Nikon Corporation

Noboru Akami

Hiroshi Wakabayashi

Noriyasu Kotani

Daiki Tsukahara

Hitoshi Aoki

Yuji Katano

Tsutomu Wakabayashi

Hidenori Miyamoto

Toshiyuki Nakamura

Isao Soshi

Akira Katayama

Sueyuki Ohishi

Takao Goto

Nobuhiko Terui

Tatsuo Amanuma

Tomoki Nishimura

Seijiro Noda

Takanori Shioda

Yusuke Yamasaki

Yuji Watanabe

Akira Kayatama

The invention is provided with: an acquisition unit that acquires, from an external machine, image data as well as time data when an image based on the image data has been displayed on the external machine; a data memory unit that stores, for each unit of the image data, the image data and the time data acquired in the acquisition unit; and a prioritization determination unit that determines, on the basis of the time data, a prioritization of the image data stored in the data memory unit.

Image control device, image control system, and digital camera

A lens barrel comprises a first cylindrical member having an inner peripheral surface, and a second cylindrical member internally fitted to the first cylindrical member and having an outer peripheral surface. One of the peripheral surfaces has first and second helical parallel axial grooves, and a third groove extending in only a circumferential direction continuously from one side ends of the first and second grooves. The other peripheral surface has first and second protruded portions engaging respectively with the first and second grooves in alignment in the circumferential direction and enabling relative rotations between the cylindrical members and relative movements in the axial direction. When the third groove is reached, the cylindrical members are allowed to make only relative rotations without moving in the axial direction.

Lens barrel

A shielding device for shielding a clearance between a frame member having an opening and a tube member received in the opening and movable substantially in the direction of an optical axis. The shielding device comprises an annular shielding member arranged between the inner circumference of the opening of the frame member and the outer circumference of the tube member. The annular shielding member is so slidably fitted on the tube member that its inner circumference may contact with the outer circumference portion of the tube member, and is either given substantially the same color as that of the outer circumference surface of the tube member or made substantially transparent at least at its portion having contact with the tube member.

Shielding device

A display apparatus in a camera for displaying photographic information using rotating elements. The display apparatus includes rotating pointers which rotate about display scales to display the photographic information. The display apparatus further includes a control unit which receives camera control information and in response to the control information, the control unit controls driving circuitry which causes the rotating display pointer to point to an index on the display scale representing the photographic information.

Camera display apparatus having rotating elements to indicate information

A shield device includes: a main body having an opening portion; a cylindrical member that is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opening portion; and a shield member, an outer edge of which is engaged to an inner edge of the opening portion, and an inner edge of which is fitted upon an outer surface of the cylindrical member so as to be slidable thereon and so as to shield a gap between the main body and the cylindrical member. And the cylindrical member is movable through the opening portion in a direction of a central axis of the cylindrical member; at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member has a shape different from another portion thereof along the direction of the central axis; and the shield member contacts along the outer circumferential surface having the different shape, as the cylindrical member moves in the direction of the central axis.

Shield device and camera

A vibration preventing camera includes a vibration amount detecting unit for detecting the amount of vibration, a vibration correcting unit for correcting vibration, a light measuring unit for measuring the light value at a subject, and a control unit for controlling the vibration correcting unit in consonance with a detection signal that is obtained by the light measuring unit and the vibration detecting unit, and for activating the vibration detecting unit after the length of exposure is determined by the light value at the subject that is obtained by the light measuring unit. More preferably, a vibration preventing camera further includes a self-timer unit, and when the self-timer unit is set for an exposure, the vibration detecting unit is activated after the timing count down for the self-timer unit begins.

Vibration preventing camera

A film positioning apparatus includes a camera body assembled with a feeding system for allowing a film to travel in a first direction parallel to its surface and a platen member having external rails for positioning the film in a second direction parallel to the surface thereof but orthogonal to the first direction and connected to the camera body with screws. The platen member is provided with a mounting member for a magnetic head to be disposed in a predetermined positional relationship in the second direction with respect to the film.

Film positioning apparatus

This invention is applicable to a camera having a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is detachably insertable along its axis direction. The camera is equipped with a cartridge-load detection switch for outputting a load signal when the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge chamber, and outputting a non-load signal when the loaded cartridge is drawn out from the cartridge chamber by at least a predetermined amount. When the photographed cartridge is partially drawn out from the cartridge chamber and then reloaded into the cartridge chamber as it is, the output of the load signal is continued if the draw-out amount is below the predetermined amount, thereby preventing an erroneous judgment that a new cartridge is loaded into the cartridge chamber. Therefore, for example, the double exposure can be prevented.

