Optical device and mounting unit

Abstract

To provide an optical device with a compact eyepiece frame that prevents an attachment unit attached thereto from being unintentionally removed, and in intentionally removing the attachment unit, allows the attachment unit to be easily removed with a simple operation, which is one of the problems.SOLUTION: An optical device has an eyepiece frame, an eyepiece frame groove that is provided in at least one end of the eyepiece frame, and an attachment unit that is removably attached to the eyepiece frame along the eyepiece frame groove. The eyepiece frame has a projection having a first wall substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the attachment unit is removed along the eyepiece frame groove. The attachment unit has a concave part engaged with the projection when the attachment unit is attached to the eyepiece frame, and the concave part has a second wall brought into contact with the first wall when a force in the removal direction is applied to the attachment unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical device or the like to which an attachment unit can be attached or detached. [Background technology]

[0002] Cameras and the like have been proposed that are equipped with a detachable eyecup, the part of which comes into contact with the user's eye made of a soft material or the like, that is attached to the eyepiece frame of the viewfinder to prevent light from entering the viewfinder through the gap between the eyepiece frame and the user.

[0003] In such cameras, the eyepiece frame may be used as a mounting location for various eyepiece accessory units, such as eyepiece caps and magnifiers, in addition to the eyecups mentioned above. Therefore, when mounting these eyepiece accessory units, it is necessary to remove the eyecups, which are frequently used, each time, and it is therefore desirable for the eyecups to be configured to be easily removable.

[0004] On the other hand, when taking a camera out of or putting it back into a camera bag, or when a user carries a camera with a strap around their neck or shoulder, the camera often rubs against the camera bag or their body. This friction can apply force in the direction of removal, causing the camera to come off unintentionally.

[0005] To address this issue, a typical eyecup prevents easy removal by engaging a claw formed on the eyecup claw with a step formed in the eyepiece frame groove of the eyepiece frame. However, when a user intentionally removes the eyecup, they must elastically deform the eyecup claw to overcome the step and remove the eyecup. Therefore, excessively increasing the degree of engagement with the step can make removal difficult.

[0006] Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 1, when a user intentionally removes the eyecup, they operate the left and right operating parts, and the movable claws formed on the eyecup disengage from the stepped parts formed in the eyepiece frame groove of the eyepiece frame, thereby removing the eyecup. This mechanism makes it possible to increase the degree of engagement between the claws and the stepped parts, making it difficult for the user to unintentionally remove the eyecup and making it easy to remove.

[0007] Incidentally, cameras and the like have been put to practical use, such as those disclosed in Patent Document 2, which have a gaze detection function that detects the direction of the user's gaze and enables functions such as focus point selection. Cameras with such a gaze detection function have multiple infrared LEDs located outside the viewfinder opening of the eyepiece, and these infrared LEDs illuminate the eyeball of the user looking through the viewfinder. The gaze detection sensor then detects the image of the user's eyeball and the corneal reflection image of the infrared LEDs formed by specular reflection from the cornea, and the user's viewing position is determined by calculating the two images. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-191314 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-130463 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-56089 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The prior art disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 required the provision of an operating unit for operating the claws and a movable claw mechanism within the eyecup body, which resulted in the eyecup itself becoming larger in the left-right and thickness directions and increased the number of components. Furthermore, to remove the eyecup, the user had to perform two operations: press the operating unit and then pull up the eyecup in the direction of removal, making the attachment and detachment process cumbersome.

[0010] Furthermore, in the conventional technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, the eyecup opening needs to be larger than a conventional viewfinder opening so as not to obstruct the light beam from the infrared LED located outside the viewfinder opening. Therefore, if an operating unit for operating the claw or a movable claw mechanism is provided, the eyecup becomes even larger, which poses the problem of the camera body also becoming larger. Furthermore, in recent years, it has been considered to incorporate multiple wireless modules around the eyepiece of a camera, as in Patent Document 3, and there is a strong desire to make the eyepiece and its surrounding structure more compact, but an appropriate solution has not yet been found.

[0011] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an optical device having a compact eyepiece frame in which the attached attachment unit is difficult to unintentionally remove, and in the case of intentional removal, the attachment unit can be easily removed with a simple operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] Equipped with protrusions An eyepiece frame; an eyepiece frame groove provided on at least one end of the eyepiece frame; an engaging portion that engages with the protruding portion, an attachment unit that is detachably attached to the eyepiece frame along the eyepiece frame groove; In an engaged state in which the protrusion and the engaging portion are engaged with each other, a first wall formed on the protrusion and a second wall formed on the engagement portion face each other at approximately a right angle to the direction in which the attachment unit is removed along the eyepiece frame groove; When the attachment unit rotates around a rotation starting point provided on the eyepiece frame, the attachment unit changes from the engaged state to a disengaged state in which the engaging portion disengages from the protrusion. An optical device characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one aspect of the optical device of the present invention, it is possible to provide a compact eyepiece section in which the attached attachment unit is difficult to unintentionally remove, and in the case of intentional removal, the attachment unit can be easily removed with a simple operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a digital camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a digital camera 100. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an external view of the top cover 300 of the digital camera 100. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are an external view and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of wireless modules 304 and 306 according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an external view of the first wireless module 304. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical axis of the finder section for explaining the configuration of the EVF. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram for explaining the configuration of the eyepiece window of the embodiment. [Figure 8] 1A is a perspective view of an optical system including a line-of-sight detection mechanism according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the optical system including the line-of-sight detection mechanism according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an optical path when detecting a line of sight using the line of sight detection mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the principle of a visual field detection method according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A is a schematic diagram of an eye image captured by the gaze detection sensor 630 (eyeball image projected onto the gaze detection sensor 630), and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing the output distribution in the gaze detection sensor 630. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart of a gaze detection operation according to an embodiment. [Figure 13]13A is a rear view of an eyepiece cover 800 to which an eyecup according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached, and (B) and (C) are cross-sectional views taken along the lines MM and NN in FIG. 13A, respectively. [Figure 14] 1A is a perspective view showing the main part of an eyecup according to an embodiment, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the eyecup as seen from the back side, and FIG. 1C is an exploded perspective view of the eyecup. [Figure 15] 8 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the Z direction of the portion where the claw is engaged when the eyecup 802 of the embodiment is attached to the eyepiece frame 801. FIG. [Figure 16] (A) is a cross-sectional view in the MM direction of Figure 13(A) when the engagement between the eyepiece frame protrusion portion 801c and the eyecup groove portion 805b of the embodiment is released, and (B) is a cross-sectional view in the MM direction of Figure 13(A) when the eyecup of the embodiment is attached. [Figure 17] (A) is a cross-sectional view in the NN direction of Figure 13(A) when the engagement between the eyepiece frame protrusion portion 801c and the eyecup groove portion 805b of the embodiment is released, and (B) is a cross-sectional view in the NN direction of Figure 13(A) when the eyecup of the embodiment is attached. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same members or elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted or simplified. The optical device in this embodiment includes any optical device that can detect the line of sight of a user viewing information displayed on a device that displays information such as images and characters.

[0016] Furthermore, the optical device of this embodiment having an eyepiece to which the eyecup 802 or the like can be detachably attached may be, for example, a camera, a monocular, binoculars, a rangefinder, a mobile phone, a game console, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, a head-mounted display, etc. Furthermore, the attachment unit detachably attached to the eyepiece may be, in addition to an eyecup, for example, a rain cover, a magnifier, an angle finder, etc.

