Image sensing apparatus

• US 6,339,447 B1
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Etoh, Kazuhiko, Takahashi, Kenji, Takeda, Nobuhiro, Sekita, Makoto, Kurahashi, Sunao, Ogura, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONUAKU, CHRISTOPHER O
• Application Number:
  US08/608,690
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 348/96, 348/370, 348/98, 348/371, 348/373, 348/376, 348/838, 348/333, 348/358, 348/333.06, 348/14.01, 358/475, 358/479, 396/155, 396/164, 396/199, 396/429, 396/348, 396/535, 345/82, 345/102, 361/681, 361/683, 222/325, 222/52, 222/333, 399/1, 399/131
• US Class Current: 348/96
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00538 Modular devices, i.e. allowing combinations of separate components, removal or replacement of components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0288 using a two-dimensional light source, e.g. two-dimensional LED array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19594 using a television camera or a still video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/401 Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head H04N1/403 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/484 with sequential colour illumination of the original
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0436 Scanning a picture-bearing surface lying face up on a support H04N2201/0434 takes precedence; using cylindrical picture bearing surfaces H04N1/06; with manual scanning H04N1/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/045 Mounting the scanning elements in a collapsible or foldable structure, e.g. for ease of transportation

Abstract

An image sensing apparatus has an image sensing unit and a display unit. The image sensing unit has an optical system for photographing an object and an image sensing element. The display unit has a liquid crystal display device for performing an image display on the basis of a video output from the image sensing unit. A film fixing unit holds the image sensing unit and the display unit at a predetermined distance and also forms a mounting unit for mounting the object on the display surface of the display unit. A film holder for holding a film as an object is mounted on the mounting unit, and a film photographing operation is performed by the image sensing unit while using the display unit as an illumination device.

Claims

1. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

image sensing unit having a window, an optical system and an image sensing element for converting an optical image formed by said optical system into an electrical signal;

display unit for displaying an image to a user on the basis of the electrical signal output from said image sensing unit; and

coupling unit for coupling a first housing accommodating said image sensing unit to a second housing accommodating said display unit, both of which are free to pivot about a rotating shaft, said second housing having a lateral proximal edge and a lateral distal edge, said proximal edge being oriented closer to the user than the distal edge during operation of said apparatus, said shaft being oriented along said distal edge, and said first housing capable of rotating about said shaft so that said window in said image sensing unit confronts said second housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating shaft of said coupling unit is arranged at an upper end portion of a surface where a display surface of said display unit in said second housing is arranged.

3. the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coupling unit forms a state wherein said first housing shields a display surface of said display unit when said first housing and said second housing are folded about said rotating shaft.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing unit comprises a holding unit for holding a film in front of said optical system.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said image sensing unit has a pivotally held incident light reflection unit, said window being on a side where the film is photographed, and a second window arranged on an opposite side of said window.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising angle holding unit for holding a display surface of said second housing at an arbitrary angle with respect to a plane when said image sensing apparatus is placed on said plane.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing unit has a zoom optical system capable of changing a photographing magnification, a holding unit for holding a film in front of said zoom optical system, and a detection unit for detecting that the film is held by said holding unit, and when said detection unit detects that the object is held by said holding unit, said zoom optical system is set at a predetermined zoom magnification.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising power supply control unit for turning on/off power supply to said image sensing apparatus in accordance with an angle formed between said first housing and said second housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising operation switches arranged to be operable with a finger of one hand while said second housing is held by the hand contacting surface of said housing, which is arranged on an opposite side of a surface where a display surface of said display unit is present.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said operation switches include a release button for designing a start of a photographing operation by said image sensing unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second housing has a surface inclined with respect to said display surface, and some of said operation switches are arranged on said inclined surface.