1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nameplate attachment structure, and more particularly, to a nameplate attachment structure for an apparatus such as a camera platform apparatus to be set in two or more variations of postures, and to a camera platform apparatus and a camera apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a camera platform apparatus having a chassis outer surface on which a manufacturer's logo is indicated. Such a camera platform apparatus is set in an upright posture, and may also be set in a ceiling-suspended posture. Thus, in accordance therewith, it is desired that indication be recognized in orientations corresponding to such installation postures.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-162794 discloses the following structure. That is, a shaft including a hook portion is projected on a rear surface of a nameplate, and the shaft is inserted through a hole provided in a plate-like part. Further, a spring member is attached to the hook portion of the shaft so that the nameplate is urged in an axial direction and is attached to be adjustable in a turnable manner with respect to the hole of the plate-like part.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-084221 discloses a structure in which a recessed portion is provided in an attachment surface for a nameplate so that, when the nameplate is pushed to be detached, the nameplate is sunk into the recessed portion and an opposite surface with respect to a shaft-like portion of the nameplate is raised. In this way, the nameplate can be detached and attached in different postures of indication.
However, in the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-162794, it is necessary to provide a spring member so that the nameplate is attached to be adjustable in a turnable manner. Thus, a larger number of components are required. Further, in the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-084221, it is necessary to change the shape of the nameplate itself for each product because the attachment surface for the nameplate varies from product to product. In addition, the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-084221 is only capable of supporting postures at every 180 degrees.
The present invention provides a nameplate attachment structure for enabling nameplates to be attached with a simple configuration in accordance with installation postures of apparatus varying from each other in surface shape.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a nameplate attachment structure, which enables a nameplate to be attached in at least two variations of postures to a chassis outer surface of an apparatus, the nameplate being formed of an elastic body, the nameplate including: a shaft projected on a rear surface of an indication surface and having a distal end including a locking stop; and at least two engagement pieces respectively having hook projections, the chassis outer surface including: a support hole through which the shaft is inserted; and at least two engagement holes engageable with the at least two engagement pieces, in which, when the shaft is inserted through the support hole, the locking stop restricts movement of the nameplate in a direction in which the shaft extends, and in which, when the at least two engagement pieces are inserted through the at least two engagement holes, the hook projections are engaged with the at least two engagement holes so that the nameplate is attached to the chassis outer surface.
According to the present invention, the nameplates can be attached with a simple configuration in accordance with installation postures of apparatus varying from each other in surface shape.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(First Embodiment)
In the following, with reference to
With reference to
In this way, in this embodiment, the directional nameplate 4 indicating information, a picture, a shape, and the like is formed of an elastic body such as elastically deformable rubber. Further, the nameplate 4 is provided with the engagement pieces 4C having the hook projections 4B formed thereon so that the nameplate 4 can be supported to be turnable about the shaft 4A in the containing unit 5 and attached in conformity with the surface shape of the base 1 provided with the indication unit Z.
According to this embodiment, the nameplate 4 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, and the engagement pieces 4C are detachable and insertable with respect to the engagement holes 5B. Thus, there is an advantage that, even when the nameplate 4 is once attached in a predetermined indication direction to the base 1, the posture of the nameplate 4 can be changed thereafter in accordance with an installation posture of the camera platform apparatus. Further, the nameplate 4 is elastically deformed, and hence can be conformed to various surface shapes. With this, the single nameplate 4 can support apparatus of various surface shapes, and hence parts of the same type can be used as the nameplate.
Further, as illustrated in
Further, as engagement pieces 4C1 illustrated in
Note that, it is preferred to set the nameplate so that one of the following conditions is satisfied.
R1×R2>0 and R1>R2 (1)
R1<0 and R2>0 (2)
an attachment surface for the nameplate is flat and
R1<0 (3)
where R1 represents a curvature radius of a surface of the nameplate on the chassis outer surface side, and R2 represents a curvature radius of the attachment surface for the nameplate of the chassis outer surface, provided that a sign of the R1 is plus when the surface of the nameplate on the chassis outer surface side is convex to the nameplate side (side opposite to the attachment side), and a sign of the R2 is plus when the attachment surface for the nameplate of the chassis outer surface is convex to the nameplate side.