[0017] 1A and 1B are external views of a digital camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 1A being a front perspective view of the digital camera 100 and Fig. 1B being a rear perspective view of the digital camera 100. As mentioned above, the digital camera 100 is an example of an optical device. 1, display unit 28 is provided on the rear surface of the camera and is a display unit for displaying images and various information. Touch panel 70a can detect touch operations on the display surface (operation surface) of display unit 28. Outside-finder display unit 43 is a display unit provided on the top surface of the camera and displays various camera settings such as shutter speed and aperture.

[0018] The shutter button 61 is an operation unit for issuing shooting instructions. The mode changeover switch 60 is an operation unit for switching between various modes. The terminal cover 40 is a cover for protecting a connector (not shown) for connecting an external device to the digital camera 100 via a connection cable. The main electronic dials 71 are rotary operation members included in the operation unit 70 in FIG. 2, and two main electronic dials 71 are provided. By turning these main electronic dials 71, settings such as shutter speed and aperture can be changed.

[0019] The power switch 72 is an operating member that switches the power of the digital camera 100 on and off. The sub electronic dial 73 is a rotary operating member included in the operating unit 70, and is used to move the selection frame, advance images, etc. The multi-directional key 74 is included in the operating unit 70, and is a multi-directional key (eight-way key) that can be operated in eight directions: up, down, left, right, diagonally upper right, diagonally lower right, diagonally lower left, and diagonally upper left.

[0020] The SET button 75 is a push button included in the operation unit 70 and is mainly used to confirm selections. The video button 76 is used to start and stop video shooting (recording). The AE lock button 77 is included in the operation unit 70 and can fix the exposure state by pressing it while the camera is in shooting standby mode. The enlarge button 78 is included in the operation unit 70 and is an operation button used to turn enlargement mode on and off in the live view display in shooting mode.

[0021] After turning on the enlargement mode, you can enlarge or reduce the LV (Live View) image by operating one of the two main electronic dials 71. In playback mode, it also functions as an enlargement button for enlarging the playback image and increasing the magnification. The playback button 79 is included in the operation unit 70 and is an operation button for switching between shooting mode and playback mode.

[0022] Pressing the playback button 79 during the shooting mode switches to the playback mode, and the most recent image of the images recorded on the recording medium 200 can be displayed on the display unit 28. The menu button 81 is included in the operation unit 70, and when the menu button 81 is pressed, a menu screen in which various settings can be made is displayed on the display unit 28.

[0023] The user can intuitively make various settings using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28, the multi-directional key 74, and the SET button 75. The camera-side communication terminal 10a provided in the lens mount unit is a communication terminal for communicating with the interchangeable lens, and comes into contact with the communication terminal 6 on the interchangeable lens side when an interchangeable lens (lens unit 150) is attached to the lens mount unit of the digital camera 100.

[0024] The eyepiece 16 is an eyepiece of an eyepiece finder (a peer-type finder), and the user can view an image displayed on an internal EVF (Electric View Finder) module 29 through the eyepiece 16. The eyepiece detector 57 is an eyepiece detection sensor that detects whether the user places his / her eye near the eyepiece 16 or not, and is disposed inside the eyepiece 16 .

[0025] The lid 202 is a lid for a slot that stores the recording medium 200. The grip section 90 is a holding section shaped to be easily gripped in the right hand when the user holds the digital camera 100. The shutter button 61 and main electronic dial 71 are located in positions that can be operated with the index finger of the right hand when the digital camera is held by gripping the grip section 90 with the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of the right hand. In the same position, the multi-directional key 74 and sub electronic dial 73 are located in positions that can be operated with the thumb of the right hand.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment. 2, reference numeral 150 denotes an interchangeable lens unit equipped with a photographic lens, etc. The lens 103 is usually composed of multiple lenses, but for simplicity, only one lens is shown here. The lens-side communication terminal 6 is a communication terminal that enables the lens unit 150 to communicate with the digital camera 100.

[0027] The lens system control circuit 4 in the lens unit 150 communicates with the system control unit 50 on the digital camera side via the lens side communication terminal 6 and the camera side communication terminal 10a. The lens system control circuit 4 also controls the aperture 1 via the aperture drive circuit 2, and adjusts the focus by displacing the position of the lens 103 in the optical axis direction via the AF drive circuit 3.

[0028] The AE sensor 17 measures the brightness of the subject through the lens unit 150. The focus detection unit 11 is configured as a dedicated phase difference sensor or a phase difference sensor on the image plane of the image sensor 22, and outputs defocus amount information to the system control unit 50. The system control unit 50 controls the lens unit 150 based on the defocus amount information to perform phase difference AF.

[0029] The shutter 101 is, for example, a focal plane shutter for controlling the exposure time of the image sensor 22 under the control of the system control unit 50. The image sensor 22 is composed of a CCD, CMOS element, or the like that converts an optical image into an electrical signal. The A / D converter 23 converts the analog signal output from the image sensor 22 into a digital signal.

[0030] The image processing unit 24 performs predetermined pixel interpolation, resizing such as reduction, and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 23 or the data from the memory control unit 15. The image processing unit 24 also performs predetermined calculations using the captured image data, and the system control unit 50 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the calculation results. This allows for TTL (through-the-lens) type AF (autofocus) processing, AE (autoexposure) processing, EF (flash pre-flash) processing, etc. to be performed.

[0031] The image processing unit 24 further performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing using the captured image data. The output data from the A / D converter 23 is written directly to memory 32 via memory control unit 15. Alternatively, the output data is written to memory 32 via the image processing unit 24 and memory control unit 15. The memory 32 stores image data obtained by the image sensor 22 and converted into digital data by the A / D converter 23, as well as image data to be displayed on the display unit 28 and EVF 29.

[0032] The memory 32 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined period of moving images and audio. The memory 32 also serves as a memory for image display (video memory). The D / A converter 19 converts the image display data stored in the memory 32 into an analog signal and supplies it to the display unit 28 and EVF 29, which then display the image.

[0033] The display unit 28, EVF 29, displays on a display such as an LCD or organic EL display in response to the analog signal from the D / A converter 19. Various camera settings such as shutter speed and aperture value are displayed on the outside viewfinder display unit 43 via an outside viewfinder display unit drive circuit 44. The non-volatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, and an EEPROM or the like is used, for example. Constants, programs, etc. for the operation of the system control unit 50 are stored in the non-volatile memory 56.

[0034] The system control unit 50 is a control unit including at least one processor such as a CPU, and controls the entire digital camera 100. It executes computer programs stored in the nonvolatile memory 56 described above to realize the processes of this embodiment, which will be described later. The system memory 52 may be a RAM, for example, and stores constants and variables for the operation of the system control unit 50, programs read from the nonvolatile memory 56, and the like. The system control unit 50 also controls the memory 32, D / A converter 19, display unit 28, and the like, thereby performing display control.

[0035] The system timer 53 is a timing unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of a built-in clock. The mode selector switch 60, first shutter switch 62, second shutter switch 64, and operation unit 70 are operation means for inputting various operation instructions to the system control unit 50. The mode selector switch 60 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 50 to one of still image shooting mode, video shooting mode, playback mode, etc.

[0036] Modes included in the still image shooting mode include auto shooting mode, auto scene determination mode, manual mode, aperture priority mode (Av mode), shutter speed priority mode (Tv mode), program AE mode (P mode), etc. In addition, there are various scene modes and custom modes that provide shooting settings for each shooting scene.

[0037] The user can directly switch to one of these modes using the mode selector switch 60. Alternatively, the user may first switch to a list screen of shooting modes using the mode selector switch 60, then select one of the displayed modes and switch using other operating members. Similarly, the video shooting mode may also include multiple modes.

