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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera has an operation portion including at least one
main operation member and provided on the back surface of a camera
body, and a slide portion including a main display device and provided
on the back surface of the camera body. The slide portion is sidable
between a housed position that covers the operation portion and
an image capturing position that exposes the operation portion on
the camera body.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A digital camera comprising: an operation portion having at least
one main operation member and provided on a back surface of a camera
body; a slide portion having a main display device and provided
on the back surface of the camera body, said slide portion being
slidable between a housed position that covers the operation portion
and an image capturing position that exposes the operation portion
on the camera body.
2. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slide portion
is substantially as large as a projected area of the camera body.
3. A digital camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein said main display
device occupies substantially the entire area of a surface of the
slide portion.
4. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main operation
member is retracted in the operation portion when the slide portion
is in the housed position, and the main operation member protrudes
from the operation portion when the slide portion is in the image
capturing position.
5. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operation
portion is retracted into the camera body when the slide portion
is in the housed position, and the operation portion protrudes from
the camera body when the slide portion is in the image capturing
position.
6. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sub display
device is provided on a back surface of the slide portion at a part
thereof protruding from the camera body.
7. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mirror is
provided on a back surface of the slide portion at a part thereof
protruding from the camera body.
8. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein a touch panel
switch is disposed on the main display device.
9. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slide portion
has a sub operation member on the periphery of the main display
device.
10. A digital camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein said sub operation
member is used for display setting of the main display device.
11. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main operation
member is used for the image capturing operations.
12. A digital camera as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a grip held by a user, wherein said slide portion covers the grip
in the housed position and exposes the grip in the image capturing
position.
13. A digital camera as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:
a pair of cam members rotatably supported by a pair of rotation
shafts and provided on a back surface of the operation portion.
14. A digital camera as claimed in claim 5 further comprising:
a pair of protrusions provided on the back surface of the slide
portion.
15. An operating method of a digital camera, said method comprising
the steps of sliding to an image capturing position a slide portion
having a main display device and provided on a back surface of a
camera body; exposing on the camera body an operation portion having
at least one main operation member and provided between the slide
portion and the camera body; manipulating the main operation member
on the operation portion for image capturing; and sliding the slide
portion to a housed position to cover the operation portion on the
camera body when image capturing is finished.
Digital Camera Patent Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application
No. 2004-298634 filed in Japan on Oct. 13, 2004, the entire content
of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more
particularly, to a digital camera provided with a large-size display
device.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Digital cameras that record images as electronic information
are typically provided with a display device such as a liquid crystal
panel on the back surface of the camera body to confirm the captured
images at the time of image capturing and to confirm the recorded
images. Digital cameras are required to have a larger display device
with high viewability and have a small camera body.
[0006] On the back surface of the digital camera body, operation
members necessary for the user to perform the zooming operation
and the like at the time of image capturing and a grip portion for
holding the camera body are necessarily provided. For this reason,
in small-size digital cameras, the size of the display device is
limited, so that the requirement for a larger-size display device
cannot be met.
[0007] An electronic camera has conventionally been proposed in
which since the camera body having a large-size monitor can be housed
in the grip portion, the camera body can be made compact when carried
and a large-size monitor can be used at the time of image capturing.
In the camera of this structure, however, since a large grip that
covers the camera body is provided, the grip is a new factor that
obstructs the size reduction of the camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A main object of the present invention is to provide a digital
camera in which a large-size display device is provided and the
camera body is small in size.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
digital camera in which a large-size display device is provided
and operability is not impaired.
[0010] The above-mentioned objects of the present invention are
attained by providing a digital camera comprising an operation portion
having at least one main operation member and provided on a back
surface of a camera body, and a slide portion having a main display
device and provided on the back surface of the camera body. The
slide portion is slidable between a housed position that covers
the operation portion and an image capturing position that exposes
the operation portion on the camera body.
[0011] These and other objects, advantages and features of the
invention will become apparent from the following description thereof
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
specific embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other objects, advantages and features of the
invention will become apparent from the following description thereof
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front view of a digital camera according to
a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view viewed from the back of the
camera body when a slide portion of the digital camera of FIG. 1
is situated in a housed position;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view viewed from the back of the
camera body when the slide portion of the digital camera of FIG.
1 is situated in a image capturing position;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view viewed from the front of the
camera body when the slide portion of the digital camera of FIG.
1 is situated in the image capturing position;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a view showing the system configuration of the
digital camera of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view, viewed from the back of the
camera, showing an example in which main operation members of an
operation portion are retracted in the camera body when the slide
portion of the digital camera of FIG. 1 is situated in the housed
position;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a structure for retracting
the main operation members in the digital camera of FIG. 6;
[0020] FIG. 8a is a view showing a condition where the main operation
members are retracted in the camera body when the slide portion
of the digital camera of FIG. 6 is situated in the housed position;
[0021] FIG. 8b is a view showing a condition of an operation portion
substrate and the main operation members when the slide portion
of the digital camera of FIG. 6 starts to be moved;
[0022] FIG. 8c is a view showing a condition where the main operation
members protrude from the operation portion by the movement of the
slide portion of the digital camera of FIG. 6;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a perspective view, viewed from the back of the
camera body, showing an example in which the operation portion is
retracted in the camera body when the slide portion of the digital
camera of FIG. 1 is situated in the housed position;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structure for retracting
the operation portion in the digital camera of FIG. 9;
[0025] FIG. 11a is a view showing a condition where the operation
portion is retracted in the camera body when the slide portion of
the digital camera of FIG. 9 is situated in the housed position;
[0026] FIG. 11b is a view showing a condition of the operation
portion when the slide portion of the digital camera of FIG. 9 starts
to be moved;
[0027] FIG. 11c is a view showing a condition where the operation
portion protrudes from the camera body by the movement of the slide
portion of the digital camera of FIG. 9;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a perspective view, viewed from the front, of
a digital camera according to a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a back view when the slide portion of the digital
camera of FIG. 12 is situated in the housed position; and
[0030] FIG. 14 is a back view when the slide portion of the digital
camera of FIG. 12 is situated in the image capturing position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the digital camera according
to the present invention will be described with reference to the
drawings.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a digital camera 1 according to a first embodiment
of the present invention. In the digital camera 1, a grip 3 for
the user to hold the camera when using the camera, a flash 4 and
a lens 5 are provided on the front surface of a box-shaped camera
body 2, and a release button 6 and a dial switch 7 for performing
powering on and off and mode setting are provided on the top surface
of the camera body 2.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, a slide portion 9 having a main display
device 8 is provided on the back surface of the digital camera 1.
The slide portion 9 is substantially as large as the projected area
of the camera body 2. The main display device 8 comprising, for
example, a liquid crystal panel is a large-size display device occupying
substantially the entire area of the surface of the slide portion
9 (the back surface side of the digital camera 1).
[0034] The slide portion 9 is slidable between a housed position
shown in FIG. 2 and an image capturing position shown in FIG. 3
on the camera body 2. When the slide portion 9 is slid to the image
capturing position as shown in FIG. 3, the left side part of the
slide portion 9 protrudes from the camera body 2 so that an operation
portion 10 is exposed on the right side of the slide portion 9.
On the operation portion 10, the following five main operation members
are provided: a zoom button 11 for performing the zooming operation
at the time of image capturing; mode buttons (a menu button 12 for
displaying a menu screen on the liquid crystal panel, a QV (quick
view: displaying the captured image on the liquid crystal panel
immediately after the image capturing operation)/deletion (deleting
the image displayed by quick view) button 13, and a self-timer button
14); and a four-way key 15 for performing detailed function settings.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, a sub display device 16 comprising,
for example, a small-size liquid crystal panel is provided on the
back surface of a part of the slide portion 9 that is protruding
from the camera body 2 (the front surface side of the digital camera
1) under the condition where the slide portion 9 is slid to the
image capturing position.
