Video camera with an accessory adapter removably interposed between a battery package and a battery mount on the camera body

• US 5,132,800 A
• Filed: 03/26/1991
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wada, Koichi, Maruichi, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US07/674,976
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 358/209, 358/909, 358/906, 358/229, 354/295, 354/484, 354/288, 354/75, 354/76, 352/243
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A compact, battery-powered video camera comprises a camera body provided with a built-in VTR deck, a viewfinder and a built-in microphone, a first battery mount formed integrally with the camera body, an accessory adapter provided at least with video/audio output terminals and capable of being detachably joined to the first battery mount, a second battery mount formed integrally with the accessory adapter, and a battery package capable of being detachably joined to the second battery mount. When the video camera is used only for recording pictures, the accessory adapter is removed from the camera body, and the battery package is joined directly to the first battery mount to reduce the size and weight of the video camera. In reproducing recorded pictures, the accessory adapter is joined to the first battery mount, the battery package is joined to the second battery mount, and the video camera is connected electrically through the accessory adapter to a television receiver.

Claims

1. A video camera comprising:

a camera body having a back wall;

first battery mounting means formed integrally with said back wall of the camera body;

an accessory adapter having opposing walls and a peripheral surface therebetween, at least video and audio output terminals extending from said peripheral surface, means at one of said opposing walls capable of being detachably joined to the first battery mounting means, and electrical coupling means at said one of the opposing walls of the accessory adapter and at said back wall of the camera body for establishing electrical communication with said video and audio output terminals when said means at said wall are joined to said first battery mounting means;

second battery mounting means identical in configuration with said first battery mounting means and being formed integrally with the other of said opposing walls of the accessory adapter; and

a battery package having means thereon detachably engageable with either said first battery mounting means or said second battery mounting means.

2. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera body has a built-in VTR deck, a viewfinder and a built-in microphone.

3. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said electrical coupling means includes an electric connector on said back wall of the camera body having an L-channel audio input terminal, an R-channel audio input terminal, a video input terminal, an L-channel audio output terminal, an R-channel audio output terminal, a monaural audio output terminal and a video output terminal, and, on said one wall of the accessory adapter, an L-channel audio input plug, an R-channel audio input plug, a video input plug, an L-channel audio output plug, an R-channel audio output plug, a monaural audio output plug and a video output plug, which are connected respectively to the L-channel audio input terminal, R-channel audio input terminal, video input terminal, L-channel audio output terminal, R-channel audio output terminal, monaural output terminal and video output terminal of the electric connector when the accessory adapter is joined to said first battery mounting means.

4. A video camera according to claim 3, wherein said peripheral surface of said accessory adapter also has an L-channel audio input terminal, an R-channel audio input terminal, a video input terminal and a RF output terminal extending therefrom.

5. A video camera according to claim 1;

wherein said peripheral surface of said accessory adapter also has an L-channel audio input terminal, an R-channel audio input terminal, a video input terminal and a RF output terminal.