[0038] The first shutter switch 62 is turned on and generates a first shutter switch signal SW1 when the shutter button 61 provided on the digital camera 100 is pressed halfway (a shooting preparation instruction) during operation. In response to the first shutter switch signal SW1, shooting preparation operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (auto exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (pre-flash) processing are started.

[0039] The second shutter switch 64 is turned on when the shutter button 61 is fully pressed (photographing instruction) and generates a second shutter switch signal SW2. Upon receiving the second shutter switch signal SW2, the system control unit 50 starts a series of photographing processing operations, from reading out a signal from the image sensor 22 to writing the captured image to the recording medium 200 as an image file.

[0040] The operation unit 70 is an input unit that accepts operations from the user and includes various operation members. The operation unit 70 of the imaging device in Fig. 1 includes at least one of the following: the shutter button 61, the main electronic dial 71, the power switch 72, the sub electronic dial 73, the multi-directional key 74, the SET button 75, the video button 76, the AE lock button 77, the magnification button 78, the playback button 79, the menu button 81, etc.

[0041] The power supply control unit 80 is composed of a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching between powered blocks, etc., and detects whether a battery is installed, the battery type, and the remaining battery charge. The power supply control unit 80 also controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the system control unit 50, and supplies the required voltage for the required period to each unit, including the recording medium 200. The power supply unit 30 is composed of primary batteries such as alkaline batteries or lithium batteries, secondary batteries such as NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, or Li batteries, an AC adapter, etc.

[0042] The recording medium I / F 18 is an interface with a recording medium 200 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording captured images, and is composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like. The communication unit 54 is connected wirelessly or via a wired cable and transmits and receives video signals and audio signals. The communication unit 54 can also be connected to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The communication unit 54 can also communicate with external devices via Bluetooth (registered trademark) or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

[0043] The communication unit 54 can transmit images (including LV images) captured by the image sensor 22 and images recorded on the recording medium 200 to the outside, and can also receive images and various other information from external devices. The attitude detection unit 55 detects the attitude of the digital camera 100 with respect to the direction of gravity. Based on the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit 55, it is possible to determine whether the image captured by the image sensor 22 was captured with the digital camera 100 held horizontally or vertically.

[0044] The attitude detection unit 55 has an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor, and is capable of detecting the movement (panning, tilting, lifting, whether the camera is stationary, etc.) of the digital camera 100. The eyepiece detection unit 57 is an eyepiece detection sensor that detects whether the eye (object) is approaching (eye-contact) or not (not in eye-contact) the eyepiece unit 16 of the finder.

[0045] The system control unit 50 switches between display (display state) and non-display (non-display state) of the display unit 28 and the EVF 29 according to the detection result of the eyepiece detection unit 57. More specifically, at least in a shooting standby state and when the display destination switching is in the automatic switching mode, when the eyepiece is not in contact with the subject, the display unit 28 is turned on as the display destination and the EVF module 29 is turned off. On the other hand, when the eyepiece is in contact with the subject, the EVF module 29 is turned on as the display destination and the display unit 28 is turned off.

[0046] The touch panel 70a and the display unit 28 can be configured as an integrated unit. For example, the touch panel 70a is configured so that the light transmittance does not interfere with the display of the display unit 28, and is attached to the upper layer of the display surface of the display unit 28. Then, input coordinates on the touch panel 70a are associated with display coordinates on the display screen of the display unit 28. This makes it possible to provide a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that allows the user to directly operate the screen displayed on the display unit .

[0047] The gaze detection unit 58 performs A / D conversion on the eyeball image (eye image obtained by capturing an image of the eye) captured by the gaze detection sensor 630 (CCD-EYE), and transmits the result to the system control unit 50. The system control unit 50 extracts feature points required for gaze detection from the eye image according to a predetermined algorithm described later, and calculates the user's gaze (the viewpoint in the viewing image) from the positions of the feature points.

[0048] Next, the structure around the top cover of the digital camera 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3A and 3B are external views of the top cover 300 of the digital camera 100, with Fig. 3A being an external view of the top cover 300 of the digital camera 100 and Fig. 3B being an external view in which the non-conductive exterior 301 of the top cover 300 of Fig. 3A is not shown. As shown in Fig. 3A, the top cover 300 is made up of an electrically conductive exterior 302.

[0049] The conductive exterior 302 may be made of a metal material such as magnesium or aluminum, or a conductive resin material containing carbon or the like. Alternatively, the surface of the resin material may be painted or coated with a conductive material. By using the conductive exterior 302, since conductive materials generally have higher thermal conductivity than non-conductive materials, the heat dissipation is very good and it becomes possible to diffuse heat throughout the entire top lid 300.

[0050] Furthermore, using a conductive exterior member provides a shielding effect, which is effective in preventing EMI (Electromagnetic Interference), which is the interference caused by electromagnetic waves generated by digital camera 100 to other electronic devices. Similarly, it is also effective in improving EMS (Electromagnetic Susceptibility), which is the resistance of digital camera 100 to noise from external electronic devices.

[0051] The top cover 300 is located above and in front of the main body of the digital camera as an optical device, and above and in front of the eyepiece frame 801 (described below), with the center part partially made up of a non-conductive exterior 301. The non-conductive exterior 301 is a non-conductive member such as a resin member that does not conduct electricity, and covers directly above the first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306. An accessory shoe 303 is located above the back side of the non-conductive exterior 301 in the top cover 300. The accessory shoe 303 is equipped with a communication contact in addition to an attachment / detachment mechanism. The accessory shoe 303 allows external accessories such as an external strobe or external microphone to be attached, detached, and used.

[0052] Fig. 3(B) is an external view of top cover 300 of digital camera 100, with non-conductive exterior casing 301 not shown. As shown in Fig. 3(B), a first wireless module 304 and a second wireless module 306 are disposed directly below non-conductive exterior 301. Furthermore, packing 308 seals the gap between top cover 300 and non-conductive exterior 301, making the inside of digital camera 100, in which the wireless modules are disposed, dustproof and drip-proof.

[0053] The first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306 are examples of the communication unit 54 and are electrical components that communicate wirelessly with external devices. Here, the first wireless module 304 includes, for example, a WiFi module, and the second wireless module 306 includes, for example, a GPS module. The conductive exterior 302 provides electromagnetic shielding against wireless, GPS, and Bluetooth, but the non-conductive exterior 301 does not provide electromagnetic shielding. Therefore, by covering the first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306 directly above with the non-conductive exterior 301, it is possible to improve wireless communication functionality while maintaining heat dissipation and EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) characteristics.

[0054] The first wireless module 304 is fixed to the conductive holding member 305 with screws, and the conductive holding member 305 is fastened to the conductive exterior 302 with screws. As a result, the ground (earth) of the first wireless module 304 is connected to the conductive exterior 302 via the conductive holding member 305.

[0055] That is, the first wireless module and the second wireless module are fixed to the top cover, and the grounds of the first wireless module and the second wireless module are connected to the conductive exterior part provided on the top cover. In this embodiment, the conductive holding member 305 is an aluminum or stainless steel plate, but it may also be a conductive resin member. It may also be fixed directly to the conductive exterior 302 without using the conductive holding member 305.

[0056] The second wireless module 306 is fixed to the non-conductive exterior 301 with screws. The ground of the second wireless module 306 is connected to the conductive exterior 302 via the flexible wiring board 307.

[0057] FIG. 4 is an external view and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the wireless modules 304 and 306 of the embodiment, and shows an example of the arrangement of the wireless modules in the top cover part 300. Fig. 4(A) is a top view of the upper cover part 300. Fig. 4(B) is a cross-sectional view of the upper cover part 300 in the Y direction taken along the line AA in Fig. 3(A).

