Video still camera with a lens unit rotation device

• US 6,445,417 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hiroyuki, Yoshida, Chisato, Hirono, Yuu, Kaho, Sachi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US08/906,103
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 348/371, 348/373, 348/375, 348/376, 348/211, 348/214, 348/118, 348/143, 348/148, 396/428, 396/535, 396/541, 396/342, 396/347, 396/348, 396/174, 396/381, 396/383, 358/906, 358/907
• US Class Current: 348/374
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A video still camera with a strobe allows angle or high angle photographing to be carried out without changing an angle of user'"'"'s hand holding a camera body. A recess portion is formed in a tap surface portion of an outermost housing of a camera body which has a built-in recording/reproducing unit. A photographing unit having a lens unit and a strobe unit which are arranged in a transverse direction with a predetermined separation, is fitted into the recess portion and is rotatable in an up-and-down direction, and is pivoted about openings on opposite sides of the recessed portion. Electrical connections of the lens unit and the strobe unit for connection with the camera body side are introduced through the opening, and connected to the recording/reproducing unit.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup portion having a lens unit and a light-emitting unit; and

a display portion having a display unit for displaying an image picked up by said image pickup portion, wherein

said image pickup portion and said display portion are rotatably joined at first and second joint portions,

said lens unit is rotatable relative to said display unit for shooting an object which is located in front of said display unit or at the back of said display unit,

said light-emitting unit and said lens unit of said image pickup portion are disposed apart from each other in a direction parallel to a major of axis of said image pickup unit,

said lens unit and said display unit are electrically connected via a first electric connective line through said first joint portion, and

a second electric connective line of said light-emitting unit is located at said second joint portion.

2. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein a relative rotational position of said lens unit to said display unit can be fixed at a predetermined angle.

3. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display portion includes a front panel and a rear panel, and said first joint portion has said first electric connective line between said image pickup portion and said display unit located between said front panel and said rear panel.

4. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display portion includes a front panel and a rear panel, and said image pick up portion has a boss located between said front panel and said rear panel.

5. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second joint portions include a shaft member located between said image pickup portion and said display portion, and a support member which is arranged to rotate around said shaft member is positioned at an inner wall of a housing of said display portion.

6. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said image pickup portion includes a front side cabinet and a rear side cabinet, and said first joint portion has said first electric connective line between said image pickup portion and said display unit located between said front side cabinet and said rear side cabinet.

7. The image apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display driver circuit for inverting an image displayed at said display unit.

8. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dial for carrying out a power on-off operation and a shooting operation.

9. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dial for carrying out a shooting operation menu.

10. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display portion is detachable.

11. The image pickup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display portion has a concave portion at an upper part thereof, and said image pickup portion is arranged at said concave portion in a substantially horizontal position.