JP2010028660A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

In a downsized video display device, operability is improved by allowing operation buttons to be operated while monitoring a display screen on which video is easy to see.
A video camera main body is pivotally attached to a side surface of a video camera body by a hinge mechanism so that the video display apparatus is in a storage state along the side surface of the video camera main body. The video display device 20 is configured to be openable and closable between a basic open state in which the free end portion 20 is opened so as to be separated from the video camera body 8. The video display surface 21 is disposed in an inclined state inside the opening of the display surface outer frame portion 21a in the video display device 20. An operation button 22 is arranged on one end side of the display surface outer frame portion 21 a adjacent to the end side drawn into the back of the video display surface 21.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as a video camera apparatus or a digital still camera apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus provided with a video display apparatus that can be opened and closed.

  In recent years, there is a strong demand for downsizing video cameras, and the size of the video camera body (projection area of each surface) tends to decrease. For this reason, in a miniaturized video camera, a place where an operation button can be arranged has been restricted. On the other hand, video cameras tend to increase the number of operation buttons due to multifunctional functions and design differentiation. Also, from the viewpoint of operability, if a large number of operation buttons are arranged in an orderly manner, the operability of the video camera will be extremely inferior. In addition, miniaturized video cameras often include a large display device such as a backlit liquid crystal panel so that the monitor can be easily seen during shooting and playback.

  Further, some video cameras that have been miniaturized include a display device that is rotatably attached to the video camera body. And in the video camera which aimed at this miniaturization, it accommodates in the side surface of a main body at the time of accommodation of a display apparatus. At the same time, in this video camera, when used, the display screen can be monitored by rotating the free end of the display device away from the main body with the hinge at the base end of the display device as an axis. It is said.

  In such a miniaturized video camera, the image pickup device is turned on at the time of shooting, and the free end portion of the display device is rotated away from the main body to be opened and monitored while the display screen is monitored. . Then, in this video camera with a reduced size, when shooting is completed, the display device is rotated back to the closed storage state, and the power switch is turned off.

  In addition, in order to improve operability, there is a demand for a video camera to be able to operate an operation button of the video camera while monitoring a display screen well.

For this reason, the conventional video camera is provided with an operation unit in which operation switches are arranged on the top surface of the main body of the video integrated camera. Furthermore, on the top surface of the camera body, an electronic viewfinder with a direct view of the display unit, which is pivotably mounted by a hinge unit, is mounted adjacent to the operation unit, and the operation buttons are viewed while viewing the video display surface. Can be operated. Along with this, there has been proposed a hood portion that is formed integrally with the housing of the electronic viewfinder to suppress the reflection of sunlight and making it difficult to view an image. (For example, see Patent Document 1)
JP-A-6-303468

  However, in the conventional video integrated camera described above, an operation unit provided with an operation switch is arranged on the top surface of the camera body. At the same time, the video integrated camera has a configuration in which the display unit is rotatably attached by the hinge unit and the hood unit is formed integrally with the housing of the display unit. In addition, it is difficult to apply the configuration of this conventional video-integrated camera as it is to a video camera in which a display device is rotatably attached to the video camera main body to reduce the size.

  Therefore, it has been difficult to provide an imaging device that can improve the operability of the operation buttons and monitor the display screen well without increasing the size of the video display device.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus that is improved in operability by reducing the size of the image display device and allowing the operation buttons to be operated while well monitoring a display screen in which the image is easy to see.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to claim 1 is configured such that a base end portion of a video display device is pivotally attached to a side surface portion of the device body by a hinge mechanism, and the video display device is a side surface portion of the device body. In the imaging device configured to be able to open and close the video display device between a storage state along the open state and a basic open state in which a free end of the video display device is opened away from the device main body, the video display device In the inside of the opening of the display surface outer frame part in the video display surface arranged in an inclined state, and one end side part of the display surface outer frame part adjacent to the end side part drawn into the back of the video display surface, And an operating member arranged.

