Abstract:
A camera equipped with an accommodating chamber which constitutes a periphery including a film spool spindle and which accommodates a film cartridge having a recess at one longitudinal end thereof, includes: a protruding surface portion which is provided in the accommodating chamber, which enters the recess, and which has on the outer surface thereof on the side opposite to the film cartridge a step formed by a recessed portion recessed toward the film cartridge; and a gear member arranged in the recessed portion and adapted to be engaged with the spool spindle to rotate the spool spindle, whereby the dimension in the camera height direction (i.e., the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the film cartridge) is reduced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a camera in which it is possible to achieve a reduction in size in the height direction of the portion of the camera main body where there is arranged an accommodating chamber accommodating a film cartridge for taking up camera film.  
           [0003]    2. Related Background Art  
           [0004]    There is a demand for a reduction in camera size as a way of spreading the use of cameras, and various small-size cameras have been developed and put into practical use. In this regard, the camera using a film cartridge accommodating a roll of film is also required to be as small as possible.  
           [0005]    On the other hand, a compact camera today is equipped with a film feeding mechanism for automatically performing the operation of taking up the film on the spool from the cartridge and the operation of rewinding the film taken up on the spool back into the cartridge, using a film feeding motor as the drive source.  
           [0006]    Further, there is a camera in which the film feeding motor is arranged inside the spool and in which a rewinding spindle engaged with the winding shaft of the cartridge is arranged in the cartridge chamber; the rewinding spindle is connected to the film feeding motor through a gear row; and there is provided a power transmission mechanism which transmits the power of the film feeding motor selectively to the spool or the rewinding spindle through a speed reduction mechanism.  
           [0007]    As a mounting structure for the feeding gears in the gear row for transmitting the power of the film feeding motor to the rewinding spindle, a structure is known in which a support wall is formed so as to be parallel to the upper or lower surface of the camera main body forming the cartridge chamber and the spool chamber, with the feeding gear being fitted onto a boss portion formed on this support wall.  
           [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery. Reference numeral  10  indicates a casing member forming the outer casing of the camera, reference numeral  11  indicates a camera body, and reference numeral  19  indicates a cartridge chamber accommodating a cartridge  13  described below. Reference numeral  12  indicates a film, and reference numeral  13  indicates the cartridge for taking up and accommodating the film  12 . When it is inserted into the cartridge chamber  19 , the cartridge  13  is urged downwards as seen in the drawing under the urging force of a spring (not shown) provided in the cartridge chamber  19 . As a result, the cartridge  13  abuts an abutment surface lib forming the lower surface of the cartridge chamber  19 .  
           [0009]    Reference numeral  14  indicates an idler gear which transmits power from a motor (not shown) provided in the camera main body, that is, the power for rewinding the film  12 , to a fork gear  15  described below. The idler gear  14  is rotatable around a rotation shaft  14   a,  which is arranged radially outside with respect to the cartridge chamber  19 .  
           [0010]    Reference numeral  15  indicates the fork gear in mesh with the idler gear  14  and adapted to be rotated by the torque of the idler gear  14 . Reference numeral  16  indicates a fork which rotates integrally with the fork gear  15 . Reference numeral  17  indicates a fork spring, which is arranged radially inside with respect to the fork gear  15  and the fork  16  and which pushes the fork  16  upwardly as seen in the drawing.  
           [0011]    When the cartridge  13  is inserted into the cartridge chamber  19 , the fork  16  is engaged with a spool portion  12   a  of the cartridge  13 , and is pushed downwardly as seen in the drawing by this spool portion  12   a  against the urging force of the fork spring  17 .  
           [0012]    The fork gear  15  is rotatably fitted into a hole  11   c  formed in the wall portion  11   b  constituting the lower surface of the cartridge chamber  19 . Reference numeral  18  indicates a gear pressing member, which rotatably supports the idler gear  14  and the fork gear  15 .  
           [0013]    In the structure in the prior art described above, the dimension of the camera main body as measured in the height direction cannot be made smaller than a predetermined length due to the restriction by the arrangement space for the drive portion (the feeding gear, etc.) for driving the film. In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-136989 discloses a camera in which a gear is arranged above the cartridge chamber, with the gear being rotatably mounted to a retaining plate.  
