Abstract:
A photographic camera has a taking lens system supported in a camera body by a lens barrel and a battery chamber which accommodates a battery and is formed adjacent to the lens barrel. At least a part of the wall defining the battery chamber is formed integrally with the lens barrel.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/325,084, filed Oct. 17, 1994, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a photographic camera which has a structure advantageous to miniaturization the camera. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There has been an increasing demand for miniaturization of cameras from the viewpoint of popularization of cameras, and various miniaturized cameras have been developed and put into practice. Though there has been known a mini size camera using a special small size film, there is a problem that resolution of the picture deteriorates and sharpness of the image deteriorates as the film size decreases and at the same time such a special small size film is less available. Accordingly, it is preferred that the camera be miniaturized while using common films. Further, it is preferred that the manufacturing cost of the camera be lowered without sacrificing the performance of the camera. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing observations and description, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a photographic camera which is advantageous to miniaturization the camera and reduction in the manufacturing cost of the camera. 
     The photographic camera in accordance with the present invention comprises a taking lens system supported in a camera body by a lens barrel and a battery chamber which accommodates a battery and is formed adjacent to the lens barrel and is characterized in that at least a part of the wall defining the battery chamber is formed integrally with the lens barrel. 
     When the wall of the battery chamber, which is conventionally formed as a part of the camera body or as a part separate from the camera body, is formed integrally with the lens barrel, the lens barrel and the battery chamber can be handled as a unit part in the manufacturing step of the camera, whereby the number of parts is reduced and the manufacturing cost can be lowered. Further, as compared with the case where the battery chamber and the lens barrel are two separate parts, the wall between the battery chamber and the fixed lens barrel can be reduced in thickness and the size of the camera body can be reduced by the reduction in thickness of the wall between the battery chamber and the lens barrel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a photographic camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II—II in FIG. 1, and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a camera in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2, a photographic camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a camera body  1  and a taking lens system  20  which is supported in the camera body  1  by way of a movable lens barrel  22  and a fixed lens barrel  21 . A film magazine chamber  50  in which a film magazine is loaded and a film take-up chamber  60  in which a roll film  41  in the film magazine is taken up are formed in the camera body  1  on opposite sides of the taking lens  1 , respectively. A battery chamber  30  for accommodating a battery  31  is formed on the lower side of the fixed lens barrel  21 . An upper part  30 A of the wall defining the battery chamber  30  is formed integrally with the fixed lens barrel  21 . The battery chamber  30  opens in the bottom of the camera body  1  and is closed by a lid  1 A. Right and left end walls of the battery chamber  30  are respectively provided with contacts  33  and  34 . 
     When the battery chamber  30  is formed integrally with the fixed lens barrel  21 , the fixed lens barrel  21  and the battery chamber  30  can be handled as a unit part in the manufacturing step of the camera, whereby the number of parts is reduced and the manufacturing cost can be lowered. Further, as compared with the case where the battery chamber  30  and the fixed lens barrel  21  are two separate parts, the wall between the battery chamber  30  and the fixed lens barrel  21  can be reduced in thickness and the height of the camera body  1  can be reduced by the reduction in thickness of the wall between the battery chamber  30  and the fixed lens barrel  21 . 
     In this particular embodiment, an electric part chamber  10  for accommodating electric parts such as a control circuit for controlling an automatic exposure system, an autofocus system, a strobe, a zoom lens drive system, a film feed system and the like is formed behind the battery chamber  30  between the battery chamber  30  and the film passage  40  through which the film  41  is fed. A part  30 B of the wall defining the battery chamber  30  doubles as a part of the wall defining the electric part chamber  10 . By accommodating the electric parts in a relatively dead space between the battery chamber  30  and the film passage  40 , the space factor in the camera body  1  is improved and the camera body  1  can be more compact in size. 
     Further in this particular embodiment, the part  30 A of the wall defining the battery chamber  30  is arcuated in cross-section and is shaped to the contour of the battery  31  as clearly shown in FIG. 2, and a space  32  is formed between the wall of the battery chamber  30  and the fixed lens barrel  21 . The space  32  can be used for accommodating electric parts, whereby the space factor in the camera body  1  is further improved. 
     In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a rear wall  30 E, a top wall  30 F and one side wall of the battery chamber  30  are formed integrally with the fixed lens barrel  21  and the battery  31  is stored in the battery chamber  30  in a vertical position. One of the contacts  36  for the battery  31  is provided on the lower surface of the top wall  30 F and the other contact  35  is provided on the upper surface of a lid  1 B.