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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic image pickup apparatus.
Conventionally, an electronic image pickup apparatus for picking up an
image, formed on a charge coupled device by a lens unit, through the
charge coupled device has been well known. In the electronic image pickup
apparatus field, it is always desired to provide a smaller and lighter
apparatus and to facilitate assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in the above-described circumstances.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an
electronic image pickup apparatus which is smaller and lighter than the
conventional apparatus and which can be easily assembled.
To attain the above-described object, the electronic image pickup apparatus
according to the present invention comprises: a housing which houses a
lens unit for electronically picking up an image, and which has a lens
opening for introducing light into the lens unit; a pair of guide grooves
extending parallel with each other while putting the lens opening between
the guide grooves on an outer surface of the housing; and a lens barrier
having both end portions engaged with the paired guide grooves and being
movably guided by the paired guide grooves between a close position for
closing the lens opening and an open position for opening the lens
opening. One of the paired guide grooves opens in a cross direction
crossing a front direction to which a front surface area, in which the
lens opening is formed on the outer surface of the housing, is directed,
and the other of the paired guide grooves opens in the front direction on
the outer surface of the housing. One end portion of the both end portions
of the lens barrier corresponding to the one guide groove is inserted into
and engaged with the one guide groove to be slidable along the one guide
groove. The other end portion of the both end portions of the lens barrier
corresponding to the other guide groove is inserted into and engaged with
the other guide groove to be slidable along the other guide groove. A
separation protection member engages with the other end portion of the
lens barrier in the front direction and prevents the other end portion of
the lens barrier from separating from the opening of the other guide
groove. The separation protection member is fixed on the outer surface of
the housing to cover at least part of the opening of the other guide
groove after the other end portion of the lens barrier has been inserted
into the other guide groove.
In the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the present invention
and having such a structure, to slidably engage the both end portions of
the lens barrier with the pair of guide grooves on the outer surface of
the housing, prior to fixing the separation protection member to the outer
surface of the housing, one of the end portions of the lens barrier
corresponding to one guide groove is inserted into the one guide groove in
the cross direction crossing the front direction, to which the front
surface area in which the lens opening is formed on the outer surface of
the housing, is directed. And the other end portion of the lens barrier
corresponding to the other guide groove is inserted into the other guide
groove in a direction opposite to the front direction. Thereafter, the
separation protection member is fixed to the outer surface of the housing.
Thus, there is no need to apply strong force to the assembly (which means
engaging the both end portions of the lens barrier with the pair of guide
grooves on the outer surface of the housing in the electronic image pickup
apparatus according to the present invention). The fact that no strong
force is applied to the both end portions of the lens barrier during
assembly can not only facilitate the assembly but also make simple the
structure of the lens barrier. As a result, the present invention can
provide a simpler, lighter electronic image pickup apparatus than the
conventional apparatus.
In the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the present invention
and having the above-described structure, it is preferable that the one
guide groove is formed in a lower surface area located below the front
surface area on the outer surface of the housing and extending in a
direction crossing the front surface area, and that the other guide groove
is formed in the front surface area on the outer surface of the housing.
