Accessory device that can be attached to or detached from an electronic device

Abstract

An accessory device that can be attached to or detached from an electronic device. An accessory device that can prevent written setting information from being destroyed is provided. An accessory device that can be attached to or detached from an electronic device includes: an operating member; a locking mechanism that is configured to perform a locking operation of locking the accessory device and the electronic device in response to an operation of the operating member; a movement restriction release mechanism that is configured to release restrictions on movement of the operating member; and an operation restriction member that is configured to restrict the operation of the movement restriction release mechanism. The operation restriction member makes it difficult for the movement restriction release mechanism to operate when the power of the accessory device is in the on state compared to when the power of the accessory device is in the off state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an accessory device attached to an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] An accessory device that can be attached to or detached from an accessory shoe of an image pickup device (e.g., a camera) as an electronic device has a locking mechanism and a power switch, and the locking mechanism prevents the accessory device from falling off the image pickup device, but conventionally, the locking mechanism and the power switch are arranged independently. For example, Japanese Patent No. 5838372 discloses a technology in which the function of a power switch is not added to a fixing ring 17 of a locking mechanism of a flash device 1 as an accessory device, and the fixing ring 17 and the power switch are arranged independently.

[0003] In addition, in recent years, in accessory devices, when the power is on or when the power is switched from the power on state to the power off state by operating a power switch, setting information from the camera device is written into a memory such as an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0004] However, if the accessory device is detached from the imaging apparatus while the power is in the power-on state and the setting information is written in a memory such as an EEPROM, there is a risk that the setting information will be destroyed.

[0005] Furthermore, in a configuration in which power is supplied from the imaging apparatus to the accessory device, if power supply from the imaging apparatus to the accessory device is stopped during writing of setting information to a memory such as an EEPROM, there is also a risk that the setting information will be destroyed. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention provides an accessory device capable of preventing written setting information from being destroyed.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides an accessory device that can be attached to or detached from an electronic device, the accessory device comprising: an operating member; a locking mechanism that is configured to perform a locking operation of locking the accessory device and the electronic device in response to an operation of the operating member; a movement restriction release mechanism that is configured to release the restriction on the movement of the operating member; and an operation restriction member that is configured to restrict the operation of the movement restriction release mechanism, wherein the operation restriction member makes it difficult for the movement restriction release mechanism to operate when the power of the accessory device is in the on state compared to when the power of the accessory device is in the off state.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the setting information written in the memory or the like of the accessory device from being destroyed.

[0009] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1A and Figure 1B : is a view showing the appearance of a transmitter as an accessory device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2A It is shown Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the transmitter, Figure 2B It is shown Figure 1B A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the transmitter.

[0012] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the transmitter with the top cover removed from the bottom cover.

[0013] Figure 4A and Figure 4B It is used to illustrate Figure 1A and Figure 1B A three-dimensional view of the internal structure of the bottom shell unit in the transmitter.

[0014] Figure 5 It is a view for explaining a lock release button slide cam portion formed on the bottom cover.

[0015] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the locking unit.

[0016] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B It is a view for explaining in detail a power supply cam portion and a shoe lock cam base slide cam portion provided on a lever of a lock unit.

[0017] Fig. 8A , Figure 8B and Figure 8C It is a view for explaining the movement of the lever when the transmitter is switched from the unlocked state to the power-on state via the locked state (power-off state).

[0018] Fig. 9 It is shown Figure 1A and Figure 1B Block diagram of the electrical configuration of the transmitter and camera.

[0019] Fig. 10A is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each constituent element when the transmitter is switched to the power-on state, Fig. 10B is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each constituent element when the transmitter shifts to the power-off state.

[0020] Fig.11: is a view showing the appearance of a transmitter as an accessory device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B It is a view for explaining a lock release button slide cam portion formed on a bottom cover in a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Fig.13A , Fig. 13B , Fig. 13C and Fig.13D is a view for explaining the movement of the lock release button when shifting from the power-off state to the power-on state.

[0023] Fig.14A , Fig. 14B , Fig. 14C and Fig.14D It is a process diagram for explaining the unlocking operation in the lock unit for moving the rod in the Y direction during the rotation of the rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0026] Figure 1A and Figure 1B 1 is a view showing the appearance of a transmitter 100 as an accessory device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1A The transmitter 100 is shown as viewed from the oblique front. Figure 1B The transmitter 100 is shown as viewed from an oblique rear side. Figure 2A It is shown Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the transmitter 100, Figure 2B It is shown Figure 1B sectional view of the internal structure of transmitter 100. Figure 2A It is along Figure 1A and Figure 1B The cross-sectional view of the YZ plane in Figure 2B It is along Figure 1A and Figure 1B Cross-sectional view in the XY plane. Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the transmitter 100 in a state where the top cover 102 is removed from the bottom cover 103 . Figure 4A and Figure 4B It is used to illustrate Figure 1A and Figure 1B A three-dimensional view of the internal structure of the bottom casing unit 119 in the transmitter 100. Figure 4A is an exploded perspective view of the bottom housing unit 119, Figure 4B1 is a view for explaining the mating surface of the bottom cover 103 mating with the locking unit 120. Figure 4B , the bottom cover 103 is shown in such a manner that the top and the bottom are reversed with respect to the locking unit 120.

[0027] The transmitter 100 has a wireless module 101, wirelessly communicates with a flash device (not shown) that also has a wireless module, and transmits a light emission instruction to the flash device. In addition, the transmitter 100 according to the present embodiment operates by means of a bus power supply method that receives power from a camera (not shown) as an electronic device. In addition, the transmitter 100 can be configured to be equipped with a power source such as a battery and operate by means of a self-power supply method.

[0028] The transmitter 100 is roughly divided into a top housing unit 117 and a bottom housing unit 119. In the top housing unit 117, the top cover 102 covers the internal structure, and in the bottom housing unit 119, the bottom cover 103 covers the internal structure. The buffer member 104 is inserted into the mating portion of the top cover 102 and the bottom cover 103 (that is, sandwiched between the top cover 102 and the bottom cover 103) to prevent droplets from entering the interior of the transmitter 100.

