Shoe device, accessory, accessory shoe device, and electronic apparatus

Abstract

To ensure, in a compact shoe device, an area to provide a shape for holding and protecting a number of connection terminals, and an area to perform alignment between components.SOLUTION: A shoe device 206 is removably attached to an accessory shoe device included in an electronic apparatus, and has: a plurality of connection terminals 275 that are arranged side by side in a second direction (X) orthogonal to a first direction (Z) being an attachment direction to the accessory shoe device; and a connection part 256 that has projections 256a projecting in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions at positions on both outsides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction. In the projection part, a first surface on a side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction has a smaller width in the second direction than a second surface 256b on the opposite side of the first surface in the second direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe device provided on an accessory to make the accessory detachable from an electronic device and an accessory shoe device provided on the electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] An imaging device (electronic device) such as a digital camera is provided with an accessory shoe device to which a shoe device of an accessory such as an illumination device (flash unit) is detachably attached. The accessory shoe device is provided with an engaging member that engages with and holds the shoe device, and connection terminals for enabling bidirectional communication between the imaging device and the accessory are provided on each of the accessory shoe device and the shoe device. Conventionally, the number of connection terminals is often five. On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic viewfinder having a detachable shoe device for an accessory shoe device of an imaging device. The accessory shoe device and the shoe device increase the number of connection terminals within the shape of the engaging member while maintaining compatibility with the conventional five connection terminals (communication pins).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a shoe device having a large number of connection terminals as disclosed in Patent Document 1, if priority is given to securing the area required for the arrangement of those connection terminals, the area for providing a shape for protecting those communication terminals and the area for positioning between components are limited.

[0005] The present invention provides a small-sized shoe device and an accessory shoe device capable of securing a region for providing a large number of connection terminals and a shape for protecting them, and a region for positioning between components.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A shoe device as one aspect of the present invention is a shoe device detachable from an accessory shoe device provided in an electronic device, including a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction which is a mounting direction with respect to the accessory shoe device, and a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction. The protrusions are characterized in that when an external force in the second direction is applied to a surface on the opposite side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, the external force is divided into a first component force in the third direction and toward the connection terminals and a second component force in the direction opposite to the third direction and toward the connection terminals. Note that an accessory including the above shoe device also constitutes another aspect of the present invention.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, in a small-sized shoe device and an accessory shoe device, it is possible to secure a larger number of connection terminals than before, a region for providing a shape for protecting them, and a region for positioning between components.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a digital camera (imaging device), which is an example of an electronic device equipped with an accessory shoe device, and an external flash unit (lighting device), which is an example of an accessory equipped with a shoe device detachable from the accessory shoe device of the digital camera, will be described for an imaging system. Note that accessories equipped with a shoe device include various accessories such as an electronic viewfinder unit, a microphone for video imaging, a conversion adapter, various measuring instruments, a sub-camera, etc., not limited to the flash unit. Also, electronic devices equipped with an accessory shoe device include various electronic devices other than the imaging device.

Examples

[0010] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital camera (hereinafter simply referred to as a camera) 100. The camera 100 includes a camera MPU 101 which is a microcomputer, an imaging optical system 122, a timing signal generation circuit 102, an imaging device 103, an A / D converter 104, a memory controller 105, and a buffer memory 106. The camera 100 also includes an image display unit 107, a storage medium I / F 108, a motor control unit 110, a shutter control unit 111, a photometry unit 112, a multi-segment photometry sensor 113, a lens control unit 114, a focus detection unit 115, an attitude detection unit 116, and a switch operation unit 117. Further, the camera 100 includes a flash control unit 118, a built-in flash 119, a camera LED auxiliary light unit 121, and an accessory shoe device (hereinafter simply referred to as an accessory shoe) 123. An external flash unit 120 as an accessory is attached to the accessory shoe 123. Also, a storage medium 109 such as a semiconductor memory can be attached to and detached from the camera 100.

[0011] The camera MPU 101 controls the imaging sequence of the camera 100 and the entire imaging system. The imaging optical system 122 includes a plurality of lens groups such as a zoom lens and a focus lens, a diaphragm, a shutter, etc., and forms an optical image (subject image) of light from the subject field on the imaging device 103. The imaging device 103 is an image sensor such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor that captures (photoelectrically converts) the optical image. The timing signal generation circuit 102 generates the timing signals necessary to operate the imaging device 103.

[0012] The A / D converter 104 converts the analog signal read from the imaging device 103 into a digital signal (image data). The memory controller 105 controls the reading and writing of a memory (not shown) and the refresh operation of the buffer memory 106, etc. The buffer memory 106 temporarily stores the image data output from the A / D converter 104 and the display image data for displaying an image on the image display unit 107. The image display unit 107 has a display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel, and displays the image data stored in the buffer memory 106.

[0013] The memory medium I / F 108 is an interface that enables communication between the mounted memory medium 109 and the camera MPU 101. Note that other memory media such as a hard disk or an optical disk may be built into the camera 100.

[0014] The motor control unit 110 controls a motor (not shown) according to a signal from the camera MPU 101 to perform up / down movement of a mirror (not shown) and charging of a shutter (not shown). The shutter control unit 111 runs the front curtain and the rear curtain of the shutter according to a signal from the camera MPU 101 to control the exposure of the imaging device 103. The multi-segment photometry sensor 113 measures the luminance of each area divided into a plurality within the imaging screen. The photometry unit 112 outputs a luminance signal indicating the luminance of each area to the camera MPU 101.