  According to the present invention, in a miniaturized video display device, it is possible to operate the operation buttons while properly monitoring a display screen in which video is easy to see, thereby improving the operability of the small imaging device. There is.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, 8, and 9.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a storage state of a display device viewed obliquely from behind, in a video camera device in which an image display device is detachably mounted according to a first embodiment of an imaging device of the present invention. is there.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an aspect of a shooting state in the video camera device in which the image display device is mounted so as to be openable and closable according to the first embodiment of the imaging device of the present invention.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an imaging lens, and 2 denotes a mounting portion on which a recording medium is mounted. The mounting portion 2 is laid out beside the imaging lens 1 and serves as a grip during shooting. Reference numeral 3 denotes a battery pack for supplying power to the main body, which is detachably disposed on the rear surface of the video camera main body 8. 4 is a zoom lever, and 5 is a trigger button.

  Further, in this video camera body 8, a video display device 20 is disposed on the side surface of the device body which is the side of the photographing lens 1. This video display device 20 is arranged in a horizontal direction (arrow A direction in the figure) and a vertical direction (in the figure in the figure) by a biaxial hinge mechanism (not shown) mounted between the side part 20a and the video camera body 8. It is connected rotatably in the direction of arrow B). The biaxial hinge mechanism includes an opening / closing rotation axis of the image display device 20 and a display surface angle adjustment rotation axis that adjusts an elevation angle or depression angle with respect to the image display surface portion 21.

  The video display device 20 is set so that the video display surface unit 21 is directed to the photographer by rotating the video display device 20 away from the main body about the opening / closing rotation shaft of the biaxial hinge mechanism. You will be able to monitor the video.

  That is, the video display device 20 is configured so that the free end of the video display device 20 is separated from the video camera body 8 about the rotation axis for rotation in the horizontal direction (direction of arrow A in the figure) in the biaxial hinge mechanism. Rotate to the basic open state at a substantially right angle. Thus, the video display device 20 opened in the basic open state is set in a state in which the video display surface portion 21 faces the photographer. With the video display device 20 opened as described above, the photographer monitors the video on the video display surface 21.

  In the video display device 20, an operation button 22 that is an operation member is disposed below the video display surface portion 21. With this configuration, the photographer can perform the function assigned to the operation button 22 by pressing the operation button 22 while monitoring the video. For example, at the time of shooting with a video camera, the operation button 22 is pressed to perform a zoom operation and start / stop of recording. When the video camera is played back, the operation button 22 is pressed to start / stop playback.

  Next, the configuration of the video display device 20 attached to the video camera body 8 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a storage state in which the video display surface portion 21 of the video display device 20 is stored so as to face the video camera body 8.

  FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a usage state of the reverse storage in which the video display surface portion 21 of the video display device 20 is opened toward the outside of the video camera body 8 and the video display device 20 is along the side surface of the video camera body 8. FIG.

  When the video display device 20 is in the storage state shown in FIG. 4 or the inverted storage usage state shown in FIG. 5 with respect to the video camera body 8, the liquid crystal panel 23 is located above the video camera body 8. It is configured so as to be inclined to face.

  That is, the video display device 20 tilts the liquid crystal panel 23 constituting the video display surface with the video display surface portion 21 inside a rectangular opening formed at the center of the display surface outer frame portion (outer peripheral portion) 21a. It arranges in the state (inclination of reverse slope). In the video display device 20 configured as described above, one end portion (the upper end portion in FIG. 2) of the liquid crystal panel 23 constituting the video display surface (display panel member) is the display screen outer frame portion 21a. It will be located closer to the surface. Further, in this video display device 20, the other side (the lower side in FIG. 2) opposite to one side of the liquid crystal panel 23 constituting the video display surface is the display surface outer frame portion 21a. It will be placed at the position inside from.

  In addition, in the video display device 20, the backlight unit 24 is disposed on the back surface of the liquid crystal panel 23 so as to be substantially parallel to the liquid crystal panel 23 that is inclined. Furthermore, on the back surface of the backlight unit 24, a printed circuit board 25 on which electronic components are mounted is disposed substantially parallel to the inclined backlight unit 24.

  A flexible cable 27 of the liquid crystal panel 23 is connected to the connector 26 mounted on the printed circuit board 25. Further, the printed circuit board 25 is connected to a signal processing circuit of the video camera main body by an electric signal wiring (not shown).

