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

• US 7,800,689 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• 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): WHIPKEY, JASON T
• Application Number:
  US11/860,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 396/535, 396/539, 396/540, 396/57, 396/429, 348/333.06, 348/14.01, 348/552, 348/376, 455/575.3, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/74
• US Class Current: 348/376
• 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. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup portion comprising a lens system, the image pickup portion configured to pick up an optical image of an object;

a grip portion configured for a photographer to grip the image pickup apparatus when the photographer is taking an image; and

a connection portion comprising a mechanism configured to connect the image pickup portion and the grip portion such that the image pickup portion and the grip portion are coaxial or are formed at an angular position with respect to each other,

wherein the lens system is provided on a first side of the image pickup portion and a display portion is provided on a second side different from the first side, to display a status of the image pickup apparatus.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion is bendable relative to the image pickup portion until about a right angle.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism connects the grip portion and the image pickup portion in an angled phase relative to a longitudinal axis formed when the grip portion and the image pickup portion are coaxial, and relatively rotates the grip portion and the image pickup portion with respect to each other such that in the angled phase, a longitudinal axis of the grip portion and a longitudinal axis of the image pickup portion are substantially perpendicular to each other.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism relatively rotates the grip portion and the image pickup portion from each other relative to an axis significantly parallel to an optical axis of the lens system formed when the grip portion and the image pickup portion are arranged in a longitudinal direction.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier cover member configured to cover at least part of the image pickup portion and the connection portion to maintain a state in which the grip portion and the image pickup portion are arranged in a longitudinal direction, and slide along the longitudinal direction to allow the grip portion and the image pickup portion to rotate with respect to each other.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup portion further comprises a luminous portion to irradiate the object with irradiation light.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion accommodates an image recording medium to record the image of the object.

8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion accommodates a battery as a power source.

9. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the grip portion comprises at least one mechanism by which the grip portion bends at least one position.

10. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication device configured to wireless-transmit image pickup information.

11. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a power switch is interlocked with the connection portion and is turned on when the grip portion is bent relative to the image pickup portion.

12. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is a cellular phone unit.

13. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is a handheld terminal for information processing.