Lock retention and release mechanism

Abstract

To provide a lock retention and unlocking mechanism for increasing a degree of freedom in operation and improving operability by independently performing lock unlocking operation and detachment operation from an opponent member.SOLUTION: A lock retention and unlocking mechanism includes: a lock member 10 that has an engagement part 13, and is displaceable between a lock position for preventing movement of an opponent member 2 by engaging the engagement part 13 to one portion of the opponent member 2 and an unlocking position in which engagement with the opponent member 2 is unlocked; and an unlocking member 20 that is movably provided relative to the lock member 10, displaces the lock member 10 held in a lock position to an unlocking position following movement operation and unlocks engagement with the opponent member 2, and retains the unlocked state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lock holding and unlocking mechanism that is applied to, for example, a lens hood that is attached in a locked state to the lens barrel of an imaging device, and that holds or releases the lock with a mating member. [Background technology]

[0002] Regarding a locking and unlocking mechanism for a lens hood that is attached in a locked state to the lens barrel of an imaging device such as the one described above, Patent Document 1 discloses the following technology.

[0003] That is, the lens hood 9 is attached in a locked state to the lens barrel 3 by engaging the engagement convex portion 119 on the lens hood 9 side, which is biased by the pressing member, with the engagement concave portion 119 on the lens barrel 3 side. When removing the lens hood 9, the user presses the disengagement button 124 to move the engagement convex portion 119 against the pressing force of the pressing member to release the lock, and then rotates the lens hood 9 relative to the lens barrel 3 while keeping the disengagement button 124 pressed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-63774 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, in the conventional lock holding and release mechanism, it is necessary to perform an unlocking operation such as pressing the disengagement button 124 while simultaneously performing a release operation such as rotating the camera hood.

[0006] However, with the method of simultaneously performing the unlocking and detaching operations, the user cannot release their hand from the disengagement button 124 after the unlocking operation, which limits how the camera hood can be held during the detaching operation, resulting in poor operational freedom and poor operability.

[0007] This problem is not limited to the lens barrel and lens hood of an imaging device, but is a common problem with any unlocking operation when two components are attached in a locked state.

[0008] This invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a lock retention and release mechanism that allows the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member to be performed independently, thereby increasing the freedom of operation and improving operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The above object can be achieved by the following means: (1) The locking mechanism has an engaging portion, and the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent the mating member from moving, and the locking mechanism is released from the engaging portion and moves between the locked position and the unlocked position. Rotation a displaceable locking member; the locking member The engaging portion against In the direction of approach and direction of departure The locking member is provided movably, and when the locking member is moved, the locking member is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position. Rotation a release member that is displaced to release the engagement with the mating member and maintain the released state; A lock holding and release mechanism comprising: (2) A lock holding and releasing mechanism as described in paragraph 1 above, wherein the releasing member is provided with a first guide portion that guides the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the movement operation, and a second guide portion that follows the first guide portion and prevents the locking member from returning to the locked position, thereby maintaining the unlocked state. (3) The locking mechanism has an engaging portion, and the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent the mating member from moving, and the locking mechanism is released from the engaging portion and the mating member to move between the locked position and the unlocked position. Rotation a displaceable locking member; the locking member The engaging portion against It is either an approaching direction or a moving away direction. The locking member is provided so as to be movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and is configured to move the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position in response to a movement operation in the first direction. Rotation a release member that is displaced to release the engagement with the mating member; an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; A lock holding and release mechanism comprising: (4) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that, in the unlocked state, a movement operation is performed to move the locking member, the release member, and the release member together in the second direction relative to the mating member, thereby displacing the release member into a state in which engagement with the release member is released. (5) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that the mating member is cylindrical and the release member is circular, and the lock member and the release member are respectively arranged on either side of the center point of the circular release member in the radial direction. (6) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock holding and releasing mechanism characterized in that the lock member is held rotatably. (7) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock holding and releasing mechanism characterized in that the opening member is held rotatably. (8) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with the locking member has an engaging portion that engages with another portion of the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, or another engaging portion that engages with the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that the engagement portion or another engagement portion is released from engagement with the mating member as the release member is moved in a first direction. (9) a locking member having an engaging portion and displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, when moved in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in the locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the release member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that the elastic members that bias the release member in the second direction are arranged on both radial sides of the center point of the circular release member. ( 10 ) In the unlocked state, a movement operation is performed to move the locking member, the releasing member, and the opening member together in the second direction relative to the mating member, thereby displacing the opening member into a state in which engagement with the releasing member is released. ( 11 ) The mating member is formed in a cylindrical shape and the releasing member is formed in a circular shape, and the locking member and the releasing member are disposed on both sides in the radial direction with the center point of the circular releasing member in between, as described in 3 or 4 above. or 10 The lock retention and release mechanism described in ( 12 ) The locking member is held rotatably according to the above items 3 to 5. 、10、11 1. A lock holding and releasing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims. ( 13 ) The opening member is held rotatably. 、10~12 1. A lock holding and releasing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims. ( 14) the locking member has an engaging portion that engages with another portion of the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with the orientation reversed, or another engaging portion that engages with the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with the orientation reversed, The engagement portion or another engagement portion is released from engagement with the mating member in accordance with the operation of moving the release member in the first direction. 、10~13 1. A lock holding and releasing mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims. ( 15 ) The elastic members for biasing the releasing member in the second direction are disposed on both sides of the center point of the circular releasing member in the radial direction, respectively, as described in paragraphs 3 to 8. 、10~14 10. The lock retention and release mechanism according to claim 9, wherein: [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the invention described in the preceding paragraph (1), the engaging portion of the locking member is engaged with a part of the mating member at the locked position, thereby preventing the mating member from moving and maintaining the locked state. The engaging portion against In the direction of approach and direction of departure When the user moves the movably provided unlocking member, the locking member moves from the lock position to the unlocked position. Rotation The unlocking member is displaced, disengaging from the mating member, and the unlocked state is maintained. Therefore, even if the user releases the unlocking member after moving it, the unlocked state is maintained without returning to the locked state, so there is no need to simultaneously perform the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member. As a result, the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member can be performed independently, allowing the user to freely choose how to hold the device during the release operation, increasing the degree of freedom in operation and improving operability.