  In the video display device 20, the liquid crystal panel 23, the backlight unit 24, and the printed board 25 are sandwiched and held between the panel upper cover 29 and the panel lower cover 28. At the same time, the video display device 20 is configured such that the display surface side of the liquid crystal panel 23 is disposed on the panel lower cover 28 side, and the image on the liquid crystal panel 23 is monitored through a rectangular opening 28 a provided in the panel lower cover 28. Has been.

  Further, the video display device 20 includes an operation button 22 that is an operation member in a state where the liquid crystal panel 23 overlaps the liquid crystal panel 23 in a gap between the tilted liquid crystal panel 23 and the panel lower cover 28 that corresponds to a lower portion of the video display surface portion 21. Place.

  Further, on the back surface of the operation button 22, there are disposed a spring spring 32 for an operation member and an electrode sheet 30 connected to a connector 31 mounted on the printed circuit board 25.

  That is, in the video display device 20, the operation button 22, the Sarah spring 32, and the like are arranged on one end side of the display surface outer frame portion 21a adjacent to the end side drawn into the back of the liquid crystal panel 23 constituting the video display surface. To do.

  In the video display device 20 configured as described above, when the operation button 22 is pressed and operated, the flat spring 32 is reversely deformed and touches the electrode of the electrode sheet 30. Then, the electric signal is transmitted to a signal processing circuit of the video camera body through an electric signal wiring (not shown). Therefore, the video display device 20 operates such that the function assigned to the operation button 22 is executed by the pressing operation of the operation button 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the video camera main body 8 can be set in a shooting state in which the video display surface portion 21 faces the photographer by rotating the free end of the video display device 20 away from the main body. In this shooting state aspect of the video camera body 8, the photographer can perform shooting by operating the video camera body 8 while monitoring the video on the video display surface 21.

  At this time, when the video display device 20 is in the basic position opened in the shooting state by rotating in the direction of arrow A in FIG. The provided video display surface portion 21 is inclined downward. In this state, as shown in FIG. 8, even when there is a light source such as the sun at the rear upper part of the photographer, the light hitting the image display surface portion 21 can be reflected downward so as not to enter the photographer's eyes. It is possible to prevent the video on the display surface portion 21 from being difficult to see.

  Further, when the video display device 20 is in the basic position opened to the shooting state, the photographer can perform an operation provided below the video display surface portion 21 of the video display device 20 while viewing the video on the video display surface portion 21. The button 22 can be operated.

  Further, in the video camera main body 8, when the playback operation is performed, the video display device 20 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 2 with the display surface angle adjusting rotation axis of the biaxial hinge mechanism as an axis. It can be set in the inverted storage state shown in FIG.

  In this way, when the video display device 20 is rotated halfway and set in the inverted storage state, the video display surface portion 21 is exposed from the video camera body 8 and the user can see the video. In this inverted storage state, as shown in FIG. 5, the liquid crystal panel 23 of the video display device 20 faces upward with respect to the video camera body 8.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the user who monitors the video in the playback mode looks into the video display device 20 from above. At this time, since the video display surface portion 21 of the video display device 20 is tilted upward with respect to the video camera body 8, the user can easily view the video on the video display surface portion 21.

  By configuring as described above, the thickness (D shown in the figure) of the video display device 20 is determined by the thickness of each of the following members. The internal thickness of the video display device 20 is determined by the total thickness of the thickness D4 of the liquid crystal panel 23, the thickness D3 of the backlight unit 24, and the thickness D2 of the printed circuit board 25 on which electronic components are mounted. Therefore, the total thickness of the video display device 20 is the sum of the thickness D6 of the panel upper cover 29 and the thickness D5 of the panel lower cover 28 in addition to the internal thickness.

  Here, it is compared with the case where the liquid crystal panel is arranged without being inclined on the video display device. The sum of the thickness D4 of the liquid crystal panel 23, the thickness D3 of the backlight unit 24, and the thickness D2 of the printed circuit board 25 on which electronic components are mounted is the same. Further, the thickness D6 of the panel upper cover 29 is the same.

