Video tape recorder with a monitor-equipped built-in camera

A VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera includes a monitor/VTR portion and a camera portion. The monitor/VTR portion is integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal display device. A rotary mechanism attaches the camera portion to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively rotatable manner. The monitor/VTR portion also includes an invertor for inverting a displayed image on the monitor. In the above configuration, the rotary mechanism includes a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable parts. The connecting member includes a coiling portion and first and second connecting portions. The coiling portion has a vortex structure and is disposed in a central portion of the rotary mechanism. The first and second connecting portions are extracted, respectively, from a starting end and a terminal end of the coiling portion, and extend parallel to a coiling central axis of the coiling portion. The first and second portions rotate relative to one another. Furthermore, a cutout portion may be provided in at least one of the first and second connecting portions of the connecting member to reduce stress when the one of the first and second connecting portions is bent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(1) Filed of the invention 
The present invention relates to a video tape recorder (to be abbreviated 
as VTR) with a monitor-equipped built-in camera, and more particularly to 
a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera including a monitor for 
visually checking the picture recording condition of a subject and means 
for connecting between plural separate parts rotatably and electrically. 
(2) Description of the Related Art 
It is well known that various products of video tape recorders with a 
camera have been developed and brought into the market with the spread of 
home video apparatus in recent years. Therefore, first of all, 
consideration and review on these prior art VTR apparatuses will be made 
with regard to their advantages and drawbacks. 
Initially, FIG. 1 shows an external appearance of a typical prior art VTR 
with a built-in camera, which includes a camera portion 101, a VTR portion 
102 holding a removable tape cassette, a monochrome or color liquid 
crystal viewfinder 103 for a monitor, an eyepiece 104, a microphone 105 
and a main body cabinet 106. The liquid crystal display panel used in 
viewfinder 103 is as small in its picture frame size as about 1 inch 
square, so that the image is adapted to be magnified through an ocular 
lens and observed from eyepiece 104. 
Using such a small-sized liquid crystal display panel in viewfinder 103 
presents an advantage that the liquid crystal display panel is less 
expensive. But this configuration suffers from the following drawbacks: 
1) monitoring picture is hard to see because an operator must look the 
image through eyepiece 104 with only one eye; 
2) an operator cannot monitor the recording condition while keeping his/her 
eye away from the camera body (or the operator must take a position to 
bring his/her eye close to the camera body for monitoring the recording 
condition); 
3) the viewfinder is directed to provide an angular field of view to be 
taken for an operator only, more than one person cannot observe at the 
same time; and 
4) if an operator tries to take a record of his or her own figure, this 
configuration requires another larger-sized monitor, but this is hard to 
realize. 
Under such circumstances, in recent years there has been an earnest demand 
for a VTR with a built-in camera equipped with a monitor which enables an 
operator and observers, if any, to take a view of the pickup image at some 
distance without using an eyepiece. 
However, in order to provide such a monitor that allows an operator to take 
a view of the real-time picture at some distance, in place of looking 
through an eyepiece, the frame size of the monitor becomes considerably 
large as compared to that of the view finder. In the prior art, the large 
size of the apparatus has resulted in difficulty in handling the 
apparatus. 
As an example of such the apparatus, there has been disclosed a VTR with a 
monitor-equipped built-in camera in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 4 
No.6154. This apparatus has a VTR portion and a monitor portion arranged 
integrally side by side, that is, the bottom of the monitor portion is 
arranged to fit to the VTR portion. A camera portion is supported 
rotatably on a longitudinal side of the thus integrated monitor/VTR 
portion having a shape of an elongated rectangular parallelepiped. 
In this example, since the VTR portion and monitor portions are arranged 
side by side to form an elongated parallelepiped in order to make an 
integrated monitor/VTR portion, the monitor/VTR portion indispensably 
becomes large, thus limiting the miniaturization of the apparatus. 
Further, the publication cited above does not take into account a 
self-image pickup mode in which an operator records a picture of his or 
her own image. If the apparatus is used to record the image of the 
operator by way of experiment, the picture displayed on the monitor 
portion is upside down or inverted, therefore, the apparatus is far from 
practical for use in the self-image pickup mode. 
On the other hand, a prior art VTR with a built-in camera shown in FIG. 1 
includes a rotary mechanism as to be a connecting device at a joint 
between a main body cabinet 106 and a viewfinder 103. Viewfinder 103 
rotates with respect to main body cabinet 106 to be set at a desired 
rotation angle. Provided inside viewfinder 103 and main body cabinet 106 
are electric circuits such as a signal processing circuit for effecting 
signal processing, therefore the joint for connecting between the two is 
composed of mechanically and electrically connecting means. 
