JP4347681B2 - Cradle and imaging device system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cradle for mounting an imaging device, and an imaging device system including the imaging device and a cradle.

  Conventionally, there has been a cradle (mounting table) for mounting an imaging device. In the following description, a combination of an imaging device and a cradle corresponding to the imaging device is referred to as an imaging device system. Various improvements have been made on such an imaging apparatus system.

  For example, when the imaging device is equipped with a secondary battery that can be used repeatedly by charging and the cradle is provided with a charging function, the terminals of the electrical circuits are connected when the imaging device is placed on the cradle. There has been an imaging apparatus system that automatically starts charging. In addition, there has been an image pickup apparatus system that allows the image pickup apparatus to perform shooting while the image pickup apparatus is still mounted on a cradle.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, when the imaging device 2 is provided with the slide type lens cover 4, the lens cover 4 is slid with the imaging device 2 placed on the cradle 6. There is an image pickup apparatus system 10 in which a relief portion 8 corresponding to the lens cover 4 is formed on the cradle 6 so that the cradle 6 can be operated.

  Although not shown, when the image pickup apparatus is placed, the cradle function of starting charging is combined with the printer, so that when the image pickup apparatus is placed on the connection provided on the printer, the secondary battery of the image pickup apparatus is used. There has been a combination of an imaging device and a printer that can be charged and an image taken by the imaging device can be printed from the printer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, there are various types of cradle for placing a mobile phone as well as a cradle for placing an imaging device. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, corresponding to the mobile phone 18, there is a cradle 24 in which the end portions 20 a and 22 a of the case main body 20 and the case lid 22 are rotatably connected. Although not shown, the cradle 24 was able to store the plug 26 and the cord 28 in the case body 20 and close the case lid 22 when not in use.

  When the mobile phone 18 is charged, the plug 26 and the cord 28 are pulled out from the case body 20 and the case lid 22 is rotated by about 270 to 300 degrees as indicated by a broken line arrow A in the figure. The mobile phone 18 can be placed upright on the pedestal 22 b formed on the case lid 22. Such a structure of the cradle 24 can also be applied to a cradle corresponding to an imaging apparatus.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, a first casing 34 having a display unit 32 and a second casing 38 having an imaging unit 36 are provided, and the first casing 34 and the second casing 38 are adjacent to each other. As described above, there is an imaging apparatus 30 that is arranged side by side in the length direction of each other and that is rotatably connected around an axis that is substantially parallel to the length direction.

As shown in FIG. 11, the imaging device 30 includes an arrow B or an arrow B to adjust the display direction of the display unit 32 of the first housing 34 and the imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 of the second housing 38. In the direction of the arrow C, the first casing 34 and the second casing 38 could be rotated to twist each other.
JP-A-11-8792

  However, in the state where the imaging device 30 is placed on a cradle having a structure similar to that of any of the conventional cradle as the corresponding cradle, both the first housing 34 and the second housing 38 are provided. Only the second housing 38 cannot be rotated independently by contacting the cradle, and the imaging direction cannot be adjusted by rotating the second housing 38 during photographing. There was a problem.

  Similarly, when the imaging device 30 is placed on a cradle having the same structure as any of the conventional cradle, the imaging device 30 can adjust the display direction of the display unit 32 by rotating the first housing 34. There was a problem that it was impossible.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention includes a first housing having a display unit and a second housing having an imaging unit, and the first housing and the second housing are adjacent to each other so as to be adjacent to each other. The image pickup unit of the image pickup apparatus is placed in a state where the image pickup apparatus that is arranged side by side in the length direction of the image pickup apparatus and that is rotatably connected around an axis that is substantially parallel to the length direction is placed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cradle capable of adjusting the image pickup direction and / or the display direction of a display unit, and an image pickup apparatus system including such an image pickup apparatus and a cradle.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention
An imaging apparatus comprising a first casing having a display section and a second casing having an imaging section, wherein the first casing and the second casing are rotatably connected around a predetermined rotation axis Cradle
A support portion for supporting the first housing;
And a flank portion is formed to allow rotation relative to the first body of the second housing,
A rotation member rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device;
The support portion is formed on the rotating member .

  In the cradle of the present invention, the rotation center of the rotation member can be substantially the same as a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device.

  In the cradle of the present invention, a storage portion for storing the rotation member so as to be slidable in a circumferential direction around a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device is formed. it can.

  Further, the cradle of the present invention can be provided with a sliding restriction mechanism that restricts the rotating member to slide only within a predetermined range in the circumferential direction within the storage portion.

  In the cradle of the present invention, the escape portion has a concave shape that houses the lower end portion of the second housing parallel to the predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device, and is perpendicular to the predetermined rotation axis. The cross section can be formed in an arc shape.

The present invention also provides:
An imaging apparatus comprising a first casing having a display section and a second casing having an imaging section, wherein the first casing and the second casing are rotatably connected around a predetermined rotation axis When,
An imaging device system comprising a cradle of the imaging device,
The cradle is
An escape portion that allows rotation of the second housing relative to the first housing is formed, and
An output terminal that is connected to an electric circuit in the imaging device when the imaging device is mounted;
A support member configured to support the first housing, and a rotatable member rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device;
A detector for detecting sliding of the rotating member;
A control circuit that outputs a detection signal of the detection unit to the output terminal;
The imaging device
An input terminal connected to an output terminal in the cradle when placed on the cradle;
And a control unit that automatically turns on power when the detection signal of the cradle is received from the input terminal.

