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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Filed of the invention
The present invention relates to a video tape recorder (to be abbreviated
as VTR) with a monitor-equipped built-in camera, and more particularly to
a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera including a monitor for
visually checking the picture recording condition of a subject and means
for connecting between plural separate parts rotatably and electrically.
(2) Description of the Related Art
It is well known that various products of video tape recorders with a
camera have been developed and brought into the market with the spread of
home video apparatus in recent years. Therefore, first of all,
consideration and review on these prior art VTR apparatuses will be made
with regard to their advantages and drawbacks.
Initially, FIG. 1 shows an external appearance of a typical prior art VTR
with a built-in camera, which includes a camera portion 101, a VTR portion
102 holding a removable tape cassette, a monochrome or color liquid
crystal viewfinder 103 for a monitor, an eyepiece 104, a microphone 105
and a main body cabinet 106. The liquid crystal display panel used in
viewfinder 103 is as small in its picture frame size as about 1 inch
square, so that the image is adapted to be magnified through an ocular
lens and observed from eyepiece 104.
Using such a small-sized liquid crystal display panel in viewfinder 103
presents an advantage that the liquid crystal display panel is less
expensive. But this configuration suffers from the following drawbacks:
1) monitoring picture is hard to see because an operator must look the
image through eyepiece 104 with only one eye;
2) an operator cannot monitor the recording condition while keeping his/her
eye away from the camera body (or the operator must take a position to
bring his/her eye close to the camera body for monitoring the recording
condition);
3) the viewfinder is directed to provide an angular field of view to be
taken for an operator only, more than one person cannot observe at the
same time; and
4) if an operator tries to take a record of his or her own figure, this
configuration requires another larger-sized monitor, but this is hard to
realize.
Under such circumstances, in recent years there has been an earnest demand
for a VTR with a built-in camera equipped with a monitor which enables an
operator and observers, if any, to take a view of the pickup image at some
distance without using an eyepiece.
However, in order to provide such a monitor that allows an operator to take
a view of the real-time picture at some distance, in place of looking
through an eyepiece, the frame size of the monitor becomes considerably
large as compared to that of the view finder. In the prior art, the large
size of the apparatus has resulted in difficulty in handling the
apparatus.
As an example of such the apparatus, there has been disclosed a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 4
No.6154. This apparatus has a VTR portion and a monitor portion arranged
integrally side by side, that is, the bottom of the monitor portion is
arranged to fit to the VTR portion. A camera portion is supported
rotatably on a longitudinal side of the thus integrated monitor/VTR
portion having a shape of an elongated rectangular parallelepiped.
In this example, since the VTR portion and monitor portions are arranged
side by side to form an elongated parallelepiped in order to make an
integrated monitor/VTR portion, the monitor/VTR portion indispensably
becomes large, thus limiting the miniaturization of the apparatus.
Further, the publication cited above does not take into account a
self-image pickup mode in which an operator records a picture of his or
her own image. If the apparatus is used to record the image of the
operator by way of experiment, the picture displayed on the monitor
portion is upside down or inverted, therefore, the apparatus is far from
practical for use in the self-image pickup mode.
On the other hand, a prior art VTR with a built-in camera shown in FIG. 1
includes a rotary mechanism as to be a connecting device at a joint
between a main body cabinet 106 and a viewfinder 103. Viewfinder 103
rotates with respect to main body cabinet 106 to be set at a desired
rotation angle. Provided inside viewfinder 103 and main body cabinet 106
are electric circuits such as a signal processing circuit for effecting
signal processing, therefore the joint for connecting between the two is
composed of mechanically and electrically connecting means.
In the above case, the conventional connecting device is arranged as shown
in FIG. 3. That is, a connecting portion 103a of viewfinder 103 is fit in
with a leaf spring 202, and main body cabinet 106 and a plate metal 204
are fitted to the connecting portion 103a so as to be rotatable, and then
a disc 205 is laid over the plate metal 204 and fixed to viewfinder 103
with screws 206, each of which is screwed through a through-hole 205a into
a screw hole 103b. Thus, there is provided in main body cabinet 106 a
mechanical connecting means allowing viewfinder 103 to rotate with respect
to main body cabinet 106.
