Electronic device and camera

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to enable reliable supply of oxygen which is necessary for a fuel cell to generate electric power, to the fuel cell. In a bottom surface of a casing of a camera, a tripod socket for mounting a tripod is disposed in the vicinity of the right end portion, and air orifices for linking the space inside a cell compartment for accommodating a fuel cell with the outside of the casing is disposed in the vicinity of the left end portion, respectively. As a result, even when the tripod is connected to the camera, the air orifices are not closed by the pan head of the tripod, oxygen (air) can be constantly supplied to the fuel cell accommodated inside the cell compartment, and the fuel cell can continuously generate a sufficient quantity of electricity. The present invention can be employed in a camera.

1 . An electronic device employing a fuel cell as a power source, comprising: 
 a cell compartment for accommodating said fuel cell;    an opening disposed in a prescribed surface of a casing of said electronic device, for linking the space inside said cell compartment with the outside of said casing;    and a mounting unit disposed on said surface where said opening is disposed, for mounting other devices on said electronic device, wherein    said mounting unit is disposed in the vicinity of one end portion of said surface of said casing and said opening is disposed in the vicinity of the other end portion.    
   
   
       2 . The electronic device according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said electronic device is a camera;    said other device is a tripod; and    said mounting unit is a tripod socket.    
   
   
       3 . The electronic device according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said tripod socket is disposed either on the right side or left side with respect to a pickup optical axis of said camera which is substantially parallel with said surface of said casing, and said opening is disposed on the other side.    
   
   
       4 . The electronic device according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said tripod socket and said opening are disposed in the vicinity of one end portion and in the vicinity of the other end portion in the direction of said pickup optical axis of said camera which is substantially parallel with said surface of said casing, respectively.    
   
   
       5 . The electronic device according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a lens-barrel having a taking lens at the front surface thereof, wherein    said surface where said opening and said tripod socket are disposed is the lower surface of said casing, which is substantially perpendicular to the front surface of said casing at the side where said taking lens is disposed,    said cell compartment is disposed between the rear surface of said casing and the rear surface of said lens-barrel and    said opening is disposed in the portion of said lower surface of said casing which is below said cell compartment.    
   
   
       6 . An electronic device employing a fuel cell as a power source, comprising: 
 a cell compartment for accommodating said fuel cell;    an opening disposed in a prescribed surface of a casing of said electronic device, for linking the space inside said cell compartment with the outside of said casing;    and a mounting unit disposed on said surface where said opening is disposed, for mounting other devices on said electronic device, wherein    said opening is disposed in a second portion of said surface of said casing, which is recessed with respect to a first portion where said mounting unit is disposed.    
   
   
       7 . The electronic device according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said electronic device is a camera;    said other device is a tripod; and    said mounting unit is a tripod socket.    
   
   
       8 . An electronic device employing a fuel cell as a power source, comprising: 
 a cell compartment for accommodating said fuel cell;    a first opening disposed in the first surface of a casing of said electronic device, for linking the space inside said cell compartment with the outside of said casing; and    a second opening disposed in the second surface of said casing, which is different from said first surface, for linking the space inside said cell compartment with the outside of said casing.    
   
   
       9 . The electronic device according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said electronic device is a camera having a taking lens, and    said first surface is a lower surface of said casing which is substantially perpendicular to the front surface of said casing on the side where said taking lens is disposed.    
   
   
       10 . An electronic device employing a fuel cell as a power source, comprising: 
 a cell compartment for accommodating said fuel cell, wherein    at least part of said cell compartment is formed from an external member having an opening for linking the space inside said cell compartment with the outside of a casing of said electronic device.    
   
   
       11 . The electronic device according to  claim 10 , wherein said external member is a lid which is opened and closed when said fuel cell is accommodated in said cell compartment.  
   
   
       12 . The electronic device according to  claim 10 , further comprising an air-permeable member having air permeability and covering said opening from the side of said cell compartment.  
   
   
       13 . The electronic device according to  claim 10 , wherein said electronic device is a camera.  
   
   
       14 . A camera comprising a tripod socket, a cell compartment that can accommodate the fuel cell, and an opening allowing for contact of said fuel cell inside the cell compartment with the external air, wherein 
 said opening is disposed on the part on the same side as said tripod socket, and said tripod socket is disposed on one side and said opening is disposed on the other side so as to sandwich the pickup optical axis of said camera.    
   
   
       15 . The electronic device according to  claim 11 , further comprising an air-permeable member having air permeability and covering said opening from the side of said cell compartment.  
   
   
       16 . The electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein said electronic device is a camera.  
   
   
       17 . The electronic device according to  claim 12 , wherein said electronic device is a camera.