With such a structure, when observing the housing of the electronic image
pickup apparatus while facing the lens opening in the front surface area,
that is, observing the housing in the opposite direction, the one guide
groove cannot be seen and also the other guide groove cannot be seen due
to the presence of the separation protection member and a decorative sheet
fixed on the outer surface of the housing. Thus, the housing of the
electronic image pickup apparatus presents a streamlined appearance.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part
of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the
invention, and together with the general description given above and the
detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to
explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an obliquely upper front
appearance of an electronic image pickup apparatus in one embodiment
according to the present invention, in which a lens barrier of the
apparatus is in a close position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the electronic
image pickup apparatus of FIG. 1, in which the lens barrier of the
apparatus is in an opening position;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an obliquely upper rear
appearance of the electronic image pickup apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic image pickup
apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an obliquely upper rear appearance of
a main body block shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a top view showing an arrangement of a main body frame of the
main body block, a finder unit, a photographic lens unit, an image display
means, an electric flash substrate, an external interface substrate, an
image pickup substrate, an image display operating substrate and a main
substrate within a housing of the electronic image pickup apparatus shown
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of an auxiliary power
supply battery holder chamber shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship
between the auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber shown in FIG. 4
and the main body frame within the housing shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view almost along the finder unit and the
photographic lens unit located at the left end portion (right end portion
in FIG. 1) of the electronic image pickup apparatus, showing a structure
for sliding movement of the lens barrier of the electronic image pickup
apparatus in the embodiment according to the present invention between the
close position shown in FIG. 1 and the open position shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional
structure for sliding movement of a conventional lens barrier between its
close position and its open position;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view showing a battery insertion
opening formed at a right end portion (left end portion in FIG. 1) in a
lower surface area on an outer surface of a front housing member of FIG. 1
and showing a bearing structure for supporting a battery cap to be
rotatable between a close position in which the battery cap covers the
battery opening and an open position in which the battery cap opens the
battery opening; and
FIG. 12 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of the battery opening
and the bearing structure of the battery cap of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an obliquely upper front
appearance of an electronic image pickup apparatus shown according to an
embodiment of the present invention, in which a lens barrier of the
apparatus is in a closed position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view
schematically showing a part of the electronic image pickup apparatus of
FIG. 1, in which the lens barrier of the apparatus is in an open position.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an obliquely upper rear
appearance of the electronic image pickup apparatus of FIG. 1.
In this embodiment, the electronic image pickup apparatus is a so-called
digital camera for picking up an image by using a photoelectric transfer
device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), as an electronic image
pickup means.
As shown in FIG. 1, a housing 10 of the electronic image pickup apparatus
has a front housing member 12 and a rear housing member 14 which are
detachably connected with each other. The front housing member 12 and the
rear housing member 14 are made of synthetic resin such as polycarbonate
resin and ABS resin.
A right end portion in a front surface area on an outer surface of the
front housing member 12 (left end portion in FIG. 1) is expanded forward
so that a user can easily catch the housing 10 with its right hand. A grip
rubber 12a is attached on the right end portion in the front surface area
to prevent the user's right fingers from slipping thereon with its sweat.
An inside of the expanded right end portion provides a battery storage
space for storing main power supply batteries. A battery insertion opening
for putting the main power supply batteries in and out of the space is
provided in a right end portion in a lower surface area on the outer
surface of the front housing member 12 (left end portion in FIG. 1). A
battery cap is supported in the opening so as to be rotatable between open
and close positions. The battery insertion opening, the battery cap and a
bearing structure for the battery cap will be described later in detail.
A decorative sheet 12b is attached on an upper end portion in the front
surface area on the outer surface of the front housing member 12 from
almost a center of the upper end portion to a left end thereof (right end
in FIG. 1). An electronic flash window 12c, a self-timer display window
12d and a viewfinder window 12e are formed in the decorative sheet 12b in
this order from its center to its left end. An electronic flash opening, a
self-timer display opening and a viewfinder opening (not shown)
corresponding to the electronic flash window 12c, the self-timer display
window 12d and the viewfinder window 12e on the decorative sheet 12b are
formed in an upper end portion in the front surface area of the outer
surface of the front housing member 12 corresponding to the decorative
sheet 12b.
A lens barrier 16 is arranged below the decorative sheet 12b in the front
surface area on the outer surface of the front housing member 12. The lens
barrier 16 is slidable along the front surface area between a first
position and a second position. In this first position, the lens barrier
16 is located under the self-timer display window 12d and the viewfinder
window 12e and away from the left end (right end in FIG. 1) of the front
surface area as shown in FIG. 1, and in the second position the lens
barrier 16 is located rightward from the first position and reaches the
left end of the front surface area as shown in FIG. 2.
A lens opening 12f is formed under the viewfinder window 12e in the front
surface area as shown in FIG. 2. The lens barrier 16 located in the first
position shown in FIG. 1 closes the lens opening 12f. The lens barrier 16
located in the second position shown in FIG. 2 opens the lens opening 12f.
