Abstract:
An image photography apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus and method include: a board for performing a predetermined function in an interior portion of the apparatus; and a camera unit having a lens, connected to the board so that electrical signal exchange is possible, wherein a reference plane, virtual plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, and a plane of the board, are substantially perpendicular to each other.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-16021, filed on Mar. 10, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an image photography apparatus and method of manufacturing the same that is capable of photographing an image including a moving image and a still image, and storing and playing the same.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A digital still camera (DSC) converts an image provided through a lens, into a digital signal, and stores the digital signal in a recording media such as a hard disk or a memory card. The digital still camera can store a photographed image on the recording media and therefore, does not require a film, and provides the photographed image in a digital format to a computer. Since such a digital still camera has a high compatibility with an external computer system, editing and modification of the image are easy, and the digital still camera can be connected to the external computer system, so that the photographed image may be transferred. However, such a digital still camera is mainly used for photographing a still image due to the limited capacity of the recording media for recording an image. Some DSCs can perform a video recording function for a limited duration. However, since an apparatus for recording a moving image and a sound, and playing the same simultaneously upon play back, should be additionally provided to properly record a moving image, the DSC is substantially inappropriate for recording, storing, and playing a moving image. Therefore, to record a moving image, a recording/playing apparatus for recording an image and a sound onto the recording media such as a tape, and playing the same, is required. A camcorder is typically used to accomplish this.  
         [0006]     The camcorder, which mainly uses a cassette tape for the recording media, mounts the cassette tape in its deck and records a moving image. The camcorder also has a microphone and a speaker. Such a camcorder can photograph a still image, but the image quality of that still image is poor when compared to that of the still image photographed by the above-described stand-alone still camera. Therefore, the camcorder is mainly used for photographing a moving image. Since the camcorder has more functions than the DSC and therefore has a complicated construction, the camcorder generally is relatively large and high-priced.  
         [0007]     Up to now, as described above, to use each function of the DSC and the camcorder and provide good quality images, the two products should be purchased separately. Therefore, there is a financial burden on users, and because the two products should be carried together in order to capture both still images and moving images, it has been quite inconvenient. Recently, to solve this problem, a product where the function of the DSC and the function of the camcorder, i.e., the apparatus for photographing a still image and the apparatus for photographing a moving image are incorporated into one single product so that a user may selectively use the desired function when necessary, has been developed and sold. A dual cam is one of such products.  
         [0008]     However, in the dual cam, since the two functions are incorporated into one single product, problems are encountered such as the product size increases and the structure gets more complicated. In the dual cam, a digital still camera lens for photographing a still image and a digital video camera (DVC) lens for recording a moving image should be arranged together in a narrow space. Particularly, depending on utilization of a space between the digital still camera lens and the board for performing signal transfer to and from the digital still camera, the product size is determined. According to the conventional art, the digital still camera lens and the board thereof are arranged horizontally (that is, an optical axis of the lens and a plane of the board are arranged perpendicularly). In that case, a problem is encountered in that the volume of the dual cam increases. Therefore, an arrangement structure between the digital still camera lens and the board to reduce overall apparatus size is needed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above drawbacks and other problems associated with the conventional art. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image photography apparatus and method capable of realizing a compactness of the product through efficient arrangement of the digital still camera lens and the board.  
         [0010]     To achieve the above object and other advantages, there is provided an image photography apparatus and manufacturing method, wherein a board for performing a predetermined function in the interior of the apparatus and a camera unit including a lens connected to the board so that an electrical signal exchange is possible, are provided, and a reference plane which is a virtual plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, and a plane of the board are substantially perpendicular to each other.  
         [0011]     Also, the camera unit is preferably arranged on one corner side of the board, and the camera unit is arranged at the lower end of the board.  
