Shoe device, accessory, accessory shoe device and electronic device

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 enable attachment and detachment of an accessory to an electronic device, and to an accessory shoe device provided on an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Imaging devices (electronic devices) such as digital cameras are provided with accessory shoe devices to which shoe devices for accessories such as lighting devices (flash units) are detachably attached. The accessory shoe device is provided with an engagement member that engages with and holds the shoe device, and the accessory shoe device and the shoe device are each provided with connection terminals for enabling two-way communication between the imaging device and the accessory. Conventionally, the number of connection terminals is often five. In response to this, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic viewfinder having a shoe device that can be attached and detached to an accessory shoe device of an imaging device, in which the accessory shoe device and the shoe device maintain compatibility with the conventional five connection terminals (communication pins) while increasing the number of connection terminals within the shape of the engagement member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-084681 A Summary of the Invention [Problem 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 space necessary for arranging those connection terminals, the space available for providing shapes to protect those communication terminals and the space available for positioning components will be limited.

[0005] The present invention provides a small shoe device and an accessory shoe device that are capable of securing an area for providing a large number of connection terminals and shapes for protecting them, as well as an area for positioning components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The shoe device according to one aspect of the present invention is detachably attached to an accessory shoe device provided in an electronic device, and has a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is a mounting direction for the accessory shoe device, and a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction perpendicular 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 located on the side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction. A plane perpendicular to the second direction First aspect and, a second surface opposite the first surface in the second direction and the second surface has an inclined surface portion at a position overlapping the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the closer the inclined surface portion is to the tip of the protrusion portion in the third direction, the shorter the distance between the inclined surface portion and the first surface in the second direction. An accessory including the shoe device also constitutes another aspect of the present invention.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention provides an accessory shoe device for attaching and detaching an accessory in a first direction, the accessory shoe device having a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a holding member for holding the plurality of connection terminals. The holding member has grooves on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction. The grooves are located on the side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction. A plane perpendicular to the second direction First aspect and, a second surface opposite the first surface in the second direction and the second surface has an inclined surface portion at a position overlapping with the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the closer the inclined surface portion is to the bottom surface of the groove portion, the shorter the distance from the first surface in the second direction. An electronic device including the above-described accessory shoe device also constitutes another aspect of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, in a small shoe device and accessory shoe device, it is possible to secure an area for providing a larger number of connection terminals and shapes for protecting them than before, as well as an area for positioning components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an external flash unit in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the digital camera and an external flash unit. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are an exploded view and a perspective view of an accessory shoe in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 4A to 4C are diagrams showing the structure of an engagement member of the accessory shoe and a connection terminal connector. [Figure 6] 3A and 3B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of the external flash unit. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are a perspective view and a front view showing the internal structure of a camera connection portion in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are a top view and a cross-sectional view of the camera connection part. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are perspective and cross-sectional views of an external flash unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are a perspective view and a front view showing the internal structure of a camera connection portion in a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view of the accessory shoe of the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the connection plug in the first and second embodiments. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a front cross-sectional view showing a state in which the camera connection part is attached to the accessory shoe in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 11 is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of an external flash unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 13A and 13B are a perspective view and a front view showing the internal structure of a camera connection portion in the third embodiment. [Figure 16] 13A and 13B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a digital camera and an external flash unit according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, an imaging system will be described that includes a digital camera (imaging device), which is an example of an electronic device equipped with an accessory shoe device, and an external flash unit (illumination device), which is an example of an accessory equipped with a shoe device that can be attached to and detached from the accessory shoe device of the digital camera. Note that accessories equipped with a shoe device are not limited to flash units, but include various accessories such as electronic viewfinder units, microphones for video imaging, conversion adapters, various measuring instruments, sub-cameras, etc. Also, electronic devices equipped with an accessory shoe device include various electronic devices other than imaging devices. EXAMPLES

[0011] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital camera (hereinafter, simply referred to as a camera) 100. The camera 100 has a camera MPU 101, which is a microcomputer, an imaging optical system 122, a timing signal generating circuit 102, an imaging element 103, an A / D converter 104, a memory controller 105, and a buffer memory 106. The camera 100 also has 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-division photometry sensor 113, a lens control unit 114, a focus detection unit 115, an attitude detection unit 116, and a switch operation unit 117. The camera 100 also has 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 is attached to the accessory shoe 123 as an accessory. A storage medium 109, such as a semiconductor memory, can be attached to and detached from the camera 100.

[0012] The camera MPU 101 controls the imaging sequence of the camera 100 and the entire imaging system. The imaging optical system 122 has a plurality of lens groups such as a zoom lens and a focus lens, an aperture, a shutter, etc., and forms light from a subject field as an optical image (subject image) on the imaging element 103. The imaging element 103 is an image sensor such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor that captures (photoelectrically converts) the optical image. The timing signal generating circuit 102 generates a timing signal required to operate the imaging element 103.

[0013] The A / D converter 104 converts an analog signal read out from the imaging element 103 into a digital signal (image data). The memory controller 105 controls reading and writing from and to a memory (not shown) and a refresh operation of the buffer memory 106. The buffer memory 106 temporarily stores the image data output from the A / D converter 104 and 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.