  However, the thickness D5 of the panel lower cover 28 can be reduced by an amount corresponding to the operation button 22 and the flat spring 32 at the end where the operation button 22 is not disposed. Therefore, the video display device 20 can reduce the thickness D of the end portion where the operation button 22 is not disposed. The thickness D of the edge portion of the video display device 20 where the operation buttons 22 are not disposed can be set to a thickness equivalent to that of a video display device that does not include the operation buttons.

  In the video display device 20, the liquid crystal panel 23 is configured to be inclined with the upper end portion 81 of the operation button 22 as the rotation center. In the video display device 20 configured as described above, the length of L1 is sufficiently longer than the length of L2, and the angle at which the liquid crystal panel 23 is tilted is an acute angle. For this reason, in the video display device 20, the protruding amount of the portion 80 protruding in the thickness direction due to the tilting of the liquid crystal panel 23 is minute compared to the difference between the thickness D 5 of the panel lower cover 28 and the thickness of the operation button 22.

  Further, in this video display device 20, there is a slight gap 82 because the length of the printed circuit board 25 is shorter than the length of the liquid crystal panel 23. Therefore, in this video display device 20, the thickness (G shown in the figure) of the video display device 20 is changed from that of the conventional model by absorbing minute protrusions in the thickness direction caused by tilting the liquid crystal panel 23 by the gap 82. Can be configured to not.

  That is, when the liquid crystal panel is arranged without being tilted on the video display device, it becomes a large shape having a rectangular cross section as shown by an imaginary line in FIGS.

  However, since the video display device 20 is disposed with the liquid crystal panel tilted, the thickness can be gradually reduced from the side portion where the operation button 22 is disposed to the opposite end portion as indicated by the solid line.

  Next, a video camera apparatus provided with a video display apparatus according to a second embodiment of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a shooting state of the display device viewed obliquely from the back in a video camera device in which the image display device is mounted so as to be openable and closable according to the second embodiment of the imaging device of the present invention. .

  FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a storage state in which the video display surface portion 21 of the video display device 20 is stored so as to face the video camera body 8 according to the second embodiment of the imaging device of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in this video camera body 8, the base end portion 50 a of the video display device 50 is pivotally attached to the video camera body 8 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal and vertical directions by a biaxial hinge mechanism 53. Has been.

  Further, in the video display device 50, the operation buttons 52 are disposed on the vertical end side portion of the outer frame of the display screen corresponding to the outer side of the video display screen 51 at the free end opposite to the base end 50a. With this configuration, in the video display device 50, the photographer can operate the operation button 52 while monitoring the video.

  In this video display device 50, the liquid crystal panel 54 is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the video camera body 8 from one end portion on the biaxial hinge mechanism 53 side of the video display device 50 to the other end portion on the free end side. ing. That is, in this video display device 50, one end of the liquid crystal panel 54 is disposed between the hinge mechanism 53 and the display surface outer frame portion 51a on the base end side that is pivotally supported by the biaxial hinge mechanism 53. Thus, the image display device 50 is located near the plane on the display side. In the video display device 50, the other end of the liquid crystal panel 54 is a flat surface on the display side that hits the lower side of the operation button 52 arranged on the display surface outer frame portion 51a on the free end side of the video display device 50. It is configured so that it is located at the back side.

  In the video display device 50, a backlight unit 55 is disposed substantially parallel to the inclined liquid crystal panel 54 on the back surface of the inclined liquid crystal panel 54. Further, a printed circuit board 56 on which electronic components are mounted is disposed on the back surface of the backlight unit 55 substantially in parallel with the backlight unit 55.

  On the side of the free end of the video display device 50, an operation button 52 is arranged in a gap between the inclined liquid crystal panel 54 and the panel lower cover 57 so as to overlap the liquid crystal panel 54.

  Further, a hinge mechanism 53 is disposed at the base end portion of the video display device 50 in a gap between the inclined liquid crystal panel 54 and the panel upper cover 58 so as to overlap the liquid crystal panel 54. That is, the video display device 50 is configured by disposing the operation buttons 52 on the display surface side of the tilted liquid crystal panel 54 and the hinge mechanism 53 on the back side of the display surface.

  Here, a video display device in which the liquid crystal panel is not tilted will be described as a comparative example with respect to the second embodiment with reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG.