[0036] Next, the system configuration of the digital camera 1 will
be described with reference to FIG. 5.
[0037] A taking optical system 40 including a taking lens directs
the subject image to an image sensor 42 (for example, a CCD). The
image sensor 42 photoelectrically converts the subject image to
capture it. The image signal from the image sensor 42 undergoes,
at a digital image processor 44, processings such as black level
correction, color pixel interpolation, exposure compensation, gamma
correction, contrast correction, sharpness correction, resolution
conversion and image compression necessary for digital image processing
and is outputted to the main display device 8 or the sub display
device 16, and data storage or the like is performed on a memory
48. The main display device 8 or the sub display device 16 displays
the live view image, images recorded in the memory 48, the camera
condition and the like. The memory 48 is, for example, a flash memory
card detachably attachable to the camera body and recording captured
images.
[0038] The sequence system processing of the camera is performed
by a sequence control microcomputer 60. The sequence control microcomputer
60 includes an exposure controller 62, a sequence controller 64,
an operation detector 66, a zoom controller 68 and a focus controller
69. The operation detector 66 detects the condition of the release
button 6, the slide portion 9, the zoom button 11, the mode buttons
(the menu button 12, the QV/erasure button 13, and the self-timer
button 14) and the four-way key 15, and transmits it to the sequence
controller 64. The sequence controller 64 controls the sequence
(operation condition) of the camera 1 based on the condition of
the release button 6, the slide portion 9 and the main operation
members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the camera. The exposure controller
62 determines the exposure condition of the camera from the output
of a photometry sensor (not shown), and controls the exposure time
of the image sensor 42 and the opening and closing condition of
the shutter (not shown). The zoom controller 68 varies the focal
length of the taking lens in response to the operation of the zoom
button 11. The focus controller 69 detects the contrast condition
of the image captured by the image sensor 42, determines the most
suitable focus position, and drives the focusing lens in the taking
lens.
[0039] The camera 1 operates roughly as follows by being controlled
by the sequence control microcomputer 60: When the release button
6 is half depressed, the live view image is displayed on the main
display device 8 or the sub display device 16 during the period
to the shift to the sleep state by auto power-off (normally, for
example, 30 seconds). The exposure control value is determined by
operating the photometry sensor in response to half depressing the
release button 6. Moreover, the focus position for focus adjustment
is detected. When the full depression of the release button 6 is
detected, an image of the subject is captured by the image sensor
42, and the captured image is recorded into the memory 48.
[0040] Subsequently, characteristics of the digital camera 1 having
the above-described structure will be described. The digital camera
1 is provided with the large-size main display device 8 substantially
as large as the projected area of the camera body 2, and at the
time of image capturing, the operation portion 10 can be exposed
by sliding the slide portion 9 to the image capturing position.
Consequently, the user can grasp the operation portion 10 without
covering the main display device 8 with a hand, select the enlargement
ratio by operating the zoom button 11 provided on the operation
portion 10, and release the shutter by the release button 6. For
this reason, the digital camera 1 has excellent operability like
conventional digital cameras while ensuring excellent viewability
by the large-size main display device 8. Moreover, the digital camera
1 is excellent in portability because by sliding the slide portion
9 to the housed position, the overall size thereof can be reduced
when image capturing is not performed.
[0041] Further, since the digital camera 1 has the sub display
device 16 on the back surface of the part of the slide portion 9
protruding from the camera body 2, the image capturing area and
composition can be confirmed also when the user captures an image
of himself or herself. On the sub display device 16, the image may
be displayed so as to be reversed left-to-right so that the image
capturing direction can be easily operated when the users captures
the image of himself or herself. Moreover, as an alternative, a
mirror may be provided instead of the display device 16.