[0011] In addition, since there are no restrictions on how the device can be held when releasing the device, there is also the effect of increasing the freedom in designing the external shape of the component that houses the lock retention and release mechanism, as well as the freedom in designing the position and shape of the release component that is operated by the user.

[0012] According to the invention described in the preceding paragraph (2), as the unlocking member is moved, the locking member is guided by the first guide portion from the locked position to the unlocked position. In addition, the second guide portion following the first guide portion prevents the locking member from returning to the locked position, maintaining the unlocked state, thereby ensuring that the locking member can be released and maintained in the unlocked state.

[0013] According to the invention described in the preceding paragraph (3), the engaging portion of the locking member is engaged with a part of the mating member at the locked position, thereby preventing the mating member from moving and establishing a locked state. The engaging portion against It is either an approaching direction or a moving away direction. When a user moves the unlocking member, which is provided so as to be movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto and is biased in the second direction by an elastic member, in the first direction, the locking member moves from the lock position to the unlocked position in accordance with the movement. Rotation The engagement with the mating member is released by displacement.

[0014] Furthermore, the opening member is displaced in response to the operation of moving the release member in the first direction, and engages with the release member to prevent the release member from moving in the second direction by the elastic member, so that even if the operation of moving in the first direction is released, the lock member is prevented from returning to the locked position.

[0015] In other words, because the unlocked state is maintained by the release member, the device will not return to the locked state even if the user releases the release member, and there is no need to simultaneously perform the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member. As a result, the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member can be performed independently, allowing the user to freely choose how to hold the device when releasing, increasing the degree of freedom in operation and improving operability.

[0016] In addition, since there are no restrictions on how the device can be held when releasing the device, there is also the effect of increasing the freedom in designing the external shape of the component that houses the lock retention and release mechanism, as well as the freedom in designing the position and shape of the release component that is operated by the user.

[0017] (4) of the preceding paragraph and (10) According to the invention described in (1), when the user moves the locking member, the releasing member, and the opening member together in a second direction relative to the mating member in the unlocked state for the purpose of disengagement, the opening member is displaced to a state in which it is no longer engaged with the releasing member. Once the engagement with the releasing member is released, the releasing member automatically moves in the second direction due to the biasing force of the elastic member, and returns to the state before the lock was released.

[0018] (5) of the preceding paragraph and (11) According to the invention described in the above, the mating member is formed in a cylindrical shape and the release member is formed in a circular shape, and the locking member and the release member are respectively arranged at positions on both sides of the center point of the circular release member in the radial direction, so that the force acting between the release member and the locking member and the release member can be dispersed to positions on both sides of the radial direction, and localized concentration of load can be avoided.

[0019] (6) of the preceding paragraph and (12) According to the invention described in (1), the locking member is held rotatably, so that it can be easily shifted between the locked state and the unlocked state.

[0020] (7) and (13) According to the invention described in (1), the release member is held rotatably, so that it can be easily displaced between an engaged state with the release member and a disengaged state.

[0021] (8) of the preceding paragraph and (14)According to the invention described in (1), when the locking member is attached to the mating member in the reversed orientation, the engaging portion engages with another portion of the mating member, or when the locking member is attached to the mating member in the reversed orientation, the engaging portion or the other engaging portion can engage with the mating member to lock it when the locking member is detached from the mating member and then attached to the mating member in the reversed orientation. Also, when the release member is operated to move in the first direction, the engagement between the engaging portion or the other engaging portion and the mating member is released.

[0022] The preceding paragraph (9) and (15) According to the invention described in (1), the elastic members that urge the releasing member in the second direction are disposed on either side of the center point of the circular releasing member in the radial direction, so that the urging forces of the elastic members are applied to the releasing member in a well-balanced manner, which makes it possible to smoothly move the releasing member in the first direction and the second direction, further improving operability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1A to 1E are schematic diagrams showing the basic configuration of a lock holding and releasing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a development view of a lens hood of an imaging device to which a lock holding and release mechanism is applied. [Figure 3] (A) and (B) are perspective views of the lens hood with the hood cover attached, viewed from different angles. [Figure 4] (A) and (B) are perspective views of the lens hood from different angles with the hood cover removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the slide ring with the locking member removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the attached state of the hood body, the slide ring, and the hood cover. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mounting portion of a locking member. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view of first and second engagement projections of a locking member as viewed from the opening side of the hood body. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the attachment portion of the opening member with the opening member separated. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic diagram of the slide ring, locking member, release member, etc., viewed from the rear surface side of the annular reduced diameter portion (the tip side of the lens hood) when the locking member is in a locked state. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic view seen from the same direction as FIG. 10, showing the unlocked state. [Figure 12] 11 is a schematic view seen from the same direction as FIG. 10, showing the state in which the lens hood removal operation has begun after the lock has been released and the release member has come into contact with the mating member. [Figure 13] 11 is a schematic view seen from the same direction as FIG. 10, showing the state in which the lens hood has been displaced to the locked state by the detachment operation. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a development view of a lens hood according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15(A) is a front view showing a part of the slide ring in the lock holding state in the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, and FIG. 15(B) is a perspective view of the same. [Figure 16] 15(A) is a front view showing a part of the slide ring in the unlocked state in the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, and FIG. 15(B) is a perspective view of the same. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Basic configuration] 1(A) to 1(E) are schematic diagrams showing the basic configuration of a lock holding and releasing mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figures 1(A) to (E) show the case where a member 1 and a counterpart member 2 are locked together, and the member 1 is provided with a locking member 10, a releasing member 20, and an opening member 30 that constitute a lock retention and release mechanism.

[0026] In the following description, for convenience, the left side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the front and the right side as the rear.