Thus, the first position of the lens barrier 16 shown in FIG. 1 is a close
position and the second position thereof shown in FIG. 2 is an open
position.
The sliding movement of the lens barrier 16 between the close position and
the open position is performed by engaging upper and lower ends of the
lens barrier 16 with a first guide groove (not shown) in the front surface
area on the outer surface of the housing 10 and a second guide groove (not
shown) in a lower surface area on the outer surface of the housing 10. The
first guide groove is covered by the decorative sheet 12b, and the second
guide groove located in a front end portion in the lower surface area on
the outer surface of the housing 10 and extends from almost a center of
the front end portion to a left end thereof (right end in FIG. 1) in
parallel to the first guide groove. Structures of the first and second
guide grooves and those of the upper and lower end portions of the lens
barrier 16 slidably engaged with the guide grooves will be described later
in detail.
As shown in FIG. 1, a photographic information display window 12g is
provided in almost a center of a rear end portion in an upper surface area
on the outer surface of the front housing member 12. In the housing 10,
photographic information display means such as a liquid crystal display
device is provided to correspond to the photographic information display
window 12g. The photographic information display means displays various
information of the electronic image pickup apparatus (such as setting and
setting release of a self-timer mode various flash modes, a continuous
photographic mode and photographic record delete mode, the number of
frames, the residual quantity of the main power supply batteries, etc.).
The various information displayed on the photographic information display
means can be seen from the outside of the housing 10 through the
photographic information display window 12g. Various operation buttons 12h
for selecting the various information displayed on the photographic
information display means are arranged on both sides of the photographic
information display window 12g on the rear end portion in the upper
surface area.
A shutter button 12i is arranged on a forwardly expanded right end portion
(left end portion in FIG. 1) of the upper surface area in the outer
surface of the front housing member 12.
A terminal protection cover 12j is provided in a left end surface area
(right end surface area in FIG. 1) on the outer surface of the front
housing member 12 to be capable of freely opening and closing. A signal
input/output terminal and an external power supply input terminal are
hidden on a back side of the terminal protection cover 12j.
As shown in FIG. 3, an image display window 14a is formed in almost a
center of a rear surface area on an outer surface of the rear housing
member 14, and an image display portion (i.e. screen) of image display
means 18 such as a liquid crystal display device stored in the housing 10
is exposed in the image display window 14a. A finder eyepiece window 14b
is arranged in the left of the image display window 14a on an upper end
portion in the rear surface area on the outer surface of the rear housing
member 14. A plurality of image display operation buttons 14c for
operating the image display means 18 are arranged in the right of the
finder eyepiece window 14a on the upper end portion on the rear surface
area.
FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of the electronic image pickup
apparatus of FIG. 1. It shows the front housing member 12, the rear
housing member 14 separated from the front housing member 12 and a main
body block 20 usually stored between the front housing member 12 and the
rear housing member 14.
The main body block 20 comprises a main body frame 20a having a projection
surface almost equal to a front surface area on an inner surface of the
front housing member 12 and a rear surface area on an inner surface of the
rear housing member 14. In the main body frame 20a, a light emitting
portion 22 of electronic flash light emitting means is provided in a
position corresponding to the electronic flash window 12c of the front
housing member 12. The light emitting portion 22 includes a Xenon
discharge tube and a light reflection umbrella.
In the main body frame 20a, front ends of a light emitting device 24 for
displaying an operation of a self-timer and a finder unit 26 are arranged
in positions corresponding to the self-timer display window 12d and the
viewfinder window 12e of the front housing member 12, respectively. A rear
end of the finder unit 26 corresponds to the finder eyepiece window 14b of
the rear housing member 14.
In the main body frame 20a, a photographic lens unit 28 is arranged in a
position located below the finder unit 26 and corresponding to the lens
opening 12f of the front housing member 12. Electronic image pickup means
using a photoelectric transfer device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled
Device) is incorporated in an inner end of the photographic lens unit 28.