[0015] Based on the luminance signal acquired from the photometry unit 112, the camera MPU 101 calculates the AV (aperture value), TV (shutter speed), ISO (sensitivity of the imaging device 103), etc. for exposure adjustment. Further, the photometry unit 112 outputs a luminance signal when the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 performs pre-flash (pre-emission) toward the subject to the camera MPU 101, and calculates the emission amount (main emission amount) of the external flash unit 120 at the time of this imaging.

[0016] The lens control unit 114 communicates with the camera MPU 101 via a mount contact (not shown), and controls the focus and the aperture value of the imaging optical system 122 through control of a lens drive motor and an aperture drive motor (not shown). The focus detection unit 115 detects the defocus amount of the imaging optical system 122 using a focus detection method such as a phase difference detection method. The camera MPU 101 calculates the drive amount of the focus lens based on the detected defocus amount, and performs auto focus (AF) by controlling the lens drive motor through the lens control unit 114.

[0017] The posture detection unit 116 detects the inclination of the camera 100 in the rotational direction about the optical axis of the imaging optical system 122. The switch operation unit 117 has a first switch (SW1) that turns on with the first stroke operation (half press) of a release button (not shown) and a second switch (SW2) that turns on with the second stroke operation (full press) of the release button, and outputs ON signals from each to the camera MPU 101. The camera MPU 101 starts imaging preparation operations such as AF and photometry in response to the ON signal from SW1, and starts an imaging (exposure) operation in response to the ON signal from SW2. Note that the switch operation unit 117 also outputs a signal corresponding to the operation of other operation members (not shown) other than SW1 and SW2 to the camera MPU 101.

[0018] The flash control unit 118 controls the light emission (pre-flash, main flash, auxiliary light emission, etc.) of the built-in flash 119 and the external flash unit 120 attached to the accessory shoe 123 according to an instruction from the camera MPU 101. Further, when the flash control unit 118 detects that the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123, it starts power supply to the external flash unit 120 via the accessory shoe 123. The detailed configuration of the accessory shoe 123 will be described later.

[0019] The camera LED auxiliary light unit 121 irradiates the object field with near-infrared light (LED auxiliary light) of a predetermined pattern used as auxiliary light for focus detection by the focus detection unit 115. The camera MPU 101 controls the light emission of auxiliary light by the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 for focus detection based on the luminance signal from the photometry unit 112. Specifically, the camera MPU 101 instructs the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 to emit auxiliary light via the flash control unit 118. Further, the camera MPU 101 can also instruct the camera LED auxiliary light unit 121 or the LED auxiliary light unit 207 of the external flash unit 120 shown in FIG. 2 to emit LED auxiliary light via the flash control unit 118.

[0020] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the external flash unit 120. The external flash unit 120 includes a main body portion 200, a bounce mechanism portion 201, and a head portion 202. The main body portion 200 has an external flash MPU 203, a main capacitor 209, various operation portions 205 including a power switch, a display portion 208, an LED auxiliary light portion 207, and a camera connection portion 206.

[0021] The external flash MPU 203 is mounted on a main board (not shown) and controls all operations including the light emission control sequence of the external flash unit 120. The camera connection portion 206 is a shoe device that makes a mechanical and electrical connection of the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. The camera MPU 101 and the external flash MPU 203 communicate via the flash control portion 118, the accessory shoe 123, and the camera connection portion 206. Details of the configuration of the camera connection portion 206 will be described later.

[0022] Similar to the camera LED auxiliary light portion 121, the LED auxiliary light portion 207 irradiates the object field with LED auxiliary light such as near-infrared light having a predetermined pattern as auxiliary light at the time of focus detection by the focus detection portion 115 by the camera MPU 101. The bounce mechanism portion 201 is a mechanism for rotating the head portion 202 in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the main body portion 200 to change the light emission direction of the illumination light (flash) from the head portion 202. By using the bounce mechanism portion 201, the subject can be indirectly illuminated and imaging (bounce imaging) can be performed. The head portion 202 has a light emitting portion 204 that emits a flash. The light emitting portion 204 has a light source such as a discharge lamp (xenon tube or the like) or an LED, a reflector umbrella, a Fresnel lens, and a light emission circuit. The light emission circuit causes the light source to emit a flash according to a signal from the external flash MPU 203.

[0023] Figure 3(a) shows the camera 100 viewed from the obliquely rear side. Figure 3(b) shows a method of mounting the external flash unit 120 on the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. Figure 3(c) shows a state in which the external flash unit 120 is mounted on the camera 100 as viewed from the obliquely rear side.

[0024] The imaging optical system 122 shown in FIG. 1 is provided on the front side (object field side) of the camera 100, and the image display unit 107 is provided on the back side of the camera 100. A top cover 150 as an exterior member is provided on the upper surface portion of the camera 100, and an accessory socket 123 is disposed with respect to the top cover 150. On the other hand, in the external flash unit 120, the camera connection portion 206 is provided at the bottom of the external flash unit 120.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3(b), the external flash unit 120 is slid parallel to the front side in the Z direction (mounting side in the first direction) with respect to the camera 100 to engage the camera connection portion 206 and the accessory socket 123. Thereby, the external flash unit 120 can be mounted on the camera 100. The front side in the Z direction is the direction from the back side to the front side of the camera 100, that is, the direction from the image display unit 107 side to the imaging optical system 122 side. Note that the X direction (second direction), Y direction (third direction), and Z direction (front-rear direction) shown in the drawings after FIG. 4 are common. The X direction is a direction orthogonal to the Z direction in the horizontal plane when the Z direction is parallel to the horizontal direction, and is the width direction of the camera 100. The Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the Z direction and the X direction, and is the height direction of the camera 100.