[0029] An LED (light emitting diode) notification window 105 and an operation button 106 are arranged on the top cover 102. The LED notification window 105 is fused to the top cover 102 to have a drip-proof performance, and serves as a light projection window for an LED 115a inside to notify various states of the transmitter 100. The operation button 106 is composed of a rubber member, and is in close contact with the top cover 102 to exert a drip-proof performance. The operation button 106 is a button used when making various settings of the transmitter 100, and the MPU (micro processing unit) 116a described later changes various settings of the transmitter 100 according to the operation of the operation button 106 by the user.

[0030] A plate 107, a locking pin 111, and a contact plug 108 (mounting portion) as a connection portion for mounting on an accessory shoe of a camera are arranged on the bottom cover 103, and a protective cover 109 is mounted in a manner covering the plate 107, the locking pin 111, and the contact plug 108. The contact plug 108 receives various communications and power supply via the contact portion of the accessory shoe of the camera.

[0031] In addition, a locking unit 120 (locking mechanism) is incorporated in the bottom cover 103, and the locking unit 120 has a lever 110 (operating member) that can rotate around the Y axis. In the transmitter 100, the operator rotates the lever 110 to the locking position, so that the locking pin 111 provided inside the plate 107 pops out from the plate 107, that is, the locking pin 111 provided inside the plate 107 protrudes to the outside (below) of the plate 107. The popped-out locking pin 111 is fitted into a hole portion provided in the accessory shoe of the camera, restricting the movement of the transmitter 100 in the attachment / detachment direction, and converting the transmitter 100 into a locked state in which the transmitter 100 cannot be detached from the camera. In this way, the transmitter 100 can be prevented from falling from the camera.

[0032] The rod 110 has a lock release button 112 (movement restriction release mechanism). When the lock release button 112 is operated (for example, pressed), the rod 110 can be rotated from the locked position in the direction opposite to the rotation direction when switching to the locked state. Hereinafter, the rotation direction when switching to the locked state will be referred to as the "locking direction" or the "predetermined direction". In addition, the direction opposite to the rotation direction when switching to the locked state will be referred to as the "unlocking direction" or the "direction opposite to the predetermined direction". Then, when the rod 110 rotates in the unlocking direction and reaches the unlocking position, the popped-up locking pin 111 is stored inside the plate 107, and the transmitter 100 is switched to the unlocked state in which the transmitter 100 can be removed from the camera.

[0033] The rod 110 is configured to be further rotated from the locked position in the locking direction. When the rod 110 is further rotated from the locked position in the locking direction and reaches the power-on position, the power of the transmitter 100 becomes the on state (i.e., the transmitter 100 becomes the power-on state). Further, by rotating the rod 110 from the power-on position to the power-off position in the unlocking direction, the power of the transmitter 100 becomes the off state (i.e., the transmitter 100 becomes the power-off state), that is, the transmitter 100 is not used (i.e., the transmitter 100 is not used). In other words, in the present embodiment, the function of the power switch is added to the rod 110. In addition, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the locking position and the power-off position are consistent.

[0034] The wireless module 101, the buzzer 113, the button base 114, the switch FPC (flexible printed circuit) 115, the operation button 106 and the main substrate 116 are arranged inside the top cover 102, and these constituent elements constitute the top shell unit 117. The buzzer 113 is attached to the top cover 102 and electrically connected to the switch FPC 115. The buzzer 113 notifies various states of the transmitter 100 in the same manner as the LED notification window 105 by means of the sound of the buzzer. The button base 114 fixes the switch FPC 115 and receives the force generated when the operation button 106 is pressed. In the top shell unit 117, the operation button 106 has the function of a push button switch by the wiring pattern of the switch FPC 115 and the conductive rubber provided in the operation button 106 contacting each other. The switch FPC 115 has an LED 115a and electrically connects the wireless module 101 and the buzzer 113 to the main substrate 116. In addition, an antenna 101a (chip antenna) for wireless communication is mounted on the upper end side of the wireless module 101. An MPU 116a (control unit) that performs various controls and various electronic components including connectors for connecting the switch FPC 115 and the shoe FPC 118 are mounted on the main substrate 116.

[0035] The locking unit 120 is fixed by being sandwiched between the plate 107 and the GND (ground) plate 121 by means of four screws 122. In addition, these structural elements constitute the bottom shell unit 119. In the bottom cover 103, in addition to the above-mentioned buffer member 104, a buffer member 123 is arranged at the boundary portion between the hole portion 103e into which the boot FPC 118 is inserted and the locking unit 120, and as a result, it is possible to suppress droplets (e.g., water droplets) from entering the inside of the bottom cover 103. In addition, the buffer member 104 and the buffer member 123 are adhered to the bottom cover 103 using a double-sided tape.

[0036] like Figure 4BAs shown, the bottom cover 103 has a click protrusion 124 and a power detection protrusion 125 (switching portion) on its mating surface that cooperates with the locking unit 120. The click protrusion 124 and the power detection protrusion 125 generate a click force when the rod 110 rotates to switch between the power-on state and the power-off state, and perform power detection. The click protrusion 124 is arranged in the protrusion storage portion 103c of the bottom cover 103, and is urged toward the locking unit 120 by a spring (not shown). When the rod 110 of the locking unit 120 coupled to the inside of the bottom cover 103 rotates, the click protrusion 124 generates a click force by sliding with the relative power cam portion 110a of the rod 110. The power detection protrusion 125 is arranged in the power detection hole 103d of the bottom cover 103, and is urged toward the locking unit 120 by the power detection rubber member 126 (switching portion). Like the click protrusion 124 , when the lever 110 of the locking unit 120 rotates, the power detection protrusion 125 also slides with the opposing power cam portion 110 a of the lever 110 .

[0037] In the bottom housing unit 119, power detection is performed by contacting the conductive rubber provided in the power detection rubber member 126 with the wiring pattern of the boot FPC 118. The power detection rubber member 126 also has a function of a drip-proof member. In addition, the operating force of the lever 110 can be adjusted by the spring force that applies force to the click protrusion 124, the inclination angle of the power cam portion 110a, and the repulsive force of the power detection rubber member 126.

