Movable mirror arrangement in a single-lens reflex camera

Claim 2

A single-lens reflex camera including walls forming a camera body, a case mounted on said camera body, a viewing optical system located in said case, a taking lens mounted in and having its optical axis extending through said camera body, means within said camera body for locating a photosensitive surface on and extending transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens, a movable mirror positioned within said camera body at an inclined position to the optical axis of said taking lens and interposed between said taking lens and the location of the photosensitive surface, a focusing screen positioned between said mirror and said viewing optical system and said focusing screen being in the same angular position relative to and on the opposite side of said mirror from the location of the photosensitive surface, said movable mirror arranged to introduce light passing through said taking lens onto said focusing screen, a shutter associated with said taking lens, and shutter actuating means for said shutter, wherein the improvement comprises means in operative engagement with said shutter actuating means for moving said mirror along a rectilinear patH located transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens into a standby position laterally displaced from its position interposed between said taking lens and the photosensitive surface, wall means associated with said camera body for forming a housing arranged to receive at least a portion of said mirror when it is displaced into its standby position, said means for moving said mirror comprises a slide plate having a window-like opening therein, said mirror being supported on said slide plate in said window-like opening, a guide member mounted at an inclined position to the optical axis of said taking leans, and said slide plate slidably mounted in said guide member for moving said mirror into the standby position with said slide member being guided in a rectilinear path disposed at right angles to the optical axis of said taking lens.

Claim 3

A single-lens reflex camera including walls forming a camera body, a case mounted on said camera body, a viewing optical system located in said case, a taking lens mounted in and having its optical axis extending through said camera body, means within said camera body for locating a photosensitive surface on and extending transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens, a movable mirror positioned within said camera body at an inclined position to the optical axis of said taking lens and interposed between said taking lens and the location of the photosensitive surface, a focusing screen positioned between said mirror and said viewing optical system and said focusing screen being in the same angular position relative to and on the opposite side of said mirror from the location of the photosensitive surface, said movable mirror arranged to introduce light passing through said taking lens onto said focusing screen, a shutter associated with said taking lens, and shutter actuating means for said shutter, wherein the improvement comprises means in operative engagement with said shutter actuating means for moving said mirror along a rectilinear path located transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens into a standby position laterally displaced from its position interposed between said taking lens and the photosensitive surface, wall means associated with said camera body for forming a housing arranged to receive at least a portion of said mirror when it is displaced into its standby position, said means for moving said mirror out of the optical axis of said taking leans into the standby position comprises a disk positioned within said camera body and arranged to rotate through a predetermined angle as said shutter actuating means is actuated, a first bellcrank arranged in cooperating relationship with said disk and arranged to pivot as said disk rotates, a second bell-crank disposed in cooperating relationship with said first bell-crank and arranged to pivot in conjunction with the pivotal movement of the arms of said first bellcrank, and a connector for connecting said second bellcrank to said slide plate.

Claim 4

A single-lens reflex camera including walls forming a camera body, a case mounted on said camera body, a viewing optical system located in said case, a taking lens mounted in and having its optical axis extending through said camera body, means within said camera body for locating a photosensitive surface on and extending transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens, a movable mirror positioned within said camera body at an inclined position to the optical axis of said taking lens and interposed between said taking lens and the location of the photosensitive surface, a focusing screen positioned between said mirror and said viewing optical system and said focusing screen being in the same angular position relative to and on the opposite side of said mirror from the location of the photosensitive surface, said movable mirror arranged to introduce light passing through said taking lens onto said focusing screen, a shutter associated with said taking lens, and shutter actuating means for said shutter, wherein the improvement comprises means in operative engagement with said shutter actuating means for moving said mirror along a rectilinear path located transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens into a standby position laterally displaced from its position interposed between said taking lens and the photosensitive surface, wall means associated with said camera body for forming a housing arranged to receive at least a portion of said mirror when it is displaced into its standby position, said means for moving said mirror out of the optical axis of said taking leans into the standby position comprises a disk positioned within said camera body and arranged to rotate through a predetermined angle as said shutter actuating means is actuated, a first bellcrank arranged in cooperating relationship with said disk and arranged to pivot as said disk rotates, a second bell-crank disposed in cooperating relationship with said first bell-crank and arranged to pivot in conjunction with the pivotal movement of the arms of said first bellcrank, and a connector for connecting said second bellcrank to said slide plate.