[0026] Next, the accessory socket 123 of the camera 100 will be described in detail. FIG. 4(a) shows the accessory socket 123 disassembled from the top cover 150. FIG. 4(b) shows the assembled accessory socket 123. The assembling direction of the accessory socket 123 with respect to the top cover 150 is the Y direction.

[0027] The accessory shoe 123 has an engagement member 151, a connection terminal connector 152, a shoe stage 153, and an accessory shoe spring 154. The engagement member 151 is a member for holding the external flash unit 120 by engaging with the external flash unit 120. The connection terminal connector 152 includes a plurality of connection terminals 152a arranged at equal pitches in the X direction on a connector base member 152e as a holding member formed of a resin material or the like and held by the connector base member 152e. In the connection terminal connector 152, the connection terminals 152a are arranged in the front in the Z direction (the front side of the camera 100), which is the mounting direction of the external flash unit 120 as shown in FIG. 4(b). An engagement hole portion 156 that engages with the lock pin 252 of the external flash unit 120 shown in FIG. 6(a) is provided behind the connection terminal connector 152 in the Z direction (the back side of the digital camera 100).

[0028] In a state where the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123, the connection terminals 152a are electrically connected to the external flash unit 120. Further, each of the plurality of connection terminals 152a is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit board 158 disposed on the lower side of the top cover 150 in the Y direction. The flexible printed circuit board 158 is connected to a main board (not shown) of the camera 100. Therefore, when the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123, communication between the external flash unit 120 and the camera 100 becomes possible.

[0029] The shoe stage 153 is a housing member that surrounds the engagement member 151 and the connection terminal connector 152. The accessory shoe holding member 155 is a structural housing that holds the engagement member 151. As shown in Fig. 4(a), the accessory shoe holding member 155, the flexible printed circuit board 158, the top cover 150, the shoe stage 153, and the connection terminal connector 152 are fastened to the engagement member 151 by four screws 157 that pass through them. As a result, these members are positioned and fixed relative to each other. By arranging the four screws 157 one by one in four regions equally divided in the X direction and the Z direction, the above members can be joined in a well-balanced manner.

[0030] Fig. 5(a) shows the structure of the upper surface side of the engagement member 151, and Fig. 5(b) shows the structure of the lower surface side of the engagement member 151. Fig. 5(c) shows the structure of the upper surface side of the connection terminal connector 152. Fig. 11 shows the accessory shoe 123 as viewed from the insertion direction of the external flash unit 120.

[0031] The engagement member 151 is formed by bending a metal plate into a loop shape such that the end faces of the bent both ends face and contact each other at the joint 151a. The engagement member 151 has a pair of engagement portions 151b and a connecting portion 151c that connects the pair of engagement portions 151b to each other. In the engagement member 151, a pair of first screw hole portions 151d used for fastening the screw 157 and a pair of second screw hole portions 151e are formed. Further, an engagement hole portion 156 that engages with the lock pin 252 of the external flash unit 120 is formed in the engagement member 151.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 11, a pair of engaging portions 151b are separated from each other by a first width (hereinafter referred to as an engaging portion interval) 151aa in the X direction. A holding member 254 of an external flash unit 120, which will be described later and is shown in FIG. 6(b), is inserted within the engaging portion interval 151aa. A pair of first screw hole portions 151d are provided at a predetermined interval in the X direction, and function as a pair of first fastening hole portions that are separated from each other in the X direction on the rear side (back side) in the Z direction. A pair of second screw hole portions 151e are provided at a predetermined interval in the X direction, and function as a pair of second fastening hole portions that are separated from each other in the X direction on the front side in the Z direction. An engaging hole portion 156 is formed at a position where it can engage with a lock pin 252 of the external flash unit 120 in a region sandwiched between the pair of first screw hole portions 151d.

[0033] In the connection terminal connector 152, as shown in FIGS. 4(b) and 5(c), a plurality of connection terminals 152a are exposed. In the pitch direction (X direction) in which the plurality of connection terminals 152a are arranged, the position of the camera connection portion 206 is determined by the engaging portion interval 151aa of the engaging member 151. Therefore, the holding member 254 of the external flash unit 120 is positioned with respect to the connection terminal connector 152 by the engaging member 151.

[0034] Further, on both sides of the plurality of connection terminals 152a in the X direction on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152 (connector base member 152e), as shown in FIG. 11, when the external flash unit 120 is mounted, there are a contact surface 152b that contacts the accessory shoe 123 in the Z direction to position it, and a groove portion 152c into which the accessory shoe 123 is inserted. Each groove portion 152c is formed so as to extend forward in the Z direction (mounting side) from the contact surface 152b, and is provided with an inclined surface portion 152d formed so as to face inward and obliquely upward (having an inclination with respect to the X direction). Note that the portion above the inclined surface portion 152d in the groove portion 152c extends outward in the X direction from the position of the upper end of the inclined surface portion 152d. This is to prevent a depression (sink mark) from occurring in the inclined surface portion 152d during resin molding when the inclined surface portion 152d is formed up to the upper end of the groove portion 152c.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 11, the outermost inner surface 152ccc of the groove portion 152c in the connector base member 152e of the accessory shoe 123 in the X direction is provided outside the inner end surfaces (engagement portion interval 151aa) of the pair of engagement portions 151b of the engagement member 151 and inside the outermost inner surface 151bb of the engagement member 151.

