Patent Publication Number: US-11659262-B2

Title: Image pickup apparatus having plurality of external connection terminals

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/920,774 filed Jul. 6, 2020, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/545,107 filed Aug. 20, 2019, U.S. Pat. No. 10,735,633 B2, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/392,930 filed Apr. 24, 2019, U.S. Pat. No. 10,432,830 B2, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/115,971 filed Aug. 29, 2018, U.S. Pat. No. 10,321,032 B2, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/281,743 filed Sep. 30, 2016, U.S. Pat. No. 10,091,401 B2. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as, for example, a digital video camera for professional-use, and specifically to an image pickup apparatus having a plurality of external connection terminals. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     In a digital video camera for professional-use or the like, connectors are often arranged on a back side of a camera main body to prevent the connectors to which cables are connected from being broken because shooting is performed in a state where the camera main body to which the cables are connected is carried on a shoulder of a moving person. 
     However, a recent digital video camera for professional-use has developed in multiple functionality, so that a connector for performing high speed communication, a connector for performing IP communication, or the like are provided on the camera main body, resulting in increase of the number of connectors. The image pickup apparatus is disclosed in which connectors are arranged on a side surface of a camera main body since it impossible to arrange all of the connectors on a back side of the camera main body. (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (kokai) No. 2007-53426). 
     However, when the number of the connectors is increased due to further multiple functionality of the camera, and when the connectors are arranged on the side surface of the camera main body, for example, detachment of the connector due to hooking of a cable is likely to occur when the camera main body is carried on a shoulder of a moving person. 
     On the other hand, making all of the connectors be arranged on the back surface part of the camera main body leads to further increase in size of the camera main body in its width direction, resulting in a shape unsuitable for a digital video camera for professional-use of a shoulder carry type. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus that prevents hooking of a cable, coming-off of a connector, or the like without lowering insertion and extraction performance of a cable into and from an external connection terminal even when a plurality of external connection terminals is arranged on a side surface of an apparatus main body in its width direction while reducing a size of the apparatus main body of the image pickup apparatus in the width direction. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus comprising a plurality of inclined faces formed on a side surface in a width direction of an apparatus main body perpendicular to an optical axis of a lens part which is provided on the image pickup apparatus, the plurality of inclined faces being inclined such that ends of the respective inclined faces on a back side of the apparatus main body are inclined in a direction to come close to the optical axis of the lens part, and a plurality of external connection terminals provided on the respective plurality of inclined faces, wherein the plurality of inclined faces are arranged at positions so as not to overlap to each other when viewed from the width direction of the apparatus main body, and are arranged at a position such that at least a part of the inclined faces overlap to each other when viewed from a direction of the optical axis of the lens part. 
     The present invention makes it possible to prevent hooking of a cable, coming-off of a connector, or the like without lowering insertion and extraction performance of a cable into and from the external connection terminal even when the plurality of external connection terminals is arranged on the side surface of the apparatus main body in the width direction while reducing the size of the apparatus main body of the image pickup apparatus in the width direction. 
     Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a digital video camera for professional-use that is an example of an embodiment of an image pickup apparatus of the present invention as viewed from a front side thereof. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  1    as viewed from a back side thereof. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view showing a state where caps and covers are attached to a plurality of connectors of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view showing a state where caps and covers are attached to the connectors of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view showing a state where cables or the like are connected to the respective connectors of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view showing a state where the cables or the like are connected to the respective connectors of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  7    is a left side view of a camera main body when viewed from the front side thereof. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of  FIG.  7   . 
         FIG.  9    is a diagram showing a state where cables are connected to the respective connectors arranged on the left side surface of the camera main body when viewed from the front side thereof. 
         FIG.  10    is a cross sectional view taken along a line B-B of  FIG.  9   . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a digital video camera for professional-use of a shoulder carry type that is an example of the embodiment of an image pickup apparatus of the present invention as viewed from a front side thereof.  FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the digital video camera for professional-use shown in  FIG.  1    as viewed from a back side thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , in the digital video camera  100  for professional-use of the present embodiment (hereinafter, simply referred to as a camera  100 ), a replaceable lens part  102  is detachably provided on the front side of a camera main body  101  as an example of an apparatus main body. Furthermore, a battery unit  103  for supplying electric power is detachably provided on a back part of the camera main body  101 . A plurality of connectors is provided on a left side surface of the camera main body  101  in a width direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens part  102  when the camera main body  101  is viewed from the front side. 