           [0014]    In such a construction, the height of the camera main body is determined by the length of the cartridge, the thickness of the retaining plate, and the thickness of the gear, and even if the components are arranged close to each other, there is a limitation to the reduction in the dimension of the camera main body as measured in the height direction (i.e., reduction in camera size).  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    It is a first object of the present invention to provide a camera with a reduced height.  
           [0016]    According to one aspect of the invention, a camera equipped with an accommodating chamber which accommodates a film cartridge having a recess at one longitudinal end, and film spool spindle thereof, includes:  
           [0017]    a protruding surface portion which is provided in the accommodating chamber, which enters the recess, and which has on the outer surface thereof on the side opposite to the film cartridge a step formed by a recessed portion recessed toward the film cartridge; and  
           [0018]    a gear member arranged in the recessed portion and adapted to be engaged with the spool spindle to rotate the spool spindle.  
           [0019]    In further another aspect of the invention, the camera further includes a support plate which rotatably supports the gear member.  
           [0020]    In further another aspect of the invention, the camera further includes an idler gear engaged with the gear member and adapted to transmit torque to the gear member.  
           [0021]    That is, by bringing the gear member nearer to the film cartridge by utilizing the space of the recess formed in one longitudinal end surface of the film cartridge, it is possible to make the longitudinal dimension of the cartridge accommodating portion so much the smaller. And, when the casing member forming the outer casing of the camera main body is arranged close to the support member, it is possible to reduce the height of the camera main body as compared with that in the prior art. (i.e., to achieve a reduction in camera size)  
           [0022]    Further according to another aspect of the invention, a camera equipped with an accommodating chamber which accommodates a film cartridge having a recess at one longitudinal end, and film spool spindle thereof, includes:  
           [0023]    a gear member engaged with the film spool spindle to rotate the film spool spindle;  
           [0024]    a retaining member rotatably retaining the gear member; and  
           [0025]    an opening formed in a portion of the accommodating chamber corresponding to the recess of the film cartridge, the gear member entering the opening.  
           [0026]    That is, by bringing the gear member nearer to the film cartridge by utilizing the space generated by forming a hole in the cartridge accommodating portion, it is possible, as in the first aspect of the invention, to make the longitudinal dimension of the cartridge accommodating portion, that is, the height of the camera main body so much the smaller as compared with that in the prior art (i.e., to achieve a reduction in camera size).  
           [0027]    When the gear member is rotatably retained by the support member, it is possible to prevent the gear member from wobbling in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge accommodating portion (film cartridge). 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery of a camera according to a first embodiment;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery of a camera in the prior art;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery of a camera according to a second embodiment; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the camera of the first embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]    (First Embodiment)  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the camera of this embodiment.  
         [0034]    In FIG. 4, reference numeral  31  indicates a camera main body. At the center of the front surface of this camera main body  31 , there is provided a photographing lens barrel  32  capable of zooming. Further, on the right-hand side, as seen in the drawing, of the front surface of the camera main body  31 , there is provided a light emission window member  36  constituting a strobe device, and, in the vicinity thereof, there are provided a viewfinder window  34  and a photometry window  35 . Further, on the top surface of the camera main body  31 , there is provided a shutter release button  33  for starting exposure of the film (not shown) in the camera main body  31 .  
         [0035]    In FIG. 1, reference numeral  1  indicates a camera body, and reference numeral  9  indicates a cartridge chamber (cartridge accommodating portion) for accommodating a cartridge  3  described below. Reference numeral  2  indicates a film, and reference numeral  3  indicates the cartridge (film cartridge) for taking up and accommodating the film  2 . When it is inserted into the cartridge chamber  9 , the cartridge  3  is urged downwards as seen in the drawing under the urging force of a spring (not shown) provided in the cartridge chamber  9 . As a result, the cartridge  3  abuts an abutment surface  1   b  constituting the lower surface of the cartridge chamber  9 .  
