JP3272569B2 - Electronic development type camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera using a recording medium for electronically developing an image obtained by exposure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a photographic material capable of electronically developing an optical image obtained by a photographing lens is known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-2280 discloses an electrostatic information recording medium and A recording medium combined with a holding medium is disclosed. In this specification, such a recording medium is called an electro-developing recording medium, and a camera using this electro-developing recording medium is called an electro-developing camera.

In the electro-developing recording medium described in the above publication, the electrostatic information recording medium has a photoconductive layer and an inorganic oxide layer, and the charge holding medium has a liquid crystal display element. With this configuration, when the electrostatic information recording medium is exposed while a voltage is applied to the electrostatic information recording medium and the charge holding medium, charges corresponding to the amount of incident light are generated on the electrostatic information recording medium.
Since the strength of the electric field applied to the liquid crystal display element arranged opposite to the electrostatic information recording medium changes according to the generated charges, an image corresponding to the light amount distribution is displayed on the liquid crystal display element, that is, the image is developed. .

An image developed by a liquid crystal display element can be detected using an optical element such as a line sensor. That is, the image is read by irradiating illumination light from the front of the electro-developing recording medium and scanning the line sensor behind the electro-developing recording medium.

[0005]

However, if an electro-developing camera is configured to perform not only an imaging operation but also an image reading operation, an illumination light source or the like is provided between the imaging optical system and the electro-developing recording medium. It is necessary to dispose the members, which makes it difficult to reduce the size of the camera in the direction of the photographing optical axis, and there is a problem that the design of the camera is restricted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to reduce the size of an electro-developing camera capable of performing an imaging operation and an image reading operation in the direction of a photographing optical axis.

[0007]

An electro-developing camera according to the present invention includes an electro-developing recording medium having a recording area for electronically developing an image, and scans along the electro-developing recording medium. A sub-scanning mechanism for reading an image formed in the recording area, and the electro-developing recording medium
Moving means for moving , the moving means,
First the recording area when developing an image on the recording area
Defined position, said recording area first when reading the image formed on the recording region by the scanning mechanism
It is characterized by a constant mel different second position and the position.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is an external view of a still video camera to which one embodiment of the present invention is applied. This still video camera is an electro-developing camera, and is configured to develop an image using an electro-developing recording medium.

When the camera body 11 is viewed from the front, an image pickup optical system 12 having a photographing lens and the like is provided substantially at the center of the front surface, and a strobe 13 is provided above and to the right of the image pickup optical system 12. A release switch 14 is provided on the opposite side of the flash 13. The finder 15 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the camera body 11, and operation switches such as the scan start switch 16 are provided on the side of the finder 15. In order to output an image signal obtained by the camera to an external recording device or the like, the camera body 11
An output terminal 17 is provided at a lower portion of the side surface of the.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a still video camera. The system control circuit 20 is a microcomputer and controls the entire still video camera.

The imaging optical system 12 has a plurality of lens groups,
An aperture 12a is provided. The color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30 are disposed behind the imaging optical system 12, and the color separation filter 80 is located closer to the imaging optical system 12 than the electro-developing recording medium 30. Imaging optical system 12
A quick return mirror 21 is provided between the color filter 80 and the color separation filter 80, and a focus plate 23 a of the finder optical system 23 is provided above the quick return mirror 21. The shutter 22 is provided between the color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30.

Aperture 12a, quick return mirror 21
And the shutter 22 are provided in the iris drive circuit 2 respectively.
4. Driven by a mirror drive circuit 25 and a shutter drive circuit 26, and these circuits 24, 25 and 26 are controlled by an exposure control circuit 27. The exposure control circuit 27 operates according to a command signal output from the system control circuit 20. That is, at the time of exposure control, the photometric sensor 2
The aperture of the aperture 12a is adjusted by the iris drive circuit 24 under the control of the exposure control circuit 27 based on the output signal from the iris 8. The quick return mirror 21 is normally set at the down position (in an inclined state shown by a solid line), and guides the light that has passed through the imaging optical system 12 to the finder optical system 23. Accordingly, the mirror is driven upward by the mirror driving circuit 25 and is set to the up position (horizontal state indicated by a broken line). The shutter 22 opens and closes an optical path guided to the electro-developing recording medium 30, and is normally closed. However, during a photographing operation, the shutter 22 is opened for a predetermined time by a shutter driving circuit 26 under the control of an exposure control circuit 27. Light that has passed through the imaging optical system 12 is applied to the light receiving surface of the electro-developing recording medium 30.