In the above case, the conventional connecting device is arranged as shown 
in FIG. 3. That is, a connecting portion 103a of viewfinder 103 is fit in 
with a leaf spring 202, and main body cabinet 106 and a plate metal 204 
are fitted to the connecting portion 103a so as to be rotatable, and then 
a disc 205 is laid over the plate metal 204 and fixed to viewfinder 103 
with screws 206, each of which is screwed through a through-hole 205a into 
a screw hole 103b. Thus, there is provided in main body cabinet 106 a 
mechanical connecting means allowing viewfinder 103 to rotate with respect 
to main body cabinet 106. 
On the other hand, the electric connection is provided such that a flexible 
substrate 207 for electrically connecting means is inserted across a 
hollow portion 208 formed inside the Joint of the mechanically connecting 
means, and connected at its ends to the connectors (not shown) of 
respective portions. 
Next, the operation of the thus constructed connecting device of the prior 
art will be described. 
In the conventional connecting device, the viewfinder 103, leaf spring 202 
and disc 205 united makes a rotational movement against main body cabinet 
106 and plate metal 204 on the side of the main body of the VTR with a 
built-in camera as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In the movement, the flexible 
substrate 207 across hollow portion 208 of the joint is twisted since it 
is connected at its ends to both connectors. 
FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of essential parts showing a rotation of 
flexible substrate 207 when it is twisted. In FIG. 6, as viewfinder 103 
rotates, flexible substrate 207 rotates while being twisted. 
In the conventional connecting device as constructed above, the flexible 
substrate is twisted by the rotation of viewfinder, if the rotation should 
be made at a large angle, the flexible substrate is also twisted largely. 
As a result, there would occur disconnection of the flexible substrate. In 
addition, the sagging portion caused by and required for the twist of the 
flexible substrate makes a large movement, so that the substrate 
interferes with, or comes into contact with the periphery, and this 
presents the dangers of making frictional noise and disconnection. 
Further, if additional lead wires and the like are provided in parallel 
with the flexible substrate, these elements interfere with one another 
greatly lowering their durability. To avoid these problems occurring, 
there must be provided a large clearance around the substrate and other 
elements, this opposes the demand of compactness. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been achieved under circumstances described 
above. A first object of the present invention is to achieve sufficient 
reduction or miniaturization of a VTR with a camera which is equipped with 
a monitor portion of a liquid crystal display panel having a rather 
large-sized picture frame. A second object of the present invention is to 
provide a device that allows an operator to picture-record his or her own 
figure as a subject without any troublesome handling and inconvenience. A 
third object of the present invention is to improve the battery attachment 
and gripping performance. Still, a fourth object of the present invention 
is to provide an apparatus wherein a connecting device allows a large 
rotational angle while the connecting member has an increased durability 
and is prevented from interfering with its peripheral members to thereby 
be compact. 
The present invention proposes a novel VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in 
camera in order to achieve the above objects. The feature and aspect of 
the present invention will be described as follows. 
In accordance with a first feature and aspect of the present invention, a 
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; and 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism; and 
In accordance with a second feature and aspect of the present invention, a 
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism; and 
an inverting means for inverting a display image on the monitor upside 
down. 
In accordance with a third feature and aspect of the present invention, a 
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism; 
an inverting means for inverting a displayed image on the monitor upside 
down; and 
a detection means disposed in the rotary mechanism for detecting a 
rotational state of the camera portion relative to the monitor/VTR 
portion, and 
the inverting means is driven based on the detected output from the 
detection means. 
In this case, it is advantageous that the aforesaid detection means of 
rotational state in the camera portion is adapted to generate a detection 
output when a picture-pickup face of the camera portion is oriented in a 
direction substantially parallel to the display surface of the monitor 
portion. 
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a VTR with a 
monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; and 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism, and the rotary 
mechanism is remote-controlled by a remote control device. 
In accordance with a fifth aspect and feature of the invention, a VTR with 
a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; and 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner there-to by means of a rotary mechanism, and the 
monitor/VTR portion has a VTR driving substrate for driving the VTR 
portion and a monitor driving substrate for driving the monitor portion 
stacked and integrally sandwiched between the monitor portion and the VTR 
portion. 
In the case, it is effective that the dimensions of the VTR driving 
substrate and the monitor driving substrate are smaller than the outside 
dimension of the display surface of the monitor portion. 