[0014] The storage medium I / F 108 is an interface that enables communication between an attached storage medium 109 and the camera MPU 101. Note that the camera 100 may also include other storage media, such as a hard disk or optical disk.

[0015] The motor control unit 110 controls a motor (not shown) according to a signal from the camera MPU 101 to move a mirror (not shown) up / down and charge the shutter. The shutter control unit 111 controls the exposure of the image sensor 103 by moving the front and rear curtains of the shutter according to a signal from the camera MPU 101. The multi-segment photometry sensor 113 measures the luminance of each of the areas divided into a plurality of areas within the imaging screen. The photometry unit 112 outputs a luminance signal indicating the luminance of each area to the camera MPU 101.

[0016] The camera MPU 101 calculates AV (aperture value), TV (shutter speed), ISO (sensitivity of the image sensor 103), etc. for exposure adjustment based on the luminance signal obtained from the photometry section 112. The photometry section 112 also outputs a luminance signal when the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 pre-emits light toward the subject, to the camera MPU 101, and calculates the amount of light emitted by the external flash unit 120 (amount of main light emission) during actual imaging.

[0017] The lens control unit 114 communicates with the camera MPU 101 via a mount contact (not shown) and controls the focus and 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 autofocus (AF) by controlling the lens drive motor via the lens control unit 114.

[0018] The attitude detection unit 116 detects the inclination of the camera 100 in the direction of rotation about the optical axis of the imaging optical system 122. The switch operation unit 117 has a first switch (SW1) that is turned ON by a first stroke operation (half-press) of a release button (not shown) and a second switch (SW2) that is turned ON by a second stroke operation (full press) of the release button, and outputs an ON signal 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 imaging (exposure) operation in response to the ON signal from SW2. The switch operation unit 117 also outputs signals to the camera MPU 101 in response to the operation of other operating members (not shown) other than SW1 and SW2.

[0019] The flash control unit 118 controls the emission (pre-flash, main flash, fill light emission, etc.) of the built-in flash 119 and the external flash unit 120 attached to the accessory shoe 123 in accordance with instructions from the camera MPU 101. Furthermore, when the flash control unit 118 detects that the external flash unit 120 is attached to the accessory shoe 123, it starts supplying power to the external flash unit 120 via the accessory shoe 123. The detailed configuration of the accessory shoe 123 will be described later.

[0020] The camera LED assist light section 121 irradiates the subject with near-infrared light (LED assist light) of a predetermined pattern used as assist light for focus detection by the focus detection section 115. The camera MPU 101 controls the emission of assist light by the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 for focus detection based on a luminance signal from the photometry section 112. Specifically, the camera MPU 101 instructs the built-in flash 119 or the external flash unit 120 to emit assist light via the flash control section 118. The camera MPU 101 can also instruct the camera LED assist light section 121 or the LED assist light section 207 of the external flash unit 120 shown in FIG. 2 to emit LED assist light via the flash control section 118.

[0021] 2 shows the configuration of the external flash unit 120. The external flash unit 120 has a main body 200, a bounce mechanism 201, and a head 202. The main body 200 has an external flash MPU 203, a main capacitor 209, various operation units 205 including a power switch, etc., a display unit 208, an LED auxiliary light unit 207, and a camera connection unit 206.

[0022] 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 unit 206 is a shoe device that mechanically and electrically connects 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 with each other via the flash control unit 118, the accessory shoe 123, and the camera connection unit 206. The configuration of the camera connection unit 206 will be described in detail later.

[0023] The LED auxiliary light unit 207, like the camera LED auxiliary light unit 121, irradiates the field with LED auxiliary light such as near-infrared light having a predetermined pattern as auxiliary light when the focus detection unit 115 of the camera MPU 101 detects focus. The bounce mechanism unit 201 is a mechanism for rotating the head unit 202 horizontally or vertically with respect to the main body unit 200 to change the emission direction of the illumination light (flash) from the head unit 202. By using the bounce mechanism unit 201, it is possible to indirectly illuminate the subject and capture the image (bounce capture). The head unit 202 has a light emitting unit 204 that emits a flash. The light emitting unit 204 has a light source such as a light emitting discharge tube (such as a xenon tube) or an LED, a reflector, a Fresnel lens, and a light emitting circuit. The light emitting circuit causes the light source to emit a flash according to a signal from the external flash MPU 203.

[0024] Fig. 3(a) shows the camera 100 as seen from the diagonal rear side. Fig. 3(b) shows how to attach the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. Fig. 3(c) shows the state in which the external flash unit 120 is attached to the camera 100 as seen from the diagonal rear side.

[0025] 1 is provided on the front side (field side) of camera 100, and image display unit 107 is provided on the rear side of camera 100. A top cover 150 is provided on the upper surface of camera 100 as an exterior member, and an accessory shoe 123 is disposed on top cover 150. Meanwhile, in external flash unit 120, camera connection unit 206 is provided on the bottom of external flash unit 120.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3(b), the external flash unit 120 is slid parallel to the Z direction front side (attachment side in the first direction) with respect to the camera 100 to engage the camera connection part 206 with the accessory shoe 123. This allows the external flash unit 120 to be attached to the camera 100. The Z direction front side is the direction from the rear 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 from FIG. 4 onwards are common. The X direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z direction in a 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 perpendicular to the Z direction and the X direction, and is the height direction of the camera 100.