[0038] The shoe FPC 118 is inserted into the hole portion 103e of the bottom cover 103, penetrates the bottom cover 103, and is electrically connected to the contact plug 108. In addition, the shoe FPC 118 has a reinforcing plate 118a, and the shoe FPC 118 is screwed to the bottom cover 103 so that the elastic force generated when the power detection rubber member 126 contacts the wiring pattern of the shoe FPC 118 is received by the reinforcing plate 118a. In addition, the shoe FPC 118 is also screwed to the GND plate 121, and the board 107 connected to the GND plate 121 via the screw 122 is electrically connected to the GND of the contact plug 108.

[0039] In addition, the bottom cover 103 has a power supply cover portion 103a (operation limiting member, cover member) and a lock release button sliding cam portion 103b. When the rod 110 rotates in the locking direction to the power-on position, the power supply cover portion 103a covers at least a portion of the lock release button 112 and hides the lock release button 112 from the operator's fingers, etc. As a result, the following phenomenon can be prevented: in the power-on state, if the lock release button 112 is accidentally pressed, the rod 110 becomes able to rotate in the unlocking direction and the rod 110 is accidentally rotated to the unlocking position. When the rod 110 rotates from the power-on position to the power-off position, the power supply cover portion 103a exposes the lock release button 112. As a result, after switching to the power-off state, the lock release button 112 can be easily pressed, so that after switching to the power-off state, it can be smoothly switched to the unlocked state.

[0040] The lock release button sliding cam portion 103b is a cam structure that slides with the button protrusion 112a of the lock release button 112 when the lever 110 rotates. When the lever 110 rotates in the locking direction from the unlocking position, the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b generates a click force. In addition, when the lever 110 is located in the locking position (power off position), the button protrusion 112a suppresses the rotation of the lever 110 and maintains the locked state by engaging with the wall portion of the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b.

[0041] Figure 5 1 is a view for explaining a lock release button slide cam portion 103 b formed on the bottom cover 103 . Figure 5 1 shows a state where the bottom cover 103 is viewed from the camera side along the Y direction. Figure 5 , the movement of the lock release button 112 (button protrusion 112a) which is restricted by the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b when the lever 110 rotates will be described. With respect to the locking direction, the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b is formed with a cam slope 103ba, an arcuate wall surface 103bb, a locking wall surface 103bc, and a wall surface 103bd in sequence with the button protrusion 112a sliding.

[0042] First, when the operating lever 110 is operated to start rotating from the unlocked position to the locked position, the button protrusion 112a slides on the cam slope 103ba, and a click feeling is generated when the button protrusion 112a moves toward the rotation center and passes over the cam slope 103ba. Next, as the lever 110 rotates toward the locked position, the button protrusion 112a slides while being pressed against the arcuate wall surface 103bb by the lock release spring 127 described later. As a result, an appropriate operational feeling is imparted to the rotation of the lever 110.

[0043] Afterwards, when the button protrusion 112a passes over the locking wall surface 103bc of the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b formed corresponding to the locking position, the button protrusion 112a is pressed against the wall surface 103bd by the lock release spring 127. At this time, the transmitter 100 is switched to the locked state. Since the wall surface 103bd is formed on the outside of the arc-shaped wall surface 103bb with respect to the force direction of the lock release spring 127, the locking wall surface 103bc becomes an obstacle, and the button protrusion 112a pressed against the wall surface 103bd is not easy to return to the arc-shaped wall surface 103bb. As a result, the locked state of the transmitter 100 is maintained. In addition, at this time, the rod 110 is located at the power off position.

[0044] In addition, as the rod 110 rotates toward the locking direction, the button protrusion 112a slides while being pressed against the wall surface 103bd, and the rod 110 finally reaches the power-on position. Since the distance from the rotation center of the rod 110 to the wall surface 103bd does not change relative to the rotation direction, when the rod 110 rotates from the power-off position to the power-on position, the lock release button 112 does not move relative to the radial direction of the rotation. Then, when the rod 110 reaches the power-on position, as described above, at least a portion of the lock release button 112 is covered by the power supply cover portion 103a.

[0045] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the locking unit 120 . Fig. 7A and Figure 7B 1 and 2 are views for explaining in detail the power supply cam portion 110 a and the shoe lock cam base slide cam portion 110 b provided on the lever 110 of the lock unit 120 . Fig. 7A is a plan view of the rod 110, Figure 7B It is along Fig. 7A In addition, it is noted that the click protrusion 124 and the power detection protrusion 125 are not in the Fig. 7A and Figure 7B Shown in.

[0046] like Figure 6As shown, the locking unit 120 has a contact plug 108, a rod 110, a shoe base 128, and a shoe locking cam base 130. A lock release button 112 is mounted on the rod 110, and when viewed from the rotation center, the lock release button 112 is urged in an outward direction by a lock release spring 127. In addition, the lock release button 112 rotates together with the rod 110. The shoe base 128 is screwed to the shoe locking cam base 130 by two stepped screws 129 equipped with conical springs, and the conical springs of the stepped screws 129 urge the shoe base 128 toward the shoe locking cam base 130. The shoe base 128 is substantially cylindrical, and the rod 110, which is substantially annular, is mounted on the outer peripheral side of the shoe base 128. In addition, the position of the shoe base 128 is fixed relative to the bottom cover 103, and the shoe base 128 has a function as a rotation axis of the rod 110. The lower portion of the shoe locking cam base 130 rests on the protective cover 109.

[0047] In addition, two locking pins 111 are arranged between the shoe upper base 128 and the shoe locking cam base 130 so as to be urged toward the shoe locking cam base 130 based on the compression spring of the shoe upper base 128. The shoe locking cam base 130 has a plug hole 130a opened therein, the contact plug 108 is inserted into the plug hole 130a, and the contact plug 108 is screwed to the shoe upper base 128. A contact spacer 131 is arranged on the contact plug 108, and the contact spacer 131 is insulated so that the contact portions of the board 107 and the contact plug 108 do not contact each other.

[0048] In addition, a power cam portion 110a extending in the rotation direction is formed on the upper surface of the rod 110, and a boot lock cam base sliding cam portion 110b extending in the rotation direction is formed on the lower surface of the rod 110. The power cam portion 110a is a cam for sliding the click protrusion 124 and the power detection protrusion 125. In addition, a sliding rib portion 110c is formed on the upper surface of the rod 110, and when the rod 110 rotates, the sliding rib portion 110c slides on the mating surface of the bottom cover 103 mating with the locking unit 120.

[0049] The shoe locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b is a cam for sliding the protrusion 130b of the shoe locking cam base 130. In the present embodiment, although the shoe locking cam base 130 has three protrusions 130b arranged on the circumference, three shoe locking cam base sliding cam portions 110b are provided on the lower surface of the rod 110 in a manner corresponding to each protrusion 130b.

[0050] When the lever 110 rotates, the shoe locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b and the protrusion 130b of the shoe locking cam base 130 slide. Then, the shoe locking cam base 130 moves up and down (in the Y direction) according to the outline (contour) of the shoe locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b. In addition, the sliding of the shoe locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b and the protrusion 130b will be described in detail later.

[0051] As described above, the shoe upper base 128 is connected to the shoe locking cam base 130 by the step screw 129, and the shoe locking cam base 130 abuts against the protective cover 109. Therefore, according to the vertical movement of the shoe locking cam base 130, the locking pin 111, the step screw 129, and the protective cover 109 also move up and down. As a result, the accessory shoe of the camera is sandwiched between the protective cover 109 and the plate 107, and the locking pin 111 ejected from the plate 107 is fitted into the hole portion of the accessory shoe of the camera. As a result, the transmitter 100 is converted from the unlocked state to the locked state.

[0052] Next, the details of the sliding between the click protrusion 124 and the power cam portion 110a and the sliding between the power detection protrusion 125 and the power cam portion 110a will be described. When the transmitter 100 is in the unlocked state, both the click protrusion 124 and the power detection protrusion 125 are located on the bottom surface 110aa of the power cam portion 110a. Thereafter, when the rod 110 rotates in the locking direction, first, the click protrusion 124 climbs up the slope 110ab. Thereafter, the click protrusion 124 passes over the top surface 110ac and comes down from the slope 110ad, and when the click protrusion 124 reaches the bottom surface 110ae, the power detection protrusion 125 starts to climb up the slope 110ab. In addition, when the click protrusion 124 has reached the bottom surface 110ae, the transmitter 100 is switched to the locked state (power off state). In addition, when the lever 110 continues to rotate in the locking direction, the click protrusion 124 climbs up the slope 110af, passes over the top surface 110ag, descends from the slope 110ah and reaches the bottom surface 110ai to generate a click force. When the click protrusion 124 reaches the bottom surface 110ai, the power detection protrusion 125 reaches the top surface 110ac, presses the power detection rubber member 126 to perform power detection. At this time, the transmitter 100 is converted into a power-on state.

[0053] In addition, after the click protrusion 124 has reached the bottom surface 110ai, the rod 110 rotates in the unlocking direction, so that the transmitter 100 is converted from the power-on state to the power-off state (locked state) and further converted to the unlocked state. In the present embodiment, even in the case where the click protrusion 124 reaches the bottom surface 110ai, the click protrusion 124 does not contact the bottom surface 110ai. In the power cam portion 110a, since the width of the bottom surface 110ai is set small, the protrusion 124 can be sandwiched between the slope 110ah and the slope 110aj, thereby suppressing the loosening of the rod 110 in the power-on state.

[0054] In addition, the details of the sliding between the protrusion 130b of the boot locking cam base 130 and the boot locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b will be described. When the transmitter 100 is in the unlocked state, the plurality of protrusions 130b of the boot locking cam base 130 are respectively located in the recesses 110ba corresponding to the protrusions 130b of the boot locking cam base sliding cam portion 110b. Thereafter, when the rod 110 rotates in the locking direction, each protrusion 130b moves on the slope 110bb and reaches the convex portion 110bc, at which time the transmitter 100 is switched to the locked state. In addition, even in the case where the rod 110 is further rotated in the locking direction and the transmitter 100 is switched from the power-off state to the power-on state, the protrusion 130b moves only on the convex portion 110bc. At this time, since the protrusion 130b does not move in the Y direction, the boot locking cam base 130 does not move in the Y direction either.

[0055] Fig. 8A , Figure 8B and Figure 8C 1 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the lever 110 when the transmitter 100 is shifted from the unlocked state to the power-on state via the locked state (power-off state). Fig. 8A The lever 110 is shown in the unlocked position. Figure 8B The rod 110 has reached the locked position. Figure 8C The situation in which the lever 110 has reached the power-on position is shown.

[0056] When the lever 110 is in the unlocked position ( Fig. 8A ), since the locking pin 111 is housed inside the plate 107, does not pop out, and is not engaged in the hole of the accessory shoe, the transmitter 100 can be removed from the camera.

[0057] In addition, when the lever 110 is rotated 90° in the locking direction from the unlocking position, the lever 110 reaches the locking position ( Figure 8B). At this time, although the power of the transmitter 100 is in the off state, the locking pin 111 pops up and fits into the hole portion of the accessory shoe. As a result, the transmitter 100 is fixed to the accessory shoe of the camera and is switched to the locked state. In addition, even in the case where the rod 110 reaches the locked position, the power detection protrusion 125 is on the way to climb over the slope 110ab of the power cam portion 110a and has not yet reached the top surface 110ac. Therefore, the power detection is not performed, and the power of the transmitter 100 is maintained in the off state.