In accordance with a sixth aspect and feature of the invention, a VTR with 
a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises: 
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a 
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal 
display device and the like; and 
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively 
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism, and the camera 
portion holds removable batteries as power supply source for the VTR with 
a monitor-equipped built-in camera and has a battery cover for covering 
and protecting the batteries and serving also as a camera grip. 
According to the present invention, with regard to any of the above-stated 
aspects of the invention, the rotary mechanism comprises: 
a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable 
parts and 
the connecting member comprises a coiling portion having a vortex structure 
and disposed in the central portion; and 
first and second connecting portions extracted respectively from a staring 
end and a terminal end of the coiling portion and extended in parallel 
with a coiling central axis but in opposite directions, and the coiling 
state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and second 
connecting portions can be rotated relatively one another. 
Still, according to the invention, in regard to any one of the aspects 
described above, the rotary mechanism comprises: 
a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable 
parts, and 
the connecting member comprises a coiling portion having a vortex structure 
and disposed in the central portion; and 
first and second connecting portions extracted respectively from a staring 
end and a terminal end of the coiling portion and extended in parallel 
with a coiling central axis but in opposite directions, and 
the coiling state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and 
second connecting portions are rotated relatively one another, and at 
least one of the first and second connecting portions is provided with a 
cutout portion for relieving the stress acted on the connecting portion 
when the connecting portion is bent substantially, perpendicularly 
relative to the coiling central axis of the coiling portion. 
In this case, it is effective that the center portion of the coiling 
portion of the connecting member has a hollow portion and a supporting 
member is provided which has a supporting portion inserted into the hollow 
portion for supporting the connecting member. 
In the same case, it is also advantageous that the supporting portion of 
the supporting member is provided with a hollow portion through which 
connecting cables such as lead wires and the like are passed. 
According to the present invention having configurations described above, 
in order to integrate a monitor portion of a liquid crystal display having 
a rather large-sized screen with a VTR portion to construct monitor/VTR 
portion, a VTR substrate and a liquid crystal substrate are piled and 
sandwiched between the monitor portion and the VTR portion. Therefore, the 
apparatus can be largely small-sized as compared to the prior art example 
in which a monitor portion and a VTR portion are put together side by side 
to form an integrated rectangular body. Of course, the camera portion is 
arranged relatively rotatable with respect to the monitor/VTR portion. 
Thus, an operator can visually check the picture recording condition of a 
subject displayed on the relatively large-sized monitor portion and keep 
his or her eyes away from the monitor while freely setting up a camera 
angle. 
Further, according to the present invention, the camera portion can be 
rotated through the rotary mechanism so that the picture-pickup face of 
the camera portion may be oriented in the same direction with the face of 
the monitor portion, therefore an operator can readily take his or her own 
figure as a subject while observing the subject on the monitor portion 
without providing another separate monitor. In addition, the inversion 
detecting switch is changed over in link with the inversion of the camera 
portion, so that the display image is inverted upside down. This allows an 
upright subject image to be monitored, thus facilitating picture-recording 
in the self-image pickup mode. 
Still, according to the present invention, since batteries are contained in 
the camera portion and covered by the battery cover that also serves as 
the grip, the installation of the batteries can be assured reliably as 
well as improving the gripping performance. 
Moreover, in the present invention, by providing a rotary portion as a part 
of the connecting means as well as providing of a fixing member for fixing 
the connecting means, it is possible to provide a larger rotational angle, 
an improved durability and make the device compact.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
An embodiment of a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera of the 
present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference 
to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in 
camera of an embodiment viewed from the front side, and FIG. 8 is a 
perspective view of the same viewed from the backside. In FIGS. 7 and 8, 
the VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera, designated at 500, is 
shown being set on a table, board or other horizontal plane. 
In these figures, reference numeral 10 designates a monitor/VTR portion, 
integrally composed of a VTR portion 11 holding a removable tape cassette 
99 and a monitor portion 12 having a liquid crystal display panel. 
Reference numeral 13 designates a camera portion, which is attached on one 
side of monitor/VTR portion through a rotary mechanism 14 (to be detailed 
later) so as to be rotatable relative to the portion 10, and which 
incorporates an inverting means for making the display image on the 
monitor portion 12 upside down. A cassette lid removably attached from VTR 
portion 11 is designated at 15, and a grip portion disposed integrally 
with cassette lid 15 is designated at 16. Further, there are provided a 
liquid crystal display panel 17, a VTR control panel 18, liquid crystal 
control buttons 19, a light-receiver for remote control 20, a front part 
21 of camera cabinet, a rear part 22 of camera cabinet, a middle part 23 
of camera cabinet, a grip portion 24, a battery cover 25, a battery 26, a 
lens shutter 27, a lens unit 28, a microphone 29, a start/stop switch 30, 
camera control buttons 31 and zooming buttons 32. 
