3) is provided on substantially the entire surface of said body shells, exclusive of lens (7) and viewfinder openings (8) and areas (3b) free of covering, for gripping the body. A watertight body according to claim 3 characterized in that: said body shells define a surface when joined together; said first body shell is transparent; said body further comprises a C-shaped information plate (13) adjoining said first body shell; and said cover (3) is provided on substantially the entire surface of said body shells exclusive of an opening over said information plate. A watertight body according to claim 3, characterized in that said cover (3) provided on said body shells has raised areas (3a) for a sure grip. A watertight body according to claim 8, further comprising a carrying means (9d) for holding the camera (11) formed in one piece with said cover (3). A watertight body according to claim 1, further comprising locking means (9a, 9b) for connecting said body shells, said locking means being provided in one piece with said body shells, said locking means being inaccessibly covered when said body shells (1a, 1b) are joined together. A watertight body according to claim 10, characterized in that said first body shell (1a) has a marked wall area (9c) that can be cut through using a tool to unlock at least one of said locking means. A watertight body according to claim 1, further comprising camera holding means (5) projecting inward from said body shells (1a, 1b). A watertight body according to claim 1, further comprising a cover (3) disposed on surface areas of at least one of said body shells; and camera-holding means (5) projecting inward from said body shells; said sealing means (2), said cover (3), and said camera holding means each comprising elastic polymer material. A watertight body according to claim 13, characterized in that said elastic polymer material is a styrene-butadiene or polyurethane. A watertight body according to claim 13, characterized in that said rigid polymer material is polystyrene and said elastic polymer material is styrene-butadiene. A watertight body according to claim 13, characterized in that said rigid polymer material is polycarbonate and said elastic polymer material is polyurethane. A watertight body according to claim 1, characterized in that said first body shell has integral engaging elements (6a) for holding said camera against at least one of said body shells. A watertight body according to claim 1, characterized in that said body shells (1a, 1b) comprise an optically transparent polystyrene or polycarbonate.

Inventors: BARCLAY DAVID, CHAPMAN STEVEN, KELLNER HEINZ-ANDREAS, REIBL MICHAEL, RIEGER ALBERT, RYDELEK JAMES G, SCHWEIZER ANDREAS, BARCLAY, DAVID, CHAPMAN, STEVEN, KELLNER, HEINZ-ANDREAS, REIBL, MICHAEL, RIEGER, ALBERT, RYDELEK, JAMES G., SCHWEIZER, ANDREAS, Rieger, Albert c/o KODAK Aktiengesellschaft
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, KODAK AG, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, KODAK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G03B17
IPC codes: G03C3, B29C45, G03B17