[0027] The locking member 10 is attached to the member 1 and is supported by a horizontal shaft 12 provided on the rear side of the swinging portion 11 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow A1 in Fig. 1(A). This allows the locking member 10 to be displaced between a locked position where it rotates downward to lock with the mating member, and an unlocked position where it rotates upward to release the lock. The locking member 10 is also biased toward the downward locked position as indicated by the arrow A2 by an elastic member (not shown).

[0028] Furthermore, the locking member 10 has an engaging portion 13 attached downward at the front end, and a guide piece 14 attached downward to the swinging portion 11 at a position rearward of the engaging portion 13 and having a length shorter than the vertical length of the engaging portion 13.

[0029] The releasing member 20 extends horizontally in the front-to-rear direction below the locking member 10, and is supported by its own member 1 so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction (lengthwise direction) independently of the locking member 10 and the opening member 30. The releasing member 20 is biased forward (in the second direction) as shown by arrow B by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown).

[0030] Furthermore, the releasing member 20 has a first cam 21 that protrudes upward at its front end and a second cam 22 that protrudes upward at its rear end. A first guide portion 21a consisting of an inclined surface that slopes forward is formed on the rear surface of the first cam 21, and a second guide portion 21b consisting of a horizontal surface is formed on the upper surface continuing from the first guide portion 21a. Meanwhile, the front surface of the second cam 22 is formed into a vertical surface and the upper surface is formed into a horizontal surface.

[0031] The opening member 30 is supported by the member 1 at a position in front of the second cam 22 of the releasing member 20 so as to be movable up and down. In this example, the opening member 30 is formed in a T-shape in a side view by a horizontal flange portion 31 and a vertical stopper portion 32, and is biased downward as indicated by arrow C by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown).

[0032] Next, the operation of the lock holding and releasing mechanism shown in FIGS. 1(A) to 1(E) will be described.

[0033] FIG. 1(A) shows the locked state. In the locked state, the locking member 10 rotates downward to a locked position where the engagement portion 13 at the tip engages with the engagement protrusion 2a of the mating member 2. In this state, the first cam 21 at the front end of the unlocking member 20 fits into the space between the engagement portion 13 of the locking member 10 and the guide piece 14, and receives a forward elastic biasing force acting on the unlocking member 20, causing the front surface of the first cam 21 to press against the back surface of the locking member 10. Note that the manner in which the engagement portion 13 of the locking member 10 engages with the mating member 2 is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1(A). The engagement portion 13 may also engage with the mating member 2 by fitting into an engagement recess of the mating member 2. Alternatively, the engagement portion 13 may be formed in a downward U-shape, and the mating member 2 may be fitted into the U-shaped space to engage.

[0034] The flange portion 31 of the opening member 30 is engaged with the upper surface of the second cam 22 of the release member 20, so that the lower end of the stopper portion 32 is held at a position approximately flush with the lower surface of the release member 20 or slightly protruding downward.

[0035] 1(A), when the user operates the release member 20 to move backward (first direction) as shown by arrow D against the elastic biasing force in the forward direction (second direction), the guide piece 14 of the lock member 10 is guided along the first guide portion 21a of the first cam 21 of the release member 20 as the release member 20 moves. Therefore, the lock member 10 gradually rotates upward against the elastic biasing force in the downward direction and is displaced to the unlocked position, and the engagement portion 13 at the front end of the lock member 10 disengages from the engagement protrusion 2a of the mating member 2.

[0036] When the releasing member 20 is further moved rearward, the guide piece 14 of the locking member 10 reaches the second guide portion 21b of the first cam 21 of the releasing member 20, as shown in FIG. 1(B).

[0037] Meanwhile, as the releasing member 20 moves rearward, the flange 31 of the opening member 30 comes off the upper surface of the second cam 22 at the rear end of the releasing member 20 and moves downward in response to the downward elastic biasing force.

[0038] In this state, when the user releases the releasing member 20 and releases the rearward movement of the releasing member 20, the forward elastic biasing force applied to the releasing member 20 causes the releasing member 20 to try to move forward, as shown in Figure 1(C). However, the lower end of the stopper portion 32 of the opening member 30 engages with the inclined surface 2b of the mating member 2, and the second cam 22 engages with the flange portion 31 of the opening member 30, preventing the releasing member 20 from moving forward, and the guide piece 14 of the locking member 10 remains engaged with the second guide portion 21b of the first cam 21 of the releasing member 20, thereby maintaining the unlocked state of the locking member 10 and preventing it from returning to the locked state.

[0039] Next, the user releases the release member 20 and moves the entire member 1 forward as shown by arrow E in Figure 1 (D), causing the locking member 10, opening member 30, and releasing member 20 supported by the member 1 to move forward together. As the opening member 30 is moved forward, the stopper portion 32 is guided along the inclined surface 2b of the counterpart member 2 and pushed up, and eventually the lower end of the stopper portion 32 engages with the horizontal surface 2c that continues from the inclined surface 2b of the counterpart member 2, and the lower end position of the flange portion 31 becomes higher than the upper end position of the second cam 22.

[0040] 1(E), the releasing member 20 automatically moves forward due to the elastic biasing force, and the flange 31 returns to a state in which it is locked on the upper surface of the second cam 22 of the releasing member 20. The forward movement of the releasing member 20 causes the guide piece 14 of the locking member 10 to disengage from the first cam 21 of the releasing member 20, and the first cam 21 returns to a state in which it is fitted into the space between the engaging portion 13 of the locking member 10 and the guide piece 14.

[0041] Thereafter, the user may move the member 1 until the member 1 is completely removed from the counterpart member 2.

[0042] In this embodiment, by moving the release member 20 backward, the lock member 10, which is held in a locked state by the mating member 2, is displaced to the unlocked position to release the lock, and the unlocked state is maintained even if the user releases his / her hand from the release member 20, so the user can move his / her own member 1 and remove it from the mating member 2 while keeping his / her hand off the release member 20.

