GB2335752A

GB2335752A - Camera with movable viewfinder

Info

Publication number: GB2335752A
Application number: GB9911267A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hong-Li Tseng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-30
Filing date: 1998-10-06
Publication date: 1999-09-29
Also published as: GB9911267D0; GB2332951A; GB9902010D0

Abstract

A camera 62,82 has one a viewfinder 611,81 which can be moved from its operational position to a hidden position when not in use. There is preferably a recess 631,85 into which the viewfinder moves to be hidden. The viewfinder may be rotated on a hinge 641 or pushed into and pulled from the recess. There may be a second viewfinder 851 and each viewfinder may be situated near the bottom of the camera body. The viewfinder may include night vision equipment. Also provided are a camera with a detachable viewfinder attached via coupling devices (figures 11A-14) and a camera with a viewfinder movably mounted in a slot (figure 15).

Description

1 VIEWFINDER STRUCTURE OF CAMERA 2335752 The present invention is related

to a viewfinder structure of a camera, and more particularly to A03: -twnaptlarp nú a -nA Cnr- hni:b acapdat pxx,. a-cgr- chnd c& L.

TIng. "lenodmnt;nxxpaai:.a -10n win]-AQ tA c& to a viewfinder structure of a camera, which can be extended from tile camera body so as to provide a flexible and comfortable photographing pose.

In a generally used camera, the viewfinder window 11 is installed in a top portion of a camera body 12, as shown in Fig. 1. When a user has one of his eyes 13 move close to the viewfinder window 11, his nose 14 is likely to press against the camera body 12. Accordingly, the eye 13 cannot be close to the viewfinder window 11 enough or the nose 14 will feel uncomfortable.

Tseng, who is the inventor of the present invention, discloses in US Patent No. 5,608,483 a low-position viewfinder camera, as shown in Fig. 2. The viewfinder window 21 is located in a lower portion of the camera body 22 so that the above-described inconvenience can be lessened. However, a part of the user's nose 24, though smaller, still presses against the camera body 22 so as to influence the observation of the eye 23 through the viewfinder window 21. Tseng further discloses the provision of a recessed portion in the bottom of the camera body for locating nose, but such a design will complicate the camera structure.

On the other hand, there is only one viewfinder window provided in a conventional camera so that it is uncomfortable for a user to close one 1 2 of his eyes and open the other one to the viewfinder window in order to perform a better focusing operation.

Moreover, it is inconvenient to take a picture at night because of poor sight, unless illumination is provided. It is known, however, inadequate light might destroy the picture or disturb the photographed subject.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera allowing a user to watch a subject to be photographed through a viewfinder thereof without additional illumination supply.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera having a plurality of viewfinders so that it is convenient and comfortable for users having different watching habits.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a camera having flexible locations for mounting a viewfinder, so that the discomfort of a user's nose or the dislocation between the user's eye and the viewfinder window resulting from the nose pressing against the camera body can be eliminated.

The present invention is directed to a camera which includes a camera body for picking up an image of a subject; and a viewfinder device arranged on the camera body at a position near a bottom of the camera body and allowing a user to watch the subject therethrough with both of his eyes.

In a preferred embodiment, the viewfinder device includes two viewfinders having two windows both arranged on the camera body at the position near the bottom of the camera body, and having therebetween a distance substantially equal to a distance between two eyes of the user.

2 3 In an alternate embodiment, the viewfinder device includes a viewfinder having an elongated window arranged on the camera body at the position near the bottom of the camera body, and having a length greater than a distance between two eyes of the user.

Preferably, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the viewfinder device includes two viewfinders arranged at two bottom corners of the camera body, respectively; and a connecting device allowing the two viewfinders to be pivotally connected to the camera body, so that the two viewfinders can be pivotally rotated to a hidden position in the camera body when the camera is not in use, and to a viewing position out of the camera body when the camera is in use. In this case, the camera body may have a recessed portion for receiving the two viewfinders at the hidden position. More Preferably, the connecting device includes two hinges for connecting the two viewfinders to the camera body, respectively.

