Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera includes a power supply battery; an electric double
layer condenser which accumulates a charge of electricity supplied
from the battery; and a power supply circuit board, connected to
the power supply battery, provided on a bottom portion of the digital
camera body and lying substantially in parallel with the bottom
side of the digital camera body, the power supply circuit board
being provided with a cut-away portion. The electric double layer
condenser is located in the cut-away portion and protrudes from
at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the power supply circuit
board. The electric double layer condenser is electrically connected
to the power supply circuit board. Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A digital camera comprising: a power supply battery; an electric
double layer condenser which accumulates a charge of electricity
supplied from the battery; and a power supply circuit board, connected
to said power supply battery, provided on a bottom portion of the
digital camera body and lying substantially in parallel with the
bottom side of the digital camera body, said power supply circuit
board being provided with a cut-away portion; wherein said electric
double layer condenser is located in said cut-away portion and protrudes
from at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the power supply
circuit board; and wherein said electric double layer condenser
is electrically connected to the power supply circuit board.
2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein a main base-plate
having a threaded-hole for securing a tripod is arranged on the
bottom of the camera body wherein the main base-plate lies on a
plane parallel with the power supply circuit board; wherein said
threaded-hole and the electric double layer condenser are located
at different positions with respect to said plane so as not to overlap
each other in a direction normal to said plane; and wherein at least
a part of said threaded-hole and said electric double layer condenser
overlap each other in a direction parallel to said plane.
3. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein said electric
double layer condenser comprises a plurality of electric double
layer condensers which are provided around the threaded-hole.
4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface
of the power supply circuit board is covered by a magnetically shielded
plate.
Digital Camera Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera in which a power
supply circuit board with electric double layer condensers is provided
in a camera body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many components pertaining to a power source, incorporated in a
camera body of a digital camera, are large. In particular, an electric
double layer condenser which can accumulate a large quantity of
electricity has a large surface area and a large thickness.
Consequently, a power supply circuit board on which the electric
double layer condensers are mounted tends to be large in the horizontal
direction. Moreover, as the electric double layer condenser is thick
in the upward/downward directions, if the power supply circuit board
having the electric double layer condensers is arranged in the camera
body, the size of the camera body in the horizontal and upward/downward
directions is increased.
Furthermore, the power supply circuit board produces noise which
can have adverse influence on other electrical components provided
in the digital camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a digital camera in which a camera
body is made small in the horizontal direction by miniaturizing
the power supply circuit board on which electric double layer condensers
are mounted. Furthermore, the use of the electric double layer condensers
does not increase the height of the camera body, and noise produced
by the power supply circuit board has no adverse influence on other
substrates (i.e., electrical components provided thereon).
For example, a digital camera is provided, the camera body including
a power supply battery; an electric double layer condenser which
accumulates a charge of electricity supplied from the battery; and
a power supply circuit board, connected to the power supply battery,
provided on a bottom portion of the camera body and lying substantially
in parallel with the bottom side of the camera body, the power supply
circuit board being provided with a cut-away portion. The electric
double layer condenser is located in the cut-away portion and protrudes
from at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the power supply
circuit board. The electric double layer condenser is electrically
connected to the power supply circuit board.
A main base-plate having a threaded-hole for securing a tripod
can be arranged on the bottom of the camera body wherein the main
base-plate lies on a plane parallel with the power supply circuit
board. The threaded-hole and the electric double layer condenser
are located at different positions with respect to the plane so
as not to overlap each other in a direction normal to the plane.
At least a part of the threaded-hole and the electric double layer
condenser overlap each other in a direction parallel to the plane.
The electric double layer condenser can be provided as a plurality
of electric double layer condensers which are provided around the
threaded-hole. It is desirable for an upper surface of the power
supply circuit board to be covered by a magnetically shielded plate.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese
Patent Application No. 2001-77117 (filed on Mar. 16, 2001) which
is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be discussed below with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially broken side view of a digital camera shown
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of a CF card receiving
member, a PC card receiving member, and an ejection mechanism, etc.,
connected to each other through a plurality of substrates, according
to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an ejector, an ejector
lever base-plate, and a second power supply circuit board, according
to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line
V--V in FIG. 2, showing a connection between a PC card and a PC
card connector, according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing
a PC card disconnected from a PC card connector and ejected from
a PC card receiving member, according to the present invention;
and
FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom view taken along the line VII--VII
in FIG. 2, with a camera body removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Note that in the following description, the forward/rearward direction
refers to the optical axis direction of a camera lens of a digital
camera 1 shown in FIG. 1, the upward/downward direction refers to
the vertical direction with respect to the digital camera 1 shown
in FIG. 1, and the lateral direction refers to a direction perpendicular
to the forward/rearward direction and perpendicular to the upward/downward
of the digital camera 1.
