Abstract:
An electronic camera has an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam. An image-pickup element is mounted on an image-pickup board. The image-pickup element receives the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converts the light beam, and thus acquires image data. The image-pickup board is disposed to extend in a plane oblique to a bottom surface of a housing. An input/output terminal for detachably attaching a cable for electrical connection with an external device is disposed in a space defined between the image-pickup board and the bottom surface of the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an electronic camera and more particularly to a technique for effectively using an internal space within an electronic camera. 
     In the case of an electronic camera using a photoelectric conversion image-pickup element such as a CCD element, the optical axis for image pickup can be deflected because there is no restriction due to a film, unlike the case of a silver-salt film camera. From this standpoint, such a technique has been proposed that the image-pickup optical axis is deflected and an image-pickup face of the image-pickup element is inclined so that the length of the optical path for image pickup may be decreased and the dimension (thickness) of the electronic camera in its front-and-rear direction may be reduced. (See, e.g. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/145,540 filed on Sep. 2, 1998.) 
     There is an increasing demand for the reduction in size of the electronic camera, and the problem faced by apparatus designers is how to effectively use the limited spaced within the camera housing. In the case of the electronic camera of the above-mentioned type wherein the image-pickup face is inclined, however, a circuit board for mounting the image-pickup element is situated at an angle to the bottom surface of the housing. Consequently, a plurality of circuit boards cannot be arranged in a stacked manner. As has been described above, in the case of a electronic camera having a deflected optical system, the shape of the imaging optical system, which constitutes the main mechanism of the camera, greatly differs from the shape of an imaging optical system forming a linear optical system. It is thus required that the parts of the electronic camera be arranged more properly. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problem, and its object is to provide an electronic camera having a deflected optical system, wherein the space within a camera housing is effectively used and the size of the camera can be reduced. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic camera comprising: 
     an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam; 
     an image-pickup element for receiving the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converting the light beam, and thus acquiring image data; 
     a first circuit board on which the image-pickup element is mounted; and 
     a housing containing the image-pickup element and the first circuit board, 
     wherein the first circuit board is disposed to extend in a plane oblique to a bottom surface of the housing, and an electronic component is disposed in a space defined between the first circuit board and the bottom surface of the housing. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic camera comprising: 
     an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam; 
     an image-pickup element for receiving the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converting the light beam, and thus acquiring image data; 
     a first circuit board on which the image-pickup element is mounted; 
     a second circuit board disposed on a side of the first circuit board, which is opposite to a side where the imaging optical system is provided; 
     an electronic component situated between the first circuit board and the second circuit board and mounted on the second circuit board; and 
     a housing containing the image-pickup element, the first circuit board, the second circuit board and the electronic component, the second circuit board being disposed to extend in a plane substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the housing between the first circuit board and the bottom surface of the housing. 
     According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic camera comprising: 
     an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam; 
     an image-pickup element for receiving the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converting the light beam, and thus acquiring image data; 
     a first circuit board on which the image-pickup element is mounted, the first circuit board extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the second optical axis; 
     a housing containing the image-pickup element and the first circuit board, the housing having a bottom surface and a rear surface, the first optical axis extending substantially in parallel to the bottom surface of the housing and substantially perpendicular to the rear surface of the housing; and 
     an electronic component disposed in a space defined among the bottom surface of the housing, the rear surface of the housing and the first circuit board, the electronic component being selected from a group consisting of an input/output terminal for detachably attaching a cable for electrical connection with an external device, a condenser for flashing a strobe, and a recording medium interface for detachably attaching a memory for recording image data. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic camera comprising: 
     an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam; 
     an image-pickup element for receiving the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converting the light beam, and thus acquiring image data; 
     a first circuit board on which the image-pickup element is mounted, the first circuit board extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the second optical axis; 
     a second circuit board disposed on a side of the first circuit board, which is opposite to a side where the imaging optical system is provided, the second circuit board extending in a plain which is substantially perpendicular to a plain including the first and second axes and is substantially parallel to the first optical axis; 
     an electronic component disposed between the first and second circuit boards, the electronic component being selected from a group consisting of an input/output terminal for detachably attaching a cable for electrical connection with an external device, a condenser for flashing a strobe, and a recording medium interface for detachably attaching a memory for recording image data; and 
     a housing containing the image-pickup element, the first circuit board, the second circuit board and the electronic component. 