In the main body frame 20a, the above described signal input/output
terminal 30 and the above described external power supply input terminal
32 located in the back side of the terminal protection cover 12j in the
left end surface area on the outer surface of the front housing member 12
are arranged in the left (right in FIG. 4) of the finder unit 26 and in
that of the photographic lens unit 28.
In the main body frame 20a, a booster 34 for increasing a predetermined
voltage from the main power supply batteries to another predetermined
voltage to drive respective circuits and an electronic flash capacitor 36
for storing electric charges to emit light from the electronic flash light
emitting means are arranged below the light emitting portion 22. Further,
in the main body frame 20a, an electronic flash substrate 38 is arranged
in an area facing the front surface area on the inner surface of the front
housing member 12 to extend from the booster 34 arranged almost in a
center in a lateral direction of the main body frame 20a to the left end
(right end in FIG. 4) thereof, so as not to contact the electronic flash
capacitor 36, the photographic lens unit 28, the signal input/output
terminal 30 and the external power supply input terminal 32. A well known
circuit for controlling the operation of the electronic flash light
emitting means is provided on the electronic flash substrate 38.
Furthermore, a right end portion (left end portion in FIG. 4) of the main
body frame 20a extending from the booster 34 almost in the center in the
lateral direction of the main body frame 20a to the right end (left end in
FIG. 4) cooperates with the forwardly expanded right end portion (left end
portion in FIG. 4) in the front surface area of the front housing member
12 to define a barrier plate for defining a battery storage space 40 for
storing a plurality of main power supply batteries (not shown). A
plurality of contact terminals 42 for the main power batteries (not shown)
stored in the battery storage space 40 are provided on the upper right end
portion (upper left end portion in FIG. 4) of the main body frame 20a.
The battery opening of the battery storage space 40 is formed in the right
end portion (left end portion in FIG. 1) in the lower surface area on the
outer surface of the front housing member 12. As described before, the
battery opening and the battery cap thereof will be described later in
detail.
In the main body frame 20a, an external interface substrate 44 connected to
the signal input/output terminal 30 and to the external power supply input
terminal 32 is arranged in a portion corresponding to a right side of the
image display window 14a in the rear surface area on the inner surface of
the rear housing member 14.
A switch/display substrate 46 is arranged on an upper end of the main body
frame 20a to correspond to an upper surface area on the inner surface of
the front housing member 12. A shutter operating switch 48 is arranged on
the switch/display substrate 46 in a position corresponding to the shutter
button 12i in the upper surface area on the outer surface of the front
housing member 12 to be operated by the shutter button 12i. Information
display means 50 such as a liquid crystal display device and various
operation switches 52 are further arranged on the switch/display substrate
46 to correspond to the photographic information display window 12g and
the various operating buttons 12h in the upper surface area on the outer
surface of the front housing member 12, respectively.
A plurality of connector pieces 54 and a plurality of engaging pieces 56
are formed on a peripheral portion of the rear surface area on the inner
surface of the rear housing member 14. The connector pieces 54 are used
for connecting the rear housing member 14, together with the main body
block 20, with the front housing member 12 by using fixed screws (not
shown), and the engaging pieces 56 are used for engaging the rear housing
member 14 with predetermined positions of the front housing member 12.
An auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber 58 for detachably holding
an auxiliary power supply battery is provided on a lower right corner
portion in the rear surface area on the inner surface of the rear housing
member 14. A structure of the auxiliary power supply battery holder
chamber 58 will be described later in detail.
A lower surface area on the inner surface of the rear housing member 14 is
a cross surface area extending in a direction crossing the rear surface
area on the inner surface of the rear housing member 14. In the lower
surface area, a tripod support 60 having a tripod hole formed in a lower
surface area (i.e. cross surface area) on the outer surface of the rear
housing member 14 is formed in a position corresponding to almost the
center of the image display window 14a in the lateral direction.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an obliquely upper rear appearance of
the main body block 20 of FIG. 4.
