Ricoh filed a patent 2012-93611 in Japan for an impact resistant lens cap. Here is the translated description taken from the Japanese Patent Office:
Fig.1 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of un-equipping with a lens cap.
Fig.2 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the advance state of the movable body tube at the time of un-equipping with a lens cap.
Fig.3 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of wearing of a lens cap.
Fig.4 is drawing of longitudinal section showing an example of the camera with which it is equipped with the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is drawing of longitudinal section showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of lens cap un-equipping.
Fig.5 is an enlarged drawing of the lens cap shown in Fig.3, and is the outline view which looked at the lens cap from the transverse-plane side of a camera.
Fig.6 is the outline view which looked at the lens cap shown in the Fig.5 from the back side.
Fig.7 is an outline view showing the state where removed the outside cover shown in Fig.5 and the inner cover member was viewed.
Fig.8 is a cross sectional view for describing the fitting relation of the inner cover member of a lens cap and outside cover component which are shown in the Fig.5 and Fig.6, and is a figure showing the state before the external force by a shock is added to an outside cover.
Fig.9 is a cross sectional view showing the state where the external force by a shock was added in the outside cover shown in the Fig.8.
Fig.10 is a partial expanded sectional view expanding and showing the head part of the lens barrel shown in Fig.4.
Fig.11 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of a lens barrel showing the engagement relation of the a pair of engaging pawl component and movable body tube which are shown in Fig.7.
Fig.12 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of the lens barrel for describing an operation of the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is an explanatory view showing a lens barrel and a lens cap when external force is not added to the lens cap.
Fig.13 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of the lens barrel for describing an operation of the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is an explanatory view showing a lens barrel and a lens cap when external force is added to a lens cap.
Fig.14 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of a lens barrel showing other examples of the engagement relation of the a pair of engaging pawl component and movable body tube which are shown in Fig.7.
