Camera, an image inputting apparatus, a portable terminal device, and a method for transforming the camera configuration

• US 7,295,773 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Horiguchi, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): MAHONEY, CHRISTOPHER E
• Application Number:
  US11/231,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 396/535, 396539-540, 396/57, 396/429, 455/74, 455/575.3, 455/556.1, 455/566, 348/14.01, 348/333.06, 348/552
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

A camera has a camera body formed in a longitudinal rectangular shape, and in the intermediate portion of the camera body, a flexion/transformation mechanism dividing the camera body into an image photographing section including a lens system for capturing an optical image of a subject and a gripping section for a photographer to grip the camera body at the time of photographing is provided. The flexion/transformation mechanism is configured so as to dispose the image photographing section and the gripping section on a same straight line such that the camera body is formed in the longitudinal rectangular shape in a first state, and to dispose the gripping section angled relative to said image photographing section in a second state.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a release button configured to perform image photographing;

a first body section including;

a housing body;

a lens system integrally provided with the housing body and configured to photograph a subject, and

a display configured to display an image captured by the lens system; and

a second body section rotatably connected to said first body section by a flexion member, the flexion member formed only at a substantially central portion of a side surface of each body section, the second boy section including;

a telephone keypad including a dial button configured to initiate a telephone call, and

a space configured to accommodate a battery as a power source,

wherein prior to rotating the first and second body sections, an axis of the first body section and an axis of the second body section are substantially coaxial, and after rotating the first and second body sections, the axis are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said first body section and said second body section are each arranged in a substantially rectangular shape.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said lens system and said display are positioned on adjacent sides of said first body section.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said display is configured as a liquid crystal display.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said display is configured to be used as an electronic view finder.

6. The portable terminal device of claim 1, further comprising:

an image photographing section,

wherein said lens system and said display are positioned on adjacent sides of said image photographing section.

7. The portable terminal device of claim 6, wherein said release button and said lens system are positioned on different sides of said image photographing section.

8. The portable terminal device of claim 6, wherein said release button and said lens system are positioned on adjacent sides of said image photographing section.

9. The portable terminal device of claim 1, further comprising:

a gripping section,

wherein said gripping section is configured to accommodate a removable recording medium.

10. The portable terminal device of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker,

wherein said speaker and said lens system are positioned on adjacent sides of said image photographing section.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said lens system is fixedly attached to said first body section.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said communication device is a portable telephone.

13. A communication device comprising:

a release button configured to perform image photographing;

a first body section including;

a housing body;

a lens system integrally provided with the housing body and configured to photograph a subject, and

a display configured to display an image captured by the lens system; and

a second body section formed immediately adjacent the first body section and rotatably connected to said first body section by a flexion member, the second body section including;

a telephone keypad including a dial button configured to initiate a telephone call, and

a space configured to accommodate a battery as a power source,

wherein side surfaces of the first and second body sections remain immediately adjacent each other while the first and second body sections are rotated with respect to each other and while the release button is engaged to perform image photographing, and

wherein prior to rotating the first and second body sections, an axis of the first body section and an axis of the second body section are substantially coaxial, and after rotating the first and second body sections, the axis are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the side surfaces of the first and second body sections are formed with an angle of inclination with respect to axis of respective first and second body sections.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the angle of inclination of each of the first body side surface and second body side surface is between approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees.