Digital camcorder

• US 20050162545A1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeon, Yeong-je
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A compact and light digital camcorder, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a camcorder body, and a camera unit moving into and out from a top portion of the camcorder body in a length direction of the camcorder body. The camera unit comprises a camera adjusting unit, such that the camera unit is received in the camcorder body when not in use, and is protruded out from the camcorder body when in use.

Claims

1. A digital camcorder comprising:

a camcorder body having a longitudinal axis, and a power switch disposed thereon,

a camera unit being positionable into and out of a top portion of the camcorder body along the longitudinal axis of the camcorder body,

a camera adjusting unit is disposed on the camera unit, and

wherein the camera unit is substantially received in the camcorder body when not in use, and substantially protrudes out from the camcorder body when the power switch is pressed.

2. The digital camcorder of claim 1, wherein

the camera adjusting unit comprises a plurality of guide bars mounted on the camcorder body for guiding extension and retraction of the camera unit;

a plurality of guide pipes disposed on the camera unit for corresponding to the guide bars of the camcorder body for receiving the guide bars therein; and

a driving motor for supplying power to the guide pipes.

3. The digital camcorder of claim 2, wherein

the guide pipes comprise at least one power guide pipe having a rack gear thereon for transmitting power from the driving motor.

4. The digital camcorder of claim 1, wherein

the top portion has a substantially rectangular shaped hollow recess.

5. The digital camcorder of claim 1, wherein

the camcorder body is substantially rectangularly shaped.

6. The digital camcorder of claim 1, wherein

the camcorder body has a microphone disposed thereon.

7. The digital camcorder of claim 1, wherein

the camera unit has a lens part for capturing an external image and an image projection part disposed behind the lens part for displaying the captured image.

8. The digital camcorder of claim 7, wherein

the image projection part is a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display.

9. A digital camcorder comprising:

a camcorder body having a longitudinal axis, and a power switch disposed thereon,

a camera unit being movably positionable into and out of a top portion of the camcorder body along the longitudinal axis,

a camera adjusting unit is disposed on the camera unit having a plurality of guide bars mounted on the camcorder body for guiding the extension and retraction of the camera unit, a plurality of guide pipes are disposed on the camera unit for corresponding to the guide bars of the camcorder body for receiving the guide bars therein, and a driving motor for supplying power to the guide pipes, and

wherein the camera unit comprises a camera adjusting unit, such that the camera unit is substantially received in the camcorder body when not in use, and substantially protrudes out from the camcorder body when the power switch disposed on the camcorder body is pressed.

10. The digital camcorder of claim 9, wherein

the guide pipes comprise at least one power guide pipe having a rack gear thereon for transmitting power from the driving motor.

11. The digital camcorder of claim 9, wherein

the top portion has a substantially rectangular shaped hollow recess.

12. The digital camcorder of claim 9, wherein

the camcorder body is substantially rectangularly shaped.

13. The digital camcorder of claim 9, wherein

the camcorder body has a microphone disposed thereon.

14. The digital camcorder of claim 9, wherein

the camera unit has a lens part for capturing an external image and an image projection part disposed behind the lens part for displaying the captured image.

15. The digital camcorder of claim 14, wherein

the image projection part is a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display.

16. A digital camcorder comprising:

a camcorder body having a longitudinal axis, and a power switch disposed thereon,

a camera unit being movably positionable into and out of a top portion of the camcorder body along the longitudinal axis,

a camera adjusting unit is disposed on the camera unit having a plurality of guide bars mounted on the camcorder body for guiding the extension and retraction of the camera unit, a plurality of guide pipes disposed on the camera unit for corresponding to the guide bars of the camera body for receiving the guide bars therein, and the guide pipes comprise at least one power guide pipe having a rack gear thereon for transmitting power from a driving motor, and

wherein the camera unit comprises a camera adjusting unit, such that the camera unit is substantially received in the camcorder body when not in use, and substantially protrudes out from the camcorder body when the power switch disposed on the camcorder body is pressed.

17. The digital camcorder of claim 16, wherein

the camcorder body has a microphone disposed thereon.

18. The digital camcorder of claim 16, wherein

the camera unit has a lens part for capturing an external image and an image projection part disposed behind the lens part for displaying the captured image.

19. The digital camcorder of claim 18, wherein

the image projection part is a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display.