Grip portion 24 is formed on front part 21 of camera cabinet of camera 
portion 13 in order that the apparatus may be stably supported for picture 
recording when an operator holds grip portion 16 of monitor/VTR portion 10 
in his/her left hand and grips battery cover 25 of camera portion 13 in 
his/her right hand. Further, this structure allows the right hand to grip 
battery cover 25, thus assuring the reliability of attachment of battery 
26. In order to improve the gripping performance for grip portion 24 of 
camera portion 13, finger-receiving portion 24a is shaped on grip portion 
24. Operating switches are arranged such that start/stop switch 30 is 
pressed with a forefinger and camera control buttons 31 and zooming 
buttons 32 are handled with a thumb. 
FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view showing the inner structure of the 
with a monitor-equipped built-in camera. In this figure, VTR 500 is shown 
generally classified into three blocks, that is, monitor/VTR portion 10, 
camera portion 13 and rotary mechanism 14. Rotary mechanism 14 is to 
connect monitor/VTR portion 10 with camera portion 13 such that the former 
may rotate within about 270.degree. relative to the latter. 
Initially, monitor/VTR portion 10 will be described. Monitor portion 12 is 
formed as a unit of a VTR mechanism unit 41 with which removable tape 
cassette 99 is engaged; a liquid crystal monitor holder 42, which includes 
a liquid crystal display panel 17; a light-leading plate 43; and a 
backlight 44 fixed with terminal plates 45, 46 in an electrically and 
mechanically connecting manner. In order to drive VTR mechanism unit 41, 
there is provided a VTR substrate 47, on which a recording/playing circuit 
and all the other required circuits for functioning the VTR are equipped 
as well as driving circuit for driving VTR mechanism unit 41. Reference 
numeral 48 designates a liquid crystal substrate for driving monitor 
portion 12. The liquid crystal substrate 48 includes a signal processing 
circuit, a circuit for backlight and other circuits as well as a driving 
circuit for liquid crystal display panel 17. 
Further, the aforementioned VTR substrate 47 and liquid crystal substrate 
48 are sandwiched between VTR mechanism unit 41 of VTR portion 11, and 
liquid crystal monitor holder 42 holding liquid crystal display panel 17 
of monitor portion 12. These four members are stacked and integrated. This 
is one of main features of this invention. In this structure, the maximal 
dimension of VTR substrate 47 and liquid crystal substrate 48 is limited 
to within the outside dimension of liquid crystal display panel 17, so 
that the whole part of monitor/VTR portion 10 may be designed compact. The 
sandwich structure, i.e., VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid 
crystal substrate 48 and liquid crystal monitor holder 42 are incorporated 
into a cabinet 49, and covered by cassette lid 15 with grip portion 16. 
Monitor/VTR portion 10 further includes a control panel 18 disposed on the 
front side of cabinet 49, a speaker 50, terminal plates 51, a terminal 
plate cover 52, a knob 53, a tripod socket nut 54, a knob 55 and 
connecting cables 56 to 63. 
Next, camera portion 13 will be described. Fixed at a rear end of a lens 
unit 28 is a CCD image-pickup device substrate 64. There are provided a 
CCD image-pickup device driving substrate 65, a shield board 66, a signal 
processing substrate 67, a shield board 68, a sub-substrate 69, a battery 
terminal plate 70, a power switch 71, a knob 72 and connecting cables 73 
to 79. 
Battery wire cable 78 leading out from battery terminal plate 70, and 
flexible cable 79, leading out from signal processing substrate 67, are 
introduced into monitor/VTR portion 10 through the center of rotary 
mechanism 14 to supply electric power. CCD image-pickup substrate 64 
incorporates therein a CCD image-pickup device for transforming optical 
signals from lens unit 28 into electric image signals. CCD image-pickup 
device driving substrate 65 includes all the circuits required for 
operating the camera, such as a timing circuit for driving the CCD 
image-pickup device, a signal processing circuit, an automatic 
white-balancing circuit, an automatic focusing circuit, etc. 
Attached in middle part 23 of the camera cabinet are lens unit 28, CCD 
image-pickup substrate 64, CCD image-pickup device driving substrate 65, 
signal processing substrate 67, sub-substrate 69, battery terminal plate 
70, power switch 71 and other elements. This provision of all the parts 
for camera functions to middle part 23 of the camera cabinet is to make 
the assembling thereof easy, and to allow easy adjustment of the camera. 
