Imaging Apparatus with Shared Rear Casing and Aligned Lens Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of multiple imaging apparatus types results in overlapping design periods and increased manufacturing costs due to similar components and parts being developed separately.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus system is designed with a common rear casing and monitor, allowing different types of imaging apparatuses to share identical centers for their lens mounts, thereby streamlining design and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple imaging apparatus types are designed separately with unique components, then each apparatus can have optimized performance for its specific type, but development time increases and manufacturing costs rise due to overlapping design periods and separate component development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a common rear casing that can be used across multiple imaging apparatus types (single-lens reflex and range finder types). The rear casing includes a monitor and control unit that serve universal functions regardless of the specific apparatus type, thereby reducing development time and manufacturing costs while maintaining type-specific performance through separate front casings and lens mounts
2Reliability
If multiple imaging apparatus types are designed separately with unique components, then each apparatus can have optimized performance for its specific type, but manufacturing costs increase due to separate development of similar components and parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces manufacturing costs by making the rear casing, monitor, and control unit universal across different imaging apparatus types. These shared components eliminate the need to separately develop and manufacture similar parts for each apparatus type, while the front casings and lens mounts remain type-specific to maintain performance optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the imaging apparatus into distinct modules: a type-specific front casing with lens mount, and a universal rear casing with monitor and control unit. This segmentation allows independent development and optimization of type-specific components while sharing common components across multiple apparatus types, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs
3Ease of manufacture
If a common rear casing is shared across different imaging apparatus types, then design can be streamlined and manufacturing costs reduced, but the relative positions of lens mounts may differ affecting operational consistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the rear casing universally positioned while allowing the front casing and lens mount positions to vary according to the specific apparatus type. This allows the rear casing components (monitor and control unit) to maintain consistent operation across all types, while the front components are optimized for their specific functions without compromising overall operational consistency
Data Source
AI summary
In an imaging apparatus system, a first imaging apparatus includes a first front casing, a common rear casing, a first lens mount attached to the first front casing, and a common monitor attached to the common rear casing. A second imaging apparatus includes a second front casing, a common rear casing, a second lens mount attached to the second front casing and different from the first lens mount, and a common monitor. When the first and second front casings are respectively attached to the common rear casings and, the center of the first lens mount and the center of the second lens mount are identical, regarding the relative positions in the left-right direction with respect to the common rear casings.