  According to such a cradle and the imaging apparatus system, the first casing having the display unit and the second casing having the imaging unit are provided, and the first casing and the second casing are adjacent to each other so as to be adjacent to each other. The image pickup unit of the image pickup apparatus is placed in a state where the image pickup apparatus that is arranged side by side in the length direction of the image pickup apparatus and that is rotatably connected around an axis that is substantially parallel to the length direction is placed. The image capturing direction or / and the display direction of the display unit can be adjusted.

  Embodiments of a cradle and an imaging apparatus system according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams that are referred to for describing the imaging apparatus system 40 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the image pickup apparatus 41 of the image pickup apparatus system 40 shown in these drawings, the same parts as those of the conventional image pickup apparatus 30 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description of the same configuration as the conventional one is omitted. To do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging device 41 can rotate the first housing 34 and the second housing 38 with each other as in the conventional imaging device 30. The rotation axis of the housing 34 and the second housing 38 will be referred to as the rotation axis of the imaging device 41 in the following description.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cradle 42 according to the present embodiment is formed with a groove portion 44 (support portion) that is parallel to the length direction and has a rectangular cross section. As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging device 41 is configured such that one end 34 a in the width direction of the first housing 34 is fitted into the groove 44, and the rotation axis is parallel to the length direction of the cradle 42. It can be placed on the cradle 42 in such a posture.

  Further, the cradle 42 is formed with an escape portion 46 corresponding to the second housing 38 of the imaging device 41. As shown in FIG. 2, the escape portion 46 has a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the imaging device 41 in an arc shape with the rotation axis as the center, and the radius of the escape portion 46 of the second housing 38. It is slightly longer than the turning radius.

  According to the cradle 42 and the imaging apparatus system 40 according to the present embodiment, the second casing 38 can be rotated while the imaging apparatus 41 is still mounted on the cradle 42. The imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 can be adjusted.

  Next, an imaging apparatus system 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. Regarding the image pickup device 51 and the cradle 52 of the image pickup device system 50 shown in these drawings, the same description as that of the image pickup device 41 and the cradle 42 according to the first embodiment will not be repeated.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cradle 52 according to the present embodiment includes a main body member 54 and a rotating member 56. The groove portion 44 for supporting the first housing 34 of the imaging device is formed in the rotating member 56, and the main body member 54 is formed with a storage portion 58 for storing the rotating member 56. Further, similarly to the cradle 42 according to the first embodiment, an escape portion 46 corresponding to the second housing 38 of the imaging device 51 is formed.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the imaging apparatus system 50 according to the present embodiment is similar to the imaging apparatus system 40 according to the first embodiment in that the imaging apparatus 51 has a rotation axis that is the length of the cradle 52. It can be placed on the cradle 52 in a posture that is parallel to the vertical direction.

  Although the imaging device 51 is not shown in FIG. 3, the rotating member 56 has an outer shape in a cross section perpendicular to the rotational axis of the imaging device 51 when the imaging device 51 is placed. On the side, the arcuate shape is centered on the rotation axis.

  In addition, since the storage portion 58 has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the rotation axis of the imaging device 51 corresponding to the arc-shaped outer shape of the rotation member 56, the rotation member 56 is In the interior of the storage portion 58, it is possible to slide in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis of the imaging device 51.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the cradle 52 is fixed to a printed wiring board 59 in the rotating member 56, and protrudes from a hole 60 formed in the bottom surface 44 a of the groove 44. Output terminal). As shown in FIG. 4, the connector 61 is inserted into a female connector (input terminal) (not shown) provided in the first housing 34 when the imaging device 51 is placed on the cradle 52. And is connected electrically.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation member 56 is provided with a pin 62 that protrudes into the main body member 54. As shown in FIG. 6, a groove portion 64 whose length direction is an arc shape is formed in the main body portion 54 corresponding to the pin 62, and the rotating member 56 slides in the circumferential direction. In this case, the pin 62 moves in the groove 64, and plays a role as a sliding restriction mechanism.

  That is, when the rotating member 56 slides in the circumferential direction clockwise or counterclockwise to a predetermined range, the pin 62 hits the end portion 64a or the end portion 64b of the groove portion 64, whereby the rotating member 56 is It comes to stop.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a detection unit 66 is provided inside the main body member 54 to detect the rotation member 56 when it slides in the circumferential direction by the movement of the pin 62. As such a detection unit 66, for example, a detection unit that is in mechanical contact with the pin 62 to perform detection can be used. Further, the detection may be performed electrically, magnetically, or optically.