The digital camera 1 has a camera body 2 which is provided therein
with a support member 3 (FIG. 2) which is in turn provided on its
lower surface with a mount frame 4 having a front surface inclined
forwardly. Upper, intermediate and lower substrates 5, 6 and 7 which
lie in substantially horizontal planes, with respect to the digital
camera 1 shown in FIG. 1, are secured to the mount frame 4. As can
be seen in FIG. 2, the widths of the three substrates 5, 6 and 7
in the forward/rearward direction are increasingly larger from the
upper substrate 5 toward the lower substrate 7.
A video output terminal 8 and a connector 9 for communication with
an external device are mounted to the upper surface of the intermediate
substrate 6. A pair of front and rear CF card guides 10a and 10b,
along which a CF card (Compact Flash sized I/O card) "A"
can be inserted, and a CF card connector (not shown) are mounted
to the lower surface of the lower substrate 7. The front and rear
CF card guides 10a and 10b constitute a CF card receiving member
(small memory card receiving member) 11.
The CF card connector is electrically connected to the lower substrate
7. An ejector button 12 is provided in rear portion of the rear
CF card guide 10b. A CF card ejection mechanism including the ejector
button 12 is per se known, wherein when the ejector button 12 is
depressed in the left direction as shown in FIG. 1 (into the camera
body), the CF card "A" inserted in the CF card receiving
member 11 is disconnected from the CF card connector, so that the
CF card "A" can be ejected from the CF card receiving
member 11.
Front and rear securing members 13 are secured to the front and
rear ends of the lower surface of the substrate 7. A first power
supply circuit board 14 which is electrically connected to a power
supply source (dry cell/power supply battery) is secured to the
lower surfaces of the front and rear securing members 13. The first
power supply circuit board 14 is provided on the lower surface thereof
with a pair of front and rear PC card guides 15a and 15b, the length
thereof being greater than that of the front and rear CF card guides
10a and 10b (see FIG. 1), and a PC card connector 16 which is electrically
connected to the first power supply circuit board 14. A PC card
"B" can be inserted into the digital camera 1 via the
front and rear PC card guides 15a and 15b, as shown in FIG. 2.
The front and rear PC card guides 15a and 15b constitute a PC card
receiving member (large memory card receiving member) 17 whose width
in the forward/rearward direction is greater than that of the CF
card receiving member 11. The front end of the PC card receiving
member 17 is located in front of the front end of the CF card receiving
member 11. The right end, with respect to FIG. 1, of the PC card
receiving member 17 is flush with the right end of the CF card receiving
member 11. Furthermore, the CF card receiving member 11 lies on
a plane positioned above and parallel to the PC card receiving member
17. Namely, the CF card "A" is inserted in the CF card
receiving member 11 along a plane which lies above and parallel
to a plane along which the PC card "B" lies during insertion
thereof into the PC card receiving member 17.
An ejector lever base-plate (magnetically shielded plate) 18 is
laid on top of a second power supply circuit board 19 having a coil
(not shown) thereon and are secured to the lower surfaces of the
front and rear PC card guides 15a and 15b with screws 20 (see FIGS.
3 and 7). As shown in FIG. 4, the ejector lever base-plate 18, which
is magnetically shielded, is provided on its center portion with
a pair of right and left mount holes 18a in which pins 21 are fitted.
The pins 21 are fitted in elongated holes 22a formed in an ejector
plate 22 which has a substantially T-shaped construction in a plan
view. The ejector plate 22 is provided on its left end (with respect
to FIG. 4) with a pair of front and rear receiving portions 22d
having downwardly extending vertical portions 22b and leftwardly
extending (with respect to FIG. 4) horizontal portions 22c, and
a pair of front and rear projecting portions 22e. The ejector plate
22 is movable in the lateral directions between a retracted position
shown in FIG. 5 and a protruded position shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 4, the ejector lever base-plate 18 is provided
on its left end (with respect to FIG. 4) with a supporting hole
18b and an arched guide hole 18c whose center is located on the
axis of the supporting hole 18b. An ejector lever 23 is rotatably
attached at its center portion to the supporting hole 18b through
a pin 24 fitted therein. The ejector lever 23 is provided, on its
rear portion (with respect to the forward/rearward direction of
the digital camera 1), with a pair of pressing portions 23a and
23b, and on the front end portion thereof, with a downwardly extending
engagement pin 23c that is inserted in the guide hole 18c.
The ejector lever 23 abuts at the front pressing portion 23a against
the vertical portion 22b of the front receiving portion 22d and
is rotatable between a non-biasing position (FIG. 5) in which the
ejector plate 22 is not biased and a biasing position (FIG. 6) in
which the rear pressing portion 23b abuts against the rear vertical
portion 22b to bias the ejector plate 22 toward the biasing position.
