JPH1173126A - Monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease the number of installations of illumination light sources, and to simplify the composition. SOLUTION: A digital still camera is composed of a camera main body 2 and a monitor part 3 installed in freely attachably and detachably to/from the camera main body 2. On the camera main body, a liquid crystal display device 4 is installed for displaying information such as numerals, characters, symbols and in the monitor part 3, a liquid crystal display device 6 for displaying an electronic image picked up by the camera main body 2 and a fluorescent lamp 7 are installed. Both liquid crystal display devices 4, 6 are illuminated by the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp 7 via a light transmitting means 8. The light transmitting means 8 is composed of light transmission bodies 62, 42, and a light transmission body 81 installed between them. On the side of the camera main body 2, an optical shutter 9 to open/shut the optical path of the light transmitting means 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitor device, and more particularly to a monitor device for displaying, for example, an electronic image on a liquid crystal display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A camera such as a digital still camera or a video camera is provided with a liquid crystal display device such as a TFT color liquid crystal display for displaying an electronic image. The image can be viewed as a color image.

This liquid crystal display device is provided with a backlight, and at least at the time of displaying an electronic image, the back surface of the liquid crystal cell is illuminated with the backlight.

[0004] In addition to the liquid crystal display device, the camera is provided with a liquid crystal display device for displaying, for example, the photographing date and time, the operation mode of the camera, the remaining battery power, and the like by numbers, symbols, figures, and the like. In this liquid crystal display device, the back surface may be illuminated with a backlight in the same manner as described above.

As described above, when a plurality of liquid crystal display devices are provided, it is necessary to provide a light source for a backlight for each of the liquid crystal display devices.
There is a problem that the number of parts increases and the manufacturing cost increases.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a monitor device capable of reducing the number of light sources for illumination and simplifying the structure.

[0007]

This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which is defined below as (1) to (6).

(1) A monitor device including a first liquid crystal display device and a second liquid crystal display device, wherein one illumination light source is used to provide a back surface of the first liquid crystal display device and the second liquid crystal display. A monitor device configured to illuminate the back of the device.

(2) A monitor device including a first liquid crystal display device and a second liquid crystal display device which can be separated from each other, wherein a back surface of the first liquid crystal display device is provided on the first liquid crystal display device side. A light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display device, and illuminating the back surface of the second liquid crystal display device via the light guide means by the light source for illumination.

(3) The monitor device according to (2), wherein the light guide means includes an optical connector for connecting an optical path.

(4) The monitor device according to the above (2) or (3), further comprising an optical shutter for opening / closing an optical path of the light guiding means.

(5) The monitor device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the first liquid crystal display device is capable of displaying an electronic image.

(6) The light amount required to illuminate the second liquid crystal display device 4 is smaller than the light amount required to illuminate the first liquid crystal display device. The monitoring device according to any one of the above.

[0014]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a monitor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which the monitor device of the present invention is applied to a digital still camera. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the internal structure (main parts) of the monitor device of the present invention, respectively. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional plan view,
It is an AA line sectional view in the inside.

As shown in FIG. 1, a digital still camera (monitor device) 1 includes a camera body 2 and a monitor section 3 which is detachably attached to the camera body 2.

The camera body 2 has a housing 20.
0, a main switch 21 for turning on / off the power of the camera, a release switch 22, a liquid crystal display device 4 for displaying information such as numbers, characters, symbols, etc.,
An optical path opening / closing switch 97 is provided. A finder window 23 is installed on the back of the housing 20, and an imaging optical system (not shown) including a shooting lens is installed on the front (front) of the housing 20.

In the camera body 2, an image pickup section having a CCD (image pickup device) (not shown), control means, a signal processing circuit, a memory, and the like are built.

The liquid crystal display device 4 comprises, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (display unit) 41 in which a plurality of segments are arranged, and a light guide 42 joined to the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 41. The liquid crystal display device 4 can display numbers, characters, symbols, and the like. The display contents include, for example, shooting information such as shooting date and time, the number of shots, and various modes such as an operation mode of the camera and a remaining battery level. Information.

The light guide 42 is composed of a plate (sheet) made of a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Guides, diffuses,
The liquid crystal display panel 41 is almost uniformly illuminated from the back.