[0036] The slope start position 152cc, which is the end (lower end) of the inclined surface portion 152d on the bottom surface side of the groove portion 152c, is provided inside the engagement portion interval 151aa. Thereby, it is possible to secure a region for providing the contact surface 152b that contacts the contact portion 251b (described later) of the camera connection portion 206 to perform positioning in the Z direction. Further, by providing a slope shape starting from the slope start position 152cc, the space into which the shoe device (camera connection portion 206 described later) of the external flash unit 120 is inserted can be expanded, and the degree of freedom in the shape of the shoe device can also be ensured. As a result, a shape that sufficiently protects the connection terminals of the shoe device of the external flash unit 120 can be formed.

[0037] Next, the external flash unit 120 will be described. FIG. 6(a) shows the external flash unit 120 as viewed from the camera connection portion 206 side (lower side in the Y direction). FIG. 6(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 6(a) and shows the internal structure of the camera connection portion 206. FIG. 7(a) shows the camera connection portion 206. However, the illustration of the base portion 250 and the lock lever 253, which will be described later, is omitted. FIG. 7(b) shows the camera connection portion 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0038] The camera connection portion 206 is provided on the lower side in the Y direction (upper side in FIG. 6(a)) of the base portion 250 of the external flash unit 120 as shown in FIG. 6(b) when mounted on the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. The camera connection portion 206 includes a shoe mounting leg (engagement member, shoe plate) 251, a lock pin 252, a lock lever 253, a holding member 254, a connection plug 256, and a Y-direction holding member 258.

[0039] The shoe mounting leg 251 is an engagement member that engages and holds the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. That is, the shoe mounting leg 251 is an engagement member on the side of the external flash unit 120 that is detachable from the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0040] A large stress caused by pressure for maintaining the mounted state and an external force (such as impact) acting on the external flash unit 120 is applied to the accessory shoe 123 and the camera connection portion 206. The shoe mounting leg 251 is manufactured by processing a metal plate (sheet metal) in order to ensure high mechanical strength against such a large stress.

[0041] The lock pin 252 is a member for preventing the external flash unit 120 from falling off when the camera connection part 206 (the shoe attachment leg 251) is attached to the accessory shoe 123, and is held by the shoe attachment leg 251 so as to be movable in the Y direction. Specifically, the lock pin 252 is slidably held in the Y direction by a Y-direction holding member 258. The lock lever 253 and the Y-direction holding member 258 are held by a holding member 254.

[0042] When the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123 and the lock lever 253 is rotated, the Y-direction holding member 258 moves downward in the Y direction in FIG. 6(b) by a cam portion (not shown). At this time, the lock pin 252 also moves downward in the Y direction in FIG. 6(b) together with the Y-direction holding member 258. As a result, the lock pin 252 protrudes from the shoe attachment leg 251 and engages with an engagement hole portion 156 provided in the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123. The lock pin 252 and the engagement hole portion 156 function as positioning members in the Z direction for ensuring the electrical connection between the external flash unit 120 and the camera 100.

[0043] The connection plug 256 is provided on the front side in the Z direction in the camera connection part 206, is formed of a non-conductive material (dielectric material) such as a resin material, and is integrated with the holding member 254. The outermost width T of the connection plug 256 in the X direction is narrower than the width W of the shoe attachment leg 251 in the X direction. Thereby, a region for providing the contact portion 251b on the shoe attachment leg 251 is secured. The connection plug 256 has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for making contact with a plurality of connection terminals 152a of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(c) to perform communication.

[0044] The plurality of connection terminals 257 are provided so as to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of connection terminals 152a, and are held by the holding member 254 so as to extend in the Z direction and be arranged in the X direction. Each connection terminal 257 has a tip portion 257a that contacts the corresponding connection terminal 152a. Further, each connection terminal 257 has a shape that extends rearward in the Z direction from the tip portion 257a, and has an extension portion 257b that displaces the tip portion 257a upward in the Y direction in FIG. 6(b) by elastic deformation when the tip portion 257a abuts on the connection terminal 152a. At the rear end of the extension portion 257b in the Z direction, a straightening portion 257c that extends upward in the Y direction is formed. At the upper end of the straightening portion 257c, a flexible substrate connection portion 257d is provided, which is connected to a main substrate (not shown) of the external flash unit 120 and to which a flexible substrate 259 inserted into the holding member 254 from above in the Y direction is connected.

[0045] Note that a stepped portion 257e having a step in the Y direction is formed in the middle of the extension portion 257b in the Z direction. As described above, the extension portion 257b can be elastically deformed in the Y direction. However, when the distance L in the Z direction of the extension portion 257b is short, a sufficient amount of deformation cannot be obtained, resulting in a decrease in durability. As a result, when the attachment and detachment between the connection terminal 152a and the tip portion 257a are repeated, the extension portion 257b is likely to be damaged. Therefore, by providing the stepped portion 257e in the extension portion 257b, a sufficient distance L is ensured without interfering with the screw mounting leg 251.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), at both ends of the connection plug 256 in the X direction, a pair of protrusions 256a that protrude downward in the Y direction (the third direction) so as to sandwich the plurality of connection terminals 257 are provided. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the lower tip portion 256d of each protrusion 256a protrudes below the line connecting the lower ends of the tip portions 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. That is, the tip portion 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tip portions 256d of the pair of protrusions 256a.

