Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a video
tape recorder with a camera and more particularly is
directed to a video tape recorder having a ~u.ilt-in camera.
Description of the Prior ~rt
In a typical home video tape recordér having a
built-in video camera, the user generally holds a hand grip
portion of this built-in camera type video tape recorder
with his right hand while operating the camera to take video
images.
~ n prior art video tape recorders having a
~uilt-in camera, the hand grip portion is provided on a side
wall of the video tape recorder. This causas th.e overall
thickness of the video tape recorder to be relat~vely
large. As a result, when the user carries this video tape
recorder ~.a~ing a built-in camera ln its non-operational
mode, th.is ~ideo tape recorder can not ~e put into a
carrying case such as an attac~e case or th.e like that is
relatively th.in. Instead, the user has to carry such a
video tape recorder in a larger, special cas-e, which is
generally unwieldy and Qften identi~ia~le ~y others as a
camera case.
'
. ~
~ 3 ~
In the conventional built-in camera type video -tape
recorder, a television camera section, a video tape recorder
section and a view finder section are su~s-tantiallv formed
in com~ination as a single unit. Therefore, the operational
modes or status of the television camera section and the
video tape recorder section can easily ~e displayed in an
optical or electronic type view finder.
~ hen a built-in camera type ~ideo t~pe recorder is
designed to be small in size and hence easily portable, if
the television camera section and the video tape recorder
section are prefera~ly formed into a com~ination form as a
main body, and ahand grip is formed to include therein an
optical type view finder and a ~atter, if both the main
body and the hand grip section are coupled together to take
a video picture, the pro~lem a~ises that the operational
status of the television camera section and the video tape
recorder section cannot ~e optically displayed within the
optical type view finder.
Of course, if a num~er of eIectrical contacts are
prov~ded on the main body and t~e hand grip section so as to
~e contacted with one another when ~oth the main ~ody and
the hand grip are coupled together, it ~ecomes possi~le to
display the operational status of the television camera
section and the video tape recorder section, then emiss~on
elements such as LEDs (:light emis$ion diodel may ~e located
within the optical vie~ finder; to p~ovide the desired
operational status. Howe~er, ~n this case, a further
--2--
- : . ,
' . .
. .
'. ~ .
~ 3 ~
problem occurs in that the electrical contacts will
easily malfunction, thus making this built-in camera type
video tape recorder unreliable.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of this
invention to provide a video tape recorder having a
built-in camera.
An object of this invention is to provide a video
tape recorder having a built-in camera in which a main
body section and a hand grip section are easily
detachable from each other so that upon carrying, the
overall thickness o~ the built-in camera type video tape
recorder can be reduced and thereby the built-in camera
type video tape recorder can be easily kept in a thin
case or the like and made suitable for portable use.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
providsd a battery connecting mechanism for connecting a
battery to electric equipment and for supplying
electrical power from the battery to such equipment,
comprising in combination a battery case containing a
battery, the battery case having a first side wall; an
equipment case containing the electric equipment, the
equipment case having a second side wall adapted to abut
the first side wall of the battery case; a first
connecting member including a pro~ection or a recess
disposed on the first side wall of the battery case; a
second connecting member including a recess or projection
disposed on the second side wall of the equipment case,
the projection being adapted to be received in the recess
for connecting the battery case with the equipment case;
a first electric contacting member disposed on the first
side wall of the battery case and connected to the
battery; and a second electric contacting member disposed
on the second side wall of the equipment case for
receiving electrical power supplied from the battery
through the first electric contacting member.
- 3 -
~3
'
According to another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a battery case for containing a battery and
adapted to be attached to an equipment case containing
electric equipment which is powered by the battery,
comprising in combination a side wall on the battery case
adapted to be juxtaposed with a side wall of the
equipment case, and a first connecting member including a
projection or a recess disposed on the side wall of the
battery case adapted to cooperate with a corresponding
recess or projection disposed on the side wall of the
equipment case, a first electric contacting member
disposed on the side wall of the battery case adapted to
contact a corresponding second electric contacting member
disposed on the side wall of the electric equipment case,
whereby electric power is supplied from the battery case
through the first and second contacting members to the
electric equipment.
According to another aspect of the invention, there
is provided a video camera adapted to cooperate with a
detachable battery case containing a battPry comprising
in combination a camera case containing the video camera,
the camera case having a side wall adapted to abut a
corresponding side wall of the battery case, a connecting
member comprising a recess or a projection disposed on
the side wall of the camera case, and adapted to
cooperate with a corresponding projection or recess
disposed on the corresponding side wall of the battery
case, the projection being adapted to be received in the
recess for connecting the battery case to the camera
case; and an electric contacting member disposed on the
side wall of the camera case and adapted to cooperate
with a corresponding electric contacting member on the
battery case, for receiving electric power supplied
through the electric contacting member from the battery.
