Abstract:
Provided is an imaging device having a stand connector that can assume an open position for allowing connection with a stand or tripod and a closed position when not coupled with the stand. The stand connector of the imaging device includes a connector body including a hollow cavity and a female screw capable of coupling with a corresponding male screw of the stand, an insert received in the cavity of the connector body and moveable between an open position allowing coupling of the stand by screwing the screws of the connector body and the stand and a closed position substantially covering an open end of the cavity in the connector body when not coupling with the stand, and biasing means configured to bias the insert to the closed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0089206, filed on Nov. 4, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an imaging device having a connection structure for coupling with a stand (e.g., a tripod), and more particularly, to an imaging device having a stand connection structure which can assume a closed configuration when the stand is not coupled to the imaging device.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0003]     In general, to capture a still image or a moving image of an object accurately and stably, imaging devices such as cameras and camcorders are affixed on a tripod for standing on the ground such that the imaging devices can be placed without movement during shooting for taking an object image with the imaging devices.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a state for coupling a conventional camera to a tripod. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a connector  40  is formed at around the center in bottom surface  10   a  of a camera  10  for coupling with a fixing bolt  61  of a tripod  60 . In particular, a female screw is formed in the connector  40 , and the fixing bolt  61  of the tripod  60  engages with the female screw of the connector  40  for mounting the camera  10  on the tripod  60 . In this structure, the connector  40  seeing from the out surface of the camera  10  may cause bad effects on the appearance of the camera  10 . In addition, foreign substances may be introduced into the camera  10  through the screw hole of the connector  40 , thereby causing poor coupling between the camera  10  and the tripod  60 .  
         [0005]     Mobile phones were used typically for telephonic communication. Recently, modern mobile phones were developed to incorporate various functions, such as that of an imaging device including a camera or a camcorder, which enables taking of a still or motion image with the mobile phones. However, compact imaging devices such as mobile phones and small cameras often have a narrow bottom surface, making it difficult to form therein a suitable connector (such as connector  40  as in  FIG. 1 ) for coupling a tripod because of the space limitations. When the imaging devices are used for shooting without fixing to the tripod, the imaging device (e.g., a mobile phone) may shake during shooting, leading to obtain a bad or blurred image. More serious results can be caused if the imaging device is held by hand for a long period of time to take a video or to take a self-photograph, for example.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides an imaging device having a stand connecting structure that can assume a closed configuration when a stand is not coupled to the imaging device, and an open configuration when coupling with the stand. This can provide a better appearance and ensure easy and secured photographing.  
         [0007]     According to one aspect of the present invention, an imaging device comprises a stand connector for coupling with a stand to take an object image with the imaging device coupled with the stand, wherein the stand connector includes a connector body having a hollow cavity and a connection element capable of coupling with a corresponding connection element of the stand, a movable member disposed adjacent to the cavity of the connector body and moveable between an open position allowing coupling of the stand with the connection element and a closed position covering an open end of the cavity in the connector body, and biasing means configured to bias the moveable member to the closed position.  
         [0008]     The moveable member is preferably an insert received in the cavity of the connector body and configured to stop at the closed position by the biasing force of the biasing means. The insert preferably has a stopper element opposing against a stepped portion of the connector body at the closed position. The connection element of the stand connector may be in form of a female screw capable of coupling with corresponding male screw of the stand while the insert moves to the open position by pressing of the male screw of the stand. The stand is preferably in form of a tripod known in the art.  
         [0009]     The imaging device can be a digital camera having a main body and a folder member pivotally coupled by a hinge member, in which the stand connector is arranged at the hinge member of the digital camera. The imaging device can be a mobile phone capable of taking an image, the mobile phone having a main body and a folder member pivotally coupled by a hinge member, in which the stand connector is arranged at the hinge member of the mobile phone. The imaging device can be a camera in which the stand connector is formed on a bottom surface of the camera.  
