Abstract:
An imaging camera head for a visual presenter including a base, a support column standing on the base and having a distal end and an imaging camera having an operation section is disclosed. The imaging camera head is mounted on the distal end of the support column and includes a casing lengthwise divided into a plurality of parts and having one end on which the imaging camera is mounted and the other end on which the operation section of the imaging camera is mounted and a coupling shaft extending lengthwise with respect to the casing and coupling the parts to each other for relative rotation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-10783, filed on Jan. 19, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an imaging camera head for a visual presenter which displays on a monitor, screen or the like a captured image of material.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the related art  
         [0005]     Conventional visual presenters include an operation section disposed on a base thereof on which a support column stands or a stage as disclosed by JP-A-H10-191105 or a stage on which a support column stands as disclosed by JP-A-2004-56558.  
         [0006]     However, when the operation section is disposed on the base on which the support column stands or the stage, the user needs to reach for the operation panel disposed on the base or the stage in focusing or zooming the imaging camera. Thus, the conventional visual presenter provides low operability. Remote control can improve the operability but increases the production cost of the visual presenter.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging camera head which can improve the operability of the imaging camera such as focusing, zooming or the like and which is low in the production cost.  
         [0008]     The present invention provides an imaging camera head for a visual presenter including a base, a support column standing on the base and having a distal end and an imaging camera having an operation section, the imaging camera head being mounted on the distal end of the support column, the imaging camera head comprising a casing lengthwise divided into a plurality of parts and having one end on which the imaging camera is mounted and the other end on which the operation section of the imaging camera is mounted, and a coupling shaft extending lengthwise with respect to the casing and coupling the parts to each other for relative rotation.  
         [0009]     According to the above-described imaging camera head, the casing is lengthwise divided into a plurality of parts, and the parts are coupled to each other by the coupling haft for relative rotation. Accordingly, an imaging direction can be selected according to a position of the imaging camera head. Furthermore, an adjusting operation such as focusing can be carried out at said other end of the imaging camera head. Thus, since the operator need not reach for the operation panel provided on the base or the like, the operability can be improved. Additionally, since the construction is simplified and designability is improved, the imaging camera head can be produced at low costs. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear upon reviewing the following description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a visual presenter in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a pivot shaft;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the pivot shaft;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the pivot shaft;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an imaging camera;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an interior of the imaging camera;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another example of the imaging camera;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the body of the visual presenter when the imaging camera is in a horizontal position;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is also a perspective view of the body of the visual presenter when the imaging camera is in a vertical position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is further a perspective view of the body;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a positioner and a positioned member;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the stage;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the stage;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the stage; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the stage. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG.  1 , a visual presenter  1  of the embodiment is provided with an imaging camera head  17  of the embodiment. The visual presenter  1  comprises a body  2  and a stage  100   a  coupled to the body  2 . The body  2  includes a base  3 , a support column  13  and an imaging camera  17 . The base  3  is formed into a rectangular shape and has a front  4  and a rear  5  both of which have curved faces. A positioner  7  is formed in a corner of a lower edge of the front  4  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The positioner  7  includes a magnet piece  6  affixed thereto.  
         [0027]     A control circuit unit  8  and a weight  9  are enclosed in the base  3 . The weight  9  prevents the rear  5  side of the base  3  from rising when the support column  13  is inclined frontward. Furthermore, various connecting sockets  10  and the like are provided on the rear  5  of the base  3  for ensuring electrical connection between external equipment and the visual presenter  1 . A pivot shaft  11  is pivotally mounted on substantially a central part of the curved surface  4  side of the base  3 . The pivot shaft  11  has an upper surface on which a support column mounting portion  12  is formed.  
         [0028]     The support column  13  is inserted into the mounting portion  12  so as to stand. The support column  13  is hollow and accordingly, wire harness (not shown) is inserted through the support column  13 . A curved portion  14  is formed on the support column  13 . The curved portion  14  has a distal end on which a horizontal portion  15  protruding in such a direction that the horizontal portion  15  is spaced away from the front  4  of the base  3 . Furthermore, the horizontal portion  15  has a distal end on which a coupling part  15   a  is mounted. The coupling part  15   a  also has a distal end on which a hollow pivot shaft  16  formed. An imaging camera  17  is pivotally mounted on the hollow pivot shaft  16 .  
         [0029]     Referring now to FIGS.  2  to  4 , the pivot shaft  11  includes two left and right members  21  and  22  integrated together. The members  21  and  22  are made from aluminum by die-casting. The left member  21  is formed with a hollow shaft  23 . The hollow shaft  23  has a distal end on which a male screw  24  is formed. The hollow shaft  23  is inserted through a shaft support hole  27  of the bracket  26  fixed in the base  3  with a spacer  25  being fitted on the male thread  24 . A corrugated washer  28  and a flat washer  29  are fitted on a part of the hollow shaft protruding from the shaft support hole  27 . The corrugated washer  28  and a flat washer  29  are tightened up against the bracket  26  by a nut  30 .  
         [0030]     A right-hand member  22  includes a shaft  31  and a spring-holding pin  32  both formed on a right sidewall thereof, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The shaft  31  is inserted through a shaft hole  35  of a bracket  34  fixed in the base  3  with a spacer  33  being interposed therebetween. The spring-holding pin  32  is inserted through an arc hole  36  formed in the bracket  34  so as to be concentric with the shaft hole  35 . The shaft  31  has an end to which a shaft  38  with a return spring  37  is fixed.  
         [0031]     The return spring  37  has one end formed with a hook  39  hooked on the pin  32  and the other end also formed with a hook  40  which is hooked on a spring hook  41  of the bracket  34 . The return spring  37  imparts a turning force on the support column  13  standing on the mounting portion  12  in such a direction that the support column  13  rises from a forwardly-leaning position. The bracket  34  is provided with a stopper  42  controlling the rising state of the support column  13  against which the pin  32  abuts.  
         [0032]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an imaging camera  17  comprises a slender shaft support  51  and a slender camera head  52 . The shaft support  51  includes upper and lower two-split cylindrical cases  53   a  and  53   b  both made of a synthetic resin. The camera head  52  also includes upper and lower two-split cylindrical cases  54   a  and  54   b  both made of a synthetic resin.  
         [0033]     A pivot shaft  16  is mounted on a distal end of the horizontal part  15  of the support column  13 . The pivot shaft  16  is inserted into a hole (not shown) formed in a proximal end of the lower case  53   b . The pivot shaft  16  is pivotally mounted on a pivot bearing  55  by a clamping piece  56  screwed to the bearing  55  provided on the case  53   b . A stopper (not shown) is provided case  53   b  for limiting a pivoting angle of the pivot shaft  16  to 90 degrees. A detent mechanism (not shown) is provided between the case  53   b  and the pivot shaft  16  for offering a crisp feel at every 90-degree pivot. A zoom dial  58  with a centrally incorporated autofocus button is rotatably mounted on a proximal end of the case  53   b . A coupling shaft bracket  59  is mounted on a side end opposite to the zoom dial  58 .  
         [0034]     A camera control circuit unit  60  for the imaging camera  17  is mounted on the lower case  54   b  of the camera head  52 . A lens barrel  61  is formed on a lower distal end of the case  53   b  so as to protrude. A coupling shaft bracket  62  is mounted on the proximal end of the case  54   b . A hollow coupling shaft  63  is inserted between the bracket  59  of the case  53   b  and the bracket  62  of the case  54   b . The camera head  52  is pivotally coupled to the shaft support  51  by the coupling shaft  63 . The imaging cameral  17  may comprise an operation knob  64  or the like, instead of the zoom dial  58 .  
         [0035]     The control circuit unit  8  disposed in the base  3 , the camera control circuit unit  60  and the zoom dial  58  with incorporated autofocus button  57  and the like are electrically connected to one another. A wire harness ensuring the electrical connection is arranged through the hollow shaft  23  of the pivot shaft  11 , the support column  13 , the hollow pivot shaft  16  and the coupling shaft  63 . The above-described body  2  is caused to pivot about the pivot shaft  11  of the pivot shaft support  51  of the imaging camera  17  from the steady state as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 8 , so that the body  2  can be changed from the horizontal state to the vertical state and to the state where the column  13  is leaned forward.  
         [0036]     When the column  13  is leaned forward, the weight  9  disposed in the base  3  prevents the rear  5  side of the base  3  from rising. Furthermore, a nut  30  applies a braking force via the washers  28  and  29  to the pivot shaft  11  between the brackets  26  and  34 . Additionally, the return spring  37  biases the shaft  31  of the pivot shaft  11  in such a direction that the forwardly leaned support column  13  rises. Accordingly, when pivoting moment of the column  13  with the imaging camera  17  mounted thereon, the clamping force of the nut  30  and a biasing force of the return spring  37  are adjusted so as to become head-to-head or substantially equal to one another, the support column  13  can be stopped at any forward lean angle, that is, a free stop mechanism can be provided. Furthermore, when the column  13  is returned from the forward leaning state to the rising state, the column  13  can easily be caused to rise with assistance of the biasing force of the return spring  37 .  
         [0037]     FIGS.  12  to  15  exemplify stages  100   a  to  100   d  coupled to the body  2  in use. Each stage has an upper surface or placement surface  101 . Furthermore, each stage has a front edge formed with a positioned member  102  coupled to the positioner  7  of the base  3 . The positioned member  102  is formed with a right-angled estimation portion  103  which has one side on which a magnetic piece  104  is affixed.  
         [0038]     The aforesaid positioner  7  and the positioned member  102  are coupled together by an attractive force of the magnet. In this case, the right-angled corner of the base  3  abuts against the estimation portion  103  so that the placement surfaces  101  of the stages  100   a  to  100   d  are positioned so as to correspond to an imaging range of the imaging camera  17  in the normal state of the body  2  and so that a central part of the placement surface  101  corresponds to a central part of the imaging range of the imaging camera  17 .  
         [0039]     The stage  100   a  as shown in  FIG. 12  includes a whiteboard  105  serving as the placement surface  101 . The stage  100   b  as shown in  FIG. 13  has a backlight illumination  106  provided on the placement surface  101 . The stage  100   c  as shown in  FIG. 14  includes stage members  107   a  and  107   b  connected to each other by hinges (not shown). The stage  100   d  as shown in  FIG. 15  is used in the case where a shine material  108  is to be presented. In this case, an attached antireflective sheet  109  is covered.  
         [0040]     The coupling of the positioner  7  and the positioned member  102  may be executed by fitting of a protrusion of the dovetail tenon type in a dovetail groove which are coupled together in the relation of male and female. Furthermore, the positioned member  102  may be attachable to and detachable from each of the stages  100   a  to  100   d , whereupon a single positioned member can commonly be used.  
         [0041]     According to the above-described imaging camera head  17  of the embodiment, the casing is lengthwise divided substantially at the center into a plurality of parts, and the imaging camera body is mounted on one end of the casing thereby to serve as the imaging camera body  52 . The operation section  51  is mounted on the other end of the casing and includes the zoom dial  58  operable for adjustment of the imaging camera. Accordingly, an adjusting operation such as focusing or zooming can be carried out at said other end of the imaging camera head  17 . Thus, since the operator need not reach for the operation panel provided on the base or the like, the operability can be improved. Additionally, since the construction is simplified and designability is improved, the imaging camera head can be produced at low costs.  
         [0042]     The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various changes and modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such changes and modifications are seen to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.