According to another aspect of the invention, there
is provided video camera having attached camera and
battery cases, comprising in combination a camera case
,
, ~,
.. . .
,
~ 3 ~
for containing the video camera, a battery case for
containing a battery and adapted to be attached to the
camera case, a first connecting member comprising a
projection or a recess disposed on a side wall of the
battery case, a second connecting member comprising a
recess or projection disposed on a mating wall of the
camera case, the recess and projection adapted to connect
the camera case and the battery case together, a first
electric contacting member disposed on the side wall of
the battery case, a second electric contacting member
disposed on the side wall of the camera case, and
cooperating with the first electric contacting member,
whereby electric power is supplied from the battery
through the first an~ second contacting member to the
camera.
These and other objects, features and advantages of
the present invention will become apparent from the
- 4a -
r ~
~ 3 ~
following detailed description of the ~referred embodiment
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
throughout which like reference numerals designate like
elements and parts.
BRI~F DESCRIPTIO~I OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a
video tape recorder having a built-in camera according to
the present invention, seen from its right-front direction;
FIG. 2 is a li~e perspective view of the
embodiment of the video tape recorder having a built-in
camera according to the present invention, seen from the
left-front direction;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of
the video tape recorder having a built-in camera according
to the present invention, seen from its right-rear
direction;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of its main body seen
from its right-rear direction;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of its hand grip
section seen from its left-rear direction;
FIG. 6 is a partly sectioned view showing the
state that the main body and the hand grip are coupled with
each other;
.. . .
~ 3 ~
~ IG. 7 is a diagram used to explain the status of
an optical type view finder as seen by a user;
FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a
relationship between a dust-proof cover and a lens of the
television camera section; and
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing a control
circuit that controls a micro-computer used in the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PR~FERRED E~ODI~NT
An embodiment of a video tape recorder having a
built-in camera according to the presen-t invention will
hereinafter be described with reference to the attached
drawings.
Referring to FIG 1 through FIG. 3, the video tape
recorder having a built-in camera according to this
embodiment is formed of a main body 1 and a hand grip 2
which are separable. Casings or housings 3 and 4 of the
main body 1 and the hand grip 2 are all made of synthetic
resin. The main body housing 3 is formed substantially as a
rectangular solid shape and also the hand grip housing 4 is
formed substantially as a rectangular solid shape. In this
case, however, the hand grip housing 4 is curved from its
upper wall 4c through its right side wall 4f to its lower
wall 4d so as to fit the palm of the right hand of a user.
,
~ 3 ~
A television (TV) camera section 5 and a video
tape recorder (VTR) section 6 are incorporated in the main
body housing 3, respectively~ Further, a lens window frame
47 is fixed to a lens window opening 8 of a rectangular
shape formed through the upper portion of a front wall 3a of
the main body housing 3. An objective lens 7 of the TY
camera section 5 faces to the outside through the window
frame 47 attached to the lens window opening 8. A dust-
proof cover 9 is attached to the rear side of the front wall
3a through appropriate attaching means so as to be slidable
in the vertical direction between the front wall 3a and this
window frame 47. The upper end edge of this dust-proof
cover g protrudes slightly beyond the window opening 8 of
the ront wall 3a and thereby forms a knob 10 of the dust-
proof cover 9. The cover 9 can be maintained in a ratchet
detent fashion so that it will be held in an open state as
shown in FIG. 1 or in the closed state as shown in FIG. 2.
A lid 11 having the same configuration and sha~e
as a part of the main body housing 3 is attached to the main
body housing 3 from its upper wall 3c to its left side wall
3e. The lid 11 is made freely rotatable relative to the
main body housing 3 with its lower edge as a hinge~ When
the lid 11 is set in the opened state, a video tape cassette
.,
~3~
(not shown) is detachably loaded on a cassette compartment
portion (not shown) of the VTR section 6.
In the hand grip section ~, an optical type view
finder 12 is incorporated in the upper portion of the hand
grip housing 4. An objective lens 13 of the optical view
finder 12 faces forwardly through a window opening 14 that
is formed through the upper portion of the front wall 4a.
To the upper end of a rear wall 4b of the hand grip housing
4, there is attached a so-called eye cup 15 made of
resilien' material. In this case, this optical type view
finder 12 is completely independent of the optical system of
the objective lens 7 of the television camera section 5.