[0047] Further, on the outer side (outer surface) of each protrusion 256a in the X direction, a slope portion 256b is provided as an outer surface that extends obliquely upward from the lower tip portion 256d and faces obliquely downward, that is, has an inclination with respect to the X direction. By each protrusion 256a having such a shape, it is possible to insert the connection plug 256 into the groove portion 152c having the slope portion 152d in the connection terminal connector 152.

[0048] The slope portion 256b has a role of releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 256 so that the connection plug is not damaged. For example, FIG. 7(c) shows a case where an external force is applied to the connection plug 256 in the X direction. FIG. 7(c) shows the connection plug 256 viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0049] Define the external force from the X direction as F1 as a vector. When decomposing the external force F1 acting on the slope portion 256b according to the addition rule in the vector space, it is decomposed into a component force F2 in the direction along the slope portion 256b and a component force F3 in the direction perpendicular to the slope portion 256b. Let the angle formed by the external force F1 and the slope portion 256b be θ, then the component force F2 and the component force F3 can be obtained by the following formula (1). F2 = F1cosθ F3 = F1sinθ (1) When providing the slope portion 256b, θ satisfies 0° < θ < 90°. In this range, F2 < F1 F3 < F1 (2) is obtained. Since the component force F2 escapes in the direction along the slope portion 256b, the force that affects the connection plug 256 is only the component force F3. As described above, since the component force F3 is smaller than the component force F1, it is possible to prevent the connection plug 256 from being damaged even when a relatively large external force is applied.

[0050] By forming the slope portions 256b on both sides in the X direction so that the width in the X direction becomes narrower toward the lower side in the Y direction, it is possible to release a part of the external force not only from the external force in the X direction but also from the external force from the lower side in the Y direction.

[0051] FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of a part of the connection plug 256 as viewed from the Z direction. In the Y direction, let B be the height from the lower tip 256d of the protrusion 256a to the upper surface of the connection plug 256 (the height of the connection plug including the protrusion), and let A be the height of the inclined surface portion 256b from the lower tip 256d (the inclined surface start position 256c) to the upper end of the inclined surface portion 256b. At this time, A is preferably 1 / 5 or more of B, more preferably 1 / 4 or more, 1 / 3 or more, or even more preferably 1 / 2 or more as shown in FIG. 12. That is, the inclined surface portion 256b is formed to have a significant dimension for the function of releasing the external force from the X direction, and is different from the chamfered shape generally provided at the corner of the protrusion. Also, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface portion 256b with respect to the X direction is preferably set in the range of 45° ± 20° for the function of releasing the above-described external force.

[0052] In the shoe mounting leg 251 with respect to the contact surface 152b of the accessory shoe 123 which is the positioning portion in the Z direction, in order to sufficiently secure the area of the contact portion 251b, it is desirable to provide the width in the X direction between the inclined surface start positions 256c at the lower tip 256d of the inclined surface portions 256b on both sides to be as short as possible. In this embodiment, by providing the width in the X direction between the inclined surface start positions 256c inside the width V in the X direction of the holding member 254, the area of the contact portion 251b is sufficiently secured.

[0053] The camera connection portion 206 has a structure in which the shoe mounting leg 251 and the holding member 254 are fastened. Details of this fastening structure will be described later.

[0054] The holding member 254 is insertable into the engagement portion interval 151aa of the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(a), and has a connecting portion 254a with a width V that is shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 251 in the X direction. The width W and the width V are defined in dimensions by Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) B7101-1975, "Camera accessory mounting seats and mounting legs". When the connecting portion 254a fits with the engagement member 151, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined. Further, the shoe mounting leg 251 is biased upward in the Y direction by contacting the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 as the biasing member shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). Thereby, the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 251a contacts (pressure contacts) the lower surface of the engagement member 151, and the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Y direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0055] Furthermore, when the contact portion 251b of the shoe mounting leg 251 contacts the contact surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0056] Note that the holding member 254 is also a structure for connecting the shoe mounting leg 251 and the base portion 250, and the lock pin 252 and the connection terminal 257 are arranged inside the connecting portion 254a.

[0057] Next, the fastening structure between the holding member 254 and the shoe mounting leg 251 will be described. FIG. 8(a) shows the camera connection portion 206 viewed from the upper side in the Y direction, and FIG. 8(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 8(a).

[0058] A pair of first screws 260a and a pair of second screws 260b, which are fastening members for fastening the shoe mounting leg 251 to the holding member 254, penetrate the holding member 254 and are fastened to the shoe mounting leg 251. At this time, by arranging one screw in each of the four regions approximately equally divided in the X direction and the Z direction in a well-balanced manner, the shoe mounting leg 251 is stably held by the holding member 254. Also, as described above, the shoe mounting leg 251 is a component on which a large stress acts. Therefore, by fastening the metal shoe mounting leg 251 to the holding member 254 with the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b arranged in a well-balanced manner, it is possible to ensure the required mechanical strength.

[0059] In addition, as shown in FIG. 8(b), a plurality of connection terminals 257 are arranged in a region S sandwiched between the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b. Also, the width between the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b is narrower than the width between the lower tip portions 256d of the protrusions 256a of the connection plug 256, the width V of the holding member 254, the outermost width T of the connection plug 256, and the width W of the shoe mounting leg 251.