Preferably, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the viewfinder device includes two viewfinders arranged at two bottom corners of the camera body, respectively; and a driving device connected to the two viewfinders for being exerted a force thereon, thereby extracting the two viewfinders partly out of the camera body when the camera is in use, and returning the two viewfinders to the camera body when the camera is not in use.

Preferably, in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the viewfinder device includes an elongated viewfinder arranged at the bottom of the camera body, and having a length greater than a distance between two eyes of the user; and a driving device connected to the elongated viewfinder for being exerted a force thereon, 3 4 thereby extracting the elongated viewfinder partly out of the camera body when the camera is in use, and returning the elongated viewfinder to the camera body when the camera is not in use. In this case, it is more preferred that the elongated viewfinder has a length approximating to the width of the camera body, and is extractable from the bottom of the camera body. Of course, the camera body may have a recessed portion for receiving the elongated viewfinder which is not in use.

The present invention is further directed to a camera which includes a camera body for picking up an image of a subject; and a viewfinder device arranged on the camera body at a position near a bottom of the camera body and allowing a user to watch the subject therethrough in a manner that the user's nose can always be kept away from the camera body with either one of his eyes.

In a preferred embodiment, the viewfinder device includes two viewfinders having two windows arranged at two bottom corners of the camera body, respectively.

In an alternate preferred embodiment, the viewfinder device includes a viewfinder having an elongated window arranged on the camera body at the position near the bottom of the camera body, and having a length approximating to the width of the camera body.

In a further preferred embodiment, the camera body is provided with an elongated slot at the position near the bottom thereof, the elongated slot has a length approximating to the width of the camera body, and the viewfinder device includes a viewfinder mounted in the elongated slot and movable along the elongated slot.

For each of the cameras according to the present invention, it is preferred that the viewfinder is a night vision equipment so as to allow a 4 user to locate the subject in relatively dark circumstances. The night vision equipment may include an object lens for receiving and passing therethrough the image of the subject to obtain an optical signal; an image- intensifying tube connected to the object lens for receiving and converting the optical signal into an electronic signal, and generating an intensified optical signal in response to the electronic signal; and an eye piece for showing the image of the subject thereon in response to the intensified optical signal.

The present invention may best be understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically shows the position relationship between a user's face and a viewfinder window of a conventional camera; Fig. 2 schematically shows the position relationship between a user's face and a viewfinder window of another prior art of camera;

Fig. 3A schematically shows a first embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 3B schematically shows how a user accustomed to taking pictures by viewing with his right eye uses the camera of Fig. 3A; Fig. 3C schematically shows how a user accustomed to taking pictures by viewing with his left eye uses the camera of Fig. 3A; Fig. 3D schematically shows how a user v.iews the photographed target with both of his eyes by the camera of Fig. 3A; Fig. 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 5 schematically shows a night vision equipment of a third embodiment of a camera according to the present invention, with viewing from a side of a camera body; 6 Figs. 6A and 6B schematically show a fifth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention, wherein Fig. 6A is a schematic rear view of the camera, and Fig. 6B is a schematic side view of the camera; Fig. 7 schematically shows a sixth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 8 schematically shows a seventh embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 9 schematically shows an eighth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 10 schematically shows a ninth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Figs. 11 A and 11 B schematically show a tenth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention, wherein Fig. 11 A is a schematic rear view of the camera, and Fig. 1 IB is a schematic bottom view of the camera; Fig. 12 schematically shows an eleventh embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 13 schernatically shows a twelfth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; Fig. 14 schematically shows a thirteenth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention; and Fig. 15 schematically shows a fourteenth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention.

The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not

6 7 intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

EMBODIMENT 1 Please refer to Fig. 3A, which schematically shows a first embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. The camera includes two viewfinders 31 mounted in a camera body 32. Each of the viewfinders 31 has a window 311 for a user to watch a subject to be photographed therethrough. The two viewfinders are respectively located at positions near the right and the left bottom corner of the camera body 32.