A rechargeable battery 16 is incorporated within
the hand grip housing 4 so as to be freely replaceable. An
opening 17 is formed through the front wall 4a of the hand
grip housing 4 to permit replacement of rechargeable battery
16. When the rechargeable battery is taken out through the
opening 17, the opening 17 may be closed by a lid 18 (see
FIG. 2). When the rechargeable battery 16 is inserted into
the hand grip housing 4 through the opening 17, the lid 18
is opened with the tip end of the rechargeable battery 16
and pushed back inside. When the rechargeable battery 16 is
taken out of the hand grip housing 4, the lid 18
automatically closes the opening 17. FIG~ 2 illustrates the
~8-
: ", ~
lid 18 in the midst of its rising and falling movement.
Further, a strap 19 is attached to the hand grip housing 4
in opposing relation to the right side wall 4f. The user
can hold the hand grip housing 4 with his right hand, which
in turn is held between the strap 19 and the hand grip
housing 4.
The right side wall 3f of the main body housing 3
and the left side wall 4e of the hand grip housing 4 are
formed as coupled side walls which are secured to each
other. On these walls 3f and 4e there are provided coupling
means, respectively. This will be described with reference
to FIGS. 4 and 5.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, hooks 20 each being
of an ~-shape are provided on the right side wall 3f of the
main body housing 3 at a plurality of places (four places in
the illustrated example), each of the hooks 20 facing, or
opening the front side of the main body housing 30. On the
other ha~d, through the left side wall 4e of of hand grip
housing 4, there are formed four recess portions 21 in
opposing relation to the above-mentioned four hooks 20.
Further, in association with these recess portions 21, there
are respectively formed engaging recesses 22 which are
extended to the front side of the hand grip housing 4 within
the same.
_g_
~ 3 ~
When the respective hooks 20 of the main body
housing 3 are engaged with the respective concave portions
21 of the hand grip housing 4, the right side wall 3f of the
main body housing 3 and the left side wall 4e of the hand
grip housing 4 are closely contacted with each other. Under
this state, if the main body housing 3 is slid forward
relative to the hand grip housing 4, the tip ends of the
respective hooks 20 are inserted into the engaging recesses
22 formed within the respective portions 21 and the main
body housing 3 and the hand grip housing 4 are coupled to
each other, namely, the main body 1 and the hand grip 2 are
coupled with each other.
In order to lock the main body 1 and the hand grip
2 in the coupled state locking means are provided. As shown
in FIGS. 3 and 6, a lever 23 which is slidable in the right
and left airection is attached to the rear wall 4b of the
hand grip housing 4. As shown in FIG. 6, this lever 23 is
slidably biased to the side of the main body housing 3 by a
spring 24 and the tip end of an engaging piece member 25
connected to the lever 23 projects into the concave portion
21 to prevent removal of the hook.
During the collpling of the main body housing 3
with the hand grip housing 4, when the hooks 20 are entered
into the recess portions 21, the engaging piece member 25 is
--10--
moved backward against the biasing force of the spring 24.
When, as shown in FIG. 6, the hooks 20 are once entered into
the engaging recess portions 22, the engaging piece member
25 is positioned in the recess portion 21 and thereby its
associated hook 20 is locked. It is sufficient that such
locking means 26 is provided within at least one recess
portion 21.
In the condition shown in FIS. 6, when the lever
23 is slid in the opposite direction to the main body
housing 3 against the biasing force of the spring 24, the
main body housing 3 can be moved ~ackward relative to the
hand grip housing 4, and the main body housing 3 and the
hand grip housing 4 can be separated from each other.
On the connection side wall, that is, right side
wall 3f of the main body housing 3, there are formed a
plurality of electrical contacts 27 made of a metal plate
(see FIG. 4), while on the left side wall 4e of the hand
grip housing 4, there are ~ormed a plurality of electrical
contacts 28 made of conductive pins in opposing relation to
the respective contacts 27 (see FI&. 5). Accordingly, when
the main body housin~ 3 and the hand grip housing 4 are
connected with each oth~r as set forth above, the respective
contacts 27 and 28 are contacted electrically so that from
the rechargeable battery 16 located within the hand grip
3 ~ D
housing 4, a power current may flow to the television camera
section 5 and the VTR section 6 in the main body housing
3. Further, a push switch or push button 30 for a trigger
type switch is mounted on the rear wall 4b of the hand grip
housing 4. The signal generated by operating this push
button 30 is supplied through one of the above-mentioned
contacts 27 and 28 to the main body 1. In practice, when
.his push button 30 is pushed initally, the video tape
recorder and so on are placed in the standby mode, while
when it is pushed a second time, the magnetic tape is
transpor~ed and the recording is carried out.