[0058] As EVF modules become more sophisticated, they are becoming larger. It is necessary to arrange multiple modules with multiple functions in a way that satisfies each function, while minimizing the impact on the external dimensions of the digital camera 100. The arrangement of the first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306 will be described using Figures 4(A) and 4(B).

[0059] Device 400 may be an attitude detection unit 55 including an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor that detects the attitude of the camera and camera shake, a short-range wireless communication unit that communicates with external devices, etc. Alternatively, device 400 may be a mechanical part such as a fan that performs forced air cooling inside digital camera 100, or a heat dissipation fin that performs cooling by increasing the surface area.

[0060] The first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306 are disposed inside the top cover 300, and are disposed between the accessory shoe 303 and the lens mount 10 in the thickness direction of the digital camera 100 (the Z direction in the figure). If the first wireless module 304 is covered by the user's hand or the like, it may be affected by the human body, resulting in a decrease in wireless characteristics, such as a shorter communication distance or a slower communication speed.

[0061] Furthermore, if the first wireless module 304 is placed near the eyepiece 16, it may be affected by the user's face when using the EVF 29, which could result in a degradation of wireless characteristics. For this reason, the first wireless module 304 is preferably placed on the front of the digital camera 100, away from the eyepiece 16. The first wireless module 304 is placed so that an antenna pattern 500 (described below) of the first wireless module 304 is oriented at an angle A with respect to the second wireless module 306. In this embodiment, the angle A is 45°.

[0062] Angle A is set so that the second wireless module 306 does not overlap an approximate extension of the surface of the antenna pattern 500 of the first wireless module 304. Furthermore, the first wireless module is disposed such that the approximate extension of the surface of the antenna pattern of the first wireless module is tilted with respect to the front-to-back and side-to-side directions of the digital camera.

[0063] By arranging the first wireless module and the second wireless module in this angular relationship, the metal members of the upper cover 300 and the second wireless module 306 do not interfere with the high gain region of the antenna pattern 500. Therefore, radio waves transmitted and received by the antenna pattern 500 are less likely to be obstructed, and the arrangement can be made compact.

[0064] In this embodiment, SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) is also taken into consideration. That is, in consideration of the effect on the human body of radio waves emitted from the antenna surface, a spatial distance is maintained depending on the electric field strength between the exterior surface that the user can touch and the antenna pattern 500. Since the electric field strength is distributed radially from the surface of the antenna pattern 500, for example, if the exterior is flat, the spatial distance on a vertical line from the surface of the antenna pattern 500 is smallest, and the effect on the human body due to SAR is large.

[0065] Therefore, in this embodiment, the substantially vertical direction of the surface of the antenna pattern 500 and the external convex shape of the non-conductive exterior 301 are oriented in substantially the same direction. That is, the non-conductive exterior 301 has a convex shape in the substantially vertical direction of the surface of the antenna pattern 500, and is configured to ensure a sufficient spatial distance between the surface of the antenna pattern 500 and the non-conductive exterior 301. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to increase the electric field strength to ensure communication performance while taking SAR into consideration.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first wireless module 304 is disposed on the grip side of the digital camera 100 relative to the second wireless module 306. However, depending on the external design shapes of the top cover 300 and the non-conductive exterior casing 301 and placement restrictions imposed by the device 400, it is also possible to place the first wireless module 304 on the opposite side of the center of the optical axis of the digital camera 100 while maintaining the above angle.

[0067] The second wireless module 306 is used as a GPS for determining the position of the digital camera 100, and is disposed between the accessory shoe 303 and the lens mount 10 at an angle B relative to the imaging surface 220 of the digital camera 100, as shown in FIG. 4B. In this embodiment, the angle B is set to 25°.

[0068] Angle B is an angle at which the approximate extension direction of the antenna pattern surface of second wireless module 306, i.e., the dashed line in Fig. 4(B), does not overlap with the exterior side of accessory shoe 303. Furthermore, the second wireless module is disposed at an angle inclined relative to the front-to-rear and upward directions of the digital camera at such an angle that the approximate extension direction of the antenna pattern surface of the second wireless module does not overlap with any part of the accessory shoe.

[0069] This is because, as a radio characteristic of GPS, there is a possibility that the reception sensitivity may be reduced by surrounding metal members. That is, in this embodiment, second wireless module 306 is disposed so as to protrude from the opening of top cover 300. Also, second wireless module 306 is disposed at an angle such that the extension direction of the antenna pattern surface of second wireless module 306, i.e., the dashed line in FIG. 4(B), does not overlap with the exterior side of accessory shoe 303.

[0070] In this way, angle B reduces the effect of the metal members of the accessory shoe, while ensuring sensitivity in the zenith direction, which is the Y direction of digital camera 100. Furthermore, even if EVF module 29 becomes larger, the two modules, first wireless module 304 and second wireless module 306, can be efficiently arranged between accessory shoe 303 and lens mount 10 without increasing the external size of digital camera 100.

[0071] In this embodiment, second wireless module 306 is angled only with respect to imaging plane 220 in the Y direction of digital camera 100. However, depending on the external design shapes of top cover 300 and non-conductive exterior casing 301 and placement restrictions imposed by device 400, second wireless module 306 may be placed at an angle with respect to the Y axis and Z axis of digital camera 100 while maintaining angle B. Second wireless module 306 may be a satellite positioning system other than GPS, or may be a system such as GLONASS that is capable of determining the position of digital camera 100.

[0072] Here, the first wireless module 304, the second wireless module 306, the device 400, the accessory shoe 303, and the EVF module 29 do not all have to overlap in the Z direction or the Y direction. For example, a configuration without the device 400 is also possible. In that case, by overlapping the EVF module 29 with the imaging unit including the image sensor 22 in the Y direction, the external size of the digital camera 100 can be further reduced.

[0073] In this way, the first wireless module 304 and the second wireless module 306 are arranged in positions where they do not overlap between the accessory shoe 303 and the lens mount 10 in the front-to-rear direction (optical axis direction, Z direction) of the digital camera 100. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the increase in size of the digital camera 100.

[0074] 5A and 5B are external views of the first wireless module 304, and Fig. 5A shows an example in which the first wireless module 304 includes an antenna pattern 500 but does not include a signal processing unit 501 (described later). Fig. 5B shows an example in which the first wireless module 304 includes the antenna pattern 500 and the signal processing unit 501.

[0075] Hereinafter, a case will be described with reference to FIG. 5A in which the wireless module 304 includes an antenna pattern 500 but does not include a signal processing unit 501, which will be described later. The first wireless module 304 is a printed wiring board, and the antenna pattern 500 is formed of a conductive material such as copper. The first wireless module 304 is not limited to a printed circuit board, and may be a flexible printed wiring board.

[0076] The antenna pattern 500 is not limited to this shape, and the pattern may be changed as long as efficient wireless characteristics are obtained. The first wireless module 304 has a fixing portion 502 that is fixed to the conductive holding member 305 described above, and the fixing portion 502 electrically connects the conductive holding member 305 to the ground.

[0077] In this embodiment, fixing portion 502 is a round hole and is fastened to conductive holding member 305 with a screw, but is not limited to a screw and may be fixed with conductive double-sided tape or a conductive adhesive. First wireless module 304 is provided with transmission portion 503 made of a thin coaxial cable, and a signal obtained by antenna pattern 500 is transmitted to a circuit board (not shown).