         [0036]    Reference numeral  4  indicates an idler gear, which transmits power from a motor (not shown) provided in the camera main body  31 , that is, the power for rewinding the film  2 , to a fork gear  5 . The idler gear  4  is rotatable around a rotation shaft  4   a,  which is provided radially outside with respect to the cartridge chamber  9 .  
         [0037]    Reference numeral  5  indicates the fork gear, which is in mesh with the idler gear  4  to be rotated by the torque of the idler gear  4 . Reference numeral  6  indicates a fork, which rotates integrally with the fork gear  5 . Reference numeral  7  indicates a fork spring, which is arranged radially inside with respect to the fork gear  5  and the fork  6  and pushes the fork  6  upwards as seen in the drawing.  
         [0038]    When the cartridge  3  is inserted into the cartridge chamber  9 , the fork  6  is engaged with a spool portion  2   a  of the cartridge  3 , and is pushed downwards as seen in the drawing by this spool portion  2   a  against the urging force of the fork spring  7 .  
         [0039]    The fork gear  5  is rotatably fitted into a hole  1   c  formed in the wall portion  1   b  constituting the bottom surface of the cartridge chamber  9 . Reference numeral  8  indicates a gear pressing member, which rotatably retains the idler gear  4  and the fork gear  5 . Reference numeral  10  indicates a casing member forming the outer casing of the camera main body  31  and arranged in close vicinity to the gear pressing member  8 .  
         [0040]    Next, the features of this embodiment will be described.  
         [0041]    A recess  3   a  is formed in the lower surface of the cartridge  3 , and the section of this recess  3   a  taken along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge  3  is substantially circular. A circular protrusion la is formed on the bottom surface of the cartridge chamber  9  on the camera main body side, and this protrusion la enters the recess  3   a  of the cartridge  3 . And, the fork gear  5  is arranged in the space formed between the protrusion la and the gear pressing member  8 .  
         [0042]    By thus accommodating the fork gear  5  in the protrusion  1   a,  it is possible for the gear pressing member  8  to be arranged so as to extend along the bottom portion of the cartridge chamber  9 , and it is possible to substantially eliminate that space in the structure in the prior art shown in FIG. 2 which is between the bottom surface of the cartridge chamber  19  and the gear pressing member  18  and in which the fork gear  15  is arranged. That is, the fork gear  5  and the gear pressing member  8  can be brought nearer to the cartridge  3 , and the longitudinal dimension of the cartridge chamber  9  can be made so much the smaller. Since the casing member  10  is arranged in the vicinity of the gear pressing member  8 , bringing the gear pressing member  8  nearer to the cartridge  3  makes it possible to reduce the height of the camera main body (that is, to achieve a reduction in camera size).  
         [0043]    Further, since the fork gear  5  is held between the protrusion la and the gear pressing member  8 , it is possible to prevent the fork gear  5  from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge  3 .  
         [0044]    Since the fork gear  5  is in mesh with the idler gear  4 , it is necessary to secure an arrangement space for the idler gear  4  under the cartridge  3 . In view of this, no abutment surface  1   b  is formed on the shaft portion  4   a  side of the lower portion of the cartridge  3 . This makes it possible for the fork gear  5 , the idler gear  4 , and the gear pressing member  8  to be arranged so as to be parallel to each other and to extend in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge  3  (i.e., in the horizontal direction of the camera main body).  
         [0045]    (Second Embodiment)  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cartridge chamber and its periphery of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The camera of this embodiment has the same outward appearance as that of the first embodiment (FIG. 4).  
         [0047]    In FIG. 3, reference numeral  21  indicates a camera body, and reference numeral  29  indicates a cartridge chamber (cartridge accommodating portion) for accommodating a cartridge  23  described below. Reference numeral  22  indicates a film, and reference numeral  23  indicates the cartridge (film cartridge) for taking up and accommodating the film  22 . When it is inserted into the cartridge chamber  29 , the cartridge  23  is urged downwards as seen in the drawing under the urging force of a spring (not shown) provided in the cartridge chamber  29 . As a result, the cartridge  23  abuts an abutment surface  21   b  formed on the lower surface of the cartridge chamber  29 . There is formed in the abutment surface  21   b  of the camera body a hole  21   c  whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the cartridge, and a fork gear  25  enters this hole  21   c.    