Camera having a load prevention member capable of controlling film

A camera having a multiple speed film driving mechanism that can accurately read film data on a film cartridge. The camera has a motor that drives a spool axis of the film cartridge, and a reading device that can read film data stored on a recording medium on the film cartridge. When the film cartridge is loaded into the camera, the reading device reads film data on the recording medium that is rotated together with the spool axis at a first speed. When film data reading is finished, the spool axis is rotated at a second speed to feed the film into the camera. A motor drive control circuit and CPU controls spool axis rotation at multiple speeds and directions.

Camera having multiple speed film drive

A camera including a mount portion onto which a lens barrel housing a lens is mounted as movable in a direction of an optical axis thereof, a moving mechanism for moving the lens barrel in the direction of the optical axis, a limiter for setting a limit of movement of the lens barrel moved by the moving mechanism while the lens barrel is mounted on the mount portion, and a limit remover for removing the limit of movement set by the limiter when the lens barrel is dismounted from the mount portion. The camera further includes a signal transmission apparatus in which the lens barrel is mounted as movable in the direction of the optical axis thereon on the camera body. The signal transmission apparatus includes a light emitting element located on either one of the lens barrel and the camera body, and a light receiving element located on the other one of the lens barrel and the camera body, for receiving light from the light emitting element. The light emitting element and the light receiving element perform signal transmission between a lens controller in the lens barrel and a camera controller in the camera body.

Camera with an interchangeable retractable lens barrel

The present invention is directed to a camera having a cartridge chamber, which is formed as a hole in the body of the camera, into which a film cartridge is inserted along its axial direction through an access opening of the hole. The cartridge has an identifying mechanism for indicating whether the film in the cartridge has been used. The camera includes a load prevention member provided in the cartridge chamber that engages the identifying mechanism of the cartridge and prevents insertion of the cartridge into the chamber when the identifying mechanism indicates that the film has been used. The camera also includes a signal output circuit for outputting a load signal when the cartridge is loaded into the cartridge chamber and a non-load signal when the cartridge is unloaded from the cartridge chamber. The signal output circuit outputs the load signal before the cartridge engages the load prevention member.

A lock device of a camera using a film cartridge having a light-shielding door shiftable between a light-shielding condition for shielding light to a photographic film in the film cartridge and a non-light-shielding condition for enabling the photographic film to be withdrawn from the film cartridge, the lock device comprises a cartridge chamber having an opening portion through which the film cartridge is loaded in the cartridge chamber, a cartridge chamber door being disposed in a shielding position for shielding the opening portion of the cartridge chamber when the light-shielding door of the film cartridge is at least in the non-light-shielding condition, a holding member shiftable between a prohibited position for prohibiting movement of the cartridge chamber door from the shielding position and an allowed position for allowing movement of the cartridge chamber door from the shielding position, and a limiting member for limiting movement of the holding member from the prohibited position to the allowed position.

Lock device of cartridge chamber door of camera

A camera having a printed circuit board with edge portions which are folded for a predetermined length between support members. One of the folded portions contacts a contact portion of the camera to provide additional support for the printed circuit board.

Printed circuit board

A display apparatus in a camera for displaying photographic information using rotating elements. The display apparatus includes a rotating setting dial to rotatively set photographic information, and a display unit including pointers and pointer scales to display the photographic information set by the rotating setting dial. The pointer rotates about a fixed pointer scale in order to indicate photographic information on the pointer scale as set by the rotating setting dial. The display apparatus further includes a detector to detect a direction of rotation of the rotating setting dial, a drive unit to rotate the pointer, and a control unit to control the drive unit to rotate the pointer in the same direction as the direction of the rotating setting dial detected by the detector. In addition, the display unit may include at least one pointer which is controlled by a stepping motor to rotate the pointer in only one direction, regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotating setting dial.

Camera display apparatus having rotating elements to indicate

A battery loading mechanism requires that a battery is inserted with a positive electrode terminal inserted first into a battery chamber. The battery chamber is formed with a space into which the battery is inserted from an insertion port opened outside. A positive-side electrical contact is provided in an inner part, opposite to the insertion port, of the battery chamber, and a negative-side electrical contact is provided on a side of the insertion port of the battery chamber. The positive-side electrode has a contact point contacting the positive electrode terminal of the battery and a preventive portion contacting the non-conductor portion when the battery is inserted with the negative electrode terminal first. The contact point does not contact the negative electrode terminal when the preventive portion contacts the non-conductor portion to reduce accidental discharge of the battery.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Noboru Akami