[0078] The side of the transmission unit 503 that faces the first wireless module 304 is a module-side connection unit 503a, which is electrically connected by solder to the transmission unit 503 and the first wireless module 304. The opposite side of the transmission unit 503 is a destination connection unit 503b that is made up of a connector, which is connected to a circuit board (not shown) by the connector.

[0079] The module side connection part 503a and the destination connection part 503b may both be connector connections or both may be solder connections. The cable of the transmission part 503 is made up of a fine coaxial wire, so that not only external noise but also noise emitted from the transmission part 503 is blocked. Note that the transmission part 503 is not limited to a fine coaxial wire cable, and may be a general wire or may be connected by a flexible printed wiring board.

[0080] A signal processing unit 501 that processes signals output from the antenna pattern 500 is mounted on the circuit board to which the destination connection unit 503b is connected. The signal processing unit 501 is configured as an IC such as an integrated circuit, and the signal processing unit 501 and the above-mentioned system control unit 50 enable communication between the digital camera 100 and external devices. By separating the signal processing unit 501 from the first wireless module 304 as shown in Fig. 5(A), the wireless module itself can be made smaller. This makes it possible to place the wireless module in a location within the digital camera 100 that was previously impossible to place.

[0081] 5A, electrical components such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors are mounted on the component mounting section 504. This allows tuning of the antenna characteristics. In other words, even when the same first wireless module 304 is used in different digital cameras 100, wireless communication can be performed under optimal conditions even in different digital cameras 100 by changing and tuning the electrical components in the component mounting section 504.

[0082] 5A, in the first wireless module 304, the fixing section 502, the transmission section 503, the component mounting section 504, and the antenna pattern 500 are arranged in this order and on approximately the same straight line. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the first wireless module 304. It is desirable that the transmission section 503 is drawn out at a 45° angle to the antenna pattern 500, rather than as an extension of the antenna pattern 500. This is also for the purpose of reducing the size of the wireless module 304 as much as possible in the short side direction.

[0083] In the antenna pattern 500, there is an antenna pattern open end 505 at the end. The antenna pattern open end 505 is arranged on the non-conductive exterior 301 side within the upper lid portion 300. This is because the antenna pattern open end 505, which is the end of the antenna pattern 500, has the strongest radio characteristics. By bringing the antenna pattern open end 505 as close as possible to the non-conductive exterior 301 which is the exterior, the reception efficiency can be improved. Around the first wireless module 304, in addition to the conductive holding member 305, a thin coaxial processing portion made of a resin material or the like may be separately provided to process the thin coaxial of the transmission portion 503.

[0084] Next, a case where the first wireless module 304 includes both the antenna pattern 500 and the signal processing unit 501 will be described using FIG. 5(B). The first wireless module 304 includes a signal processing unit 501 that processes a signal output from the antenna pattern 500, and a transmission unit 503 that connects to a circuit board on which the system control unit 50 is mounted. In this embodiment, the transmission unit 503 is a flexible connector, but it may be connected by a cable such as a thin coaxial cable.

[0085] The signal processing unit 501 is composed of an IC such as an integrated circuit, and the signal output from the antenna pattern 500 is processed by the signal processing unit 501. The transmission unit 503 of the first wireless module 304 connects the system control unit 50 on the circuit board and the signal processing unit 501 of the first wireless module 304, and they communicate with each other, enabling wireless communication with external devices.

[0086] <Explanation about <EVF (Line-of-Sight Input)>> FIG. 6 is an optical axis cross-sectional view of the finder unit for explaining the configuration of the EVF. The EVF provided in the digital camera 100 in this embodiment can not only display menus and images like the display panel 5, but also detect the line of sight of the user looking into the EVF and reflect the detection result in the control of the digital camera 100.

[0087] That is, like the display panel 5, the EVF module 29 is used to display menus and images for operating the digital camera 100 and viewing and editing images obtained by the digital camera 100 when the user is looking through the viewfinder. The EVF module 29 is composed of a backlit liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, or the like.

[0088] Reference numeral 7 denotes a panel holder that holds an EVF module 29, and the EVF module 29 and the panel holder 7 are fixed by adhesive to form a display panel unit 8. The first optical path splitting prism 9 and the second optical path splitting prism 610 are attached and adhered to form an optical path splitting prism unit 611 (optical path splitting member).

[0089] Optical path splitting prism unit 611 guides the light beam from the second display panel to an eyepiece window 617 provided in the user's viewing hole, and conversely guides reflected light from the eye (pupil) guided from eyepiece window 617 to gaze detection sensor 630 shown in Fig. 7. Display panel unit 8 and optical path splitting prism unit 611 are fixed with mask 12 sandwiched between them and are integrally formed. The mask 12 may be formed directly on the surface of the optical-path splitting prism 9 by sputtering, printing, etc. An EVF lens group 616 is formed by the optical-path splitting prism unit 611, G1 lens 613, G2 lens 614, G3 lens 615, eyepiece window 617, etc.

[0090] FIG. 7 is a detailed diagram for explaining the configuration of the eyepiece window. The eyepiece window 617 is a transparent member that transmits visible light. The image displayed on the display panel unit 8 is viewed through an EVF lens group 616 that includes the optical path splitting prism unit 611 and the eyepiece window 617. The hatched portion 617a of the eyepiece window 617 is a mask printed on the surface facing the infrared LEDs with ink or the like that absorbs visible light but transmits infrared light, so that the infrared LEDs 618, 619, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, and 627 are not visible to the user. The viewfinder opening 617b is an opening for observing an optical image.

[0091] FIG. 8(A) is a perspective view showing the configuration of the EVF portion of this embodiment, and FIG. 8(B) is a cross-sectional view of the optical axis of the EVF portion. Infrared LEDs 618, 619, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, and 627 are each provided at different positions and orientations, and are positioned to irradiate infrared light toward the user's eyeball. Infrared LEDs 618, 619, 623, and 625 are infrared LEDs for short-distance illumination. Infrared LEDs 622, 624, 626, and 627 are infrared LEDs for long-distance illumination. The gaze detection optical system, including aperture 628 and gaze imaging lens 629, further guides reflected infrared light guided from eyepiece window 617 by optical path splitting prism unit 611, which is composed of first optical path splitting prism 9 and second optical path splitting prism 610, to gaze detection sensor 630.

[0092] 8(B), an image of the user's eyeball, illuminated by an infrared LED, passes through an eyepiece window 617, a G3 lens 615, a G2 lens 614, and a G1 lens 613 and enters the entrance surface (second surface) 610a of the second optical path splitting prism 610. This optical path is indicated by 31a. A dichroic film that reflects infrared light is formed on the first surface 610b of the second optical path splitting prism.

[0093] 8(A) is reflected by the first surface 610b and then reflected toward the second surface 610a. This reflected light path is indicated by 31b. The reflected light path 31b is totally reflected by the second surface 610a, passes through the aperture 628 as an imaging light path 31c, and is imaged on the line-of-sight detection sensor 630 by the line-of-sight imaging lens 629. To detect the gaze, the corneal reflection image formed by the specular reflection of infrared LED light from the cornea is used in addition to the eyeball image created by illumination.

[0094] 9 is a diagram of the optical path when detecting a gaze using the gaze detection mechanism according to the embodiment, and shows an example of the optical path of light emitted from infrared LEDs 618, 619, 623, and 625 for short-distance illumination, reflected by the cornea 142 of the eyeball, and then collected on the gaze detection sensor 630. In this figure, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 8 are assigned the same numbers.