[0060] FIG. 13 shows a cross-section of the state in which the camera connection portion 206 is attached to the accessory shoe 123 as viewed from the Z direction. This figure shows the dimensions T, V of the camera connection portion 206 described above and the positional relationship between each part of the camera connection portion 206 and each part of the accessory shoe 123.

[0061] In FIG. 13, as described above, the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 251a of the camera connection portion 206 abuts against the lower surface (ceiling surface) of the engaging member 151 of the accessory shoe 123 for positioning in the Y direction.

[0062] On the one hand, the lower tip 256d and the inclined surface 256b of the protrusion 256a of the connection plug 256 in the camera connection part 206 do not contact the bottom surface and the inclined surface 152d of the groove part 152c of the accessory shoe 123, respectively. The gap between the lower tip 256d of the protrusion 256a and the bottom surface of the groove part 152c of the accessory shoe 123 is set to be as small as possible. Thereby, when an external force in the X direction is applied to the external flash unit 120, the lower tip 256d of the protrusion 256a can contact the bottom surface of the groove part 152c of the accessory shoe 123, and the floating of the connection plug 256 (tilt with respect to the accessory shoe 123) can be reduced.

[0063] Also, the gap between the inclined surfaces 256b and 152d and the gap between the inner end surface 152ccc of the groove part 152c and the outer end surface of the connection plug 256 are set to be relatively large, respectively. Thereby, when an external force in the X direction is applied to the external flash unit 120, the connection terminals 257 and 152a can be prevented from being loaded.

[0064] In the groove part 152c of the accessory shoe 123, the relationship between the height of the groove part 152c in the Y direction (the height from the bottom surface of the groove part 152c to the ceiling surface of the engaging member 151) and the height of the inclined surface 152d in the Y direction is the same as the relationship between the height B of the connection plug 256 and the height A of the inclined surface 256b in the camera connection part 206. Also, the inclination angle of the inclined surface 256b with respect to the X direction is preferably set in the range of 45° ± 20°, similar to the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 256b in the camera connection part 206.

[0065] In each of the above embodiments, the case where the surface shape of the inclined surface 256b provided on the protrusion 256a is a flat surface has been described. However, the inclined surface 256b may be a curved surface having a curvature. That is, the inclined surface 256b may be a surface having an inclination with respect to the X direction.

[0066] According to the above embodiment, in the small camera connection part 206 and the accessory shoe 123, it is possible to secure a larger number of connection terminals than before, areas for providing shapes for protecting them, and areas for positioning between components.

Embodiment

[0067] The external flash unit 120 in Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9(a) shows the external flash unit 120 as viewed from the camera connection part 206 side (lower side in the Y direction). FIG. 9(b) shows a cross-section taken along line A-A in FIG. 9(a) and shows the internal structure of the camera connection part 206. FIG. 10(a) shows the camera connection part 206. However, the illustration of the base part 250 and the lock lever 253 is omitted. FIG. 10(b) shows the camera connection part 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0068] The camera connection part 206 is provided on the lower side in the Y direction (upper side in FIG. 9(a)) of the base part 250 of the external flash unit 120 as shown in FIG. 9(b) when the camera connection part 206 is mounted on the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. The camera connection part 206 has a shoe mounting leg 300a, a lock pin 252, a lock lever 253, a holding member 300, a connection plug 300b, a Y-direction holding member 258, and a shoe cover 301.

[0069] The shoe mounting leg 300a is an engaging member for engaging the external flash unit 120 with the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100, similar to the shoe mounting leg 251 in Embodiment 1. That is, the shoe mounting leg 300a is an engaging member on the external flash unit 120 side that is detachable from the engaging member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0070] In Example 1, the shoe mounting leg 251, which is a metal shoe plate prioritizing mechanical strength, and the holding member 254 made of resin were formed as separate members. In contrast, in this example, the shoe mounting leg 300a and the holding member 300 are formed as an integral member using a resin material (non-conductive material). As a result, the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b described in Example 1 are no longer necessary, and the space for arranging the connection terminals 257 becomes wider. Therefore, a larger number of connection terminals 257 can be arranged than in Example 1. As a result, the external flash unit 120 can communicate more information with the camera 100 via the camera connection portion 206 and the accessory shoe 123.

[0071] The connection plug 300b is provided on the front side in the Z direction in the camera connection portion 206 and is formed as a member integral with the holding member 300 made of a non-conductive resin material in this example. Similar to Example 1, by making the outermost width T in the X direction of the connection plug 300b narrower than the width W in the X direction of the shoe mounting leg 300a, a region for providing the contact portion 300e in the shoe mounting leg 300a is secured. The connection plug 300b has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for making contact with and communicating with the plurality of connection terminals 152a of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(c). The shoe cover 301 is an enclosure attached to the holding member 300 and is a member for protecting the plurality of connection terminals 257. The shape of the connection terminals 257 is the same as that in Example 1, and a step portion 257e is provided to ensure a sufficient distance L in the Z direction of the extension portion 257b without interfering with the shoe cover 301.

[0072] The shape of the connection plug 300b is also the same as that of the connection plug 256 in the first embodiment. At both ends of the connection plug 300b in the X direction, a pair of protrusions 300c protruding downward in the Y direction are provided so as to sandwich a plurality of connection terminals 257. As shown in FIG. 10(b), the lower tip portion 300k of each protrusion 300c protrudes below the line connecting the lower ends of the tip portions 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. That is, the tip portion 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tip portions 300k of the pair of protrusions 300b.

