JP2005338384A - Illuminating adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illuminating adaptor that can be easily attached to the leading end of an imaging lens barrel and is suitable for close-up photography with ease. <P>SOLUTION: The illuminating adaptor includes a prism section having an incident part, a reflecting part, and an emitting part. This makes it possible to miniaturize the illuminating adaptor and produce the adaptor in a simple composition and at a low cost. In addition, the illuminating adaptor includes a positioning means with which emitted light is made almost parallel to the direction of the optical axis of an imaging lens, and a positioning means for a light source and the incident part. This realizes the illuminating adaptor that can be easily attached/detached to/from the leading end of the lens barrel of the imaging lens. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination adapter used for close-up photography and the like, and more particularly to a ringlight-like illumination adapter suitable for use in an imaging device such as a video camera.

  As a conventional illumination adapter of this type, there is a camera illumination device called a ring light. The camera illumination device will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17 are perspective views showing an embodiment of a camera illumination device. The main body 21 has an illumination unit 25 at a position between the acrylic plate 24 and the back surface 23. The illumination unit 25 includes a substrate 25b (see FIG. 18), and the substrate 25b includes a plurality of light emitting diodes 25a arranged in a circle around the axis 41. A battery chamber 32 (see FIG. 18) is provided at a position sandwiched between the front surface 22 and the back surface 23 on the side surface (lower side in FIG. 16) of the illumination unit 25. A switch 27 is provided on the side surface of the main body 21 (on the right side in FIG. 16). By turning on / off the switch 27, the light emitting diode 25a can be turned on or off. The battery 33 (FIG. 18) can be replaced by opening and closing the battery cover 31 (see FIG. 17). Further, an external power input terminal 30 is provided on the side surface of the main body 21 (right side in FIG. 17).

  As shown in FIG. 18, the main body 21 has a circular groove 21 a centered on a shaft 41 on the back surface 23. The circular groove 21 a is fitted with the protrusion 28 b of the ring member 28. The protrusion 28b is held between the presser plate 29 adhered to the main body 21 and the main body 21, whereby the ring member 28 is supported rotatably about the shaft 41. The ring member 28 has an attachment screw 28a, and is attached to the front surface (subject side) of a lens barrel (not shown) of the camera 50 (see FIG. 19) by the attachment screw portion 28a. With this attachment, the imaging optical axis of the imaging lens and the axis 41 are almost coincident. Note that the rotation state of the ring member 28 (therefore, the rotation state of the main body 21 relative to the camera 50) can be set or released by operating the knob 26 on the upper surface of the main body 21.

FIG. 19 shows a state in which the main body 21 is attached to the front surface (subject side) of a lens barrel (not shown) by the mounting screw portion 28a. After the attachment, the main body 21 is rotated so that the finder window 51 and the strobe window 52 are not obstructed by utilizing the fact that the ring member 28 is rotatable, and the positional relationship shown in FIG. 19 is obtained. The lock is set by operating the knob 26.
JP 2003-255443 A

  However, in the above conventional example, since a plurality of light emitting diodes 25a are used as a light source for illumination, a substrate 25b having a large area is required to hold the light emitting diodes 25a. It will increase in size. Furthermore, the battery 33 or the external power supply input terminal 30 is required inside the lighting device, and if it is attached to the front surface of the lens barrel of the camera 50 as shown in FIG. I'm stuck. Due to the large size, portability is poor, and there is a problem that the camera 50 feels heavy when attached. In addition, there is a problem that the use of a plurality of light emitting diodes 25a as a light source for illumination increases costs. Furthermore, if even one light emitting diode 25a is broken, a clean circular light source cannot be obtained, the function as a lighting device is lost, and the broken light emitting diode must be replaced. Further, in order to attach the mounting screw portion 28a to the front surface of the lens barrel of the camera 50, the main body 21 is rotated, and both are once integrated, and the knob portion 26 on the upper surface of the main body 21 is further operated. Although lock setting or unlocking is performed, there is a problem that this series of mounting operations is troublesome for the user.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an illumination adapter that solves the above-described problems, can be reduced in size, can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple configuration, and can be easily attached to an imaging apparatus body. To do.