[0043] In other words, there is no longer any need to maintain the unlocking operation while simultaneously performing the release operation from the mating member 2; the unlocking operation and the release operation from the mating member 2 can be performed independently, which increases the degree of freedom in operation and improves operability, such as allowing the user to freely choose how to hold the device when performing the release operation.

[0044] Furthermore, since there is no restriction on how to hold the member 1 when releasing it, the degree of freedom in designing the external shape of the member 1 itself and the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement and shape of the release member 20 operated by the user can be improved.

[0045] In the above description, the operation of moving the own member 1 and removing it from the opposing member 2 after unlocking has been performed, but it is also possible to move the opposing member 2 to remove it, or to move both the opposing member 2 and the own member 1 to remove them; in short, it is sufficient to move the own member 1 relative to the opposing member 2.

[0046] 1(A) to 1(E) show a case where an opening member 30 is provided and the opening member 30 and the releasing member 20 are engaged to prevent the releasing member 20 from moving forward, thereby maintaining the unlocked state. However, the opening member 30 need not be provided. In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which the forward movement of the releasing member 20 is inhibited by an elastic biasing force when the user releases the releasing member 20 after moving it, and the movement inhibition is forcibly released when the user releases the release member 20. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the biasing force of the elastic member on the releasing member 20 is eliminated, so that the releasing member 20 does not automatically move due to the elastic biasing force when the user releases the releasing member 20 after unlocking, and the user manually moves the releasing member 20 instead of relying on the elastic biasing force. [Specific embodiment 1] Next, an embodiment will be described in which the locking and releasing mechanism is applied to a lens hood of an image pickup device such as a camera. This lens hood is attached to the outer periphery of the lens barrel of the image pickup device by a bayonet system in a locked state.

[0047] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the lens hood 100, Figures 3(A) and (B) are perspective views of the lens hood 100 with the hood cover 140 attached, viewed from different angles, and Figures 4(A) and (B) are perspective views of the lens hood 100 with the hood cover 140 removed, viewed from different angles.

[0048] As shown in the exploded view of Figure 2, the lens hood 100 comprises a hood body 110, a circular hood decorative plate 120 having a width in the radial direction of the hood body 110, a circular slide ring 130 also having a width in the radial direction, a circular hood cover 140, etc.

[0049] The hood body 110 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter that expands from the base end, which is the side that is attached to the lens barrel, toward the tip end, which is the side opposite the lens barrel, and an annular reduced diameter portion 111 that protrudes radially inward and has a reduced outer diameter is formed circumferentially on the inner surface of the base end of the hood body 110, and a short cylindrical bayonet ring 112 that protrudes toward the base end side (lens barrel side) is formed on the inner peripheral edge of the annular reduced diameter portion 111.

[0050] The slide ring 130 is arranged on the base end surface of the annular reduced diameter portion 111 (hereinafter also referred to as the front surface of the annular reduced diameter portion 111; the tip end surface of the annular reduced diameter portion 111 is also referred to as the back surface of the annular reduced diameter portion 111) outside the bayonet ring 112, and a hood cover 140 is further attached to cover the slide ring 130 and the annular reduced diameter portion 111.

[0051] The slide ring 130 and the hood cover 140 are attached to the hood body 110 as follows. That is, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, screws 101 that pass through the annular reduced diameter portion 111, bosses 113, and slide ring 130 are arranged at multiple positions around the annular reduced diameter portion 111 from the back side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111 to the front side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111, and the tips of the screws 101 are screwed and fixed to the hood cover 140, thereby attaching the slide ring 130 and hood cover 140 integrally to the hood body 110 via the annular reduced diameter portion 111. The hood decorative plate 120 is attached so as to cover the back side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111.

[0052] 1(A) to 1(E). As shown in Figures 5 and 6, elongated holes 131 of a predetermined length are formed in the slide ring 130 at the insertion positions of the screws 101, and the slide ring 130 is movable in the circumferential direction within the length of the elongated holes 131 while being sandwiched between the annular reduced diameter portion 111 of the hood body 110 and the hood cover 140. The boss 113 protrudes into the elongated holes 131 and has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the width of the elongated holes 131.

[0053] 3 and 4, a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the slide ring 130 serves as an operating portion 132 on which the user places their finger when performing an unlocking operation. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, a notched opening 141 is formed in the hood cover 140, and when the hood cover 140 is attached, the operating portion 132 is exposed to the outside through the opening 141 and can be moved a predetermined amount in the circumferential direction. In addition, an uneven anti-slip portion is formed on the surface of the operating portion 132. Note that reference numeral 114 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 denotes a bayonet claw formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bayonet ring 112.

[0054] Furthermore, one end of elastic members 102 (shown in FIG. 2) made up of a plurality of coil springs (two in this embodiment) arranged at intervals is fixed to the slide ring 130, and the other end of the elastic members 102 is fixed to the surface side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111 of the hood body 110. As a result, the slide ring 130 is applied with a circumferentially biasing force by the elastic members 102 in one direction, as shown by arrow F in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the two elastic members 102 are attached to positions on both radial sides of the center point of the slide ring 130. Note that in this embodiment, the circumferential direction in which the slide ring 130 is biased by the elastic members 102 is referred to as a second direction, and the direction opposite to the second direction is referred to as a first direction. Therefore, when a user or the like slides the slide ring 130 in a first direction against the biasing force of the elastic member 102 via the operating part 132 of the slide ring 130 and then releases the operating part 132, an elastic biasing force acts on the slide ring 130, automatically causing it to return to its original position in the second direction.

[0055] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the locking member 150 and the releasing member 160 are attached to the hood body 110 at symmetrical positions on both sides of the center point of the slide ring 130 in the radial direction, overlapping the slide ring 130 on the axial outside (the hood cover 141 side).