The image-pickup signals are transmitted through flexible cable 79 to VTR 
substrate 47 so as to be recorded on tape cassette 99 in VTR mechanism 
unit 41. The signals are also transmitted to liquid crystal substrate 48 
so that liquid crystal display panel 17 may simultaneously display the 
pickup image as it is taken. It is noted that liquid crystal display panel 
17 can also be used to display a regenerated picture upon the reproduction 
of removable tape cassette 99 in VTR mechanism unit 41. 
The VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera 500 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 
described heretofore is set in a storage position at non-use. In this 
non-use storage position, camera portion 13 is aligned with monitor/VTR 
portion 10, or more specifically, the horizontal scan direction of liquid 
crystal display panel 17 is set perpendicular to the longitudinal 
direction of camera portion 13. The pickup face of lens unit 28 is opposed 
to liquid crystal display panel 17, and perpendicular to the direction in 
which VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid crystal substrate 48 
and liquid crystal display panel 17 are piled up, or parallel to liquid 
crystal display panel 17. 
Meanwhile, as one of important components of the invention, there is 
provided an inverting means for making the display image on monitor 
portion 12 upside down. This inverting means eliminates the inconvenience 
of an inverted image which would be displayed when an operator tries to 
pick up his or her own figure by him- or herself with the prior art VTR. 
Specifically, camera portion 13 can be rotated relative to monitor/VTR 
portion 10 within a range of about 270.degree. by means of rotary 
mechanism 14, which will be described hereinafter. Further, provided on a 
mechanism holding metal member 84 integrated with a monitor/VTR portion 
cabinet 87 is an inversion detecting switch 89 that is activated when 
camera portion 13 is rotated relative to monitor/VTR portion 10 about 
180.degree. from the non-use storage position a projection 83a for 
activating the inversion detecting switch 89 is formed on a periphery part 
of a pressing plate 83. This inversion detecting switch 89 causes the 
display image on liquid crystal display panel 17 to invert (turn upside 
down) when activated by projection 83a. The inversion detecting switch 89 
is connected through connecting cable 56 to an unillustrated IC for image 
upside-down inversion. 
The position in which inversion detecting switch 89 is activated by the 
180.degree. rotation of camera portion 13 from the non-use storage 
position is shown in FIG. 10C. In other words, switch 89 is made active 
when the pickup face of lens unit 28 is oriented in the direction 
coincident with that of liquid crystal display panel 17 with respect to 
the direction in which VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid 
crystal substrate 48 and liquid crystal display panel 17 are stacked. Thus 
the mode in which the pickup face and liquid crystal display panel 17 are 
oriented in the same direction is used when an operator takes his or her 
own figure as a subject by him- or herself as shown in FIG. 24, which will 
be detailed hereinafter. 
FIG. 10A shows a position in which monitor/VTR portion 10 is relatively 
rotated 18.degree. through rotary mechanism 14 in counterclockwise 
direction relative to camera portion 13. FIG. 10B shows a position in 
which monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 90.degree. in counterclockwise 
direction relative to camera portion 13. The mode in which the camera 
portion 13 is rotated at 90.degree. is shown perspectively in FIG. 11. 
FIG. 10C shows a position in which monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 
180.degree. relative to camera portion 13, that is, a position in which 
the pickup face of lens unit 28 and liquid crystal display panel 17 is 
oriented in the same direction. This position is for self-image pickup 
mode, but may be applicable to the non-use storage position. 
Although the above description has been made on an embodiment in which the 
changeover of upside-down inversion of the image to be displayed on liquid 
crystal display panel 17 is carried out automatically when camera portion 
13 is rotated 180.degree. relative to monitor/VTR portion 10, it is 
obvious that the embodiment should not limit the invention. For example, 
the changeover may be controlled with a manual switch, or with a remote 
control to effect the upside-down inversion. Alternatively, plural modes 
such as automatic mode and manual mode may be provided to perform the 
changeover of image inversion automatically and manually. 
Next, detailed description will be made of rotary mechanism 14 used in the 
video tape recorder with a monitor-equipped built-in camera in accordance 
with the invention. 
Initially, referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, rotary mechanism 14 
includes a spacer holding metal member 80, a spacer 81, a leaf spring 82, 
a pressing plate 83, a mechanism holding metal member 84. This rotary 
mechanism 14 is shown more specifically in a sectional view of FIG. 12 and 
a side view of FIG. 13. 
