Knurled ring for lenses

Abstract

This design avoids painful handling issues and improves overall operability during adjustments without compromising feel or quality of operation. [Solution] The upper end shape 3p of the protruding portion 3 is formed by a flat portion Sf, a curved portion Sc, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion Sm. When the width dimension of the circumferential direction Ff of the protruding portion 3 is Ls, and the pitch spacing between any two protruding portions 3 is Lp, Lp / Ls is set to 1.2-4.0, when the protrusion dimension of the protruding portion 3 is Lt, Ls / Lt is set to 0.7-7.9, and the rising angle Q of the protruding portion 3 is set to 30-90°.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a knurled ring for a lens, which is formed by arranging a plurality of convex ridges at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of a ring body and being parallel to the optical axis direction.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a manual operation type camera lens includes a focus adjustment ring that performs focusing adjustment by a rotation operation of a user. This type of focus adjustment ring is formed as a knurled ring considering anti-slip during operation by arranging a plurality of convex ridges at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the ring body and being parallel to the optical axis direction.

[0003] Conventionally, as such a knurled ring, an auxiliary knurled ring for an optical lens described in Patent Document 1 is known. The knurled ring described in Document 1 is composed of an annular portion and teeth radially arranged outside the annular portion. The inner diameter and shape of the auxiliary knurled ring match the outer diameter and shape of the adjustment ring of the optical lens. The auxiliary knurled ring is removably connected to the adjustment ring of the optical lens. Since the auxiliary knurled ring for the optical lens can extend beyond the front end of the optical lens with respect to the front of the lens, interference of stray light of the optical lens with respect to the image is blocked. The digital scale display is engraved or printed on the outside of the auxiliary knurled ring for the optical lens, and the position of the scale and the displayed value correspond to information on the focal length, aperture, and focusing range of the optical lens. The front end portion including the widened outer diameter of the auxiliary knurled ring for the optical lens is removably connected to a cap, and the shape and size of the cap are configured to match the shape and size of the front end portion of the auxiliary knurled ring.

[0004] Figure 7 shows a part of the knurled ring 100 described in the same document 1. This knurled ring 100 is formed with consideration for preventing slippage during operation by arranging multiple raised ridges 102... parallel to the optical axis direction on the outer peripheral surface 101f of the ring body 101 at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction Ff, and by forming a plurality of raised ridges 102... more specifically, the cross-sectional shape of each raised ridge 102... is formed in an inverted V shape, and these inverted V-shaped raised ridges 102... are sequentially connected to form a triangular wave shape, which is generally formed by cutting or rolling. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2014-513321 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, the conventional knurled ring 100 for lenses described above had the following problems.

[0007] In other words, in the knurled shape shown in Figure 7, if the knurled portion 103 is made to appear finer, this can be achieved by making the knurled pitch Lpr narrower. On the other hand, if the knurled pitch Lpr is narrowed, the height Ltr of the convex portions 102… which have an inverted V-shaped cross-section becomes lower, and when a user grasps the knurled portion 103, it becomes difficult for the user's fingers to fit into the grooves between the convex portions 102…. As a result, the grip on the knurled portion 103 becomes poor, and it feels like it is slipping.

[0008] On the other hand, in order to increase the height Ltr of the raised portion 102..., one can increase the angle of the rising portion 102... and decrease the angle θr shown in Figure 7. However, in this case, the edge of the tip of the knurled portion 103 becomes sharp, causing pain when gripped, which not only negatively affects operability but also leads to a decrease in operability feel and quality.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a knurled ring for lenses that solves the problems present in the background technology described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a knurled ring 1 for lenses, which is formed by arranging a plurality of convex portions 3… parallel to the optical axis direction Fc on the outer peripheral surface 2f of the ring body 2 at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction Ff, wherein the upper end shape 3p… of the convex portions 3… is formed by a flat portion Sf, a curved portion Sc, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion Sm, and when the width dimension of the circumferential direction Ff of the convex portions 3… is Ls, and the pitch interval between any convex portion 3… and adjacent convex portions 3… is Lp, Lp / Ls is set to 1.2-4.0, when the protrusion dimension of the convex portions 3… is Lt, Ls / Lt is set to 0.7-7.9, and the rising angle Q of the convex portions 3… is set to 30-90°.

[0011] In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ring body 2 may include a focus adjustment ring 22 or a zoom adjustment ring 23. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The knurled ring 1 for lenses according to the present invention, having such a configuration, provides the following remarkable effects.

[0013] (1) The upper end shape 3p of the protruding portion 3... is formed by a flat portion Sf, a curved portion Sc, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion Sm. When the width dimension of the circumferential direction Ff of the protruding portion 3... is Ls, and the pitch spacing between any two protruding portions 3... is Lp, then Lp / Ls is set to 1.2-4.0. When the protruding dimension of the protruding portion 3... is Lt, then Ls / Lt is set to 0.7-7.9. The rising angle Q of the protruding portion 3... is set to 30-90°. As a result, when the knurled portion is grasped, the contact area of ​​the user's fingers gripping the outer circumferential surface 2f of the ring body 2 formed between the protruding portions 3... can be increased, and sufficient grip on the knurled ring 1 can be ensured by locking against the protruding portions 3.... This avoids the pain that can occur when gripping, and improves overall operability during adjustment without causing a decrease in operability or operability quality.