         [0012]     Also, the camera unit is preferably directly joined to the board and one corner side of the camera unit is joined to the board. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The above aspects and features of the present invention will be more apparent by describing exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image photography apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a sub board and a second camera unit assembly without a second outer casing in a second outer assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of  FIG. 3 , seen from the other side; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a structural relationship between a sub board and a second camera unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0019]     The same drawing reference numerals are used for the same elements throughout the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     The construction and operation of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0021]     The matters defined in the description such as a detailed construction and elements are exemplary. Thus, it should be apparent that the embodiments of the present invention can be performed without the specific examples. Also, well-known functions or constructions are omitted conciseness.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the image photography apparatus  1000  has a deck assembly  100 ; a rear assembly  200 ; a first outer assembly  300 ; a deck cover assembly  400 ; a second outer assembly  500 ; an upper assembly  600 ; and a front assembly  700 .  
         [0023]     The deck assembly  100  has a deck unit  110  for recording data including an image and playing the data recorded on a magnetic tape; a deck housing  120  for enclosing and supporting the deck unit  110 ; a main board  130  installed to correspond to the deck unit  110  and electrically connected to the deck unit  120  and a first camera unit  140  so that mutual signal transfer is possible. The first camera unit  140  is a conventional digital video camera (DVC) for obtaining a moving image.  
         [0024]     The rear assembly  200  is fixed at the deck housing  120  by means of a screw, and has a rear casing  210  and a rear board  220  joined to the inside of the rear casing  210 .  
         [0025]     The first outer assembly  300  is joined to cover one side of the deck assembly  100 , for example, to cover a part of its right side, and has a first outer casing  310  which is formed by molding. A zoom knob (not shown) for adjusting a focal length up to a subject; a photo-shutter (not shown) for photographing a still image; a mode selection switch (not shown) for selecting between a moving image photographing mode or a still image photographing mode; and a recording button (not shown), are installed on the first outer casing  310 .  
         [0026]     The deck cover assembly  400  has a cover casing  410  which is formed by molding and; a supporting frame  420  joined to the inside of the cover casing  410 .  
         [0027]     The second outer assembly  500  has a second outer casing  510 ; a first display unit  520  joined to the outside of a second outer assembly  510 ; a sub board  530 ; and a second camera unit  540 .  
         [0028]     The second outer casing  510  encloses the left side of the deck assembly  100 , or the side of the main board  130 . The second outer casing  510 , which is preferably made of plastic material by a molding process, has a display mounting part (not shown) on its outside. The first display unit  520  is received and mounted on the display mounting part. Also, a roll switch (not shown) for selecting a menu, a plurality of connection ports (not shown) for connecting with an external apparatus, a speaker unit (not shown), a plurality of function keys, are installed on the second outer casing  510 . Additionally, a variety of function keys may be installed on the second outer casing  510 .  
         [0029]     The first display unit  520  is preferably an Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel and rotatable with respect to two axes, on the second outer casing  510 , through which an image photographed by the first and the second camera units  140  and  540  or the playback image is displayed. The first display unit  520  is electrically connected to the sub board  530  by means of a cable.  
         [0030]     The sub board  530  is joined to the inside of the second outer casing  510 . Through the sub board  530 , the first display unit  520  and the second camera unit  540  are electrically connected. Also, when the first outer assembly  500  is joined to the deck assembly  100 , the sub board  530  is joined to the main board  130  by means of a signal cable. Such a sub board  530  is arranged to be approximately in parallel with the main board  130 . Also, the above-described roll switch, connection ports, speaker unit and function keys are electrically connected to the sub board  530 .  
         [0031]     The second camera unit  540  is a digital still camera (DSC) used mainly for photographing a still image. The second camera unit  540  has a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) whose pixels are greater in number than those of the first camera unit  140  so that it can obtain an image of high quality.  
         [0032]     The upper assembly  600  has an upper casing  610  for covering an upper part of the deck assembly  100 ; a viewfinder unit  620  assembled at one end of the upper casing  610  and which makes it possible for a user to view, with a natural eye, an image photographed or played by the first camera unit  140  or the second camera unit  540 ; a microphone unit  630  joined to the upper casing  610  in a projecting manner toward the outside; and a flash unit  640 . The viewfinder unit  620 , the microphone unit  630 , and the flash unit  640  are electrically connected to the sub board  530 . Also, a variety of function-key modules (not shown) for performing the functions of the DSC that uses the second camera unit  540 , is installed on the upper casing  610 , and the function-key module is electrically connected to the sub board  530 .  
         [0033]     The front assembly  700 , which is designed to cover the front side of the apparatus on which the first and the second camera units  140  and  540  are arranged, has a front casing  710  having a first lens hood and a second lens hood which are open toward the first and the second camera units  140  and  540 , respectively; and a sensor module  720  supported at the inside of the front casing  710  and having a remote control sensor and an illuminating sensor not shown.  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows an assembly structure of the second camera unit  540  and the sub board  530  in the second outer assembly  500  of  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of  FIG. 3 , seen from the other side, and  FIG. 5  shows a structural relationship between the second camera unit  540  and the sub board  530 . As shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 , and  5 , the second camera unit  540  is connected, joined, and installed so that the signal transfer to and from the sub board  530  may be possible.  
         [0035]     Like the conventional digital still camera lens module, the second camera unit  540  includes a lens module  10  having a casing  12  which houses therein a lens  13  (see  FIG. 5 ) and a CCD (not shown), a motor  14 , signal cables  16  and  18  of the CCD and the motor  14 ; a holder  30  for enclosing the outer periphery of the casing  12 ; and a bracket  50  screw-joined to the holder  30 . As shown in the drawings, the second camera unit  540  is joined to the sub board  530  by means of the bracket  50 .  
         [0036]     Also, signal cables  16  and  18  for transferring an electrical signal of the CCD to the sub board  530 , is mounted on the backside of the motor  14  of the lens module  10 . The motor signal cable  16  is connected to the connector  532  installed on the front side of the sub board  530 , and the CCD signal cable  18  is connected to the connector  534  installed on the backside of the sub board  530 , whereby signal transfers to and from the sub board  530  become possible. As described above, the sub board  530  is connected to the connector installed on the main board  130  by means of the connector and a separate signal cable, so that electrical signal transfers to and from the main board  130  become possible.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a virtual plane  70 , which is a Y-Z plane, is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis  90  formed at the center of the lens  13  of the lens module  10 , and may be substantially perpendicular in relation to the plane  80 , which is a Z-X plane, of the board. When the Y-Z plane and the Z-X plane are in substantially perpendicular relation with each other as described above, a compactness of the image photography apparatus can be realized because in the exemplary dual cam, which requires the deck assembly  100  ( FIG. 1 ) to photograph, store, and play still and moving images, the deck assembly  100  can be arranged in the space formed by the camera unit  540  and the sub board  530 .  
         [0038]     With the conventional structure where the plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the conventional digital still camera lens and the plane of the board capable of performing signal transfers to and from the digital still camera lens, are arranged in parallel structure, there has been limitations in reducing the volume of the image photography apparatus. However, by making the camera unit  540  and the sub board of embodiments of the present invention arranged as described above, compactness of the image photography apparatus can be achieved.  
         [0039]     To make more efficient use of the space between the camera unit  540  and the sub board  530 , one side of the second camera unit  540  may be arranged and joined to one corner side of the sub board  530  as shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 . Also, when the second outer assembly  500  and the deck assembly  100  are mutually assembled, the second camera unit  540  is joined to the lower end of the sub board  530  so that it can be arranged below the first camera unit  140 . Accordingly, the second camera unit  540  is installed in the lower part of the first camera unit  140  as shown in  FIG. 2 . As described above, one corner side of the second camera unit  540  is joined to the lower end and one corner side of the sub board  530 , and as a result, the deck assembly  100  is positioned on the space secured therein. Therefore, compactness of the image photography apparatus according to the present invention is accomplished.  
         [0040]     Although the present invention has been described in relation to the arrangement structure between the camera unit and the sub board, the invention is not limited to that specific embodiment, but applied to any arrangement structure as far as it is an arrangement structure between the camera unit and any board for exchanging signal to and from the camera unit among a plurality of boards of the image photography apparatus.  
         [0041]     As is apparent from the foregoing, according to the image photography apparatus of the present invention, the space in the interior of the image photography apparatus is effectively used, so that compactness of the product is resultantly realized.  
         [0042]     The foregoing embodiment and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. Also, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.