In these figures, reference numeral 89 designates the above-mentioned 
inversion detecting switch, and when the switch is activated by projection 
83a, the display image on liquid crystal display panel 17 may be made to 
invert upside down. The other configurations of rotary mechanism 14 in the 
embodiment exemplified in FIGS. 12 and 13 are substantially similar to 
those in the prior art. That is, spacer holding metal member 80 is 
integrally fit in camera portion cabinet 85 while being fixed with spacer 
81 by screw bolts 86. On the other hand, mechanical holding metal member 
84 is integrally fit in monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87, and is held 
tightly but resiliently between leaf spring 82 set on the stepped bottom 
face of spacer 81 and pressing plate 83 fixed to the stepped top face of 
spacer 81 with screws 88. 
Camera portion cabinet 85 and monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87, and therefore 
camera portion 13 and monitor/VTR portion 10 are jointed in a relatively 
rotating manner through spacer 81 and the sandwiching structure of 
mechanical holding metal member 84 held between leaf spring 82 and 
pressing plate 83 in rotary mechanism 14. Upon rotation of camera portion 
13 relative to monitor/VTR portion 10, it is possible to stop camera 
portion 13 stably at an arbitrary angle relative to monitor/VTR portion 10 
by the frictional resistance force caused by the elastically pressing 
force due to leaf spring 82. Flexible cable 79 is stretched between camera 
portion cabinet 85 and monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87 through central 
through-holes 80a, 81a of spacer holding metal member 80 and spacer 81. 
Meanwhile, the present invention proposes as an effective, improved means, 
that the aforementioned rotary mechanism 14 comprises a flexible 
connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable parts, and 
the connecting member comprises: a coiling portion having a vortex 
structure disposed in the central portion; and first and second connecting 
portions extracted respectively from a starting end and a terminal end of 
the coiling portion and extended in parallel with a coiling central axis 
but in opposite directions. The present invention proposes as a further 
improved means that in addition to the above configurations, the coiling 
state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and second 
connecting portions are rotated relative to one another, and at least one 
of the first and second connecting portions is provided with a cutout 
portion for relieving the stress acting on the connecting portion when the 
connecting portion is bent substantially, perpendicular relative to the 
coiling central axis of the coiling portion. 
Referring now to FIGS. 14 to 18, description will be made of an embodiment 
of a connecting means according to the invention being applied to a 
connecting device for a viewfinder of VTR. 
First, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, which are schematic illustrations of the 
embodiment according to the invention, a connecting portion 311a of a 
viewfinder 311 is fit in with a leaf spring 312, and a main body cabinet 
313 and a metal plate 314 are fitted to the connecting portion 311a so as 
to be rotatable, and then a disc 315 is laid over the plate metal 314 and 
fixed to viewfinder 311 with screws 316, each of which is screwed through 
a through-hole 315a into a screw hole 311b. Thus, there is provided in 
main body cabinet 313 a mechanical connecting means allowing viewfinder 
311 to rotate with respect to main body cabinet 313. 
On the other hand, the electric connection is provided through a flexible 
substrate 317, The flexible substrate 317 is attached to a fixing holder 
(supporter) 318. The electrical connection is inserted across a hollow 
portion 322 formed inside the joint of the mechanically connecting means, 
and connected at its ends to the connectors (not shown) of respective 
electric circuits. In FIG. 14, the flexible substrate designated at 
flexible substrate 317 used for electrically connecting means includes a 
strip-like member being wound up into a coil at a central axis 300 as a 
coiling center, as will be described later. 
Referring now to FIGS. 15 and 16, the above flexible substrate 317 serving 
as connecting means will be described. 
FIG. 15 is an illustration of essential parts showing a rotary portion of 
flexible substrate 317 of the connecting means, and FIGS. 16 is an 
expanded view of flexible substrate 317. 
As shown in FIG. 15, flexible substrate 317 has a coiling portion 317a in 
the center. The coiling portion 317a is formed by winding up the strip 
from a corner 317b to another corner 317c shown FIG. 16 in plural times 
into a coil having a central axis 300. A cutout slit 317g is provided for 
the expanded flexible substrate on the starting side of the coiling. This 
slit 317g allows a center portion 317h of the substrate to be bent 
circularly without undergoing any stress at the bending portion. In this 
case, as described previously, flexible substrate 317 has coiling portion 
317a, which is made by winding up the strip-like member into a coil, and 
first and second connecting portions 317e and 317f extending in the 
opposite directions in parallel with coiling central axis 300 of coiling 
portion 317a from the stating point and the ending point of coiling 
portion 317a , respectively. As will be described, flexible substrate 317 
allows the winding state of coiling portion 317a to change, or implicitly, 
permits coiling portion 317a to become larger or smaller like a flat 
spiral spring, so that first connecting portion 317e may be rotated 
relative to second connecting portion 317f. 
