Camera with belt clip movable to ready an electronic device such as an electronic flash

A camera comprising a rear cover part, a particular device that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch with a movable switch element that is moved to change said power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to said device, and an activating member supported to be manually moved to move said movable switch element to change said power switch from its normal to working state, is characterized in that:

• said activating member is a belt clip which has a clip portion that faces said rear cover part to hold one's belt between said clip portion and said rear cover part and that is supported to be pivoted away from said rear cover part to permit one's belt to be removed from between said clip portion and said rear cover part in order to use said camera, and which has an actuating portion supported to be pivoted to move said movable switch element to change said power switch from its normal to working state as said clip portion is pivoted away from said rear cover part, whereby said device will be made ready to operate.

A method in a camera of changing a power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to a particular device that needs electrical energy to be able to operate, comprises the steps of:

• pivoting a belt clip for the camera, which is constructed to be placed on and removed from one's belt away from the camera, to permit one's belt to be removed from between the belt clip and the camera, and simultaneously pivoting the belt clip against the power switch to change the power switch from its normal to working state, whereby when one's belt is removed from between the belt clip and the camera the device will be made ready to operate.

A method in a camera of changing a power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to a particular device that needs electrical energy to be able to operate, comprises the steps of:

• pivoting a belt clip for the camera away from the camera at a clip portion of the belt clip to permit one's belt to be removed from between the clip portion and the camera, and simultaneously pivoting the belt clip against the power switch at an actuating portion of the belt clip to change the power switch from its normal to working state, whereby when one's belt is removed from between the clip portion and the camera the device will be made ready to operate.

A camera comprising a pair of front and rear cover parts, an electronic flash between said front and rear cover parts which needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a flash charge switch with a movable switch element that is moved to change said flash charge switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to said electronic flash, and an activating member supported to be manually moved to move said movable switch element to change said flash charge switch from its normal to working state, is characterized in that:

• said activating member is a belt clip which has a clip portion that faces said rear cover part to hold one's belt between said clip portion and said rear cover part and is that supported to be pivoted away from said rear cover part to permit one's belt to be removed from between said clip portion and said rear cover part in order to use said camera, and which has an actuating portion supported to be pivoted inwardly of said front cover part to move said movable switch element to change said flash charge switch from its normal to working state as said clip portion is pivoted away from said rear cover part, whereby said electronic flash will be made ready to operate.

A camera comprising a pair of front and rear cover parts, a main body part between said front and rear cover parts, and a particular device on said main body part that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch with a movable switch element that is moved to change said power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to said device, is characterized in that:

• a belt clip has a clip portion for holding one's belt between said clip portion and said rear cover part, an actuating portion for moving said movable switch element to change said power switch from its normal to working state, and an intermediate portion between said clip and actuating portions;
• and
• said intermediate portion is configured to be pivotally coupled with said main body part to permit said clip portion to pivot away from said rear cover part in order to remove one's belt from between said clip portion and said rear cover part and to pivot said actuating portion to move said movable switch element to change said power switch from its normal to working state as said clip portion is pivoted away from said rear cover part.

A method of assembling a belt clip to a camera to allow the belt clip to change a power switch in the camera from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to a particular device in the camera that needs electrical energy to be able to operate, comprising the steps of:

• pivotally connecting the belt clip to the camera at an intermediate portion of the belt clip between a clip portion of the belt clip and an actuating portion of the belt clip, to cause the clip portion to be pivoted away from the camera as one's belt is removed from between the clip portion and the camera and to simultaneously cause the actuating portion to be pivoted against the power switch to change the power switch from its normal to working state;
• and
• resiliently engaging the belt clip with the camera to cause the clip portion to be urged towards the camera and the actuating portion to be urged away from the power switch.