Television – Special applications – Aid for the blind
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2001-10-09
Kelley, Chris (Department: 2613)
Television
Special applications
Aid for the blind
C348S370000, C353S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06300975
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image pickup apparatus including a stage on which a material such as a chart, diagram, pamphlet, publications, or model, a video camera mounted on a column to be located over a central portion of the stage and picking up an image of the material to obtain image signals, which are delivered to an image reproducer such as a television, video projector, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional image pickup apparatus of the above-described type, the video camera is rotatably mounted on an upper end of the column so as to be capable of taking an image of an object located in the rear of the stage as well as the material placed thereon. The column is rotatable between a position where it stands from the stage and another position where it is lying along the stage. Furthermore, the column has a vertical two-stage structure including an upper column and a lower column. The upper column is inserted into a lower column so that the column is telescopic. In use of the image pickup apparatus, the column is caused to stand from the stage and extended so that the video camera mounted on the upper end thereof is held at a predetermined height over the central portion of the stage. When the apparatus is not used, the column is contracted so as to be lying along the stage together with the video camera. Thus, the column can compactly be folded.
The image pickup apparatus further includes an inner illumination lamp for illuminating the material from inside the stage and a pair of right-hand and left-hand outer illumination lamps for illuminating the material from outside the stage. The outer illumination lamps are supported on a pair of arms so as to be located over the stage.
The conventional image pickup apparatus thus comprises a rotating mechanism for rotating the column so that the column is caused to stand up and lie along the stage for the purposes of being compactly folded and being capable of picking up the image of an object located in the rear of the stage. The image pickup apparatus further comprises a mechanism for telescoping the column and a mechanism for rotating the video camera mounted on the upper end of the column. These three mechanisms complicate the construction of the image pickup apparatus, resulting in an increase in a manufacturing cost of the apparatus.
Moreover, the column has a proximal end mounted on an intermediate of one of opposed side edges of the stage. The arms supporting the respective outer illumination lamps are also mounted on the side edge of the stage. As a result, the column and the arms reduce a space of the stage on which the material can be placed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus which has a simple construction and yet can pick up the image of the object located in the rear of the stage, and which can compactly be folded when not used.
Another object of the invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus which can increase an effective space of the stage on which the material is placed.
The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus comprising a stage on which a material is placed, a video camera including a lens and shooting an image of the material placed on the stage, thereby obtaining an image signal representative of the material, the image signal being delivered to an image reproducing unit, and a column for supporting the video camera so that the video camera is located over a central portion of the stage, the column being formed into a vertical two-stage structure including an upper column and a lower column. The upper column has a distal end to which the video camera is fixed. The lower column is mounted on the stage so as to be pivotally moved between a standing position where the lower column stands from the stage and a lying position where the lower column is lying along the stage. The upper column is rotatably mounted on the lower column. The image pickup apparatus further comprises first to third positioning means. The first positioning means is provided for positioning the upper column at a first position where the upper column extends substantially straightforward from the lower column. The second positioning means is provided for positioning the upper column at a second position where the upper column is bent approximately at right angles to the lower column. The third positioning means is provided for positioning the upper column at a third position where the upper column is folded into two parts relative to the lower column. In the image pickup apparatus, the lens of the video camera is directed to the central portion of the stage when the lower column is positioned at the standing position and the upper column is positioned at the first position. Furthermore, the lens of the video camera is directed to the rear of the stage when the lower column is positioned at the standing position and the upper column is positioned at the second position. Additionally, the video camera is lying along the stage when the lower column is positioned at the lying position and the upper column is positioned at the third position.
According to the above-described image pickup apparatus, the vide camera can be held at a predetermined height over the central portion of the stage when the lower column is caused to stand and the upper column is caused to extend straightforward from the lower column. Furthermore, the video camera can take the image of an object located in the rear of the stage when the upper column is moved to the position where the upper column is bent approximately at right angles to the lower column. Additionally, the apparatus can compactly be folded when the upper column is folded into two parts relative to the lower column and the lower column is caused to lie along the stage. Thus, the invention provides a pivotally moving mechanism for pivotally moving the lower column relative to the stage and a moving mechanism for moving the upper column relative to the lower column. By these moving mechanisms, the video camera can take the image of the object located in the rear of the stage, and the apparatus can compactly be folded. Consequently, the structure of the image pickup apparatus can be simplified and accordingly, the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.
In a preferred form, the lower column is mounted on a corner of the stage. Consequently, an effective space of the stage for the material can be prevented from being reduced by the column.
In another preferred form, the image pickup apparatus further comprises a pair of arms mounted on rear opposite corners of the stage respectively, each arm having a proximal end moved between a standing position and a folded position, and a pair of external illumination lamps fixed on the distal ends of the arms for illuminating the material on the stage, respectively. In this construction, each external lamp is located over and outside the stage when each arm is positioned at the standing position and each external lamp is lying along the stage when each arm is positioned at the folded position. Since the proximal ends of the arms supporting the external illumination lamps are mounted on the opposite corners of the stage, the effective space of the stage for the material can further be prevented from being reduced by the arms.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5642206 (1997-06-01), Yamamori et al.
patent: 5734417 (1998-03-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5738429 (1998-04-01), Tagawara et al.
patent: 5863209 (1999-01-01), Kim
patent: 6064426 (2000-05-01), Waterman
patent: 6065839 (2000-05-01), Miyata et al.
Elmo Co., Ltd.
Kelley Chris
Koda & Androlia
Philippe Gims
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