JPH11252417A - Image-pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-pickup device capable of being miniaturized without damaging a display block and a device main body caused by the opening/closing operation and inclination operation of the display block. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a liquid crystal display panel 14 for displaying images, a video tape recorder part 11 for housing an image- pickup unit and a hinge block 15 for rotatably and openably connecting the liquid crystal display panel 14 to the video tape recorder part 11. In the video tape recorder part 11, a rubber sheet 16 is arranged in an area, where the recorder part 11 is in contact with the end part on the side of the hinge block 15 of the liquid crystal display panel 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an imaging device such as a video camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many imaging devices such as video cameras have a function of displaying a captured image on a display screen such as a liquid crystal monitor. The display unit having the display screen is connected to the main body via a hinge mechanism, and the display screen can be oriented in a desired direction by the hinge mechanism.

As described above, when the display screen is oriented in a desired direction, an operation of opening and closing the display block with respect to the apparatus main body and an operation of tilting the display unit with the display unit opened and closed are performed.
For this reason, when performing the opening / closing operation or the tilting operation, the corner of the display block may hit the device main body, and the device main body or the display block may be damaged.

Conventionally, as a structure for preventing the above-mentioned damage, a structure in which the movement of the display block is restricted when the display block is inclined or a structure in which the display block is inclined is closed when the display block is inclined. There are structures that are automatically released.

[0005]

However, when the above-described structure is provided, the hinge mechanism is provided, so that the size of the hinge mechanism is inevitably increased, thereby increasing the size of the entire apparatus. Become. Further, by providing the above-described structure, the number of sheet metal parts increases, so that the weight of the apparatus increases and the cost also increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an image pickup apparatus capable of reducing the size without damaging the display block and the apparatus main body due to the opening and closing operation and the tilting operation of the display block. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has taken the following means. The present invention includes a display unit for displaying an image, an apparatus main body that houses an imaging unit, and a hinge mechanism that connects the display unit to the apparatus main body so as to be rotatable and openable. An elastic member is provided in a region where the end of the display means on the hinge mechanism side is in contact with the side for storing the display means. In addition,
In the imaging device of the present invention, the elastic member is preferably a rubber sheet.

According to this structure, since the elastic member is disposed in a region where the end of the display means on the hinge mechanism side contacts, the end (corner) of the display means at the time of opening / closing operation and tilting operation of the display means. Portion) contacts the apparatus body, the impact is absorbed by the elastic member. Therefore, the display means and the apparatus main body can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, since the elastic member is arranged on the apparatus main body side, the hinge mechanism can be used as it is without changing its size. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to downsizing of the device.

Further, since the elastic member, for example, a rubber sheet, can be colored freely, a design-like accent can be given as a design item, and the appearance is excellent.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The video camera 1 includes a video tape recorder unit 1 having an imaging unit.
1 is provided. This video tape recorder unit 11
It has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has, on one side surface, an accommodating portion capable of accommodating a liquid crystal display panel which is a display block described later.

A lens block 12 is mounted above one end face of the video tape recorder section 11. A viewfinder unit 13 is attached to the upper part of the other end surface of the video tape recorder unit 11, that is, to a portion facing the lens block 12.

A hinge block 15 serving as a hinge mechanism is mounted on one side of the video tape recorder section 11 and near the lens block 12. A liquid crystal display panel 14 as a display means is attached to the hinge block 15. Therefore, the liquid crystal display panel 14
Can be opened and closed and tilted with respect to the video tape recorder unit 11 by the hinge block 15.

A rubber sheet 16, which is an elastic member, is disposed in a region on the liquid crystal display panel housing side of the video tape recorder section 11 where the end on the hinge block side of the liquid crystal display panel contacts. In the present embodiment, the rubber sheet 16 is arranged in a circular band shape centering on the lens block 12 side.

The method for arranging the rubber sheet 16 is as follows.
For example, a method of attaching a rubber sheet cut into a predetermined shape, a method of providing a groove in the video tape recorder unit 11 in advance, and fitting a rubber sheet formed in a groove shape into the groove, a method of attaching the video tape recorder unit 11 A method of forming by two-color molding of rubber and resin, a method of sandwiching and fixing the rubber sheet to the video tape recorder unit 11 using a separate member, and the like are exemplified.

Here, the case where the hinge block side end of the liquid crystal display panel (part A in FIG. 1 and part B in FIG. 2) comes into contact means, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. When the liquid crystal display panel 14 is closed with the panel 14 tilted, the ends A and B come into contact with each other, or the liquid crystal display panel 14 is fully opened (the video tape recorder 11 and the surface of the liquid crystal display panel 14 When the liquid crystal display panel 14 is closed without making an angle of about 90 °, the ends A and B contact each other.

Also in these cases, the rubber sheet 16 comes into contact with the end portions A and B, and the rubber sheet 16 absorbs the impact. Therefore, it is possible to prevent both the liquid crystal display panel 14 and the video tape recorder unit 11 from being damaged.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rubber sheet 16 as an elastic member is arranged in a circular band with the lens block 12 as the center has been described. Recorder unit 11
May be disposed on the front side of the liquid crystal display panel 14 housing side. That is, the elastic member is the video tape recorder unit 1.
The first liquid crystal display panel 14 may be disposed so as to include at least a region where the end of the liquid crystal display panel 14 is in contact with the liquid crystal display panel 14.

In the above embodiment, the case where the elastic member is provided on the video tape recorder section 11 side which is the apparatus main body is described. However, in the present invention, the elastic member is arranged on the liquid crystal display panel 14 side. Is also good. For example, an elastic member may be arranged at an end portion (portion A in FIG. 1 or portion B in FIG. 2) of the liquid crystal display panel 14.

In the above embodiment, the case where a rubber sheet is used as the elastic member has been described. However, in the present invention, the elastic member may be an elastomer sheet, a fluororesin sheet, a urethane sheet or the like.

The hinge mechanism described in the above embodiment can be applied to an imaging device such as a still camera or a video camera, or another product having a rotating portion. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications.

[0022]

As described above, the image pickup apparatus of the present invention has a display means for displaying an image, an apparatus main body accommodating an image pickup unit, and the display means rotatable and openable with respect to the apparatus main body. A hinge mechanism to be connected, and an elastic member is arranged in a region where the end of the display means on the hinge mechanism side is in contact with the storage side of the apparatus main body for storing the display means.

For this reason, since the elastic member is arranged in a region where the end on the hinge mechanism side of the display means comes into contact, the end (corner) of the display means is opened and closed when the display means is opened and closed. Even if it comes into contact with the device main body, the impact is absorbed by the elastic member. Therefore, the display means and the apparatus main body can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, since this elastic member is disposed on the apparatus main body side, the hinge mechanism can be used as it is without changing its size. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to downsizing of the device.

Further, since the elastic member, for example, a rubber sheet, can be colored freely, a design-like accent can be given as a design item, and the appearance is excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 video camera 11 video tape recorder 1
2 ... Lens block, 13 ... Viewfinder part, 14
... Liquid crystal display panel, 15 ... Hinge block, 16 ... Rubber sheet, A, B ... Ends.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus comprising: display means for displaying an image; an apparatus body accommodating an imaging unit; and a hinge mechanism for connecting the display means to the apparatus body so as to be rotatable and openable. An image pickup apparatus, wherein an elastic member is arranged in a region where the end of the display means on the hinge mechanism side is in contact with the side of the main body that houses the display means. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a rubber sheet.