CAMCORDER

Abstract: Disclosed is a camcorder (100) in which a viewfinder assembly (300) equipped with a reflecting unit such as a reflecting mirror (321) at its inside is mounted attachably/detachably so that the reflecting unit can face a display screen (210) of a display device (200) located at a camcorder body. Between the reflecting unit (321) and the display screen (210), a concave lens can be formed.

Description: TITLE OF THE INVENTION CAMCORDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention. The present invention relates to a camcorder, and more particularly to a camcorder equipped with a viewfinder which is attachably/detachably connected to the camcorder having an LCD screen. Description of the Related Art In a conventional camcorder, a viewfinder is integrally formed at one side of a camcorder body and an object is photographed being recognized through this viewfinder. However, in the conventional camcorder, since the viewfinder is protruded to the outside of the camcorder body, the viewfinder is easy to collide against another object when the camcorder is conveyed and it occupies much space. Moreover, in the case that the viewfinder is not mounted, since the object is photographed being recognized through an LCD screen, it has a defect in that a user cannot concentrate attention in photographing when the LCD screen is exposed to the outside. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to easily use a camcorder by excluding the interference caused by a viewfinder. It is another object of the present to miniaturize the size of the camcorder so that the viewfinder can be kept separately when keeping the camcorder. Yet another object of the present invention is to offer convenience to a user by attaching/detaching the viewfinder according to the necessity. According to one aspect of the present invention, a viewfinder assembly equipped with a reflecting unit at its inside is mounted attachably/detachably so that the reflecting unit can face a display screen of a display device located at the camcorder body. Preferably, the display device is rotatable to the camcorder body, and an LCD assembly can be used as the display device . Preferably, the reflecting unit is a reflecting mirror which is located to have a predetermined angle to the display screen . Preferably, a concave lens is located between the reflecting unit and the display screen. Preferably, at a predetermined position at the screen side of the display device, a screen change switch is located which is operated when it is connected to the viewfinder assembly. Preferably, at one side of the viewfinder assembly, a lens assembly is located for controlling a focus of an image transmitted from the reflecting unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will become readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein; FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the state that a viewfinder is separated from a camcorder according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the state that the viewfinder is connected to the camcorder according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the viewfinder and an LCD are connected according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state that the viewfinder and the LCD are connected according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part illustrating one embodiment of a method for attaching the viewfinder according to the present invention; and FIGs. 6A to 9B are views illustrating the state of the camcorder which show successively the process of attaching/detaching the viewfinder according to the present invention: FIGs. 6A and 6B are plain and front-side views of the camcorder before it is used; FIGs. 7A and 7B are plain and front-side views of the camcorder when an LCD screen is opened; FIGs. 8A and 8B are plain and front-side views of the camcorder when the LCD screen is rotated by 180 degrees to attach the viewfinder; and FIGs. 9A and 9B are plain and front-side views of the camcorder after the viewfinder is attached to the LCD screen . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The objects, characteristics and advantages of the above- described invention will be more clearly understood through the preferable embodiments referring to the attached drawings. As shown in FIGs. 1 to 5, a viewfinder assembly 300 according to the present invention is mounted attachably/detachably to a computer body 100. According to one embodiment of the present invention, at one side of the camcorder body 100, a predetermined display device, i.e., an LCD assembly in the embodiment is mounted rotatably by 90 degrees forward and by 180 degrees by itself. Moreover, an LCD screen 210 is formed at the inner surface of the LCD assembly 200. The viewfinder assembly 300 attached to the LCD assembly 200 includes: an ocular part 310 having an eyecup 311 and a lens assembly 312; a reflecting unit 320 whose reflecting mirror 321 is located at its inner periphery surface; and a mounting unit 330 facing the LCD screen 210. At the one end of the LCD screen 210, a screen change switch 220 is provided. When the viewfinder assembly 300 is connected to the LCD assembly 200 and the screen change switch 220 is pressed, right and left sides of the LCD screen 210 are exchanged through the software process. Accordingly, the shape of an object incident on the eye of a user through the reflecting mirror 321 is the same as the original one which is not changed, since the shape whose right and left sides are changed is changed once again. As shown in FIG. 3, as an embodiment of the viewfinder assembly 300, by enlarging the size of the reflecting unit 320 and providing the reflecting mirror 321 having a large area, it is possible to see the object transmitted from the large sized LCD screen 210. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, by manufacturing the viewfinder assembly 300 in a compact size, i.e., by reducing the size of the reflecting unit 320 and providing the reflecting mirror 321' having a small area, it is possible to see the object transmitted from a small sized LCD screen 210'. As shown in FIG. 9A, in the case of using a small sized viewfinder assembly, it is possible to obtain the same effect by establishing a concave lens 331 at the mounting unit 330 of the viewfinder assembly 300 without reducing the LCD screen 210. As an attaching/detaching means for connecting/disconnecting the viewfinder assembly 300 to the LCD assembly 200, as shown in FIG. 5, a locking groove 200a is formed at the LCD assembly 200 and a locking projection 300a is formed at the viewfinder assembly 300. In addition, it is possible to provide another various kinds of attaching/ . detaching means. The operation of the viewfinder assembly of the camcorder having the above-described structure according to the present invention is explained as follows. As shown in FIGs. 6A and 6B, the LCD assembly 200 is attached to one side of the camcorder body 100 before the camcorder is used. In order to use the camcorder, the LCD assembly 200 is rotated by 90 degrees in the forward direction of the camcorder body 100, and the LCD screen 210 is located in front of the user's eye, as shown in FIGs. 7A and 7B. Under the state, the user recognizes the object shown in the LCD screen 210. In the case that this state is inconvenient to photograph the object or in the case of attaching the viewfinder, as shown in FIGs. 8A and 8B, the LCD screen 210 is exposed to the outside by rotating the LCD assembly 200 by 180 degrees. Under the state, as shown in FIGs. 9A and 9B, when the viewfinder assembly 300 is connected to the LCD assembly 200, the object transmitted through the LCD screen 210 is come into the inside of the viewfinder assembly 300 through the mounting unit 330 of the viewfinder assembly 300. After that, the object passes through the lens assembly 312 being reflected on the reflecting mirror 321, and then passes through the eyecup 311, thereby being incident upon the eye of the user. At this time, by controlling the lens assembly 312, it is possible to adjust the focus of the object which is transmitted. In the case that the concave lens 331 is located at the mounting unit 330 of the viewfinder assembly 300, the object transmitted from the LCD screen 210 is reflected by the small sized reflecting mirror 321' being reduced by the concave lens 331. The image reflected by the reflecting mirror 321' is incident upon the eye of the user through the lens assembly 312. In the course of attaching the viewfinder assembly 300 to the LCD assembly 200, the image is reflected by the reflecting mirrors 321 and 321' by operating the screen change switch 220 located at one side of the LCD screen 210 of the LCD assembly 200. Since the both sides of this reflected image are changed already when the image is transmitted from the LCD screen 210, the original form of the object is incident upon the eye of the user after both sides of the image are changed by the reflecting mirrors 321 and 321'. As described above, according to the camcorder of the present invention, it is possible to use the viewfinder by attaching to the LCD assembly in photographing. In the case that the viewfinder is not needed, or when moving and keeping the camcorder, it is possible to separate the viewfinder from the camcorder, thereby providing convenience in photographing and keeping. Accordingly, when the viewfinder is needed, the viewfinder assembly is attached to the LCD assembly. In addition, the viewfinder is not needed, the photographing is performed by recognizing only the LCD screen, thereby offering convenience to the user. While there have been illustrated and described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teaching of the present invention without departing from the central scope thereof. For example, as the display device, the LCD assembly is explained. However, it is possible to use a PDP or another flat display devices. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but that the present invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS 1. A camcorder in which a viewfinder assembly comprising a reflecting means at its inside is mounted attachably/detachably so that said reflecting means can face a display screen of a display device located at a camcorder body. 2. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein said display device is rotatable to said camcorder body. 3. The camcorder of Claim 2, wherein said display device is an LCD assembly. 4. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein said reflecting means is a reflecting mirror which is located to have a predetermined angle to said display screen. 5. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein a concave lens is located between said reflecting means and said display screen. 6. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein, at a predetermined position at the display screen side of said display device, a screen change switch is located which is operated when connected to said viewfinder assembly. 7. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein said viewfinder assembly further comprises a lens assembly for controlling a focus of an image transmitted from said reflecting means. 8. The camcorder of Claim 1, wherein said viewfinder assembly is mounted on said display device by a locking means.

Inventors: CHO IN-SUNG, YOON HEE-JOUNG, CHO, IN-SUNG, YOON, HEE-JOUNG
Applicants: CHO IN SUNG, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD, YOON HEE JOUNG, CHO, IN-SUNG, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., YOON, HEE-JOUNG
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5