The amount of light required to illuminate the liquid crystal display device 4 may be smaller than the amount of light required to illuminate the liquid crystal display device 6, which will be described later.

A circuit board 5 for driving the liquid crystal display panel 41 is provided below the liquid crystal display device 4 (see FIG. 4). The liquid crystal display panel 41 is provided on the circuit board 5.
It is electrically connected to the circuit above.

On the other hand, the monitor section 3 has a housing 30,
A monitor removal switch 31 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 30.
, A pilot lamp 34 and the liquid crystal display device 6 are provided, and a main switch 35 for turning on / off the power of the monitor unit 3 is provided on the back surface of the housing 30.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a locking member 32 having a plurality of claws 321 at its tip is installed in the housing 30 in a state where it is urged downward by a spring 33 in the figure. I have.
The locking member 32 protrudes out of the housing 30 through a hole 36 formed in a side wall of the housing 30, and when the camera body 2 and the monitor unit 3 are connected to each other (at the time of uniting), the distal end of the locking member 32 is closed. It is inserted into the housing 20 through the hole 26 formed in the side wall of the housing 20, and the claw 321 at the tip engages with the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 20 to maintain the connection state between the camera body 2 and the monitor unit 3. I do.

When the monitor removal switch 31 is pressed in this connected state, the locking member 32
2 and 3 against the urging force of FIG.
Is disengaged. Thereby, the monitor unit 3 can be removed from the camera body 2.

The pilot lamp 34 is turned on / off in conjunction with turning on / off a fluorescent lamp 7 described later.
Thereby, the operation state of the fluorescent lamp 7 can be recognized.

The liquid crystal display device 6 is, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (display unit) composed of a TFT color liquid crystal display.
An electronic image (still image or moving image) picked up by the camera body 2 can be displayed in color, which is composed of a light guide 61 joined to the back of the liquid crystal display panel 61.

A fluorescent lamp (light source for illumination) 7 is provided adjacent to one end of the light guide 62. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the fluorescent lamp 3 is close to or in contact with the end surface (incident end surface) of the light guide 62. The fluorescent lamp 7 and the light guide 62 constitute a backlight for illuminating the back of the liquid crystal display panel 61.

The light guide 62 is made of a transparent resin plate (sheet) similar to the light guide 42, and when the fluorescent lamp 7 is turned on, the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp 7 emits light. The liquid crystal display panel 61 is substantially uniformly illuminated from the rear surface by being guided and diffused through the liquid crystal display panel 61.

Below the liquid crystal display device 6, a circuit board 10 for driving the liquid crystal display panel 61 and the fluorescent lamp 7 is provided (see FIG. 4). The terminals 71 and 72 of the liquid crystal display panel 61 and the fluorescent lamp 7 are electrically connected to circuits on the circuit board 10.

When the monitor 3 is connected to the camera body 2, the circuit on the circuit board 10 is electrically connected to the circuit on the circuit board 5 on the camera body 2 via a connector (not shown).

Each of the main switches 21 and 35 and the optical path opening / closing switch 97 is a slide switch, and its finger contact surface is provided with anti-slip irregularities (knurls).

The camera 1 can illuminate the liquid crystal display devices 4 and 6 with one fluorescent lamp 7. That is, the illumination light emitted from the fluorescent lamp 7 is
The light is applied to the back surfaces of the liquid crystal display panels 41 and 61 via the light guide means 8 to illuminate the liquid crystal display devices 4 and 6. Hereinafter, the configuration of the light guide unit 8 will be described.

The light guide means 8 includes the light guides 62 and 42.
And a light guide 81 joined (or integrated) to the end face of the light guide 62 opposite to the fluorescent lamp 7, and a light guide 83 joined (or integrated) to one end face of the light guide 42. And the light guide 8
1 and 83, and a light guide 82 disposed between them. Of these, the light guide 81 is installed on the monitor unit 3 side, and the light guides 82 and 83 are installed on the camera body 2 side.

The light guides 81, 82, and 83 may be made of a rod, a plate (sheet), or a plurality of sheets made of a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin such as polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). It is composed of bundled optical fibers. The light guides 81 to 83
Forms an optical path connecting the light guide 62 and the light guide 42 together with a light guide chip 91 described later.

