Image pickup apparatus capable of interchanging lenses and lens mount therefor

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus having a lens mount capable of easily mounting and dismounting an interchangeable lens to and from an image pickup apparatus body and capable of preventing the interchangeable lens mounted to the image pickup apparatus body from being rattled. In the lens mount, by rotating a movable mount portion about an optical axis from a state where bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens and pawls of the movable mount portion do not overlap with one another as viewed in an optical axis direction, the movable mount portion moves toward a first fixed portion in the optical axis direction with the progress of engagement between a female screw portion of a stationary mount portion and a male screw portion of the movable mount portion, whereby the pawls and the bayonet pawls are brought in abutment with one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lens mount provided in an image pickup apparatus body and configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens having bayonet pawls to the image pickup apparatus body, comprising:
 a fixed portion configured to be fixed to the image pickup apparatus body; 
 a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to said fixed portion, said stationary mount portion having a body-side mount face configured for abutment with a lens-side mount face of the interchangeable lens and having a first screw portion; 
 a movable mount portion having pawls configured for engagement with the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens and having a second screw portion configured for threaded engagement with the first screw portion; and 
 arm portions provided in an area between said fixed portion and said stationary mount portion to project from said movable mount portion, 
 wherein said movable mount portion rotates with movement of said arm portions, 
 said movable mount portion moves toward said fixed portion with progress of engagement between the first and second screw portions caused by the rotation of said movable mount portion, and 
 the pawls of said movable mount portion are brought in abutment with the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens with the movement of said movable mount portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , further including:
 a ring portion disposed for rotation relative to said stationary mount portion; and 
 an operating portion fastened to at least one of said arm portions through said ring portion and used for rotary operation of said movable mount portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The lens mount according to  claim 2 , further including:
 a second fixed portion configured to be fixed to said stationary mount portion and having finger rest portions that are used when said operating portion is rotated. 
 
     
     
       4. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said stationary mount portion and said arm portions are each provided with an abutment face, and the abutment face of said stationary mount portion and the abutment face of at least one of said arm portions are brought in contact with each other to restrict an amount of rotation of said movable mount portion. 
     
     
       5. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said stationary mount portion has a side face formed with a notch,
 said movable mount portion has an elastic member configured to urge a spherical metal ball toward the side face of said stationary mount portion, 
 the spherical metal ball is fitted into the notch in a state where the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens and the pawls of said movable mount portion do not overlap with one another as viewed in an optical axis direction, and 
 the spherical metal ball rides on the side face of said stationary mount portion in a state that the bayonet pawls and the pawls overlap with one another as viewed in the optical axis direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a body-side contact terminal portion configured to be urged toward a lens-side contact terminal portion of the interchangeable lens for contact with the lens-side contact terminal portion in a state where the interchangeable lens is mounted to the image pickup apparatus body, 
 wherein said stationary mount portion is formed with an opening into which the lens-side mount portion of the interchangeable lens is fitted, and 
 the lens-side contact terminal portion and the body-side contact terminal portion rub against each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis when the lens-side mount portion is being fitted into the opening of said stationary mount portion. 
 
     
     
       7. The lens mount according to  claim 6 , wherein said stationary mount portion has a guide portion configured to guide the lens-side mount portion when the lens-side mount portion is fitted into the opening of said stationary mount portion. 
     
     
       8. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , wherein said arm portions are rotated to rotate said movable mount portion about an optical axis. 
     
     
       9. The lens mount according to  claim 1 , wherein with rotation of said movable mount portion, a shift is made from a state where the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens and the pawls of said movable mount portion do not overlap with one another as viewed in an optical axis direction to a state where they overlap with one another as viewed in the optical axis direction. 
     