[0058] In addition, when the lever 110 is rotated 15° in the locking direction from the locking position, the lever 110 reaches the power-on position ( Figure 8C ). Also at this time, the locking pin 111 is fitted into the hole portion of the accessory shoe, and the locked state is maintained. On the other hand, the power detection protrusion 125 completes climbing over the slope 110ab of the power cam portion 110a, and reaches the top surface 110ac. As a result, power detection is performed, and the power of the transmitter 100 is switched to the on state. In addition, when the power is detected and the power is switched to the on state, the transmitter 100 notifies the camera that the power has been switched to the on state, and also activates the MPU 116a.

[0059] In addition, when the lever 110 is rotated 15° in the unlocking direction from the power-on position, the lever 110 reaches the locking position ( Figure 8B ). At this time, although the transmitter 100 is switched to the power-off state, the locked state is maintained. That is, by slightly rotating the lever 110 in the unlocking direction, the power-off state can be switched without removing the transmitter 100 from the camera.

[0060] In addition, when the rod 110 is rotated 90° in the unlocking direction from the locking position, the rod 110 reaches the unlocking position ( Fig. 8A ). However, as described above, when the lever 110 is in the locked position, the locking wall surface 103bc of the lock release button sliding cam portion 103b becomes an obstacle, and the button protrusion 112a does not easily return to the arc-shaped wall surface 103bb. Then, in order to make the button protrusion 112a pass over the locking wall surface 103bc, the operator needs to push the lock release button 112 so that the button protrusion 112a moves toward the rotation center. That is, there is no situation in which the lever 110 rotates from the power-on position to the unlocked position via the power-off position without stopping. This makes it possible to prevent the transmitter 100 from being accidentally detached from the camera when the power of the transmitter 100 is turned to the disconnected state. As a result, during the writing of the setting information to the EEPROM 141, the phenomenon that the transmitter 100 is detached from the camera 300 and the power ACC_POW supplied from the camera 300 is disconnected can be suppressed, and the phenomenon that the setting information is destroyed can be suppressed.

[0061] In addition, as described above, when the rod 110 has reached the power-on position, the operation of the lock release button 112 is blocked because the power supply cover 103a covers at least a portion of the lock release button 112. As a result, the following phenomenon can be prevented: the lock release button 112 is accidentally pressed at the power-on position, and then the rod 110 becomes movable from the power-on position to the unlock position.

[0062] In addition, in the transmitter 100, when the lever 110 rotates from the power-on position to the unlock position, the lever 110 always passes through the power-off position. This makes it possible to prevent the transmitter 100 from being detached from the camera while the power of the transmitter 100 remains on.

[0063] Fig. 9 It is shown Figure 1A and Figure 1B The transmitter 100 and the block diagram of the electrical structure of the camera are shown in FIG. Fig. 9 As shown, the camera 300 has a camera MPU 301, an accessory power supply unit 302, an accessory shoe 303, and a pull-up resistor element 304. The transmitter 100 is attached to the accessory shoe 303 through the contact plug 108, and the camera 300 supplies power to the transmitter 100 from the accessory power supply unit 302. The camera MPU 301 controls each constituent element of the camera 300. The signal / ACC_DET, which is an accessory installation notification signal transmitted from the transmitter 100 to the camera 300, is pulled up by the pull-up resistor element 304 and becomes a high level when the transmission line of the transmission signal / ACC_DET is disconnected from the ground (GND). When the transmission line is grounded and the signal / ACC_DET is pulled down and becomes a low level, the camera MPU 301 detects that an accessory such as the transmitter 100 is attached. In response to detecting that the signal / ACC_DET becomes a low level, the accessory power supply unit 302 supplies the accessory power ACC_POW to the transmitter 100.

[0064] The transmitter 100 has an MPU 116a, a power supply unit 140 (power receiving unit), an EEPROM 141, and an installation notification holding unit 142. The MPU 116a controls each constituent element of the transmitter 100. In addition, the MPU 116a transmits and receives various types of information to and from the camera MPU 301 via the contact plug 108 and the accessory shoe 303. The power supply unit 140 generates power to be supplied to each constituent element of the transmitter 100 from the power supply ACC_POW supplied from the camera 300. The EEPROM 141 stores various setting values ​​for controlling the transmitter 100 and setting information transmitted from the camera 300.

[0065] The installation notification holding unit 142 is configured with a diode 143, a diode 144, a switch element 145, and a pull-up resistor element 146. As described later, the installation notification holding unit 142 has a function of holding the state (level) of the signal / ACC_DET to be sent to the camera 300 for a predetermined period of time. In addition, the configuration of the installation notification holding unit 142 is not limited to Fig. 9 The structure shown in the figure can be used as long as the function of maintaining the state of the signal / ACC_DET can be achieved. The diode 144 is a rectifying diode that prevents current from flowing from the camera 300 to the MPU 116a when the accessory power supply ACC_POW is turned off. When the accessory installation notification signal EN_ / ACC_DET used in the transmitter 100 reaches a high level, the switch element 145 is turned on. When the switch element 145 is turned on, the transmission line of the signal / ACC_DET sent to the camera 300 is grounded, and the signal / ACC_DET is pulled down and becomes a low level.

[0066] The switch 147 (state detection unit, lock detection unit) is a schematic diagram of a power switch, which is switched in response to the operator's use state of the transmitter 100 and is configured with the boot FPC 118, the power detection protrusion 125, and the power detection rubber member 126. In the case where the switch 147 is turned off, the power switch signal / SW_DET is brought to a high level by the pull-up resistor element 146. The MPU 116a detects that the switch 147 is turned off based on the fact that the power switch signal / SW_DET becomes a high level, and converts the transmitter 100 to a power off state. On the other hand, in the case where the switch 147 is turned on, the power switch signal / SW_DET becomes a low level, the MPU 116a detects that the switch 147 is turned on, and converts the transmitter 100 to a power on state.

[0067] In the transmitter 100, if the power ACC_POW is disconnected during the period when the setting information transmitted from the camera 300 is being written from the MPU 116a to the EEPROM 141 (that is, if the power ACC_POW is no longer supplied), there is a risk that the setting information will be destroyed. In addition, even in the case where the write operation of the MPU 116a has been completed, in some cases, the write operation inside the EEPROM 141 has not been completed. In this case, when the power ACC_POW is disconnected during the write operation inside the EEPROM 141, there is also a risk that the setting information will be destroyed. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, even in the case where the transmitter 100 is switched from the power-on state to the power-off state, the power ACC_POW can be prevented from being immediately disconnected.

