Compact camera with objective lens settable to pre-selected focus

Claim 2

A photographic camera having a housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of an objective lens barrel and a lens protective covering movably supported in position by the housing structure for selectively closing and opening the light entrance, said objective lens barrel being selectively shiftable between at least first and second focusing positions for focus adjustment, comprising in combination; a slider having detent elements formed therein, the number of said detent elements corresponding to the number of said focusing positions, and spaced from each other at a distance along said slider corresponding to the space between said focusing positions along said lens barrel; means for transmitting a movement of said slider to said lens barrel for shifting the latter selectively between said first and second focusing positions in response to said movement of said slider; means for biasing said lens barrel in one direction to said first focusing position; and linkage means having an engagement formed therein for selective engagement with said detent elements, said engagement being engaged with one of said detent elements when said lens barrel is in the first focusing position and with the other detent element, when said lens barrel is in the second focusing position against said biasing means, thereby to hold said lens barrel in said second focusing position, said linkage means being operatively associated with the lens protective covering so as to permit said lens barrel to assume said first focusing position whenever said lens protective covering is closed.

Claim 3

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprises a tension spring having one end connected to said slider and the other end fixed in position within said housing structure, a pulling force of said tension spring being transmitted to said lens barrel through said transmitting means thereby to hold said lens barrel in said first focusing position.

Claim 4

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein said transmitting means comprises a rack gear formed in said slider and a pinion gear formed on said lens barrel, said rack gear and said pinion gear being in constant mesh with each other.

Claim 5

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means comprises a rack gear formed in said slider and a pinion gear formed on said lens barrel, said rack gear and said pinion gear being in constant mesh with each other.

Claim 6

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein said slider is manually movable for selectively shifting said lens barrel between said focusing positions as desired.

Claim 7

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises a substantially L-shaped link having one end pivotally secured in position within the housing structure, said engagement being formed in said link adjacent to the bend of the L thereof, and the other free end thereof engageable with the lens protective covering, and further comprising additional means for biasing said link in one direction so that said engagement can be engaged with either one of said detent elements when said slider is shifted, said link pivoting against said additional biasing means due to the engagement between said other end of said link and said lens protective covering upon closure of said lens protective covering for, releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement.

Claim 8

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linkage means comprises a substantially L-shaped link pivotally supported in position within the housing structure and having one end portion formed with said engagement, additional means for biasing said link in one direction so that said engagement of said detent elements, a shutter release lever operatively associated with a shutter release mechanism, an actuating lever slideably supported in position within the housing structure for movement between operative and inoperative positions, and a third biasing means for biasing said actuating lever having one end engageable with the lens protecting covering, as the latter is closed, for causing said actuating lever to move towards the inoperative position against said third biasing means, said actuating lever in said inoperative position locking said shutter release lever in position without operating the shutter release mechanism, said actuating lever also abutting against the other end portion of said L-shaped link whereby said L-shaped link is pivoted against said additional biasing means for releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement.

Claim 9

A photographic camera having a housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of an objective lens barrel and a lens protective covering movably supported in position by the housing structure for selectively closing and opening the light entrance, said objective lens barrel being selectively shiftable between at least first and second focusing positions for focus adjustment, comprising in combination: a slidEr having detent notches formed therein, the number of said detent notches corresponding to the number of said focusing positions, and spaced from each other at a distance along said slider corresponding to the space between said focusing positions along said lens barrel; means for transmitting a movement of said slider to said lens barrel for shifting the latter selectively between said first and second focusing positions in response to said movement of said slider; a first tension spring for biasing said slider in one direction to urge said lens barrel to the first focusing position, said slider being capable of manually moving in the opposite directions for selectively shifting said lens barrel between said focusing positions as desired; a substantially L-shaped link having one end pivotally supported in position within the housing structure and the other free end thereof engageable with the lens protective covering, said L-shaped link further having an engagement formed therein adjacent to the bend of the L thereof; and a second tension spring for biasing said L-shaped link in one direction so that said engagement can be engaged with one of the detent notches when said slider is shifted, said link being pivotable against said second tension spring by the engagement between said other end of said link and said lens protective covering upon closure of the latter for, releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement thereby permitting the lens barrel to assume the first focusing position whenever said lens protective covering is opened.

Claim 10

A photographic camera having a housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of an objective lens barrel and a lens protective covering movably supported in position by the housing structure for selectively closing and opening the light entrance, said objective lens barrel being selectively shiftable between at least first and second focusing positions for focus adjustment, comprising in combination: a slidEr having detent notches formed therein, the number of said detent notches corresponding to the number of said focusing positions, and spaced from each other at a distance along said slider corresponding to the space between said focusing positions along said lens barrel; means for transmitting a movement of said slider to said lens barrel for shifting the latter selectively between said first and second focusing positions in response to said movement of said slider; a first tension spring for biasing said slider in one direction to urge said lens barrel to the first focusing position, said slider being capable of manually moving in the opposite directions for selectively shifting said lens barrel between said focusing positions as desired; a substantially L-shaped link having one end pivotally supported in position within the housing structure and the other free end thereof engageable with the lens protective covering, said L-shaped link further having an engagement formed therein adjacent to the bend of the L thereof; and a second tension spring for biasing said L-shaped link in one direction so that said engagement can be engaged with one of the detent notches when said slider is shifted, said link being pivotable against said second tension spring by the engagement between said other end of said link and said lens protective covering upon closure of the latter for, releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement thereby permitting the lens barrel to assume the first focusing position whenever said lens protective covering is opened.

