JP2000112001A - Film unit equipped with lens - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film unit with a built-in data imprinting device, capable of easily discharging a photographic film and whose assemblage is facilitated. SOLUTION: The unit 2 is constituted of a shutter blade 25, a main body base part 6 with a built-in stroboscopic device for transmitting a trigger signal interlocking with the action of the blade 25, and a front cover 7 and a back cover 8 for covering the main body base part 6 from front and behind. In the main body base part 6, a main body side metal armature 26 connected to the stroboscopic device is arranged, and a module side metal armature 36 connected to a data imprinting module 27 is arranged on the back cover 8, and both metal contact pieces 26 and 36 come into contact with each other by fitting the back cover 8 to the main body base part 6. In accordance with the contact between both armatures, the trigger signal emitted when the shutter blade 25 is opened is inputted to the data imprinting module 27, then, light is emitted from an imprinting light source 33.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a lens-equipped film unit having a built-in data imprinting device for optically imprinting data such as characters and marks from the back of a photographic film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A compact camera with a built-in data imprinting device for optically imprinting data such as characters such as a date and marks in an exposure range on a photographic film is known. The data imprinting apparatus includes, for example, an IC chip in which data such as date is input in advance, and a data module including a data display unit such as a transmissive liquid crystal panel.
It consists of a data imprinting light source such as an LED and is built into the back cover. In such a camera, a light source emits light in response to a shutter release, and the light is used to print a predetermined character or the like from the back side of the photographic film to an end of a shooting screen.

In such a method of imprinting data from the back side, since imprinting can be performed from a position close to the photographic film, an imaging optical system such as an imaging lens is not required. The rear projection method is generally adopted in compact cameras because of its structural simplicity.
Further, the control of the light emission timing to the data imprinting device incorporated in the back cover, for example, via a flexible board connected to a shutter button provided on the main body side,
This is performed by transmitting and receiving an electric trigger signal. This ensures that data is imprinted every time one frame is shot.

[0004] By the way, it has been studied to incorporate a data imprinting device into a film unit with a lens (hereinafter, referred to as a film unit) which is a single-use type simple camera loaded with an unexposed photographic film in advance. Since the film unit is assumed to be used once, it is required to be easy to assemble the main body including the loading of the photographic film, and to be easy to take out the used film and to disassemble the parts for reuse.

For this reason, in recent film units, in order to improve suitability for assembling and disassembling, the film base is covered so as to hold a shutter button and a strobe device and a photographic film loaded on the rear surface of the body base. It is common for the rear cover to be a completely detachable, self-contained type.

[0006]

In the case of a film unit having such a structure, in which a system for imprinting data from the rear side is employed similarly to the above-mentioned compact camera, the main body base and the rear cover are completely separated. Therefore, wiring and the like of a flexible substrate for transmitting and receiving an electric trigger signal become complicated, which causes complication in an assembling process and taking out a photographic film after use.

In Japanese Patent Application No. 9-141249 filed by the present applicant, a data imprinting device is built in a base of a main body having a photographing mechanism, and data is read from the front side (emulsion side) of the photographic film. There has been proposed a method of imprinting the image. According to this, since the data imprinting device is built in the same base portion side as the shutter and the strobe device, there is no need to transmit a trigger signal from the main body side to the rear cover side. It is considered that the routing of the wiring is unnecessary, and the suitability for assembly and disassembly is not impaired.

[0008] However, in the case of adopting the data imprinting method from the front, it is necessary to dispose the data imprinting device outside the angle of view of the exposure of the subject light, or to imprint the image from a place away from the photographic film. Therefore, there is a problem that an imaging optical system such as an imaging lens is required, and the structure becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a film unit with a lens having a built-in data imprinting device having a simple structure without complicating an assembling process and a disassembling process. With the goal.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a film unit with a lens according to the present invention incorporates a simple photographing mechanism, and covers a main body base in which a photo film is previously loaded and a back surface of the photo film. A light source that receives an electric signal transmitted in synchronization with opening and closing of a shutter blade provided on the body base side, and emits light. In a film unit with a lens incorporating a data imprinting device comprising data display means for displaying data such as characters and marks imprinted on the back of the photographic film in response to data imprinting light irradiated from the metal film, Light guide means such as a member for transmitting the electric signal such as a contact piece and a light guide are respectively attached so that the main body base side and the rear cover side can be easily attached and detached. It is provided by division is characterized in.

