Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Ashai Optical Co., Ltd.

Junji Umetsu

Fumio Urano

Akihiro Arai

Takumi Kobayashi

Eiji Yamamori

Norimichi Takahashi

Fuminori Ueno

A control device for a camera includes a single motor, a mechanism for controlling a built-in electronic flash, a mechanism for controlling a mirror, a mechanism for controlling a shutter, and a connecting mechanism that connects the single motor to those control mechanisms. The connecting mechanism operates the mirror control mechanism and the shutter charge mechanism when the motor is rotated in a forward direction, and causes the flash control mechanism to switch the electronic flash to a projected position when the motor is rotated in a reverse direction.

Control device for camera

In a removable coupling device between a photographic camera and an accessory of the type comprising at least two coupling pins secure to the camera and a coupling plate provided with key hole shaped opening to receive enlarged heads of the coupling pins and secured to the accessory, there are provided a sleeve bearing secured to the accessory, an operating shaft threaded into the sleeve bearing, a restoring spring for the operating shaft, an intermediate member threaded on the operating shaft and provided with a stop member, a locking frame pivotally supported by the intermediate member and provided with a member urged against one of the pins received in one of the key hole shaped openings when the operating shaft is rotated and an arm which when pushed by the operating shaft rotates the locking frame away from the pin and a spring for normally urge the locking frame against the coupling plate. Coupling members on the camera and the accessory can be interchanged.

Removable coupling device between a photographic camera and an accessory

Eccentricity between an external knob and camera casing is accommodated by providing a flexible rubber ring between the two which will bend during a change in their relative positions so that a good seal is continuously maintained. Sealing can also be enhanced by extending the rubber gripping ring around the circumference of the knob down to the camera casing so that the sealing and operating rings are integral.

Drop-proof and dust-proof device in rotary operation section of camera

Water- and dust-proof connections between movable components mounted externally on a camera and the camera casing are achieved by using a viscoelastic sheet inserted at one end into either the component or casing and frictionally engaging the other to provide the leak-proof seal.

Device for protecting the operating section of a camera from water drops

In a camera having both a mechanical release and a motor drive release, the motor drive unit is provided with a cam which, when the motor drive unit is actuated, limits the movement of the mechanical release member to an amount sufficient only to trip a motor energizing switch without mechanically releasing the curtains. In this way, the same release lever can be used for both the mechanical and motor drive release operations.

Release device in a camera having a motor drive unit

A camera having an interchangeable finder with rails or rail grooves that is detachably mounted on a camera body by being moved back and forth. The camera body has rail grooves (or rails) engaging the interchangeable finder. A viscoelastic member and a resin member or a metal member are secured in combination to the interchangeable finder of the drawing type or the camera body. When the interchangeable finder of drawing type is mounted on the body, the resin member or the metal member abuts against the camera body or the interchangeable finder of drawing type to thereby establish an environmental seal.

Environmentally protected camera with an interchangeable drawing type

A continuous viscoelastic gasket 2 is compressively sandwiched between mating grooves and surfaces of a camera body 1 and a hinged rear cover 3 to tightly seal the film compartment against moisture and dust when the cover is closed. The interlocking pin 10 of the automatic film counter restoring mechanism is protectively disposed within the gasket perimeter and is engaged by a tab 9b extending inwardly from a reinforcing plate 9 mounted on the rear cover.

Moisture and dust proof sealing arrangement for camera body rear cover

A locking device is provided for preventing the mirror release until the completion of the winding operation. In its preferred embodiment, the locking device comprises a locking lever pivotally mounted on the end of the lower curtain release lever and engaging a cut in the mirror release pin to prevent the movement thereof until the lower curtain release lever pivots at the end of the winding operation.

Shutter release security device in motor drive camera

An SLR camera having a replaceable penta-prism 6 slidably inserted from the rear face of the camera via mating flange rails 13a on the finder body and recessed grooves 8a in the camera body, a replaceable focal plate or screen 3 removably mounted in a pivotal holding plate 11 accessible through the lens mount 9, and a meter display system extending into the viewing frame of the finder and interposed between the penta-prism and the focal plate. The display system may include a shutter speed scale 15 and an overlying manual speed pointer 16 readable from the lens light, and an inset LED array 17 for indicating the meter reading.

Replaceable finder system for single-lens reflex camera

A dial mechanism in a camera is disclosed having the capability of indicating multiple related settings, all of which control a single transducer input to an exposure control rotation of one or more indicating rings in dependence upon manually actuable control elements.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Junji Umetsu