As shown in an operational status indicating
section 31 formed of a plurality of (e.g., four, the
illustrated example) light emission elements are mounted on
the right side wall 3f of the main body housing 3 for
cooperation with a light guide 34 formed on the member 4 at
the position facing the indicating section 31, upon
assembly.
Specificallyr in opposing relation to the
respective light emission elements of the operational status
indicating section 31, there are formed a plurality of (e.g.
four in the illustrated example) window openings 32 and
further a rectangular mask 33 is disposed at the focusing
position within the optical system of the optical type view
finder 12 (see (FIG. 3). Then, light guide tubes 35 , each
made of plastic materials or glass fibers are located
between the four corners of the mask 33 and the a~ove-
mentioned window openings 32. In other words, one end of
each of the light guide tubes 33 is engaged into the window
openings 32 and hence the end faces thereof are directly
opposed to the operational status indicating section 31 of
the main body housing 3, while the other end of each of the
light guide tubes 3~ is engaged into the window openings
which are formed through the four corners oE the mask 33.
FIG. 7 shows an example of a picture that is
viewed by the user through the optical type vièw finder
12. Referring to FIG. 7, the end faces of the respective
light guide t~bes 3~ are placed outside a frame ~6 of a
visual field. Accordingly, when the light emission elements
such as LEDs and the like constituting the optical type
operational status indication section 31 are lit in response
to the respective operational status of the TV camera
section 5 and the VTR section 6 within the main body 1, such
signal is indicated within the optical type view finder 12.
An example o~ the operational status indication
will be described with reference to FIG. 7, in which
respective operational status are designated particularly by
reference numerals a to d.
-13-
The end face a of the light guide tube is lit when
the color temperature is low such as when a picture is taken
in the room and so on. In this case, it is sufficient that
a color filter within ~he optical system of the TV camera
section 5 in the main body 1 is changed to proper filter. A
switching lever 37 shown in FIG. 2 is provided for such
switching and this switching lever 37 is slidably moved up
and down.
When the end face b is lit, this indicates that
the video tape recorder and 50 on are in standby mode. That
is, this end face b is lit by pushing the above-mentioned
push button 30 once. When this push button 30 is pushed
once more, the end face b becomes unlighted and the end face
c is lit to indicate that the video tape recorder and so on
are set in the operation mode (in the recording mode). The
end face d indicates a status in which the amount of light
is insufficient. In this case, the lack of light amount can
be made up for by the use of lighting equipment. Since
means for making the respective light emission elements of
the operational status indicating section 31 become
lighted, to thereby indicate the above-mentioned operational
status o~ the TV camera section 5 and the VTR section 6
within the main body 1, is well known in the prior art, the
detailed explanation therefor will not be made.
-14-
~ :3 ~
Alternatively, it is, of course, possible to employ light
emission elements of different colors.
The TV camera section 5 in tile main body 1 may
switchably take three posi'ions, namely: wide angle lens
mode, standard lens mode, and telepho*o lens mode, by movin~
the objective lens back and forth. As shown in FIG. 8,
into a helical groove 39 formed on the outer peripheral
surface of a cylinder 38 of the objective lens 7, there is
engaged a protrusion (not shown) that extends from the inner
surface of a fixed cylinder (not shown) which surrounds the
cylinder 38 and which guides the same bac~ and forth
therealong. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a focus
switching lever 40, which is slidable in the up and down
direction, is located at the front portion of the left side
wall 3e of the main body housing 3. Further, as shown in
FIG. 8, a part of a connection plate 41 is attached to the
rear wall of this switching lever 40 and is elongated to the
front of ~he cylinder 38 to form an elongated portion 42 and
a protrusion 44 extending from the front surface of the
cylinder 38 is engaged with a cut-away or recess 43 formed
through this elongated portion 42, whereby when the
switching lever 40 lS switchably slid to the upper, neutral
or lower positions, the cylinder 38 is moved back and foxth
and thereby the optical system of the TV camera section 5 is
-15-
placed in the so-called telephoto lens mode, the standard
lens mode and the wide angle lens mode, sequentially.
