Patent Publication Number: US-2005128347-A1

Title: Tripod of image photographing apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority under  35  U.S.C. §119(a) to Korean Patent Application No. 2003-91268, entitled “Tripod of Image Photographic Apparatus”, filed on Dec. 15, 2003 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention generally relates to a portable image photographing apparatus for photographing an image in a moving or non-moving state. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tripod of an image photographing apparatus for supporting the image photographing apparatus to stand on a target surface, or aiding a user to take various photographing postures.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A camcorder, which is a type of image photographing apparatus, is a portable device that photographs moving pictures. Because of its convenience, the camcorder has been used worldwide. In the event that a user needs to photograph herself with an image photographing apparatus such as a camcorder, or to fix the image photographing apparatus stably for still photographing, a tripod of the image photographing apparatus is most commonly used, since the tripod supports the image photographing apparatus to stand on a target surface with a high degree of stability.  
      A tripod having three legs is the most commonly used configuration for a camcorder&#39;s stability. Most conventional tripods are built with devices that enable users to control both the positioning height and angle of the camcorder. Therefore, use of tripod allows the camcorder to have consistently fixed height and shooting direction. Thus, it is possible to obtain consistent photographs of desired images by the camcorder. Once the shooting direction of the camcorder is fixed, however, the shooting direction does not change until the direction of the camcorder lens is changed by unlocking a fixation device on the tripod. Hence, in case that a target object moves, for example, from left and right with respect to the camcorder lens, it may be difficult to photograph the target object along the movement of the targeted object. Also, when the user wants to photograph a scene with a specific photographing feature such as a panorama technique that gives a wide view of the scene, the user has to photograph the scene by manually rotating the camcorder, and thus, it may not be possible to photograph the scene with a uniform distance.  
      Furthermore, since the tripod of the camcorder does not have a zoom button for controlling the focus of the camcorder lens, nor a record button for recording images on a recording medium, there may be difficulty in maintaining focus on the object while photographing it when moving the camcorder with one hand. Conventional tripods for other image recording devices, including, but not limited to digital cameras, single lens reflex (SLR) cameras and other devices also suffer from the same problems discussed above.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a tripod for an image photographing apparatus capable of providing a stable platform when photographing and rotating the image photographing apparatus, thus widening the photographing range of the image photographing apparatus.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide a tripod of an image photographing apparatus, capable of recording an image and controlling the focus of a lens of the image photographing apparatus while moving the image photographing apparatus with one hand. In accordance with still another object of the present invention, there is provided a tripod of an image photographing apparatus for supporting the image photographing apparatus.  
      A tripod for use with the image photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a mount section to which the image photographing apparatus is attached, and a drive section for rotating the mount section. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mount section comprising at least one signal terminal for transmitting a signal from the image photographing apparatus to the drive section, and a power terminal for carrying power from the image photographing apparatus to the drive section. The tripod of the image photographing apparatus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, further comprises a record button for transmitting an image record signal to the image photographing apparatus and a zoom button for transmitting a lens zoom signal to the image photographing apparatus. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention also comprises that the tripod of the image photographing apparatus includes the record button and the zoom button.  
      In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a tripod of an image photographing apparatus for supporting the image photographing apparatus with a record button for transmitting an image record signal. The tripod of the image photographing apparatus further comprises a zoom button for transmitting a zoom signal to the image photographing apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above aspects and features of the present invention will be more apparent by describing certain embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a tripod of a camcorder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a top view illustrating the tripod of the camcorder shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an upright state of the camcorder tripod shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a camcorder attached to a camcorder tripod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram illustrating a connection relationship between a camcorder and a camcorder tripod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating left and right rotations of a camcorder connected to a camcorder tripod by using a remote control in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the use of a zoom button and a record button of a camcorder tripod in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Particularly, a tripod of a camcorder, which is a representative image photographing apparatus, is exemplified as one preferable embodiment of a tripod of an image photographing apparatus in accordance with the present invention.  
      In the following description, same drawing reference numerals are used for the same elements in different drawings. The matters defined in the description such as a detailed construction and elements are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out without those defined matters. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail for the purpose of conciseness and clarity.  
      Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , a camcorder tripod  50  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a body  60  and legs  70 . Hereinafter, although the description about the image photographing apparatus is mainly based on the camcorder, which is one representative image photographing apparatus, it is apparent that the present invention can be applicable to any other image photographing apparatuses such as a camera. The body  60  has a mount unit  61  to which a camcorder is fixed, and is mounted on an upper part of the body  60  so as to rotate around the body  60  and a drive section  65  for rotating the mount section  61 . The drive section  65  is formed in the body  60  and has a motor  66  that rotates a motor shaft  66   a  in response to a signal from a control section of the camcorder. The motor shaft  66   a  is connected with the mount section  61 , so that the mount section  61  rotates around the body  60  once the motor shaft  66   a  rotates. A rotation support member  67  for supporting the rotation of the mount section  61  is placed in between the mount section  61  and the body  60 . In the center of an upper surface of the mount section  61 , there is a screw  62  into which a fixing tab  22  ( FIG. 4 ) formed at a bottom surface of the camcorder  20  ( FIG. 4 ) is screwed. A first power terminal  63  for providing power from the camcorder to the motor  66  of the drive section  65  is formed in the center of the screw  62 . There are signal terminals  64  in one side of the screw  62  placed on the upper surface of the mount section  61 . The signal terminals  64  are connected to the drive section  65  in order to transmit a rotation signal of the camcorder to the drive section  65 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a second power terminal  23  is connected with the first power terminal  63  of the mount section  61  shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 , and is placed beneath the bottom of the fixing tab  22 . A signal terminal contact surface  24  is formed around the fixing tab  22 , and is formed in a place corresponding to the signal terminals  64  of the mount section  61  shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 . Methods for making an electric connection between the first power terminal  63 , the signal terminals  64  and the drive section  65  shown in FIGS.  1  to  3  are well-known to those skilled in the art of the present invention. In one exemplary embodiment, the use of a motor  66  with a motor shaft  66   a  having a hollow inside and a slip ring are examples of the well-known methods.  
      On the basis of the configuration described above, once the fixing tab  22  of the camcorder  20  is completely screwed into the screw  62  of the mount section  61  included in the camcorder tripod  50 , the first power terminal  63  of the screw  62  is connected with the second power terminal  23  of the fixing tab  22 , thereby supplying power from the camcorder  20  to the motor  66  of the drive section  65 . Similarly, the signal terminals  64  of the mount section  61  are in contact with the signal terminal contact surface  24  of the camcorder  20 , thereby transmitting a rotation signal from the camcorder  20  to the drive section  65 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , the body  60  of the camcorder tripod  50  can further include a zoom button  81  capable of controlling the focus of a lens section  1  of the camcorder  20  ( FIG. 4 ) and a record button  82  that transmits a signal that commands the record section of the camcorder  20  to record an image captured by the lens section  1  of the camcorder  20  on a recording medium. The zoom button  81  and the record button  82  are placed on an outer circumference of the body  60  and are electrically connected to the signal terminals  64  of the mount section  61 . Therefore, signals from the record button  82  and the zoom button  81  are transmitted to a control section of the camcorder  20  through the signal terminals  64  of the mount section  61  and the signal contact surface  24  of the camcorder  20 . Then, the control section of the camcorder  20  controls the lens section  1  and the record section of the camcorder  20  in response to the transmitted signals.  
      The camcorder tripod  50  has three legs  70 , and each leg  70  is adjoined to a bottom end of the body  60  through a hinge  72 . Each leg  70  is set with an appropriate length that stably supports the camcorder  20  when the camcorder tripod  50  stands on the ground after the camcorder  20  is combined with the mount section  61 . In addition, each of the legs  70  can be configured to have a hollow inner space, so that a rechargeable battery can be placed thereinto. Although the power supplied from the rechargeable battery provides the power for the main driving source of the drive section  65 , the power from the rechargeable battery can still be used as supplemental power for power section of the camcorder  20 . In this case, a power terminal for connecting the rechargeable battery to the drive section  65 , or the first power terminal  63  in the hinge  72  disposed between the body  60  and each of the legs  70  can be provided.  
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating one exemplary connection relationship between the camcorder tripod  50  and the camcorder  20  when the camcorder  20  is combined with the camcorder tripod  50  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , the zoom button  81 , the record button  82  and the drive section  65  are connected to the control section  11  of the camera unit  10  of the camcorder  20  through the signal terminals  64  and the signal terminal contact surface  24 . The drive section  65  is also connected with a power section  17  of the camera unit  10  through the first power terminal  63  and the second power terminal  23 . The camcorder  20  includes the camera unit  10  and a display unit  30 . The camera unit  10  includes the lens section  1 , the record section  13 , the control section  11 , the power section  17 , and the first transmitting and receiving section  15 . The display unit  30  includes a screen  31  on which an image captured by the lens section  1  is displayed, an input section  36  having a plurality of buttons for controlling the lens section  1 , the record section  13 , and a second transmitting and receiving section  35  for making a wired or wireless connection between the camera unit  10  and the display unit  30 . Therefore, the image captured by the lens section  1  is displayed on the screen  31  of the display unit  30 . The camera unit  10  of the camcorder  20  can be controlled by manipulating another zoom button and record button of the input section  36 . When a rotation button included in the display unit  30  is manipulated, this signal is transmitted to the drive section  65  of the camcorder tripod  50  through the control section  11  of the camera unit  10 , and as a result, the camera unit  10  rotates on the camcorder tripod  50 . As described above, any camcorder that can be combined with the camcorder tripod  50  can be used as long as the control section  11  controls the drive section  65  of the camcorder tripod  50  and supplies the power to the drive section  65 .  