For a user accustomed to taking pictures by viewing with his right eye 33, he can use the viewfinder near the left bottom corner so as to avoid the press of his nose 34 against the camera body, as shown in Fig. 3B. On the contrary, for a user accustomed to taking pictures by viewing with his left eye 35, he can use the viewfinder near the right bottom corner so as to avoid the press of his nose 34 against the camera body, as shown in Fig. 3C. On the other hand, the user can also take pictures by viewing with both of his eyes if the distance between the two viewfinders 31 are about the distance between the eyes of the user, as shown in Fig. 3D. Most users feel comfortable and clear to watch things with both eyes.

EMBODIMENT 2 Please refer to Fig. 4, which schematically shows a second embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. The camera shown in Fig. 4 is similar to the camera of Embodiment 1 except that the count of the viewfinder is one, and the viewfinder is elongated. The 7 8 viewfinder 41 is located near the bottom of the camera body 42, and wide enough for a user to view objects therethrough with both of his eyes.

EMBODIMENT 3 A third embodiment of a camera has a similar appearance to the camera of Embodiment 1 except that one of the viewfinders is a night vision equipment. The night vision equipment allows a user to locate the subject to be photographed in relatively dark circumstances. As long as a highly sensitive film is further used to cooperate with the night vision viewfinder, the user can take a picture without strong light so that the disturbance to the environment resulting from the sight auxiliary light and flashlight can be avoided.

Please refer to Fig. 5, which schematically illustrates the night vision equipment 51 from a side of the camera body 52. The night vision equipment 51 includes an object lens 53, an image intensifying tube 54, and an eye piece 55, which are connected as a whole. The image of a subject (not shown) passes through the object lens 53 to obtain an optical signal. The optical signal enters the image intensifying tube 54 to be converted into an electronic signal. The electronic signal then bombards the fluorescent material in the image-intensifying tube 54 to generate an intensified optical signal. The intensified optical signal corresponding to the image of the subject is then projected on the eye piece 55, which can be seen by the user.

If desired, both of the viewfinders can be night vision equipment.

EMBODIMENT 4 8 9 A fourth embodiment of a camera has a similar appearance to the camera of Embodiment 2 except that the elongated viewfinder is a night vision equipment. The night vision equipment is similar to that as described and as shown in Fig. 5.

EMBODIMENT 5 Please refer to Figs. 6A and 6B, which schematically show a fifth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. Fig. 6A is a schematic rear view of the camera, and Fig. 6B is a schematic side view.

The camera shown in Figs. 6A and 6B includes a night vision equipment similar to that as described in Embodiment 3 and as shown in Fig. 5 to serve as a viewfinder 61, and a camera body 62. The camera body 62 has a recessed portion 63 on a bottom corner thereof. The viewfinder 61 is connected to the camera body 62 via a hinge 64, and the viewfinder 61 is pivotally rotatable about the hinge 64. When the camera is in use, the viewfinder 61 is rotated to a viewing position outside the camera body 62 to be used. When the camera is not in use, the viewfinder 61 can be rotated into the recessed portion 63, i.e. rotated to a hidden position inside the camera body.

EMBODIMENT 6 A sixth embodiment of a camera has a similar structure to the camera of Embodiment 5 except that there are two viewfinders rather than one provided in the camera, as shown in Fig. 7. One of viewfinders is located at a position near the left bottom corner, and the other is located at a position near the right bottom corner. In this case, the camera body 62 has another recessed portion 63 1, and another hinge 641 9 is provided to connect the additional viewfinder 611 to the camera body 62. Furthermore, one of the viewfinders is a night vision equipment similar to that as described in Embodiment 3 and as shown in Fig. 5, and the other is a general viewfinder.

EMBODIMENT 7 Please refer to Fig. 8, which schematically shows a seventh embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. The camera also includes a camera body 82 and a viewfinder 81. The camera body 82 has a recessed portion 85 at a position near a bottom corner thereof for receiving the viewfinder 81. The viewfinder 81 is extractably mounted to the camera body 82, and has a stop member 84 for preventing the viewfinder from being completely extracted out of the camera body 82. In addition, there are two bumps 83 mounted on two opposite sides of the viewfinder 81 to be held by user's fingers, thereby extracting the viewfinder 81 partly out of the camera body 82 when the camera is in use, and returning the viewfinder 81 to the recessed portion 85 when the camera is not in use. The bumps 83 can be arranged on the top and the bottom surfaces of the viewfinder 81 as shown in Fig. 8, and alternatively, they can be arranged on the front and the rear surfaces to achieve the same purpose.