In the case where external light is used as the data imprinting light, the external light condensing means is provided on the front surface of the unit main body, and the external light condensed in conjunction with the shutter blade is rearwardly transmitted. A data imprinting shutter for guiding to the cover side is provided on the main body base side, and the data display means and a light guiding means for guiding external light guided when the data imprinting shutter is opened to the data display means are provided on the rear cover side. It is characterized by having been provided.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 2, a film unit 2 with a lens (hereinafter referred to as a film unit).
Is a main body base 6 to which the exposure unit 3 and the strobe unit 4 are assembled, and a front cover 7 that covers the front and rear thereof.
And a rear cover 8, a cartridge 11, and a photo film 12 drawn out of the cartridge 11 and formed into a roll.
Consists of Cartridge 11 and photographic film 12
Are cartridge storage chambers 6a formed in the main body base 6,
Each of the film units with a lens is incorporated in the film storage chamber 6b in advance at the time of production.

The front cover 7 has a photographing window 13, a finder objective window 14, a strobe light emission window 16, and a strobe charge switch 17 on its front surface, and a shutter button 18 and a film counter window 19 on its top surface. I have.

An exposure frame 6c is formed at the center of the main body 6 to limit the exposure range for one frame on the front surface of the photographic film 12 sent to the photographing position. A dark box base 6d projecting in the shape of a rectangular tube is integrally formed in front of the exposure frame 6c, and the exposure unit 3 is assembled to the main body base 6 so that the dark box 21 (FIG. 1
Reference). The dark box is not necessarily limited to the above-described split type, and the dark box may be formed by only one of the dark box base 6d and the dark box 3a.

The exposure unit 3 includes a photographic lens 22, a shutter mechanism including a shutter blade 25 (see FIG. 1), a shutter charging mechanism, a winding stop mechanism, a film counter plate, and the like assembled on the basis of the dark box section 3a. Further, it holds an objective and an eyepiece constituting a finder optical system.

A synchro switch 24 is provided on a substrate 23 of the strobe unit 4 arranged beside the exposure unit 3. The synchro switch 24 is for obtaining a trigger signal for strobe light emission. When the shutter button 18 is pressed, the shutter switch 25 is turned on to emit a strobe light when the shutter blade 25 (see FIG. 1) is opened. This trigger signal is transmitted to the main body side metal contact piece 2 provided on the back side of the substrate 23.
6, the data is also input to a data imprinting module 27 attached to the rear cover 8.

One end 26a of the main body side metal contact piece 26 is fixed to the substrate 23, and the other end 26b is a free end. The end 26b is arranged so as to penetrate through the opening 6e of the main body 6 and partially project to the rear side. As will be described later, when the rear cover 8 is fitted into the main body base 6, the end portion 26b and the module 27 are connected.
The module-side metal contact piece 36 provided at the lower portion comes into contact with the metal-side metal contact piece 36. By this contact, the strobe unit 4 and the data imprinting module 27 are electrically connected, and a trigger signal is input. The strobe unit 4 includes a battery 30
The charging is started when the charging switch 17 is turned on.

A hoisting knob 28 is provided at the upper part of the cartridge storage chamber 6a, and a hoisting shaft integrally formed on the lower surface thereof engages with the spool of the cartridge 11. By rotating the winding knob 28 each time a photograph is taken, the photographed film 12 having been photographed is loaded in the cartridge 1 by one frame.
Get caught in one. The shutter mechanism incorporated in the exposure unit 3 is charged for the next photographing in conjunction with the winding of one frame of the film, and when the feeding of one frame of the film is completed, the winding lever 28 is turned by the lock lever incorporated in the exposure unit 3. Is locked.

A finder eyepiece window 29 and a charging completion confirmation window 31 are formed in the rear cover 8, and bottom lids 8a and 8b that integrally cover the bottom openings of the cartridge storage chamber 6a and the film storage chamber 6b are formed integrally. ing. The bottom cover 8a is provided with a cartridge 11 in which a photographed photo film has been entangled.
It is opened when taking out. The rear cover 8 is completely separated from the main body base, and is detachably fitted from the back surface of the main body base 6 in which the photo film 12 is loaded.