As shown in FIG. 5, an image pickup substrate 62 is arranged in a back side
of the external interface substrate 44 in the main body frame 20a of the
main body block 20. On the image pickup substrate 62, a circuit for
controlling the photographic lens unit 28 (see FIG. 4) and the electronic
image pickup means (not shown) using the photoelectric transfer device
such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as mentioned above is formed.
In the main body frame 20a, the image display means 18 is arranged in a
position corresponding to the image display window 14a in the rear surface
area on the inner surface of the rear housing member 14. The image display
means 18 has a flat rectangular shape. Mounting pieces 64 are protruded in
upper and lower directions (that is, toward the upper surface area and the
lower surface area on the inner surface of the rear housing member 14,
each of these upper and lower surface areas serving as the cross surface
area extending in the direction crossing the rear surface area in which
the image display window 14a is formed) from right and left ends of each
of upper and lower edges of the image display means 18. The upper and
lower mounting pieces 64 of the image display means 18 are fixed to
predetermined image display means fixing members 20b of the main body
frame 20a by fixing screws (not shown). The upper and lower mounting
pieces 64 facilitate a fixing work for fixing the image display means 18
to the main body frame 20a, thereby facilitating assembling of the
electronic image pickup apparatus of this embodiment.
As described above, when the main body block 20, together with the rear
housing member 14, is connected to the front housing member 12 and is
housed in a predetermined position in the housing 10, the tripod support
60 in the lower surface area on the inner surface of the rear housing
member 14 is arranged below the image display means 18 of the main body
block 20 between a pair of mounting pieces 64 of the lower edge of the
image display means 18, as shown in two-dot chain line in FIG. 5.
Since the tripod support 60 is arranged in a usually unused space arranged
below the image display means 18 between the paired mounting pieces 64 of
the lower edge of the image display means 18 in the housing 10, the space
in the housing 10 can be used more effectively. As a result, there is no
need to increase the thickness and height of the housing 10 for arranging
the tripod support 60 in the housing 10 and there is thereby no need to
increase the outer dimensions and the weight of the housing 10. (This
contributes to make the electronic image pickup apparatus of this
embodiment smaller and lighter than the conventional one.) Besides, the
housing 10 can provide enough space for an arrangement of various
components, thereby facilitating the assembly of the electronic image
pickup apparatus of this embodiment.
On a right side of the image display means 18 in the main body frame 20a, a
booster 66 is arranged. The booster 66 is used for increasing a
predetermined voltage from the main power supply batteries (not shown)
stored in the battery storage space 40 on the right end portion (left end
portion in FIG. 4) in the front surface of the main body frame 20a shown
in FIG. 4, to another predetermined voltage required for the image display
means 18.
Above the booster 66 in the main body frame 20a, an image display operation
substrate 70 is arranged. A plurality of image display operating switches
68 are arranged o the substrate 70 so as to be operated by a plurality of
image display operating buttons 14c (see FIG. 3) arranged on the upper end
portion in the rear surface area of the outer surface of the rear housing
member 14.
A main substrate 72 including a central processing unit (not shown) for
controlling the operation of the electronic image pickup apparatus of this
embodiment is arranged on a front side of the image display means 18 in
the main body frame 20a.
FIG. 6 is a top view schematically showing an arrangement of the main body
frame 20a, the finder unit 26, the photographic lens unit 28, the image
display means 18, the electronic flash substrate 38, the external
interface substrate 44, the image pickup substrate 62, the image display
operation substrate 70 and the main substrate 72 in the housing 10.
As shown in FIG. 6, the image display operation substrate 70 is located on
the right side of the image display means 18, the finder eyepiece portion
14b of the finder unit 26 is located on the left side of the image display
means 18 and the photographic lens unit 28 is located below the finder
unit 26 on the left side of the image display means 18 in the housing 10.
Furthermore, the image display operation substrate 70 is located in the
upper end portion on the rear surface area of the housing 10 in the right
side of the image display means 18, the finder eyepiece portion 14b, that
is, the finder unit 26 is located in the upper end portion on the rear
surface area of the housing 10 in the left side of the image display means
18. Therefore, the housing 10 can provide a space for housing the
photographic lens unit 28 below the finder unit 26 on the left side of the
image display means 18.