[0073] Also in this embodiment, on the outer side of each protrusion 300c in the X direction, an inclined surface portion 300f extending obliquely upward from the lower tip portion 300k and facing obliquely downward is provided. By each protrusion 300c having such a shape, it is possible to insert the connection plug 300b into the groove portion 152c having the inclined surface portion 152d in the connection terminal connector 152 described in the first embodiment. As described in the first embodiment, the inclined surface portion 300c has a role of releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 300b so that the connection plug is not damaged.

[0074] Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, since it is desirable to make the distance in the X direction between the slope start positions 300g at the lower tip portion 300k of the inclined surface portions 300c on both sides as short as possible, the slope start positions 300g on both sides are provided inside the width V of the holding member 254 in the X direction, thereby sufficiently securing the area of the contact portion 300e of the screw mounting leg 300a.

[0075] The holding member 300 is formed so as to be insertable into the engaging portion interval 151aa of the engaging member 151 shown in FIG. 5(a) and engageable with the engaging member 151, and has a connecting portion 300h having a width V shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 300a in the X direction. The width W and the width V are dimensioned in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) B7101-1975, "Camera accessory mounting seats and mounting legs", as in the first embodiment. When the connecting portion 300h fits with the engaging member 151, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined. Further, the shoe mounting leg 300a is biased upward in the Y direction by contacting the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), whereby the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 300d contacts the lower surface of the engaging member 151. Thereby, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Y direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0076] Furthermore, when the contact portion 300e of the shoe mounting leg 300a contacts the contact surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0077] Note that the holding member 300 is also a structure for connecting the shoe mounting leg 300a and the base portion 250, and the lock pin 252 and the connection terminal 257 are disposed inside the connecting portion 300h.

Embodiment

[0078] Next, the external flash unit 120 which is the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 14(a) shows the external flash unit 120 as viewed from the camera connection portion 206 side (lower side in the Y direction). FIG. 14(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 14(a) and shows the internal structure of the camera connection portion 206. FIG. 15(a) shows the camera connection portion 206. However, the illustration of the base portion 250 and the lock lever 253 is omitted. FIG. 15(b) shows the camera connection portion 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0079] FIG. 16(a) shows a state in which the external flash unit 120 is attached to the camera 100 as seen obliquely from the rear side. FIG. 16(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 16(a), and shows a state in which the camera connection portion 206 (the shoe mounting leg 400a) of the external flash unit 120 is being inserted into the accessory shoe 123 (the engaging member 151) of the camera 100. FIG. 16(c) shows the same cross-section as FIG. 16(b), and shows a state in which the insertion of the shoe mounting leg 400a into the accessory shoe 123 is completed and the shoe mounting leg 400a is held by the accessory shoe 123.

[0080] The shoe mounting leg 400a is an engaging member for engaging the external flash unit 120 with the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100, similar to the shoe mounting leg 251 of the first embodiment. That is, the shoe mounting leg 400a is an engaging member on the side of the external flash unit 120 that is detachable from the engaging member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0081] The shoe mounting leg 400a and the holding member 400 are formed as an integral member from a resin material (non-conductive material), similar to the shoe mounting leg 300a and the holding member 300 of the second embodiment. As a result, the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b described in the first embodiment are no longer necessary, and the space for arranging the connection terminals 257 becomes wider. Therefore, a larger number of connection terminals 257 can be arranged than in the first embodiment. As a result, the external flash unit 120 can communicate more information with the camera 100 via the camera connection portion 206 and the accessory shoe 123.

[0082] The connection plug 400b is provided on the front side in the Z direction at the camera connection part 206, and is formed as a member integral with a holding member 400 made of a non-conductive resin material in the same manner as in the second embodiment. Similar to the first and second embodiments, by making the outermost width T of the connection plug 400b in the X direction narrower than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 400a in the X direction, a region for providing the contact part 400e in the shoe mounting leg 400a is secured. The connection plug 400b has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for communicating by contacting a plurality of connection terminals 152a of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(c). The shoe cover 301 is an enclosure attached to the holding member 400 and is a member for protecting the plurality of connection terminals 257. The shape of the connection terminals 257 is the same as that in the first and second embodiments, and a stepped part 257e is provided to secure a sufficient distance L in the Z direction of the extension part 257b without interfering with the shoe cover 301.

[0083] The shape of the connection plug 400b is also the same as that of the connection plug 256 in the first and second embodiments. A pair of protrusions 400c protruding downward in the Y direction are provided at both ends of the connection plug 400b in the X direction so as to sandwich the plurality of connection terminals 257. As shown in FIG. 15(b), the lower tip part 400k of each protrusion 400c protrudes below the line connecting the lower ends of the tip parts 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. That is, the tip part 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tip parts 400k of the pair of protrusions 400b.

[0084] Also in this embodiment, on the outer side in the X direction of each protrusion 400c, an inclined surface part 400f extending obliquely upward from the lower tip part 400k and facing obliquely downward is provided. By each protrusion 400c having such a shape, it is possible to insert the connection plug 400b into the groove part 152c having the inclined surface part 152d in the connection terminal connector 152 described in the first embodiment. As described in the first and second embodiments, the inclined surface part 400f has a role of releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 400b so that the connection plug is not damaged.

[0085] Further, as in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, since it is desirable to make the distance in the X direction between the slope start positions 400g at the lower tip portions 400k of the sloped portions 400f on both sides as short as possible, the slope start positions 400g on both sides are provided inside the width V of the holding member 254 in the X direction, ensuring a sufficient area for the contact portion 400e of the shoe mounting leg 400a.