[0068] Fig. 10A is a sequence diagram showing the operation of each constituent element when the transmitter 100 is switched to the power-on state, Fig. 10Bis a sequence diagram showing the operation of each constituent element when the transmitter 100 shifts to the power-off state. Fig. 10A shows the situation where the transmitter 100 is switched to the power-on state, Fig. 10B A situation in which the transmitter 100 is transitioned to a power-off state is shown.

[0069] First, the operation of each constituent element when the transmitter 100 is attached to the camera 300 and switched to the power-on state will be described. After the transmitter 100 is attached to the camera 300, when the lever 110 is rotated from the locked position (power-off position) to the power-on position, the switch 147 is turned on, and the signal / ACC_DET changes from a high level (H) to a low level (L). When the signal / ACC_DET changes to a low level, the camera MPU 301 detects that the transmitter 100 has been attached to the camera 300, and controls the accessory power supply unit 302 to supply the accessory power ACC_POW to the transmitter 100. In addition, when the power ACC_POW is supplied, the MPU 116a of the transmitter 100 is activated to start normal operation. At this time, the MPU 116a changes the signal EN_ / ACC_DET from a low level (L) to a high level (H), and turns on the switch element 145.

[0070] In normal operation, communication with the camera 300 is performed, and in the present embodiment, since communication with the camera 300 is performed in a state where the transmitter 100 is fixed to the accessory shoe 303 of the camera 300, poor contact is less likely to occur in the contact plug 108. As a result, the occurrence of communication signal chattering due to poor contact can be reduced, and poor communication can be avoided.

[0071] Next, the operation of each structural element when the transmitter 100 is switched from the power-on state to the power-off state while the transmitter 100 is still attached to the camera 300 will be described. When the rod 110 is rotated from the power-on position to the power-off position (locked position), the switch 147 is disconnected. However, even in the case where the switch 147 is disconnected, since the signal EN_ / ACC_DET is not affected, the signal EN_ / ACC_DET maintains a high level and the switch element 145 also remains in the on state. Therefore, the signal / ACC_DET is continued to be pulled down, maintaining a low level. As a result, the camera MPU 301 continues to detect the attachment of the transmitter 100 and maintains the supply of the accessory power ACC_POW to the transmitter 100.

[0072] On the other hand, since the switch 147 is turned off, although the power switch signal / SW_DET reaches a high level by the pull-up resistor element 146, the diode 143 blocks the current from flowing from the power switch signal / SW_DET side to the signal / ACC_DET side. Therefore, even if the signal / ACC_DET is at a low level, the power switch signal / SW_DET remains at a high level.

[0073] That is, in the present embodiment, the MPU 116a detects that the switch 147 is turned off while the camera MPU 301 continues to detect the attachment of the transmitter 100. When the MPU 116a detects that the switch 147 is turned off, the MPU 116a performs the termination processing of the transmitter 100. The termination processing performed here corresponds to, for example, stopping wireless control, turning off the LED, and writing setting information to the EEPROM 141.

[0074] Afterwards, when the termination process is completed, the MPU 116a changes the signal EN_ / ACC_DET to a low level and turns off the switch element 145. At this time, the signal / ACC_DET is no longer pulled down, but is pulled up by the pull-up resistor element 304 and changes to a high level, and the signal / ACC_DET is disabled as an accessory installation notification signal. Upon detecting that the signal / ACC_DET changes to a high level, the camera MPU 301 determines that the transmitter 100 has been disassembled or the transmitter 100 has been switched to a power-off state. Then, the camera MPU 301 controls the accessory power supply unit 302 to stop supplying the accessory power ACC_POW to the transmitter 100.

[0075] According to the transmitter 100, even in the case where the lever 110 is rotated from the power-on position to the power-off position, the accessory installation notification signal / ACC_DET does not immediately change to a high level, and maintains a low level until the termination process of the transmitter 100 is completed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the power ACC_POW supplied from the camera 300 from being disconnected during writing of the setting information to the EEPROM 141, and thus it is possible to prevent the setting information from being destroyed.

[0076] In addition, the structure for suppressing the rod 110 from rotating to the unlocked position without stopping is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, the following method can also be considered: by adjusting the height of the rod 110, the protrusion amount of the lock release button 112, the spring force of the lock release spring 127, etc., the button protrusion 112a is difficult to be grasped by the operator's fingers at the power-on position or the power-off position. However, since the present embodiment suppresses the rod 110 from rotating to the unlocked position without stopping only by setting the power supply cover 103a, the present embodiment can realize the structure for suppressing the rod 110 from rotating to the unlocked position without stopping at a low cost compared to the above-mentioned complex method. In addition, since the structure of the present embodiment is simple, the reliability can also be improved.

[0077] In addition, in the present embodiment, a construction has been described in which switching between the power-on state and the power-off state and switching between the locked state and the unlocked state is performed only by the lever 110 as an operating unit. However, if the power supply from the camera 300 is not stopped until the termination processing of the transmitter 100 is completed, switching between the power-on state and the power-off state and switching between the locked state and the unlocked state can be achieved by corresponding operating elements. In addition, the switch 147 can be composed of an independent power switch. In addition, the switch 147 can be a component that detects the state of the pop-up locking pin 111 (that is, detects that the transmitter 100 is locked on the accessory shoe 303). In addition, when the transition to the power-on state and the transition to the locked state are detected, the first execution can be performed. Fig. 10A sequence shown.

[0078] In addition, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the switching between the locked state and the unlocked state of the accessory device and the switching between the power-on state and the power-off state are linked has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which the switching between the power-on state and the power-off state is linked to the operation of the operator who wants to use the accessory device.