On the other hand, the electric connection is provided such that a flexible
substrate 207 for electrically connecting means is inserted across a
hollow portion 208 formed inside the Joint of the mechanically connecting
means, and connected at its ends to the connectors (not shown) of
respective portions.
Next, the operation of the thus constructed connecting device of the prior
art will be described.
In the conventional connecting device, the viewfinder 103, leaf spring 202
and disc 205 united makes a rotational movement against main body cabinet
106 and plate metal 204 on the side of the main body of the VTR with a
built-in camera as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In the movement, the flexible
substrate 207 across hollow portion 208 of the joint is twisted since it
is connected at its ends to both connectors.
FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of essential parts showing a rotation of
flexible substrate 207 when it is twisted. In FIG. 6, as viewfinder 103
rotates, flexible substrate 207 rotates while being twisted.
In the conventional connecting device as constructed above, the flexible
substrate is twisted by the rotation of viewfinder, if the rotation should
be made at a large angle, the flexible substrate is also twisted largely.
As a result, there would occur disconnection of the flexible substrate. In
addition, the sagging portion caused by and required for the twist of the
flexible substrate makes a large movement, so that the substrate
interferes with, or comes into contact with the periphery, and this
presents the dangers of making frictional noise and disconnection.
Further, if additional lead wires and the like are provided in parallel
with the flexible substrate, these elements interfere with one another
greatly lowering their durability. To avoid these problems occurring,
there must be provided a large clearance around the substrate and other
elements, this opposes the demand of compactness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved under circumstances described
above. A first object of the present invention is to achieve sufficient
reduction or miniaturization of a VTR with a camera which is equipped with
a monitor portion of a liquid crystal display panel having a rather
large-sized picture frame. A second object of the present invention is to
provide a device that allows an operator to picture-record his or her own
figure as a subject without any troublesome handling and inconvenience. A
third object of the present invention is to improve the battery attachment
and gripping performance. Still, a fourth object of the present invention
is to provide an apparatus wherein a connecting device allows a large
rotational angle while the connecting member has an increased durability
and is prevented from interfering with its peripheral members to thereby
be compact.
The present invention proposes a novel VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in
camera in order to achieve the above objects. The feature and aspect of
the present invention will be described as follows.
In accordance with a first feature and aspect of the present invention, a
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like; and
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism; and
In accordance with a second feature and aspect of the present invention, a
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like;
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism; and
an inverting means for inverting a display image on the monitor upside
down.
In accordance with a third feature and aspect of the present invention, a
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like;
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism;
an inverting means for inverting a displayed image on the monitor upside
down; and
a detection means disposed in the rotary mechanism for detecting a
rotational state of the camera portion relative to the monitor/VTR
portion, and
the inverting means is driven based on the detected output from the
detection means.
In this case, it is advantageous that the aforesaid detection means of
rotational state in the camera portion is adapted to generate a detection
output when a picture-pickup face of the camera portion is oriented in a
direction substantially parallel to the display surface of the monitor
portion.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like; and
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism, and the rotary
mechanism is remote-controlled by a remote control device.
In accordance with a fifth aspect and feature of the invention, a VTR with
a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like; and
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner there-to by means of a rotary mechanism, and the
monitor/VTR portion has a VTR driving substrate for driving the VTR
portion and a monitor driving substrate for driving the monitor portion
stacked and integrally sandwiched between the monitor portion and the VTR
portion.
In the case, it is effective that the dimensions of the VTR driving
substrate and the monitor driving substrate are smaller than the outside
dimension of the display surface of the monitor portion.
In accordance with a sixth aspect and feature of the invention, a VTR with
a monitor-equipped built-in camera comprises:
a monitor/VTR portion integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a
removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal
display device and the like; and
a camera portion attached to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively
rotatable manner thereto by means of a rotary mechanism, and the camera
portion holds removable batteries as power supply source for the VTR with
a monitor-equipped built-in camera and has a battery cover for covering
and protecting the batteries and serving also as a camera grip.
According to the present invention, with regard to any of the above-stated
aspects of the invention, the rotary mechanism comprises:
a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable
parts and
the connecting member comprises a coiling portion having a vortex structure
and disposed in the central portion; and
first and second connecting portions extracted respectively from a staring
end and a terminal end of the coiling portion and extended in parallel
with a coiling central axis but in opposite directions, and the coiling
state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and second
connecting portions can be rotated relatively one another.
