Patent Publication Number: US-2005117897-A1

Title: Waterproof protector device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-400860, filed Nov. 28, 2003; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a waterproof protector device capable of storing, for example, a digital camera.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Conventionally, waterproof protectors have been used to protect cameras for underwater photography. One such waterproof protector is described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-90854. An ordinary waterproof protector comprises a body protector (front case) and a openable lid portion (rear case). The body protector has a waterproof space that houses the camera. The lid portion closes an opening of the body protector. The camera and the camera lens are housed in the waterproof protector.  
      There is also known a waterproof protector that is furnished with a relay connector for external strobe. When using an external strobe unit, a hot shoe connector is attached to a hot shoe of the camera in the protector. An inside contact pin of the relay connector is connected to the hot shoe connector. Outside the protector, a waterproof socket portion is connected to an outside contact pin of the relay connector. The socket portion is provided on a terminal end of a cord of the external strobe unit.  
      In this manner, the hot shoe of the camera and the external strobe unit are connected electrically to each other by means of the relay connector for external strobe. Thus, the external strobe unit glows when a release button of the camera is depressed. The “strobe” mentioned herein is synonymous with an electronic flash.  
      In some cases, the hot shoe may be fitted with a shoe cover that protects a contact portion and its surrounding region. The shoe cover is removed from the hot shoe when the relay connector for external strobe is used. A user must keep by his/her side the shoe cover that is removed from the camera. Since the shoe cover is a small part, however, it is liable to be lost if it is put in a clothing pocket or the like. Possibly, moreover, dust may adhere to the shoe cover if this is done.  
      If an electrically conductive substance, such as seawater, adheres to the shoe cover, in particular, it is supposed inevitably to cling to and corrode the contact portion of the hot shoe when the cover is attached to the shoe. It is strictly prohibited, therefore, to allow water (especially seawater) or other foreign matter to adhere to the shoe cover.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention has a feature that a waterproof protector device is capable of safely keeping camera parts, such as a shoe cover, removed from a camera.  
      A waterproof protector device according to the invention comprises a body protector which stores a camera and has therein a storage portion for storing a part to be stored. The stored part is an attachment part attachable to the camera or an attachment part attachable to a camera option for the camera, for example.  
      Those other parts than a shoe cover which are liable to be lost and easily affected by adhesion of water or other foreign matter may be also stored. These parts include, for example, recording media for recording images, a waterproof cap of a relay connector for external strobe, a protective cap of a connector of a synchronizing cord, a spare O-ring, etc. In short, a storage portion of a shape such that it can hold the part to be stored should only be formed on the inner surface of the body protector.  
      Since the camera is stored in the waterproof protector device, a user must care a great deal about water as he/she handles the protector device. In normal use, the waterproof protector device never allows penetration of water unless it is submerged. According to the present invention, the shoe cover or the like that is removed from the camera can be put away into the storage portion that is provided in a waterproof space in the protector device. Thus, water or foreign matter can be prevented from adhering to a part that is held in the storage portion, and besides, the part can be prevented from being lost.  
      Preferably, the body protector comprises a body portion which stores a camera body and a hinging lid portion which closes an opening of the body portion, the body portion or the lid portion being formed having the storage portion.  
      According to an aspect of the invention, the attachment part is a shoe cover attachable to an accessory shoe, such as a hot shoe of the camera, and the storage portion that stores the shoe cover is formed in a corner of a box-shaped waterproof space in the body protector.  
      According to another aspect of the invention, the storage portion has a shape such that the shoe cover can be moved for insertion and removal in the direction of an optical axis of a camera lens with the lid portion off. Alternatively, the storage portion has a shape such that the shoe cover can be moved for insertion and removal in a direction across the optical axis of the camera lens with the lid portion off. If the body portion of the body protector is formed of an integrally molded product of synthetic resin, the storage portion for holding the shoe cover should be molded integrally with the body portion.  
      Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a waterproof protector device according to a first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof protector device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof protector device of  FIG. 1  with its standard port off its body protector;  
       FIG. 4A  is a side view of a part of the waterproof protector device of  FIG. 1  with its buckle member in a locked position;  
       FIG. 4B  is a side view of a part of the waterproof protector device of  FIG. 1  with the buckle member in an unlocked position;  
       FIG. 5  is a rear view, partially in section, showing the waterproof protector device of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of a hot shoe cover to be attached to a camera body shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a front view showing an external strobe unit attached to the waterproof protector device of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a rear view, partially in section, showing a hot shoe connector connected to a relay connector for external strobe shown in  FIG. 5 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a waterproof protector device according to a second embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIG. 10  is a rear view, partially in section, showing a waterproof protector device according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  8 .  
