Variable speed video camera
First Claim
1. A variable speed video camera comprising:
- an image sensor for producing a video signal representative of an image of a scene;
first and second shutter discs, each of which has an aperture which is alignable with said image sensor;
first and second hollow shaft means for respectively rotatably mounting said first and second shutter discs, said first shaft means being rotatably and slidably mounted on a portion of said second shaft means;
a cable which is connected at one end to said first shaft means, which extends through said first and second hollow shaft means and which is connected at its other end to a control member;
linkage means for linking said first and second hollow shaft means for concurrent axial and rotational displacement in a helical locus with respect to each other;
means for rotating said first and second shaft means at a predetermined rotational speed thereby rotating said first and second shutter discs at said predetermined speed; and
means for actuating said control member in response to a change in signal intensity of said sensor to thereby move said cable to cause said first shaft means to move in said helical locus of displacement relative to said second shaft means whereby said first and second shutter discs are rotated relative to each other to change the relative opening between said discs and thereby the shutter speed at which said sensor is exposed to said image.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compact video camera which is operable at continuously variable shutter speeds to capture high speed events which may be recorded and played back in slow motion for scene analysis. The video camera includes an image sensor, a zoom lens, and a rotating shutter which is continuously adjustable to different shutter speeds. The camera components are dimensioned and configured in a compact design for easy-to-use hand-held operation. The shutter includes a pair of rotating shutter discs having openings which are selectively adjustable relative to each other to vary the interval during which the imager sensor is exposed to a scene projected onto it by the zoom lens. The shutter discs are mounted on respective first and second holow shafts. The first shaft is rotatably and slidably mounted on a portion of the second shaft by a linkage. Adjustment of the relative rotational position of the two disc to control the size of the relative shutter opening is effected by a cable which is connected at one end to the first shaft, which is passed through the hollow shafts and which is connected at its other end to a control member. The control member is actuated by a change in sensor signal intensity to effect a change in relative shutter opening.
61 Citations
3 Claims
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1. A variable speed video camera comprising:
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an image sensor for producing a video signal representative of an image of a scene; first and second shutter discs, each of which has an aperture which is alignable with said image sensor; first and second hollow shaft means for respectively rotatably mounting said first and second shutter discs, said first shaft means being rotatably and slidably mounted on a portion of said second shaft means; a cable which is connected at one end to said first shaft means, which extends through said first and second hollow shaft means and which is connected at its other end to a control member; linkage means for linking said first and second hollow shaft means for concurrent axial and rotational displacement in a helical locus with respect to each other; means for rotating said first and second shaft means at a predetermined rotational speed thereby rotating said first and second shutter discs at said predetermined speed; and means for actuating said control member in response to a change in signal intensity of said sensor to thereby move said cable to cause said first shaft means to move in said helical locus of displacement relative to said second shaft means whereby said first and second shutter discs are rotated relative to each other to change the relative opening between said discs and thereby the shutter speed at which said sensor is exposed to said image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification