US 4,230,403 A · Mounting for interchangeable camera lens assembly with diaphragm means

Abstract

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a lens barrel having a diaphragm mechanism mounted therewith, a bayonet coupling mechanism fixed on the lens barrel and adapted to be brought into engagement with a complementary coupling mechanism on the camera for releasably mounting the lens assembly in operative position on the camera, an adapter shell mounted on the lens barrel in rotative relationship relative thereto for establishing predetermined relative positioning between the interchangeable lens assembly and the camera, and a retainer mechanism adapted to be interposed between the adapter shell and the camera for retaining the adapter shell in fixed rotative position relative to the camera during mounting and dismounting of the interchangeable lens assembly. The lens assembly also includes a diaphragm presetting mechanism for transmitting signals representative of a diaphragm aperture between the lens assembly and the camera. Since coupling and decoupling of the lens assembly is performed by rotating the lens barrel relative to the camera housing, while the adapter shell remains stationary, the diaphragm presetting mechanism is provided with a device for assuring that an arm extending between the camera and the lens assembly is located in a predetermined angular position relative to a slot in the stationary adapter shell before and after the unit is attached to and detached from the camera housing despite the fact that the range of rotative tightening movement of the tube may be larger or smaller than that of movement of the arm. Thus the operator is able to detach the unit with the position of the diaphragm ring left unchanged.

Claims37

Dependent claims

An assembly wherein said compensating means comprises a compensation member pivotally mounted on the lens barrel body, a cam member fixedly mounted on said adapter member and having a camming surface for engagement with the elongated portion of the transmission means, whereby when the lens barrel is detached from the camera body, the compensation member is moved in engagement with the camming surface of the cam member and at the same time pushes the transmission means at the elongated portion thereof to return the transmission means to the initial position.

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a camera body comprising:

(a) a lens barrel having a photo-taking lens for forming an image of an object to be photographed and a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through said photo-taking lens mounted therein;
(b) attachment tightening means having coupling means fixedly mounted on the lens barrel and arranged upon attaching and tightening operation with the camera body to engage with a coupling member provided on the camera body whereby the lens barrel and the camera body are connected with each other;
(c) diaphragm setting means adjustably fitted on the lens barrel and having a diaphragm value scale formed thereon in cooperation with an index on the lens barrel;
(d) diaphragm presetting means arranged to operatively engage with the diaphragm setting means and the diaphragm device;
(e) transmission means for transmitting a diaphragm signal to the diaphragm device from the diaphragm setting means or the camera body;
(f) intermediate means arranged in the lens barrel to be rotatable relative thereto and having a signal conversion part formed thereon responsive to at least one of said diaphragm setting means and diaphragm control means provided in said camera, at least one part thereof transmitting a signal corresponding to the diaphragm value set by the diaphragm setting means to the diaphragm device;
(g) operating means for adjusting the diaphragm device to a size of opening corresponding to a set diaphragm signal so as to operate the diaphragm device in accordance with the set diaphragm signal from the diaphragm setting means;
and
(h) adapter means restrained from rotational movement in the lens barrel and made rotatable relative thereto during mounting of said interchangeable lens assembly on said camera, said adapter means having an abutment surface for the camera body and operative to permit transmission therethrough of a diaphragm signal to and from the camera body.

6 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a camera body with mating coupling means comprising:

(a) lens barrel means including a photo-taking lens for forming an image of the object to be photographed and a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through said photo-taking lens, with coupling means being mounted in fixedly secured relationship on an end of said lens barrel means;
(b) diaphragm setting means rotatably mounted on said lens barrel means with an engagement portion engageable with a part of said lens barrel means;
(c) transmission means for transmitting a diaphragm signal to and from said camera, said transmission means being operatively connected with said diaphragm setting means and said diaphragm device;
(d) adapter means connected with said lens barrel means in rotatable relationship therewith, said adapter means being arranged to be restrained from the rotational movement relative to said camera, and to enable transmission therethrough of a diaphragm signal to said camera by said transmission means, coupling of said lens barrel means with said camera being effected through relative movement between said coupling means of said lens barrel means and said mating coupling means of said camera side by grasping of said diaphragm setting means.

1 more element

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a camera body comprising:

(a) a lens barrel which has a photo-taking lens for forming an image of an object to be photographed and a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through said photo-taking lens:
(b) diaphragm setting means adjustably fitted on the lens barrel and having a diaphragm value scale formed thereon in cooperation with an index;
(c) diaphragm presetting means arranged to operatively engage with the diaphragm setting means and the diaphragm device, and having signal conversion means for presetting the diaphragm device to a size of opening corresponding to a set diaphragm signal;
(d) transmission means for transmitting diaphragm signals between the lens assembly and the camera body;
(e) operating means for driving the diaphragm device based on a signal from the camera body so as to operate the diaphragm device in accordance with the preset diaphragm signal by said signal conversion means;
(f) attachment tightening means having a coupling member fixedly mounted on the lens barrel and arranged upon attaching and tightening operation with the camera body to engage with a coupling member provided on the camera body, whereby the lens barrel and the camera body are connected with each other;
(g) an adapter member restrained from axial movement in the lens barrel and made rotatable relative thereto, and having an abutment surface for the camera body and at the same time having an opening in which said transmission means moves at its portion elongated in the direction in which the lens is attached to the camera body;
and
(h) compensating means for compensating the difference between the motion of said lens barrel and the motion of said transmission means, said compensating means being arranged to engage with said transmission means when the lens barrel is attached to and detached from the camera body, whereby the elongated portion of the transmission means is moved to a predetermined position in an opening of said adapter member.

6 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camer including a camera body with coupling means comprising:

(a) lens barrel means having mounted therein a phototaking lens for forming an image of an object to be photographed and a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through said phototaking lens, said lens barrel means having a tightening portion formed rigidly thereon for mating relationship with said coupling means;
(b) diaphragm setting means rotatably mounted on said lens barrel means and operatively connected with said diaphragm device;
(c) transmission means operatively connected with said diaphragm device for transmitting diaphragm signals between said lens assembly and said camera body;
and
(d) adapter means connected with said lens barrel means in rotatable relationship therewith and including an abutment surface forming an optical reference surface, said adapter means being adapted to be brought into abutting relationship with said camera body during mounting of said lens assembly on said camera body, said adapter means further including position defining means operative in cooperation with complementary position defining means on said camera for restraining said adapter means from rotational movement relative to said camera body while said lens barrel means is rotated to effect mating engagement between said tightening portion and said coupling means for fixing said lens assembly on said camera body, said adapter means being arranged to enable transmission therethrough of said diaphragm signals by said transmission means between said camera and said lens assembly;
and
(e) a tightening ring formed so as to rotate in unison with said lens barrel means through an elongated portion contiguous to one portion of said lens barrel means and having an outer peripheral surface enlarged relative to the outer peripheral surface of said lens barrel means to facilitate attachment of the lens assembly to the camera body by grasping of said enlarged portion.

4 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a camera body with coupling means comprising:

(a) lens barrel means having mounted therein a phototaking lens for forming an image of an object to be photographed and a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through said phototaking lens, said lens barrel means having a tightening portion formed rigidly thereon for mating relationship with said coupling means;
(b) diaphragm setting means rotatably mounted on said lens barrel means and operatively connected with said diaphragm device;
(c) transmission means operatively connected with said diaphragm device for transmitting diaphragm signals between said lens assembly and said camera body;
and
(d) adapter means connected with said lens barrel means in rotatable relationship therewith and including an abutment surface forming an optical reference surface, said adapter means being adapted to be brought into abutting relationship with said camera body during mounting said lens assembly on said camera body, said adapter means being arranged to be restrained from rotational movement relative to said camera body while said lens barrel means is rotated to effect mating engagement between said tightening portion and said coupling means for fixing said lens assembly on said camera body, said adapter means being arranged to enable transmission therethrough of said diaphragm signals by said transmission means between said camera and said lens assembly;
and
(e) position definig means for said adapter means having a projection member on said adapter means and arranged upon attachment to said camera body to engage in a fitted recess provided in an attachment bearing surface of said camera body, said adapter means being thereby maintained stationary at a predetermined position relative to said camera body during coupling operation.

