Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
PATENT
39-0100.2244
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a unified video
camera and video cassette recording and/or reproducing apparatus
(VCR), and more particularly is directed to the provision of such
unified video camera and VCR which is compact and light in weight
so as to be conveniently portable.
Description of the Prior Art
In a typical unified video camera and VCR, a video
camera unit and a VCR unit are contained in a common housing or
hollow body. It will be appreciated that, for controlling the
operations of the video camera and the VCR, it is usual to
provide numerous control switches or buttons which are positioned
at the surface of the body for easy access thereto. For example,
for controlling the operations of the video camera, it is usual
to provide a focus control button, power zoom control buttons, a
shutter speed select button, a white balance control button, a
fader button and a back-light button. For controlling the
operations of the VCR, it is usual to provide a recording button,
a playback button, a pause button, a fast-forward button and a
rewinding button. For ease in selectively actuating the various
switches or buttons provided for controlling operations of the
video camera and VCR, it is desirable that the buttons or other
switch actuating members to be engaged by the operator's fingers
have sufficient surface areas and be sufficiently spaced apart on
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PATENT
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the exterior of the hollow body or housing. Accordingly, in
providing a compact unified video camera and VCR, for example, of
a size equivalent to that of a passport so that it can be readily
cradled in the operator's hand, difficulty is encountered in
arranging the various operation controlling switches or buttons
on the available surface area of the small housing or body. The
foregoing difficulty is increased by the presence of substantial
dead space of unusable surface area on the housing or hollow
body. For example, the VCR typically includes a cassette holder
which is mounted for movement between a loading position and an
eject position projecting beyond the normal external contours of
.the housing or body. By reason of such movement, the surface
area corresponding to the extent of the cassette holder is
usually considered dead or unusable space for the location of the
controlling switches or buttons. Furthermore, in the case of a
unified video camera and VCR of the type intended to be held or
cradled in the palm of the operator's hand, a strap is usually
provided along, and is spaced from a side surface of the body so
that the operator's hand can be extended between the strap and
the underlying surface of the housing or body. Since the surface
of the body underlying the strap has force applied thereto when
the unified camera and VCR is handled or cradled in the
operator's hand, such area of the housing is also considered dead
space, that is, unsuitable for the placement of control switches
or buttons thereat. Thus, a substantial proportion of the
AS10:2244.APP 4
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surface area of the housing or body of the known unified video
camera and VCR is dead space, so that reduction of the overall
size of the housing is limited by the need to ensure that the
remaining surface area of the housing will be sufficient for the
convenient location of the various required control switches and
buttons thereon.
It is further known to provide a unified video camera
and VCR with a viewfinder through which the image being recorded
can be readily monitored. Typically, a cathode-ray tube (CRT) is
used in an electronic viewfinder for displaying the image being
received by an image pick-up device in the video camera. An
.electronic viewfinder of the type using a CRT screen usually
requires a relatively large space therefor, with the result that
the viewfinder tends to project beyond the housing or body of the
unified video camera and VCR and thereby further resists
reduction of the overall size of the device.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to
provide a unified video camera and VCR which avoids the above
mentioned problems associated with the prior art.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to
provide a unified video camera and VCR of minimum size and
weight, and which has an optimal layout or arrangement of the
control switches and buttons required for operation of the video
camera and VCR.
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Another object of this invention is to provide a
unified video camera and VCR, as aforesaid, with a viewfinder
which further permits reduction of the overall size of the
device.
A further object of this invention is to provide a
unified video camera and VCR, as aforesaid, in which the
proportion of the surface of the housing or body constituting
dead space is minimized by arranging a strap for use in gripping
or holding the body at the same side of the latter as a cassette
holder so that the opposite side of the body is available for
positioning of the various switches and buttons by which
.operations of the video camera and the VCR are controlled.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a
unified compact video camera and video cassette recording and/or
reproducing apparatus (VCR) comprises a hollow body defining an
interior space having a longitudinally extending median plane and
an opening at the top and a side of the body to one side of such
plane, a video camera unit including a camera lens assembly
disposed in the interior space and being offset toward the other
side of the median plane, a video cassette recording and/or
reproducing (VCR) unit disposed in the interior space and being
offset toward the same side of the median plane as the opening,
such VCR unit being in longitudinally overlapping relation to the
video camera unit and including a cassette holder compartment
movable between a loading position wholly within the body and an
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eject position in which a video cassette in the holder
compartment projects out of the opening, and a grip strap
extending along the exterior of the body at the same side as the
cassette holder compartment and being attached, at its ends, to a
lower portion of the body so that an operator's hand can extend
upwardly between the strap and the adjacent side of the body for
cradling such body in the palm of the hand.
Preferably, in a unified compact video camera and VCR,
as aforesaid, a lid is pivotally mounted on the body for movement
between a closed position for closing the opening at the top of
the body when the cassette holder compartment is in its loading
position and an opened position leaving the opening of the body
unobstructed for movement of the cassette holder compartment to
its eject position. In such case, an eject control button
actuable for causing movement of the cassette holder compartment
to its eject position is desirably disposed at the top of the
body in a location covered by the lid in the closed position of
the latter so that access to the eject control button for
actuating the latter may be had only when the lid is in its
opened position. Further, when the camera lens assembly has a
power zocm mechanism, a zoom control switch for the power zoom
mechanism is desirably mounted on the lid so that, in the closed
position of the lid, the zoom control switch is actuable by
fingers of the operator's hand cradling the body.