At the center of the rear cover 8, a data imprinting module 27 for imprinting the photographing date within the exposure range defined by the exposure frame 6c is assembled, and its front surface is set to the exposure frame 6c. The frame is covered with a film receiving plate 32 for holding the photo film for the frame. At the upper left of the film receiving plate 32 as viewed from the front, a data imprinting window 32a for passing data light from the transmissive liquid crystal panel 34 of the data imprinting module 27 to the back of the photographic film 12 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, since the data imprinting module 27 is disposed close to the photographic film 12, an imaging optical system including an imaging lens for data imprinting becomes unnecessary. . Also, regarding the arrangement of the data imprinting module 27, since the imprinting is performed from the back of the photographic film 12, it is not necessary to consider the exposure angle of view of the subject light or the like. In addition, free arrangement is possible.

The data imprinting module 27 includes an IC chip including a clock circuit, a liquid crystal driver, a light emission control circuit of the imprinting light source 33, and the like, a liquid crystal panel 34 for displaying the current date according to a clock signal from the clock circuit. And a button-type battery for driving them. The imprinting light source 33 receives power from the battery 30 in response to a trigger signal from the strobe unit 4 and lights up for a certain period of time. As the imprint light source 33, for example, an LED is used, and the liquid crystal panel 3 is used.
4 on the back side. As the liquid crystal panel 34, for example, a light transmission type is used. The light source 33 illuminates the liquid crystal panel 34 and imprints the date from the back of the photographic film 12. The liquid crystal panel 34 may be a self-luminous type in which a light source is incorporated in the data display unit itself.

The light emission control circuit receives the trigger signal from the synchro switch 24 and causes the imprint light source 33 to emit light. One end 36a of the module-side metal contact piece 36 that receives the trigger signal is connected to the light emission control circuit. The other end 36b is a free end and protrudes from the lower part of the data imprinting module 27.
The end portion 36b is formed so as to be in contact with the end portion 26b of the main body side metal contact piece 26 protruding rearward from the opening 6e below the exposure frame 6c when the rear cover 8 is fitted into the main body base portion 6. Placed. Due to this contact, a trigger signal from the synchro switch 24 due to the depression of the shutter button is input to the light emission control circuit. As a result, the data is imprinted in synchronization with the exposure timing of the subject light, and the imprint of the data for each frame of the film is reliably performed.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. The main body base 6 and the rear cover 8 are assembled on separate lines. The exposure unit 3, the strobe unit 4 and the like are assembled in the main body base 6, and the photographic film 12 and the cartridge 11 are loaded and sent to the front and rear cover fitting process. On the other hand, after the data imprinting module 27 and the film receiving plate 32 are assembled,
It is fitted into the main body base 6 together with the front cover 7.

At this time, the end 26b of the main body side metal contact piece 26 provided in advance in the strobe unit 4 is
From the rear side, and the end portion 36b of the module-side metal contact piece 36 connected to the data imprinting module 27 is arranged at a position corresponding to this.
The metal contacts 26 and 36 are brought into contact only by inserting the rear cover 8. After the front and rear covers 7 and 8 are fitted, the completed film unit with lens 2 is packed and shipped.

The photographer who has purchased the film unit 2 with the lens rotates the winding knob 28 during filming to wind up the film. As a result, the first frame of the photographic film 12 is sent and set on the exposure frame 6c. At the same time, the winding lock mechanism and the shutter charging mechanism operate.

After performing framing, the photographer presses the shutter button 18. When the shutter button 18 is pressed, the shutter mechanism operates and the shutter blade 25 is opened. The subject light incident from the taking lens 22 is the dark box 2
1 and forms an image on the photographic film 12 set in the exposure frame 6c.

On the other hand, when the shutter blades are opened, the synchro switch 24 is turned on. As a result, a trigger signal is transmitted to the strobe light emitting unit and the main body side metal contact 2
6 is also transmitted to the metal contact piece 36 on the module side. The light emission control circuit of the data imprinting module 27
Upon receiving the trigger signal, the imprint light source 33 is turned on for a certain period of time. This light passes through the liquid crystal panel 34 to become data light, passes through the projection window 32a, and passes through the photographic film 1.
2 Photographed from the back. Strobe charge switch 17
Is turned on and charging is completed, strobe light emission is also performed and strobe shooting is performed.