Since the image display means 18 and the photographic lens unit 28 usually
having a relatively large thickness do not overlap each other in a
direction along an optical axis of the photographic lens unit 28, it is
possible to reduce the outer dimensions or particularly the thickness of
the housing 10 (a dimension in back and forth directions of the housing
10).
In the following description, the operation of the electronic image pickup
apparatus of the embodiment according to the present invention and having
the structure outlined above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6, will be
described.
A user of the above-described electronic image pickup apparatus holds the
right end portion of the housing 10 with its right hand and moves the lens
barrier 16 on the front surface of the housing 10 with its left hand from
the close position shown in FIG. 1 to the open position in FIG. 2. This
movement of the lens barrier 16 makes a main power supply switch turn on
so that an image formed on the electronic image pickup means by the
photographic lens of the photographic lens unit 28 is converted into an
electric signal by the electronic image pickup means. The image formed on
the electronic image pickup means can be displayed on the image display
portion (that is, screen) 18a of the large image display means 18 shown in
FIG. 3 by operating the plurality of image display operating buttons 14c
on the rear surface of the housing 10. By turning on the main power supply
switch, predetermined various information (such as the number of frames,
the residual quantity of the main power supply batteries, etc. at present)
relating to the electronic image pickup apparatus is displayed on the
small photographic information display window 12g (shown in FIG. 1) on the
upper surface of the housing 10. The predetermined various information
displayed on the information display window 12g is changed by operating
the various operating buttons 12h (shown in FIG. 1) on the upper surface
of the housing 10.
When the user presses the shutter button 12i at a desired timing while the
user presses its right eye on the finder eyepiece portion 14b to catch a
desired photographic target (an object) through the finder 26 or observes
an image displayed on the image display portion (that is, screen) 18a of
the image display means 18, the image of the object at this moment is
stored in a memory on the main substrate 72.
The image stored in the memory can be displayed on the image display
portion (that is, screen) 18a of the large image display means 18 (shown
in FIG. 3) by operating the plural image display operating buttons 14c
(shown in FIG. 3) on the rear surface of the housing 10. In this
operation, the user can operates the plural image display operating
buttons 14c by using only its right thumb while the user holds the right
end portion of the housing 10 with its right hand.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, since the finder eyepiece portion 14b
is located in the left side of the image display means 18 and the plural
image display operating buttons 14c (serving as image display operating
members) are located in the right side of the image display means 18 on
the rear surface of the housing 10, the user can carry out both the
photographic operation and the reproduction operation by using only its
right hand while holding the right end portion of the housing 10 with its
right hand, by the photographic operation the shutter button 12i being
depressed while catching a desired photographic target (an object) through
the finder unit 26 or observing the image displayed on the image display
portion (that is, screen) 18a of the image display means 18 and by the
reproduction operation the image stored in the memory being displayed on
the image display portion (that is, screen) 18a of the large image display
means 18 in the electronic image pickup apparatus of this embodiment.
Consequently, it is possible to easily use the electronic image pickup
apparatus of this embodiment.
When the image stored in the memory is not necessary, it can be erased from
the memory by operating the various operating buttons 12h (shown in FIG.
1) on the upper surface of the housing 10.
The above-mentioned reproduction and erase operations can be conducted
while the lens barrier 16 is located in the close position. That is, even
if the main power supply switch is turned off while the lens barrier is
located in the close position, the main power supply switch can be turned
on by operating the plural image display operating buttons 14c and the
reproduction operation for displaying the image stored in the memory can
be displayed on the image display portion (that is, screen) 18a of the
large image display means 18 shown in FIG. 3. In addition, in this state,
the erase operation for erasing unnecessary images stored in the memory
from the memory can be performed by operating the various operating
buttons 12h (shown in FIG. 1) on the upper surface of the housing 10.