EMBODIMENT 8 An eighth embodiment of a camera has a similar structure to the camera of Embodiment 7 except that there are two viewfinders rather than one provided in the camera, as shown in Fig. 9. One of viewfinders is located at a position near the left bottom corner, and the other is 11 located at a position near the right bottom corner. In this case, the camera body 82 has another recessed portion 851, and further two bumps 831 are provided to facilitate the extraction of the viewfinder 811. Furthermore, one of the viewfinders in this case is a night vision equipment similar to that as described in Embodiment 3 and as shown in Fig. 5, and the other is a general viewfinder.

EMBODIMENT 9 A ninth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention, as shown in Fig. 10 which is a schematic side view of the camera, has a camera body 102 and an elongated viewfinder 101 similar to that shown in Fig. 4. The viewfinder 101 has a width equal to the width of the camera body 102. The camera body 102 has a recessed portion 105 on the bottom portion thereof to be extractably mounted therein the elongated viewfinder 101. When the camera is in use, the viewfinder 101 is pulled downwards from the camera body 102 with two of user's fingers holding the two opposite side surfaces 106 of the viewfinder 10 1, and a stop member 104 thereof is used to prevent the viewfinder from being completely extracted out of the camera body 102. When the camera is not in use, the viewfinder can be pushed upwards to return the recessed portion 105.

EMBODIMENT 10 Please refer to Figs. 11A and 11B, which schematically show a tenth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. Fig. 11 A is a schematic rear view of the camera, and Fig. 11 B is a schematic bottom view. The camera includes a camera body 112 and a viewfinder 11 12 111, which have different housings. There is a guiding track 114 provided on a side surface of the camera body 112, and there is a sliding element 115 provided on a side surface of the viewfinder 111. When the camera is in use, the sliding element 115 is engaged with the guiding track 114 to combine the viewfinder 111 with the camera body 112 to have the camera assembled. When the camera is not in use, the viewfinder 111 can be detached from the camera body 112.

EMBODIMENT 11 An eleventh embodiment of a camera, as shown in Fig. 12, has a similar structure to the camera of Embodiment 10 except that the guide track 124 of the camera body 122 is mounted in a recessed portion 125 of the camera body 122.

EMBODIMENT 12 A twelfth embodiment of a camera, as shown in Fig. 13, has a similar structure to the camera of Embodiment 10 except that the guide track 134 is mounted on a surface of the viewfinder 13 1, and the sliding element 135 is mounted on a surface of the camera body 132.

EMBODIMENT 13 A thirteenth embodiment of a camera has a similar structure to the camera of Embodiment 10 except that the camera body 142 has two guide tracks 144, as shown in Fig. 14. In this case, two viewfinder sites can be selected, or two viewfinders similar to that as described in Embodiment 10 and as shown in Fig. 11B can be simultaneously attached to the camera body 142.

12 13 EMBODIMENT 14 Please refer to Fig. 15, which schematically shows a fourteenth embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. The camera 5 includes a camera body 152 having a slot 153 at a position near a bottom thereof, and a night vision equipment movably engaged in the slot 153 as a viewfinder 15 1. The viewfinder 151 can move leftwards and rightwards along the slot so that a user can adjust the viewfinder to a comfortable position as desired.

13 14

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A camera, comprising:

