Photography – With viewfinder – Selective or adjustable viewfinder field
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-01
2001-01-30
Lee, Eddie C. (Department: 2851)
Photography
With viewfinder
Selective or adjustable viewfinder field
C396S380000, C396S435000, C396S436000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181881
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on applications Nos. H09-331479 and H09-331361 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field-of-view frame switching device, and more particularly to a device for switching the field-of-view frame of a viewfinder designed for the Advanced Photo System, which uses three picture formats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, more and more products conforming to the Advanced Photo System (hereafter referred to as the “APS”) have been introduced to the market. The APS uses three picture formats to allow an image to be taken in one of the following three different frame sizes: the wide format (hereafter referred to as the “H format”) that offers an aspect ratio of 9:16, the standard format (hereafter referred to as the “C format”) that has the same vertical dimension as and a shorter horizontal dimension than the H format and offers an aspect ratio of 2:3, and the panorama format (hereafter referred to as the “P format”) that has the same horizontal dimension as and a shorter vertical dimension than the H format and offers an aspect ratio of 1:3.
Typically, a user's selection of a specific frame size causes the switching of the field-of-view frame of a viewfinder. Conventional field-of-view frame switching devices are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. H6-273826 and H8-146493. How these conventional devices achieve the switching of the field-of-view frame is schematically illustrated in
FIGS. 1A
to
1
C and in
FIGS. 2A
to
2
C respectively. Of these figures,
FIGS. 1A and 2A
show the arrangement of the field-of-view frame for the H format,
FIGS. 1B and 2B
show the same for the C format, and
FIGS. 1C and 2C
show the same for the P format.
Either of these devices has a fixed field-of-view frame
11
(indicated by broken lines) and two L-shaped movable masks
12
and
13
. The vertical dimension of the C and H formats and the horizontal dimension of the H and P formats are determined by the fixed field-of-view frame
11
. In each of the figures, the hatched area represents the frame size of the selected formats (H, C, or P).
In the device shown in
FIGS. 1A
to
1
C, the two L-shaped movable masks
12
and
13
are individually moved horizontally (i.e. translated in the directions indicated by arrows C) to determine the horizontal dimension of the C format, and they are moved vertically (i.e. translated in the directions indicated by arrows P) to determine the vertical dimension of the P format. By contrast, in the device shown in
FIGS. 2A
to
2
C, the two L-shaped movable masks
12
and
13
are individually moved obliquely (i.e. translated in the directions indicated by arrows C or P) to determine the horizontal dimension of the C format or the vertical dimension of the P format.
However, allowing the movable masks to be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions requires not only a complicated driving mechanism but also an ample space for it. On the other hand, allowing the movable masks to be moved in oblique directions requires a simpler driving mechanism, since they need to be driven along only one axis, but requires them to be driven over a comparatively long movement stroke (see FIGS.
2
B and
2
C). Thus, both of these devices have been imposing various restrictions in the design of compact cameras.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device that makes it possible, in any photographing system including the APS, to select a field-of-view frame of a viewfinder from among a plurality of choices and that nevertheless requires only a minimal movement stroke of movable masks and a minimal space for a driving mechanism.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a field-of-view frame switching device is provided with a rectangular fixed field-of-view frame and a plurality of light-shielding members for covering portions of the rectangular fixed field-of-view frame so as to vary the size of the actual field-of-view frame. Here, the light-shielding members are composed of a first pair of oppositely arranged light-shielding members and a second pair of oppositely arranged light-shielding members. This field-of-view frame switching device is provided also with a coupling member for coupling the light-shielding members together in such relation that, when the first pair of light-shielding members are positioned closer to each other to narrow the actual field-of-view frame, the second pair of light-shielding members are positioned wide apart from each other and that, when the first pair of light-shielding members are positioned wide apart from each other, the second pair of light-shielding members are positioned closer to each other to narrow the actual field-of-view frame. This field-of-view frame switching device is provided further with a moving member for moving at least a part of the light-shielding members in a direction substantially parallel to one side of the rectangular fixed field-of-view frame.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a field-of-view frame switching device is provided with a rectangular fixed field-of-view frame and a plurality of field-of-view frame switching members for covering portions along the top, bottom, left-hand, and right-hand sides of the rectangular fixed field-of-view frame so as to vary the size of the actual field-of-view frame. This field-of-view frame switching device is provided also with a coupling member for coupling the field-of-view frame switching members together into a single unit.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a field-of-view frame switching device is provided with a rectangular fixed field-of-view frame and a field-of-view frame switching member for covering portions of the rectangular fixed field-of-view frame so as to vary the size of the actual field-of-view frame. Here, the field-of-view frame switching member is divided at least at one side thereof. This field-of-view frame switching device is provided also with a moving member for moving the field-of-view frame switching member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2247104 (1941-06-01), Takacs
patent: 3356003 (1967-12-01), Eckhardt
patent: 3619202 (1971-11-01), Bellows
patent: 4931818 (1990-06-01), Gates
patent: 5500704 (1996-03-01), Kawano
patent: 5539489 (1996-07-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5592252 (1997-01-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5602606 (1997-02-01), Yazawa
patent: 5732297 (1998-03-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5828914 (1998-10-01), Balling
patent: 06273826 (1994-09-01), None
patent: 08146493 (1996-07-01), None
Inoue Yoshiyuki
Kit Wong Ngai
Konishi Yoshito
Lee Eddie C.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
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