Still, according to the invention, in regard to any one of the aspects
described above, the rotary mechanism comprises:
a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable
parts, and
the connecting member comprises a coiling portion having a vortex structure
and disposed in the central portion; and
first and second connecting portions extracted respectively from a staring
end and a terminal end of the coiling portion and extended in parallel
with a coiling central axis but in opposite directions, and
the coiling state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and
second connecting portions are rotated relatively one another, and at
least one of the first and second connecting portions is provided with a
cutout portion for relieving the stress acted on the connecting portion
when the connecting portion is bent substantially, perpendicularly
relative to the coiling central axis of the coiling portion.
In this case, it is effective that the center portion of the coiling
portion of the connecting member has a hollow portion and a supporting
member is provided which has a supporting portion inserted into the hollow
portion for supporting the connecting member.
In the same case, it is also advantageous that the supporting portion of
the supporting member is provided with a hollow portion through which
connecting cables such as lead wires and the like are passed.
According to the present invention having configurations described above,
in order to integrate a monitor portion of a liquid crystal display having
a rather large-sized screen with a VTR portion to construct monitor/VTR
portion, a VTR substrate and a liquid crystal substrate are piled and
sandwiched between the monitor portion and the VTR portion. Therefore, the
apparatus can be largely small-sized as compared to the prior art example
in which a monitor portion and a VTR portion are put together side by side
to form an integrated rectangular body. Of course, the camera portion is
arranged relatively rotatable with respect to the monitor/VTR portion.
Thus, an operator can visually check the picture recording condition of a
subject displayed on the relatively large-sized monitor portion and keep
his or her eyes away from the monitor while freely setting up a camera
angle.
Further, according to the present invention, the camera portion can be
rotated through the rotary mechanism so that the picture-pickup face of
the camera portion may be oriented in the same direction with the face of
the monitor portion, therefore an operator can readily take his or her own
figure as a subject while observing the subject on the monitor portion
without providing another separate monitor. In addition, the inversion
detecting switch is changed over in link with the inversion of the camera
portion, so that the display image is inverted upside down. This allows an
upright subject image to be monitored, thus facilitating picture-recording
in the self-image pickup mode.
Still, according to the present invention, since batteries are contained in
the camera portion and covered by the battery cover that also serves as
the grip, the installation of the batteries can be assured reliably as
well as improving the gripping performance.
Moreover, in the present invention, by providing a rotary portion as a part
of the connecting means as well as providing of a fixing member for fixing
the connecting means, it is possible to provide a larger rotational angle,
an improved durability and make the device compact.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a typical VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrative view showing an example of a connecting
device in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 3 is a perspectively exploded illustration showing essential parts of
an embodiment of a connecting device in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 4 is a sectional illustrative view showing essential parts of an
embodiment of a connecting device in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 5 is a front illustrative view showing essential parts of an
embodiment of a connecting device in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 6 is a schematic operative illustration showing essential parts of an
embodiment of a connecting device in accordance with a prior art;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a front appearance of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a backside appearance of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment;
FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view showing an inner structure of a VTR
with a monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment;
FIGS. 10A to 10C are illustrative views respectively showing different
modes of a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment
where a relative angle made between a camera portion and a monitor/VTR
portion is varied;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a VTR with a monitor-equipped
built-in camera where the relative angle is 90.degree. in correspondence
with FIG. 10B;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing a structure of a rotary mechanism in a
VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment;
FIG. 13 is a side view showing a structure of the same rotary mechanism;
FIG. 14 is a schematically illustrative structural view showing an
embodiment of a connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 15 is an illustration showing essential parts of an embodiment of a
connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 16 is an expanded view showing essential parts of the embodiment of a
connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a sectional illustrative view showing essential parts of the
embodiment of a connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a front illustrative view showing essential parts of the
embodiment of a connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 19 is an illustration showing essential parts of another embodiment of
a connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 20 is an expanded view showing essential parts of the same embodiment
of a connecting means used in the present invention;
FIG. 21 is an illustration showing a use mode of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment wherein normal
picture-recording is effected;
FIG. 22 is an illustration showing a use mode of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment wherein low angle
picture-recording is effected;
FIG. 23 is an illustration showing a use mode of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment wherein high angle
picture-recording is effected; and
FIG. 24 is an illustration showing a use mode of a VTR with a
monitor-equipped built-in camera of the embodiment wherein
picture-recording is effected in self-image pickup mode.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera of the
present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in
camera of an embodiment viewed from the front side, and FIG. 8 is a
perspective view of the same viewed from the backside. In FIGS. 7 and 8,
the VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera, designated at 500, is
shown being set on a table, board or other horizontal plane.