     Specifically, a D tap connector  104 , a wireless communication connector  105 , a microphone input connector  106 , a lens connector  107 , a card connector  108 , a USB connector  109 , and an HDMI (registered trademark) cable connector  202  are provided. 
     Likewise, an external monitor connection connector  201 , a wired LAN cable connector  203 , shooting information output connectors  204 ,  205 , monitors  206 ,  207 , and a return signal connector  208  are provided. Likewise, SDI connectors  209  to  212 , a remote control terminal  213 , a LANC connector  214 , and an audio output stereo connector  215  are provided. 
     Furthermore, at a lower part of the back part of the camera main body  101 , audio output monaural connectors  216 ,  217 , and a power source connector  218  are provided on a lower side of the battery unit  103 . The camera  100  of the present embodiment performs shooting while being moved with the camera main body  101  being carried on a shoulder of a person in a state where a cable is connected to each of the connectors that are a plurality of external connection terminals. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the D tap connector  104  is a power source connector capable of supplying electric power to an external video light or an external monitor. The wireless communication connector  105  is a connector for connecting thereto a wireless communication unit  502  (see  FIG.  5   ) capable of transferring shooting data by wireless communication. 
     The microphone input connector  106  is an XLR connector, and makes it possible to, when an external microphone is connected thereto, record voice by transmitting a signal input to the external microphone to a main substrate not shown of the camera main body  101  and by subjecting the signal to a predetermined signal processing. 
     The lens connector  107  is a connector for transmitting a signal from the lens part  102  to the camera main body  101  by connecting thereto a cable for the lens part  102 . The card connector  108  is provided with a recording medium inside a cap. The USB connector  109  makes it possible to perform wireless communication by connecting thereto an external connection USB. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the external monitor connection connector  201  is a connector for connecting an external electronic view finder (EVF), and is capable of outputting video input from the lens part  102  to the EVF by connecting thereto a cable for the EVF. 
     The HDMI cable connector  202  is a connector for connecting thereto a communication cable for transmitting video and voice, and makes it possible to output the video and voice input from the lens part  102  to an external monitor. The wired LAN cable connector  203  makes it possible to connect to the Internet by connecting thereto a LAN cable. 
     The shooting information output connectors  204 ,  205  are each a connector for outputting information obtained during shooting, and capable of outputting information such as time code or GEN-lock by connecting thereto an external apparatus. The monitors  206 ,  207  are each a connector for outputting video signal input from the lens part  102 , and BNC connectors are used in the present embodiment. 
     The return signal connector  208  is a connector for inputting external information, and makes it possible to display, on a monitor of the camera  100 , video being shot by another camera when shooting is performed by using a plurality of cameras, and a BNC connector is used. 
     The SDI connectors  209  to  212  are each a connector for outputting an SDI signal to an external apparatus, and BNC connectors are used. The remote control terminal  213  makes it possible to, by connecting thereto a remote control unit, operate the camera  100  by outputting a signal input from the remote control unit to the main substrate of the camera main body  101 . 
     The LANC connector  214  makes it possible to operate the camera  100  by connecting thereto a LANC remote controller. The audio output stereo connector  215  is capable of outputting voice recorded on the the camera  100  side to an external apparatus by a stereo signal. 
     Each of the audio output monaural connectors  216 ,  217  is capable of outputting voice recorded by the camera  100  to an external apparatus by a monaural signal. The audio output monaural connector  216  outputs channel  1  and the audio output monaural connector  217  outputs channel  2 . The power source connector  218  is a connector for supplying electric power to the camera  100 . 
       FIG.  3    is a perspective view showing a state where caps and covers are attached to the connectors  104  to  109  of the camera  100  shown in  FIG.  1   .  FIG.  4    is a perspective view showing a state where caps and covers are attached to the connectors  201  to  208  of the camera  100  shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , a connector cap  301  is detachably attached to the D tap connector  104 , and a connector cap  302  is detachably attached to the wireless communication connector  105 . A terminal cover  303  has two connector caps and the respective connector caps are attached to the microphone input connector  106  and the lens connector  107 . A jack cover  304  covers the USB connector  109  in an openable/closable manner for protection. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , a jack cover  401  has two connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the external monitor connection connector  201  and the HDMI cable connector  202 . A connector cap  402  is detachably attached to the wired LAN cable connector  203 . A BNC cover  403  has two connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the shooting information output connectors  204 ,  205 . 
     A monitor cover  404  has three connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the monitor  206 , the monitor  207 , and the return signal connector  208 . An SDI cover  405  has five connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the SDI connectors  209  to  212  and the remote control terminal  213 . 