[0056] Fig. 7 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of locking member 150. Locking member 150 is formed in an arc shape that follows the shape of slide ring 130, and is journaled on pin 151 that protrudes from annular reduced-diameter portion 111 of hood main body 110 in a manner that does not interfere with circumferential movement of slide ring 130. As shown by arrow G in Fig. 7, locking member 150 is held rotatable about pin 151 within a plane parallel to slide ring 130. An elastic member 152 such as a spring is engaged with pin 151, and one circumferential end of locking member 150 is biased toward the inner periphery of slide ring 130 by this elastic member 152. Furthermore, a first engagement protrusion 153 is formed on the tip of the biased side of locking member 150, which is capable of engaging with lens barrel 200 when lens hood 100 is attached to lens barrel 200, which is a mating member.

[0057] A cutout portion 115 is formed over a predetermined circumferential range on the wall surface of the bayonet ring 112 of the hood body 110 that faces the first engagement protrusion 153 of the locking member 150, and is configured so that when the locking member 150 rotates toward the inner circumference of the slide ring 130 due to the biasing force of the elastic member 152, the first engagement protrusion 153 can protrude from the cutout portion 115 into the internal space of the hood body 110, exceeding the thickness of the bayonet ring 112.

[0058] When lens hood 100 is attached to lens barrel 200, first engagement protrusion 153 protrudes into the internal space of hood main body 110, and as shown in FIG. 7 , engagement portion 201 formed on lens barrel 200 fits into recess 155 between first engagement protrusion 153 and bayonet claw 114, thereby establishing a locked state. The position of locking member 150 that establishes this locked state is the locked position. On the other hand, the position where locking member 150 rotates toward the outer periphery of slide ring 130 and establishes a state in which first engagement protrusion 153 and lens barrel 200 are disengaged is the unlocked position. Locking member 150 is configured to be rotatable about pin 151 between the locked position and the unlocked position while an elastic biasing force toward the inner periphery of slide ring 130 is applied.

[0059] In this embodiment, the locking member 150 is shifted between the locked position and the unlocked position by sliding the slide ring 130 in the circumferential direction.

[0060] That is, as shown in FIG. 5 with the locking member 150 removed, a first cam 133 having a cam surface of a predetermined height is formed on the surface of the slide ring 130 facing the locking member 150 in the thickness direction. The cam surface of this first cam 133 is formed in a wave shape so as to diagonally cross the slide ring 130 in the width direction, and has a first guide portion 133a that guides the locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position, and a second guide portion 133b that follows the first guide portion 133a and prevents displacement in the direction returning to the locked position. Therefore, when the slide ring 130 moves in the first direction, a guide piece 154 (shown in FIG. 7) provided on the locking member 150 so as to protrude toward the slide ring 130 is guided along the wave-shaped shapes of the first guide portion 133a and second guide portion 133b of this first cam 133, and the locking member 150 is rotated and displaced to the unlocked position against the elastic biasing force acting on the locking member 150. Furthermore, when the slide ring 130 moves in the second direction, the guide piece 154 of the locking member 150 is guided in the reverse direction along the wavy shape of the first cam 133, and is rotated back to the locked position by the elastic biasing force acting on the locking member 150.

[0061] 8, the locking member 150 is further formed with a second engagement protrusion 156 at a position closer to the annular reduced diameter portion 111 than the first engagement protrusion 153 and closer to the pin 151 than the first engagement protrusion 153. This second engagement protrusion 156 is used to lock the lens hood 100 to the lens barrel 200 when, after using the lens hood 100, the lens hood 100 is reversed in its front-to-back orientation relative to the lens barrel 200 and rotated in the opposite direction to attach the lens hood 100 to the lens barrel 200 for storage. Locking and unlocking are achieved by the displacement of the locking member 150 between a locked position and an unlocked position, similar to the case of locking and unlocking using the first engagement protrusion 153. This displacement is achieved by the first cam 133 of the slide ring 130, similar to the case of the first engagement protrusion 153. In the locked state, engagement portion 201 on the lens barrel 200 is fitted into and engaged with recess 157 between second engagement protrusion 156 and the opposing bayonet claw 114. Similarly to the unlocking of first engagement protrusion 153, the lock is released by cooperation between first cam 133 and guide piece 154 of locking member 150 when the user moves slide ring 130 in the first direction.

[0062] 9, the opening member 160 is formed in an arc shape that follows the shape of the slide ring 130, and is journaled on a pin 161 that protrudes from the annular reduced diameter portion of the hood body 110 in a manner that does not hinder circumferential movement of the slide ring 130, and is held rotatably about the pin 161 within a plane parallel to the slide ring 130, as shown by arrow H in Fig. 9. In addition, an elastic member 162 such as a spring is engaged with the pin 161 of the opening member 160, and one circumferential end side of the opening member 160 is urged toward the inner periphery of the slide ring 130 by this elastic member 162.

[0063] After the user moves the slide ring 130 in a first direction to release the locking member 150, the release member 160 prevents the slide ring 130 from moving in a second direction due to its elastic biasing force and returning the locking member 150 to the locked position, thereby maintaining the unlocked state. The unlocked state is maintained when the release member 160 is displaced by the biasing force of the elastic member 162 to an unlocked / holding position on the inner periphery of the slide ring 130. On the other hand, the position where the release member 160 is displaced toward the outer periphery of the slide ring 130 is a lock return position where the unlocked state is released and the locking member 150 is returned to the locked position, and the release member 160 is rotatable between the unlocked / holding position and the lock return position.

[0064] Furthermore, an engagement protrusion 163 that can engage with the lens barrel 200 when the opening member 160 is displaced to the unlocked holding position is formed at the tip end of the side biased by the elastic member 162. Meanwhile, a cutout portion 116 is formed over a predetermined range in the circumferential direction on the wall surface of the bayonet ring 112 of the hood main body 110 that faces the engagement protrusion 163 of the opening member 160, and is configured so that the engagement protrusion 163 can protrude from the cutout portion 116 into the internal space of the hood main body 110 beyond the thickness of the bayonet ring 112 at the unlocked holding position.

[0065] The displacement of the opening member 160 from the lock return position to the lock release holding position is achieved by the sliding movement of the slide ring 130 in the first direction. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, a second cam 134 having a cam surface of a predetermined height is formed on the surface of the slide ring 130 on the opening member 160 side in the thickness direction. This cam surface is formed in an inverted L shape (L-shaped when viewed from the back side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111).