After the photographing of all the frames of the photographic film 12 is completed, the entire film unit 2 is delivered to a developing laboratory for printing. At the photo lab, the film unit 2 is disassembled to take out the photographic film 12. Photo film 1 with back cover 8 removed
2 is developed and printed, and returned to the requester. On the other hand, the main body of the film unit 2 from which the photographic film 12 is taken out has its parts removed or disassembled.
Recycled. Since no wiring processing using a flexible substrate or the like is performed between the rear cover 8 and the main body base 6, it is easy to take out the photographic film 12 and remove the rear cover 8 when disassembling the film unit 2 main body. Will be

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Note that members common to the first embodiment described above are denoted by common reference numerals. In this embodiment, the main body base 6
The imprint light source 41 is connected to the strobe unit 4 on the side. The imprinting light source 41 is arranged in the passage 44 formed below the exposure frame 6c toward the rear cover 8, and emits light for a certain time when the synchro switch 24 is turned on.

On the other hand, behind the data imprinting module 27 of the rear cover 8, a light guide 42 for guiding the light of the imprinting light source 41 to the liquid crystal panel 34 is provided. An opening 8c is formed below the film receiving plate 32 of the rear cover 8 at a position corresponding to the passage 44 on the main body base 6 side. The light guide 42 is provided such that one end is disposed in the opening 8 c and the other end is located on the back side of the liquid crystal panel 34. The light guide 42 is formed of, for example, a transparent plastic, and a cover 43 that covers the light guide 42 from behind.
Together with the rear cover 8.

When the rear cover 8 is fitted into the main body base 6, the passage 44 and the opening 8c are connected, and light emitted from the imprinting light source 41 is applied to the light guide 42. The light from the imprinting light source 41 emitted in synchronization with the pressing of the shutter button 18 is guided to the light guide 42 through this passage 44 and irradiates the liquid crystal panel 34. This light becomes the data light and is reflected from the back side of the photo film 12. The light emitted from the imprinting light source 41 is guided to the light guide 42 without being diffused by the passage 44. For this reason, a sufficient light amount as the data imprinting light is guided to the liquid crystal panel 34. The attachment of the light guide 42 may be performed when the data imprinting module 27 is mounted on the rear cover 8, or may be performed after the rear cover 8 is mounted on the main body base 6.

Next, the operation of the configuration of the second embodiment will be described. In the manufacturing process, the main body base 6 and the rear cover 8 constituting the main body of the film unit 2 are assembled on separate lines. Data imprinting module 27,
After the film receiving plate 32, the light guide 42, and the cover 43 are respectively assembled, the cover 8 is sent to an assembly process with the main body base 6, and is fitted into the main body base 6. By this fitting, the passage 44 and the opening 8c are connected.

At the time of photographing, when the shutter button 18 is pressed, the shutter blade 25 is opened and the synchro switch 24 is opened.
Is turned on to emit a trigger signal. With this trigger signal, the imprint light source 41 connected to the strobe unit 4 emits light for a certain period of time. This light is guided from the passage 44 through the light guide 42 to the liquid crystal panel 34 to become data light, and is reflected on the back of the photographic film 12 at the same timing as the exposure of the subject light.

In the film unit 2 having the above configuration, there is no connection between the rear cover 8 and the main body 6 such as wiring for transmitting a trigger signal for imprinting data.
It is easy to take out the photographic film 12 from the film unit 2 on which all frames have been photographed, and to disassemble each part.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, external light is used as data imprinting light without using a light source dedicated to data imprinting. As in the second embodiment, the rear cover 8 is provided with a light guide 42 for projecting light onto the liquid crystal panel 34 and guiding the light. A passage 51 is provided in the main body 6 corresponding to the opening 8c in which one end of the light guide 42 is arranged. This passage 51 is formed toward the front cover 7, and in the front of the opening 51 a on the front cover 7 side,
A data imprinting shutter 52 is provided. When the data imprinting shutter 52 is opened, the light condensed by the condensing member 53 provided on the front cover 7 enters the passage 51 and is guided by the light guide 42 to irradiate the liquid crystal panel 34. As in the second embodiment, by providing the passage 51, a sufficient amount of light is guided to the light guide 42.