     A rear cover  406  has two connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the LANC connector  214  and the audio output stereo connector  215 . A rear jack cover  407  has three connector caps, and the respective connector caps are detachably attached to the audio output monaural connector  216 , the audio output monaural connector  217 , and the power source connector  218 . 
       FIG.  5    is a perspective view showing a state where cables or the like are connected to the respective connectors  104  to  109  of the camera  100  shown in  FIG.  1   .  FIG.  6    is a perspective view showing a state where cables or the like are connected to the respective connectors  201  to  208  of the camera  100  shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , a D tap cable  501  is a cable having an L character shape, and is connected to the D tap connector  104 . A wireless communication unit  502  is a unit having an L character shape, and is connected to the wireless communication connector  105 . A microphone input cable  503  is connected to the microphone input connector  106 . 
     A lens cable  504  is connected to the lens connector  107 . A USB communication unit  505  is a unit having an L character shape, and is connected to the USB connector  109 . It should be noted that the protrusion amount of each of the D tap cable  501 , the wireless communication unit  502 , and the USB communication unit  505  from the camera main body  101  is small, so that possibility of their breakage or the like is low even when they are arranged on the side surface of the camera main body  101 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , an external monitor connection cable  601  is connected to the external monitor connection connector  201 . An HDMI cable  602  is connected to the HDMI cable connector  202 . A connector fixing screw is fitted to the HDMI cable  602 , and fastening of the connector fixing screw to a screw hole formed on the camera main body  101  makes it possible to prevent breakage or the like of the HDMI cable connector  202 . 
     A wired LAN cable  603  is connected to the wired LAN cable connector  203 . A BNC cable  604  is connected to the shooting information output connector  204 , and a BNC cable  605  is connected to the shooting information output connector  205 . BNC cables  606 ,  607  are connected to the monitors  206 ,  207 , respectively. 
     A BNC cable  608  is connected to the return signal connector  208 , and BNC cables  609  to  612  are connected to the SDI connectors  209  to  212 , respectively. A remote control cable  613  is connected to the remote control terminal  213 . 
     A LANC cable  614  is connected to the LANC connector  214 . A 5-pin XLR cable  615  is connected to the audio output stereo connector  215 , and 3-pin XLR cables  616 ,  617  are connected to the audio output monaural connectors  216 ,  217 , respectively. A 4-pin XLR cable  618  is connected to the power source connector  218 . 
     These various cables have a hard part formed of a metal or a resin at a distal end part on a connection side to a corresponding connector, and the hard part has a different length depending on types of the cables. 
       FIG.  7    is a left side view of the camera main body  101  when viewed from the front side thereof.  FIG.  8    is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of  FIG.  7   . In  FIG.  7   , on a connector arranged face  701 , the external monitor connection connector  201  and the HDMI cable connector  202  are arranged. On a connector arranged face  702 , the wired LAN cable connector  203  is arranged. 
     On a connector arranged face  703 , the shooting information output connectors  204 ,  205  are arranged. On a connector arranged face  704 , the monitor  206 , the monitor  207 , and the return signal connector  208  are arranged. On a connector arranged face  705 , the SDI connectors  209  to  212 , the remote control terminal  213 , the LANC connector  214 , and the audio output stereo connector  215  are arranged. These connectors are arranged at positions so as not to protrude from an outermost outline part of the camera main body  101 . 
     Herein, the connector arranged faces  701  to  705  are made to be inclined faces such that an end of each of the connector arranged faces  701  to  705  on the back side of the camera main body  101  (hereinafter, referred to as inside end) is inclined in a direction to come close to the optical axis of the lens part  102 . An inclined angle of each of the inclined faces is set at substantially 60° with respect to the optical axis of the lens part  102 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  8   , the inside end of the connector arranged face  701  and an end of the connector arranged face  702  on a side away from the optical axis of the lens part  102  which is the front side of the camera main body  101  (hereinafter, referred to as outside end) are connected to respective both ends of a connection face  801  at substantially 90°. 
     Likewise, an inside end of the connector arranged face  702  and an outside end of the connector arranged face  703  are connected to respective both ends of a connection face  802  at substantially 90°. Furthermore, an inside end of the connector arranged face  703  and the camera main body  101  are connected to respective both ends of a connection face  803  at substantially 90°. 
     This structure makes it possible to prevent a side wall of the camera main body  101  from being an obstacle when the cables are inserted into the connectors arranged on the connector arranged faces  701  to  705 . 