In this case, it is advantageous to provide a cutout or slit 317g as stated 
above for at least one of first and second connecting portions 317e and 
317f. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, there is 
provided a slit 317g at the end of first connecting portion 317e. 
This slit 317g forms, as stated above, a cutout for relieving the stress 
acted on first connecting portion 317e in the case shown in FIGS. 15 and 
16, for example, where first connecting portion 317e is bent substantially 
perpendicular to coiling, central axis 300 of coiling portion 317a as 
shown, for example, in FIG. 18 (which will be detailed later). That is, 
the slit 317g or the aforementioned cutout allows flexible substrate 317 
to be bent readily at an exit disposed in fixing holder (supporter) 318 
without undergoing any stress even when the exit is formed in a 
semicircular shape. 
Next, referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, description will be made of the fixing 
member (supporter) for fixing the connecting means used in the present 
invention. Here, FIG. 17 is a sectional view of essential parts, and FIG. 
18 is a front illustrative view of essential parts. 
In FIGS. 17 and 18, a fixing holder (supporter) 318 for a fixing member 
includes a through-hole 318a for fixing screw to fix the fixing holder 
(supporter), a flexible substrate-receiving slit 318b, a hollow 318c for 
inserting lines, and a fitting portion (supporting portion) 318d. 
The attachment of flexible substrate 317 to a metal plate 314 through 
fixing holder (supporter) 318 is carried out by inserting fitting portion 
(supporting portion) 318d into hollow portion 317d of flexible substrate 
317 (see FIG. 15), inserting the first connecting portion 317e of the 
flexible substrate into flexible substrate receiving slit 318b which is in 
a shape of a semicircular clearance, fixing both flexible substrate 317 
and fixing holder (supporter) 318 together, and securing fixing holder 
(supporter) 318 by fitting a screw 319 into a screw hole 314a disposed on 
plate metal 314 through-hole 318a for fixing screw while the lower portion 
of fixing holder (supporter) 318 being inserted into a slit 324. 
Next, the rotary movement of the connecting means used in the present 
invention will be described with reference mainly to FIGS. 17 and 18. 
As shown in FIG. 17, as to the connecting means of the invention, 
viewfinder 311, leaf spring 312 and disc 315 integrally rotate with 
respect to main body cabinet 313 and plate metal 314 disposed on the VTR 
body. In this case, plate metal 314 is put between leaf spring 312 and 
disc 315, so the rotation can be made receiving a certain frictional 
force. 
As viewfinder 311 rotates against main body cabinet 313, flexible substrate 
317 undergoes a twisting force to thereby generate a force acting along 
the circumferential direction of the coiling circle. This force acts on 
the coil such that the coil is enlarged or reduced like a flat spiral 
spring in its radial direction with central axis 300 as a center, allowing 
viewfinder 311 to rotate across a broad angle. 
In order to effect enlargement and reduction in the coiling diameter 
smoothly, both ends of the rotary portion must be surely engaged or 
caught. As specific means to achieve this, after fixing flexible substrate 
317 to fitting portion (supporting portion) 318d of fixing holder 
(supporter) 318 shown in the figure, first connecting end 317e of flexible 
substrate 317 having slit 317g in the middle thereof for readily shaping 
circularly, is inserted into flexible substrate receiving slit 318b of 
semicircular shape formed in fixing holder (supporter) 318. Second 
connecting end 317f of flexible substrate 317 is to be fixed on the view 
finder side (not shown). 
Disposed through hollow 318c of the holder (supporter) is a bundle of lead 
wires 320, so that flexible substrate 317 and bundle of lead wires 320 are 
to move separately. In this case, assuming that the view finder side is 
fixed in FIG. 18, the side of fixing holder (supporter) 318 can be 
considered to rotate. As there is provided a slit 317g in coiling portion 
317a in the flexible substrate, if the exit of fixing holder (supporter) 
318 is circularly shaped, no stress would be imposed and the substrate can 
be bent at the exit. The connecting end on the viewfinder side is 
extracted from the outer circumference of the rotary part of the flexible 
substrate so that the flexible substrate comes out substantially flat 
without being bent circularly. Therefore, there is no need to form a slit 
on the side. 
Thus, by fixing the flexible substrate securely while the bundle of lead 
wires is separately fixed, the possibility of interference between the 
former and the latter can be excluded, thus making it possible to prevent 
the generation of both noise and disconnection with a compact design. 
