Abstract:
Disclosed is an image pickup device includes a camera body and a display unit serving as a monitor, supported for turning on an upper surface of the camera body and capable of being folded in a horizontal position on the upper surface of the camera body and of being set in a standing position at an angle to the upper surface of the camera body. A first recess capable holding the folded display unit therein is formed in the upper surface of the camera body, and the display unit has a back surface which is substantially flush with the upper surface of the camera body when the display unit is held in the first recess.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2005-164966 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jun. 6, 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an image pickup device, such as a digital still camera (DSC) or a digital video camera (DVC), and, more particularly, to an image pickup device provided with a display unit including a display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence display (OELD).  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Some image pickup devices, such as DSCs and DVCs are provided with a display unit. The display unit serves as a viewfinder in photographing an object and as a monitor for confirming or appreciating a photographed image of the object after photographing.  
         [0006]     A known image pickup device shown in  FIG. 14  has a camera body  101  and a foldable display unit  102 , such as a LCD, attached to a sidewall of the camera body  101 .  FIG. 15  snows a known image pickup device disclosed in, for example, JP-A 62-36985 (Patent document 1). The image pickup device shown in  FIG. 15  has a camera body  101  and a display unit  102  mounted on a turntable  103  supported for turning on the top wall of the camera body  101  by a shaft  104 . The display unit  102  is pivotally supported by pins  105  and  106  on brackets standing respectively from peripheral parts of the turntable  103 . The display unit  102  is turned on the pins  105  and  106  to set the display unit  102  in an upright position of a horizontal position. The display unit  102  is set in an upright position and the turntable  103  is turned to change the direction of the screen of the display unit  102 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The known image pickup device having the camera body  101 , the turntable  103  supported on the top wall of the cameral body  101  and the display unit  102  mounted on the turntable  103  has some problems.  
         [0008]     (1) The display unit  102  and the turntable  103  protruding from the top wall of the camera body  101  obstruct handling the image pickup device and spoils the aesthetic appearance of the image pickup device.  
         [0009]     (2) When the display unit  102  is set in a upright position and the turntable  103  is turned, the display unit  102  is dislocated greatly from the shaft  104  supporting the turntable  103  and disposed with its axis perpendicularly intersecting the optical axis of the image pickup device as shown in  FIG. 16 .  
         [0010]     It is desirable to provide an image pickup device provided with a display unit which will not obstruct handling the image pickup device and will not spoil the esthetic appearance of the image pickup device when folded down.  
         [0011]     It is desirable to provide an image pickup device provided with a display unit which will not be greatly dislocated from the optical axis of the image pickup device when turned so as to face any direction.  
         [0012]     According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup device including: a camera body; and a display unit serving as a monitor, supported for turning on the upper surface of the camera body and capable of being folded in a horizontal position on the upper surface of the camera body and of being set in a standing position at an angle to the upper surface of the camera body; wherein a first recess capable holding the folded display unit therein is formed in the upper surface of the camera body, and the display unit has a back surface which is substantially flush with the upper surface of the camera body when the display unit is held in the first recess.  
         [0013]     Preferably, a second recess is formed continuously with the first recess in the upper surface of the camera body, a display support member is supported by first shafts in the second recess so as to be turnable in a vertical plane containing the optical axis of the camera body, the display unit is attached to the display support member, and the display unit held in the first recess is raised from the first recess so as to project from the upper surface of the camera body by turning the display support member in the second recess.  
         [0014]     Preferably, a middle part of the display unit with respect to the width of the display unit is rotatably supported by a second shaft on the display support member, and the display unit raised up from the upper surface of the camera body can be turned on the second shaft substantially through an angle of 360°. Preferably, the second shaft is disposed in a vertical plane containing the optical axis of the camera body.  
         [0015]     The display unit is folded down and held in the first recess while the image pickup device is out of use. Therefore, the display unit will not protrude from the upper surface of the camera body, will not obstruct handling the image pickup device and will not spoil the aesthetic appearance of the image pickup device. When the display unit is held in the first recess, the back surface of the display unit is substantially flush with the upper surface of the camera body and the back surface of the display unit merges naturally into the upper surface of the camera body to improve the aesthetic appearance of the image pickup device.  