[0079] Next, an accessory device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The configuration, operation, and effects of the second embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that when the power-off state is switched to the power-on state, the lock release button 112 moves toward the rotation center of the rod 110. Therefore, the description of the repeated configuration, operation, and effects will be omitted, and the different configurations, operations, and effects will be described below.

[0080] Fig.11 2 is a view showing the appearance of a transmitter 200 as an accessory device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12A and Fig. 12BIt is a view for explaining the lock release button slide cam portion formed on the bottom cover in the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12A The lock release button slide cam portion 203b of the second embodiment is shown. Fig. 12B The lock release button slide cam portion 103 b of the first embodiment is shown. Fig.13A , Fig. 13B , Fig. 13C and Fig.13D 1 is a view for explaining the movement of the lock release button 112 when shifting from the power-off state to the power-on state. Fig.13A The lock release button 112 of the second embodiment is shown in a power-off state. Fig. 13B The lock release button 112 of the first embodiment is shown in the power-off state. Fig. 13C The lock release button 112 of the second embodiment is shown in the power-on state. Fig.13D The lock release button 112 of the first embodiment is shown in a power-on state.

[0081] In the transmitter 200, the bottom cover 203 has a lock release button sliding cam portion 203b. As in the first embodiment, when the lever 110 is rotated in the locking direction to the power-on position, the power supply cover portion 203a covers at least a portion of the lock release button 112 and hides the lock release button 112 from the operator's fingers or the like.

[0082] The lock release button sliding cam portion 203b is a cam structure that slides with the button protrusion 112a of the lock release button 112 when the lever 110 rotates. Fig. 12A , the movement of the lock release button 112 (button protrusion 112a) restricted by the lock release button sliding cam portion 203b when the lever 110 rotates will be described. In addition, with respect to the locking direction, the lock release button sliding cam portion 203b is sequentially formed with a cam slope 203ba that slides with the button protrusion 112a, an arcuate wall surface 203bb, a locking wall surface 203bc and a wall surface 203bd, a cam slope 203be, and an arcuate wall surface 203bf.

[0083] First, when the lever 110 is operated to start rotating from the unlocked position to the locked position, the button protrusion 112a slides on the cam slope 203ba, and a click feeling is generated when the button protrusion 112a moves toward the rotation center and passes over the cam slope 203ba. Next, as the lever 110 rotates toward the locked position, the button protrusion 112a slides while being pressed against the arcuate wall surface 203bb by the lock release spring 127.

[0084] After that, when the button protrusion 112a passes over the locking wall 203bc formed corresponding to the locking position, the button protrusion 112a is pressed against the wall 203bd by the lock release spring 127. At this time, the transmitter 200 is switched to the locked state. Since the wall 203bd is formed outside the arcuate wall 203bb with respect to the force direction of the lock release spring 127, the locking wall 203bc becomes an obstacle, and the button protrusion 112a pressed against the wall 203bd is not easy to return to the arcuate wall 203bb. The movement of the button protrusion 112a from the cam slope 203ba to the wall 203bd is the same as the movement of the button protrusion 112a from the cam slope 103ba to the wall 103bd of the first embodiment.

[0085] In addition, as the lever 110 rotates toward the locking direction, the button protrusion 112a slides on the cam slope 203be, and the button protrusion 112a moves toward the rotation center and passes over the cam slope 203be. Next, as the lever 110 rotates toward the power-on position, the button protrusion 112a slides while being pressed against the arcuate wall surface 203bf by the lock release spring 127.

[0086] That is, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, when the rod 110 rotates from the power-off position to the power-on position, the lock release button 112 moves toward the rotation center. Therefore, compared with the first embodiment, at the power-on position, the lock release button 112 is closer to the rotation center. Then, when the rod 110 has reached the power-on position, at least a portion of the lock release button 112 is covered by the power supply cover 203a.

[0087] As described above, the lock release button 112 is closer to the rotation center at the power-on position than in the first embodiment. Fig. 13B and Fig.13D ) can be formed to cover the lock release button 112 closer to the rotation center. Fig.13A and Fig. 13C As a result, the amount of depression La of the lock release button 112 relative to the power supply cover 203a at the power off position can be reduced ( Fig.13A Specifically, the depression amount La can be made smaller than the depression amount Lb ( Lb ) of the lock release button 112 relative to the power supply cover 103a at the power off position of the first embodiment. Fig. 13B ). As a result, when the lock release button 112 is pressed toward the arrow direction in the figure to release the lock of the lever 110 at the power off position, the operator's finger can easily reach the lock release button 112 compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, the operability of the lock release button 112 can be improved.

[0088] In addition, as described above, since the power supply cover portion 203a can be formed close to the rotation center, the protrusion amount of the power supply cover portion 203a from the wall portion 203f provided on the bottom cover 203 can be reduced, and the appearance can be improved.

[0089] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0090] For example, the accessory device to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the transmitter, and may be a flash device, a microphone, an adapter, etc. powered from the camera 300. In addition, the device to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the accessory device. For example, the present invention may be applied to any other electronic device that is attached to an electronic device having a power source and receives power from the one electronic device.

[0091] In addition, the transmitter 100 to which the present invention is applied allows the camera 300 to continue to supply the accessory power ACC_POW until the termination process is completed by maintaining the accessory installation notification signal / ACC_DET at a low level. However, once the transmitter 100 has been switched to the power off state, the signal / ACC_DET may change to a high level. In this case, the camera 300 may be configured to supply the power ACC_POW during a time period corresponding to a time period from when the signal / ACC_DET changes to a high level to when the termination process is completed.

[0092] In addition, in order to prevent the operator from moving the lever 110 to the unlocked position before the termination process of the transmitter 100 is completed, the operator may be alerted. For example, before the termination process of the transmitter 100 is completed, the display unit (not shown) of the transmitter 100 may display a warning or the buzzer 113 may sound a warning.

[0093] In addition, in the locking unit 120 of the above-mentioned transmitter 100, although the locking position of the lever 110 and the power-off position of the lever 110 are consistent, the locking position and the power-off position do not necessarily have to be consistent. For example, when the lever 110 is rotated in the unlocking direction, the power-on position, the power-off position, the locking position, and the unlocking position can be set in sequence.