Further, as FIG. 8 shows, a link 45 is located
under the cylinder 38 and this link 45 is pivoted through a
shaft 46 to the rear wall of the window frame 47 shown in
FIG. 1) that is engaged with t'ne rear portion of the window
opening 8 in the main body housing 3 so as to be moved in a
seesaw-like fashion. One end of this link 45 is bent to
form a bent portion 45c and this bent portion 45c is loosely
engaged into a through-hole 42a that is formed through the
elongated portion 42 of the connection plate 41. When the
switching lever 40 is placed in the neutral (standard)
position, the link 45 is placed substantially in the
horizontal state as shown by the solid line in FIG. 8.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the dust-
proof cover 9 is provided at its left and right portions of
the lower end with abutting portions 48a and 48b. When the
dust-proof cover 9 is slid upward to shield the front
portion of the objective lens 7 as shown in FIG. 2, both of
these abutting portions 48a and 48b are respectively
contacted with left and right lower ends 45a and 45b of the
link 4~ or opposed thereto with a small clearance.
Accordingly, when the switching lever 40 is slid
upward from the normal (neutral) position, the objec~ive
-16
,
~ . .
,
- ,;
~ 3 ~
lens 7 is placed in the wide angle lens mode and the link 45
is inclined as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8.
Under this state, if the dust-proof cover 9 is closed, the
abutting portion 48a is abutted against the lower end 45a of
the link 45 to thereby rotate the link 45 substantially to
t~e horizontal position as shown by the solid line in FIG.
8. Thus, connection plate 41, or the switching lever 40 is
returned to the neutral position, and hence the objective
lens 7 is returned to the normal position.
Further, when the dust-proof cover 9 is opened, if
the switching lever 40 is slid downward, the link 45 is
inclined in the direction opposite to ~he above mentioned
direction and the objective lens 7 is placed in the
telephoto lens mode. If under this state the dust-proof
cover 9 is closed, the abutting portion 48b is abutted
against the lower end 45b of the link 45 and thereby this
link 45 is returned substantially to the horizontal state.
In other words, the switching lever 40 is returned to the
neutral position. In this case, it may be possible that the
lower end edge of the elongated portion 42 of the connection
plate 41 is pushed upward by the abutting portion 48b.
As descr ibed above, when in the non-use mode the
dust-proof cover 9 is closed, the optical system of the TV
camera section S is placed in the standard lens mode so that
-17-
1 3 ~
in a following shooting mode, the picture will be taken in
the normal mode so long as the switching lever 40 is not
operated.
~ ithin the main body housing 3, a cover opening
state detection switch 50 is provided under the dust-proof
cover 3. When the dust-proof cover 9 is opened, this switch
50 is switched on, by way of example.
This switch 50 is connected in series to other
switches 51a, 51b, 51c, ... 51n, as shown in FIG. 9. These
switches 51a, 51b, ... are for e~ample, a tape mis-erase
prevention detecting switch, a switch operable by the push
button 30 mentioned before, and other switches. A DC power
source terminal 52 is grounded through a series circuit of a
resistor 53 and the above mentioned respective switches 50,
51a, 51b ... 51n, and a junction 54 between the series
circuit of the respective switches and the resistor 53 is
connected to a control terminal 56 of a micro-computer 55.
This micro-computer 55 is used to control various
operational statuses of the TV camera section 5 and the VTR
section 6 and is not operable during a period in which the
DC potential (voltage) is applied to its control terminal
56.
Accordingly, if all the switches are turned on, or
all the recording conditions are satisfied, the control
-18-
',;~ .
. :
~ 3 ~
terminal 56 of the computer 55 is made as a ground potential
so that the micro-computer 55 is placed in the operable
state.
According to the present invention as described
above, since in the video tape recorder having a built-in
camera the main body l and the hand grip portion 2, which is
generally located at the side wall of this main body l, are
formed to be detachable relative to each other, under this
detachable state, the overall thickness of the units becomes
about one~half that of the coupled state. Accordingly, if
the main body l and the hand grip portion 2 are placed
edge-to-edge on the same plane, they can be kept in a case
such as the attache' case that is relatively thin. Hence,
the video tape recorder having a built-in camera of the
invention has an advantage that during non-use, it can be
carried by the user very conveniently as a portable type.
of course, upon use, if the main body l and the
hand grip portion 2 are connected with each other at their
connection surfaces, they can be coupled with each other
mechanically. Then, when the current is supplied from the
rechargeable battery 16 to the main body l, the shooting, or
the recording can be carried on.
-19-
.
The above description is given on a single
preferred embodiment of the invention but it will be
apparent that many modifications and variations could be
effected by one skilled in the art without departing from
the spirit or scope of the novel concepts of the invention
so that the scope of the invention should be determined by
that of the appended claims only.
-20-
''' ' ' ~