         [0016]     The display unit is turned between a folded position in the first recess and a working position by turning the display support member in the second recess. Therefore, the display support member will not protrude from the upper surface of the camera body and will not spoil the aesthetic appearance of the image pickup device. The display raised from the first recess can be turned on the second shaft substantially through 360°. Since the second shaft is disposed in the vertical plane containing the optical axis of the camera body, the distance of dislocation of the display unit from the optical axis of the camera body can be limited to the least unavoidable distance when the display unit is turned on the second shaft to any angular position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image pickup device in an embodiment according to the present invention, in which a display unit is folded down and held in a first recess;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is set in a standing position;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation of a display support member;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is folded down;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is raised in an inclined position;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is set in an upright position;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit has been turned on a second shaft through an angle of 45° from its home position;  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit has been turned on the second shaft through an angle of 90° from its home position;  
         [0028]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit has been turned on the second shaft through an angle of 180° from its home position;  
         [0029]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit has been turned on the second shaft through an angle of 180° from its home position;  
         [0030]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is folded down and held in the first recess;  
         [0031]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a known image pickup device;  
         [0032]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of another known image pickup device; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 15 , in which a display unit is raised up. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image pickup device in an embodiment according to the present invention, in which a display unit is folded down and held in a first recess,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the display unit is set in a standing position,  FIG. 3  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4  is a plan view of the image pickup device shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an image pickup device  1  has a camera body  2 , a lens barrel  3  attached to the front wall of the camera body  2 , a viewfinder  4  attached to the back wall of the camera body  2 , a grip  5  attached to the right-hand side wall of the camera body  2 , a display unit  6  disposed on the top wall of the camera body  2 , and a flash unit  7  disposed on the top wall of the camera body  2 .  
         [0035]     The camera body holds therein electronic devices including a CCD. Operating buttons  11  are arranged on the outer surface of the camera body  2 . The lens barrel  3  holds lenses including an objective lens. The grip  5  holds a battery therein. A shutter button  13  is disposed on the top wall of the grip  5 . The display unit  6  is rotatably supported by a display support member  15  on a back part of the top wall of the camera body  2 . Indicated at  14  is the optical axis of the camera body  2 .  
         [0036]     The camera body  2  has a curved upper surface  2   a  having a shape substantially resembling a portion of an arch surface or a part of the reversed side surface of a barrel having a negative curvature. The upper surface  2   a  is provided with a first recess  21  for holding the display unit  6  therein, a second recess  22  for holding the display support member  15  therein and a third recess  23  for holding the flash unit  7  therein. The first recess  21  has a bottom surface  21   a . The display unit  6  has a back surface  6   a  and a display surface  6   b . The back surface  6   a , the display surface  6   b  and the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21  have substantially equal curvatures, respectively.  
         [0037]     The back surface  6   a  and the display surface  6   b  of the display unit  6  are nearly flat, curved surfaces of shapes substantially resembling a portion of the side surface of a barrel as shown in  FIG. 2 . The back surface  6   a  is substantially flush with the upper surface  2   a  of the camera body  2  and the display surface  6   b  is in close contact with the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21  when the display unit  6  is held in the first recess  21 .  
         [0038]     The display surface  6   b  is depressed to form a rectangular frame and a liquid crystal display (LCD)  6   c  is fitted in the frame so as to sink beneath the display surface  6   b.    