[0094] In addition, in the above-described transmitter 100 , although the rod 110 does not move in the Y direction (vertical direction), it may be configured to move the rod 110 in the Y direction in the middle of the rotation of the rod 110 . Fig.14A , Fig. 14B , Fig. 14C and Fig.14D1 is a process diagram for explaining an unlocking operation in a locking unit 400 that moves the rod 110 in the Y direction in the middle of the rotation of the rod 110. Here, the locking unit 400 is substantially cylindrical, and has a rod 402 that moves in the circumferential direction on the side surface, and a guide groove 401 that guides the rod 402. The guide groove 401 is formed along the circumference of the locking unit 400, and is bent in the Y direction (vertical direction) at one position of the guide groove 401. A power-on position, a power-off position, a locking position, and an unlocking position are set in the guide groove 401 along the circumferential direction, and the power-off position and the locking position are respectively set at the lower end and the upper end of the guide groove 401 that is bent in the Y direction.

[0095] The case where the lever 110 is rotated from the power-on position to the unlocking position in the locking unit 400 will be described. First, when the lever 110 is rotated from the power-on position ( Fig.14A ) reaches the power disconnect position ( Fig. 14B ), since the guide groove 401 is bent in the Y direction, the rod 110 temporarily stops. Next, when the rod 110 moves in the Y direction to reach the locking position ( Fig. 14C ), the rod 110 can be rotated again. Thereafter, the rod 110 is rotated to reach the unlocking position.

[0096] In this case as well, since the lever 110 temporarily stops at the power-off position, the lever 110 does not rotate from the power-on position to the unlock position via the power-off position without stopping. This makes it possible to prevent the transmitter 100 from being accidentally detached from the camera when the power of the transmitter 100 is turned off.

[0097] Furthermore, locking the accessory device and energizing the accessory device may also be performed by using a separate operating member. In this case, when the accessory device is energized by using the power switch in a state where the lever for locking is moved to the locked position, the restriction member that prevents the lock release button 112 from being pressed moves to make it difficult to release the lock of the accessory device. In addition, when the accessory device is powered off by using the power switch, the restriction member may be moved to easily release the lock of the accessory device. The movement of the restriction member may be mechanically linked in response to the state of the power switch, or may be electrically controlled by the MPU by detecting the state of the power switch. In addition, the method of preventing the lock release button 112 from being pressed by the restriction member is not particularly limited, and for example, the restriction member may be moved to the front of the lock release button 112, and for example, by covering the lock release button 112 with the restriction member, it may be difficult for the user to press the lock release button 112. Alternatively, for example, by engaging the restriction member with the lock release button 112, the restriction member is moved to a position that restricts the movement of the lock release button 112, and even in the case where the user presses the lock release button 112, the lock release button 112 is unlikely to move. In addition, the accessory device can be attached to or detached from the camera apparatus. In addition, the accessory device works during shooting of the camera apparatus.

[0098] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0099] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-195525 filed on November 25, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An accessory device capable of being attached to or detached from an electronic device, comprising: operating components; a locking mechanism configured to perform a locking operation of locking the accessory device and the electronic device in response to a rotation operation of the operating member in a predetermined direction; a movement restriction release mechanism configured to release restriction on rotational movement of the operating member in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction; and an operation restricting member configured to restrict a pressing operation of the movement restricting release mechanism by covering at least a portion of the movement restricting release mechanism with a cover portion, It is characterized in that when the power of the accessory device is in the on state, the cover portion of the operation limiting member makes it difficult to perform a pressing operation of the movement limiting release mechanism by covering at least a portion of the movement limiting release mechanism compared to when the power of the accessory device is in the off state.

2. The accessory device according to claim 1, wherein: The switching between the power-on state and the power-off state and the locking operation of the locking mechanism can be performed by the rotation operation of the operating member.

3. The accessory device according to claim 1, wherein: When the operation member is rotationally operated in a predetermined direction, the lock mechanism switches from a power-off state to a power-on state after the lock operation is performed.

4. The accessory device according to claim 3, wherein: When the operating member is rotationally operated in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction in the power-on state, the lock mechanism performs an unlocking operation to detach the accessory device from the electronic device after switching from the power-on state to the power-off state.

5. The accessory device according to claim 1, wherein: The accessory device is attachable to and detachable from the imaging apparatus.

6. The accessory device according to claim 5, wherein: The accessory device operates during shooting of the camera apparatus.

7. An accessory device capable of being attached to or detached from an electronic device, comprising: A mounting portion, which is mounted on the electronic device; a state detection unit configured to detect a use state of the accessory device by an operator; a power receiving unit configured to receive power supply from the electronic device; and an installation notification unit configured to notify the electronic device of an installation notification when detecting that the operator uses the accessory device, The invention is characterized in that when the installation notification unit detects that the operator is not using the accessory device, the installation notification unit maintains notification of the installation notification to the electronic device for a predetermined period of time and then disables notification of the installation notification.

8. The accessory device of claim 7, wherein: The state detection unit includes at least one of a switching portion and a locking detection unit, wherein the switching portion is used to switch between a power-on state of the accessory device and a power-off state of the accessory device, and the locking detection unit is configured to detect whether the mounting portion is locked so that the mounting portion cannot be removed from the electronic device.

9. The accessory device of claim 7, wherein: The accessory device also includes: a controller configured to control each constituent element, When the installation notification unit detects that the operator is not using the accessory device, the installation notification unit maintains notification of the installation notification of the electronic device for a predetermined period of time and notifies the controller that the accessory device is not in use, and The controller performs a termination process of the accessory device when notifying that the accessory device is not in use, and when the termination process is completed, the controller controls the installation notification unit so as to disable notification of the installation notification.

10. The accessory device of claim 7, wherein: The accessory device is attachable to and detachable from the imaging apparatus.

11. The accessory device of claim 10, wherein: The accessory device operates during shooting of the camera apparatus.

Images