[0014] (2) In a preferred embodiment, if the ring body 2 includes a focus adjustment ring 22 or a zoom adjustment ring 23, the rotational operability of the focus adjustment ring 22 or zoom adjustment ring 23 attached to the lens can be improved, thereby further enhancing the imaging capabilities and image quality of the camera. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Front view of a camera equipped with a lens using a knurled ring, including a partially enlarged view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A close-up front view of a portion of the knurling ring. [Figure 3] A magnified plan view of a portion of the knurling ring. [Figure 4] A front view showing a portion of the first modified embodiment of the knurled ring, [Figure 5] A front view showing a portion of the second modified embodiment of the knurled ring, [Figure 6] A front view showing a portion of the third modified embodiment of the knurled ring, [Figure 7] A front view showing an enlarged portion of a knurled ring in a conventional example.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be given and described in detail based on the drawings.

[0017] First, the configuration of the roulette ring 1 for a lens according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a still camera C equipped with a camera lens 20 including the roulette ring 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0019] The exemplary camera lens 20 includes a lens barrel 21, and a focus adjustment ring 22 and a zoom adjustment ring 23 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel 21. Thus, by rotating the focus adjustment ring 22 or the zoom adjustment ring 23 in the circumferential direction Ff by a manual operation of the user, focusing adjustment and zooming adjustment can be performed. Note that reference numeral 25 indicates a lens surface in the lens group constituting the camera lens 20.

[0020] This focus adjustment ring 22 (the same applies to the zoom adjustment ring 23) is constituted by the roulette ring 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in a partial enlarged view in FIG. 1, this roulette ring 1 is composed of a ring body 2 rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the lens barrel 21 and a plurality of convex ridges 3 integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface 2f of the ring body 2. Therefore, the ring body 2 becomes a ring portion excluding the convex ridges 3. <00OO096>

[0021] <0OO0098>In this way, if the focus adjustment ring 22 or the zoom adjustment ring 23 is included in the ring body 2, the rotational operability of the focus adjustment ring 22 and the zoom adjustment ring 23 attached to the lens can be improved, so that the imaging ability and imaging quality of the camera can be further enhanced.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the knurled ring 1 basically has a configuration in which multiple protrusions 3... are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction Ff on the outer peripheral surface 2f of the ring body 2 and are parallel to the optical axis direction Fc.

[0023] The material used to form the knurled ring 1 is not particularly limited; it may be a metal material or a synthetic resin material, and the type of material used is not restricted.

[0024] When forming the protruding ridge portion 3..., as shown in Figure 2, the upper end shape 3p... of the protruding ridge portion 3... is formed by the flat portion Sf.... Furthermore, when the width dimension of the circumferential direction Ff of the protruding ridge portion 3... is Ls, and the pitch spacing between any two adjacent protruding ridge portions 3... is Lp, Lp / Ls is set to "1.2-4.0", when the projection dimension of the protruding ridge portion 3... is Lt, Ls / Lt is set to "0.7-7.9", and the rising angle Q of the protruding ridge portion 3... is set to "30-90°".

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the rising angle Q of the protruding section 3 is set to 30-90°. This allows for the selection of a desirable rising angle Q, thereby ensuring the necessary finger grip and improving the feel and operability during operation.

[0026] As a result, the cross-sectional shape (front view) of the protruding portion 3 is a trapezoidal shape that is symmetrical with respect to the center of the protruding portion 3, as shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, Da indicates the outer diameter (dimension).

[0027] As described above, the knurled ring 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a lens knurled ring 1 in which a plurality of convex portions 3... are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction Ff on the outer peripheral surface 2f of the ring body 2 and are parallel to the optical axis direction Fc, and the upper end shape 3p... of the convex portions 3... is formed by a flat portion Sf, a curved portion Sc, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion Sm, and the width dimension of the circumferential direction Ff of the convex portions 3... is Ls, and any convex portion 3... adjacent to each other When the pitch spacing of section 3 is Lp, Lp / Ls is set to 1.2-4.0, when the protrusion dimension of the raised section 3 is Lt, Ls / Lt is set to 0.7-7.9, and the rising angle Q of the raised section 3 is set to 30-90°. As a result, when the knurled section is grasped, the contact area of ​​the user's fingers gripping the outer surface 2f of the ring body 2 formed between the raised sections 3 is increased, and sufficient finger grip on the knurled ring 1 is ensured by the locking of the raised sections 3. This avoids the discomfort of pain when gripping and improves overall operability during adjustment without causing a decrease in operability or operability quality.

