Imaging apparatus

• US 20030133013A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd. (TECHNO HORIZON Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamakose, Hiroshi, Sukenari, Kazuhiro, Maeda, Haruo
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/10 using flat picture-bearing surfaces H04N1/113, H04N1/195 take precedence

Abstract

A camera-assisted presentation apparatus, which is one of imaging apparatuses, has a table including a fixation member and two extension members, and a camera support assembly with a video camera attached to one end thereof. The two extension members are attached to the fixation member in a pivotally rotatable manner. In a service state of the camera-assisted presentation apparatus, the fixation member and the two extension members are extended to form one identical plane and ensure a wide area, on which a material for presentation is mounted. In a non-service state of the camera-assisted presentation apparatus, the two extension members are folded down to a camera holder member and an arm member of the camera support assembly. This arrangement significantly reduces the whole size of the camera-assisted presentation apparatus in its non-service state and effectively enhances the portability of the camera-assisted presentation apparatus.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a table, on which an object to be imaged is mounted;

a video camera that faces said table in an imaging direction; and

a video camera support member that holds said video camera, which is attached to one end of said video camera support member, at a specific position for imaging said table,

wherein said table occupies a smaller space in a non-service state of said imaging apparatus than a space in a service state of said imaging apparatus.

2. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said table comprises at least two members, and said at least two members are folded down in the non-service state of said imaging apparatus.

3. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said at least two members include two members that have a substantially identical area and are arranged to overlap each other in storage of said imaging apparatus.

4. An imaging apparatus in accordance with either one of claims 2 and 3, wherein said table comprises a fixation member having a substantially equal width to a width of said video camera support member, and two extension members attached to either side of said fixation member in a pivotally rotatable manner,

said video camera support member is fixed to one end of said fixation member,

said two extension members are folded toward said video camera support member in the non-service state of said imaging apparatus, and

said two extension members are pivotally rotated to a specific position to be combined with said fixation member and form an identical plane in the service state of said imaging apparatus.

5. An imaging apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein said video camera has a zoom function to expand an imaging range.

6. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said video camera is a CCD camera with a monofocal lens, and

said video camera support member comprises a position change member that changes over a position of said video camera relative to said table between at least two different options.

7. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said video camera support member comprises at least two members,

one member being a camera fixation member to fix said video camera,

the other member being a movable member coupled with said camera fixation member and moved to vary a distance between said video camera and said table.

8. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said movable member pivotally rotates about a predetermined position in a neighborhood of said table.

9. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said movable member is attached to a post of a preset width extended upright from one end of said table in a pivotally rotatable manner.

10. An imaging apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 9, said imaging apparatus further comprising an attitude holding mechanism that holds an attitude of said video camera relative to said table while a distance between said video camera and said table is varied.

11. An imaging apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 7 through 9, said imaging apparatus further comprising:

two link mechanisms arranged substantially parallel to each other are disposed between said movable member and said camera fixation member, which are coupled with each other, in order to hold an attitude of said video camera fixed to said camera fixation member relative to said table while said movable member rotates.

12. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 9, said imaging apparatus further comprising:

a lighting module that illuminates said table,

said lighting module being attached to said post in a pivotally rotatable manner, being folded down to a first position overlapping said post in the non-service state of said imaging apparatus, and being rotated to a second position crossing over said post in the service state of said imaging apparatus.

13. An imaging apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 12, said imaging apparatus further comprising:

an output connector for outputting an image signal from said video camera.

14. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 13, said imaging apparatus further comprising:

an input connector for receiving an external image signal; and

a selector that selects either one of the image signal from said video camera and the external image signal received by said input connector to be output to said output connector.

15. An imaging apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 through 14, wherein said table has an auxiliary support member that is drawable from said table to support a material protruding over said table.

16. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said table is composed of a flexible material,

the flexible material being rolled up in the non-service state of said imaging apparatus and pulling out in the service state of said imaging apparatus to be extended to an imaging range of said video camera attached to the end of said video camera support member.

17. An imaging apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said table is surface treated to have a specific surface area representing a place in which a material of a predetermined size is to be located.