The front PC card guide 15a is provided on its front surface with
a pair of right and left threaded holes (not shown) in which screws
25 are screw-engaged. The screws 25 are fitted in elongated holes
26a of a push rod 26 extending in the lateral direction. The push
rod 26 is provided on its left end (with respect to FIG. 4) with
an engagement portion 26b which is engaged by the engagement pin
23c, as shown in FIG. 7. The push rod 26 is linearly movable in
the lateral direction between an inoperative position (FIGS. 5 and
7), in which the ejector lever 23 is moved to the non-biasing position,
and an operative position (FIG. 6), in which the ejector lever 23
is moved to the biasing position.
The push rod 26 is provided on its right end with an ejector-button
protrusion 26c which is bent to extend above the first power supply
circuit board 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the ejector-button protrusion
26c is located at the front of the CF card receiving member 11.
The ejector-button protrusion 26c is provided on the right end thereof
(with respect to FIG. 4) with an ejector-button attachment 27 secured
thereto, which is provided with an ejector button (rotatable operation
member) 27a which normally extends perpendicularly to the ejector-button
protrusion 26c when the ejector button 27a is not in use, and extends
in the same direction as the ejector-button protrusion 26c when
the ejector button 27a is in use.
The ejector lever base-plate 18, the ejector plate 22, and the
ejector lever 23 constitute an ejector 28, and the ejector 28 together
with the push rod 26 and the ejector-button attachment 27 constitute
an ejection mechanism 29 for the PC card "B".
The second power supply circuit board 19 is electrically connected
to the first power supply circuit board 14, and is provided with
three square cut-away portions (openings) 19a, in which electric
double layer condensers 30 are fitted, wherein the lower ends of
the square cut-away portions 19a protrude downwardly from the second
power supply circuit board 19, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Terminals
31 of the electric double layer condensers 30 are soldered to connector
terminals (not shown) of the second power supply circuit board 19.
The second power supply circuit board 19 is electrically connected
to the substrates 5, 6 and 7, so that the electricity supplied to
the electric double layer condensers 30 can be supplied thereto.
The electric double layer condensers 30 which project upward slightly
from the second power supply circuit board 19 are fitted in three
corresponding recesses 18d formed in the ejector lever base-plate
18 and are adhered to the lower surfaces of the recesses 18d by
double-sided adhesive tape (not shown). The lower portions of the
electric double layer condensers 30 project downwardly from the
second power supply circuit board 19 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
The camera body 2 is provided with a strong main base-plate 32a
to which a tripod threaded-hole 32 is firmly connected. As shown
in FIG. 7, the tripod threaded-hole 32 is located in a space defined
between the lower portions of the electric double layer condensers
30.
As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera body 2 is provided
with a forwardly protruding grip portion 2a on the left side portion
(with respect to FIG. 1) of the front surface of the camera body.
The camera body 2 is also provided, on the lower portion of the
front surface thereof, in addition to the grip portion 2a, with
a inclined portion 2b which is inclined so that the amount of forward
projection is gradually increased toward the bottom of the camera
body. The bottom portion of the camera body forms a projecting portion
2c which is flush with the grip portion 2a. The inclined portion
2b and the projecting portion 2c constitute a forward projection
2d. As shown in FIG. 2, the CF card receiving member 11 is located
in the inclined portion 2b and the PC card receiving member 17 is
located in the projecting portion 2c.
A lens barrel 35 having a focusing ring 33 and a stop ring 34 is
provided on the front surface of the camera body 2 and is located
above the CF card receiving member 11.
The camera body 2 is provided, on the right and lower side portion
thereof with respect to FIG. 1, with an opening 2e which is covered
by a lid 36. The lid 36 can be closed to cover the opening 2e, and
opened to expose the opening 2e.
When the lid 36 is open, not only can the PC card (large memory
card) "B" and the CF card "A" be inserted therein
and connected to the PC card connector 16 and the CF card connector,
respectively, but also cables (not shown) can be connected to the
video output terminal 8 and the external communication connector
9, as shown in FIG. 2.
When the ejector button 12 is depressed after the lid 36 is opened,
the CF card connector is disconnected from the CF card "A",
so that the CF card "A" can be removed from the CF card
receiving member 11.
If the lid 36 is opened when the PC card "B" is connected
to the PC card connector 16, and if the operation member 27a is
depressed in the lateral direction (in the left direction with respect
to FIG. 1) upon the operation member 27a being moved so as to extend
in the same direction as the ejector-button protrusion 26c, the
ejector lever 23 is moved from the non-biasing position shown in
FIG. 5, to the biasing position shown in FIG. 6. Consequently, the
pressing portion 23b of the ejector lever 23 presses against the
vertical portion 22b of the rear receiving portion 22d of the ejector
plate 22 to thereby move the ejector plate 22 from the retracted
position, shown in FIG. 5, to the protruded position shown in FIG.