[0066] A guide protrusion 164 is formed on the surface of the opening member 160 facing the slide ring 130, and when the locking member 150 is in the locked state, the guide protrusion 164 engages with the cam surface of the second cam 134 of the slide ring 130, and the opening member 160 is in a lock return position where the engagement protrusion 163 has moved toward the outer periphery of the slide ring 130, and this state is maintained by an elastic force acting on the slide ring 130 in the second direction.

[0067] When the user operates the slide ring 130 to move in a first direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 9) against the elastic biasing force, the first cam 133 moves in the first direction, displacing the locking member 150 to the unlocked position and releasing the lock, while the second cam 134 also moves in the first direction, causing the guide protrusion 164 of the opening member 160 to disengage from the second cam 134. As a result, the opening member 160 rotates inward of the slide ring 130 due to the biasing force of the elastic member 162, and the engagement protrusion 163 of the opening member 160 protrudes from the notch 116 of the bayonet ring 112. In other words, the opening member 160 is displaced to the unlocked holding position.

[0068] When the user releases the operating portion 132 of the slide ring 130, the slide ring 130 will automatically attempt to return in the second direction due to the elastic force, but the engagement protrusion 163 of the opening member 160 engages with the lens barrel 200, and the guide protrusion 164 of the opening member 160 engages with the end 134a of the second cam 134 of the slide ring 130, preventing the slide ring 130 from returning. As a result, the opening member 160 is held in the unlocked holding position, and the locking member 150 is held in the unlocked position, maintaining the unlocked state. Details of the operation of the opening member 160 will be described again later.

[0069] Next, a method for attaching and detaching the lens hood 100 according to the first specific embodiment to and from the lens barrel will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 13. Figures 10 to 13 are schematic diagrams of the slide ring 130, locking member 150, release member 160, etc., as viewed from the back side of the annular reduced diameter portion 111, and also show enlarged views of the areas near the locking member 150 and release member 160. Note that in Figures 10 to 13, only the shapes of the cam surfaces of the first cam 133 and second cam 134 of the slide ring 130 are shown in bold.

[0070] Before the lens hood 100 is attached, the slide ring 130 is biased in the second direction (counterclockwise in FIGS. 10 to 13) by the elastic member 102 made of a coil spring, and the locking member 150 is disengaged from the first cam 133 of the slide ring 130 and displaced to the locked position. Meanwhile, the release member 160 is held by the second cam 134 and is in the locked return position.

[0071] In this state, the user rotates lens hood 100 in a first direction while engaging bayonet claws 112 on lens hood 100 with bayonet claws 202 on cylindrical lens barrel 200. Note that instead of rotating lens hood 100, lens barrel 200 may be rotated, or both may be rotated in opposite directions.

[0072] When lens hood 100 is rotated a predetermined amount, as shown in FIG. 7, engaging portion 201 on lens barrel 200 engages with recess 155 between engaging protrusion 153 of locking member 150 and bayonet claw 114, locking lens barrel 200 in a movement-preventing state. FIG. 10 shows the locked state. In this state, guide piece 154 of locking member 150 is not guided by first cam 133 of slide ring 130, and locking member 150 is displaced to the locked position, and engaging protrusion 153 of locking member 150 engages with lens barrel 200 as described above. Meanwhile, guide protrusion 164 of release member 160 is guided by second cam 134 of slide ring 130, and release member 160 has rotated toward the outer periphery of slide ring 130 and is held in the locked return position.

[0073] To remove the lens hood 100, the user places their finger on the operating portion 132 of the slide ring 130 and slides the slide ring 130 in the first direction indicated by the arrow K in Fig. 11 against the elastic biasing force. As a result, as shown in Fig. 11, the first cam 133 of the slide ring 130 moves in the first direction, and the guide piece 154 of the locking member 150 is guided by the wavy shapes of the first guide portion 133a and the second guide portion 133b of the first cam 133 of the slide ring 130, gradually rotates toward the outer periphery of the slide ring 130, displaces to the unlocked position, and is held in the unlocked position. This releases the engagement with the lens barrel 200, i.e., releases the lock.

[0074] 11 , as the slide ring 130 is moved in the first direction, the second cam 134 also moves in the first direction, and as a result, the guide protrusion 164 of the opening member 160 disengages from the second cam 134. Therefore, due to the elastic biasing force acting on the opening member 160, the opening member 160 rotates toward the inner periphery of the slide ring 130 and is displaced to the unlocked holding position. Then, the engagement protrusion 163 protrudes from the notch 116 of the bayonet ring 112 and becomes engageable with the bayonet claw 202 of the lens barrel 200, and the guide protrusion 164 becomes engageable with the end 134a of the second cam 134 of the slide ring 130.

[0075] In this state, if the user releases slide ring 130 and releases the movement of slide ring 130 in the first direction, the elastic biasing force of slide ring 130 will cause slide ring 130 to attempt to return in the second direction indicated by arrow M in Fig. 12. However, as shown in Fig. 12, engagement protrusion 163 of opening member 160, which has been displaced to the unlocked holding position, engages with bayonet claw 202 of lens barrel 200, and guide protrusion 164 of opening member 160 engages with end 134a of second cam 134 of slide ring 130, preventing slide ring 130 from returning in the second direction, and locking member 150 is therefore held in the unlocked position. This prevents locking member 150 from returning to the locked position and re-entering the locked state, and locking member 150 is held in the unlocked state.

[0076] Next, the user removes (disengages) the lens hood 100 while releasing the slide ring 130. Specifically, when the hood main body 110 is forcibly rotated in the second direction as shown by arrow N in Fig. 13, the locking member 150, the opening member 160, and the slide ring 130 attempt to move together in the second direction. At this time, as shown in Fig. 13, the engaging protrusion 163 of the opening member 160 is guided by the end of the bayonet claw 202 of the lens barrel 200, causing the opening member 160 to rotate toward the outer periphery of the slide ring 130 and displace to the lock return position, thereby releasing the engagement with the bayonet claw 202.

