Hidden viewfinder for camera

Details Hidden viewfinder for camera Hidden viewfinder for camera

1999-12-15

2001-10-16

Mahoney, Christopher E. (Department: 2851)

Reexamination Certificate

active

06302597

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hidden viewfinder for camera and particularly to a camera which may hide a viewfinder in the camera body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional camera
10
(as shown in
FIG. 1
) usually includes a camera lens
12
and a viewfinder
14
. The camera lens
12
is for capturing outside picture to expose negative film loaded in the camera. The viewfinder
14
is a window for the photographer to view the outside picture for composing a photo desired. The viewfinder
14
usually is a rectangular tunnel like structure which includes a plurality of lenses
142
. It is generally fixed in the camera
10
. The tunnel type structure occupies a relatively large space in the camera to form a free optical path to capture outside picture for image taking. Apart from holding the lenses
142
, it cannot be used for other purpose.
However contemporary camera design concept and trend is heavily focusing on compact size for user convenience. How to shrink the camera size without compromising its function becomes a big design issue. The viewfinder takes a lot of space but serves only limited function part of the time. It is an area more improvement may be made.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a hidden viewfinder that may be raised out of the camera body for use and may be hidden and nested in the camera body when not in use. The camera size thus may be made smaller size and becomes more convenient for users.
It is another object of this invention to provide a hidden viewfinder that may hold circuit boards or control elements in the viewfinder between the lenses so that the camera may have more function and features without increasing its size.
In one aspect, the hidden viewfinder of this invention includes a camera body, a plurality of lens frames and an outer frame. In the camera body, there are a pair of spaced channel slots. The bottom end of each lens frame is pivotally hinged between the channel slots and being engaged with a torsional spring. Each lens frame has a lens mounted therein. The outer frame is a reversed U-shaped tunnel type frame with a top wall and two side walls engageable with the two channel slots. The outer frame may be pressed downward to wedge into the channel slots when the camera is not in use to form a compact size. In that situation, the lens frames are pivotally pressed downward in flat positions about the bottom ends thereof. When in use, the outer frame may be raised and popped up above the camera body to form a tunnel like duct. The lens frames are raised upright by the torsional springs in the outer frame to form the viewfinder. Because of such structure, more circuit boards and control elements may be disposed at two lateral sides of the sidewalls of the outer frame without obstructing the optical path of the viewfinder and without increasing the camera size.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1494188 (1924-05-01), Rollins
patent: 4032940 (1977-06-01), Chan
patent: 4283132 (1981-08-01), Engelsmann et al.
patent: 5005032 (1991-04-01), Burnham
patent: 5146253 (1992-09-01), Swayze
patent: 5848302 (1998-12-01), Machida

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