6. Thus, the PC card "B" is disconnected from the PC card
connector 16, so that the PC card "B" can be removed from
the PC card receiving member 17.
In the digital camera 1 constructed as above, since the CF card
"A" can be used together with the PC card "B"
which has a large memory capacity, the storage capacity can be considerably
increased, so that a large number of pictures can be taken without
exchanging the PC card "B" or CF card "A".
Moreover, in the above-mentioned structure in which the projecting
portion 2c and the inclined portion 2b are provided on the lower
portion of the camera body 2, so that the front end of the C the
PC card receiving member 17 is provided in the projecting portion
2c, and the CF card receiving member 11 is provided in the inclined
portion 2b, CF card receiving member 11 extends shorter than the
front end of the PC card receiving member 17, a large space S in
which an operator's hand is accessible is formed between the lens
barrel 35 and the projecting portion 2c. Consequently, the focusing
ring 33 or the stop ring 34 provided on the lens barrel 35 can be
easily operated utilizing the space S.
Moreover, since the lengths of the CF card receiving member 11
in the forward/rearward direction and the lateral direction are
smaller than the corresponding lengths of the PC card receiving
member 17, the lower substrate 7, to which the CF card receiving
member 11 and the CF card connector are mounted, can be made smaller
than the first power supply circuit board 14 to which the PC card
receiving member 17 is mounted, even if other electrical elements
(not shown) are mounted to the lower substrate 7. Consequently,
the camera body 2 can be made small.
Furthermore, since the three electric double layer condensers 30
are mounted to the second power supply circuit board 19, it is possible
to accumulate a large quantity of electricity at one time. Consequently,
a flash (not shown) can be repeatedly operated.
The electric double layer condensers 30 are thick in the upward/downward
direction. However, since the electric double layer condensers 30
are fitted in the cut-away portions 19a formed in the second power
supply circuit board 19, the thickness of the second power supply
circuit board 19 has no influence on the size of the camera body
2 in the upward/downward direction. Consequently, the size of the
camera body 2 in the upward/downward direction can be reduced.
Since the tripod threaded-hole 32 is provided in a space surrounded
by the electric double layer condensers 30, the size of the camera
body 2 in the upward/downward direction can be reduced in comparison
with an arrangement in which the tripod threaded-hole is located
below or above the electric double layer condensers 30.
Furthermore, since the electric double layer condensers 30 are
located as close to each other as possible on the second power supply
circuit board 19 while not interfering with the tripod threaded-hole
32, the second power supply circuit board 19 can be made small,
and hence, the size of the bottom of the camera body 2 can be reduced
in the horizontal direction.
Moreover, the second power supply circuit board 19, on which a
coil which produces noise is provided, is provided in bottom portion
of the camera body 2, and the upper surface of the second power
supply circuit board 19 is covered by the magnetically shielded
ejector lever base-plate 18. Therefore, electric devices mounted
on the upper, intermediate and lower substrates 5, 6 and 7, and
the first power supply circuit board 14 are free from the noise
produced by the coil.
Note that instead of a PC card, a PCT smart medium or the like
can be used as a large memory card, a memory stick can be used as
a small memory card, instead of a CF card.
Since the ejector-button protrusion 26c, and hence the ejector
button 27a, of the push rod 26 to eject the PC card "B"
from the PC card receiving member 17, having a large width in the
forward/rearward direction, is provided in front of the CF card
receiving member 11, and the ejector button 12 for the CF card "A"
is provided behind the CF card receiving member 11, having a small
width in the forward/rearward direction, the width of the camera
body in the same direction can be reduced.
Moreover, the ejection mechanism 29 for the PC card is simply constructed
from ejector lever base-plate 18, the ejector plate 22, the ejector
lever 23, the push rod 26, and the ejector-button attachment 27,
the ejection mechanism 29 can be manufactured less expensively.
As can be understood from the above discussion, not only can the
size of the camera body in the horizontal direction be reduced by
miniaturizing the power supply circuit board on which the electric
double layer condensers are mounted, but also the thickness of the
power supply circuit board in the upward/downward direction has
no influence on the size of the camera body in the upward/downward
direction because the electric double layer condensers are fitted
in the openings of the power supply circuit board, and hence the
camera body can be made small in the upward/downward directions.
Moreover, since the power supply circuit board, on which the electric
double layer condensers are mounted and which produces noise, is
provided in the bottom portion of the camera, electric devices provided
on other substrates or circuit boards do not receive adverse effects
from such noise.
Obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the
present invention described herein, such modifications being within
the spirit and scope of the invention claimed. It is indicated that
all matter contained herein is illustrative and does not limit the
scope of the present invention. |