[0042] In the digital camera 1, in order that the user can operate
the digital camera 1, it is necessary that the main operation members
11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the camera protrude from the operation
portion 10. In order that the main operation members 11, 12, 13,
14 and 15 protrude from the operation portion 10, a space may be
provided for avoiding the interference with the main operation members
11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 on the back side of the slide portion 9. Further,
in order to reduce the thickness of the digital camera 1, the peripheral
part of the main operation members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the
operation portion 10 may be partially recessed.
[0043] Moreover, in order to reduce the size of the digital camera
1 without increasing the area of the operation portion 10, as shown
in FIG. 6, when the slide portion 9 is slid to the housed position,
the main operation members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 may be retracted
so as not to protrude from the operation portion 10 as the slide
member 9 moves. As a structure for retracting the main operation
members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, as shown in FIG. 7, a pair of cam
members 102 rotatably supported by a pair of rotation shafts 101
are provided on the back surface of a substrate 100 of the operation
portion 10. When the slide portion 9 is situated in the housed position
shown in FIG. 8a, the main operation members 11, 12, 13, 14 and
15 are retracted in an operation portion cavity 103. When the slide
portion 9 is moved toward the image capturing position by the user
thereafter (FIG. 8b), the substrate 100 of the operation portion
10 is made to protrude from the back surface of the camera body
by the cam members 102 that rotate as the slide portion 9 moves.
Consequently, the main operation members 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 provided
on the surface of the substrate 100 of the operation portion 10
protrude from the operation portion 10 (FIG. 8c).
[0044] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, the operation portion 10 may
be retracted into the camera body 2 as the slide portion 9 moves.
As a structure for retracting the operation portion 10 into the
camera body 2, as shown in FIG. 10, a pair of protrusions 202 are
provided at ends of the back surface of the slide portion 9. When
the slide portion 9 is situated in the housed position shown in
FIG. 11a, the operation portion 10 having the main operation members
11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 is retracted in the operation portion cavity
103 by being pressed by the protrusions 202 provided on the back
surface of the slide portion 9. When the slide portion 9 is moved
toward the image capturing position by the user thereafter (FIG.
11b), the operation portion 10 protrudes from the back surface of
the camera body by the pressing force of the pair of pushing members
201 provided on the back surface of the operation portion 10 (FIG.
11c).
[0045] Moreover, in the digital camera 1, the main display device
8 may be a touch panel where a touch panel switch is disposed. In
this case, operations performed when already recorded image are
played back and the like can be performed by the touch panel switch
without the slide portion 9 slid to the image capturing position
when image capturing is not performed.
[0046] Next, a different embodiment of the present invention will
be described.
[0047] FIG. 12 shows a digital camera 21 according to a second
embodiment of the present invention. In the digital camera 21, a
release button 23 and a power switch 24 are provided on the top
surface of a box-shaped camera body 22, a flash 25 and a lens 26
are provided on the front surface of the camera body 22, and a slide
portion 27 is provided on the back surface of the camera body 22.
The slide portion 27 on the back surface of the camera body 22 is
sidable between a housed position where the slide portion 27 is
within the image capturing area of the camera body 22 as shown in
FIG. 13 and an image capturing position where the left side part
of the slide portion 27 protrudes from the camera body 22 as shown
in FIG. 14. On the slide portion 27, a main display device 28 comprising,
for example, a liquid crystal panel is provided and four sub operation
members 29, 30, 31 and 32 used for display setting are provided
below the main display device 28. Moreover, the following five main
operation members used for image capturing operations: a four-way
key 34 used for an image capturing operation such as the zooming
operation; a still image button 35 for starting still image image
capturing; a moving image button 36 for starting moving image image
capturing; a timer button 37 for starting image capturing by the
self-timer; and a camera shake button 38 for setting the presence
or absence of camera shake compensation, and a grip 39 to enable
the user to easily hold the camera body 22 at the time of image
capturing are provided on an operation portion 33 covered when the
slide portion 27 is situated in the housed position and exposed
when the slide portion is slid to the image capturing position.