[0095] <Explanation of gaze detection operation> The gaze detection method will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the gaze detection method, and is a schematic diagram of an optical system for performing gaze detection. As shown in Fig. 10, light sources 13a and 13b are arranged approximately symmetrically with respect to the optical axis of gaze imaging lens 629, and illuminate user's eyeball 14. A portion of the light emitted from light sources 13a and 13b and reflected by eyeball 14 is focused on gaze detection sensor 630 by gaze imaging lens 629.

[0096] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing eye images according to an embodiment, in which FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram of an eye image captured by the gaze detection sensor 630 (eyeball image projected onto the gaze detection sensor 630), and FIG. 11B is a diagram showing the output distribution in the gaze detection sensor 630.

[0097] FIG. 12 is a schematic flowchart of the gaze detection operation, showing the processing performed by the system control unit 50 executing a computer program stored in memory. 12, when the gaze detection operation in the system control unit 50 starts, the light sources 13a and 13b emit infrared light toward the user's eyeball 14. An image of the user's eyeball illuminated by the infrared light is formed on the gaze detection sensor 630 through the gaze imaging lens 629 and is photoelectrically converted by the gaze detection sensor 630. As a result, an electrical signal of the eye image that can be processed is obtained.

[0098] In step S802, the gaze detection circuit 201 sends the eye image (eye image signal; electrical signal of the eye image) obtained from the gaze detection sensor 630 to the system control unit 50. In step S803, the system control unit 50 obtains, from the eye image obtained in step S802, the coordinates of points corresponding to the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe' and the pupil center image c' of the light sources 13a and 13b shown in FIG.

[0099] As shown in Fig. 10, infrared light emitted from light sources 13a and 13b illuminates cornea 142 of user's eyeball 14. At this time, corneal reflection images Pd and Pe formed by part of the infrared light reflected from the surface of cornea 142 are condensed by gaze imaging lens 629 and formed on gaze detection sensor 630, becoming corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe' in the eye image of Fig. 11. Similarly, light beams from edges a and b of pupil 141 are also formed on gaze detection sensor 630, becoming pupil edge images a' and b' in the eye image as shown in Fig. 11.

[0100] Figure 11(B) shows the luminance information (luminance distribution) of region α' in the eye image of Figure 11(A). In Figure 11(B), the horizontal direction of the eye image is the X-axis direction and the vertical direction is the Y-axis direction, and the luminance distribution in the X-axis direction is shown. In this embodiment, the X-axis (horizontal) coordinates of the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe' are set to Xd and Xe, and the X-axis coordinates of the pupil edge images a' and b' are set to Xa and Xb. As shown in Figure 11(B), an extremely high level of luminance is obtained at the coordinates Xd and Xe of the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe'.

[0101] In the region from coordinate Xa to coordinate Xb, which corresponds to the region of pupil 141 (the region of the pupil image obtained when the light beam from pupil 141 is focused on gaze detection sensor 630), an extremely low level of luminance is obtained, except for coordinates Xd and Xe. In the region of iris 143 outside pupil 141 (the region of the iris image outside the pupil image obtained when the light beam from iris 143 is focused), a luminance intermediate between the above two types of luminance is obtained. Specifically, a luminance intermediate between the above two types of luminance is obtained in the region where the X coordinate (coordinate in the X-axis direction) is smaller than coordinate Xa and the region where the X coordinate is larger than coordinate Xb.

[0102] 11(B), the X-coordinates Xd and Xe of the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe' and the X-coordinates Xa and Xb of the pupil edge images a' and b' can be obtained. Specifically, the coordinates of extremely high brightness can be obtained as the coordinates of the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe', and the coordinates of the edge portions with intermediate brightness and extremely low brightness can be obtained as the coordinates of the pupil edge images a' and b'.

[0103] When the rotation angle θx of the optical axis of the eyeball 14 relative to the optical axis of the line-of-sight imaging lens 629 is small, the coordinate Xc of the pupil-centered image c' (center of the pupil image) obtained when a light beam from the pupil center c is imaged on the line-of-sight detection sensor 630 can be expressed as Xc ≒ (Xa + Xb) / 2. In other words, the coordinate Xc of the pupil-centered image c' can be calculated from the X-coordinates Xa and Xb of the pupil edge images a' and b'. In this way, the coordinates of the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe' and the coordinates of the pupil center image c' can be obtained.

[0104] In step S804, the system controller 50 calculates the imaging magnification β of the eyeball image. The imaging magnification β is determined by the position of the eyeball 14 relative to the line-of-sight imaging lens 629, and can be calculated using a function of the distance (Xe-Xd) between the corneal reflection images Pd' and Pe'. In step S805, the system control unit 50 calculates the rotation angle of the optical axis of the eyeball 14 relative to the optical axis of the line-of-sight imaging lens 629.

[0105] The X coordinate of the midpoint between the corneal reflection images Pd and Pe is approximately the same as the X coordinate of the center of curvature O of the cornea 142. Therefore, if the standard distance from the center of curvature O of the cornea 142 to the center c of the pupil 141 is Oc, the rotation angle θX of the eyeball 14 in the ZX plane (plane perpendicular to the Y axis) can be calculated by the following equation 1. β×Oc×SINθX≒{(Xd+Xe) / 2}-Xc (Formula 1) The rotation angle θy of the eyeball 14 in the ZY plane (plane perpendicular to the X axis) can be calculated in the same way as the rotation angle θx.

[0106] In step S806, the system control unit 50 uses the rotation angles θx and θy calculated in step S805 to determine (estimate) the user's viewpoint (the position where the line of sight is fixed; the position where the user is looking) in the viewing image displayed on the display unit. If the coordinates of the viewpoint (Hx, Hy) are coordinates corresponding to the pupil center c, the coordinates of the viewpoint (Hx, Hy) can be calculated using the following equations 2 and 3. Hx=m×(Ax×θx+Bx) (Formula 2) Hy=m×(Ay×θy+By) (Formula 3)

[0107] The parameter m in Equations 2 and 3 is a constant determined by the configuration of the viewfinder optical system (line-of-sight imaging lens 629, etc.) of digital camera 100, and is a conversion coefficient that converts the rotation angles θx and θy into coordinates corresponding to the pupil center c in the visual image. The parameter m is determined in advance and stored in nonvolatile memory 56.

[0108] The parameters Ax, Bx, Ay, and By are gaze correction parameters that correct for individual differences in gaze, and are obtained by performing the calibration work described below for each individual and stored in non-volatile memory 56 before the gaze detection operation begins. In step S807, the system control unit 50 stores the coordinates (Hx, Hy) of the viewpoint in the nonvolatile memory 56, and ends the line-of-sight detection operation.

[0109] <Eyecup and other configuration> Fig. 13(A) is a rear view of eyepiece cover 800 to which an eyecup according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached, and Figs. 13(B) and 13(C) are cross-sectional views taken along the lines MM and NN in Fig. 13(A), respectively. Both views show the state in which eyecup 802 shown in Fig. 14(A) has been removed. Eyepiece frame 801 is integrally formed with eyepiece cover 800. Opening 801g of eyepiece frame 801 is wider than viewfinder opening 617b, which is required without the line-of-sight detection function, by the shaded portion so as not to obstruct the light beams from infrared LEDs 618, 619, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, and 627 used for line-of-sight detection.

[0110] Additionally, eyepiece frame grooves 801a are provided on both sides of the eyepiece frame 801 in the Y direction for attaching various eyepiece accessories, including the eyecup 802 according to this embodiment. The eyecup 802 can be attached to and detached from the eyepiece frame by sliding along the eyepiece frame grooves. While eyepiece frame grooves 801a are provided on both sides of the eyepiece frame 801 in this embodiment, it is sufficient that they are provided on at least one end.

