Abstract:
Provided is a photographing apparatus. The photographing apparatus may illuminate auto focus (AF) auxiliary light onto a subject without regard to an opening/closing of a flash because the flash may illuminate the light out of a main body even when the flash is received in the main body in a retracted position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0133781, filed on Dec. 24, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus, and more particularly, to a photographing apparatus capable of illuminating an auto focus (AF) auxiliary light without regard to the opening/closing of a flash since the flash may disperse light to outside of a main body of a camera even when the flash is included in the main body of the camera. 
     Recently, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras that provide photographs of high image quality and generate digital images have been widely distributed. Here, of the DSLR cameras, a single-lens reflex camera is one in which an image of a subject is transferred to a viewfinder and light is transmitted to a photographing sensor through one lens. Compact digital cameras are twin lens reflex cameras which have been widely distributed. Therefore, an image shown to a user and an image that is actually captured are different from each other, and thus, the image transferred to a sensor may be displayed on a screen. 
     In conventional DSLR cameras, a mirror is formed on an optical axis of the lens to rotate within a predetermined angle range with respect to the optical axis. The light of an object, as obtained from the lens, is reflected by the mirror and focused on a focusing plate, and thus, the user may identify the image focused on the focusing plate using a pentaprism and a viewfinder. At this time, when a shutter-release signal is input, the mirror rotates within a predetermined range with respect to the optical axis and rises to escape from the optical axis of the lens. In addition, when the shutter is opened by a driving control of a shutter driving circuit, the image of the subject is formed on an imaging device. 
     The conventional DSLR cameras generally include a flash, which is equipment for lighting a photographing scene by generating an instant flash. The light emission of the flash is made for 1/1000 sec., and a color temperature at this time is generally about 5,500 K. The flash may be multifunctional, however, the flash is generally used to light the photographing scene when the light intensity is low. 
     Digital cameras mostly adopt an auto focus (AF) function, which automatically focuses the subject by measuring a distance to the subject. However, when there is no sufficient contrast on the subject in a dark scene, it is difficult to determine the position of the subject, and thus, the focusing cannot be performed. Therefore, in recent digital cameras, an AF auxiliary light is illuminated onto the subject in order to compensate for the lack of brightness. 
       FIG. 1  shows a conventional DSLR camera. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional DSLR camera  10  additionally includes an AF auxiliary light source  11 . Therefore, when the environment surrounding a subject is dark, the AF auxiliary light source  11  illuminates light onto the subject to perform an AF operation. 
     However, in this case, since the additional AF auxiliary light source  11  is included to perform the AF operation, a structure of the camera becomes complex, the volume and weight of the camera increase, and fabrication costs of the camera also increase. 
     On the other hand, a flash  12  is opened to illuminate the AF auxiliary light onto the subject, and then, the AF operation may be performed. 
     However, the AF auxiliary light is only illuminated onto the subject only when the flash  12  is opened and the flash  12  emits light whenever photographing, and thus, the photographing may not be performed according to the user&#39;s intention. Moreover, the flash  12  is opened when the AF operation is performed and closed when the AF operation is not performed, and thus, the user may experience this inconvenience. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a photographing apparatus that may illuminate an auto focus (AF) auxiliary light onto a subject without regard to the opening/closing of a flash. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus including: a main body; and a flash formed to be received and drawn in/from the main body, wherein the flash emits light out of the main body when the flash is received in the main body. Thus, the flash is operable regardless of whether the flash is in an extended or retracted position with respect to the main body. 
     A light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is received in the main body and a light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is withdrawn from the main body may be substantially the same as each other. 
     The photographing apparatus may further include: a flash cover shielding a side of the flash when the flash is received in the main body, wherein the flash cover is formed to transmit at least a part of the light emitted from the flash. 
     The flash cover may be formed of a transparent material or a translucent material so that the at least a part of the light emitted from the flash is transmitted through the flash cover. 
     The flash cover may be formed as a smart mirror so that the at least a part of the light emitted from the flash is transmitted through the flash cover. 
     The flash cover may include one or more holes on a position corresponding to the flash so that the at least a part of the light emitted from the flash is transmitted through the flash cover. 
     The photographing apparatus may further include: a flash housing in which the flash is coupled, wherein the main body comprises a flash receiving portion that receives the flash housing, and the flash housing is formed to rotate with respect to the main body. 
     The main body may include a protrusion on a portion contacting to the flash so as to restrain a rotation of the flash while the flash housing rotates with respect to the main body to be inserted into the main body so as to be received in the main body. 
     The protrusion may be formed on a rotating path of the flash. 