         [0039]     The display support member  15  is disposed in the second recess  22 . The display support member  15  supports the display unit  6  on the camera body  2  so as to be turnable between the folded position and the raised position.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the display support member  15  is placed in the second recess  22  and is supported on the camera body  2  by a pair of first shafts  31  so as to be turnable in a vertical plane containing the optical axis  14 . When the display support member  15  is turned on the first shafts  31  in the direction of the arrow A from a position indicated by continuous lines in  FIG. 5  to a position indicated by two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 5 , the display unit  6  is raided from the first recess  21  and projects from the upper surface  2   a  of the camera body  2  in a standing position. When the display support member  15  is turned on the fist shafts  31  in the direction of the arrow B from the position indicated by the two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 5  to the position indicated by continuous lines in  FIG. 5 , the display unit  6  is put back into the first recess  21 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a second shaft  32  is connected to a middle part of the display unit  6  with respect to the width W of the display unit  6  to support the display unit  6  rotatably on the display support member  15 . The display unit  6  raised from the upper surface of the camera body  2  as shown in  FIG. 2  can be turned on the second shaft  32  through an angle of about 360° in either of the direction of the arrow C and the direction of the arrow D. In this manner, the second shaft  32  which is disposed in a vertical plane containing the optical axis  14  of the camera body can also be disposed in parallel with the optical axis  14  when the display unit  6  is held in the first recess  21  with its display surface  6   b  in close contact with the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21 . The flash unit  7 , similarly to the display unit  6 , can be turned up and down relative to the camera body  2 . The flash unit  7  is held in the second recess  23  as indicated by continuous lines in  FIG. 2  when the same is out of use. The flash unit  7  is raised up as indicated by two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 2  to illuminate an object with light emitted by a flash lamp  35  when the same is in use.  
         [0042]     The operation and effect of the image pickup device  1  will be described. The display unit  6  is held in the first recess  21  with its display surface  6   b  in close contact with the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21  as shown in  FIG. 1  when the display unit  6  is out of use. In this state, the back surface  6   a  of the display unit  6  is flush with the upper surface of the camera body  2 . A peripheral part, forming the frame, of the display surface  6   b  is in contact with the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21  and the screen of the LCD  6   c  is spaced from the bottom surface  21   a  of the first recess  21 . Thus the LCD  6   c  is protected. Frictional resistance acting on the first shafts  31  holds the display unit  6  in the first recess  21 .  
         [0043]     To use the display unit  6 , the display unit  6  is held between fingertips as indicated by two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 1  and is raised up. Force applied to the display unit  6  to raise the same is transmitted through the second shaft  32  to the display support member  15  and the display support member  15  is turned on the first shafts  31 . The display support member  15  can be turned through an angle of about 120° at a maximum as shown in  FIG. 7   
         [0044]     The display unit  6  emerges from the first recess  21  after the display unit  6  has been turned through an angle greater than a predetermined angle. When the display unit  6  is set upright as shown in  FIG. 8 , the display unit  6  can be turned through an angle of 360°. When the display unit  6  contained in a vertical plane perpendicular to the optical axis  14  is turned clockwise or counterclockwise through an angle of about 45°, the display unit  6  extends at an angle of about 45° to the optical axis  14  as indicated by continuous lines or two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 9 . When the display unit  6  contained in a vertical plane perpendicular to the optical axis  14  is turned clockwise or counterclockwise through an angle of about 90°, the display unit  6  extends parallel to the optical axis  14  as shown in  FIG. 10 . In the state shown in  FIG. 10 , the screen of the LCD  6   c  faces right or left. When the display unit  6  contained in a vertical plane perpendicular to the optical axis  14  as shown in  FIG. 4  is turned clockwise or counterclockwise through an angle of about 180°, the screen of the LCD  6   c  of the display unit  6  faces right backward as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 .  
         [0045]     When the display unit  6  set in a position shown in  FIG. 12  is turned in the direction of the arrow B, the display unit  6  is fitted in the first recess  21  with the screen of the LCD  6   c  facing up as shown in  FIG. 13 . Thus the display unit  6  can be set in a desired angular position according to camera angle suitable of forming an image of an object. Frictional resistances acting on the first shafts  31  and the second shaft  32  hold the display unit  6  in the desired angular position.  
         [0046]     Since the second shaft  32  is disposed in the vertical plane containing the optical axis  14  of the camera body  2 , the distance of dislocation of the display unit  6  from the optical axis  14  of the camera body  2  can be limited to the least unavoidable distance when the display unit  6  is turned on the second shaft  32  to any angular position.  
         [0047]     Although the invention has been described as applied to the digital still camera with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention is applicable to image pickup devices provided with a display unit other than digital still cameras, such as digital video cameras and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.  
         [0048]     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.