  As a first means for solving the above-described problems, the illumination adapter of the present invention includes a prism part having an incident part and an emission part from a light source, and an attachment member that can be attached to and detached from the lens barrel tip part of the imaging device. It was set as the structure which has.

  Further, as a second solving means for solving the above problems, the prism portion has a substantially ring-shaped planar shape, the reflecting portion has a substantially spiral shape, and the surface thereof has a substantially saw-tooth shape. did.

  Further, as a third solving means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the mounting member includes a first positioning member that makes the emitted light substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the imaging lens, a light source, and an incident portion. It was set as the structure which has the 2nd positioning member which positions.

  Further, as a fourth means for solving the above problems, the first positioning member includes a lock member.

  Further, as a fifth solving means for solving the above-mentioned problem, the first positioning member is housed in a space between the substantially spiral reflecting portion of the prism portion and the exterior cover member. did.

  Further, as a sixth solving means for solving the above-described problem, the second positioning member has a shape along the exterior portion in the vicinity of the light source of the imaging device and is configured by an elastic member.

  According to the illumination adapter of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size by including the prism portion including the incident portion, the reflection portion, and the emission portion, and it can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple configuration. It is possible to provide an illumination adapter that can be easily attached to the projector.

  Embodiments of an illumination adapter according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an embodiment of the illumination adapter according to the present invention as seen from another direction. In FIG. 1, a prism portion 5 is disposed in a space between the exterior front cover 2 and the exterior back cover 3 of the illumination adapter body 1, and has a substantially ring-shaped planar emission portion 5 a. Inside the prism portion 5, as shown in FIG. 3, an exterior cover 4 having a plurality of light shielding lines 4a is provided. Further, a lock member 7 that is movable in the clockwise direction is provided at a position sandwiched between the exterior front cover 2 and the exterior back cover 3 in the substantially upper right portion when viewed from the front of the illumination adapter main body 1. In FIG. 2, mounting screw portions 4b and 6a are installed as positioning members that make the emitted light substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the imaging lens, and a positioning member 8 is installed as a positioning member for the light source and the incident portion. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting screw portion 4b is formed integrally with the outer cover 4, and the mounting screw portion 6a is formed integrally with the lever member 6 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line aa in FIG. 1, and the positioning member 8 in the rotational direction has a shape along the exterior portion 14 in the vicinity of the light source 13 of the imaging apparatus, and is made of an elastic member. As described above, the positioning member 8 has a shape along the exterior portion 14 of the image pickup device, so that it serves to regulate the position of the light source and the incident portion, and further serves to guide light from the light source 13 of the image pickup device 10. To do. Moreover, since it consists of an elastic member, the surface of the exterior of the imaging device 10 is not damaged.

  FIGS. 5 and 6 show the shape of the prism portion 5. The substantially ring-shaped planar emission portion 5 a and the reflection portion 5 b having a substantially helical shape and a substantially serrated shape whose thickness gradually changes are incident on the prism portion 5. It is a single member integrally having the part 5c and the light guide part 5d. FIG. 7 shows a development view of the prism portion 5 and a part of the light path (broken line arrow). The reflecting portion 5b of the prism portion 5 has a substantially spiral shape in which the thickness is gradually changed in order to emit light substantially uniformly, and the surface thereof has a substantially serrated shape. The light from the light source 13 of the imaging apparatus main body 10 enters the incident part 5c, passes through the light guide part 5d, is reflected by the reflecting part 5b, and is emitted from the emitting part 5a substantially uniformly.