     When the flash contacts the protrusion, the rotation of the flash may be prevented while the flash housing continues to rotate. 
     The light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is received in the main body and the light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is withdrawn from the main body may be maintained constantly due to the protrusion. 
     A guide groove may be formed in one of the flash receiving portion and the flash and a guide protrusion may be formed on the other so that the path of the flash is guided by the guide groove and the guide protrusion when the flash is received in the main body. 
     The light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is received in the main body and the light emitting direction of the flash when the flash is withdrawn from the main body may be maintained constantly due to the guide groove and the guide protrusion. 
     An elastic member may be disposed between the flash and the flash housing so as to provide the flash with an elastic force for rotating the flash in a constant direction. 
     The elastic member may provide the flash with the elastic force so that the flash emits light toward a front of the main body when the flash and the flash housing are drawn from the main body. 
     The photographing apparatus may further include: a lens coupled to a side of the main body, wherein the light emitted from the flash is radiated in a direction that is substantially parallel with an optical axis of the lens. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a conventional digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of a photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the photographing apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view showing a flash and a flash housing drawn from a main body in the photographing apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an expanded view of the part denoted by V shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view showing the flash and the flash housing inserted in the main body in the photographing apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an expanded view of the part denoted by VII shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view showing the flash and the flash housing received in the main body in the photographing apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an expanded view of the part denoted by IX shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a photographing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a photographing apparatus according to various embodiments the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of a photographing apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the photographing apparatus  100  of  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the photographing apparatus  100  of the present embodiment includes a main body  110 , a lens  120 , a flash housing  130 , a flash  140 , an elastic member  150 , and a flash cover  160 . 
     The main body  110  forms an outer appearance of the photographing apparatus  100 , and a shutter-release button  111  and a flash receiving portion  112  are formed in a side of the main body  110 . 
     The shutter-release button  111  of the main body  110  is opened and closed to expose an imaging device, for example, a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), to light, and to expose the subject to light appropriately to record an image of the subject in the imaging device, in communication with a diaphragm (not shown). In more detail, the shutter-release button  111  generates a first image capturing signal and a second image capturing signal by an input of a user. When the first image capturing signal, that is, a half-shutter signal, is input, the main body  110  adjusts a focus and a light intensity. When the subject is focused and the light intensity is adjusted due to the input of the first image capturing signal, the second image capturing signal is input to photograph the subject. 
     The flash receiving portion  112  is depressed from the side of the main body  110 , in general, that is, from an upper side of the main body  110 . Holes  112   a  are formed in internal side surfaces of the flash receiving portion  112  so that a rotary shaft  131  of the flash housing  130  may be inserted in the holes  112   a . Therefore, the flash housing  130  may rotate with respect to the main body  110  about the rotary shaft  131 . 
     The lens  120  is coupled to a side of the main body  110 . The lens  120  receives light from an external light source to process the images. 
     The flash housing  130 , to which the flash  140  is coupled, is coupled to the side of the main body  110  in which the flash receiving portion  112  is formed. As described above, the rotary shaft  131  protrudes from both sides of the flash housing  130 , and the rotary shaft  131  is inserted into the holes  112   a  of the flash receiving portion  112  to insert/draw the flash housing  130  into/from the main body  110 . In addition, a hole  132  is formed in the flash housing  130 , and a rotary shaft  141  of the flash  140  is inserted into the hole  132 . 
     The flash  140  generates instant light to illuminate a photographing scene. The flash  140  is generally disposed on the upper portion of the main body  110 , and is coupled to the flash housing  130  to rotate with the flash housing  130  so as to be inserted and drawn into/from the main body  110 . In more detail, the rotary shaft  141  protrudes from both sides of the flash  140 . When the rotary shaft  141  is inserted into the hole  132  of the flash housing  130 , the flash  140  may rotate with respect to the flash housing  130 . 
     The elastic member  150  is installed on the rotary shaft  141  of the flash  140 . The elastic member  150  is disposed between the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  to provide the flash  140  with a predetermined elastic force. For example, the elastic member  150  may provide the flash  140  with the predetermined elastic force so that the flash  140  rotates in a direction of arrow R shown in  FIG. 2 . Due to the elastic member  150 , the flash  140  may illuminate the light in a direction that is the same as an optical axis direction of the lens  120  (direction C of  FIG. 2 ), that is, toward a front of the main body  110  when the flash housing  130  is opened from the main body  110 . 