[0077] 13, the locking member 150 is released from guiding by the first cam 133, and the locking member 150 is displaced to the locked position. Also, the second cam 134 moves to the guide protrusion 164 of the opening member 160, and the guide protrusion 164 is locked by the second cam 134. In other words, the relationship of the locking member 150 and the opening member 160 to the slide ring 130 returns to the state it was in before the lens hood 100 was attached.

[0078] Thereafter, the hood body 110 can be rotated until the lens hood 100 is removed from the lens barrel.

[0079] Thus, in this embodiment, after the user moves the slide ring 130 in the first direction and displaces the locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position to release the lock, the release member 160 maintains the unlocked state even if the user releases the slide ring 130. Then, in this state, the lens hood 100 can be detached by rotating the hood main body 110. In other words, because the unlocking operation and detachment operation of the lens hood 100 can be performed independently, the user can freely choose how to hold the hood main body 110 when detaching the lens hood 100, increasing the degree of freedom in operation and improving operability.

[0080] Furthermore, since there are no restrictions on how the lens hood 100 can be held when being removed, the degree of freedom in designing the external shape of the lens hood 100 and the degree of freedom in designing the position and shape of the slide ring 130 can be improved.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lens barrel 200 is formed in a cylindrical shape and the slide ring 130 is formed in a circular shape, and the locking member 150 and the release member 160 are disposed on either side of the center point of the circular slide ring 130 in the radial direction. Therefore, the force acting between the slide ring 130 and the locking member 150 and release member 160 can be dispersed to both sides of the radial direction, and localized concentration of load can be avoided.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elastic members 102 that bias the slide ring 130 in the second direction are disposed on either side of the center point of the circular releasing member in the radial direction, so that the biasing forces of the elastic members are applied in a well-balanced manner to the slide ring 130. This makes it possible to smoothly move the slide ring 130 in the first direction and the second direction, further improving operability.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when lens hood 100 is attached to lens barrel 200 in the retracted state with the orientation reversed, second engagement protrusion 156 of locking member 150 engages with lens barrel 200, so that lens hood 100 can be securely attached to lens barrel 200 when retracted, preventing loss, etc. In this case, to release the lock, slide ring 130 can be moved in the first direction in the same manner as above, and first cam 133 of slide ring 130 will displace locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby releasing the lock.

[0084] Furthermore, when lens hood 100 is attached to lens barrel 200 in the retracted state with the orientation reversed, first engagement protrusion 153 may be used, as in the attachment when in use, to engage with an engagement portion other than engagement portion 201 of lens barrel 200. In this configuration, second engagement protrusion 156 may not be provided. In this case, to release the lock, slide ring 130 may be moved in the first direction in the same manner as above, and first cam 133 of slide ring 130 will displace locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby releasing the lock. [Specific embodiment 2] Next, another embodiment in which the lock holding and release mechanism is applied to a lens hood will be described.

[0085] 14 is an exploded view of the lens hood 100. In this embodiment, the main differences from the first embodiment are that the opening member 160 and the elastic member 162 are not present, the second cam 134 is not provided on the slide ring 130, and a new mechanism is provided to keep the locking member 150 unlocked; the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0086] In the second embodiment, to unlock the locking member 150, as in the first embodiment, the user simply moves the slide ring 150 in the first direction against the biasing force of the elastic member 102. In response to this movement, the first cam 133 of the slide ring 130 displaces the locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby entering the unlocked state.

[0087] However, since there is no release member 160, when the user releases the slide ring 130, the slide ring 130 automatically moves in the second direction due to the biasing force of the elastic member 102, and the first cam 133 also moves away from the locking member 150, causing the guide piece 154 to disengage from the first cam 133. As a result, the locking member 150 is displaced again to the locked position due to the biasing force of the elastic member 152, and the unlocked state cannot be maintained.

[0088] Therefore, in this second embodiment, a new mechanism is provided to keep the locking member 150 unlocked, as shown in Figures 15(A) and (B). Figure 15(A) is a plan view of the locking member 150 when it is in the locked position and locked to the lens barrel, and (B) is a perspective view thereof.

[0089] That is, as in the first embodiment, a boss 113 protruding from the annular reduced diameter portion 111 fits into a circumferential elongated hole 131 of the slide ring 130 through which the screw 101 is inserted, and this boss 113 is used to maintain the unlocked state. Specifically, at least one elongated hole 131 has a narrow passage portion 131a formed in the middle portion, excluding both ends in the longitudinal direction, where the width is slightly narrowed. The width of this narrow passage portion 131a is set to a dimension in relation to the outer diameter of the boss 113 such that the boss 113 can be prevented from passing through by the elastic biasing force acting on the slide ring 130, but the boss 113 can pass through when the user forcibly moves it.

[0090] In order to remove lens hood 100, when the user moves slide ring 130 in the first direction indicated by arrow P in Figures 15(A) and (B) from the locked state shown in the same figures, locking member 150 is unlocked and boss 113, which was held at one end of elongated hole 131 in the longitudinal direction, moves from one end to the other end of elongated hole 131 as shown in Figures 16(A) and (B). Note that Figure 16(A) is a plan view when locking member 150 is in the unlocked position and the lens barrel is unlocked, and (B) is a perspective view thereof.

[0091] When the user releases the slide ring 130, the elastic biasing force of the slide ring 130 attempts to move in a second direction opposite to the direction of arrow P. However, the narrow passage 131a of the elongated hole 131 prevents the boss 113 from passing through, and the boss 113 is held at the other end of the elongated hole 131. In other words, even if the user releases the slide ring 130, the slide ring 130 does not automatically move in the second direction, and the unlocked state of the locking member 150 is maintained.