The constituent materials of the light guides 81 to 83 may contain a fluorescent substance which is excited and fluoresced by the light emitted from the fluorescent lamp 7. This makes it possible to illuminate the liquid crystal display device 6 with higher luminance.

Further, a coating layer (not shown) such as a reflective layer may be formed on the outer surfaces of the light guides 81 to 83 to suppress light leakage. This makes it possible to suppress the loss of light amount and illuminate the liquid crystal display device 6 with higher luminance.

The end surface 84 of the light guide 81 opposite to the joint end surface with the light guide 62 is exposed to the outer surface of the side wall of the housing 30, and the end surface 85 of the light guide 82 opposite to the light guide 83 is , Are exposed on the outer surface of the side wall of the housing 20. Camera body 2 and monitor 3
In the connection state (at the time of uniting), the end surfaces 84 and 85 come into contact with or approach each other to connect the optical path, and the illumination light is transmitted to the light guide 8
1 to the light guide 82. Thus, the light guide 8
The vicinity of one end face 84 and the vicinity of the end face 85 of the light guide 82 constitute an optical connector 86 for connecting the optical path of the light guide means 8.

An optical shutter 9 for opening / blocking the optical path of the light guide means 8 is provided on the camera body 2 side.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the optical shutter 9 will be described.

The optical shutter 9 is fixed to a connected body of the light guide chip 91 and the light shielding chip 92, an optical path opening / closing switch 97 for moving the connected body up and down in FIGS. And a block 95 with which the tip of the leaf spring 93 contacts.

The light guide chip 91 and the light shielding chip 92
It is installed between the light guides 82 and 83 so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to them (vertical direction in FIGS. 2 and 3). The light guide chip 91 is made of the same material as the light guides 81 to 83, and has a function of transmitting light from the light guide 82 to the light guide 83. The light-shielding chip 92 is made of an opaque material and has a function of blocking light from the light guide 82.

The tip of the leaf spring 93 has a V-shaped projection 9.
4 are formed. The block 95 is fixed to the inner wall of the housing 20, and two V-shaped recesses 96 a and 96 b are formed on a surface of the block 95 that contacts the leaf spring 93. The leaf spring 9 is moved in accordance with the operation of moving the optical path opening / closing switch 97.
The third convex portion 94 is selectively fitted into one of the concave portions 96a and 96b, and regulates the positions of the light guide chip 91 and the light shielding chip 92 with respect to the light guides 82 and 83. The convex portion 94 is the concave portion 9
6a and 96b, the leaf spring 93 bends,
The tip is displaced rightward in FIGS. As described above, the convex portion 94 of the leaf spring 93 and the concave portion 96 of the block 95 are formed.
a and 96b constitute a click mechanism.

The operation of the optical shutter 9 will be described. First, as shown in FIG.
6a, the light-shielding chip 92 is located between the light guides 82 and 83, and the light path of the light guide means 8 is blocked.
The backlight of the liquid crystal display device 4 is not provided. As shown in FIG. 3, when the light path opening / closing switch 97 is operated to fit the convex portion 94 of the leaf spring 93 into the concave portion 96b, the light guide chip 91 is located between the light guides 82 and 83, The light path of the light guiding means 8 is opened, and the back illumination of the liquid crystal display device 4 becomes possible.

By providing such an optical shutter 9, it is possible to select supply / interruption of illumination light to the liquid crystal display device 4, and it is possible to illuminate the liquid crystal display device 4 only when necessary. Note that such an optical shutter 9 may be installed on the monitor section 3 side.

Next, the operation of the camera 1 will be described.
When the main switch 21 or 35 is turned on while the camera body 2 and the monitor unit 3 are in a connected state (at the time of uniting), power is supplied to both terminals 71 and 72 of the fluorescent lamp 7 from the circuit board 10 and the fluorescent lamp 7 is turned on. Light. When the fluorescent lamp 7 lights up,
The light is guided to the light guide 62, and the liquid crystal display panel 61
It is illuminated from the back.

Further, part of the light reaching the end of the light guide 62 opposite to the fluorescent lamp 7 sequentially passes through the light guide 81 and the light guide 82 connected thereto.

At this time, in the state where the optical shutter 9 blocks the optical path of the light guide means 8 as described above (the state shown in FIG. 2), the light reaching the light guide 82 is transmitted to the light guide 83. Is not transmitted, so that the backlight of the liquid crystal display device 4 is not illuminated.