The color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30 both have a disk shape and are arranged coaxially with each other. Output shafts 91 and 92 extending in opposite directions from the stepping motor 90 are connected to the axis of the color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30, respectively. The mold recording medium 30 rotates synchronously. Stepping motor 9
Numeral 0 is rotationally driven by the motor driving circuit 93 based on the output signal from the exposure control circuit 27, and rotates by about 120 degrees for each shutter operation.

A voltage is applied to the electro-developing recording medium 30 under the control of the recording medium driving circuit 41, and the electro-developing recording medium 30 is exposed during the application of the voltage to thereby be exposed.
As described later, the image formed by the imaging optical system 12 is developed as a visible image, as described later. The recording medium drive circuit 41 operates according to a command signal output from the system control circuit 20.

A sub-scanning mechanism 50 is provided near the electro-developing recording medium 30. The sub-scanning mechanism 50 is located below the stepping motor 90 (second position), while the shutter 22 is located above the stepping motor 90 (first position). That is, the sub-scanning mechanism 50 and the shutter 22 are connected to the color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30.
At the opposite side of the axis.

The sub-scanning mechanism 50 supports a light source 42 composed of, for example, an LED having an emission spectrum distribution suitable for reading, a scanner optical system 43, and a line sensor 44. Moves along the electro-developing recording medium 30. As the line sensor 44, for example, a CCD one-dimensional sensor having 2000 pixels can be used. The light source 42 is movable along the front surface of the electro-developing recording medium 30, and the line sensor 44 is movable along the back surface of the electro-developing recording medium 30. The scanner optical system 43 is provided between the light source 42 and the line sensor 44. In the sub-scanning by the sub-scanning mechanism 50, the light source 42 is located on the side opposite to the line sensor 44 with respect to the electro-developing recording medium 30, so that the image developed by the electro-developing recording medium 30 is illuminated by the light source 42. Then, an image is formed on the light receiving surface of the line sensor 44 by the action of the scanner optical system 43. That is, the scanner optical system 43 is provided in the middle of the path of the light transmitted through the electro-developing recording medium 30, and the line sensor 44 moves on the image plane of the image formed by the scanner optical system 43.

The on / off control of the light source 42 is performed by an illumination light source driving circuit 45, and the control such as the reading operation of the pixel signal generated in the line sensor 44 is performed by a line sensor driving circuit 46.
It is performed by The movement of the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is controlled by the scanner drive circuit 47. These circuits 45,
46 and 47 are controlled by the system control circuit 20.

The pixel signal read from the line sensor 44 is amplified by an amplifier 61 and converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter 62. The digital pixel signal is subjected to processing such as shading correction and gamma correction in the image processing circuit 63 under the control of the system control circuit 20, and is then temporarily stored in the memory 64. The memory 64 may have a storage capacity for one horizontal scanning line output from the line sensor 44, or may be a memory having a storage capacity for one screen. Further, the memory 64 may include an E ² PROM for storing correction values such as shading correction.

The pixel signal read from the memory 64 is
The image data is input from the image processing circuit 63 to the interface circuit 65, subjected to predetermined processing such as format conversion, and can be output to an external host computer (not shown) via the output terminal 17. The pixel signal output from the image processing circuit 63 is sent to the recording device control circuit 66 by the
A predetermined process such as image compression or format conversion is performed, and the image can be recorded on a recording medium such as an IC memory card in the image recording device 67. The interface circuit 65 and the recording device control circuit 66 operate according to a command signal from the system control circuit 20.