a camera body for picking up an image of a subject; a viewfinder having a window for watching the subject therethrough; and a viewfinder-moving device connected to the viewfinder for moving the viewfinder to a viewing position when the camera is in use, and capable of moving the viewfinder to a hidden position when the camera is not in use.
2. The camera according to claim 1 wherein the viewfinder-moving device is a connecting device allowing the viewfinder to be pivotally connected to the camera body, so that the viewfinder can be pivotally rotated to the hidden position in the camera body when the camera is not in use, and to the viewing position out of the camera body when the camera is in use.
3. The camera according to claim 2 wherein the viewfinder is a night vision equipment which allows a user to locate the subject in relatively dark circumstances.
4. The camera according to claim 2 wherein the viewfinder is located at a position near a right bottom corner of the camera body.
5. The camera according to claim 2 wherein the viewfinder is located at a position near a left bottom corner of the camera body.
6. The camera according to claim 2 further comprising another viewfinder, and the two viewfinders are located at positions near two bottom corners of the camera body, respectively.
7. The camera according to claim 6 wherein the another viewfinder is 14 i pivotally connected to the camera body via another connecting device.
8. The camera according to claim 2 wherein the camera body has a recessed portion for receiving the viewfinder at the hidden position.
9. The camera according to claim 2 wherein the connecting device is a hinge.
10. The camera according to claim 1 wherein the viewfinder is extractably mounted in the camera body, and the viewfinder-moving device is a driving device for being exerted a force thereon, thereby extracting the viewfinder partly out of the camera body to the viewing position when the camera is in use, and returning the viewfinder to the hidden position inside the camera body when the camera is not in use.
11. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the viewfinder is a night vision equipment which allows a user to locate the subject in relatively dark circumstances.
12. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the viewfinder is located at a position near a right bottom corner of the camera body.
13. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the viewfinder is located at a position near a left bottom corner of the camera body.
14. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the viewfinder is located at a position near a bottom of the camera body, has a length approximate to the width of the camera body, and is extractable from the bottom of the camera body.
15. The camera according to claim 10 further comprising another viewfinder, and the two viewfinders are located at positions near two bottom corners of the camera body, respectively.
16 16. The camera according to claim 15 wherein the another viewfinder is mounted in the camera body, and is extractable by another driving device.
17. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the hidden position is a recessed position for receiving the viewfinder which is not in use.
18. The camera according to claim 10 wherein the driving device includes two bumps arranged on two opposite sides of the viewfinder so that two of a user's fingers can hold the bumps to extract the viewfinder.
19. The camera according to claim 1 wherein the viewfinder-moving device includes a first coupling device on a surface of the camera body, a second coupling device on a surface of the viewfinder having a separate housing from the camera body, wherein the viewfinder is attached to the camera body at the viewing position through the engagement of the first and second coupling devices when the camera is in use, and the viewfinder can be detached from the camera body when the camera is not in use.
20. The camera according to claim 19 wherein the viewfinder is a night vision equipment which allows a user to locate the subject in relatively dark circumstances.
2 1. The camera according to claim 19 wherein the viewfinder is attached to the camera body at a position near a right bottom corner thereof
22. The camera according to claim 19 wherein the viewfinder is attached to the camera body at a position near a left bottom corner thereof.
23. The camera according to claim 19 wherein the surface of the camera body where the first coupling device is arranged on is a bottom surface, and the surface of the viewfinder where the second coupling device is 16 17 arranged on is a top surface, so that the viewfinder is attached to the bottom surface of the camera body when in use.
24. The camera according to claim 23 wherein the viewfinder has a length approximate to the camera body.
25. The camera according to claim 19 wherein the camera body has a third coupling device on another surface thereof to be attached thereto another viewfinder.
26. The camera according to claim 25 wherein the first and the third coupling device are guiding tracks secured on the surfaces of the camera body, and the second coupling device is a sliding element engageable with each of the guiding tracks and slidable smoothly therealong.
27. The camera according to claim 25 wherein the second coupling device is a guiding track secured on the surface of the viewfinder, and the first and the third coupling device are sliding elements, each of which is engageable with the guiding track and slidable smoothly therealong.
28. The.camera according to claim 19 wherein the first coupling device is a hooked slot arranged on the surface of the camera body, the second coupling device is a sliding piece, and the hooked slot is extended from a bottom surface of the camera body so that the sliding piece enters the slot from the bottom surface of the camera body.
29. The camera according to claim 1 wherein the viewfinder-moving device is a slot at a position near a bottom of the camera body, and the viewfinder is mounted in the slot.
30. The camera according to claim 29 wherein the viewfinder is a night vision equipment which allows a user to locate the subject in relatively 17 18 dark circumstances.

3 1. The camera substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Fig. 3-15 as shown.

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