JP2002057924A - Photo frame device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a photo frame device at a low cost. SOLUTION: The photo frame device is characterized in that it has a hold means on which an image pickup device having a display section is mounted and that holds the image pickup device, a shade means that hides parts other than the display section of the image pickup device, and a decoration means that brings about an outer appearance as a photo frame.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photo frame device for displaying an image picked up by a digital camera, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Digital camera devices have begun to be widely used. Generally, a user of a digital camera device transfers an image captured by the digital camera device to a personal computer via a detachable memory card or a serial cable or the like which is mounted inside the digital camera device, and transfers the image to the personal computer. To edit the image, transfer the image from a personal computer to a server device or the like via the Internet so that the image can be displayed on a home page (Web page), or transmit the electronic mail when transmitting the e-mail from the personal computer via the Internet. It is used as an image to be attached to a mail or transferred from a personal computer to a printing device connected to the personal computer to create a print photograph.

In addition to this, as a method of using an image photographed by a digital camera device recently proposed, there is a method of using an electronic photo frame (photo stand).

An electronic photo frame is disclosed in
83146 publication,
Regarding the photograph data taken by the digital camera device and stored in the removable memory card, the photograph data is transferred to the inside of the device by inserting / attaching the memory card to the device, and the device includes the same. By displaying it on a liquid crystal display, etc., the photo data is not printed, and it looks like a traditional photo stand (a non-electronic fixture that is installed as an interior with a printed photo, This is an electronic device capable of displaying a photograph in the same manner as the electronic device that is widely commercially available.

[0005]

However, the conventional electronic photo frame needs to be provided with a liquid crystal display, a control unit, a memory unit, a power supply unit, and the like as its configuration, and a considerable cost is required to realize this configuration. Therefore, there is a problem that the price of the product is high even when it is put to practical use, and it is difficult for ordinary users to purchase the product.

[0006] By the way, most of the digital camera devices generally provided have a display unit of a liquid crystal display, and by using the display unit, the photographed photograph data stored in the memory card of the digital camera device is displayed. It can be carried out. In addition, there is an apparatus having a function of enlarged display (enlargement of a part of a photograph) and a slide show (automatic update display of a plurality of photographs at predetermined time intervals) when displaying photographed photograph data on a display unit.

Further, in order to improve the user interface of the digital camera device, the size of a liquid crystal display as a display unit tends to be larger than before.
Therefore, it is possible to perform the same operation as that of the electronic photo frame by displaying the photograph data on the liquid crystal display of the digital camera device by using the digital camera device itself, if it is limited only to the functional operation.

[0008] However, photo frames are inherently strong in decorativeness, interior and hobby, and it is difficult for a user to use a digital camera device having an obvious appearance as a camera as an electronic photo frame. Is extremely unnatural in reality, and it is difficult to promote its use. That is, the digital camera device itself or its display unit does not have the decorativeness that the photo frame should originally have. In addition, the digital camera device is basically operated by hand, and does not have any means for installation (an installation means which should be originally provided in a photo frame and which is inclined on the floor so that a photograph can be easily seen).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a digital camera device having a display unit, and to provide an appearance as a photo frame by mounting the digital camera device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a photo frame device which can be realized at low cost and can perform the same function as an electronic photo frame device.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a holding means for mounting and holding an image pickup apparatus having a display unit, and a unit other than the display unit of the image pickup apparatus. And a decoration means for providing an appearance as a photo frame.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a tilt angle adjusting means for changing a tilt angle of the apparatus when installed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus, further comprising a replacement unit capable of changing the shielding unit according to the size of the display unit of the imaging device.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following embodiments of the present invention, as an example of a photo frame device, a holding portion for mounting and holding a digital camera device having a display portion, and a shield for hiding portions other than the display portion of the digital camera device. Frame device and a decorative portion that provides an appearance as a photo frame, a digital camera device of any manufacturer / model and of a different size. It is a thing to tighten.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the appearance of the photo frame device according to the present embodiment. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a side view, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of AA cross section in FIGS. 1 and 4, and FIG. 4 is a rear view. The following description will be made with reference to these drawings. 1 is a photo frame device main body,
The material is wooden, and the surface is painted for decoration. Reference numeral 2 denotes a decorative glass, through which the decorative cardboard 3 can be seen because the decorative glass 2 is transparent. The outer dimensions of the decorative glass 2 and the decorative cardboard 3 are almost the same, but the decorative cardboard 3 has a hole in the center as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and the size of the hole is Digital camera device 10 to be described later on its mounting method
Are almost the same as the size of the liquid crystal display which is the display unit provided in the device.

A hinge 5 is adhered to the photo frame device main body 1, and a support foot 6 is adhered to the hinge 5;
A rubber foot 7 is attached to the tip of the support foot 6. The user adjusts the inclination angle when the device is installed by adjusting the angle of the hinge 5, and uses the support feet 6 to set the frame main body 1 at an angle slightly laid with respect to the vertical angle from the horizontal line. Is possible.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the decorative glass 2 is mounted, the decorative glass 2 is dropped from the rear of the frame main body 1 toward the front, and the decorative cardboard 3 is placed behind the decorative glass. As shown in FIG. 4, it is fixed to the frame body 1 by four clasps 5. This is the same as a conventional non-electronic photo frame. Since the decorative cardboard 3 can be removed or replaced by the user in this way, the decorative cardboard 3 is removed and the display unit of the digital camera device 10 is removed. It is possible for the user to process the hole in accordance with the size of the digital camera device 10 or to replace the decorative cardboard 3 with another hole size corresponding to the size of the display unit of the digital camera device 10.

Next, the operation of mounting and holding the digital camera device 10 on the frame main body 1 will be described. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a view of the digital camera device 10 as viewed from the rear, FIG. 5 is a side view of the digital camera device mounted on the frame body 1, and FIG. 6 is a rear view thereof.