The system control circuit 20 includes a release switch 14 and a scan start switch 16.
An operation unit 71 having the same is connected. An image pickup operation is performed by operating the release switch 14, and a reading operation of an image signal from the electro-developing recording medium 30 is performed by operating the scan start switch 16.

The system control circuit 20 includes:
A display element 68 for displaying various setting states of the still video camera and the like, and a flash drive circuit 69 for controlling light emission of the flash 13 are connected.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sub-scanning mechanism 50 and its vicinity. The moving member 52 of the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is slidably supported by the guide shaft 51, and has first and second legs 52a and 52b and a support 52c. The first leg 52a extends between the color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30 and below the step motor 90, and the second leg 52b is on the back side of the electro-developing recording medium 30. Overhangs. The support portion 52c is provided further behind the second leg portion 52b. Light source 4
Numeral 2 is provided on the first leg 52a, and illumination light from the light source 42 is applied to the electro-developing recording medium 30 via a collimator lens (not shown) attached to the leg 52a. . The scanner optical system 43 is provided on the second leg 52b.
The line sensors 44 are respectively attached to the support portions 52c. The light source 42 and the line sensor 44 both extend in the horizontal direction. The rack 53 fixed to the moving member 52 meshes with a pinion 54, which meshes with a gear 56 provided on an output shaft of a scan drive motor 55.

The electro-developing recording medium 30 has a first recording area 30R for forming an R (red) image, a second recording area 30G for forming a G (green) image, and a B (blue) image. And a third recording area 30B that forms These recording areas 30R, 30G, 30B have a rectangular shape, and are opposed to the shutter 22 when located above the output shaft 92 (first position) and below the output shaft 92 (second position).
, The light source 42 and the scanner optical system 43 are opposed to each other. The color separation filter 80 is divided into an R filter element 80R, a G filter element 80G, and a B filter element 80B by three straight lines extending radially from the axis, and each of these filter elements 80R, 80G, 80B has a central angle. It has a 120 degree fan shape. R filter element 80R
A mask 93 that blocks light is provided on the dividing line between the color filter 80 and the outermost peripheral portion of the color separation filter 80.
Is formed, and an origin detector 94 for detecting the mask 93 is provided at a portion facing the periphery of the color separation filter 80.
(Photo interrupter) is provided.

During the photographing operation, the color separation filter 80 is positioned so that one of the filter elements 80R, 80G, and 80B is located behind the imaging optical system 12, that is, on the imaging optical axis. The recording area 30R, 30G, or 30B corresponding to the filter element is positioned so as to be located on the imaging optical axis. During the imaging operation of one image, the color separation filter 80 and the electro-developing recording medium 30 make one rotation. That is, the first recording area 30R
Then, the R image is developed, the G image is developed in the second recording area 30G, and the B image is developed in the third recording area 30B. When the scan start switch 16 is operated after the imaging operation is completed, the moving member 52 is raised by the rotation of the scan drive motor 55, and the sub-scan is performed by the line sensor 44. Scan in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. The sub-scan is performed for the three recording areas 30R, 30G, and 30B. That is, the electro-developing recording medium 30 makes one rotation during the sub-scanning.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the electro-developing recording medium 30, which is the same as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-2280. That is, the electro-developing recording medium 3
0 denotes an electrostatic information recording medium 31, a charge holding medium 32, and a power supply 3
3 is provided. The electrostatic information recording medium 31 is
4, electrode layer 35, inorganic oxide layer 36, and photoconductive layer 37
And the photoconductive layer 37 is formed by polymerizing the charge generation layer 37a and the charge transport layer 37b. The charge holding medium 32 includes a liquid crystal 4 between the liquid crystal support 38 and the liquid crystal electrode layer 39.
0 is enclosed. The charge transport layer 37b of the electrostatic information recording medium 31 and the liquid crystal support 38 of the charge holding medium 32 face each other with a small gap.