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a waterproof protector device (waterproof case)  10  having a standard port  1 . The protector device  10  comprises a body protector  11  (described below) and the standard port  1  that can be attached to and detached from the body protector  11 .  
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the waterproof protector device  10  having the standard port  1 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a waterproof space S 1  is defined in the body protector  11 . The space S 1  is surrounded by the protector  11  and the standard port  1 . A camera body  15 , such as a digital camera, is disposed for waterproofness in a predetermined position in the space S 1 .  
      The camera body  15  is provided with a frame  16 . The frame  16  has an internal thread portion to which a filter or the like is to be attached. When a power switch (not shown) of the camera body  15  is turned on, a camera lens  17  projects forward from a collapsed state in which it is retracted in the body  15 . More specifically, the camera lens  17  as a moving part projects forward or toward a subject from the inside diameter side of the frame  16 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The camera body  15  and the camera lens  17  constitute a camera according to this invention.  
      When the power switch of the camera body  15  is turned on, as described above, the camera lens  17  moves from the position in which it is collapsed in the camera body  15  to a standby state for photographing (projected position). The standard port  1  has a function to secure a waterproof space for the camera lens  17  that moves in this manner.  
      The body protector  11  is provided with a body portion  21  and a lid portion  22 . The lid portion  22  is rockably coupled to the body portion  21  by a hinge shaft  20  shown in  FIG. 2 . The camera body  15  is housed in a waterproof space that is defined inside the lid portion  22  and the body portion  21 . The lid portion  22  is swingably mounted on the body portion  21  so that it can close an opening  21   a  of the body portion  21 . If the lid portion  22  is swung open, the opening  21   a  of the body portion  21  is opened.  
      The body portion  21  and the lid portion  22  are each formed of a molded product of synthetic resin (e.g., polycarbonate) that is impermeable to water and highly resistant to pressure. The body portion  21  and the lid portion  22  can be held in a closed state by a clamp mechanism  23 . Waterproof seal members  24  and  25 , such as O-rings, are arranged in joint portions of the body portion  21  and the lid portion  22 , respectively.  
      The body portion  21  of the body protector  11  is provided with an operating member  31  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The operating member  31  is used to operate a release button  30  (shown in  FIG. 2  and other drawings) of the camera body  15 . Further, the body protector  11  is fitted with various necessary operating members for the manipulation of the camera body  15 , a cap  32  that covers a relay connector  34  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) for external strobe, etc.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , the relay connector  34  for external strobe is provided on the body portion  21  of the body protector  11 . The connector  34  has contact pins  35  and  36  that project inside and outside, respectively, of the protector  11 . The space between the connector  34  and the protector  11  is sealed by a waterproof seal member  37 , such as an O-ring.  
      The camera body  15  is provided with a hot shoe  33  that is used for strobe-synchronous luminescence and the like. The hot shoe  33  is a kind of accessory shoe. It is provided with an electrical contact portion, such as a trigger contact for strobe. When the hot shoe  33  need not be used, a shoe cover  38  which is an example of a stored part (indicated by hatching in  FIG. 5 ) is attached to it to protect the contact portion and its surrounding region. The shoe cover  38  is an example of an attachment part that can be attached to the camera body  15 .  
       FIG. 6  shows an example of the shoe cover  38 . The shoe cover  38  has a pair of side portions  38   a  and  38   b . The side portions  38   a  and  38   b  can be fitted individually in opposite side portions  33   a  and  33   b  of the hot shoe  33 . The shoe cover  38  can be inserted into and removed from the hot shoe  33  in the optical axis direction of the camera lens  17  of the camera body  15 .  
      A storage portion  39  for storing the shoe cover  38  removed from the camera is provided in the body protector  11 . The storage portion  39  is formed in one lower corner of the box-shaped waterproof space S 1  in the protector  11 . More specifically, the storage portion  39  is formed extending along a slanting corner portion  15   a  at the bottom of the camera body  15  so that it is inclined vertically. If there is any spatial allowance on the side of the lid portion  22 , the lid portion may alternatively be provided with a storage portion  39 ′, as in a second embodiment ( FIG. 9 ), which will be mentioned later.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , the storage portion  39  has a pair of retaining walls  39   a  and  39   b . The walls  39   a  and  39   b  are formed in positions corresponding individually to the side portions  38   a  and  38   b  of the shoe cover  38 . A recess  39   c  is defined between the walls  39   a  and  39   b . When the lid portion  22  is off, the shoe cover  38  can be moved for insertion and removal with respect to the recess  39   c  in the optical axis direction of the camera lens  17 . By way of example, the retaining walls  39   a  and  39   b  of the storage portion  39  are molded integrally with the body portion  21  of the body protector  11  that is formed of an integrally molded product of synthetic resin.  