     
       10. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
 an image pickup apparatus body having a lens mount configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens having bayonet pawls to the image pickup apparatus body, comprising: 
 a fixed portion configured to be fixed to the image pickup apparatus body; 
 a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to said fixed portion, said stationary mount portion having a body-side mount face configured for abutment with a lens-side mount face of the interchangeable lens and having a first screw portion; 
 a movable mount portion having pawls configured for engagement with the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens and having a second screw portion configured for threaded engagement with the first screw portion; and 
 arm portions provided in an area between said fixed portion and said stationary mount portion to proiect toward from said movable mount portion, 
 wherein said movable mount portion rotates with movement of said arm portions, 
 said movable mount portion moves toward said fixed portion with progress of engagement between the first and second screw portions caused by the rotation of said movable mount portion, and 
 the pawls of said movable mount portion are brought in abutment with the bayonet pawls of the interchangeable lens with the movement of said movable mount portion. 
 
     
     
       11. A mount apparatus configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens, comprising:
 a first fixed portion configured to be fixed to an image pickup apparatus body,   a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to the first fixed portion, wherein the stationary mount portion having a first mount face for contacting a second mount face of the interchangeable lens, and having a first screw portion, wherein the first mount face is formed at a subject-side of the stationary mount portion; and   a movable mount portion having a first pawl configured for engagement with a second pawl of the interchangeable lens, and having a second screw portion configured for threaded engagement with the first screw portion of the stationary mount portion, wherein the first pawl has an engaging part which faces toward the first fixed portion,   wherein by rotating the movable mount portion in a first direction, the movable mount portion moves toward the first fixed portion with the threaded engagement between the first screw portion and the second screw portion, so that the engaging part of the first pawl of the movable mount portion engages with the second pawl of the interchangeable lens to tighten a contact between the first mount face of the stationary mount portion and the second mount face of the interchangeable lens.    
     
     
       12. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, further including an arm portion disposed to project from the movable mount portion.  
     
     
       13. The mount apparatus according to claim 12, further including:
 a ring portion disposed for rotation relative to the stationary mount portion; and   an operating portion fastened to the arm portions through the ring portion and used for rotary operation of the movable mount portion.    
     
     
       14. The mount apparatus according to claim 13, further including a second fixed portion configured to be fixed to the stationary mount portion and having finger rest portions that are used when said operating portion is rotated.  
     
     
       15. The mount apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said stationary mount portion and said arm portions are each provided with an abutment face, and the abutment face of said stationary mount portion and the abutment face of at least one of said arm portions are brought in contact with each other to restrict an amount of rotation of said movable mount portion.  
     
     
       16. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the stationary mount portion has a side face formed with a notch,
 the movable mount portion has an elastic member configured to urge a spherical metal ball toward the side face of the stationary mount portion,   the spherical metal ball is fitted into the notch in a state where bayonet pawls, which include the second pawl, of the interchangeable lens and pawls, which include the first pawl, of the movable mount portion do not overlap with one another as viewed in an optical axis direction, and   the spherical metal ball rides on the side face of the stationary mount portion in a state that the bayonet pawls and the pawls overlap with one another as viewed in the optical axis direction.    
     
     
       17. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
 a first contact terminal portion configured to be urged toward a second contact terminal portion of the interchangeable lens for contact with the second contact terminal portion in a state where the interchangeable lens is mounted to the image pickup apparatus body, wherein the stationary mount portion is formed with an opening into which the second mount portion of the interchangeable lens is fitted, and   the second contact terminal portion and the first contact terminal portion rub against each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis when the second mount portion is being fitted into the opening of the stationary mount portion.    
     
     
       18. The mount apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the stationary mount portion has a guide portion configured to guide the second mount portion when the second mount portion is fitted into the opening of the stationary mount portion.  
     
     
       19. The mount apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the arm portion is rotated to rotate the movable mount portion about an optical axis.  
     
     
       20. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, wherein with rotation of the movable mount portion, a shift is made from a first state where bayonet pawls, which include the second pawl, of the interchangeable lens and pawls, which include the first pawl, of the movable mount portion do not overlap with one another to a second state where they overlap with one another.  
     
     
       21. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the rotating of the movable mount portion is performed around an optical axis.  
     
     
       22. A mount apparatus configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens, comprising:
 a first fixed portion configured to be fixed to an image pickup apparatus body,   a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to the first fixed portion, wherein the stationary mount portion having a first mount face for contacting a second mount face of the interchangeable lens, wherein the first mount face is formed at a subject-side of the stationary mount portion; and   a movable mount portion having a first pawl configured for engagement with a second pawl of the interchangeable lens, wherein the first pawl has an engaging part which faces toward the first fixed portion,   wherein by rotating the movable mount portion relatively to the stationary mount portion, the movable mount portion moves toward the first fixed portion while the movable mount portion is rubbing the stationary mount portion, so that the engaging part of the first pawl of the movable mount portion engages with the second pawl of the interchangeable lens to tighten a contact between the first mount face of the stationary mount portion and the second mount face of the interchangeable lens.    
     
     
       23. The mount apparatus according to claim 22, further including an arm portion disposed to project from the movable mount portion.  
     
     
       24. The mount apparatus according to claim 22, wherein with rotation of the movable mount portion, a shift is made from a first state where bayonet pawls, which include the second pawl, of the interchangeable lens and pawls, which include the first pawl, of the movable mount portion do not overlap with one another to a second state where they overlap with one another.  
     
     
       25. The mount apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the rotating of the movable mount portion is performed around an optical axis.  
     
     
       26. A mount apparatus configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens, comprising:
 a first fixed portion configured to be fixed to an image pickup apparatus body,   a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to the first fixed portion, wherein the stationary mount portion having a first mount face for contacting a second mount face of the interchangeable lens, and having a first screw portion, wherein the first mount face is formed at a subject-side of the stationary mount portion;   a movable mount portion having a second screw portion configured for threaded engagement with the first screw portion of the stationary mount portion; and   a first pawl having an engaging part which faces toward the first fixed portion, wherein the first pawl is configured for engagement with a second pawl of the interchangeable lens;   wherein by rotating the movable mount portion, the movable mount portion moves toward the first fixed portion with the threaded engagement between the first screw portion and the second screw portion, so that the engaging part of the first pawl of the movable mount portion engages with the second pawl of the interchangeable lens to tighten a contact between the first mount face of the stationary mount portion and the second mount face of the interchangeable lens.    
     
     
       27. The mount apparatus according to claim 26, further including an arm portion disposed to project from the movable mount portion.  
     
     
       28. The mount apparatus according to claim 26, wherein with rotation of the movable mount portion, a shift is made from a first state where bayonet pawls, which include the second pawl, of the interchangeable lens and pawls, which include the first pawl, of the movable mount portion do not overlap with one another to a second state where they overlap with one another.  
     
     
       29. The mount apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the rotating of the movable mount portion is performed around an optical axis.  
     
     
       30. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
 an image pickup apparatus body having a lens mount configured to detachably mount an interchangeable lens having bayonet pawls, which include a second pawl, to the image pickup apparatus body, comprising:   a first fixed portion configured to be fixed to the image pickup apparatus body;   a stationary mount portion configured to be fixed to the first fixed portion, wherein the stationary mount portion having a first mount face for contacting a second mount face of the interchangeable lens, and having a first screw portion, wherein the first mount face is formed at a subject-side of the stationary mount portion; and   a movable mount portion having a first pawl configured for engagement with the second pawl of the interchangeable lens, and having a second screw portion configured for threaded engagement with the first screw portion of the stationary mount portion, wherein the first pawl has an engaging part which faces toward the first fixed portion,   wherein by rotating the movable mount portion in a first direction, the movable mount portion moves toward the first fixed portion with the threaded engagement between the first screw portion and the second screw portion, so that the engaging part of the first pawl of the movable mount portion engages with the second pawl of the interchangeable lens to tighten a contact between the first mount face of the stationary mount portion and the second mount face of the interchangeable lens.    
     
     
       31. The mount apparatus according to claim 11, wherein by rotating the movable mount portion, the first pawl of the movable mount portion is positioned on the subject-side of the second pawl of the interchangeable lens.  
     
     
       32. The mount apparatus according to claim 22, wherein by rotating the movable mount portion, the first pawl of the movable mount portion is positioned on the subject-side of the second pawl of the interchangeable lens.  
     
     
       33. The mount apparatus according to claim 26, wherein by rotating the movable mount portion, the first pawl of the movable mount portion is positioned on the subject-side of the second pawl of the interchangeable lens.