The power supply 33 is turned on and off by a recording medium drive circuit 41. When the power supply 33 is on, the electrode layer 3 is turned on.
5 and the liquid crystal electrode layer 39, that is, the electrostatic information recording medium 3
1 and a voltage are applied to the charge holding medium 32. When the electrostatic information recording medium 31 is exposed in this voltage applied state, charges corresponding to an image are generated on the electrostatic information recording medium 31. Since the intensity of the electric field acting on the liquid crystal 40 changes according to the charge, the image is displayed on the liquid crystal 40 as a visible image, and the subject image is developed. The charge holding medium 32 is a dispersion type liquid crystal display element, and the developed visible image is held even when the electric field is removed. The dispersion type liquid crystal display element can erase the developed visible image by heating to a predetermined temperature using a heating device (not shown). In this case, the same recording medium can be repeatedly used. it can.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the imaging operation and the image reading operation. The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

When it is detected that the release switch 14 has been pressed (reference S11), an output signal from the photometric sensor 28, that is, a photometric value is detected, and a photometric calculation is performed based on the photometric value (reference S12). . Based on the result of the photometric calculation, the opening of the aperture 12a changes from the fully opened state to a predetermined opening (reference S13). Next, the quick return mirror 21 changes from the down state to the up state (reference S14).

Change of Mirror 21 to Up State and Aperture 1
When it is confirmed that the opening adjustment of 2a is completed, the recording medium activation signal of the first recording area 30R of the electro-developing recording medium 30 is set to the ON state (reference S15), and the first recording area is set. A voltage is applied to 30R. At the same time, the shutter 22 is opened for the exposure time obtained by the photometric calculation (reference S12) (reference S16). The shutter 22
Prior to the opening operation of the color separation filter 80, the R filter element 80R faces the shutter 22 (reference S1).
7) The G filter element 80G and the B filter element 80
B is set at a position close to the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S18). Similarly, for the electro-developing recording medium 30, the first recording area 30R faces the shutter 22,
The second and third recording areas 30G, 30B are close to the sub-scanning mechanism 50. Therefore, the first recording area 30R
The image of R is formed on the image.

When the shutter 22 is closed, the color separation filter 8
0, the electro-developing recording medium 30 rotates about 120 degrees, and the G filter element 80G and the second recording area 30G
2 is set to the first position (reference S19).
Further, the R filter element 80R, the B filter element 80B, and the first and third recording areas 30R and 30B are determined at the second position close to the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S2).
0). In this state, the recording medium activation signal of the second recording area 30G is set to the ON state (reference S21), and the second
Voltage is applied to the recording area 30G of the
Open for the exposure time obtained by the photometric calculation (reference S22). As a result, the G image is displayed in the second recording area 30G.
Formed.

When the shutter 22 is closed, the color separation filter 8
0 and the electro-developing recording medium 30 rotates again by about 120 degrees,
The B filter element 80B and the third recording area 30B face the shutter 22 (reference S23). The G filter element 80G, the R filter element 80R, and the second and first recording areas 30G and 30R are close to the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S24). In this state, the recording medium activation signal of the third recording area 30B is set to the ON state (reference S25), and the shutter 22 is opened for the exposure time obtained by the photometric calculation (reference S26). Thereby, the image of B is formed in the third recording area 30B.

In this manner, the recording areas 30R, 30G, and 30B of the electro-developing recording medium 30 are assigned R, G, and B, respectively.
Is developed, the mirror 21 changes to the down state (reference S27), and the aperture 12a is opened to the fully opened state (reference S28).

When the scan start switch 16 is operated and a scanner drive command signal is output (reference S3).
1), the light source 42 for illumination is turned on (reference S32).
Further, the first recording region 30R is set at a second position close to the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S33), and the second and third positions are set.
The recording areas 30G and 30B are opposed to the shutter 22 (reference S34). At this time, the R filter element 80R is located on the sub-scanning mechanism 50 side, and the G filter elements 80G and B
The filter element 80B is located on the shutter 22 side. In this state, the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is driven, the sub-scan is performed by the line sensor 44 (reference S35), and the R image signal is output from the line sensor 44 (reference S36).

When the output of the R image signal is completed, the electro-developing recording medium 30 and the color separation filter 80 are rotated by about 120 degrees, and the second recording area 30G approaches the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S37). , The first and third recording areas 30R, 30B face the shutter 22 (reference S3).
8). In this state, the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is driven, the sub-scan is performed by the line sensor 44 (reference S39), and the G image signal is output from the line sensor 44 (reference S4).
0).

