Abstract:
A digital camera for use by both left-handed and right-handed users. The digital camera has a body design that employs a swivel mechanism and symmetric placement of pertinent camera hardware components, particularly flash devices.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates generally to digital cameras, and more specifically, to a digital camera that may be used by right-handed and left-handed users. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The assignee of the present invention manufactures digital cameras and other computer-related equipment. Currently, most cameras are built for right-handed people with a large grip made for the right hand. Currently, there are no digital cameras that allow use by both right and left handed users. It would be desirable to have a digital camera that allows use by both left-handed and right-handed users. 
   A search regarding the present invention was performed in the US Patent and Trademark Office and uncovered the following US patents and published applications: U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,088, U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,883, U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,491, U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,041, U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,337, U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,448, U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,822, U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,506, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,341, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,113, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,016, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,447, U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,524, U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,903, and US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0054761. 
   With regard to those of the above-listed patent that appear generally relevant to the present invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,113 discloses a “camera has a housing and a T-shaped handgrip turnably mounted on a side wall of the housing. A shutter release element is mounted in the housing.” U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,113 also discloses that “It is already known to provide cameras which detachable handgrips which, moreover, can be turned with reference to the camera housing. The purpose of this is to facilitate the operation of the camera by making the handgrip turnable about an axis which extends transverse (usually in normal) to the optical axis of the camera lens. Because of this the camera can be more conveniently operated while being held in either the left hand or the right hand of a user, and the arrangement also has further advantages in terms of camera operation.” 
   However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,113 does not disclose or suggest anything regarding digital cameras, liquid crystal display (LCD), batteries, flash units, or a digital camera having multiple flash units. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,506 discloses a “single lens reflex camera” that “includes a rotatable built-in flash unit.” However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,506 does not disclose or suggest anything regarding digital cameras, liquid crystal display (LCD), batteries, or a digital camera having multiple flash units. 
   US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0054761 discloses a “Photographic camera having lens movement control with pivotable grip surfaces and adjacent shutter release.” However, while the handgrip is pivotable, it does not rotate into positions that allow right-handed and left-handed use of the camera. Also, US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0054761 does not disclose or suggest anything regarding liquid crystal display (LCD), batteries disposed in a handgrip, or multiple flash units. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,088 discloses a “portable electronic device includes a display component and a device aperture component which are mounted on separate segments of the electronic device. Each segment can be rotated with respect to the other, thus permitting a user to photograph an object while adjusting the display to a desired viewing condition.” However, U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,088 does not disclose or suggest a digital camera having multiple flash units that are collocated in a rotatable portion of the camera body containing a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
   Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for improved digital camera that may be gripped and used by both left-handed and right-handed people. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To accomplish the above and other objectives, the present invention provides for a digital camera that is operable by both left-handed to right-handed users. The digital camera has a body design that may be used as easily by right-handed people as it is for left-handed people. This design employs a swivel mechanism and symmetric placement of major camera hardware components. 
   More particularly, the present digital camera comprises a handgrip section and a body section that rotate relative to each other. The handgrip section includes a power button having a lock latch, a shutter button, a strap connection, a swivel lock, and a battery compartment for housing batteries. The body section has a rear surface that comprises a liquid crystal display, microphone, joystick pad, zoom control dial, a plurality of buttons for setting functions of the camera, and an output port that may be used to download images to a computer. A lens, which is preferably a zoom lens, extends from a front surface of the camera, and one or more metering elements are disposed on the front surface of the camera. Upper and lower pop-up flash devices are disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the camera. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a digital camera in accordance with the principles of the present invention that is configured for use by a right-handed user; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear view of the exemplary digital camera configured for use by a left-handed user; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the exemplary digital camera; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the exemplary digital camera; and 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the exemplary digital camera. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the drawing figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective-like rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a digital camera  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The digital camera shown in  FIG. 1  is configured for use by a right-handed user.  FIG. 2  is a perspective-like rear view of the exemplary digital camera  10  configured for use by a left-handed user.  FIG. 3 , shows a front view of the exemplary digital camera  10 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show top and bottom views, respectively, of the exemplary digital camera  10 . 
   The exemplary digital camera  10  comprises a handgrip section  20  and a body section  30  that rotate relative to each other at abutting side surfaces. The handgrip section  20  includes a power button  21  having a lock latch  22 , a shutter button  23 , a strap connection  24 , a swivel lock  25  and a battery compartment  26  for housing batteries  27  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The swivel lock  25  engages the body section  30  at two locations within the body section  30 , one adjacent a rear surface  31  of the camera  10  and one adjacent a front surface  42  of the camera  10 . 
   As is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the rear surface  31  of the body section  30  comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD)  32 , a rear microphone  33 , a joystick pad  34 , a zoom control dial  35 , a plurality of buttons  36  for setting functions of the camera  10  and an output port  37  for downloading images to a computer, for example. A dual flash comprising upper and lower pop-up flash devices  45   a ,  45   b  are disposed on upper and lower surfaces  46 ,  47  of the camera  10 . However, it is to be understood that a single flash device  45   a  may be used which may be disposed in either the handgrip section  20  or preferably the body section  30 . 
   The dual flash may be implemented with two separate flash devices  45   a ,  45   b  mounted on the top and bottom of the camera body section  30  as is illustrated in the drawing figures. Alternatively (shown in  FIG. 1  only), a single flash device  45  or generator  45  may be disposed in the body section  30  of the camera  10 . Light pipes  49  may be used to direct the light flash to whichever of the flash devices  45   a ,  45   b  is open. In this case, the flash devices  45   a ,  45   b  are reflectors that reflect the light flash toward the image scene. This reduces the cost of the camera  10  since only one flash device  45  is needed and since light pipes  49  are relatively inexpensive. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , it is a front view of the exemplary digital camera  10 . As is shown in  FIG. 3 , a zoom lens  41  extends from the front surface  42  of the camera  10 . A shutter  43  is disposed within the body section  30  that is visible behind the lens  41 . One or more metering elements  43  are disposed on the front surface  42  of the camera  10 . A front microphone  44  is disposed on the front surface  42  of the camera  10 . A strap  48  is shown connected to the strap connection  24 . 
   As is illustrated in  FIGS. 1–3 , the handgrip section  20  and body section  30  rotate relative to each other by means of a rotary joint  50  that is centered relative to the abutting surfaces thereof. A rotary connector  51  is preferably provided adjacent to or is part of the rotary joint  50  that couples battery power from the batteries  27  to the components in the body section  30 . In addition, the rotary connector  51  couples a shutter control signal from shutter button  23  in the handgrip section  20  to the body section  30  to control the shutter  43 . 
   Alternatively, flexible wiring may be used to couple power and the shutter signal between the handgrip section  20  and body section  30 . It is preferred that the handgrip section  20  does not swivel more than 180 degrees in either direction. This prevents the flexible wiring, for example, from getting kinked up if the handgrip section  20  were allowed to freely rotate. 
   To change the configuration of the camera  10  from right-handed to left-handed use, a user would disengage the swivel lock  25  and rotate the grip section  20  one-hundred-and-eighty (180) degrees clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the body section  30  until the swivel lock  25  reengages on the opposite side of the camera  10 . The pop-up flash device  45   a  at the upper surface  46  of the camera  10  would be closed and the pop-up flash device  45   b  at the lower surface  47  of the camera  10  would be opened for use. 
   Thus, a digital camera that may be gripped and used by both left-handed and right-handed people has been disclosed. It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of some of the many specific embodiments that represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Clearly, numerous and other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.