Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kousaku Sawabe

Fumihiro Miyagawa

Akio Furukawa

Kenji Koyama

Daisuke Hata

Hiroo Nakano

Atushi Tokunaga

A pulse-controlled camera has a single motor capable of conducting a drive of a photo-taking lens and a drive of opening and closing of shutter blades at a high speed with a high reliability and a high precision in a compact structure, in which mechanical errors in machining and assembling may be electrically adjusted and which can facilitate automatic assembling. The pulse-controlled camera comprises a basic reciprocating member which is rotated in a forward direction or in a backward direction with respect to a home position by a pulse motor. The forward rotation of the basic, reciprocating member from the home position also rotates a lens feeding member through a ratchet base plate in the forward direction, so that a cam action of the lens feeding member feeds a lens holding frame up o a position corresponding to a measured distance value. Then the basic reciprocating member rotates in the backward direction while leaving the ratchet plate at the position, passes the home position, and rotates a shutter blade opening and closing lever by an engaging pin thereof to open the shutter blades. The home position of the basic reciprocating member is set based on a timing when a home position signal generating portion interrupts a beam for detection of a photo interrupter.

Pulse-controlled camera, method for setting control reference position

The lens tube retraction mechanism for a camera having a lens tube which is slidable relative to a body of the camera between a photographing position and a retracted position includes on each of the opposite sides of the camera a roller which is engaged with part of the lens tube, a pusher lever capable of fixing the lens tube at the photographing position by holding the roller, and an intermediate lever having a slot for allowing a shaft portion of the roller to pass therethrough, for moving the roller, enabling the lens tube to take the photographing position and the retracted position. When the lens tube is retracted by pushing the intermediate lever inwards, the pusher lever is first moved upwards by the intermediate lever so as to be disengaged from the roller, whereby the lens tube can be retracted lightly although the lens tube can be held tightly when it is projected at the photographing position. Furthermore, in the intermediate lever, a spring and a pin are disposed for positioning the roller at the same position in a slot of the intermediate lever, whereby the tilting of the lens tube is prevented when the lens tube is projected and retracted.

Lens tube retraction mechanism for camera having retractable lens tube

The camera includes a lens tube which is slidable relative to a body of the camera between a photographing position and a retracted position. The lens tube is moved between these two positions cooperatively with a front lid swingably mounted on the front side of the body of the camera.

Camera

A lens tube guide frame holds a retractable lens tube in the body of the camera and also holds a lens and a film surface in their respective correct positions for making exposures. The lens tube guide frame can be easily inserted in the body of the camera and includes a standard surface at its front inner wall opposite the open side of the lens tube guide frame to provide an exact stop for forward movement of the lens tube. The guide frame cross section is U-shaped or box-shaped, and has two projection portions directed outwards at the open rear end to engage adjacent side walls of the camera body. The lens tube guide frame, with the lens tube already in it, is inserted into the camera body through the back side when assembling, whereby the lens tube guide frame can be positioned without any adjustment.

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Yokohama, Japan

Kousaku Sawabe