[0111] Furthermore, not only can the eyecup 802 serving as an attachment unit be attached to or detached from the eyepiece of this embodiment, but also, for example, a magnifier, an angle finder, etc. In other words, the attachment unit includes at least one of the eyecup, magnifier, and angle finder.

[0112] An eyepiece frame step 801b is formed at each bottom end of the inner side of the eyepiece frame groove 801a. An eyepiece frame protrusion 801c, as shown in Figure 13, is provided above the viewfinder opening 617b of the eyepiece frame to prevent the eyecup from unintentionally removing. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 13(B), the underside of eyepiece frame protrusion 801c forms an eyepiece frame perpendicular wall (first wall) 801d that is approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the eyecup 802 is removed (Y direction).

[0113] Therefore, even if a force in the Y direction is applied to the eyecup 802 while it is engaged with the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c, it is difficult for the eyecup 802 to come off. It is preferable that the top surface of the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c is not perpendicular to the Y direction but is inclined.

[0114] Eyepiece frame 801 has eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f starting from eyepiece frame inclination starting point 801e, and eyepiece cover 800 similarly has eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c starting from eyepiece cover inclination starting point 800b. That is, as shown in Figure 13(B), the lower surface of eyepiece frame 801 is inclined relative to the upper surface in the drawing, with eyepiece frame inclination starting point 801e as the boundary.

[0115] By slanting the upper and lower surfaces of eyepiece frame tilt starting point 801e and eyepiece cover tilt starting point 800b relative to one another in this manner, 801e and 800b form relatively convex portions. Note that the upper and lower surfaces of eyepiece frame tilt starting point 801e and eyepiece cover tilt starting point 800b do not need to be relatively inclined, as long as eyepiece frame tilt starting point 801e and eyepiece cover tilt starting point 800b form convex portions. It should be noted that there is no inclination on the outer peripheral edge 800d of the eyepiece cover 800. When the attachment unit is attached, the entire edge 803a (see FIG. 14(B)) of the eyecup rubber 803 (described later) abuts against the outer peripheral edge 800d of the eyepiece cover 800.

[0116] This allows eyecup body 805 to be tilted while maintaining elastic contact between outer peripheral edge 800d of eyepiece cover 800 and edge 803a of elastic member eyecup rubber 803. In other words, by applying force to eyecup body 805, eyecup bottom 805d (FIG. 14(B)) can be tilted to a position substantially parallel to eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f and eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c. Therefore, the elasticity of edge 803a of eyecup rubber 803 allows eyecup 802 to be held in the correct position without rattle when attached.

[0117] Next, the configuration of the eyecup 802 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 14(A) is a perspective view showing the main parts of an eyecup 802 according to this embodiment, Fig. 14(B) is a perspective view of the eyecup from the back, and Fig. 14(C) is an exploded perspective view of the eyecup. All of these figures show the eyecup not attached to the camera body. As shown in Fig. 14(C), the eyecup of this embodiment is composed of an eyecup rubber 803, an eyecup cover 804 having an eyepiece field frame 804c, and an eyecup body 805.

[0118] As described above, the eyepiece field frame 804c is configured to be wider than the viewfinder opening 617b required without the line of sight detection function so as not to obstruct the light beams from the infrared LEDs 618, 619, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, and 627 for line of sight detection. Eyecup body 805 includes eyecup claw 805a, eyecup groove 805b, and eyecup bottom 805d. When eyecup 802 is attached to eyepiece frame 801, eyecup claw 805a catches on the lower end of eyepiece frame step 801b, preventing unintentional removal.

[0119] Here, the eyecup claw 805a functions as a claw that can engage with the step when the attachment unit is attached along the eyepiece frame groove, and the eyecup groove 805b functions as a recess that engages with the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c when the attachment unit is attached to the eyepiece frame. Eyecup rubber 803 is configured to protrude from eyecup body 805. This is to improve the feel when the user looks through the viewfinder and to block light from entering the viewfinder through the gap between the user's eyes and the eyecup. The inside of the protruding part of eyecup rubber 803 is hollow, which makes it feel softer.

[0120] Eyecup cover 804 is provided with index portion 804a as a pressing portion that the user presses when intentionally removing eyecup 802 from eyepiece frame 801. Sloped surface 804b is provided so that when the user presses index portion 804a, a force acts in the Z direction and the Y direction in Figure 16(B).

[0121] Eyecup cover 804 is adhesively fixed to eyecup body 805 together with eyecup rubber 803, and as shown in Figure 14(B), when viewed from the back, outer edge 803a of eyecup rubber 803 is exposed at the outer periphery of the eyepiece. When the eyecup is attached to eyepiece frame 801, eyepiece frame protrusion 801c at the top of eyepiece frame 801 is inserted into eyecup groove 805b of the eyecup.

[0122] Furthermore, if a force is applied in the direction that causes the eyecup to detach from the eyepiece frame (the upward direction opposite to the downward arrow R in Figure 15), the eyepiece frame right-angle wall (first wall) 801d of the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c and the lower inner wall 805c of the eyecup groove (recess) 805b will catch. This further prevents the eyecup from detaching unintentionally from the user. Here, inner wall 805c is provided in the recess and functions as a second wall that comes into contact with the first wall when a force is applied to the attachment unit in the direction that causes it to be removed.

[0123] <Attaching the eyecup> Next, the operation when attaching the eyecup 802 to the eyepiece frame 801 formed on the camera body will be described with reference to FIGS. Figures 15, 16(A), (B), 17(A), and (B) are cross-sectional views showing the detailed configuration of the eyecup and eyepiece frame of the embodiment, and all show the state in which the eyecup 802 is attached to the eyepiece frame 801.

[0124] More specifically, FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the Z direction of the portion where the claw is engaged when the eyecup 802 is attached to the eyepiece frame 801. Figure 16(A) is a cross-sectional view in the MM direction of Figure 13(A) when the engagement between the eyepiece frame protrusion portion 801c and the eyecup groove portion 805b of the embodiment is released, and Figure 16(B) is a cross-sectional view in the MM direction of Figure 13(A) when the eyecup of the embodiment is attached. Figure 17(A) is a cross-sectional view in the NN direction of Figure 13(A) when the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c and eyecup groove 805b are disengaged, and Figure 17(B) is a cross-sectional view in the NN direction of Figure 13(A) when the eyecup is attached.

[0125] The user inserts the eyecup tabs 805a in the direction of arrow R in Figure 15, aligning them with the eyecup frame grooves 801a formed in the eyepiece frame 801. At this time, the eyecup tabs 805a are inserted in a state where they are elastically deformed and pushed outward. The eyecup tabs 805a then drop into the eyepiece frame step portions 801b of the eyepiece frame 801, thereby locking them in place.

[0126] In addition to the above, with the insertion operation in the direction of arrow R in Figure 15, the eyecup body 805 is lifted by the protruding slope 801h of the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c, as shown in Figure 16(A), and the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c and the eyecup groove 805b become caught and not engaged with each other.

[0127] At this time, as shown in part S in Figure 17(A), the elastic eyecup rubber 803, which is in contact with the edge 800d of the inclined portion 800c of the eyepiece cover 800, is pressed in the Z direction, elastically deforming and compressing. As a result, as shown in Figure 16(A), the eyecup bottom portion 805d tilts in the Z direction to a position where it is approximately parallel to the eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f and the eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c. As a result, the eyecup can climb over the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c, and the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c falls into and engages with the eyecup groove 805b. In other words, the state shown in Figure 16(A) changes to the state shown in Figure 16(B).