         [0048]    Reference numeral  24  indicates an idler gear, which transmits power from a motor (not shown) provided in the camera main body  31 , that is, the power for rewinding the film  22 , to the fork gear  25  described below. The idler gear  24  is rotatable around a rotation shaft  24   a,  which is provided radially outside with respect to the cartridge chamber  29 .  
         [0049]    Reference numeral  25  indicates a fork gear in mesh with the idler gear  24  and adapted to be rotated by the torque of the idler gear  24 . Reference numeral  26  indicates a fork which rotates integrally with the fork gear  25 . Reference numeral  27  indicates a fork spring, which is arranged radially inside with respect to the fork gear  25  and the fork  26  and which pushes the fork  26  upwardly as seen in the drawing.  
         [0050]    When the cartridge  23  is inserted into the cartridge chamber  29 , the fork  26  is engaged with a spool portion  22   a  of the cartridge  23 , and is pushed downwardly as seen in the drawing by this spool portion  22   a  against the urging force of the fork spring  27 . Reference numeral  28  indicates a gear pressing member (support member), which rotatably supports the idler gear  24  and the fork gear  25 . Reference numeral  10  indicates a casing member forming the outer casing of the camera and arranged in close vicinity to the gear pressing member  28 .  
         [0051]    Next, the features of this embodiment will be described.  
         [0052]    At the bottom portion of the cartridge chamber  29 , there is formed a hole  21   c  whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the cartridge  23 , and the fork gear  25  is accommodated in this hole  21   c.  Further, the fork gear  25  is rotatably fixed to the gear pressing member  28  through the intermediation of a riveting pin  30 .  
         [0053]    By thus accommodating the fork gear  25  in the hole  21   c,  it is possible to arrange the gear pressing member  28  along the bottom portion of the cartridge chamber  29 , and, unlike the structure in the prior art shown in FIG. 2, this structure allows substantial omission of the space for arranging the fork gear  25  between the bottom surface of the cartridge chamber  29  and the gear pressing member  28 . That is, it is possible to bring the fork gear  25  and the gear pressing member  28  nearer to the cartridge  23 , and to make the longitudinal length of the cartridge  23  so much the smaller. Since the casing member  10  is arranged in close vicinity to the gear pressing member  28 , it is possible to reduce the height of the camera main body (i.e., achieve a reduction in camera size) by bringing the gear pressing member  28  nearer to the cartridge  23 .  
         [0054]    Further, by mounting the fork gear  25  rotatably to the gear pressing member  28  by means of the riveting pin  30 , it is possible to prevent the fork gear  25  from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge  23 . Reference numeral  28  indicates the gear pressing member (retaining member) which rotatably supports the two gears  24  and  25 . Reference numeral  30  indicates the riveting pin, which is rotatably riveted to the gear pressing member  28 . Thus, the fork gear  25  is not detached from the gear pressing member  28 .  
         [0055]    Since the fork gear  25  is in mesh with the idler gear  24 , it is necessary to secure the arrangement space for the idler gear  24  under the cartridge  23 . In view of this, in this embodiment, no abutment surface  21   b  is provided on the shaft portion side of the lower portion of the cartridge  23 . Thus, it is possible for the fork gear  25 , the idler gear  24 , and the gear pressing member  28  to be arranged so as to be parallel to each other and to extend in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cartridge  23  (i.e., in the horizontal direction of the camera main body).  
         [0056]    In accordance with this embodiment described above, the gear member is brought nearer to the film cartridge by utilizing the space of the recess formed in one longitudinal end surface of the film cartridge, so that it is possible to make the longitudinal length of the cartridge accommodating portion so much the smaller, that is, to reduce the height of the camera main body as compared with that in the prior art (i.e., to achieve a reduction in camera size).  
         [0057]    Further, since the gear member is brought nearer to the film cartridge by utilizing the space created by forming a hole in the cartridge accommodating portion as the accommodating space for the gear member, it is possible to make the longitudinal length of the cartridge accommodating portion so much the smaller, that is, to reduce the height of the camera main body as compared with that in the prior art (i.e., to achieve a reduction in camera size).