     The flash cover  160  is disposed on a front portion of the flash receiving portion  112  of the main body  110 . That is, the flash cover  160  is formed to face the flash  130  when the flash housing  130  and the flash  140 , which is coupled to the flash housing  130 , are received in the flash receiving portion  112 . In the present embodiment, the flash cover  160  may be formed of a transparent material or a translucent material such as glass, acrylic or similar material, so that the light illuminated from the flash  140  may be radiated out of the main body  110 . Otherwise, the flash cover  160  may be formed as a smart mirror so that the light may be transmitted only when the flash  140  emits the light. Moreover, although not shown in the drawings, the flash cover  160  may include one or more holes so that the light emitted from the flash  140  may be radiated out of the main body  110 . As described above, since the flash cover  160  is formed so that at least a part of the light emitted from the flash  140  may be transmitted through the flash cover  160 , auto focusing (AF) auxiliary light may be illuminated to the subject even when the flash  140  is received in the main body  110 . 
     Although not shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a predetermined protrusion  170  (see  FIG. 4 ) is formed on an upper end portion of the flash cover  160 . The predetermined protrusion  170  is formed on the rotating path of the flash  140  to restrain the rotation of the flash  140  while the flash housing  130  is inserted in the main body  110  to be received in the main body  110 . Owing to the protrusion, the light emitting direction of the flash  140  when the flash  140  is received in the main body  110  and when the flash  140  is withdrawn from the main body  110  may be maintained to be the same as each other. The structure and operation of the predetermined protrusion  170  will be described below. 
     Hereinafter, inserting and drawing operations of the flash  140  in the photographing apparatus  100  according to the current embodiment will be described. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view showing the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  drawn from the main body  110 , and  FIG. 5  is an expanded view of dotted circle V shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are drawn from the main body  110 , the elastic member  150  provides the flash  140  with a predetermined elastic force. That is, the elastic member  150  provides the flash  140  with a constant elastic force so that the flash  140  rotates in a direction denoted by the arrow R of  FIG. 5 . Due to the elastic member  150 , the flash  140  may emit the light in the direction that is the same as the optical axis direction of the lens  120  (C direction in  FIG. 4 ), that is, toward the front of the main body  110  (L direction in  FIG. 5 ) when the flash housing  130  is drawn from the main body  110 . 
       FIG. 6  is a side view showing the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  inserted in the main body  110 .  FIG. 7  is an expanded view of dotted circle VII of  FIG. 6 . 
     When the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are inserted in the main body  110 , the elastic member  150  provides the flash  140  with the predetermined elastic force so that the flash  140  rotates in the direction denoted by arrow R in  FIG. 7 . Therefore, the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  rotate together, and the light emitting direction (L of  FIG. 7 ) of the flash  140  is not the same as the optical axis direction (C in  FIG. 6 ) of the lens  120 . 
     When the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are continuously inserted in the main body  110  by being rotated and right before the flash  140  contacts the predetermined protrusion  170  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the flash  140  faces a bottom surface of the flash receiving portion  112 . Therefore, when the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are received in the main body  110 , the flash  140  cannot emit the AF auxiliary light out of the main body  110 . In order to solve the above problem, in the photographing apparatus  100  of the present embodiment, the light emitting direction of the flash  140  when the flash  140  is received in the main body  110  and the light emitting direction of the flash  140  when the flash  140  is drawn from the main body  110  are the same as each other. This feature is described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view showing the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  received in the main body  110 , and  FIG. 9  is an expanded view of dotted circle IX in  FIG. 8 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the predetermined protrusion  170  is formed on the upper end portion of the flash cover  160 . The predetermined protrusion  170  is formed on the rotating path of the flash  140  so as to restrain the rotation of the flash  140  with respect to the flash housing  130  while the flash housing  130  is inserted in the main body  110  to be received by the main body  110 . That is, when an end portion  140   a  of the flash  140  contacts the predetermined protrusion  170  while the flash housing  130  and the flash  140  that is coupled to the flash housing  130  rotate together about the rotary shaft  130 , the flash  140  cannot rotate further, and the flash housing  130  is continuously rotated toward the main body  110 . In this state, when the flash housing  130  continues to rotate toward the main body  110 , an end portion  130   a  of the flash housing  130  pushes the end portion  140   a  of the flash  140 , and accordingly, the flash  140  rotates in a direction denoted by arrow R′ of  FIG. 9  about the rotary shaft  141 . In addition, when the flash housing  130  continues to rotate so that the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are completely received in the flash receiving portion  112 , the light emitting direction of the flash  140  (L direction in  FIG. 9 ) becomes the same as the optical axis direction of the lens  120  (C direction in  FIG. 8 ), and accordingly, the flash  140  may illuminate the light toward the front of the main body  110 . 