[0027] Next, a detailed description will be given of the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. Fig. 4(a) shows the accessory shoe 123 disassembled from the top cover 150. Fig. 4(b) shows the assembled accessory shoe 123. The attachment direction of the accessory shoe 123 to the top cover 150 is the Y direction.

[0028] 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 has a plurality of connection terminals 152a arranged at equal pitches in the X direction on a connector base member 152e serving 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 forward in the Z direction (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 at the rear of the connection terminal connector 152 in the Z direction (back side of the digital camera 100).

[0029] With the external flash unit 120 attached to the accessory shoe 123, the connection terminal 152a is electrically connected to the external flash unit 120. Furthermore, each of the multiple connection terminals 152a is electrically connected to a flexible board 158 arranged on the lower side of the top cover 150 in the Y direction. The flexible 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.

[0030] The shoe stage 153 is a housing member that surrounds the engaging member 151 and the connection terminal connector 152. The accessory shoe holding member 155 is a structural body that holds the engaging member 151. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the accessory shoe holding member 155, flexible board 158, top cover 150, shoe stage 153, and connection terminal connector 152 are fastened to the engaging member 151 by four screws 157 that pass through them. This positions and fixes these members relative to each other. By arranging the four screws 157, one in each of four regions that are equally divided in the X direction and Z direction, the above members can be joined in a well-balanced manner.

[0031] Figure 5(a) shows the structure of the upper surface side of the engaging member 151, and Figure 5(b) shows the structure of the lower surface side of the engaging member 151. Figure 5(c) shows the structure of the upper surface side of the connection terminal connector 152. Figure 11 shows the accessory shoe 123 as viewed from the insertion direction of the external flash unit 120.

[0032] The engaging member 151 is formed by folding a metal plate into a loop shape, so that the end faces of both folded ends abut against each other at a seam 151a. The engaging member 151 has a pair of engaging portions 151b and a connecting portion 151c that connects the pair of engaging portions 151b to each other. The engaging member 151 is formed with a pair of first screw holes 151d and a pair of second screw holes 151e that are used to fasten the screws 157. The engaging member 151 is also formed with an engaging hole 156 that engages with the lock pin 252 of the external flash unit 120.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 11, the pair of engagement parts 151b are spaced apart by a first width (hereinafter referred to as engagement part interval) 151aa in the X direction. A holding member 254 of the external flash unit 120 described later and shown in FIG. 6(b) is inserted into the engagement part interval 151aa. The pair of first screw hole parts 151d are provided at a predetermined interval in the X direction and function as a pair of first fastening hole parts provided at a distance from each other in the X direction at the rear (back side) in the Z direction. The pair of second screw hole parts 151e are provided at a predetermined interval in the X direction and function as a pair of second fastening hole parts provided at a distance from each other in the X direction at the front in the Z direction. The engagement hole part 156 is formed in a position that can engage with the lock pin 252 of the external flash unit 120 in the area sandwiched between the pair of first screw hole parts 151d.

[0034] 4(b) and 5(c), a plurality of connection terminals 152a are exposed in the connection terminal connector 152. In the pitch direction (X direction) in which the plurality of connection terminals 152a are arranged, the position of the camera connection part 206 is determined by the engagement part interval 151aa of the engagement member 151. Therefore, the holding member 254 of the external flash unit 120 is positioned relative to the connection terminal connector 152 by the engagement member 151.

[0035] Furthermore, on both sides of the Z-direction front side of the connection terminal connector 152 (connector base member 152e) sandwiching the multiple connection terminals 152a in the X-direction, as shown in FIG. 11, there are formed a contact surface 152b that contacts the accessory shoe 123 in the Z-direction to position it when the external flash unit 120 is attached, and a groove portion 152c into which the accessory shoe 123 is inserted. Each groove portion 152c is formed to extend from the contact surface 152b to the Z-direction front side (attachment side), and is provided with a slope portion 152d formed to face inward and diagonally upward (to have an inclination with respect to the X-direction). Note that the portion of the groove portion 152c above the slope portion 152d extends outward in the X-direction from the position of the upper end of the slope portion 152d. This is to prevent a recess (sink mark) from occurring in the slope portion 152d during resin molding if the slope portion 152d is formed up to the upper end of the groove portion 152c.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 11, in the X direction, the outermost inner surface 152ccc of the groove portion 152c in the connector base member 152e of the accessory shoe 123 is located outside the inner end surfaces (engagement portion spacing 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.

[0037] The slope start position 152cc, which is the end (lower end) of the slope portion 152d on the bottom side of the groove portion 152c, is provided inside the engagement portion interval 151aa. This makes it possible to secure an area for providing the abutment surface 152b that abuts against the abutment portion 251b of the camera connection portion 206 described later to perform positioning in the Z direction. Furthermore, by providing a slope shape starting from the slope start position 152cc, the space into which the shoe device of the external flash unit 120 (the camera connection portion 206 described later) is inserted can be expanded, and the degree of freedom in the shape of the shoe device can also be secured. As a result, the shoe device of the external flash unit 120 can be formed into a shape that sufficiently protects its connection terminal.