Claim 5

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide member comprises a rectangularly shaped guide plate, mounting members positioned within said camera body and said guide plate mounted on said mounting members for supporting said guide plate inclined 45* with respect to the optical axis of said taking lens, said guide plate extending through one wall of said camera body outwardly thereof, said guide plate being bent at its upper and lower marginal edges for forming channels for said guide plate, and said guide plate having a window-like opening therein positioned on the optical axis of said taking lens and being of the same size and shape as the window-like opening formed in said slide plate, the window-like opening in said guide plate arranged to permit picture-taking light to pass therethrough to the location of the photosensitive surface.

Claim 6

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the channels in said guide plate extend laterally from within said camera body into said housing extending outwardly from said camera body and the outer ends of said channels in said guide plate within said housing are open.

Claim 7

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said wall means include a cover member secured integrally to and extending outwardly from the wall of said camera body through which said guide plate extends, the outer end of said cover member being open, a flattened cylindrical member having an inner end corresponding to the open outer end of said cover member and being fitted telescopically lighttight in the interior of said cover member so that said cylindrical member can be displaced toward and away from said camera body.

Claim 8

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 5, wherein a guide is attached to a central portion of the outer surface of said cylindrical member for guidng said cylindrical member in its movement relative to said camera with substantially one half of the lengthwise dimension of said guide projecting from said cylindrical member toward said camera body.

Claim 9

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said wall means includes a grip fitted over and secured to said cylindrical member, and said grip being used for holding the camera.

Claim 10

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the exterior surface of said grip for holding the camera has a wave-shaped configuration.

Claim 11

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 6, wherein a holder is secured to the interior of said cover member and said walls of said camera body to which said guide plate extends, and said guide for said cylindrical member is slidably supported by said holder.

Claim 12

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 9, wherein a threaded member extends into and in threaded engagement with said holder and said cover member, said threaded member having a portion located exteriorly of said housing for tightening and loosening said threaded member so that said guide can be moved outwardly from said camera body so that the camera is in operating condition and moved inwardly into said camera body so that said camera is in inoperative condition.

Claim 13

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 5, wherein a stopper is located on the inner end of said guide for said cylindrical member and is arranged to abut against the interior surface of said wall through which said guide plate extends for limiting the outward movement of said cylindrical member.

Claim 14

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 5, wherein locking means extend between said cylindrical member and said shutter actuating means so that actuating of said shutter actuating means is automatically precluded when said cylindrical member is moved inwardly into said camera body thereby rendering the camera in the inoperative condition.

Claim 15

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said locking means comprises a locking rod arranged to be moved transversely of the optical axis of said taking lens in said camera body and said locking rod arranged in the path of said cylindrical member so that said locking rod is displaced into locking engagement with said shutter actuating means when said cylindrical member is moved inwardly into said camera body.

Claim 16

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 13, wherein a flange is mounted on said locking rod adjacent said wall of said camera body through which said guide plate extends, a coil spring mounted between said flange and an immovable part of said camera body for normally biasing the said locking rod in the direction in which said grip is moved away from said camera body.

Claim 17

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 2, wherein a film advance lever is mounted on the exterior of said camera and is arranged to restore said disk to its original position when said lever is operated, a lever connected to said disk, and a drive spring arranged to pivot said lever and rotate said disk, and a shutter for Said viewing optical system arranged to close when said disk rotates.

Claim 18

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 15, wherein a segmental gear is formed on said lever, a shutter actuating ring, means disposed between said segmental gear and said shutter actuating ring for rotating said shutter actuating ring when said segmental gear rotates.

Claim 19

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 16, characterized therein by a shutter, a charge pin and a shutter release pin associated with said shutter, said shutter actuating ring maintained in engagement with said charge pin and shutter release pin for charging the shutter in the initial stages of its rotation and releasing the charged shutter when said movable mirror is completely displaced from the path of the optical axis of the taking lens into the standby position.

Claim 20

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said actuating means for said shutter for said viewing optical system is arranged to open and close the path of light therethrough and comprises an arm arranged to pivot when said disk rotates, a slide bar in engagement with and arranged to follow the movement of said arm, a bellcrank arranged to pivot when said slide bar moves, and a pusher mounted on said bellcrank.

Claim 21

A single-lens reflex camera, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said shutter for said viewing optical system is arranged in operative engagement with said shutter actuating means through said means for moving said mirror for commencing to close simultaneously as said shutter closes when said shutter actuating means is actuated and closes completely after said shutter is closed, said movable mirror begins to move out of the path of the optical axis of said taking lens when said viewing optical system completely closes, and said shutter opens and closes in accordance with a preset shutter time after said movable mirror has moved out of the optical axis of said taking lens into the standby position.