JP3159738B2 - Optical equipment lens cap - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens cap provided in front of a lens of an optical apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, optical devices such as cameras, video cameras, monoculars, and binoculars include a lens for capturing an object, a glass plate for protecting the lens, a lens filter, and the like. A lens cap for protection is placed on the front surface of the lens when the optical device is not used. By the way, when the optical device is used, the lens cap is removed and the lens is exposed to the outside.In this state, dust, water vapor, etc. adhere to the lens surface,
When a finger of the user of the optical device touches the lens and a fingerprint or the like adheres to the lens surface.For example, in the case of a photographing device, a flare is applied to a photographed image, or dust is captured. There is. For this reason, the user of the optical apparatus generally cleans the lens appropriately using a lens cleaner for cleaning the lens, such as a piece of cloth.

[0003]

As described above, conventionally, dirt on the lens of an optical device has been removed using a lens cleaner such as a piece of cloth, so that the user must always carry the lens cleaner. It had to be troublesome. The present invention is always carried with an optical device, and has been made by paying attention to a lens cap to be put on the lens when the optical device is not used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lens cap for an optical device having a lens cleaner which can save the trouble of carrying a lens cleaner.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a lens cap provided in front of a lens of an optical device, wherein a cleaner member is provided at a position of the lens cap facing the lens. The cleaner member is provided so as to be movable with respect to the lens cap in a direction of coming into contact with and separating from the lens. In the present invention, the cleaner member is rotatably attached to the lens cap. In the present invention, the cleaner member is urged in a direction away from the lens. Further, the present invention is configured such that the lens cap is slidably attached to a housing of the optical device in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the lens.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are side sectional views showing a state in which a lens cap of an optical device according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a camera, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lens cap and the camera shown in FIGS. . In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a camera as an optical device, and 2 denotes a lens barrel. A focusing lens 3 is exposed at a central portion of the front surface of the lens barrel 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a lens cap mounted on the lens barrel 2 and located in front of the lens 3. The schematic configuration inside the lens barrel 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The lens system L such as a front lens group L1 and a rear lens group L2 is provided inside the lens barrel 2.
Is accommodated. The front lens group L1 is provided with the lens 3 so as to be moved forward and backward from the front lens group L1 by driving a stepping motor (not shown) disposed inside the front lens group L1. Reference numeral 3 denotes an arrangement located at the forefront of the lens system L.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lens cap 4 has a shaft 41 which penetrates a central portion of the lens cap 4 in a front-to-back direction and is rotatable and slidable with respect to the lens cap 4. The shaft 41
Is formed to be longer than the thickness of the lens cap 4. One end of the shaft 41 located outside the lens cap 4 has a circular operation plate 42 as shown in FIG.
The operation plate 42 is provided with an operation recess 42a as shown in FIG. On the other hand, a rotating plate 43 is attached to the other end of the shaft 41 located inside the lens cap 4, and a cleaner for cleaning the lens 3 is provided at a position of the rotating plate 43 facing the lens 3. Member 44 is attached.

The cleaner member 44 is formed of a member having elasticity such as felt, for example. The surface of the cleaner member 44 facing the lens 3 is such that the surface of the lens 3 is as shown in FIGS. It has a concave curved surface shape in accordance with the convex shape. As shown in FIG. 1, a spring 45 is provided between the surfaces of the lens cap 4 and the operation plate 42 that face each other. It is in a state of being biased outward. By rotating the operation plate 42, the rotating plate 43 and the cleaner member 44 are rotated in conjunction with each other.

Next, the use state of the lens cap of the optical apparatus according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described. In this case, it is assumed that the power of the camera 1 is in an off state, and accordingly, the lens 3 is in an infinity position, that is, in a state of being retracted to the front lens group L1 side. First,
As shown in FIG. 1, the lens cap 4 is mounted on the lens barrel 2. In this state, the spring 45 urges the shaft 41 in the outward direction of the lens cap 4, so that the operation plate 42, the rotating plate 43, and the cleaner member 44 are positioned at the positions most slid outside the lens cap 4. Thus, the cleaner member 44 is separated from the lens 3.