[0048] Like the digital camera 1 of the first embodiment, the digital
camera 21 having the above-described structure ensures the operability
at the time of image capturing by exposing the operation portion
33 by sliding the slide portion 27 to the image capturing position
while having the large-screen display device 28 with excellent viewability
on the slide portion 27.
[0049] Further, in the digital camera 21 of the present embodiment,
even when the slide portion 27 is situated in the housed position
as shown in FIG. 13, an recorded image can be arbitrarily played
back by performing display setting by the sub operation members
29, 30, 31 and 32 provided below the main display device 28 on the
surface of the slide portion 27. Moreover, since the grip 39 is
provided as shown in FIG. 14, the user can perform image capturing
by operating the four-way key 34 while firmly holding the camera
body 22.
[0050] In the present embodiment, as described in the first embodiment,
the main operation members 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 may be retracted
in the operation portion 33 or the operation portion 33 may be retracted
in the camera body 22, and a sub display device or a mirror may
be provided on the back surface of the part of the slide portion
27 protruding from the camera body 22.
[0051] The digital camera according to the present invention is
provided with the operation portion having the main operation members
and the slide portion having the main display device on the back
surface of the camera body. The slide portion is slidable between
the housed position that covers the operation portion and the image
capturing position that exposes the operation portion on the camera
body.
[0052] According to this structure, since the main display device
is disposed on the back surface of the camera body so as to be overlaid
on the main operation members at the time of non-use of the digital
camera when it is particularly desired that the digital camera be
compact, a larger display device can be provided on a compact digital
camera. Moreover, since the operation portion having the main operation
members is exposed by sliding the slide portion having the main
display device, the user can operate the operation members while
grasping the operation portion as before, and operability is also
ensured.
[0053] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, the slide portion may be substantially as large as the
projected area of the camera body, and the main display device may
occupy substantially the entire area of the back surface of the
slide portion.
[0054] According to this structure, since the display device is
large, viewability is high.
[0055] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, the main operation members may be retracted in the operation
portion when the slide portion is situated in the housed position,
and protrude from the operation portion when the slide portion is
situated in the image capturing position. Or in the digital camera
according to the present invention, the operation portion may be
retracted in the camera body when the slide portion is situated
in the housed position, and protrude from the camera body when the
slide portion is situated in the image capturing position.
[0056] According to this structure, since no space for avoiding
the interference with the main operation members is required between
the slide portion situated in the housed position and the main operation
members, the size of the digital camera can be further reduced.
[0057] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, a sub display device or a mirror may be provided on the
back surface of the part of the slide portion protruding from the
camera body in the image capturing position.
[0058] According to this structure, the captured image can be easily
confirmed when the user shoots himself or herself.
[0059] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, a touch panel switch may be disposed on the main display
device.
[0060] According to this structure, the digital camera can be operated
even when the slide portion is situated in the housed position.
[0061] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, on the slide portion, a sub operation member may be provided
on the periphery of the main display device, and the sub operation
member may be used for display setting of the main display device.
[0062] According to this structure, even when the slide portion
is situated in the housed position, the digital camera can be operated,
and in particular, recorded images can be confirmed by performing
display setting with the sub operation member.
[0063] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, the main operation members may be used for the image
capturing operations.
[0064] According to this structure, since the operation members
used for the image capturing operations are necessarily operated
only at the time of image capturing and it is permissible that the
operation members cannot be operated when the slide portion is situated
in the housed position, operability is not impaired.
[0065] Moreover, in the digital camera according to the present
invention, the camera body may be further provided with a grip held
by the user, and the slide portion may cover the grip in the housed
position and expose the grip in the image capturing position.
[0066] According to this structure, the digital camera can be provided
with both a large-size display device with high viewability and
a grip that enhances hand-holdability.
[0067] As described above, according to the present invention,
a digital camera having a large-size display device without operability
impaired can be provided.
[0068] Although the present invention has been fully described
by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings,
it is to be noted here that various changes and modifications will
be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise
such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present
invention, they should be construed as being included therein. |