[0038] Next, the external flash unit 120 will be described. Fig. 6(a) shows the external flash unit 120 as viewed from the camera connection part 206 side (lower side in the Y direction). Fig. 6(b) shows a cross section taken along line AA in Fig. 6(a), illustrating the internal structure of the camera connection part 206. Fig. 7(a) shows the camera connection part 206. However, the base part 250 and lock lever 253, which will be described later, are omitted from the illustration. Fig. 7(b) shows the camera connection part 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0039] The camera connection part 206 is provided on the lower side in the Y direction (upper side in FIG. 6(a)) of the base part 250 of the external flash unit 120 as shown in FIG. 6(b) when attached to the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. The camera connection part 206 has 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.

[0040] The shoe mounting leg 251 is an engagement member that engages and holds the external flash unit 120 on the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. In other words, the shoe mounting leg 251 is an engagement member on the external flash unit 120 side that is detachable from the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0041] The accessory shoe 123 and the camera connection part 206 are subjected to large stresses due to pressure to maintain the attached state and external forces (such as impacts) acting on the external flash unit 120. The shoe mounting leg 251 is manufactured by processing a metal plate (sheet metal) to ensure high mechanical strength against such large stresses.

[0042] The lock pin 252 is a member for preventing the external flash unit 120 from falling off when the camera connection part 206 (shoe mounting leg 251) is attached to the accessory shoe 123, and is held by the shoe mounting leg 251 so as to be movable in the Y direction. Specifically, the lock pin 252 is held by a Y-direction holding member 258 so as to be slidable in the Y direction. The lock lever 253 and the Y-direction holding member 258 are held by a holding member 254.

[0043] 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 is moved downward in the Y direction in FIG. 6(b) by a cam portion (not shown). At that 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 mounting 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 a positioning member in the Z direction to ensure electrical connection between the external flash unit 120 and the camera 100.

[0044] The connection plug 256 is provided on the front side in the Z direction of the camera connection portion 206, is made of a non-conductive material (dielectric material) such as a resin material, and is integrated with the holding member 254. The outermost width T in the X direction of the connection plug 256 is narrower than the width W in the X direction of the shoe mounting leg 251. This ensures an area for providing the abutment portion 251b on the shoe mounting leg 251. The connection plug 256 has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for abutting against a plurality of connection terminals 152a of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(c) to perform communication.

[0045] The multiple connection terminals 257 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple connection terminals 152a, and are held by the holding member 254 so as to extend in the Z direction and be aligned in the X direction. Each connection terminal 257 has a tip portion 257a that contacts the corresponding connection terminal 152a. Each connection terminal 257 has an extension portion 257b that has a shape that extends backward in the Z direction from the tip portion 257a, and displaces the tip portion 257a upward in the Y direction in FIG. 6(b) by elastic deformation when the tip portion 257a abuts against the connection terminal 152a. An extension portion 257c that extends upward in the Y direction is formed at the rear end of the extension portion 257b in the Z direction. The upper end of the extension portion 257c is provided with a flexible board connection portion 257d that is connected to a main board (not shown) of the external flash unit 120 and is connected to a flexible board 259 inserted into the holding member 254 from above in the Y direction.

[0046] In addition, the extension portion 257b has a step portion 257e having a step in the Y direction formed midway in the Z direction. As described above, the extension portion 257b is capable of elastic deformation in the Y direction. However, if the distance L of the extension portion 257b in the Z direction is short, a sufficient amount of deformation cannot be obtained, and durability decreases. As a result, the extension portion 257b may become easily damaged if the connection terminal 152a and the tip portion 257a are repeatedly attached and detached. Therefore, by providing the step portion 257e in the extension portion 257b, a sufficient distance L is ensured without causing the extension portion 257b to interfere with the shoe mounting leg 251.

[0047] 7(a) and (b), a pair of protrusions 256a is provided at both ends in the X direction of the connection plug 256, protruding downward in the Y direction (third direction) so as to sandwich the multiple connection terminals 257 therebetween. As shown in Fig. 7(b), the lower tip 256d of each protrusion 256a protrudes below a line connecting the lower ends of the tips 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. In other words, the tip 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tips 256d of the pair of protrusions 256a.

[0048] Furthermore, on the outer side (outer surface) in the X direction of each protrusion 256a, a slope portion 256b is provided as an outer surface that extends obliquely upward from a lower tip 256d and faces obliquely downward, i.e., has a slope with respect to the X direction. Since each protrusion 256a has 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.

[0049] The inclined surface portion 256b has a role of preventing the connection plug 256 from being damaged by releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 256. For example, Fig. 7(c) shows a case where an external force is applied to the connection plug 256 from the X direction. Fig. 7(c) shows the connection plug 256 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0050] An external force from the X direction is defined as F1 and is a vector. When the external force F1 acting on the slope portion 256b is resolved according to the rules of addition in vector space, it is resolved into a component force F2 in a direction along the slope portion 256b and a component force F3 in a direction perpendicular to the slope portion 256b. If the angle between the external force F1 and the slope portion 256b is θ, the component forces F2 and F3 can be calculated by the following formula (1). F2=F1cosθ F3 = F1 sinθ (1) When the inclined surface portion 256b is provided, θ is in the range of 0°<θ<90°. F2 <F1 F3 <F1 (2) Since the force component F2 escapes in a direction along the inclined surface portion 256b, only the force component F3 acts on the connection plug 256. As described above, since the force component F3 is smaller than the force component F1, the connection plug 256 can be prevented from being damaged even if a relatively large external force is applied.