     At this time, the flash cover  160  may be formed of the transparent material or the translucent material such as the glass, acrylic, or similar material so that the light emitted from the flash  140  may be radiated out of the main body  110 . Otherwise, one or more holes may be formed in the flash cover  160  so that the light emitted from the flash  140  may radiated out of the main body  110 . As described above, since the flash cover  160  is formed to transmit at least a part of the light emitted from the flash  140 , the AF auxiliary light may be illuminated to the subject even when the flash  140  is received in the main body  110 . 
     On the other hand, when the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are received in the main body  110  as shown in  FIG. 8 , and then the flash  140  and the flash housing  130  are drawn from the main body  110 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , the flash  140  returns to the original position shown in  FIG. 4  due to the elastic force provided by the elastic member  150 . Therefore, the flash  140  may illuminate the light in the same direction as the optical axis direction of the lens  120  (C direction in  FIG. 4 ), that is, toward the front of the main body  110  (L direction of  FIG. 5 ). 
     According to a photographing apparatus  100  of the present embodiment, an additional AF auxiliary light source is not necessary, and thus, the structure of the photographing apparatus  100  may be simple. In addition, the AF auxiliary light may be illuminated to the subject even when the flash  140  is closed. In addition, since there is no need to emit the light using the flash  140  whenever photographing, the photographing may be performed according to the intent of the user. Moreover, there is no need to open/close the flash  140  when the AF operation is performed, and thus, the user&#39;s convenience may be improved. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a photographing apparatus  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the photographing apparatus  200  of the present embodiment includes a main body  210 , a lens  220 , a flash housing  230 , a flash  240 , an elastic member  250 , and a flash cover  260 . 
     The main body  210  forms an outer appearance of the photographing apparatus  200 , and a shutter-release button  211  and a flash receiving portion  212  are formed in a side of the main body  210 . The flash receiving portion  212  is depressed from a side of the main body  210 , in general, from an upper side of the main body  210 . The lens  220  is coupled to a side of the main body  210 . The flash housing  230 , to which the flash  240  is coupled, is coupled to the side of the main body  210 . In more detail, holes  212   a  are formed in internal side surfaces of the flash receiving portion  212 , and a rotary shaft  231  of the flash housing  230  is inserted in the holes  212   a . In addition, the flash housing  230  includes a hole  232 , to which a rotary shaft  241  of the flash  240  is inserted. The elastic member  250  is installed on the rotary shaft  241  of the flash  240  to provide the flash  240  with a predetermined elastic force. In addition, the flash cover  260  is disposed on a front portion of the flash receiving portion  212  of the main body  210 . 
     The photographing apparatus  200  of the present embodiment is different from that of the previous embodiment in that a guide protrusion  242  and a guide groove  213  are respectively formed on the flash  240  and in the main body  210  to maintain the light emitting direction of the flash  240  to be the same as that of the optical axis direction of the lens  220  when the flash  240  is received in the main body  210  and the light emitting direction of the flash  240  when the flash is withdrawn from the main body  210  constantly. 
     In more detail, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the guide protrusion  242  is formed on an end portion of the flash  240 , and the guide groove  213  is formed in the flash receiving portion  212  of the main body  210 , that is, as a rotating path of the guide protrusion  242  of the flash  240 . Therefore, the guide protrusion  242  and the guide groove  213  guide the moving path of the flash  240  when the flash housing  230  is rotated into the main body  210  to be received by the main body  210 . That is, when the guide protrusion  242  is engaged with the guide groove  213  while the flash housing  230  and the flash  240  that is coupled to the flash housing  230  rotate together about the rotary shaft  230 , the flash  240  moves along the guide groove  213  separately from the flash housing  230 . In addition, when the flash  230  and the flash housing  240  are completely received in the flash receiving portion  212 , the light emitting direction of the flash  240  is the same as the optical axis direction of the lens  220 . Accordingly, the flash  240  may illuminate the light toward the front of the main body  210 . 
     According to the photographing apparatus  200  of the present embodiment, an additional AF auxiliary light source is not necessary, and thus, the structure of the photographing apparatus  200  may be simple. In addition, the AF auxiliary light may be illuminated to the subject even when the flash  230  is closed. In addition, since there is no need to emit light using the flash  230  whenever photographing, the photographing may be performed according to the intent of the user. Moreover, there is no need to open/close the flash  230  when the AF operation is performed, and thus, the user&#39;s convenience may be improved. 
     All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by this specific language, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The present invention may be described in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, processing elements, logic elements, etc. 
     The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional electronics, control systems, and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural. Furthermore, recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. Finally, the steps of all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. 
     The words “mechanism” and “element” are intended to be used generally and are not limited solely to mechanical embodiments. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.