  In the video display device shown in FIG. 10, the length E of the video display device is necessary for configuring the length E1 necessary for configuring the operation button 52, the length E2 of the liquid crystal panel 54, and the hinge mechanism 53. The total length E3 is determined.

  On the other hand, when obtaining the length F of the video display apparatus shown in FIG. 7 according to the second embodiment, the length F1 required for configuring the operation button 52 and the length of the liquid crystal panel 54 The length E3 required for the arrangement of F2 and the hinge mechanism 53 is added up. Then, the length F4 of the image display device is obtained by subtracting the length F4 where the liquid crystal panel 54 and the hinge mechanism 53 overlap from the total length.

  Here, the length F1 required for configuring the operation button 52, the length F2 of the liquid crystal panel 54, and the length E3 required for configuring the hinge mechanism 53 are the same as in the comparative example. Therefore, the length F of the video display device 50 shown in FIG. 7 according to the second embodiment can be shortened by the length F4 where the liquid crystal panel 54 and the hinge mechanism 53 overlap. That is, the video display device 50 shown in FIG. 7 according to the second embodiment has the same thickness as that of the comparative example, and the length in the longitudinal direction (the length from the base end portion to the free end portion). ) Can be shortened, and the video display device 50 can be downsized.

1 is a perspective view showing a storage state of a display device viewed obliquely from the rear in a video camera device in which an image display device is mounted so as to be openable and closable according to the first embodiment of the imaging device of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an aspect of a shooting state of a video camera device in which an image display device is mounted so as to be openable and closable according to a first embodiment of an imaging device of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the reverse storage state in the video camera apparatus which mounted | wore with the video display apparatus which can be opened and closed concerning 1st Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the accommodation state accommodated so that the video display surface of a video display apparatus might oppose a video camera main body. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the use condition of the inversion storage which the image display surface part of an image display apparatus opens toward the exterior of a video camera main body, and an image display apparatus follows a side surface of a video camera main body. It is the perspective view which shows the place which looked at the imaging | photography state of the display apparatus from the diagonal back in the video camera apparatus which mounted | wore with the video display apparatus which can be opened and closed, concerning 2nd Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the accommodation state accommodated so that the video display surface of a video display apparatus might oppose a video camera main body concerning 2nd Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention. It is a side view which shows the case where a display apparatus is set to the imaging | photography state with the video camera apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention. It is a rear view which shows the case where a display apparatus is set to the reverse storage state with the video camera apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention. It is a comparative example of the video display apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of the imaging device of this invention, Comprising: It is sectional drawing of the principal part which illustrates the video display apparatus which does not incline a liquid crystal panel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image pickup lens 2 Attaching part 8 Video camera main body 20 Video display device 21 Video display surface 22 Operation button 23 Liquid crystal panel 24 Backlight unit 25 Printed circuit board 26 Connector 27 Flexible cable 28 Panel lower cover 29 Panel upper cover 50 Video display device 50a Base End 51 Video display surface 52 Operation buttons

Claims (4)

The base end portion of the video display device is pivotally attached to the side surface portion of the device main body by a hinge mechanism, the storage state of the video display device along the side surface portion of the device main body, and the free end portion of the video display device is the device In the imaging device configured to be able to open and close the video display device between the basic open state opened away from the main body,
An image display surface disposed in an inclined state inside the opening of the display surface outer frame portion in the image display device;
An operation member disposed on one end side of the outer frame of the display surface adjacent to the end side drawn into the back of the video display surface;
An imaging device comprising:   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display apparatus is arranged so as to be inclined so that the image display surface faces downward when the image display apparatus is opened in a basic open state. The video display surface is opened outward from the device main body by rotating the video display device halfway around the display surface angle adjusting rotation axis provided in the hinge mechanism, and the video display device is the device. In the usage state of reversing storage that goes along the side of the main body,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display surface of the image display apparatus is arranged to be inclined so as to face upward. One end portion of the video display surface is disposed between the hinge mechanism attached to the video display device and the display surface outer frame portion,
By disposing the other end of the image display device on the back side of the operation member disposed on the end side of the display surface outer frame portion on the free end side of the image display device,
The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the video display device is configured by arranging the video display surface in an inclined state in the opening of the outer frame portion of the display surface.

Images