In these figures, reference numeral 10 designates a monitor/VTR portion,
integrally composed of a VTR portion 11 holding a removable tape cassette
99 and a monitor portion 12 having a liquid crystal display panel.
Reference numeral 13 designates a camera portion, which is attached on one
side of monitor/VTR portion through a rotary mechanism 14 (to be detailed
later) so as to be rotatable relative to the portion 10, and which
incorporates an inverting means for making the display image on the
monitor portion 12 upside down. A cassette lid removably attached from VTR
portion 11 is designated at 15, and a grip portion disposed integrally
with cassette lid 15 is designated at 16. Further, there are provided a
liquid crystal display panel 17, a VTR control panel 18, liquid crystal
control buttons 19, a light-receiver for remote control 20, a front part
21 of camera cabinet, a rear part 22 of camera cabinet, a middle part 23
of camera cabinet, a grip portion 24, a battery cover 25, a battery 26, a
lens shutter 27, a lens unit 28, a microphone 29, a start/stop switch 30,
camera control buttons 31 and zooming buttons 32.
Grip portion 24 is formed on front part 21 of camera cabinet of camera
portion 13 in order that the apparatus may be stably supported for picture
recording when an operator holds grip portion 16 of monitor/VTR portion 10
in his/her left hand and grips battery cover 25 of camera portion 13 in
his/her right hand. Further, this structure allows the right hand to grip
battery cover 25, thus assuring the reliability of attachment of battery
26. In order to improve the gripping performance for grip portion 24 of
camera portion 13, finger-receiving portion 24a is shaped on grip portion
24. Operating switches are arranged such that start/stop switch 30 is
pressed with a forefinger and camera control buttons 31 and zooming
buttons 32 are handled with a thumb.
FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view showing the inner structure of the
with a monitor-equipped built-in camera. In this figure, VTR 500 is shown
generally classified into three blocks, that is, monitor/VTR portion 10,
camera portion 13 and rotary mechanism 14. Rotary mechanism 14 is to
connect monitor/VTR portion 10 with camera portion 13 such that the former
may rotate within about 270.degree. relative to the latter.
Initially, monitor/VTR portion 10 will be described. Monitor portion 12 is
formed as a unit of a VTR mechanism unit 41 with which removable tape
cassette 99 is engaged; a liquid crystal monitor holder 42, which includes
a liquid crystal display panel 17; a light-leading plate 43; and a
backlight 44 fixed with terminal plates 45, 46 in an electrically and
mechanically connecting manner. In order to drive VTR mechanism unit 41,
there is provided a VTR substrate 47, on which a recording/playing circuit
and all the other required circuits for functioning the VTR are equipped
as well as driving circuit for driving VTR mechanism unit 41. Reference
numeral 48 designates a liquid crystal substrate for driving monitor
portion 12. The liquid crystal substrate 48 includes a signal processing
circuit, a circuit for backlight and other circuits as well as a driving
circuit for liquid crystal display panel 17.
Further, the aforementioned VTR substrate 47 and liquid crystal substrate
48 are sandwiched between VTR mechanism unit 41 of VTR portion 11, and
liquid crystal monitor holder 42 holding liquid crystal display panel 17
of monitor portion 12. These four members are stacked and integrated. This
is one of main features of this invention. In this structure, the maximal
dimension of VTR substrate 47 and liquid crystal substrate 48 is limited
to within the outside dimension of liquid crystal display panel 17, so
that the whole part of monitor/VTR portion 10 may be designed compact. The
sandwich structure, i.e., VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid
crystal substrate 48 and liquid crystal monitor holder 42 are incorporated
into a cabinet 49, and covered by cassette lid 15 with grip portion 16.
Monitor/VTR portion 10 further includes a control panel 18 disposed on the
front side of cabinet 49, a speaker 50, terminal plates 51, a terminal
plate cover 52, a knob 53, a tripod socket nut 54, a knob 55 and
connecting cables 56 to 63.