[0128] <Removing the eyecup> Next, the case where the eyecup 802 is removed from the eyepiece frame 801 will be described. The following occurs when removing eyecup 802 from eyepiece frame 801. By pressing eyecup cover indicator portion 804a shown in Figure 14(A), forces are applied to eyecup 802 in the Z and Y directions by inclined surface 804b. The force in the Z direction causes eyecup rubber 803, which is in contact with edge 800d of inclined portion 800c of eyepiece cover 800, to elastically deform and compress, as shown in Figure 17(A).

[0129] As a result, eyecup bottom portion 805d rotates in the Z direction until it becomes substantially parallel to eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c and eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f, disengaging eyecup frame protrusion 801c from eyecup groove 805b. That is, the state changes from that shown in Figures 16(B) and 17(B) to that shown in Figures 16(A) and 17(A). Then, the force in the Y direction generated by pressing eyecup cover indicator portion 804a elastically deforms eyecup claw 805a toward the outside of Figure 15, disengaging eyecup claw 805a from eyepiece frame step portion 801b.

[0130] In this way, the eyepiece frame tilt starting point 801e and the eyepiece cover tilt starting point 800b function as convex portions that allow the attachment unit to rotate when the attachment unit is pressed against the eyepiece frame. When the attachment unit rotates in the Z direction with this convex portion as a fulcrum, the eyecup groove portion 805b as a concave portion is configured to disengage from the eyepiece frame protrusion portion 801c.

[0131] With the eyecup claw 805a and the eyepiece frame step portion 801b disengaged, the user can easily remove the eyecup 802 by further pushing the eyecup 802 up in the Y direction. In this way, in this embodiment, the eyecup cover indicator portion 804a has a slope 804b so that force acts in both the Z and Y directions simultaneously, allowing the user to easily remove the eyecup 802 with a single action.

[0132] <If unintentional force is applied in the direction of removal> Next, a case will be described in which an unintended force is applied to the eyecup in the removal direction without operating the eyecup cover indicator portion 804a. For example, when storing the camera body in a camera bag, the user may unintentionally apply force to the eyecup in the direction of removal. However, when the eyecup is attached (as shown in Figure 16(B)), the eyepiece frame right-angle wall 801d in the Z direction of the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c and the lower inner wall 805c of the eyecup groove 805b engage, preventing the eyecup from coming off unintentionally.

[0133] In this embodiment, to remove the eyecup, it is necessary to press eyecup cover indicator 804a to compress and deform eyecup rubber 803. Then, it is necessary to rotate eyecup bottom 805d in the Z direction until it is roughly parallel to eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c and eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f, thereby removing eyepiece frame protrusion 801c from eyecup groove 805b.

[0134] Therefore, eyecup 802 will not come off when putting the camera in or out of a camera bag, or when the user carries the camera around with a strap attached, hanging it from their neck or shoulder. Also, eyecup rubber 803 protrudes more than eyecup main body 805, and the inside of the protruding part is hollow and soft, so even if eyecup rubber 803 is pressed in the Z direction, the force is not easily transmitted to eyecup main body 805. In other words, even if force is applied to eyecup rubber 803, the force is not easily transmitted in the direction that would cause eyepiece frame protrusion 801c to come out of eyecup groove 805b.

[0135] Furthermore, in order to apply force in the direction that causes eyepiece frame protrusion 801c to come out of eyecup groove 805b, it is necessary to press the vicinity of indicator 804a of eyecup cover 804. If force is applied elsewhere, the force is applied in a direction that makes it difficult for eyepiece frame protrusion 801c to come out of eyecup groove 805b, making it even more difficult to come out.

[0136] As described above, according to this embodiment, the user needs to press eyecup cover indicator 804a to remove eyecup 802 from eyepiece frame 801 formed on the camera body. This causes eyecup rubber 803 to elastically deform, rotating eyecup bottom 805d in the Z direction to a position where it is approximately parallel to eyepiece cover inclined portion 800c and eyepiece frame inclined portion 801f, and disengaging eyepiece frame protrusion 801c from eyecup groove 805b. Then, eyecup claw 805a elastically deforms and retracts from eyepiece frame step 801b, allowing the user to easily remove eyecup 802.

[0137] On the other hand, if the eyecup cover indicator 804a is not operated and an unintended force is applied in the direction of removing the eyecup 802 from the eyepiece frame 801, the eyepiece frame right-angle wall 801d of the eyepiece frame protrusion 801c will catch on the lower inner wall 805c of the eyecup groove 805b. This prevents the eyecup from coming off unintentionally by the user.

[0138] Furthermore, the eyecup can be made smaller because it does not require an operating unit for moving the claws inside the eyecup body or a movable claw mechanism. Furthermore, because the direction for operating the indicator 804a coincides with the direction for removal, two or more steps, such as operating the operating unit and then pulling up in the removal direction, are not required. Therefore, the user can easily remove the eyecup 802 with a single action: pressing the eyecup cover indicator 804a.

[0139] The present invention has been described in detail above based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible based on the gist of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0140] 800 Eyepiece Cover 800a Eyepiece cover groove 800b Eyepiece cover tilt starting point 800c Eyepiece cover slope 800d Eyepiece Cover Sloped Edge 801 Eyepiece frame 801a Eyepiece frame groove 801b Eyepiece frame step 801c Eyepiece frame protrusion 801d Eyepiece Frame Right Angle Wall 801e Eyepiece frame tilt starting point 801f Eyepiece frame inclination 801g Eyepiece frame opening 801h Eyepiece frame protrusion slope 802 Eyecup 803 Eyecup Rubber 804 Eyecup Cover 804a Eyecup cover index part 804b Slope 804c Eyepiece field frame 805 Eyecup body 805a Eyecup Claw 805b Eyecup groove 805c Eyecup inner wall 805d Eyecup bottom

Claims

1. An eyepiece frame having a protrusion; an eyepiece frame groove provided at at least one end of the eyepiece frame; an attachment unit that includes an engagement portion that engages with the protrusion and is detachably attached to the eyepiece frame along the eyepiece frame groove; In an engaged state in which the protrusion and the engaging portion are engaged with each other, a first wall formed on the protrusion and a second wall formed on the engagement portion face each other at a substantially right angle to the direction in which the attachment unit is removed along the eyepiece frame groove; An optical device characterized in that the attachment unit rotates around a rotation starting point provided on the eyepiece frame, thereby changing from the engaged state to a disengaged state in which the engagement portion disengages from the protrusion portion.

2. An optical device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the eyepiece frame has an inclined surface extending from the starting point of rotation.

3. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein when a force is applied to the eyepiece frame to which the attachment unit is attached in a direction in which the attachment unit is removed, the first wall and the second wall come into contact with each other.

4. An optical device as described in claim 1, characterized in that when the mounting unit is mounted, the protrusion and the engagement portion engage with each other, and when the mounting unit is removed, the protrusion disengages from the engagement portion.

5. The eyepiece frame has a step portion provided inside the eyepiece frame groove, The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment unit has a claw portion that can be engaged with the step portion.

6. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting unit has an elastic member, and when the mounting unit rotates, the elastic member elastically deforms.

7. An optical device as described in Claim 6, characterized in that in the engaged state, the elastic member abuts against the edge of the eyepiece frame.

8. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the eyepiece frame has a finder opening for observing an optical image, and the protrusion is provided above the finder opening.

9. The optical device described in Claim 1, characterized in that the mounting unit has a pressing portion, and when the pressing portion is pressed, the mounting unit rotates around the rotation starting point.

10. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting unit includes at least one of an eyecup, a magnifier, and an angle finder.

Images