      An opening  40  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) is formed in the body portion  21  of the body protector  11 . The opening  40  is formed in a region corresponding to the front face of the frame  16  of the camera body  15 . The inside diameter of the opening  40  is a little larger than the diameter of the frame  16  and is large enough to allow the insertion of the camera lens  17  at the least.  
      A first opening portion  41  in the shape of a short cylinder is formed around the opening  40  on the outer surface of the body protector  11 . The first opening portion  41  is larger in diameter than and concentric with the opening  40 . An inner peripheral surface  42  of the first opening portion  41  forms a seal surface with which a seal member  54  is intimately in contact. To attain this, the inner peripheral surface  42  is finished smooth. An O-ring  43  that serves as a waterproof seal member is interposed between the opening  40  and the first opening portion  41 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of protrusions  46  are formed on an outer peripheral surface  44  of the first opening portion  41 . Each of the protrusions  46  forms a part of a buckle mechanism  45 .  
      The standard port  1  is provided with a substantially cylindrical barrel portion  50 , a light transmitting portion  51  formed of a transparent material such as glass, a hood member  52 , a pair of buckle members  53 , and a seal member  54  such as an O-ring. The light transmitting portion  51  is provided on the front end portion of the barrel portion  50 . An opening portion  55  at the rear end of the barrel portion  50  can be fitted in the first opening portion  41 . If necessary, the hood member  52  is attached to the barrel portion  50 . The buckle members  53  are provided individually on the opposite side portions of the barrel portion  50 . The seal member  54  is disposed on the rear end portion of the barrel portion  50  or that part thereof (second opening portion) which is inserted in the first opening portion  41 . It can be brought intimately into contact with the inner peripheral surface  42  of the first opening portion  41 .  
      The buckle members  53  and the protrusions  46  constitute the buckle mechanisms  45 . The buckle members  53  can rock individually around shafts  60  between a locked position shown in  FIG. 4A  and an unlocked position shown in  FIG. 4B . They may alternatively be designed to be further rockable in the direction of arrow R 1  from the position shown in  FIG. 4B .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a cam groove  61  is formed on the inner surface side of each buckle member  53 . The cam groove  61  has a spiral shape such that a distance D from the shaft  60  gradually increases from its one end  61   a  toward its other end  61   b . When each buckle member  53  is rocked to the locked position shown in  FIG. 4A , each protrusion  46  gets fitted in a region on the side of the one end  61   a  of the cam groove  61 . Thus, a flange portion  50   a  of the barrel portion  50  of the standard port  1  is pressed in a direction such that it abuts against a front end face  41   a  of the first opening portion  41 . At the same time, the standard port  1  is fixed to the body protector  11 .  
      If each buckle member  53  is rocked in the direction (unlocking direction) indicated by arrow R 1  in  FIG. 4A , the cam groove  61  moves sliding relatively to the protrusion  46  in the direction of arrow R 1 . Thereupon, the flange portion  50   a  of the barrel portion  50  is slightly pushed out in a direction (indicated by arrow F) such that it moves away from the front end face  41   a  of the first opening portion  41 , as shown in  FIG. 4B . When the buckle member  53  reaches the unlocked position shown in  FIG. 4B , the protrusion  46  is disengaged from the cam groove  61 . Thereupon, the standard port  1  is allowed to be removed from the body protector  11 . In attaching the port  1  to the protector  11 , the buckle member  53  is rocked in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction R 1 . By doing this, the port  1  is fixed to the protector  11 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each buckle member  53  is provided with a detent mechanism (click means)  65 . The detent mechanism  65  includes a retaining member  67 . The retaining member  67  is urged by a spring portion  66  to project from the inside of the buckle member  53 . The body protector  11  is formed having recesses  68  in which the retaining members  67  can be fitted individually. The recesses  68  are situated so that they engage their corresponding retaining members  67  when the buckle members  53  are moved to the locked position.  
      When the buckle members  53  are moved to the locked position, the retaining members  67  engage their corresponding recesses  68 . If this is done, the positions of the buckle members  53  are settled, and a so-called click feeling is produced. Thus, the arrival of the buckle members  53  at the locked position can be noticed.  
      The following is a description of the operation of the waterproof protector device  10  according to the present embodiment.  