         [0010]     According to another aspect of the present invention, a stand connector of an imaging device usable for coupling the imaging device with a stand, comprises: a connector body including a hollow cavity and a female screw capable of coupling with a corresponding male screw of the stand; an insert received in the cavity of the connector body and moveable between an open position allowing coupling of the stand by screwing the screws of the connector body and the stand, and a closed position substantially covering an open end of the cavity in the connector body when not coupling with the stand; and biasing means configured to bias the insert to the closed position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a state for coupling a camera of conventional type to a tripod;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a mobile phone constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of a hinge member of the mobile phone shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a development view of a stand connector of the hinge member shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic front view of a tripod for coupling to the imaging device having such a stand connector as shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a state for coupling the mobile phone of  FIG. 2  to the tripod of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are sectional views illustrating a process of coupling a bolt of the tripod to the stand connector; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a digital camera constructed according to another embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state for coupling the digital camera to the tripod. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     The present invention will now be described more in details with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an imaging device such as a folder-type mobile phone  110  constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mobile phone  110  includes a main body  120  and a folder cover  130 . The main body  120  and the folder cover  130  are connected by a hinge member  150  such that the folder cover  130  rotates about the hinge member  150  to open and close relative to the main body  120 .  
         [0022]     The folder cover  130  includes a display panel  131  on which information stored in the mobile phone  110  or other pertinent information is displayed, and the main body  120  includes navigation keys  121  and alphanumeric keypads  122  for user entry of information and selection of modes, and the like.  
         [0023]     The hinge member  150  includes folder coupling parts  152  formed on a lower end of the folder cover  130 , and a body coupling parts  151  extending from an upper surface of the main body  120  for rotatably coupling with the folder coupling parts  152 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , one of the body coupling parts  151  is preferably in the form of a stand connector  140  which includes a mounting structure for attaching to a stand such as a tripod. The stand connector  140  may replace one body coupling part  151  as shown, or alternatively, it may be coupled with one of the two body coupling parts  151  in any suitable manner recognizable. The stand connector  140  may also be disposed at any desired location of the imaging device other than at the body coupling parts  151 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic and sectional-in-part view of the hinge member of the mobile phone shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , left one of the folder coupling parts  152  is rotatably coupled to the body coupling part  151  through a connecting member  156  and the other one of the folder coupling parts  152  is rotatably coupled to the stand connector  140  through a shaft  157 .  
         [0025]     A flexible printed circuit  158  for panel and a flexible printed circuit  159  for camera are disposed at the hinge member  150  of the mobile phone  110 . The flexible printed circuit  158  for panel applies a driving signal produced from a circuit board of the main body  120  to the display panel  131  (see  FIG. 2 ) to display various information on the display panel  131 . The flexible printed circuit  159  for camera electrically connects a camera module  155  and the circuit board of the main body  120  to transfer an image signal obtained from the camera module  155  to the main body  120  or transfer power and the driving signal obtained from the main body  120  to the camera module  155 .  
         [0026]     In the mobile phone  110  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , while the camera module  155  is mounted on the hinge member  150 , it may be mounted on the folder cover  130  or on the main body  120 . Reference numeral  155   a  denotes a lens of the camera module  155 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a development view of the stand connector  140  shown in  FIG. 3 . The stand connector  140  includes a connector body  141 , and a moveable member preferably in form of insert  145  inserted into the connector body  141 , and elastic means  148  elastically supporting the insert  145 .  
         [0028]     The connector body  141  has a substantially cylindrical shape having an open end and a closed end at a side opposing the open end. The connector body  141  includes a first portion  141   a  and a second portion  141   b  whose inner diameter is smaller than the first portion  141   a . A female screw  142  (or other known connection structure such as a bayonet connector) is formed on the second portion  141   b  of the connector body  141  to engage with a bolt  161  (or other corresponding connection structure) of a stand (e.g., tripod  160 ), and a protrusion  143  is formed on an inner cavity of the connector body  141  such that the elastic means  148  is positioned on the protrusion  143 . The insert  145  is inserted within the connector body  141  with the elastic means  148  engaged there-between for elastically supporting or biasing the insert  145  by the elastic means  148 .  
         [0029]     A stopper element, preferably in the form of flange  147 , is formed at one end of the insert  145 . The flange  147  can be stopped by a stepped portion  144  formed at a border between the first portion  141   a  and the second portion  141   b  of the connector body  141  such that the insert  145  pushed by the elastic means  148  is thereby positioned at a predetermined location in the hollow cavity of the connector body  141  while substantially closing the screw hole of the connector body  141 .  