[0028] Although there are concerns about visual differences due to the spacing between each raised section 3, the area of ​​the flat surface created by the spacing is not large, and the overall structure is densely packed, so there is no significant visual difference compared to conventional knurled rings.

[0029] Next, a modified embodiment of the lens knurled ring 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4-6.

[0030] Figure 4 shows an enlarged front view of a part of the knurled ring 1 according to the first modified embodiment. In the knurled ring 1 according to the first modified embodiment, the upper end shape 3p of the raised ridge portion 3... is formed by a curved surface portion Sc. Specifically, the upper half of the raised ridge portion 3... is formed as a semicircular portion, and the lower half of the raised ridge portion 3... is formed as a rectangular rising portion that rises perpendicularly from the outer peripheral surface 2f of the ring body 2.

[0031] In this case, the relationships between Lp, Ls, Lt, and Q shown in Figure 4, namely the magnitudes of "Lp / Ls", "Ls / Lt", and "rise angle Q", are set to satisfy the conditions shown in Figure 2 mentioned above.

[0032] Figure 5 shows an enlarged front view of a part of the knurled ring 1 according to the second modified embodiment. In the knurled ring 1 according to the second modified embodiment, the upper end shape 3p of the convex ridge portion 3... is formed by a combination Sm of a flat portion and a curved portion.

[0033] Specifically, the upper end surface of the protruding ridge portion 3 is formed as a flat surface, a rising portion is formed perpendicular to the outer circumferential surface 2f of the ring body 2, and the upper end of this rising portion and both ends of the upper end surface are continuously formed by curved surfaces.

[0034] In this case, the relationships between Lp, Ls, Lt, and Q shown in Figure 5, namely the magnitudes of "Lp / Ls", "Ls / Lt", and "rise angle Q", are set to satisfy the conditions shown in Figure 2 mentioned above.

[0035] Figure 6 shows an enlarged front view of a portion of the knurled ring 1 according to the third modified embodiment. In the knurled ring 1 according to the third modified embodiment, the raised ridges 3... are formed to be the same shape as those shown in Figure 2, but the pitch spacing Lp of each raised ridge 3... is formed to be narrower than that of the embodiment shown in Figure 2.

[0036] Even in this case, the relationships between Lp, Ls, Lt, and Q shown in Figure 6, namely the magnitudes of "Lp / Ls", "Ls / Lt", and "rise angle Q", are set to satisfy the conditions shown in Figure 2 mentioned above.

[0037] Thus, the shape of the protruding ridges 3... in the knurled ring 1 according to the present invention, particularly the upper end shape 3p..., can be formed into any shape by a flat portion Sf, a curved portion Sc, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion Sm, and is not limited to the examples shown.

[0038] Furthermore, when the width dimension Ff in the circumferential direction of the protruding ridge 3... is Ls, and the pitch spacing between any two protruding ridges 3... is Lp, Given that Lp / Ls is 1.2-4.0, and the protruding dimension of the protruding ridge 3... is Lt, and Ls / Lt is set to 0.7-7.9, and the rising angle Q of the protruding ridge 3... is set to 30-90°, this can be implemented in various forms or configurations.

[0039] Although preferred embodiments (modified embodiments) have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the details of the configuration, shape, materials, quantity, numerical values, etc. can be arbitrarily changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0040] For example, the embodiment shows an example in which the ring body 2 includes a focus adjustment ring 22 or a zoom adjustment ring 23, but it can also be applied to various other lens knurled rings 1 such as aperture adjustment rings. [Industrial applicability]

[0041] The knurled ring for lenses according to the present invention can be used for focus adjustment rings, zoom adjustment rings, and the like on camera lenses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1: Knurled ring for lens, 2: Ring body, 2f: Outer surface of ring body, 3…: Ribbed portion, 3p…: Upper end shape, 22: Focus adjustment ring, 23: Zoom adjustment ring, Ff: Circumferential direction, Fc: Optical axis direction, Sf: Flat portion, Sc: Curved portion, Sm: Combination of flat and curved portions, Ls: Circumferential width dimension of ribbed portion, Lp: Pitch interval, Lt: Protrusion dimension of ribbed portion, Q: Rise angle of ribbed portion

Claims

1. A knurled ring for lenses, comprising a ring body with a plurality of raised ridges arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer surface and parallel to the optical axis direction, wherein the upper end shape of the raised ridges is formed by a flat portion, a curved portion, or a combination of a flat portion and a curved portion, and the width dimension of the raised ridges in the circumferential direction is Ls, and the pitch distance between any two raised ridges is Lp, with Lp / Ls set to 1.2-4.0, the projection dimension of the raised ridges being Lt, with Ls / Lt set to 0.7-7.9, and the rising angle of the raised ridges being 30-90°.

2. The knurled lens ring according to claim 1, characterized in that the ring body includes a focus adjustment ring or a zoom adjustment ring.

Images