JP3631610B2 - Digital camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital camera having a liquid crystal screen as image output means, and more particularly to a liquid crystal cover covering the liquid crystal screen.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a liquid crystal integrated digital camera has a liquid crystal screen as a part of an outer surface of a housing as one of image output means, and can shoot a subject while confirming a subject with liquid crystal or output a recorded image. Generally it is possible. More recently, an imaging lens is mounted in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the camera casing to improve the holding feeling with one hand and to reduce the size. Here, a digital camera has been proposed in which the liquid crystal unit includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight, and a liquid crystal drive circuit board as an integrated liquid crystal unit, and a part of the liquid crystal unit is pivotally supported on the main body so that the liquid crystal unit itself can be opened and closed. Yes.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional technology, since the liquid crystal screen, the backlight, the liquid crystal drive circuit, and the like are opened and closed as an integral unit, the liquid crystal unit to be moved becomes large and the rotating shaft requires high strength. There was a problem of becoming. Further, the electrical connection between the liquid crystal drive circuit and the camera body becomes complicated, the mechanism becomes complicated, and the cost increases accordingly.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera that can change the display direction of a liquid crystal screen at a low cost and with a simple configuration without worrying about inadvertently soiling the liquid crystal screen.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides an imaging unit, a camera body, a liquid crystal monitor disposed on a predetermined surface of the camera body, and a shaft disposed outside the liquid crystal monitor so as to be openable and closable with respect to the camera body. A supported liquid crystal cover, detection means for detecting opening and closing of the liquid crystal cover, and an upright image that projects an image as it is based on a result detected by the detection means and a mirror image that is displayed by reversing left and right are selectively displayed on a liquid crystal monitor And a liquid crystal window comprising a half mirror provided on the liquid crystal cover. When the detection means detects that the liquid crystal cover is closed, the control means A standing image is displayed, the image on the liquid crystal monitor is transmitted through the liquid crystal window and displayed as an upright image, and the liquid crystal cover is opened by the detecting means. When the state is detected, a mirror image is projected on the liquid crystal monitor by the control means, and the image on the liquid crystal monitor is reflected on the liquid crystal monitor side surface of the liquid crystal window and displayed as an upright image. The present invention relates to a digital camera.
[0007]
The present invention also relates to a digital camera characterized in that the liquid crystal window has a half mirror coating on one side of a flat plate made of plastic or glass.
[0008]
According to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a digital camera that can change the display direction of the liquid crystal screen at a low cost and with a simple configuration without causing the liquid crystal screen to be carelessly soiled.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a digital camera according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. In the figure, a liquid crystal screen 8 is disposed on one surface of the camera body 3 in parallel with the optical axis of the image pickup lens 9, and the liquid crystal cover 1 is mounted in parallel with the liquid crystal screen 8, and at one end of the camera body by a hinge portion 2. 3 is pivotally supported. A liquid crystal window 4 having a half mirror coating on one side of a flat plate made of acrylic is provided at the center. Glass may be used as the material for the flat plate.
[0010]
A concave portion 5 and a convex portion 6 are provided on the side opposite to the hinge portion 2, and the concave portion 5 is fitted to the convex portion 7 of the camera body 3 with the liquid crystal cover 1 closed, and the liquid crystal cover 1 is attached to the camera body 3. Locked.
[0011]
When the liquid crystal cover 1 is in a closed state, the center of the liquid crystal window 4 and the center of the liquid crystal screen 8 coincide with each other, and the display content of the liquid crystal screen can be viewed through the liquid crystal window 4 of the liquid crystal cover 1. A detection hole 10 is provided in the camera body 3, and a detection switch 11 is disposed on the inner surface of the detection hole 10. When the liquid crystal cover 1 is closed, the detection switch 11 is turned on.
[0012]
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the detection hole 10. When the liquid crystal cover 1 is closed, the convex portion 6 passes through the detection hole 10, presses the detection portion 11 a of the detection switch 11, and the detection switch 11 is ON. become. On the contrary, when the liquid crystal cover 1 is opened, the convex portion 6 is separated from the detection portion 11a, so that the detection switch 11 is turned off.
[0013]
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the liquid crystal cover 1. The liquid crystal window 4 is bonded and fixed to the liquid crystal cover 1 and moves together with the liquid crystal cover 1.
[0014]