[0051] By forming the inclined surfaces 256b on both sides in the X direction so that their width in the X direction narrows toward the lower side in the Y direction, it is possible to dissipate a portion of the external force not only from the X direction but also from the lower side in the Y direction.

[0052] FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of a part of the connection plug 256 seen from the Z direction. In the Y direction, the height from the lower end 256d of the protrusion 256a to the upper surface of the connection plug 256 (the height of the connection plug including the protrusion) is B, and the height of the slope portion 256b from the lower end 256d (slope start position 256c) to the upper end of the slope portion 256b is A. In this case, A is preferably 1 / 5 or more of B, and more preferably 1 / 4 or more, 1 / 3 or more, or more than half as shown in FIG. 12. That is, the slope portion 256b is formed to have a significant dimension for the function of releasing an external force from the X direction, and is different from the chamfered shape generally provided at the corner of a protrusion. In addition, the inclination angle θ of the slope portion 256b with respect to the X direction is preferably set in the range of 45°±20° for the function of releasing the above-mentioned external force.

[0053] In order to ensure a sufficient area for the abutment portion 251b in the shoe mounting leg 251 against the abutment surface 152b of the accessory shoe 123, which is a positioning portion in the Z direction, it is desirable to make the width in the X direction between the slope start positions 256c at the lower tip ends 256d of the slope portions 256b on both sides as short as possible. In this embodiment, the width in the X direction between the slope start positions 256c is set inside the width V in the X direction of the holding member 254, thereby ensuring a sufficient area for the abutment portion 251b.

[0054] The camera connection section 206 has a structure in which a shoe mounting leg 251 and a holding member 254 are fastened to each other. The details of this fastening structure will be described later.

[0055] The holding member 254 has a connecting portion 254a with a width V shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 251 in the X direction, which can be inserted into the engaging portion interval 151aa of the engaging member 151 of the accessory shoe 123 shown in FIG. 5(a). The dimensions of the widths W and V are regulated by the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) B7101-1975 "Accessory mounting base and mounting foot of camera". The connecting portion 254a fits into the engaging member 151, thereby determining the position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction relative to the camera 100. The shoe mounting leg 251 is biased upward in the Y direction by abutting against the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 as a biasing member shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b). As a result, the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 251a abuts (presses) against the lower surface of the engaging member 151, and the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Y direction relative to the camera 100 is determined.

[0056] Furthermore, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction relative to the camera 100 is determined by the abutment portion 251b of the shoe mounting leg 251 abutting against the abutment surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152.

[0057] 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 disposed inside the connecting portion 254a.

[0058] Next, we will explain the fastening structure between the holding member 254 and the shoe mounting leg 251. Figure 8(a) shows the camera connection part 206 as viewed from above in the Y direction, and Figure 8(b) shows a cross section taken along line B-B in Figure 8(a).

[0059] 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 the screws in a well-balanced manner, one each in four regions that are approximately equally divided in the X direction and the Z direction, 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 that is subjected to large stress. For this reason, by fastening the metal shoe mounting leg 251 to the holding member 254 with a well-balanced pair of first screws 260a and a pair of second screws 260b, it is possible to ensure the necessary mechanical strength.

[0060] 8(b), a plurality of connection terminals 257 are arranged in an area S sandwiched between the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b. 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 ends 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.

[0061] 13 shows a cross section seen from the Z direction when camera connection part 206 is attached to accessory shoe 123. This figure shows the dimensions T and V of camera connection part 206 described above and the positional relationship between each part of camera connection part 206 and each part of accessory shoe 123.

[0062] 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 engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123 for positioning in the Y direction.

[0063] On the other hand, the lower tip 256d and the slope 256b of the protrusion 256a of the connection plug 256 in the camera connection portion 206 do not abut against the bottom surface and the slope 152d of the groove 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 152c of the accessory shoe 123 is set as small as possible. This allows the lower tip 256d of the protrusion 256a to abut against the bottom surface of the groove 152c of the accessory shoe 123 when an external force in the X direction is applied to the external flash unit 120, and the floating of the connection plug 256 (the inclination with respect to the accessory shoe 123) can be reduced.

[0064] In addition, the gap between the inclined surfaces 256b and 152d and the gap between the inner end surface 152ccc of the groove 152c and the outer end surface of the connection plug 256 are each set to be relatively large. This makes it possible to prevent a load from being applied to the connection terminals 257 and 152a when an external force in the X direction is applied to the external flash unit 120.

[0065] In groove 152c of accessory shoe 123, the relationship between the height of groove 152c in the Y direction (the height from the bottom surface of groove 152c to the ceiling surface of engagement member 151) and the height of slope 152d in the Y direction is similar to the relationship between height B of connection plug 256 and height A of slope 256b in camera connection portion 206. Similarly to slope θ of slope 256b in camera connection portion 206, the inclination angle of slope 256b with respect to the X direction is preferably set in the range of 45°±20°.

