Television – Camera – system and detail – Support or housing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-05
2004-04-13
Christensen, Andrew (Department: 2615)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Support or housing
C348S373000, C348S376000, C396S541000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06721014
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an internal arrangement and body of an image sensing apparatus and, more particularly to, an arrangement of an image sensing unit, a signal processing unit, a monitor, a recording unit, and power supply unit of an image sensing apparatus, and a design of the body of the image sensing apparatus.
A conventional image sensing apparatus is described below with reference to
FIGS. 18
to
20
.
FIG. 18
is an external perspective view of a digital still camera as an example of a conventional image sensing apparatus. In
FIG. 18
, reference numeral
301
denotes a front cover, made of resin, having a rectangular hole
301
a
for a finder
305
;
302
, a back cover also made of resin;
303
, a release button;
304
, a stroboscope;
305
, the finder;
306
, an image sensing lens;
307
, a monochromatic liquid crystal display (referred to as “LCD” hereinafter) for displaying information, such as the number of shots which can still be stored; and
308
, a mode dial for changing modes of the camera, which is supported by an axis (not shown) so as to be rotatable about the axis in the directions shown by arrows P and Q. Further, reference numeral
309
denotes a pointer, printed on the back cover
302
, to indicate which mode is selected by the mode dial
308
.
FIG. 19
is a cross sectional view of the image sensing apparatus shown in
FIG. 18
taken along a line A-A′. In
FIG. 19
, reference numeral
310
denotes an optical block configuring an image sensing system, including the image sensing lens
306
and a CCD (not shown);
311
, a signal processing board;
312
, a power supply board connected to the signal processing board
311
via a connector
313
;
314
, batteries as a power source, electrically connected to the power supply board
312
; and
315
, a battery area for the batteries
314
.
FIG. 20
is a cross-sectional view of a tripod taphole and its vicinity of the camera, and reference numeral
316
denotes the tripod taphole integrally formed on the back cover
302
.
In the digital still camera, as the conventional image sensing apparatus, shown in
FIG. 18
, the mode dial
308
is rotated in the direction of the arrow P, in this case, to set a mark
308
a
at the pointer
309
. In turn, a CPU (not shown) of the camera makes the camera operable to sense an image, and image sensing conditions are displayed on the LCD
307
. An operator checks an image through the finder
305
, and if it is desired to capture the image, a release button
303
is pressed. The release button
303
has a two-step stroke configuration, and a first switch is turned on when the release button
303
is pressed halfway (half stroke), then preparation for an image sensing operation, such as photometry and a distance measuring operation, is performed. Further, a second switch is turned on when full stroke of the release button
303
is made, and the image sensing operation is executed. When an object to be sensed is dark, the stroboscope
304
automatically flashes. A sensed image is recorded in an internal memory (not shown).
For displaying the sensed image, the camera is first connected to a personal computer (PC) via a cable (not shown), and the mode dial
308
is rotated in the direction of the arrow Q to set a mark
308
b
at the pointer
309
to select a play mode. Thereafter, the operator can make a desired image displayed by operating the PC.
Next, an internal configuration of the conventional digital still camera is explained.
Referring to
FIG. 20
, the optical block
310
is installed in the camera, and connected to the signal processing board
311
. The batteries
314
are set in the battery area
315
, and electrically connected to the power supply board
312
. The signal processing board
311
is supplied with electric power from the power supply board
312
via the connector
313
.
The tripod taphole
316
is formed on the resin back cover
302
. The front cover
301
and the back cover are joined together. The signal processing board
311
is not connected to the tripod taphole
316
.
With the above configuration, the power supply board
312
which generally generates noise is connected to the signal processing board
311
via the connector
313
, in addition, the distance between the power supply board
312
and the signal processing board
311
is short, therefore, noise is easily transferred to the signal processing board
311
and causes deterioration of an image.
Further, since the external body of the conventional camera is not grounded, and electrical circuits (boards) inside the camera are not properly grounded, the camera is easily affected by external noise and static electricity.
Further, the pointer
309
for the mode dial
308
is printed on the back cover
302
, which is a part of the external body, thus a printing mechanism for printing the pointer at a precise position as well as printing of the pointer on the back cover
302
itself cost considerably, which causes an increase in manufacturing cost of the back cover
302
.
Further, it is necessary to provide means, on a member for guiding the mode dial
308
, for matching positions between the mode dial
308
and the back cover
302
, thus, the shape of the member becomes complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its first object of the present invention to provide a camera which is not easily affected by noise from a power supply circuit and capable of keeping an image quality high.
Further, it is a second object of the present invention to provide a small camera of good portability which is not easily affected by noise.
Furthermore, it is a third object of the present invention to provide a camera which is not easily affected by external noise and static electricity.
Further, it is a fourth object of the present invention to realize a pointer which can be easily recognized by the user at low cost. According to the present invention, the foregoing first and second object is attained by providing an image sensing apparatus having: a photographic optical system; an image sensing device for converting an optical image formed by said photographic optical system into electric signals; a signal processing unit for processing the electric signals from the image sensing device into image signals for displaying, transmitting to an external device or recording on a detachable recording medium; and a power supply unit for supplying electric power to the image sensing apparatus, wherein said photographic optical system is arranged between the signal processing unit and the power supply unit.
Preferably, the image sensing apparatus further comprises a frame whose cross-section has a C-letter shape, wherein the signal processing unit and the power supply unit are fixed to respective arms of the C-letter shape of the frame.
Further, according to the present invention, the foregoing third object is attained by providing the image sensing apparatus, further comprising: an accessory fixing part made of conductive material; a front cover made of conductive material; and a back cover made of conductive material, wherein the front cover, the back cover, and the frame are grounded via the accessory fixing part.
Further, according to the present invention, the foregoing fourth object is attained by providing an electric device comprising an internal structure having a protuberance which functions as a pointer, wherein the protuberance is used for positioning between a cover and the internal structure.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4456931 (1984-06-01), Toyoda et al.
patent: 4712898 (1987-12-01), Haraguchi
patent: 4887161 (1989-12-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5187655 (1993-02-01), Post et al.
patent: 5812885 (1998-09-01), Noguchi et al.
patent: 6351282
Christensen Andrew
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
Wu Dorothy
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