Next, camera portion 13 will be described. Fixed at a rear end of a lens
unit 28 is a CCD image-pickup device substrate 64. There are provided a
CCD image-pickup device driving substrate 65, a shield board 66, a signal
processing substrate 67, a shield board 68, a sub-substrate 69, a battery
terminal plate 70, a power switch 71, a knob 72 and connecting cables 73
to 79.
Battery wire cable 78 leading out from battery terminal plate 70, and
flexible cable 79, leading out from signal processing substrate 67, are
introduced into monitor/VTR portion 10 through the center of rotary
mechanism 14 to supply electric power. CCD image-pickup substrate 64
incorporates therein a CCD image-pickup device for transforming optical
signals from lens unit 28 into electric image signals. CCD image-pickup
device driving substrate 65 includes all the circuits required for
operating the camera, such as a timing circuit for driving the CCD
image-pickup device, a signal processing circuit, an automatic
white-balancing circuit, an automatic focusing circuit, etc.
Attached in middle part 23 of the camera cabinet are lens unit 28, CCD
image-pickup substrate 64, CCD image-pickup device driving substrate 65,
signal processing substrate 67, sub-substrate 69, battery terminal plate
70, power switch 71 and other elements. This provision of all the parts
for camera functions to middle part 23 of the camera cabinet is to make
the assembling thereof easy, and to allow easy adjustment of the camera.
The image-pickup signals are transmitted through flexible cable 79 to VTR
substrate 47 so as to be recorded on tape cassette 99 in VTR mechanism
unit 41. The signals are also transmitted to liquid crystal substrate 48
so that liquid crystal display panel 17 may simultaneously display the
pickup image as it is taken. It is noted that liquid crystal display panel
17 can also be used to display a regenerated picture upon the reproduction
of removable tape cassette 99 in VTR mechanism unit 41.
The VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera 500 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8
described heretofore is set in a storage position at non-use. In this
non-use storage position, camera portion 13 is aligned with monitor/VTR
portion 10, or more specifically, the horizontal scan direction of liquid
crystal display panel 17 is set perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction of camera portion 13. The pickup face of lens unit 28 is opposed
to liquid crystal display panel 17, and perpendicular to the direction in
which VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid crystal substrate 48
and liquid crystal display panel 17 are piled up, or parallel to liquid
crystal display panel 17.
Meanwhile, as one of important components of the invention, there is
provided an inverting means for making the display image on monitor
portion 12 upside down. This inverting means eliminates the inconvenience
of an inverted image which would be displayed when an operator tries to
pick up his or her own figure by him- or herself with the prior art VTR.
Specifically, camera portion 13 can be rotated relative to monitor/VTR
portion 10 within a range of about 270.degree. by means of rotary
mechanism 14, which will be described hereinafter. Further, provided on a
mechanism holding metal member 84 integrated with a monitor/VTR portion
cabinet 87 is an inversion detecting switch 89 that is activated when
camera portion 13 is rotated relative to monitor/VTR portion 10 about
180.degree. from the non-use storage position a projection 83a for
activating the inversion detecting switch 89 is formed on a periphery part
of a pressing plate 83. This inversion detecting switch 89 causes the
display image on liquid crystal display panel 17 to invert (turn upside
down) when activated by projection 83a. The inversion detecting switch 89
is connected through connecting cable 56 to an unillustrated IC for image
upside-down inversion.
The position in which inversion detecting switch 89 is activated by the
180.degree. rotation of camera portion 13 from the non-use storage
position is shown in FIG. 10C. In other words, switch 89 is made active
when the pickup face of lens unit 28 is oriented in the direction
coincident with that of liquid crystal display panel 17 with respect to
the direction in which VTR mechanism unit 41, VTR substrate 47, liquid
crystal substrate 48 and liquid crystal display panel 17 are stacked. Thus
the mode in which the pickup face and liquid crystal display panel 17 are
oriented in the same direction is used when an operator takes his or her
own figure as a subject by him- or herself as shown in FIG. 24, which will
be detailed hereinafter.
FIG. 10A shows a position in which monitor/VTR portion 10 is relatively
rotated 18.degree. through rotary mechanism 14 in counterclockwise
direction relative to camera portion 13. FIG. 10B shows a position in
which monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated 90.degree. in counterclockwise
direction relative to camera portion 13. The mode in which the camera
portion 13 is rotated at 90.degree. is shown perspectively in FIG. 11.