The data imprinting shutter 52 is, for example,
It is formed integrally with the shutter blade 25, and is released at the same timing as the shutter blade 25 when the shutter button 18 is pressed. The external light collected by the light collecting member 53 is opened and closed by opening and closing the data imprinting shutter 52.
Since the data is taken into the liquid crystal panel 34 via the light guide 42, the data is printed at the same timing as the exposure of the subject light. In addition, the passage 51 provided in the main body base 6 and the opening 8c provided in the rear cover 8 and in which one end of the light guide 42 is disposed are similar to those in the second embodiment.
The rear cover 8 is connected to the main body base 6 by fitting. Accordingly, the disassembly of the film unit 2 and the removal of the photographic film 12 can be easily performed.

[0038]

As described in detail above, in the film unit with lens of the present invention, the data imprinting module is provided on the rear cover, and imprinting is performed from the back of the photographic film. An imaging optical system for imprinting the data is unnecessary. In addition, since it is not necessary to consider the arrangement of the modules such as to avoid the angle of view of the exposure, the structure can be simplified.

At the same time, the transmission means of the electric signal and the data imprinting light transmitted from the main body side to the rear cover side required by adopting the rear imprinting method can be divided between the rear cover side and the main body base side. Since the divided portions are connected by fitting the rear cover into the base of the main body, wiring and the like become unnecessary, and the assembly of the unit main body and the work of taking out the film can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a film unit with a lens according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the film unit with a lens according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a film unit with a lens according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a film unit with a lens according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Film unit with lens 26 Metal contact piece on main body 27 Data imprinting module 33, 41 Light source for imprinting 34 Liquid crystal panel 36 Metal contact piece on module side 42 Light guide

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A main body base in which a simple photographing mechanism is incorporated, in which a photo film is pre-loaded, and a rear cover fitted into the main body base so as to cover a back surface of the photo film. A light source that emits light in response to an electric signal transmitted in synchronization with the opening and closing of the shutter blades provided therein, and characters and marks that are printed on the back of the photographic film by receiving data imprinting light emitted from the light source In a film unit with a lens incorporating a data imprinting device comprising data display means for displaying data such as the data display means, the light source and the data display means are provided on a rear cover, and the electric signal is provided on the main body base side. To the rear cover side, and the electric signal provided on the rear cover side and transmitted from the main body side metal contact piece to the light source. And the cover-side contact segment is a lens-fitted photo film unit, characterized in that the rear cover is provided at a position connected when fitted to the body base. 2. A main body base in which a simple photographing mechanism is incorporated and in which a photo film is pre-loaded, and a rear cover fitted into the main body base so as to cover a back surface of the photo film. A light source that emits light in response to an electric signal transmitted in synchronization with the opening and closing of shutter blades provided in the camera, and characters and marks that are printed on the back of the photographic film by receiving data imprinting light emitted from the light source In a film unit with a lens including a data imprinting device including data display means for displaying data such as data, the light source is provided on the base side of the main body, and data imprinted from the data display means and the light source are imprinted. A film unit with a lens, wherein a light guide means for guiding light to the data display means is provided on the rear cover side. 3. A main body base in which a simple photographing mechanism is incorporated and in which a photo film is pre-loaded, and a rear cover fitted into the main body base so as to cover a back surface of the photo film. External light condensed inside the main body in synchronization with opening and closing of the shutter blades provided in the main body is used as data imprinting light, and the data imprinting light is received, and characters and marks etc. are imprinted on the back of the photographic film. In a film unit with a lens incorporating a data imprinting device comprising data display means for displaying data, the external light condensing means is provided on a front surface of the unit main body, and condensed in conjunction with the shutter blade. A data recording shutter for guiding external light to the rear cover side is provided on the base side of the main body, and the data display means and the external light guided when the data recording shutter is opened are disposed in front. Film unit, characterized in that the light guiding means provided on the rear cover side that leads to the data display unit. 4. The film unit with a lens according to claim 1, wherein the rear cover is detachably fitted into the main body base.