     According to the present invention, an electronic component, such as an input/output terminal for detachably attaching a cable for electrical connection with an external device, can be disposed by making effective use of a space formed when a circuit board for mounting an image-pickup element is provided. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     FIG.  1 A and FIG. 1B are perspective views showing in different directions an electronic camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view of the electronic camera; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing an arrangement of components of the electronic camera; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an arrangement of components of the electronic camera; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an arrangement of components of the electronic camera; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the constituent elements having substantially the same function and arrangement are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repetitive description will be made only when necessary. 
     As is shown in FIGS. 1A through 5, an electronic camera  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing  20  and a lens barrel  40  attached to the housing  20 . 
     The front, lateral and top sides of the electronic camera  10 , as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, are provided with a pop-up strobe  21 , a pot-up button  22 , an optical finder  23 , an input/output terminal cover  24 , an input/output terminal section  25  (outside), a grip section  26 , a card cover  27 , a release switch  28 , and a zoom switch  29 . As is shown in FIG. 2, the rear side of the electronic camera  10  is provided with a mode display LCD  30 , a power switch  31 , a mode dial  32 , a cursor key  33 , and an image display LCD  34 . In FIGS. 3 and 5, two-dot-and-dash lines K indicate the state in which the pop-up strobe is popped up. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a lens support member  41 , an auto-focus assist light emitter  42  and a remote-control window  43  are provided on a lower part of the peripheral surface of the lens barrel  40 . 
     An image-pickup lens unit  44 , which constitutes a front portion of an imaging optical system, is disposed within the lens barrel  40 . On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, a beam splitter  50  for dividing a light beam L, which has passed through the image-pickup lens unit  44 , into light beams L 1  and L 2 , is disposed within the housing  20 . In addition, an optical system component  51  for guiding the light beam L 1  to the optical finder  23  and an optical system component  52  for guiding the light beam L 2  are provided within the housing  20 . The light beam L 2  is focused by the optical system component  52  onto a light-receiving face  53   a  of an image-pickup element  53  mounted on an image-pickup board (first circuit board)  54 . An image-pickup circuit unit  54   a  is disposed on the image-pickup board  54 . 
     The image-pickup lens unit  44 , beam splitter  50  and optical system component  52  constitute the imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the beam. Specifically, in the imaging optical system, the light beam L 2  to the image-pickup element  53  is made oblique to the light beam L taken in from the subject, whereby the length of the electronic camera  10  in the front-and-rear direction can be reduced. 
     The housing  20  has a bottom surface  20   a  and a rear surface  20   b  which extend at substantially right angles with each other. The first optical axis, which is defined by the optical system components of the image-pickup lens unit  44  for taking in the light beam L from the subject, is substantially parallel to the bottom surface  20   a  of the housing  20  and substantially perpendicular to the rear surface  20   b.    
     An angle of from 10 to 80° is formed between the first optical axis defined by the optical system components of the image-pickup lens unit  44  and the second optical axis defined by the optical system component  52  for focusing the light beam L 2  onto the image-pickup component  53 . The image-pickup board  54  on which the image-pickup element  53  is mounted is disposed to extend in a plane substantially perpendicular to the second optical axis defined by the optical system component  52 . Accordingly, an angle of from 10 to 80° is formed between the image-pickup board  54  and the bottom surface  20   a  of housing  20 . 
     An oblique space P having a vertical cross section of a substantially right-angled triangular shape is thus defined by the bottom surface  20   a  and rear surface  20   b  of housing  20  and the image-pickup board  54 . An input/output board (second circuit board)  55  is disposed between the oblique space P and the bottom surface  20   a  of housing  20  so as to extend in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface  20   a . Specifically, an angle of from 10 to 80° is formed between the image-pickup board  54  and the input/output board  55 . In other words, the input/output board  55  extends in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a plane including the first and second optical axes of the imaging optical system and is substantially parallel to the first optical axis. 
     A serial communication terminal  55   a , an external power input terminal  55   b  and a video-out terminal  55   c , which are input/output terminals, are mounted on the input/output board  55 . These relatively large serial communication terminal  55   a , external power input terminal  55   b  and video-out terminal  55   c  are disposed in the oblique space P. 
     A main board (third circuit board)  56  and a sub-main board (fifth circuit board)  58 , which extend in planes substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface  20   a  and substantially parallel to the rear surface  20   b , are disposed between the image-pick board  54  and the rear surface  20   b  of housing  20 . In other words, the main board  56  and sub-main board  58  extend in planes substantially perpendicular to the first optical axis of the imaging optical system. 
     In addition, a strobe board (fourth circuit board)  57 , which extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface  20   a  and rear surface  20   b , is disposed beside the image-pickup board  54  and main board  56 . In other words, the strobe board  57  extends in a plane substantially parallel to a plane including the first and second axes of the imaging optical system. 
     As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a strobe condenser  63  for flashing the strobe  21  is disposed on an upper portion of the strobe board  57  at a location above the oblique space P. A battery room  59  is arranged on a side of the strobe board  57  within the housing  20 , which is opposite to the side on which the strobe condenser  63  and oblique space P are provided. A first medium slot  61  for receiving a compact flash, or a recording medium, and a second medium slot  62  for receiving smart media, or recording media, are provided between the battery room  59  and the rear surface of the housing  20 . 
     In the electronic camera  10  thus constructed, relatively large electronic components, i.e. the serial communication terminal  55   a , external power input terminal  55   b  and video-out terminal  55   c , are disposed in the oblique space P. Accordingly, the efficiency of use of space can be enhanced and the size of the electronic camera  10  reduced. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera  70  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a third medium slot (recording medium interface)  71  for receiving a PC card, or a recording medium, is mounted on the input/output board  55 . The third medium slot  71 , which is a relatively large electronic component, is disposed in a region surrounded by the three boards  54 ,  55  and  56  within the oblique space P. 
     With the electronic camera  70  according to the second embodiment, like the electronic camera  10  according to the first embodiment, the efficiency of use of space can be enhanced and the size of the electronic camera  10  reduced. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera  80  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a serial communication terminal  56   a  and an external power input terminal  56   b , which are input/output terminals, are mounted on the main board  56 . These relatively large serial communication terminal  56   a  and external power input terminal  56   b  are disposed in a region surrounded by the three boards  54 ,  55  and  56  within the oblique space P. 
     With the electronic camera  80  according to the third embodiment, like the electronic camera  10  according to the first embodiment, the efficiency of use of space can be enhanced and the size of the electronic camera  10  reduced. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera  90  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the strobe condenser  63  is mounted on the main board  56 . The strobe condenser  63 , which is a relatively large electronic component, is disposed in a region surrounded by the three boards  54 ,  55  and  56  within the oblique space P. 
     With the electronic camera  90  according to the fourth embodiment, like the electronic camera  10  according to the first embodiment, the efficiency of use of space can be enhanced and the size of the electronic camera  10  reduced. 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing a main part of an electronic camera  100  according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the strobe condenser  63  is mounted on the strobe board  57 . The strobe condenser  63 , which is a relatively large electronic component, is disposed in a region surrounded by the four boards  54 ,  55 ,  56  and  57  within the oblique space P. 
     With the electronic camera  100  according to the fifth embodiment, like the electronic camera  10  according to the first embodiment, the efficiency of use of space can be enhanced and the size of the electronic camera  10  reduced. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.