The digital camera device 10 has a lens 11 and a strobe light emitting portion 13 on its front surface and a display portion 12 on its back surface. The digital camera device 10 is mounted so that the rear surface of the main body 1 and the rear surface of the digital camera device 10 face each other. At the time of mounting, first, the support rod 8 is mounted on the frame main body 1 while measuring so that the position of the decorative cardboard 3 already mounted on the frame main body 1 and the position of the display unit 12 of the digital camera device 10 match. Note that a magic tape (registered trademark) 9 is adhered to a part of the support rod 8 and a part of the frame body 1 in advance. 8 is fixed to the frame main body 1, so that the support rod 8 functions as a support rod for installing the digital camera device 10 thereon to support its mass.

After the support rod 8 is mounted on the frame main body 1 according to the size of the digital camera device 10 and the position of the display unit 12, the digital camera device 10 is placed on the upper part thereof, and two camera mounting springs 4 are further mounted. Fixed by.
The camera mounting spring 4 is attached to the frame body 1 by a spring fixing screw 14.
Is a resilient member made of metal or plastic, which is rotatable around a portion fixed by a spring fixing screw 14, and the tip of which is a suitable member on the front surface of the digital camera device 10. By being brought into contact with the position, the camera fixing spring 4 serves to press the digital camera device 10 against the direction of the frame main body 1, and even when the frame main body 1 is installed at an angle, the digital camera device 10 is not shown in FIG. 5 and 6 can be held in contact with the frame body 1.

As described above, the digital camera device 10
Is mounted and held on the frame main body 1, when the frame 1 is viewed from the front, in the digital camera device, the display unit 12 can only be seen through the hole of the decorative cardboard 3, and the parts other than the display unit are Never seen. Therefore, it can be said that the decorative cardboard 3 functions as a shielding unit that hides a part other than the display unit 12 of the digital camera device 10. Further, the frame main body 1, the decorative glass 2, and the decorative cardboard 3 have the same decorativeness that a photo frame originally has, which is equivalent to a conventional non-electronic photo frame. As a result, the user does not have to be conscious of the fact that there is actually a digital camera device in the background, and a natural sense of use can be obtained as a photo frame device that inherently requires decoration, interior decoration, and hobby.

The display of the photographed image on the display unit 12 is performed by an operation using a user interface such as operation buttons of the digital camera device 10.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, the photo frame device according to the embodiment has been described as being installed on a floor, a shelf or the like. It may be a structure to be installed on a wall in such as.

Although the decorative glass 2 is a flat glass in the above embodiment, a lens means may be built in a portion corresponding to the front surface of the display unit 12 so that an image can be enlarged and displayed. Also, the case where the camera is set horizontally is described, but in the present embodiment, both the horizontal setting and the vertical setting are possible.

In the above-described embodiment, the photo frame device for mounting and holding only the digital camera device 10 has been described. However, not only the digital camera device 10 but also the AC
The power supply adapter may be configured to be attached and held, or a fitting for stopping a power supply cable connecting the AC power adapter and the digital camera device 10 may be provided.

In the above-described embodiment, the digital camera device 10 is mounted and held in a bare form on the back of the photo frame device. However, the digital camera device 10 is not provided with a cover or the like that covers the entire digital camera device 10. In that case, the digital camera device 10 may be provided inside the cover.
Not only that, the peripheral device and the optional device may be stored.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an embodiment has been described in which mounting and holding of digital cameras of different manufacturers and different models are described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a digital camera of a specific model is not limited thereto. A photo frame device for mounting and holding the device may be used. In that case, the decorative glass 2 and the decorative cardboard 3
And a structure for directly attaching and holding the digital camera device to the frame main body 1 instead of using the support rod 8 and the camera attachment spring 4 and a connector, a hook, a band, a magnet, and the like. You may let it.

Further, the photo frame device in the above-described embodiment may be provided with a built-in AC power adapter, a spare memory card storage portion, a spare battery storage portion, a digital camera device optional device storage portion, and the like.

[0029]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Provided is a photo frame device which uses a digital camera device having a display portion, and which has the appearance as a photo frame when attached to the digital camera device, and can perform the same function as an electronic photo frame device at low cost. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an appearance of a photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the appearance of the photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the appearance when a digital camera device is mounted on the photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the appearance when a digital camera device is mounted on the photo frame device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a rear view of the digital camera device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Frame main body 2 Decorative glass 3 Decorative cardboard 4 Camera mounting spring 5 Clasp 6 Support foot 7 Rubber foot 8 Support rod 9 Magic tape 10 Digital camera device 11 Lens 12 Display part (liquid crystal display) 13 Strobe light emitting part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Yoshihisa Tadokoro, 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Takaki Miyazaki 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (reference) 5C022 AA13 AC01 AC61 5C054 AA01 AA05 CA04 CC03 CE06 CE11 CH02 EA01 EA05 FA00 HA01

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup apparatus having a display unit, comprising: holding means for mounting and holding the image pickup apparatus; shielding means for concealing a part other than the display unit of the image pickup apparatus; and decoration means for providing an appearance as a photo frame. Characteristic photo frame device. 2. The photo frame device according to claim 1, further comprising an inclination angle adjusting means for changing an inclination angle of the device when installed. 3. The photo frame device according to claim 1, further comprising a replacement unit that can change the shielding unit according to a size of a display unit of the imaging device. 4. The photo frame device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a digital camera. 5. An image pickup apparatus having a display section, holding means for mounting and holding the image pickup apparatus, shielding means for concealing a portion other than the display section of the image pickup apparatus, and decoration means for providing an appearance as a photo frame. And a photo frame device having the following.