Image switching apparatus for electronic camera

• US 20060001762A1
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asia Optical International Limited (Asia Optical Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Asia Optical Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-Ming, Wu, Mu-Yuan, Tseng, Hui-Chih, Chou, Chung-Ling
• Granted Patent: US 7,358,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/344
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/06 adapted to be loaded with more than one film, e.g. with exposure of one or the other at will G03B19/07 takes precedence

Abstract

An image switching apparatus for an electronic camera. The electronic camera has a lens, an image sensor and a viewfinder. The image switching apparatus includes a housing, an optical assembly and a reciprocating driving device. The housing is disposed between the lens and the image sensor. The lens is opposite the image sensor and the viewfinder is above the housing. The optical assembly is rotatably and movably disposed in the housing and has a beam splitter and an optical compensator. The beam splitter is connected to the optical compensator at a predetermined included angle. The reciprocating driving device is coupled to the optical assembly to rotate and move the optical assembly between a first position and a second position.

Claims

1. An image switching apparatus for an electronic camera comprising a lens, an image sensor and a viewfinder, comprising:

a housing disposed between the lens and the image sensor, wherein the lens is opposite the image sensor and the viewfinder is above the housing;

an optical assembly rotatably and movably disposed in the housing and comprising a beam splitter and an optical compensator, wherein the beam splitter is connected to the optical compensator at a predetermined included angle; and

a reciprocating driving device coupled to the optical assembly to rotate and move the optical assembly between a first position and a second position, wherein the beam splitter simultaneously faces the lens and viewfinder and tilts to the viewfinder at an included angle of 45°

when the optical assembly is in the first position, and the optical compensator simultaneously faces the lens and image sensor and is parallel to the image sensor when the optical assembly is in the second position.

2. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reciprocating driving device further comprises a linkage and a motor, the linkage coupled to the optical assembly, and the motor connected to and activating the linkage.

3. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reciprocating driving device further comprises a deceleration mechanism disposed between the linkage and the motor to govern output rotational speed of the motor.

4. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the linkage further comprises three operating rods.

5. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a rotating plate rotatably connected to the housing and abutting the linkage.

6. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises two curved through holes and the optical assembly further comprises a shaft, the curved through holes respectively formed on two opposite sidewalls of the housing, the shaft connected to the beam splitter and optical compensator and rotatably and movably disposed in the curved through holes, the rotating plate abutting the linkage and connected to the shaft, and the shaft rotating and moving in the curved through holes by means of the linkage and rotating plate.

7. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a first resilient element connected between the housing and the rotating plate.

8. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a second resilient element connected between the shaft and the rotating plate.

9. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rotating plate further comprises a retardant portion abutting the linkage.

10. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises at least one first positioning portion to position the optical assembly in the first position.

11. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises at least one second positioning portion to position the optical assembly in the second position.

12. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position sensor disposed in the housing to detect the position of the optical assembly.

13. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the optical compensator and horizontal thickness with which the beam splitter tilts to the viewfinder at the included angle of 45°

are same.

14. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical compensator is a transparent glass panel.

15. The image switching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a CCD.