4 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera including a camera body, camera coupling means, exposure control means and a driving member comprising:

(a) a lens barrel having a photo-taking lens for forming an image of an object to be photographed, a diaphragm device for controlling light entering through the photo-taking lens, and lens barrel coupling means rigidly fixed on an end of said lens barrel and formed for mating relationship with said camera coupling means;
(b) diaphragm setting means rotatably mounted on said lens barrel and operatively connected with said diaphragm device;
(c) diaphragm presetting means arranged to operatively engage with said diaphragm setting means for presetting a diaphragm signal thereby to operate said diaphragm device;
(d) transmission means which transmit a diaphragm signal between a lens side and a camera side, said transmission means being connectable to said exposure control means of said camera for transmitting a diaphragm signal from the camera side to the lens side;
(e) driving means connectable to said driving member for actuating said diaphragm device in response to a preset signal of said diaphragm presetting means;
(f) adapter means arranged to be engaged with said camera body to be restrained from movement relative thereto and being rotatable relative to the lens barrel, said adapter means being arranged to allow the movement of said transmission means and said driving means therethrough;
(g) engaging means having means for connecting said diaphragm setting means and said transmission means in response to mating operation of the rotation of the lens barrel relative to said adapter means during mounting of said lens assembly on said camera, said connecting means being actuated to transmit the set diaphragm value information of said diaphragm setting means to said transmission means, said engaging means having a rotary member rotative relative to said lens barrel and engageable with said transmission means, and a lock member freely fitted in a hole provided through the wall of said rotary member so that said lock member is engageable with at least one of the diaphragm setting means and said adapter means when the lens barrel is operated to be tightened.

4 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera comprising:

lens barrel means including diaphragm means mounted therewith;
coupling means fixed on said lens barrel means adapted to be brought into engagement with complementary coupling means on said camera for releasably mounting said lens assembly in operative position on said camera;
adapter means mounted on said lens barrel means in rotative relationship relative thereto for establishing predetermined relative positioning between said interchangeable lens assembly and said camera;
retainer means adapted to be interposed between said adapter means and said camera for retaining said adapter means in fixed rotative position relative to said camera during mounting and dismounting of said interchangeable lens assembly;
diaphragm setting control means adapted to be brought into operative engagement with said camera when said lens assembly is mounted in operative position on said camera;
and
means for returning said diaphragm setting control means to a predetermined position when said lens assembly is dismounted from said camera.

4 more elements

An interchangeable lens assembly for a camera comprising:

lens barrel means including diaphragm means mounted therewith, said diaphragm means being operative to define a lens aperture for said camera;
coupling means fixed on said lens barrel means adapted to be brought into engagement with complementary coupling means on said camera for releasably mounting said lens assembly in operative position on said camera;
adapter means mounted on said lens barrel means in rotative relationship relative thereto for establishing predetermined relative positioning between said interchangeable lens assembly and said camera;
retainer means adapted to be interposed between said adapter means and said camera for retaining said adapter means in fixed rotative position relative to said camera during mounting and dismounting of said interchangeable lens assembly;
diaphragm operating means for driving said diaphragm means when said camera is actuated;
diaphragm setting control means operatively associated with said diaphragm operating means for controlling operation of said diaphragm means to effect a predetermined lens aperture set on said diaphragm setting control means;
and
means for returning said diaphragm operating means and said diaphragm setting control means to respective predetermined positions relative to said adapter means when said lens barrel means is rotated relative to said adapter means for dismounting said lens assembly from said camera.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mounting for interchangeable camera lens assembly with diaphragm means

Life of this patent

Mounting for interchangeable camera lens assembly with diaphragm means

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37