[0066] In the above embodiments, the surface shape of the inclined surface 256b provided on the protrusion 256a is a flat surface, but the inclined surface 256b may be a curved surface having a curvature. In other words, the inclined surface 256b may be a surface having an inclination with respect to the X direction.

[0067] According to the above embodiment, in the small camera connection portion 206 and accessory shoe 123, it is possible to secure an area for providing a larger number of connection terminals and shapes for protecting them than before, as well as an area for positioning the components. EXAMPLES

[0068] The external flash unit 120 in the second embodiment 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 AA in Fig. 9(a), illustrating the internal structure of the camera connection part 206. Fig. 10(a) shows the camera connection part 206. However, the base part 250 and the lock lever 253 are omitted from the illustration. Fig. 10(b) shows the camera connection part 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0069] The camera connection part 206 is provided on the lower side in the Y direction of the base part 250 of the external flash unit 120 (upper side in FIG. 9(a)) as shown in FIG. 9(b) when attached to 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.

[0070] The shoe mounting leg 300a, like the shoe mounting leg 251 of the first embodiment, is an engagement member for engaging the external flash unit 120 with the accessory shoe 123 of the camera 100. In other words, the shoe mounting leg 300a is an engagement member on the external flash unit 120 side that is detachable from the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0071] In the first embodiment, the shoe mounting leg 251, which is a metal shoe plate, and the resin holding member 254 are formed as separate members, with a priority given to mechanical strength. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the shoe mounting leg 300a and the holding member 300 are formed as an integral member using a resin material (non-conductive material). This makes it unnecessary to use the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b described in the first embodiment, and the space for arranging the connection terminals 257 becomes larger, so that 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 section 206 and the accessory shoe 123.

[0072] The connection plug 300b is provided on the Z-direction front side of the camera connection part 206, and in this embodiment, is formed as an integral member with the holding member 300 formed of a non-conductive resin material. As in the first embodiment, the outermost width T of the connection plug 300b in the X-direction is made narrower than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 300a in the X-direction to ensure an area for providing the abutment part 300e in the shoe mounting leg 300a. The connection plug 300b has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for contacting 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 terminal 257 is the same as in the first embodiment, and a step part 257e is provided to ensure a sufficient Z-direction distance L of the extension part 257b without interfering with the shoe cover 301.

[0073] The shape of the connection plug 300b is also the same as that of the connection plug 256 of the first embodiment, and a pair of protrusions 300c protruding downward in the Y direction is provided at both ends of the connection plug 300b in the X direction so as to sandwich the multiple connection terminals 257. As shown in Fig. 10(b) , the lower end 300k of each protrusion 300c protrudes downward from a line connecting the lower ends of the tips 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. In other words, the tip 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tips 300k of the pair of protrusions 300b.

[0074] Also in this embodiment, on the outer side in the X direction of each protrusion 300c, a slope portion 300f is provided that extends obliquely upward from the lower tip 300k and faces obliquely downward. Since each protrusion 300c has such a shape, it is possible to insert the connection plug 300b into the groove portion 152c having the slope portion 152d in the connection terminal connector 152 described in the first embodiment. As described in the first embodiment, the slope portion 300c has a role of releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 300b to prevent the connection plug from being damaged.

[0075] Furthermore, similarly to the first embodiment, it is desirable to make the distance in the X direction between the slope start positions 300g at the lower tip portions 300k of the slope portions 300c on both sides as short as possible, and therefore the slope start positions 300g on both sides are located inside the width V of the retaining member 254 in the X direction to ensure a sufficient area for the abutment portions 300e of the shoe mounting legs 300a.

[0076] The holding member 300 has a connecting portion 300h that is formed 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 width V in the X direction that is shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 300a. As in the first embodiment, the dimensions of the width W and the width V are regulated by the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) B7101-1975 "Camera Accessory Mounting Base and Mounting Feet". The connecting portion 300h is engaged with the engaging member 151, thereby determining the position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction relative to the camera 100. In addition, the shoe mounting leg 300a is biased upward in the Y direction by abutting against the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b), thereby causing the upper surface of the shoe fitting portion 300d to abut against the lower surface of the engaging member 151. This determines the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Y direction relative to the camera 100.

[0077] Furthermore, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction relative to the camera 100 is determined by the abutment portion 300e of the shoe mounting leg 300a abutting against the abutment surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152.

[0078] The holding member 300 also serves as 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. EXAMPLES

[0079] Next, an external flash unit 120 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 14(a) shows the external flash unit 120 as viewed from the camera connection part 206 side (lower side in the Y direction). Fig. 14(b) shows a cross section taken along line AA in Fig. 14(a), illustrating the internal structure of the camera connection part 206. Fig. 15(a) shows the camera connection part 206, except that the base part 250 and the lock lever 253 are omitted from the illustration. Fig. 15(b) shows the camera connection part 206 as viewed from the front in the Z direction.

[0080] Figure 16(a) shows the external flash unit 120 attached to the camera 100, viewed from the diagonal rear side. Figure 16(b) shows a cross section taken along line BB in Figure 16(a), illustrating the state in which the camera connection part 206 (shoe mounting leg 400a) of the external flash unit 120 is in the middle of being inserted into the accessory shoe 123 (engagement member 151) of the camera 100. Figure 16(c) shows the same cross section as Figure 16(b), illustrating the state in which the shoe mounting leg 400a has been completely inserted into the accessory shoe 123 and is held by the accessory shoe 123.