Here, when the user's finger (not shown) or the like of the camera 1 is inserted into the concave portion 42a of the operation plate 42 and pressed, the shaft 41 receives the urging force of the spring 45 as shown in FIG. It slides inward of the lens cap 4 against it. The operation plate 42 and the rotating plate 43
The cleaner member 44 also slides inward of the lens cap 4, and the lens 3 of the cleaner member 44
Is brought into contact with or pressed against the surface of the lens 3 as shown in FIG. For this reason, when the operation plate 42 is rotated by the user's finger or the like (not shown) to rotate the cleaner member 44 which is in contact with or pressed against the surface of the lens 3, the cleaner member 44 is rotated by the cleaner member 44. Dust on the surface,
Dirt such as water vapor or a fingerprint of a user is removed.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a shaft 4 is attached to a lens cap 4 detachable from the camera 1.
1, the configuration in which the operation plate 42, the rotary plate 43, the cleaner member 44, and the spring 45 are provided has been described. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the optical axis 51 of the lens 50 intersects the housing 11 of the camera 10. The shaft 41 is attached to the lens cap 16 slidably mounted in the
The operation plate 42, the rotating plate 43, the cleaner member 44, and the spring 45 may be provided (however, only the operation plate 42 is shown in FIG. 4). Further, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the cleaner member 44 is disposed rotatably with respect to the lens cap 4 has been described.
The cleaner member 44 is disposed so as not to rotate with respect to the lens cap 4, and the lens cap 4 itself is rotated with respect to the lens barrel 2 while the lens cap 4 is mounted on the lens barrel 2, and the lens 3 is rotated. May be removed.

Further, through this embodiment and another embodiment shown in FIG.
The cleaning member 44 is constantly urged by the spring 45 in a direction away from the lenses 3 and 50 so that the user presses the operation plate 42. Accordingly, the cleaner member 44 or the lenses 3 and 50 are brought into contact with or pressed against each other. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the cleaner member 44 cannot be moved in the direction of coming into contact with or separating from the lenses 3 and 50, and the lens cap 4 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. The lens cap 16 attached to the lens barrel 2 or the lens cap 16 in another embodiment shown in FIG.
The cleaner member 44 may be configured to abut or press against the surfaces of the lenses 3 and 50 in a state where the cleaner member 44 is slid to a position facing the front of the lens 3.

In particular, in the case of the camera 10 shown in FIG. 4, when the front surface 12 of the housing 11 of the camera 10 and the lens 50 are located on the same plane, the cleaner member 44 is attached to the lens cap 16. And the lens cap 16 is slid along the slide groove 15 to remove dirt from the lens 50. Good. Further, in the present embodiment, a camera has been described as an example of the optical apparatus. However, the present invention is also applicable to a lens cap of a video camera, monocular, binocular, or the like. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the other embodiments shown in FIG. 4, the term “lens” does not simply refer to a lens having a curved surface, but includes, for example, a filter and a glass plate for protecting a lens. And the like, and the lens cap according to the present invention is applied for cleaning dirt on these lenses in a broad sense.

[0013]

As described above, according to the lens cap of the optical device of the present invention, the lens cap is provided in front of the lens of the optical device, and the cleaner member is provided at a position of the lens cap facing the lens. Is provided, and the cleaner member is arranged so as to be movable with respect to the lens cap in a direction of coming into contact with and separating from the lens, so that dirt on the lens can be easily removed. This eliminates the need to carry a separate lens cleaner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a lens cap of an optical apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a camera.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a state in which a lens cap of the optical apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to a camera.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lens cap and the camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a camera provided with a lens cap of an optical apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,10 Camera (optical equipment) 3,50 Lens 4,16 Lens cap 11 Housing 44 Cleaner member

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lens cap is disposed in front of the optics of the lens cleaner member is provided et al is in position facing the lens of the lens cap, the cleaner member, relative to the lens cap ,
The lens is disposed so as to be movable in a direction of coming into contact with and separating from the lens.
And that the lens cap of an optical instrument, characterized in that. 2. The lens cap according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner member is rotatably attached to the lens cap. 3. The lens cap according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner member is urged in a direction away from the lens. 4. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the lens cap is slidably attached to a housing of the optical device in a direction intersecting an optical axis of the lens. Equipment lens cap.