Claim 11

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 8, wherein said transmitting means comprises a rack gear formed in said slider and a pinion gear formed on said lens barrel, said rack gear and said pinion gear being in constant mesh with each other.

Claim 12

A photographic camera having a housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of an objective lens barrel and a lens protective covering movably supported in position by the housing structure for selectively closing and opening the light entrance, said objective lens barrel being selectively shiftable between at least first and second focusing positions for focus adjustment, comprising in combination: a slider having detent notches formed therein, the number of said detent notches corresponding to the number of said focusing positions, and spaced from each other at a distance along said slider corresponding to the space between said focusing positions along said lens barrel; means for transmitting a movement of said slider to said lens barrel for shifting the latter selectively between said first and second focusing positions in response to said movement of said slider; a first tension spring for biasing said slider in one direction to urge said lens barrel to the first focusing position, said slider being capable of manually moving in opposite directions for selectively shifting said lens barrel between said focusing positions as desired; a substantially L-shaped link pivotally supported in position within the housing structure and having one end portion formed with an engagement selectively engageable to said detent notches; a second tension spring for biasing said link in one direction so that said engagement can be engaged with one of said detent notches when said slider is shifted; a shutter release lever operatively associated with a shutter release mechanism; an actuating lever slideably supported in position within the housing structure for movement between operative and inoperative positions; and a third tension spring for biasing said actuating lever in one direction to the operative position, said actuating lever having one end engageable with the lens protective covering, as the latter is closed, for causing said actuating lever to move towards the inoperative position againSt said third biasing means, said actuating lever in said operative position locking said shutter release lever in position without operating the shutter release mechanism while abutting against the other end portion of said link, whereby said link is pivoted against said second tension spring for releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement, thereby permitting the lens barrel to assume the first focusing position whenever said lens protective covering is opened, said actuating lever in said operative position permitting the shutter release lever to operate the shutter release mechanism upon depression thereof.

Claim 13

A photographic camera having a housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of an objective lens barrel and a lens protective covering movably supported in position by the housing structure for selectively closing and opening the light entrance, said objective lens barrel being selectively shiftable between at least first and second focusing positions for focus adjustment, comprising in combination: a slider having detent notches formed therein, the number of said detent notches corresponding to the number of said focusing positions, and spaced from each other at a distance along said slider corresponding to the space between said focusing positions along said lens barrel; means for transmitting a movement of said slider to said lens barrel for shifting the latter selectively between said first and second focusing positions in response to said movement of said slider; a first tension spring for biasing said slider in one direction to urge said lens barrel to the first focusing position, said slider being capable of manually moving in opposite directions for selectively shifting said lens barrel between said focusing positions as desired; a substantially L-shaped link pivotally supported in position within the housing structure and having one end portion formed with an engagement selectively engageable to said detent notches; a second tension spring for biasing said link in one direction so that said engagement can be engaged with one of said detent notches when said slider is shifted; a shutter release lever operatively associated with a shutter release mechanism; an actuating lever slideably supported in position within the housing structure for movement between operative and inoperative positions; and a third tension spring for biasing said actuating lever in one direction to the operative position, said actuating lever having one end engageable with the lens protective covering, as the latter is closed, for causing said actuating lever to move towards the inoperative position againSt said third biasing means, said actuating lever in said operative position locking said shutter release lever in position without operating the shutter release mechanism while abutting against the other end portion of said link, whereby said link is pivoted against said second tension spring for releasing said engagment from one of said detent elements and allowing said slider to move to a position wherein another of said detent elements receives therein said engagement, thereby permitting the lens barrel to assume the first focusing position whenever said lens protective covering is opened, said actuating lever in said operative position permitting the shutter release lever to operate the shutter release mechanism upon depression thereof.

Claim 14

A photographic camera as claimed in claim 10, wherein said transmitting means comprises a rack gear formed in said slider and a pinion gear formed on said lens barrel, said rack gear and said pinion gear being in constant mesh with each other.

Claim 15

In a photographic camera having an objective lens barrel and housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of the lens barrel, the improvements which comprise focus adjusting means movable between at least two positions including an initial position to set said lens barrel to corresponding focusing positions, a lens protecting covering movably supported in position by said housing structure for selectively closing and opening said light entrance; means operatively connected with said focus adjusting means for biasing said focus adjusting means to said initial position; and means operatively connected with said focus adjusting means for interlocking said focus adjusting means with said lens protecting covering, said interlocking means being capable of arresting said focus adjusting means at positions other than said initial position against said biasing means when said lens protecting covering is in position to open said light entrance, said interlocking means being actuated by said lens protecting covering to permit said focus adjusting means to return to said initial position from any other position by said biasing means when said lens protecting covering is moved to a position to close said light entrance.

Claim 16

In a photographic camera having an objective lens barrel and housing structure formed with a light entrance in front of the lens barrel, the improvements which comprise focus adjusting means movable between at least two positions including an initial position to set said lens barrel to corresponding focusing positions, a lens protecting covering movably supported in position by said housing structure for selectively closing and opening said light entrance; means operatively connected with said focus adjusting means for biasing said focus adjusting means to said initial position; and means operatively connected with said focus adjusting means for interlocking said focus adjusting means with said lens protecting covering, said interlocking means being capable of arresting said focus adjusting means at positions other than said initial position against said biasing means when said lens protecting covering is in position to open said light entrance, said interlocking means being actuated by said lens protecting covering to permit said focus adjusting means to return to said initial position from any other position by said biasing means when said lens protecting covering is moved to a position to close said light entrance.