[0081] The shoe mounting leg 400a is an engagement 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. In other words, the shoe mounting leg 400a is an engagement member on the external flash unit 120 side that is detachable from the engagement member 151 of the accessory shoe 123.

[0082] The shoe mounting leg 400a and the holding member 400 are formed as an integral member from a resin material (non-conductive material) in the same manner as the shoe mounting leg 300a and the holding member 300 in the second embodiment. This makes the pair of first screws 260a and the pair of second screws 260b described in the first embodiment unnecessary, and the space for arranging the connection terminals 257 is wider, so that a greater 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 part 206 and the accessory shoe 123.

[0083] The connection plug 400b is provided on the Z-direction front side of the camera connection portion 206, and is formed as an integral member with the holding member 400 formed of a non-conductive resin material as in the second embodiment. As in the first and second embodiments, the outermost width T of the connection plug 400b in the X-direction is narrower than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 400a in the X-direction, thereby ensuring an area for providing the abutment portion 400e in the shoe mounting leg 400a. The connection plug 400b has a plurality of connection terminals 257 for contacting and communicating with 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 terminal 257 is the same as in the first and second embodiments, and a step portion 257e is provided to ensure a sufficient Z-direction distance L of the extension portion 257b without interfering with the shoe cover 301.

[0084] The shape of the connection plug 400b is also similar to that of the connection plug 256 of the first and second embodiments, and a pair of protrusions 400c protruding downward in the Y direction is provided at both ends of the connection plug 400b in the X direction so as to sandwich the connection terminals 257. As shown in Fig. 15(b) , the lower end 400k of each protrusion 400c protrudes downward from a line connecting the lower ends of the tips 257a of the connection terminals 257 in order to protect the connection terminals 257 from external forces such as pressure and impact. In other words, the tip 257a of the connection terminal 257 is provided above (inside) the line connecting the lower tips 400k of the pair of protrusions 400b.

[0085] Also in this embodiment, on the outer side in the X direction of each protrusion 400c, a slope portion 400f is provided that extends obliquely upward from the lower tip 400k and faces obliquely downward. Since each protrusion 400c has such a shape, it is possible to insert the connection plug 400b into the groove portion 152c having the slope portion 152d in the connection terminal connector 152 described in the first embodiment. As described in the first and second embodiments, the slope portion 400f has a role of releasing external forces such as pressure and impact on the connection plug 400b to prevent the connection plug from being damaged.

[0086] Furthermore, similarly to the first and second embodiments, 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 slope portions 400f on both sides as short as possible, and therefore the slope start positions 400g on both sides are located inside the width V of the retaining member 254 in the X direction to ensure a sufficient area for the abutment portions 400e of the shoe mounting legs 400a.

[0087] The holding member 400 has a connecting portion 400h that 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 width V in the X direction that is shorter than the width W of the shoe mounting leg 400a. As in the first and second embodiments, the dimensions of the widths W and V are stipulated in the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) B7101-1975 "Camera Accessory Mounting Bases and Mounting Feet." The position of the external flash unit 120 in the X direction relative to the camera 100 is determined by the engaging portion 400h fitting into the engaging member 151.

[0088] The holding member 400 also serves as 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.

[0089] As shown in Figs. 16(b) and (c), the shoe mounting leg 400a has an abutment range (first range) 400j that abuts against the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 shown in Figs. 4(a) and (b). When the abutment range 400j abuts against 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 abuts against the lower surface of the engagement member 151. The arrow F in Figs. 16(b) and (c) represents the biasing force of the accessory shoe spring 154. This determines the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Y direction relative to the camera 100. The abutment range 400j corresponds to the biasing range biased by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 when the external flash unit 120 is in the middle of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 and when it is completely attached. The contact ranges 400j are disposed on both sides of the multiple connection terminals 152a on the front side in the Z direction (the front side of the camera 100) which is the mounting direction.

[0090] The shoe mounting leg 400a also 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 where no force is applied by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 when the external flash unit 120 is in the middle of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 or when attachment is complete. In FIG. 16(c), a gap is generated between the accessory shoe spring 154 and the non-contact range 400i, so the biasing force applied by the accessory shoe spring 154 to the non-contact range 400i is zero.

[0091] In this embodiment, the thickness of the non-contact area 400i in the Y direction is set to be larger than the thickness of the contact area 400j in the same direction. The thickness of the contact area 400j is set to be the same as in Examples 1 and 2. The reason for making the thickness of the non-contact area 400i in the Y direction larger than the thickness of the contact area 400j is as follows.

[0092] The resin shoe of this embodiment is inferior in strength to the metal shoe of embodiment 1 when compared with the same shape. For this reason, the strength can be ensured by increasing the thickness in the Y direction of the non-contact area 400i of the shoe mounting leg 400a. Since the strength calculated by the second moment of area increases in proportion to the square of the thickness, it is possible to efficiently increase the strength by increasing the thickness in the Y direction. Furthermore, by making the Z direction length of the non-contact area 400i longer than the Z direction length of the contact area 400j, it is possible to ensure greater strength.