[0092] Thereafter, as in the first embodiment, the user grasps hood body 110 and rotates it relative to lens barrel 200 in the second direction to remove lens hood 100 from lens barrel 200. The user also forcibly moves slide ring 130 in the second direction via operating unit 132 to displace locking member 150 to the locked position. This also returns boss 131 to the state shown in Figures 15(A) and 15(B).

[0093] Thus, in this second embodiment as well, after the user displaces the locking member 150 from the locked position to the unlocked position by moving the slide ring 130 to release the lock, the unlocked state is maintained even if the user releases the slide ring 130. Then, in this state, the lens hood 100 can be detached by rotating the hood main body 110. In other words, because the unlocking operation and the detachment operation can be performed independently, the user can freely choose how to hold the hood main body 110 when detaching the lens hood, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in operation and improving operability.

[0094] Furthermore, since there are no restrictions on how the lens hood 100 can be held when being removed, the degree of freedom in designing the external shape of the lens hood 100 and the degree of freedom in designing the position and shape of the slide ring 130 can be improved.

[0095] In the second embodiment described above, the elastic member 102 for biasing the slide ring 130 in the second direction may not be provided. In this case, the user can manually move the slide ring 130 in the second direction.

[0096] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these. For example, while the locking and unlocking mechanism has been described as being applied to the lens hood 100, it can be applied to all components that are attached to a mating component in a locked state and removed by unlocking, including filter devices, detachable tripods, and various adapters for imaging devices such as ring flashes.

[0097] Furthermore, although the case where the locking member 150 and the releasing member 160 are displaceable to rotate has been described, they may be displaced by translation, and the manner of displacement is not limited thereto. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1. Own parts 2 Mating member 10 Locking member 13 Engagement portion 20 Release member 21 First Cam 21a First guide section 21b Second guide part 22 Second Cam 30 Opening member 100 Lens Hood 101 Bis 102 Coil spring (elastic member) 110 Hood body 111 Annular reduced diameter section 112 Bayonet Ring 113 Boss 114 Bayonet Claw 115, 116 Notch 120 Hood Plaque 130 Slide Ring 131 long hole 131a Defile 132 Operation section 133 First Cam 133a First guide section 133b Second guide part 134 Second Cam 134a End 140 Food Cover 141 Opening 150 Locking member 151 pins 152 Elastic member 153 1st engagement protrusion 154 Guide piece 155 recess 156 Second engagement protrusion 157 Recess 160 Opening member 161 pins 162 Elastic member 163 Engagement protrusion 164 Guide protrusion 200 lens barrel 201 Engagement part 202 Bayonet Claw

Claims

1. a locking member having an engaging portion, which is rotatably displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is provided so as to be movable in a direction toward and away from the engaging portion of the locking member, and that, in response to a movement operation, rotates and displaces the locking member, which is held at a locked position, to an unlocked position to release the engagement with the mating member and maintain the released state; A lock holding and release mechanism comprising:

2. 2. The lock holding and releasing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the releasing member comprises: a first guide portion that guides the locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position in accordance with the moving operation; and a second guide portion that follows the first guide portion and prevents the locking member from returning to the locked position to maintain the unlocked state.

3. a locking member having an engaging portion, which is rotatably displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion is engaged with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable in a first direction, which is one of a direction in which the locking member approaches the engaging portion and a direction in which the locking member moves away from the engaging portion, and a second direction, which is the opposite direction, and that, in association with a movement operation in the first direction, rotates and displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; A lock holding and release mechanism comprising:

4. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with a lock holding and releasing mechanism characterized in that, in the unlocked state, a movement operation is performed to move the locking member, the releasing member, and the opening member together in the second direction relative to the mating member, whereby the opening member is displaced to a state in which engagement with the releasing member is released.

5. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that the mating member is cylindrical and the release member is circular, and the lock member and the release member are respectively arranged on either side of the center point of the circular release member in the radial direction.

6. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock holding and releasing mechanism characterized in that the lock member is held rotatably.

7. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock holding and releasing mechanism characterized in that the opening member is held rotatably.

8. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with the locking member has an engaging portion that engages with another portion of the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, or another engaging portion that engages with the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, A lock retention and release mechanism, characterized in that the engagement portion or another engagement portion is released from engagement with the mating member as the release member is moved in a first direction.

9. A locking member having an engaging portion, which is displaceable between a locked position where the engaging portion engages with a part of the mating member to prevent movement of the mating member, and an unlocked position where the engagement with the mating member is released; a release member that is movable relative to the locking member in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and that, in response to a movement operation in the first direction, displaces the locking member, which is held in a locked position, to an unlocked position, thereby releasing the engagement with the mating member; and an elastic member that biases the releasing member in a second direction; an opening member that is displaced in response to a movement operation of the releasing member in a first direction and engages with the releasing member to prevent the releasing member from moving in a second direction by an elastic member, thereby maintaining an unlocked state; Equipped with A lock retention and release mechanism characterized in that the elastic members that urge the release member in the second direction are arranged on both radial sides of the center point of the circular release member.

10. 4. The lock holding and releasing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein in the unlocked state, a movement operation is performed to move the locking member, the releasing member, and the opening member together in the second direction relative to the mating member, so that the opening member is displaced to a state in which engagement with the releasing member is released.

11. 11. The lock retaining and releasing mechanism according to claim 3, 4 or 10, wherein the mating member is cylindrical and the releasing member is circular, and the locking member and the releasing member are disposed on either side of the center point of the circular releasing member in the radial direction.

12. 12. The lock holding and releasing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the lock member is held rotatably.

13. 13. The lock holding and releasing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the opening member is held rotatably.

14. the locking member has an engaging portion that engages with another portion of the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, or another engaging portion that engages with the mating member when the locking member is attached to the mating member with its orientation reversed, A lock retention and release mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 7 and 10 to 13, wherein the engagement portion or another engagement portion is released from engagement with the mating member as the release member is moved in a first direction.

15. A lock retention and release mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 8 and 10 to 14, wherein the elastic members that bias the release member in the second direction are arranged on either side of the center point of the circular release member in the radial direction.

Images