When the curvature radius R1 of the surface of the nameplate 4 on the chassis outer surface side and the curvature radius R2 of the attachment surface for the nameplate 4 of the chassis outer surface are set to satisfy those conditions, an elastic restoring force of a material of the nameplate is generated. As a result, when the nameplate 4 is attached to the attachment surface, the hook projections 4B of the engagement pieces 4C, which are configured to be directed to the opposite side (opposite direction) with respect to the shaft 4A, are engaged with the engagement holes 5B by urging forces acting on the opposite side (opposite direction) with respect to the shaft 4A (forces indicated by the arrows at parts represented by ellipses in
Further, in the example of this embodiment, the hook projections 4B of the engagement pieces 4C of the nameplate 4 are configured to be directed to the opposite side with respect to the shaft 4A, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the hook projections 4B of the engagement pieces 4C of the nameplate 4 may be directed to the shaft 4A side. In this case, it is preferred to set the nameplate so that one of the following conditions is satisfied.
R1×R2>0 and R1<R2 (4)
R1>0 and R2<0 (5)
the attachment surface for the nameplate is flat and
R1>0 (6)
When the curvature radius R1 of the surface of the nameplate 4 on the chassis outer surface side and the curvature radius R2 of the attachment surface for the nameplate 4 of the chassis outer surface are set to satisfy those conditions, the elastic restoring force of the material of the nameplate is generated. As a result, when the nameplate 4 is attached to the attachment surface, the hook projections 4B of the engagement pieces 4C, which are configured to be directed to the shaft 4A side (direction of the shaft 4A), are engaged with the engagement holes 5B by urging forces acting on the shaft 4A side (direction of the shaft 4A). Thus, the nameplate 4 can be stably attached to the attachment portion without play. This setting is suitable to a case where there is no dimensional margin on the longitudinal outer side of the attachment surface for the nameplate 4 and it is difficult to form, on a longitudinal outer side of each of the engagement holes 5B, engagement portions with which the hook projections 4B are engaged. With this, the nameplate 4 can be fixed in a manner that the attachment surface for the nameplate 4 is caught from outside between the hook projections 4B of the nameplate 4.
(Second Embodiment)
In the following, with reference to
Next, how to change a posture of the nameplate 41 is described. As in the first embodiment, all of four end portions of the engagement pieces 41C of the nameplate 41 are elastically deformed. With this, the hook projections 41B are disengaged, and the engagement pieces 41C are pulled out from the engagement holes 51B. At this time, the nameplate 41 is turnable about the shaft 41A. In this way, the posture of the nameplate 41 can be changed in accordance with the posture of the camera platform apparatus.
In other words, according to this embodiment, the engagement pieces 41C are arranged at every 90 degrees about the shaft 41A. Thus, there is an advantage that the posture of the nameplate 41 can be changed at every 90 degrees.
(Other Embodiments)
The shaft 4A of the nameplate 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention and the shaft 41A of the nameplate 41 of the second embodiment may be made of a resin material. With use of the resin material, a frictional force between the shaft 4A and the support hole 5A of the containing unit 5 and between the shaft 41A and the support hole 51A of the containing unit 51 is reduced, and hence the shaft 4A can be more easily inserted through the support hole 5A and the shaft 41A can be more easily inserted through the support hole 51A. Further, the nameplate 4 can be more easily turned about the support hole 5A and the nameplate 41 can be more easily turned about the support hole 51A. In the second embodiment, angular adjustment is performed at every 90 degrees, but the angular adjustment is not limited to every 90 degrees. For example, through increase of the number of the engagement holes 51B, adjustment may be performed at every 15 degrees or every 30 degrees.
Further, in the second embodiment, the engagement pieces 41C are provided at four positions so as to be rotationally symmetrical with each other with respect to the shaft 41A. However, a similar advantage of the present invention can be obtained as long as multiple engagement pieces are provided in a rotationally symmetrical relationship with respect to the shaft. Further, with this, various nameplates can be appropriately attached irrespective of shapes of the nameplates themselves and shapes of chassis outer surfaces of apparatus to which the nameplates are attached.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-123463, filed Jun. 1, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-123463 | Jun 2011 | JP | national |
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Number | Date | Country |
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2005-084221 | Mar 2005 | JP |
2007-162794 | Jun 2007 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120304517 A1 | Dec 2012 | US |