Television – Camera – system and detail – Optics
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-11
2001-05-08
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Optics
C348S270000, C348S360000, C348S368000, C348S375000, C396S241000, C396S275000, C396S422000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06229569
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera.
There has been proposed recently a picturephone employing a personal computer and an electronic camera. In this picturephone, a personal computer is connected to a network, and images including an operator and others image-picked up by an electronic camera are inputted in the personal computer to be exchanged each other through the network. However, it is necessary for images picked up to be exchanged through the network to be utilized like a picturephone, a personal computer and an electronic camera need to come into wide use.
However, an electronic camera available on the market has problems that it is expensive and large in size to come into wide use. One of the causes of the problems is that the number of parts is large.
From that viewpoint, it is considered to stop using a cover which interrupts light in the image pickup direction of an image pickup section of an electronic camera, because an image pickup section wherein image pickup is prohibited electrically is common in the case of an electronic camera. However, when the image pickup section of an electronic camera is left to be seen by a person of image pickup, an operator feels uneasy because he or she can not be sure that he or she is not photographed when he or she does not want to be photographed, which is a problem.
One of the causes making an electronic camera available on the market to be high in cost and large in size is that there is provided a variable iris for adjusting continuously an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light. Therefore, it is considered not to provide a variable iris for adjusting an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light, as in the case of a single use camera on the market. However, it is not possible to obtain appropriate images without providing at all a member for adjusting a quantity of light which is for adjustment of a quantity of light in the image pickup direction of an image pickup section, because an exposure latitude of the image pickup section of an electronic camera is usually narrower than that of a silver halide color negative film.
An object of the invention is to provide a small-sized and low cost electronic camera wherein light-shielding for the front portion of an image pickup section in the image pickup direction can be conducted easily by a cover, and a section to adjust a quantity of light can be positioned easily at the front portion of an image pickup section in the image pickup direction.
An exposure latitude of the image pickup section of an electronic camera is usually narrower than that of a silver halide color negative film, and it is therefore preferable that an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light can be adjusted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Another object of the invention is to provide a small-sized and low cost electronic camera wherein an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light can simply be adjusted.
Means for Solving Problems
Objects of the invention can be attained by all items which are necessary to specify the inventions described in the following items. Each item will be explained as follows, and then common items will be explained thereafter.
Explanation of Item 1
“An electronic camera comprising an image pickup section which photographs a subject, a main body which houses the image pickup section, a rotating member provided rotatably on the main body, a cover, and a light quantity adjusting member having a light quantity adjusting section, wherein when the rotating member is rotated, the cover and the light quantity adjusting member move, interlocking with the rotation of the rotating member, and thereby both of the cover and the light quantity adjusting section can be positioned at the front portion of the image pickup portion in the image pickup section, the cover, when positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction, shields the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction against light, and the light quantity adjusting section, when positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction, adjusts a quantity of incident light entering the image pickup section” makes one rotating member to simply close the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction for light-shielding when no photographing is conducted, and to simply position the light quantity adjusting section at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction and to adjust a quantity of incident light entering the image pickup section when photographing is conducted, which makes the electronic camera to be small in size and low in cost.
Incidentally, light-shielding conducted by the cover is intended not give impression that an operator is being photographed to the operator when the cover is positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction, and if the cover is shielded against visible light, it does not matter whether infrared rays and ultraviolet rays are interrupted or not interrupted.
In addition to the light quantity adjusting section of and the cover, objects which do not change a quantity of incident light entering an image pickup section at all such as a large hole provided on the light quantity adjusting section having neither effect for a filter nor effect for an iris, and a portion having thereon nothing (hereinafter referred to as a blank portion) can also be arranged to be positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction. Due to this, it is possible to simply adjust an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light because the blank portion and the light quantity adjusting section are different each other in terms of an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light by an amount by which a quantity of light is not reduced by the blank portion. Therefore, one rotating member can simply close and shield the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction against light when no photographing is conducted, and it can simply adjust an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light when photographing is conducted, which makes the electronic camera to be small in size and low in cost.
Explanation of Item 2
“The electronic camera according to Item 1, wherein the light quantity adjusting member has plural light quantity adjusting sections each differing from others in terms of an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light, and all of the plural light quantity adjusting sections can be positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction when the rotating member is rotated” makes it possible to adjust an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light simply, because all of the plural light quantity adjusting sections each differing from others in terms of an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light can be positioned at the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction when the rotating member is rotated. Therefore, one rotating member can simply close and shield the front portion of the image pickup section in the image pickup direction against light when no photographing is conducted, and it can simply adjust an amount of adjustment of a quantity of light when photographing is conducted, which makes the electronic camera to be small in size and low in cost.
Explanation of Item 3
“The electronic camera according to Item 1 or Item 2, wherein the cover and the rotating member are united solidly” makes it possible, due to its structure that the cover and the rotating member are united solidly, to reduce the number of constitutional parts, and to realize simply and inexpensively excellent positional accuracy between the cover and the rotating member and sure light-shielding by means of the cover when photographing is not conducted.
Explanation of Item 4
“The electronic camera according to either one of Items 1-3, wherein the light quantity adjusting member and the rotating member ar
Matsumoto Kenji
Saito Masashi
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Garber Wendy R.
Konica Corporation
Vu Ngoc-Yen
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