         [0030]     The stand (e.g., tripod  160 ) for securing the mobile phone  110  thereto and positioning the device on the ground is coupled to the stand connector  140 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic view illustrating one example of the stand or tripod  160 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the tripod  160  includes a body  163 , and legs  165  connected to the body  163  in a manner to be spread out by a predetermined angle. Each of the legs  165  can be unfolded and folded until a desired length is reached. As is well known, each leg  165  may comprise a plurality of hollow tubes overlapped for telescopically adjusting the overall length of the leg. The connecting bolt  161  extends by a predetermined height from a top surface of the tripod  160 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the bolt  161  can be screwed into the stand connector  140  of the mobile phone  110 , for example, by rotating a rotary lever  162  in the tripod  160  for coupling the mobile phone  110  to the tripod  160 .  
         [0031]     The coupling between the tripod  160  and the stand connector  140  is further described herein with reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7B . As shown in  FIG. 7A , the stand connector  140  remains normally in a closed position with the insert  145  pressed by the elastic means  148  and stopped by the stepped portion  144 . As shown in  FIG. 7B , when the bolt  161  of the tripod  160  is inserted into the screw hole of the connector body  141 , the elastic means  148  contracts and the insert  145  is pushed into the connector body  141 , and the bolt  161  of the tripod  160  engages with the female screw  142  formed on the connector body  141 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a digital camera constructed according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 8 , a digital camera  210  includes a main body  220  having a camera lens (not shown) for taking images, and a panel  230  having a display panel  231  for displaying image information stored in the digital camera  210  and a menu screen for users. The main body  220  and the panel  230  are pivotably coupled by a hinge member  250 , such that the main body  220  and the panel part  230  can rotate relative to each other to open and close the digital camera  210 . Operation buttons  221  and a mode dial  222  for user entry of information, and a view finder  223  are disposed on the main body  220 .  
         [0033]     In the digital camera  210 , the hinge member  250  includes a panel coupling part  252 , and a body coupling part  251  and a stand connector  240  disposed on either side of the panel coupling part  252  and pivotably supporting the panel coupling part  252 . The digital camera  210  can also be connected with the tripod  160  in a same or similar manner described above in connection with  FIGS. 6-7B . In order to connect the digital camera  210  to the tripod  160 , the bolt  161  in the tripod  160  is pushed against the insert  245  and rotated for engaging with a female screw (similar to that shown in  FIGS. 7A-7B ) formed in the stand connector  240 . The insert  245  retracts in a recess of the stand connector  240  while elastically supported by an elastic member or spring disposed in the recess.  
         [0034]     While the mobile phone and the digital camera are illustrated with the accompanied drawings as the imaging devices of the invention, the present invention is however not limited thereto. It can be applied to any other types of imaging devices that can be connected with a tripod or with any type of stand known in the art. For example, the stand connector of the invention may be formed on the bottom surface  10   a  of the camera illustrated in  FIG. 1  for connection with such a stand.  
         [0035]     While the present disclosure illustrates, as shown in  FIGS. 6-7B , only one connection method between the imaging device and the stand (i.e., a screw connection by screws  142  and  161 ), the present invention is also not intended to limit to a particular type of connection method. For example, the tripod  160  and the connector body  141  may be connected by a bayonet connection (not shown) or other connection methods to be recognizable by one skilled in the art.  
         [0036]     As described above, the imaging device of the present invention incorporates a stand connector that maintains its closed position by operation of the biased insert when it is not coupled with a stand. Accordingly, the imaging device can have a better appearance, and foreign substances are prevented from being introduced into the stand connector, thereby preventing poor coupling between the imaging device and the tripod.  
         [0037]     Moreover, when the user connects the imaging device to a stand, the insert is pushed by the connecting element (e.g., bolt  161 ) of the stand and thus moves automatically to an open position. Thus, the imaging device can be easily connected with the stand without additional action. In addition, since the stand connector is coupled with the hinge member that connects the main body and the display panel, the present invention can be applied even to small or thin imaging devices such as the mobile phone and the like. The present invention can provide a secured connection of the imaging device with the stand, and a blurred image causable by taking a picture in an unstable state can be effectively prevented.  
         [0038]     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.