In the state where the optical shutter 9 opens the optical path of the light guide means 8 as described above (the state shown in FIG. 3), the light that has reached the exit end face of the light guide 82 is The light passes through the light guide 91, the light guide 83 and the light guide 42 sequentially, and the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 41 is illuminated.

When the fluorescent lamp 7 is turned on, an electronic image (still image or moving image) is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display panel 61.
Can be displayed.

When the release switch 22 is turned on on the camera body 2 side, an image is taken and an image signal (image data) is stored in the memory. Then, the image signal is read from the memory, passes through the above-described connector for electrically connecting the circuit on the circuit board 5 and the circuit on the circuit board 10, the circuit on the circuit board 10, and the like, and the liquid crystal is It is input to the display panel 61. As a result, the liquid crystal display panel 61 is driven, and an electronic image (still image) of the captured subject image is displayed on the screen.

Further, on the screen of the liquid crystal display panel 61, for example, a through image (moving image) can also be displayed.

When the fluorescent lamp 7 is turned off, the liquid crystal display panel 6
No illumination of the back of 1 and 41 is provided.

When the camera body 2 and the monitor section 3 are separated from each other, the turning on / off of the fluorescent lamp 7 and the light shutter 9
Irrespective of the opening / closing of the LCD panel, the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 41 is not illuminated.

Note that the monitor device of the present invention is not limited to a digital still camera, but can be applied to, for example, a video camera, a notebook computer, a portable information terminal, and the like. Further, the present invention can be applied to a monitor device having a plurality of liquid crystal display devices.

Although the monitor device of the present invention has been described based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and each component may have any configuration having the same function. Can be replaced by

For example, the fluorescent lamp (light source for illumination) 7 may be installed between the light guide 62 and the light guide 81 or may be installed on the camera body 2 side.

Further, in the present invention, the liquid crystal display device 6 may be installed rotatably with respect to the monitor unit 3, or the camera body 2 and the monitor unit 3 may be integrated.

[0058]

As described above, according to the monitor device of the present invention, the illumination of a plurality of liquid crystal display devices is shared by one illumination light source.
The configuration can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment when a monitor device of the present invention is applied to a digital still camera.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing the internal structure (in a state where an optical shutter is closed) of the monitor device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing an internal structure (in a state where an optical shutter is opened) of the monitor device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital still camera (camera) 2 Camera main body 20 Housing 21 Main switch 22 Release switch 23 Viewfinder window 26 Hole 3 Monitor part 30 Housing 31 Monitor part removal switch 32 Locking member 321 Claw 33 Spring 34 Pilot lamp 35 Main switch 36 Hole 4 Liquid crystal display 41 Liquid crystal display panel (display) 42 Light guide 5 Circuit board 6 Liquid crystal display 61 Liquid crystal display panel (display) 62 Light guide 7 Fluorescent lamp 8 Light guide 81 Light guide 82 Light guide Body 83 Light guide 84 End face 85 End face 86 Optical connector 9 Optical shutter 91 Light guide chip 92 Light shielding chip 93 Leaf spring 94 Convex part 95 Block 96a Recess 96b Recess 97 Optical path open / close switch 10 Circuit board

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A monitor device comprising a first liquid crystal display device and a second liquid crystal display device, wherein one illumination light source is used for a back surface of the first liquid crystal display device and the second liquid crystal display device. A monitor device configured to illuminate the back surface of each of the monitor devices. 2. A monitor device comprising a first liquid crystal display device and a second liquid crystal display device which can be separated from each other, wherein a back surface of the first liquid crystal display device is provided on the first liquid crystal display device side. A monitor device provided with an illumination light source for illumination, wherein the illumination light source illuminates the back surface of the second liquid crystal display device via a light guide. 3. The monitor device according to claim 2, wherein the light guiding means includes an optical connector for connecting an optical path. 4. The monitor device according to claim 2, further comprising an optical shutter for opening / closing an optical path of the light guiding unit. 5. The monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid crystal display device can display an electronic image. 6. The liquid crystal display according to claim 1, wherein a light amount required to illuminate the second liquid crystal display device is smaller than a light amount required to illuminate the first liquid crystal display device. Monitor device.