FIG. 5 shows details of the hinge portion 2, and the hinge portion 2 is press-fitted into the shaft 12 and is configured to move with a force of a certain torque or more (for example, 200 gf / mm). When the liquid crystal cover 1 is opened, a part of the hinge portion 2 comes into contact with the stopper 13 so as to stop at a certain angle (for example, 45 degrees).
[0015]
When the liquid crystal cover 1 is opened at 45 degrees with respect to the liquid crystal screen, the image of the liquid crystal screen 8 can be reflected on the liquid crystal window 4 from a direction rotated 90 degrees from the state in which the liquid crystal cover 1 is closed. . Since the mirror image is displayed on the liquid crystal screen 8, it can be viewed as an upright image when viewed through the reflection of the liquid crystal window 4.
[0016]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a lock mechanism between the liquid crystal cover 1 and the camera body 3. The convex portion 7 of the camera body 3 is made of an elastic member such as ABS or POM, and there are slits on the left and right of the convex portion 7. Yes. When the liquid crystal cover 1 is closed, first, one end of the liquid crystal cover 1 is in contact with the convex portion 7 and pressed. Since the convex part 7 is an elastic member, it bends in the pressed direction and is locked by fitting into the concave part 5. Similarly, in the opening direction, the convex portion 7 is bent to release the lock.
[0017]
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of the entire digital camera according to the present invention. The image data obtained in the imaging unit 17 is processed by the image processing unit 18 and temporarily recorded in the memory 19. The image data recorded in the memory is output by the liquid crystal driver 21 by the liquid crystal driver 21. The liquid crystal display control unit 20 controls the display method of the liquid crystal monitor 22 according to the state of the detection switch 11. When the detection switch 11 is ON, an upright image that directly projects the subject is controlled to be displayed on the liquid crystal screen. When the detection switch 11 is OFF, a mirror image that reverses the subject horizontally is displayed on the liquid crystal screen. Control to display. Here, the liquid crystal monitor 22 includes a circuit meaning and is the same as the liquid crystal screen 8 in appearance.
[0018]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing these flows.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention is a large-sized liquid crystal unit such as a conventional liquid crystal unit, and can be used to open a liquid crystal screen from a plurality of directions by simply opening and closing a thin and simple liquid crystal cover without moving complicated structural members. It is possible to provide a digital camera that can be seen and can change the display direction of the liquid crystal screen at a low cost and with a simple configuration without worrying about inadvertently soiling the liquid crystal screen.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an appearance of an embodiment of a digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the detection unit in FIG. 2;
4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the liquid crystal cover of FIG. 2. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the hinge part of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a lock portion of the liquid crystal cover.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a digital camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation associated with opening and closing the liquid crystal cover.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid crystal cover 2 ... Hinge part 3 ... Camera body 4 ... Liquid crystal window 5 ... Concave part 6 of a liquid crystal cover ... Convex part 7 of a liquid crystal cover ... Convex part of a camera body 8 ... Liquid crystal screen 9 ... Imaging lens 10 ... Detection hole 11 ... Detection switch 12 ... Shaft 13 ... Stopper 14 ... Release button 15 ... Power switch 16 ... Liquid crystal switch 17 ... Imaging unit 18 ... Image processing unit 19 ... Memory 20 ... Liquid crystal display control unit 21 ... Liquid crystal driver 22 ... Liquid crystal monitor 23 ... Liquid crystal cover detection unit 25 .. Operation unit 27 ... Battery 28 ... Power supply control circuit

Claims (2)

An imaging unit, a camera body, a liquid crystal monitor disposed on a predetermined surface of the camera body, a liquid crystal cover disposed outside the liquid crystal monitor and pivotally supported by the camera body so as to be openable and closable, Provided in the liquid crystal cover is a detection means for detecting opening and closing, a control means for selectively displaying on the liquid crystal monitor an upright image that projects an image as it is based on a result detected by the detection means, and a mirror image that is mirrored to the left and right. Equipped with a half-mirror LCD window,
When the detection unit detects that the liquid crystal cover is in a closed state, the control unit displays an upright image on the liquid crystal monitor, and the image on the liquid crystal monitor is transmitted through the liquid crystal window and is Displayed as a standing image,
When the detection means detects that the liquid crystal cover is in an open state, a mirror image is projected on the liquid crystal monitor by the control means, and the image on the liquid crystal monitor is a surface on the liquid crystal monitor side of the liquid crystal window. A digital camera that is reflected on the screen and displayed as an upright image. The digital camera according to claim 1,
A digital camera, wherein the liquid crystal window has a half mirror coating on one side of a flat plate made of plastic or glass.

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