When the output of the G image signal is completed, the electro-developing recording medium 30 and the color separation filter 80 are further moved to about 12
It rotates by 0 degrees, the third recording area 30B approaches the sub-scanning mechanism 50 (reference S41), and the first and second recording areas 30R and 30G face the shutter 22 (reference S42). In this state, the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is driven, and sub-scanning is performed by the line sensor 44 (reference S43).
The B image signal is output from the line sensor 44 (reference S44). When the R, G, and B image signals are read out in this manner, the light source 42 is turned off (reference S45).

As described above, in this embodiment, the sub-scanning mechanism 50 for reading out the images recorded in the recording areas 30R, 30G, and 30B of the electro-developing recording medium 30 is provided with the electro-developing recording medium 30 and the color separation. The filter is arranged at a second position below the axis of the filter 80, and the optical axis of the imaging optical system 12 is arranged at a first position above the axis. Regions 30R, 30G, 30
B is set at the first position during the imaging operation, and is set at the second position when the image is read.

Therefore, since the sub-scanning mechanism 50 is disposed at a position deviated from the imaging optical axis, the size of the camera in the imaging optical axis direction can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the camera increases.

The electro-developing recording medium 30 and the color separation filter 80 are not limited to those driven by rotation, but may be configured to move along a straight line.

Further, the electro-developing recording medium 30 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may have another configuration as long as an image is developed electronically.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an electro-developing camera capable of performing an image pickup operation and an image readout operation, an effect is obtained that the size in the direction of the photographing optical axis is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a still video camera to which an embodiment of the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the still video camera of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a sub-scanning mechanism and a configuration near the sub-scanning mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electro-developing recording medium.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing an imaging operation and an image reading operation.

[Description of Signs] 30 Electro-developing recording medium 30R, 30G, 30B Recording area 50 Sub-scanning mechanism

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Mogami, 2-36-9 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Tetsuya Abe 2-36, Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 9 Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoki Koshikawa 2-36-9 Maenocho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-5-191813 (JP, A) ( 58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/225 H04N 9/04 H04N 9/79 G03B 19/02

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electro-developing recording medium having a recording area for electronically developing an image, and a sub-scanner for reading an image formed in the recording area by scanning along the electro-developing recording medium. Scanning mechanism and the electro-developing recording
Moving means for moving a medium , wherein the moving means
Is defined above <br/> recording area first position when developing the image on the recording area, the recording area of the first when reading the image formed on the recording region by the scanning mechanism electro-developing type camera, wherein the constant mel different second position and the position. 2. An electro-developing recording medium, comprising:
Characterized in that it can be rotated around the axis by a step
The electro-developing camera according to claim 1. 3. The electro-developing recording medium has a disk shape.
The electro-developing type turtle according to claim 2, wherein
La. 4. The electro-developing camera according to claim 2, wherein the first and second positions are point-symmetric with respect to the axis. 5. The electro-developing recording medium is R (red).
, A first recording area for forming an image of G (green), a second recording area for forming an image of G (green), and a third recording area for forming an image of B (blue). The electro-developing camera according to claim 1. 6. The electro-developing camera according to claim 5, wherein a color separation filter having R, G, and B filter elements is provided at a portion facing the electro-developing recording medium. . 7. The electro-developing camera according to claim 6, wherein the electro-developing recording medium and the color separation filter move synchronously via the same driving source. 8. The electro-developing camera according to claim 7, wherein the sub-scanning mechanism is displaceable between the electro-developing recording medium and a color separation filter. 9. An electro-developing recording medium comprising: an electrostatic information recording medium on which an electric charge corresponding to an image is generated; and a charge holding medium capable of generating a visible image in accordance with the electric charge and holding the visible image. 2. The electro-developing camera according to claim 1, comprising: 10. The electro-developing camera according to claim 9, wherein the charge holding medium is a dispersion type liquid crystal display device.