Another embodiment can be provided by a flexible substrate 321 without a 
slit thereon as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. In a case where the coiling 
diameter of a rotary portion 321a is large enough compared to the width of 
the flexible substrate, the end portions of the flexible substrate come 
out of the rotary portion substantially flat so that the slit as in 
flexible member 317 can be left out. 
Finally, various picture recording situations using the VTR with a 
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the invention will be shown 
specifically in FIGS. 21 to 24. FIG. 21 shows a normal picture recording 
situation. In this case, monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 
counterclockwise by a referential angle .theta..sub.0 from non-use storage 
position with respect to camera portion 13. The view line of the operator 
is oriented 45.degree. downward from the level while the operator stands 
substantially upright. FIG. 22 shows a state of low angle picture 
recording. In this case, monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 
counterclockwise by a referential angle .theta..sub.1 with respect to 
camera portion 13. In this case, with .theta..sub.1 &gt;.theta..sub.0, the 
operator bends slightly forward while the view line of the operator is 
directed substantially downward. FIG. 23 shows a state of high angle 
picture recording. In this case, monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 
counterclockwise by an angle .theta..sub.2 from a storage position at 
non-use with respect to camera portion 13. In this case, the view line of 
the operator is inclined upward. Thus, by setting up the camera angle and 
monitor screen angle freely, it is possible for an operator to record 
pictures and visually check the pickup condition of a subject displayed on 
a relatively large-sized liquid crystal display panel 17, while keeping 
his or her eyes away from the liquid crystal display panel 17 or VTR of 
the a monitor-equipped built-in camera 500. 
FIG. 24 shows a state of self-image recording. Monitor/VTR portion 10 is 
rotated 180.degree. from a storage position at non-use with respect to 
camera portion 13 so as to turn the picture-pickup face of lens unit 28 
and liquid crystal display panel 17 toward the same direction. This 
180.degree. rotation activates inversion detecting switch 89 to drive the 
IC for image upside-down inversion, thus displaying an image inverted 
upside down on liquid crystal display panel 17. Then putting the VTR with 
a monitor-equipped built-in camera 500 on a table 90 or other place, an 
operator him- or herself controls the VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in 
camera 500 with a remote control transmitter 91 keeping some distance 
therefrom. The remote control operation includes zoom adjustment, start of 
picture-recording, pose, stop, etc. A remote control sensor 20 receives 
infrared remote control signals emitted from remote control transmitter 91 
to effect predetermined control operations. In this self-image pickup 
mode, the operator effects picture-recording of his or her own figure by 
him- or herself while the liquid crystal display panel 17 displays his or 
her upright image after the upside-down inversion. Since the screen size 
of liquid crystal display panel 17 is relatively large, it is possible for 
the operator to visually check the recording condition of the subject at 
some distance correctly. 
Here, on a condition that the VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera 
500 is set on a tripod, if rotary mechanism 14 is adapted to be driven by 
a motor, the apparatus can be controlled by remote control transmitter 91 
to drive the motor, thus remote-controlling the relative angle of camera 
portion 13 to monitor/VTR portion 10. 
In accordance with the thus configurated VTR with a monitor-equipped 
built-in camera of the present invention, an operator can freely set up a 
camera angle and a monitor screen angle by rotating the monitor/VTR 
portion relative to the camera portion through the rotational mechanism, 
and the operator can visually check the picture recording condition of a 
subject displayed on the monitor portion of a relatively large-sized 
liquid crystal screen while keeping his or her eyes away from the monitor. 
Further, since the VTR substrate and the liquid crystal substrate are 
stocked and sandwiched between the monitor portion and the VTR portion, 
the apparatus can be small-sized as compared to the prior art example in 
which a monitor portion and a VTR portion are put together side by side to 
form an integrated rectangular body. Since the camera portion can be 
rotated through the rotary mechanism so that the pickup face of the camera 
portion may be oriented in the same direction with the face of the liquid 
crystal screen of the monitor portion and at the same time the display 
image is inverted upside down by changing over the inversion detecting 
switch, an operator can readily effect self-image recording to pick up 
him- or herself as the subject while monitoring a normal upright subject 
image displayed on the monitor portion. 
In addition, according to the VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera, 
since batteries, contained in the camera portion and covered by the 
battery cover is gripped over the battery cover, the installation of the 
batteries can be assured reliably as well as improving the gripping 
performance. 
Moreover, in the present invention, by providing a rotary portion as a part 
of the connecting means as described above, it is possible to provide a 
larger rotating angle of the joining portion and an improved durability of 
the connecting means. The provision of a fixing member for fixing the 
rotary portion prevents interference of the connecting means with the 
peripheral members and can make the connecting means compact.