  When the detection unit 66 detects that the rotation member 56 has slid in the circumferential direction, the detection unit 66 outputs a detection signal to that effect to the printed wiring board 59 in the rotation member 56. When the control circuit configured in the printed wiring board 59 receives the detection signal from the detection unit 66, the control circuit outputs the detection signal to the connector 61.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the imaging device 51 is placed on the cradle 52, the imaging device 51 is circuit-connected to the connector 61, so that the detection signal output from the detection unit 66 is transmitted to the printed wiring board 59. Can be received via the control circuit.

  Although the block diagram of the imaging device 51 is not shown, when the imaging device 51 receives a detection signal from the detection unit 66 when it is placed on the cradle 52 with the power off, the control unit of the imaging device 51 automatically It is designed to start by turning on its own power.

  Such an imaging apparatus system 50 can take an image while the imaging apparatus 51 is placed on the cradle 52.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the imaging device 51 starts from a state where the first casing 34 and the second casing 38 are not rotated and is placed on the cradle 52 as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, the imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 can be adjusted by rotating the second housing 38. Moreover, the display direction of the display part 32 can be adjusted to the direction which a user sees easily by rotating the 1st housing | casing 34. FIG.

  Here, the rotation center of the rotation member 56 of the cradle 52 is substantially coincident with the rotation axis of the imaging device 51. Therefore, when the second casing 38 of the imaging device 51 rotates independently with respect to the first casing 34, the first casing 34 and the rotating member 56 independently rotate with respect to the second casing 38. In this case, and when the first housing 34, the second housing 38, and the rotating member 56 are rotated together, the rotation centers all coincide with each other. Can get.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 4, after the imaging device 51 with the power turned off is placed on the cradle 52, the first housing 34 is fitted into the groove 44 of the rotating member 56 as shown in FIG. If the image pickup apparatus 51 is rotated in the closed state, the image pickup apparatus 51 can be automatically turned on.

  According to the cradle 52 and the imaging device system 50 according to the present embodiment, the imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 and the display direction of the display unit 32 of the imaging device 51 with the imaging device 51 still placed. Can be adjusted.

  In addition, after the imaging device 51 with the power turned off is placed on the cradle 52, the first housing 34 is rotated together with the rotation member 56, so that the imaging device 51 is automatically turned on. be able to.

  In the second embodiment, the connector 61 is merely connected to the imaging device 51 and outputs the detection signal of the detection unit 66. However, the secondary battery of the imaging device 51 is charged. Needless to say, the function may be provided.

1 is a perspective view showing an imaging apparatus system 40 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the cradle 42 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the cradle 52 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the imaging device system 50 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the cradle 52 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cradle 52 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the imaging direction and the display direction are changed in the imaging apparatus system 50 shown in FIG. 4. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional imaging device system. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional cradle 24. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional imaging device 30. FIG. It is the conventional imaging device 30 shown in FIG. 10, Comprising: It is a perspective view which shows the state which changed the imaging direction.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Imaging device 4 Lens cover 6 Cradle 8 Escape part 10 Imaging device system 18 Mobile phone 20 Case main body 20a End part 22 Case cover 22a End part 22b Base 24 Cradle 30 Imaging apparatus 32 Display part 34 1st housing | casing 34a End part 36 Imaging Unit 38 Second housing 40 Imaging device system 41 Imaging device 42 Cradle 44 Groove (supporting portion)
44a Bottom face 46 Escape part 50 Imaging device system 51 Imaging device 52 Cradle 54 Main body member 56 Rotating member 58 Storage part 59 Printed wiring board 60 Hole part 61 Connector 62 Pin 64 Groove part 64a, 64b End part 66 Detection part

Claims (6)

An imaging apparatus comprising a first casing having a display section and a second casing having an imaging section, wherein the first casing and the second casing are rotatably connected around a predetermined rotation axis Cradle
A support portion for supporting the first housing;
And a flank portion is formed to allow rotation relative to the first body of the second housing,
A cradle comprising a rotation member that is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device, and the support portion is formed on the rotation member . The cradle according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation center of the rotation member is substantially the same as a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device. 3. The cradle according to claim 2 , wherein a storage portion is formed so that the rotation member is slidable in a circumferential direction around a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device. . The cradle according to claim 3 , further comprising a sliding restriction mechanism that restricts the rotating member to slide within a predetermined range in the circumferential direction within the storage portion. The escape portion has a concave shape that houses a lower end portion of a second housing parallel to a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device, and a cross section perpendicular to the predetermined rotation axis is formed in an arc shape. The cradle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the cradle is provided. An imaging apparatus comprising a first casing having a display section and a second casing having an imaging section, wherein the first casing and the second casing are rotatably connected around a predetermined rotation axis When,
An imaging device system comprising a cradle of the imaging device,
The cradle is
An escape portion that allows rotation of the second housing relative to the first housing is formed, and
An output terminal that is connected to an electric circuit in the imaging device when the imaging device is mounted;
A support member that supports the first housing, and a rotatable member that is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a predetermined rotation axis of the imaging device;
A detector for detecting sliding of the rotating member;
A control circuit that outputs a detection signal of the detection unit to the output terminal;
The imaging device
An input terminal connected to an output terminal in the cradle when placed on the cradle;
An image pickup apparatus system comprising: a control unit that automatically turns on power when the detection signal of the cradle is received from the input terminal.

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