      Operations of the camcorder tripod  50  having the configuration described above in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Particularly,  FIG. 6  illustrates that the camcorder combined with the camcorder tripod makes left and right rotations in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the camcorder combined with the mount section of the camcorder tripod  50  includes the camera unit  10  and the display unit  30  communicates wirelessly with the camera unit  10 . The camera unit  10  includes the lens section  1  for capturing an image of a target object, the record section  13  for selectively recording the captured image by the lens section  1  on a recording medium, and the control section  11  for converting the captured image into an electric signal that can be displayed through the display unit  30  and controlling peripheral configuration elements. The camera unit  10  further includes a first transmitting and receiving section  15  for wirelessly transmitting the converted image signal stored in the control section  11  to the display unit  30 , and for receiving a camera unit control signal generated in and transmitted from the display unit  30 . The control section  11  is connected to: the signal terminal contact surface  24  that transmits the rotation signal of the camera unit  10  to the drive section  65  by the signal terminals  64  and signal terminal contact surface  24 , and the power section  17  for supplying the power to the control section  11  and the control section  11  is also connected to the peripheral configuration elements. On the bottom surface of the camera unit  10 , there is the fixing tab  22  ( FIG. 4 ) combined with the mount section  61  of the camcorder tripod  50  ( FIG. 1 ). Furthermore, the second power terminal  23  is connected to the power section  17  for the purpose of supplying power to the drive section  65 , and the second power terminal  23  is formed beneath the fixing tab  22 .  
      The lens section  1  can comprise a zoom lens capable of changing its focus length, and the zoom lens is automatically operated by a power source (not shown) in response to a signal provided from the zoom button  81 . As described above, the record section  13  for recording an image captured by the lens section  1  to a recording medium includes a recording and reproducing device for recording an image signal on the recording medium and/or reproducing the recorded image signal. The record section further comprises a recording medium organizing device for putting the recording medium into a main body of the camera unit  10  or taking the recording medium out of the main body of the camera unit  10 .  
      The control section  11  converts the captured image by the lens section  1  into an image signal that can be displayed on the screen  31 , and transmits the image signal to the display unit  30  through the first transmitting and receiving section  15 . The control section  11  photographs a targeted object by controlling the lens section  1  and the record section  13  in response to signals originated from various buttons of the input section  36  of the display unit  30  and received through the first transmitting and receiving section  15 , or in response to a signal from the zoom button  81  and a signal from the record button  82  of the camcorder tripod  50  transmitted through the signal terminal contact surface  24 . When the control section  11  receives rotation signal from the display unit  30 , it controls the drive section  65  of the camcorder tripod  50  to make the camera unit  10  rotate on the camcorder tripod  50  within a predetermined angular range. The control section  11  can control the camera unit  10  to turn by a predetermined angle, or to rotate repeatedly within a predetermined range of angle.  
      The first transmitting and receiving section  15  wirelessly transmits the image signal converted by the control section  11  to the display unit  30 . The first transmitting and receiving section  15  receives a camera unit control signal wirelessly transmitted from the second transmitting and receiving section  35  and then transmits the camera unit control signal to the control section  11 . The first transmitting and receiving section  15  can be any type of wireless transmitting and receiving modules capable of transmitting and receiving data signals image signals, voice signals and the like. Among the numerous type of wireless transmitting and receiving modules, a Bluetooth module, which is a wireless local area network, can be used in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the fixing tab  22  of the camera unit  10  of the camcorder configured as described above is screwed into the screw  62  ( FIG. 2 ) of the camcorder tripod  50 , and then the three legs  70  of the camcorder tripod  50  are stretched out to stand on the ground. The rotation button of the input section  36  of the display unit  30  can be manipulated to make the camera unit  10  rotate in right and left directions with respect to the camcorder tripod  50 . This left and right rotation of the camera unit  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A user can selectively record a desired image while viewing an image displayed on the screen  31  of the display unit  30 . The camera unit  10  can also record images in a wide range of views (e.g., a panoramic picture) by recording several images captured by the lens section  1  while the camera unit  10  rotates around the camcorder tripod  50 .  
      In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the three legs  70  of the camcorder tripod  50  can be folded inward, and the camcorder tripod  50  with the inwardly folded legs  70  can be used as a handle for photographing as depicted in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the user can grab the display unit  30  with one hand while concurrently viewing a displayed image on the screen  31 . The user can simultaneously grab the camcorder tripod  50  with the other hand and directs the lens section  1  to a target object. The zoom button  81  formed in the body  60  of the camcorder tripod  50  can be manipulated by a thumb of the hand that grabs the camcorder tripod  50 , and the lens section  1  can therefore be easily focused. Once the lens section  1  is in focus, the record button  82  formed in the body  60  of the camcorder tripod  50  can be pressed by an index finger that grabs the camcorder tripod  50  to record the image captured by the lens section  1 .  
      In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, the image photographing apparatus as described above can make left and right rotations at a predetermined angle with respect to a tripod of the image photographing apparatus. Also, the image photographing apparatus is capable of making repetitive rotations at a predetermined angle. As a result, it is possible to obtain the effect of photographing images with a great deal of stability in a wide range of view.  
      In accordance with further embodiment of the present invention, a user can manipulate the lens section  1  of the camera unit and record images while holding the tripod of the image photographing apparatus with one hand. Accordingly, the tripod of the image photographing apparatus can be more conveniently used.  
      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.