  8 and 9 show the internal structure of the illumination adapter. The lever member 6 is always urged to rotate in the direction of the arrow B by the torsion spring 9, and can rotate in the direction of the arrow A about the shaft 6b. The shaft 6b is sandwiched between the exterior front cover 2 and the exterior back cover 3. FIGS. 10A and 10B show a process in which the lighting adapter is locked. The lock member 7 moves in the direction of arrow C. When the wedge-shaped portion 7a enters the groove portion 6c of the lever member 6, the lock is set, and when the wedge portion 7a comes out, the lock is released. As shown in FIG. 7, since the reflecting portion 5 b of the prism portion 5 has a substantially spiral shape with different thicknesses, the region S exists, and as shown in FIG. 11, the lever member 6 and the lock member 7 are arranged in the region S. And the exterior back cover 3. As a result, the close-up lighting adapter can be miniaturized. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus 10 provided with a light source 13 for subject illumination during photographing. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the mounting screw portions 4b and 6a are attached to the screw portion 12 of the imaging lens barrel tip portion 11. As for the attachment method, the lock member 7 is pushed into the screw portion 12 (see FIG. 14) of the imaging lens barrel distal end portion 11 in the unlocked state. At this time, the positioning member 8 in the rotation direction is pushed in while aligning with the exterior portion 14 near the light source 13 of the imaging device. When the lever member 6 is moved in the direction of the arrow A by being pushed in, the mounting screw portions 4b and 6a enter the screw portion 12 of the imaging lens barrel distal end portion 11 and match. In this state, since the illumination adapter body 1 is held at the distal end portion 11 of the imaging lens barrel only by the urging force of the torsion spring 9, it is easily displaced. For this reason, the attached close-up lighting adapter body 1 is locked by the lock member 7 (the lock member 7 is moved in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 10), thereby being fixed to the screw portion 12 of the imaging lens barrel tip 11. . FIG. 15 shows a cross section taken along line bb in FIG. When removing the fixed adapter for illumination, the reverse operation may be performed. That is, the lock member 7 can be easily removed by unlocking and pulling.

It is a perspective view of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is the perspective view seen from the direction different from FIG. 1 of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is a perspective view of the cover in the exterior of the adapter for illumination of the present invention. It is aa sectional drawing of FIG. It is a prism part perspective view of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is the prism part perspective view of the adapter for illumination of this invention seen from the direction different from FIG. FIG. 3 is a development view of a prism portion and a light path diagram of the illumination adapter of the present invention. It is an internal structure figure of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is an internal structure perspective view of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is a figure of the process which carries out the lock setting of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is an internal structure perspective view of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is a perspective view of an imaging device to which the adapter for illumination of the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view which shows embodiment of the adapter for illumination of this invention. It is a perspective view of the lens-barrel front-end | tip part of the imaging device to which the adapter for illumination of this invention is applied. It is bb sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view of the conventional camera illuminating device. It is a perspective view of the conventional camera illuminating device. It is sectional drawing of the conventional camera illuminating device. It is a perspective view which shows embodiment of the conventional camera illuminating device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Adapter main body for illumination 5 Prism part 5a Injecting part 5b Reflecting part 5c Incident part 5d Light guide part 10 Imaging device 11 Lens barrel tip part 13 Light source

Claims (6)

  An illumination adapter that can be attached to the tip of a lens barrel of an imaging apparatus, comprising a prism part having an incident part and an emission part from a light source, and a mounting member that can be attached to and detached from the tip of a lens barrel of the imaging apparatus. Lighting adapter.   The illumination adapter according to claim 1, wherein the prism portion has a substantially ring-shaped planar shape, the reflection portion has a substantially spiral shape, and a surface thereof has a substantially saw-tooth shape.   The attachment member includes a first positioning member that makes the emitted light substantially parallel to the optical axis direction of the imaging lens, and a second positioning member that positions the light source and the incident portion. The illumination adapter according to claim 1 or 2.   The lighting adapter according to claim 3, wherein the first positioning member includes a lock member.   5. The illumination adapter according to claim 3, wherein the first positioning member is housed in a space between a substantially spiral reflecting portion of the prism portion and an exterior cover member. 6. The illumination adapter according to claim 3, wherein the second positioning member has a shape along an exterior portion in the vicinity of the light source of the imaging device and is made of an elastic member.

Images