     In addition, the connector arranged faces  701  to  705  are arranged in substantially parallel to one another, and are arranged at positions such that the faces do not overlap to one another when viewed from the left side surface of the camera main body  101  in the width direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens part  102 . This makes it possible to improve insertion and extraction performance of the cables into and from the respective connectors. 
     Furthermore, in  FIG.  8   , when viewed from the optical axis direction of the lens part  102  (front side), the connector arranged faces  701  to  705  are arranged such that the faces overlap. This makes it possible to make the camera main body  101  thin. 
       FIG.  9    is a diagram showing a state where the cables are connected to the respective connectors arranged on the left side surface when viewed from the front side of the camera main body  101 .  FIG.  10    is a cross sectional view taken along a line B-B of  FIG.  9   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  9   , the D tap cable  501  is a cable having an L character shape, so that the cable is disposed at a position inclined by 90° with respect to an insertion direction into the D tap connector  104 . Consequently, the D tap cable  501  is disposed along the side surface of the camera main body  101 . 
     Furthermore, the wireless communication unit  502  to be connected to the wireless communication connector  105  and the USB communication unit  505  to be connected to the USB connector  109  each have an L character shape with respect to the connector connection parts, so that the units are arranged along a height direction of the camera main body  101 . 
     Furthermore, the microphone input connector  106  to which the microphone input cable  503  is connected, and the lens connector  107  to which the lens cable  504  is connected are arranged so as to face the front side of the camera main body  101 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  6   , the audio output monaural connectors  216 ,  217  to which the 3-pin XLR cables  616 ,  617  are connected, respectively, and the power source connector  218  to which the 4-pin XLR cable  618  is connected are arranged so as to face the back side of the camera main body  101 . Thus, the connectors do not cause a problem such as their breakage or cable hooking also in a state where the cables and the units are connected. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  7    and  FIG.  9   , the connectors are arranged on the connector arranged faces  701  to  703  closely in the optical axis direction of the lens part  102 . For this reason, the two connectors  201 ,  202  are arranged on the same plane of the connector arranged face  701  that is arranged nearest to the front side. 
     Furthermore, on the connector arranged face  702  between the connector arranged face  701  and the connector arranged face  703  arranged nearest to the back side, one connector  203  is arranged at a position between the connectors  201 ,  202 . Furthermore, on the connector arranged face  703 , the two connectors  204 ,  205  are arranged so as to be deviated with respect to the connector  203  in the height direction of the camera main body  101 . 
     In this manner, the connectors on the connector arranged faces  701  to  703  are arranged so as to be alternately deviated in the height direction of the camera main body  101 , making it possible to dispose the cables so as not to be overlapped to each other when the cables are disposed in a straight manner. This improves insertion and extraction performance of the cable into and from the connector. 
     As shown in  FIG.  10   , the connector  202  to which the HDMI cable  602  is connected, the connector  203  to which the wired LAN cable  603  is connected, and the connector  205  to which the BNC cable  605  is connected are arranged in substantially parallel to the connection faces  801  to  803 , respectively. This prevents a surrounding shape from becoming an obstacle during insertion/extraction of the cables. 
     Furthermore, the length L 1  of the connection face  801 , the length L 2  of the connection face  802 , the length L 3  of the connection face  803  are set so as to be substantially same as or longer than lengths of the hard parts of the cables to be inserted into the connectors arranged on the connector arranged faces  701  to  703 , respectively. This makes, when the cables are pushed in a bend direction, the pushed force be received by the connection faces  801  to  803 . 
     Furthermore, making the lengths L 1  to L 3  of the connection faces  801  to  803  substantially same as the lengths of the hard parts of the cables prevents the cables adjacent to each other from becoming obstacles during insertion/extraction of the cables to/from the connectors arranged on the connector arranged faces  701  to  703 . 
     Furthermore, the hard part of the cable is arranged inside the card connector  108  in the width direction of the camera main body  101 , preventing breakage of the cable or the connector even when the side surface of the camera main body  101  in the width direction collides with an obstacle such as a wall. 
     As described above, the present embodiment makes it possible to prevent hooking or disconnection of the cable without lowering insertion and extraction performance of the cable into and from the connector even when the connectors are arranged on the side surface of the camera main body  101  while reducing the thickness of the camera main body  101  in its width direction. This makes it possible to prevent breakage of the connector and coming off of the cable. 
     Other Embodiments 
     Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions. 
     This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Applications No. 2015-202785, filed Oct. 14, 2015 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.