       FIG. 7  shows an external strobe unit  101  as an example of a camera option. The waterproof protector device  10  can be fitted with the strobe unit  101  by means of a bracket  100  that is attached to the body protector  11 . In this case, the shoe cover  38  is removed from the hot shoe  33 . Then, the shoe cover  38  is put away into the storage portion  39  of the body protector  11 , as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
      In the body protector  11 , a hot shoe connector  102  is attached to the hot shoe  33  of the camera body  15 . Further, a socket portion  103  of the connector  102  is connected mechanically and electrically to the inside contact pin  35  of the relay connector  34  for external strobe.  
      Outside the body protector  11 , the waterproof cap  32  is removed from the relay connector  34  for external strobe. Then, a waterproof socket portion  111  is connected to the outside contact pin  36  of the connector  34 . The socket portion  111  is provided on a terminal end of a synchronizing cord  110  of the external strobe unit  101 .  
      As this is done, the hot shoe  33  of the camera body  15  and the external strobe unit  101  are connected electrically to each other by the relay connector  34  for external strobe. Thus, the strobe unit  101  can glow when the release button  30  of the camera body  15  is depressed.  
      According to the waterproof protector device  10  of the present embodiment, the shoe cover  38  that is removed from the camera body  15  can be put away into the storage portion  39 . Thus, the shoe cover  38  can be inserted into or removed from the storage portion  39  if the lid portion  22  is swung open. The storage portion  39  is located in the waterproof space S 1  in the waterproof protector device  10 . When the lid portion  22  is on, therefore, water or foreign matter can be prevented from adhering to the shoe cover  38  that is held in the storage portion  39 . Also, the shoe cover  38  can be prevented from being lost.  
       FIG. 9  shows a waterproof protector device  10 A according to a second embodiment of the invention. In this protector device  10 A, a storage portion  39 ′, which is constructed in the same manner as the one according to the first embodiment, is provided on the inner surface of a lid portion  22 . A pair of retaining walls  39   a  and  39   b  of the storage portion  39 ′ are molded integrally with the lid portion  22  that is formed of an integrally molded product of synthetic resin. If the lid portion  22  is swung open, the shoe cover  38  can be inserted into or removed from a recess  39   c  between the walls  39   a  and  39   b  in a direction across the optical axis of the camera lens  17 . The waterproof protector device  10 A shares other configurations with the waterproof protector device  10  of the first embodiment. Therefore, common numerals are used to designate common portions of the two embodiments, and a description of those portions is omitted.  
      Another storage portion may be provided for storing those other attachment parts than the shoe cover  38  which are liable to be lost and easily affected by adhesion of water or other foreign matter. These parts include, for example, recording media (plate- or stick-shaped media) for recording images, a waterproof cap  32  of a relay connector  34  for external strobe, a protective cap attached to a socket portion  111  of a synchronizing cord  110 , a spare O-ring, etc. In short, a storage portion of a shape such that it can hold the attachment parts should only be formed on the inner surface of the body portion  21  or the lid portion  22  of the body protector  11 .  
       FIG. 10  shows a waterproof protector device  10 B according to a third embodiment of the invention. In this protector device  10 B, a storage portion  70  for holding a memory card  71  is provided on the inner surface of a body portion  21  of a body protector  11 . The memory card  71  is an example of a recording medium that is used in the camera body  15 . When the camera is used, the card  71  is inserted into a card storage portion of the camera body  15 . Photographed images and the like are recorded in the card  71 .  
      The storage portion  70  has a pair of retaining walls  70   a  and  70   b . The walls  70   a  and  70   b  are molded integrally with the body portion  21 . When a lid portion  22  is off, the memory card  71  can be moved for insertion and removal between the retaining walls  70   a  and  70   b  in the optical axis direction of the camera lens  17  (shown in  FIG. 2 ).  
      Water or other foreign matter can be prevented from adhering to the memory card  71  in the storage portion  70  by closing the lid portion  22 . Also, the card  71  can be prevented from being lost. With use of the waterproof protector device  10 B that has the storage portion  70  constructed in this manner, a spare memory card  71  can be safely stored in a waterproof space S 1  in the body protector  11 , besides the memory card stored in the camera body  15 . The waterproof protector device  10 B shares other configurations with the waterproof protector device  10  of the first embodiment. Therefore, common numerals are used to designate common portions of the first and third embodiments, and a description of those portions is omitted. The storage portion  70  may alternatively be provided on the inner surface of the lid portion  22  of the body protector  11 .  
      It is to be understood, in carrying out the present invention, that the components of the invention, including the storage portion and the body protector that constitute the waterproof protector device, may be variously changed or modified without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.  
      Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.