FIG. 10C shows a position in which monitor/VTR portion 10 is rotated
180.degree. relative to camera portion 13, that is, a position in which
the pickup face of lens unit 28 and liquid crystal display panel 17 is
oriented in the same direction. This position is for self-image pickup
mode, but may be applicable to the non-use storage position.
Although the above description has been made on an embodiment in which the
changeover of upside-down inversion of the image to be displayed on liquid
crystal display panel 17 is carried out automatically when camera portion
13 is rotated 180.degree. relative to monitor/VTR portion 10, it is
obvious that the embodiment should not limit the invention. For example,
the changeover may be controlled with a manual switch, or with a remote
control to effect the upside-down inversion. Alternatively, plural modes
such as automatic mode and manual mode may be provided to perform the
changeover of image inversion automatically and manually.
Next, detailed description will be made of rotary mechanism 14 used in the
video tape recorder with a monitor-equipped built-in camera in accordance
with the invention.
Initially, referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, rotary mechanism 14
includes a spacer holding metal member 80, a spacer 81, a leaf spring 82,
a pressing plate 83, a mechanism holding metal member 84. This rotary
mechanism 14 is shown more specifically in a sectional view of FIG. 12 and
a side view of FIG. 13.
In these figures, reference numeral 89 designates the above-mentioned
inversion detecting switch, and when the switch is activated by projection
83a, the display image on liquid crystal display panel 17 may be made to
invert upside down. The other configurations of rotary mechanism 14 in the
embodiment exemplified in FIGS. 12 and 13 are substantially similar to
those in the prior art. That is, spacer holding metal member 80 is
integrally fit in camera portion cabinet 85 while being fixed with spacer
81 by screw bolts 86. On the other hand, mechanical holding metal member
84 is integrally fit in monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87, and is held
tightly but resiliently between leaf spring 82 set on the stepped bottom
face of spacer 81 and pressing plate 83 fixed to the stepped top face of
spacer 81 with screws 88.
Camera portion cabinet 85 and monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87, and therefore
camera portion 13 and monitor/VTR portion 10 are jointed in a relatively
rotating manner through spacer 81 and the sandwiching structure of
mechanical holding metal member 84 held between leaf spring 82 and
pressing plate 83 in rotary mechanism 14. Upon rotation of camera portion
13 relative to monitor/VTR portion 10, it is possible to stop camera
portion 13 stably at an arbitrary angle relative to monitor/VTR portion 10
by the frictional resistance force caused by the elastically pressing
force due to leaf spring 82. Flexible cable 79 is stretched between camera
portion cabinet 85 and monitor/VTR portion cabinet 87 through central
through-holes 80a, 81a of spacer holding metal member 80 and spacer 81.
Meanwhile, the present invention proposes as an effective, improved means,
that the aforementioned rotary mechanism 14 comprises a flexible
connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable parts, and
the connecting member comprises: a coiling portion having a vortex
structure disposed in the central portion; and first and second connecting
portions extracted respectively from a starting end and a terminal end of
the coiling portion and extended in parallel with a coiling central axis
but in opposite directions. The present invention proposes as a further
improved means that in addition to the above configurations, the coiling
state of the coiling portion is changed so that the first and second
connecting portions are rotated relative to one another, and at least one
of the first and second connecting portions is provided with a cutout
portion for relieving the stress acting on the connecting portion when the
connecting portion is bent substantially, perpendicular relative to the
coiling central axis of the coiling portion.
Referring now to FIGS. 14 to 18, description will be made of an embodiment
of a connecting means according to the invention being applied to a
connecting device for a viewfinder of VTR.
First, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, which are schematic illustrations of the
embodiment according to the invention, a connecting portion 311a of a
viewfinder 311 is fit in with a leaf spring 312, and a main body cabinet
313 and a metal plate 314 are fitted to the connecting portion 311a so as
to be rotatable, and then a disc 315 is laid over the plate metal 314 and
fixed to viewfinder 311 with screws 316, each of which is screwed through
a through-hole 315a into a screw hole 311b. Thus, there is provided in
main body cabinet 313 a mechanical connecting means allowing viewfinder
311 to rotate with r | | |
