Interchangeable Lens Camera Body Contact Groups

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Solution Overview

Problem

Interchangeable lens cameras face challenges in achieving a lower profile adapter while maintaining the conversion of contacts between lenses and the camera body, particularly when dealing with lenses having different lens-side mounts in terms of aperture diameters and flange back distances.

Innovation Solution

The camera design incorporates multiple groups of contacts on the body that can be coupled to various lenses with different lens-side mounts, eliminating the need for adapters with internal contacts and wirings, allowing for a thinner profile and effective contact conversion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an adapter includes groups of contacts and wirings for converting contacts between lens and body, then contact conversion is achieved, but adapter thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact conversion capabilityVSAvoidadapter thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the contact groups from the adapter structure and relocates them to the camera body. The body now directly provides multiple contact groups that can couple with different lens-side mounts, eliminating the need for the adapter to contain internal contacts and wirings. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining contact conversion capability while significantly reducing adapter thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera body is designed with multiple kinds of contact groups that can universally couple with various lens-side mounts. Instead of requiring different adapters for different lens types, the body's multi-functional contact groups directly support multiple lens configurations, eliminating the need for a thick adapter with internal conversion components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If an adapter is designed with internal components for contact conversion, then contact compatibility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens compatibilityVSAvoidadapter structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex internal components (contact groups and wirings) from the adapter and relocates them to the camera body. This eliminates the need for a complex adapter structure with internal conversion mechanisms, while maintaining full lens compatibility through the body's direct contact groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the contact conversion function into the camera body itself, combining the body's mounting structure with multiple contact groups. This integration eliminates the separate adapter component and its internal complexity, while achieving the same lens compatibility goal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10432833B2Interchangeable lens camera

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

There is provided a camera that includes a body and two or more kinds of groups of contacts provided on the body. The two or more kinds of groups of contacts are configured to be coupled to respective two or more kinds of lenses that include different lens-side mounts.