Nikon Corporation

Minoru Katoh

Kiyosada Machida

Junichi Omi

Hidenori Miyamoto

Hiroshi Wakabayashi

Tomoki Nishimura

Noriyasu Kotani

Tadashi Otani

Apparatus such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) for coupling two electronic components that are configured to move relative to each other such as within a multi-part slide-open type camera, multi-part micro-scope, a scanner device, etc., that includes a first end configured to be coupled to a first electronic component, a flexible connecting member emanating from the first end, and a second end at which the connecting member terminates and which is used to connect the flexible connecting member to a second electronic component. The connecting member includes a component surface used to communicate electrical signals between the fist electronic component and the second electronic component. The flexible connecting member has a shape that permits it to extend and retract in directions substantially perpendicular to the component surface. The shape also permits the flexible connecting member to be maintained in a single plane when in a fully retracted state.

Apparatus for coupling electronic components within electronic devices such as cameras

A camera includes: a camera main body having a lens barrel; and a slide cover that moves relative to the camera main body between a camera non-use position at which the lens barrel, at least, is covered and a camera use position at which the lens barrel is exposed. And a sealed space is formed at the slide cover and a camera component is provided in the sealed space.

Camera having slide cover

A camera in which lenses in a lens system can be easily adjusted and manufacturing steps can be eliminated. The camera is equipped with an aperture which regulates the exposure region of a film, and a pressure plate with a tool insertion aperture hole formed in a region opposite the aperture. The tool insertion hole is disposed at the back surface of the aperture. This tool insertion hole allows for easy and efficient adjustment of the lenses making up the camera's lens system. Usually, the lens system is a zoom lens system.

Camera having adjustable aperture

A camera provided with a rear surface switch includes a pressure plate. The pressure plate maintains film in a flattened alignment within a film exposure region of the camera. An external cover encloses a rear of the pressure plate. A switch includes a movable operational member that protrudes from the cover. An electrical conductive member is attached to the rear of the pressure plate. An electrical signal is output in accordance with the movement of the operational member. The operational force resulting from the movement of the operational member is supported by the pressure plate.

Camera provided with a rear surface switch

To avoid making a device body larger through positioning of a rotation shaft of a cartridge cover, a device having a device body containing a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge can be inserted and removed in a axial direction, a cartridge cover provided on the device body which opens and closes the cartridge chamber by rotating about a predetermined axis of rotation, and a device-composing component positioned to the side of the cartridge chamber to extend in a first direction orthogonal to the direction of insertion and removal of the cartridge, the axis of rotation of the cartridge cover extends in a second direction inclined to the first direction from a position near device-composing component. The positioning of the axis of rotation of the cartridge cover in the camera body and not along an edge or corner also improves the camera's aesthetic and ergonomic qualities.

Device having cartridge chamber with positioned cover

A lens barrel standard position detection device, attached to a lens barrel equipped with a fixed tube having a first member and a movable tube rotationally moving back and forth along an optical axis of the lens barrel and having a second member engaging the first member of the fixed tube, to detect when the movable tube reaches a predetermined standard position. The lens barrel standard position detection device includes an actuating element movable between a first position and a second position, the actuating element moving to the second position when a working plane portion of the second member moves into contact with the actuating element corresponding to the movable tube reaching the predetermined standard position along the optical axis, an urging member which maintains the actuating element in the first position in a normal state due to an urging force of the urging member, and a detection unit which detects when the actuating element moves to the second position which opposes the urging force of the urging member, thereby detecting the movable tube reaching the predetermined standard position.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Minoru Katoh