[0093] Also, by making the thickness of the contact area 400j the same as in Examples 1 and 2, the shoe mounting leg 400a is made versatile in accordance with the JIS standard, and the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 is prevented from exceeding the yield point and undergoing plastic deformation. Also, in order to make the mounting load the same as in Examples 1 and 2 when mounting the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123, the thickness in the Y direction of the contact area 400j is made the same as in Examples 1 and 2.

[0094] Furthermore, since the non-contact range 400i is located on the mounting side in the Z direction of the contact range 400j, the elastic deformation portion 154a is prevented from exceeding the yield point and undergoing plastic deformation even in the middle of mounting the external flash unit 120 to the accessory shoe 123.

[0095] In this embodiment, the non-contact range 400i is a non-biased range that is not biased by the elastic deformation portion 154a of the accessory shoe spring 154 when the external flash unit 120 is in the middle of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 or when the attachment is complete. However, the non-contact range 400i may be biased by the accessory shoe spring 154 when the external flash unit 120 is in the middle of being attached to the accessory shoe 123 or when the attachment is complete. In that case, the range in which the biasing force of the accessory shoe spring 154 is smaller than the biasing force of the accessory shoe spring 154 when the external flash unit 120 is held by the accessory shoe 123 may be set to the range corresponding to the non-contact range 400i. In other words, the second range of the shoe mounting leg 400a may be thicker than the first range, and the biasing force of the accessory shoe spring 154 in the second range may be smaller than the first range (including zero biasing force).

[0096] Furthermore, the position of the external flash unit 120 in the Z direction relative to the camera 100 is determined by the abutment portion 400e of the shoe mounting leg 400a abutting against the abutment surface 152b on the front side in the Z direction of the connection terminal connector 152.

[0097] The embodiments described above are merely representative examples, and various modifications and alterations are possible for each embodiment when implementing the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 100 Digital Camera 120 External Flash Unit 123 Accessory shoe 206 Camera connection part (shoe device) 251 Shoe mounting leg (engagement member) 254 Retaining member 256 connection plug 256a Protrusion 256b Slope section 257 Connection terminal

Claims

1. A shoe device that is detachable from an accessory shoe device of an electronic device, a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is a mounting direction of the accessory shoe device; a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, the protrusion has a first surface that is a plane perpendicular to the second direction and is located on a side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, and a second surface that is located on an opposite side to the first surface in the second direction, A shoe device characterized in that the second surface has a slope portion at a position that overlaps with the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the distance from the first surface in the second direction becoming shorter the closer it is to the tip of the protrusion in the third direction.

2. 2. The shoe device according to claim 1, wherein the second surface is inclined with respect to the second direction, and an inclination angle of the second surface with respect to the second direction is in a range of 45°±20°.

3. a holding member for holding the plurality of connection terminals; The shoe device according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the connection portion has a width between the second surfaces of the protrusions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals that is narrower than a width of the retaining member in the second direction.

4. An accessory that can be attached to and detached from an accessory shoe device of an electronic device, a plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction that is a mounting direction of the accessory shoe device; a connection portion having protrusions protruding in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, the protrusion has a first surface that is a plane perpendicular to the second direction and is located on a side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, and a second surface that is located on an opposite side to the first surface in the second direction, An accessory characterized in that the second surface has a sloped portion at a position that overlaps with the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the distance from the first surface in the second direction becoming shorter the closer it is to the tip of the protrusion in the third direction.

5. An accessory as described in claim 4, characterized in that the second surface is inclined with respect to the second direction, and the inclination angle of the second surface with respect to the second direction is in the range of 45° ± 20°.

6. An accessory as described in claim 4, characterized in that the second surface is inclined with respect to the second direction, and the inclination angle of the second surface with respect to the second direction is in the range of 45° ± 20°.

7. An accessory shoe device for attaching and detaching an accessory in a first direction, A plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a holding member for holding the plurality of connection terminals, The holding member is a groove portion on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction; the groove portion has a first surface that is a plane perpendicular to the second direction and is located on a side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, and a second surface that is located on an opposite side to the first surface in the second direction, An accessory shoe device characterized in that the second surface has a slope portion at a position that overlaps with the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the distance from the first surface in the second direction becoming shorter the closer it is to the bottom surface of the groove portion.

8. 6. The accessory shoe device according to claim 5, wherein the second surface is inclined with respect to the second direction, and an inclination angle of the second surface with respect to the second direction is in the range of 45°±20°.

9. An accessory shoe device to which an accessory is attached and detached in a first direction; A plurality of connection terminals arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a holding member for holding the plurality of connection terminals, The holding member is a groove portion on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction; the groove portion has a first surface that is a plane perpendicular to the second direction and is located on a side of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, and a second surface that is located on an opposite side to the first surface in the second direction, An electronic device characterized in that the second surface has a slope portion at a position that overlaps with the first surface when viewed from the second direction, the distance from the first surface in the second direction becoming shorter the closer it is to a bottom surface of the groove portion.

10. The electronic device described in Claim 9, characterized in that the second surface is inclined with respect to the second direction, and the inclination angle of the second surface with respect to the second direction is in the range of 45°±20°.

Images