Moreover, if desired flash mode or self-timer mode is set in the above
electronic image pickup apparatus by operating the various operating
buttons 12h (shown in FIG. 1) on the upper surface of the housing 10
before pressing the shutter button 12i, the electronic image pickup
apparatus can be operated in the desired flash mode or self-timer mode
when pressing the shutter button 12i. It is also possible to change or
release the flash mode now being set or release the self-timer mode by
operating the various operating buttons 12h.
If the terminal protection cover 12j (shown in FIG. 1) on the left end
surface (right end surface in FIG. 1) of the housing 10 is opened and a
signal input/output terminal connector (not shown) is connected to the
signal input/output terminal 30 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the image stored
in the memory can be outputted to, for example, an external computer or
image processing apparatus such as a printing machine. If an external
power supply connector (not shown) is connected to the external power
supply input terminal 32 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the main power supply for
the electronic image pickup apparatus of this embodiment is instantly
changed from the main power supply batteries (not shown) in the battery
storage space 40 (see FIG. 4) in the right end portion (left end portion
in FIG. 1) of the housing 10, to the external power supply, thereby
preventing the consumption of the main power supply batteries (not shown).
Additionally, if the external power supply connector (not shown) is
separated from the external power supply input terminal 32 shown in FIGS.
3 and 5, the main power supply for the electronic image pickup apparatus
of this embodiment is instantly changed from the external power supply to
the main power supply batteries (not shown) in the battery storage space
40 (see FIG. 4) in the right end portion (left end portion in FIG. 1) of
the housing 10.
A structure of the auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber 58 shown
in FIG. 4 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.
FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged, perspective exploded view of the auxiliary
power supply battery holder chamber 58 shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 illustrates
a partial cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship between
the auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber 58 of FIG. 4 and the
image pickup substrate 62 of the main body frame 20 in the housing 10.
An auxiliary battery 74 housed in the auxiliary power supply battery holder
chamber 58 has a disc like shape and has one electrode on a periphery
thereof and another electrode on one end surface thereof. The auxiliary
power supply battery 74 is used for backing up the various circuits used
in the electronic image pickup apparatus of this embodiment.
The auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber 58 has a flat battery
holder 76b having a pair of clipping arms 76a of an almost U-shape. The
flat battery holder 76b detachably holds one part of the periphery and one
part of a peripheral edge portion of one end surface of the auxiliary
power supply battery 74 by the paired clipping arms 76a between the arms
76a. Therefore, in the battery holder 76b, the other part of the periphery
of the auxiliary power supply battery 74 is exposed in a direction in
which tip ends of the paired clipping arms 76a extend and both end
surfaces of the auxiliary power supply battery 74 is exposed between the
paired clipping arms 76a.
The battery holder 76b is made of non conductive, elastic material such as
synthetic resin. Engaging recesses 76c are formed on opposing side
surfaces of tip end portions of the paired clipping arms 76a.
The auxiliary power supply battery holder chamber 58 further has a battery
holder insertion opening 78 for taking the battery holder 76b into and out
from the chamber 58. The opening 78 is formed along the rear surface area
in the left end portion (right end portion in FIG. 4) of the lower surface
area of the rear housing member 14 of the housing 10. The battery holder
76b holding the auxiliary power supply battery 74 is taken into and out
from the chamber 58 through the battery holder insertion opening 78 while
the periphery of the auxiliary power supply battery 74 is directed to the
battery holder insertion opening 78. The auxiliary power supply battery
holder chamber 58 has also a peripheral wall 80 formed in the vicinity of
the lower surface area on the left end portion (right end portion in FIG.
4) of the rear surface area in the inner surface of the rear housing
member 14. The peripheral wall 80 surrounds the periphery of the battery
holder 76b, except for a portion of the periphery directing the battery
holder insertion opening 78, when the battery holder 76 is inserted into
the housing 10 from the battery holder opening 78.
A pair of engaging protrusions 80a are formed on the peripheral wall 80.
The engaging protrusions 80a are elastically engaged with the engaging
represses 76c of the tip end portions of the paired clipping arms 76a of
the battery holder 76b when the holder 76b is inserted into a
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