[0086] The holding member 400 is formed so as to be insertable between the engaging portion intervals 151aa of the engaging members 151 shown in FIG. 5(a) and engageable with the engaging members 151, and has a connecting portion 400h having a width V shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 400a in the X direction. The width W and the width V are dimensioned in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) B7101-1975, "Camera accessory mounting seats and mounting legs", as in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. When the connecting portion 400h fits with the engaging member 151, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0087] Note that the holding member 400 is also a structure for connecting the shoe mounting leg 400a and the base portion 250, and the lock pin 252 and the connection terminal 257 are disposed inside the connecting portion 400h.

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 16(b) and 16(c), the shoe mounting leg 400a has a contact range (first range) 400j that contacts the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). When the contact range 400j contacts the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154, the shoe mounting leg 400a is biased upward in the Y direction, and the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 400d contacts the lower surface of the engaging member 151. The arrow F in FIGS. 16(b) and 16(c) represents the biasing force by the accessory shoe spring 154. Thereby, the position in the Y direction of the external flash unit 120 with respect to the camera 100 is determined. The contact range 400j corresponds to the biasing range biased by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 in the state of being mounted on the accessory shoe 123 of the external flash unit 120 and the state of being completely mounted. The contact range 400j is disposed on both sides of a plurality of connection terminals 152a on the front side (the front side of the camera 100) in the Z direction, which is the mounting direction.

[0089] Further, the shoe mounting leg 400a has a non-contact range (second range) 400i where the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 does not contact. This non-contact range 400i corresponds to a non-biased range that is not biased by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 in the state of being mounted on the accessory shoe 123 of the external flash unit 120 and the state of being completely mounted. In FIG. 16(c), since a gap is generated between the accessory shoe spring 154 and the non-contact range 400i, the biasing force by the accessory shoe spring 154 on the non-contact range 400i is 0.

[0090] In this embodiment, the thickness of the non-contact range 400i in the Y direction is set to be larger than the thickness in the same direction of the contact range 400j. The thickness of the contact range 400j is set to be the same as that in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. The reason for making the thickness of the non-contact range 400i in the Y direction larger than that of the contact range 400j is as follows.

[0091] The resin shoe of this embodiment is inferior in terms of strength when compared with the metal shoe of Embodiment 1 in the same shape. Therefore, the strength can be ensured by increasing the thickness in the Y direction of the non-contact range 400i of the shoe mounting leg 400a. Since the strength calculated by the second moment of area is proportional to the square of the thickness, it is possible to efficiently increase the strength by increasing the thickness in the Y direction. Also, the strength can be further ensured by making the length in the Z direction of the non-contact range 400i longer than the length in the Z direction of the contact range 400j.

[0092] Also, by making the thickness of the contact range 400j the same as that of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, the shoe mounting leg 400a can be given versatility according to JIS standards, and the elastic deformation part 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 can be prevented from undergoing plastic deformation beyond the yield point. Further, when the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123, in order to make the configuration and the mounting load the same as those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, the thickness in the Y direction of the contact range 400j is made the same as that of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2.

[0093] Furthermore, since the non-contact range 400i is provided on the mounting side in the Z direction rather than the contact range 400j, it is possible to prevent the elastic deformation part 154a from undergoing plastic deformation beyond the yield point even during the process of attaching the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123.

[0094] Also, in this embodiment, the non-contact range 400i is defined as a non-biased range that is not biased by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 during the state of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 of the external flash unit 120 and after the attachment is completed. However, the non-contact range 400i may be configured to be biased by the accessory shoe spring 154 during the state of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 of the external flash unit 120 and after the attachment is completed. In that case, in a state where the external flash unit 120 is held by the accessory shoe 123, a range where the biasing force by the accessory shoe spring 154 is smaller than that of the contact range 400j may be defined as the range corresponding to the non-contact range 400i. That is, the second range of the shoe mounting leg 400a may have a greater thickness than the first range, and the second range may be configured such that the biasing force by the accessory shoe spring 154 is smaller (including a biasing force of 0) than that of the first range.

[0095] Furthermore, when the contact portion 400e of the shoe mounting leg 400a contacts the contact surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction with respect to the camera 100 is determined.

[0096] Each of the embodiments described above is merely a representative example, and various modifications and changes can be made to each embodiment when implementing the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0097] 100 Digital camera 120 External flash unit 123 Accessory shoe 206 Camera connection portion (shoe device) 251 Shoe mounting leg (engagement member) 254 Holding member 256 Connection plug 256a Protrusion 256b Inclined surface 257 Connection terminal

Claims

1. A shoe device detachable from an accessory shoe device provided in an electronic device, comprising: a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction which is a mounting direction with respect to the accessory shoe device; a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction; and when an external force in the second direction is applied to a surface on the opposite side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, the protrusion divides the external force into a first component force in the third direction and toward the connection terminal side and a second component force in the direction opposite to the third direction and toward the connection terminal side. The shoe device is characterized by this.

2. An accessory detachable from an accessory shoe device provided in an electronic device, comprising: a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction which is a mounting direction with respect to the accessory shoe device; a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction; and when an external force in the second direction is applied to a surface on the opposite side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, the protrusion divides the external force into a first component force in the third direction and toward the connection terminal side and a second component force in the direction opposite to the third direction and toward the connection terminal side. The accessory is characterized by this.

3. The accessory according to claim 2, wherein the accessory is a strobe.

4. The accessory according to claim 2, wherein the accessory is a microphone.

Images