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US 5,495,308 AGranted
Picture-format switchable camera
AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.
InventorsTatsuya Suzuki, Shunji Matsutani, Manabu Ikeda, Yasuo Yamazaki, Hiroaki Miyazaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A picture-format switchable camera having a picture-format setting device for setting a picture format, and a picture-format switching device for switching to the picture format set by the picture-format setting device from another picture format. The picture-format switching device is disposed between the aperture of a camera body and the light-sensitive surface of a film.
Claims10
A picture-format switchable camera comprising:
- picture-format setting means for setting a picture format including selecting means for selecting a picture format from an exterior side of said camera body;
- and
- picture-format switching means for switching to a picture format set by said picture-format setting means from one picture format to another picture format, said picture-format switching means being disposed adjacent to an aperture in the body of said camera for passing an image from a camera lens to a film plane;
- said picture-format switching means comprising a pair of mask members disposed parallel to said image plane, and movable away from and toward each other;
- moving means for moving said mask members to a position corresponding to said picture format selected through said selecting means;
- said moving means further comprising a pair of mask supporting members each being secured to a first end of one of said mask members close to said aperture, and having mutually different female screw-threads coaxially formed in substantially central portions thereof;
- an elongated recess adjacent to the aperture for slidably receiving said mask support members;
- a pair of male feed screw-thread means each having an outer end portion in threaded engagement with the female screw-thread of one of said mask supporting means and an inner end portion, said inner end portions being coupled to one another at a position intermediate said mask members;
- transmission means for transmitting an amount of switching rotation corresponding to the picture format selected through said selecting means to one of said feed screw-thread means whereby rotation of said transmission means in a first direction moves said mask members closer to one another and rotation of said transmission means in a second direction opposite said first direction moves said mask members further apart;
- and
- said recess having a shape conforming to a shape of said mask supporting members to prevent rotation of said mask members while permitting said mask members to move along a path parallel to said elongated recess.
8 more elements
A picture-format switchable camera comprising:
- picture-format setting means for setting a picture format including selecting means for selecting a picture format from an exterior side of said camera body;
- and
- picture-format switching means for switching to a picture format set by said picture-format setting means from one picture format to another picture format, said picture-format switching means being disposed adjacent to an aperture in the body of said camera for passing an image from a camera lens to a film plane;
- said picture-format switching means comprising a pair of mask members disposed parallel to said image plane, and movable away from and toward each other;
- moving means for moving said mask members to a position corresponding to said picture format selected through said selecting means;
- said moving means further comprising a pair of mask supporting members each being secured to a first end of one of said mask members close to said aperture, and having mutually different female screw-threads coaxially formed in substantially central portions thereof;
- an elongated recess adjacent to the aperture for slidably receiving said mask support members;
- rod means having a pair of male feed screw-thread means respectively formed at opposite ends thereof, each of said pair of male feed screw-thread means threadedly engaging respectively with female screw-threads of one of said mask supporting means;
- transmission means for transmitting an amount of switching rotation corresponding to the picture format selected through said selecting means to one of said feed screw-thread means whereby rotation of said transmission means in a first direction moves said mask members closer to one another and rotation of said transmission means in a second direction opposite said first direction moves said mask members further apart;
- and
- said recess having a shape conforming to a shape of said mask supporting members to prevent rotation of said mask members while permitting said mask members to move along a path parallel to said elongated recess.
8 more elements
A picture-format switchable camera comprising:
- picture-format setting means for setting a picture format including selecting means for selecting a picture format from an exterior side of said camera body;
- and
- picture-format switching means for switching to a picture format set by said picture-format setting means from one picture format to another picture format, said picture-format switching means being disposed adjacent to an aperture in the body of said camera for passing an image from a camera lens to a film plane;
- said picture-format switching means comprising a pair of mask members disposed parallel to said image plane, and movable away from and toward each other;
- moving means for moving said mask members to a position corresponding to said picture format selected through said selecting means;
- said moving means further comprising a pair of mask supporting members each being secured to a first end of one of said mask members close to said aperture, and having mutually different female screw-threads coaxially formed in substantially central portions thereof;
- an elongated recess adjacent to the aperture for slidably receiving said mask support members;
- a pair of male feed screw-thread means each having an outer end portion in threaded engagement with the female screw-thread of one of said mask supporting means and an inner end portion, said inner end portions being coupled to one another at a position intermediate said mask members;
- transmission means for transmitting an amount of switching rotation corresponding to the picture format selected through said selecting means to one of said feed screw-thread means whereby rotation of said transmission means in a first direction moves said mask members closer to one another and rotation of said transmission means in a second direction opposite said first direction moves said mask members further apart;
- and
- said recess preventing said mask members from being rotated while said mask members move in a direction substantially parallel to said elongated recess.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.