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PATENT
39-0100.2244
It is another feature of this invention to provide a
unified video camera and VCR, as aforesaid, with first and second
arrays of switches for controlling operations of the video camera
unit and of the VCR unit, respectively, and which are arranged at
the outside of the body away from the side containing the
cassette holder compartment and across which the grip strap
extends.
In accordance with still another feature of this
invention, a unified video camera and VCR, as aforesaid, has a
record start and stop switch disposed at the outside of the rear
portion of its body at the same side as the grip strap so as to
be actuable by a thumb of the operator's hand cradling the body.
Furthermore, a lock is associated with such record start and stop
switch and is movable between a locking position for locking the
start and stop switch in a stop condition and a stand-by position
in which said start and stop switch is actuable to a record start
condition. Such lock may be in the form of a rotary member
movable between a first angular position corresponding to the
locking position and a second angular position corresponding to
the stand-by position, and in which a radial extension of the
rotary member is oriented to provide a rest for the operator's
thumb.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this
invention, a unified video camera and VCR comprises a hollow body
defining an interior space having a longitudinally extending
AS10:2244.APF 8
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39-0100.2244
median plane and an opening along the top and a side of the body
to one side of such plane, a video camera unit including a camera
lens assembly disposed in the interior space and being offset
toward the other side of the median plane, a video cassette
recording and/or reproducing (VCR) unit disposed in the interior
space and being offset toward said one side of the median plane
in longitudinally overlapping relation to the video camera unit,
such VCR unit including a cassette holder compartment movable
between a loading position wholly within the body and an eject
position in which a video cassette in the holder compartment
projects out of the opening, and a viewfinder disposed at the
same side of the median plane as the video camera, but above the
latter, and being variable in axial length in a telescopic manner
between a retracted condition when not in use and an expanded
operative condition in which the viewfinder is substantially
longer than the body.
In a desirable embodiment of the invention, a unified
video camera and VCR, as aforesaid, has a recess extending along
an upper portion of the body at the same side of the median plane
as the viewfinder, and the viewfinder is pivotally mounted on the
body for pivoting between a first angular position or orientation
in which the viewfinder is substantially nested in the recess and
a second angular position in which the viewfinder extends
obliquely out of the recess.
AS10 : 2.244 . APP 9
PATENT
39-0100.2244
The above, and other objects, features and advantages
of the present invention, will be apparent in the following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention
when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a
part hereof, and wherein corresponding parts are identified by
the same reference numerals in the several views of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a compact and light
weight unified video camera and VCR according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 1,
but showing the unified video camera and VCR as viewed from the
opposite side thereof;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view,
partly cut away and in section, of the unified video camera and
VCR of Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the unified video camera
and VCR shown on Figs. 1-3;
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the unified video
camera and VCR of Figs. 1-4 as viewed from the side thereof where
a cassette holder compartment is situated;
Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the unified video
camera and VCR, as viewed from the side thereof opposite to that
shown on Fig. 5;
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Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the unified video
camera and VCR of Figs. 1-6;
Fig. 8 is a rear end elevational view of the unified
video camera and VCR of Figs. 1-7;
Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the unified video
camera and VCR of Figs. 1-8;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a lid and an adjacent
portion of the top of a hollow body included in the unified video
camera and VCR of Figs. 1-9;
Fig. 11 is a detail side elevational view, partly
broken away and in section, of the lid shown on Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a front end elevational view of the pivoted
lid of Figs. 10 and 11;
Fig. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view
taken along the line XIII-XIII on Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of a
start/stop button assembly included in the illustrated embodiment
of the invention;
Fig. 15 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of a
viewfinder included in the illustrated embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 16 is an enlarged side elevational view, partially
in section, of an eye piece included in the telescopic viewfinder.
of Fig. 15;
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39-0100.2244
Fig. 17 is a side elevational view of a portion of the
body included in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, and
which particularly shows the structures on such portion of the
body for mounting a grip strap and a lens cap;
Figs. 18A-18D are perspective views illustrating
successive steps in the removal and insertion of a tape cassette
in the cassette holder compartment of the illustrated embodiment
of the invention, and to which reference will be made in
explaining such operations;
Fig. 19 is an enlarged, detail elevational view of a
mounting structure for the cassette holder compartment included
in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, and which is
shown .for disposing the cassette holder compartment in its
loading position;
Figs. 20A and 20B are views similar to that of Fig. 19,
but showing the mounting structure disposed for positioning the
cassette holder compartment in an intermediate position and in an
eject position, respectively; and
Figs. 21A and 21B are perspective views illustrating
use of the viewfinder in different respective positions relative
to the body of the unified video camera and VCR.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to
Figs. 1-3 thereof, it will be seen that a unified compact video
camera and VCR 1 according to an embodiment of the present
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PATENT
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invention generally comprises a hollow body or housing 2 which is
generally of rectangular box-shaped configuration and has a
longitudinally extending median plane, for example, as indicated
by the dot-dash line 2a on Fig. 4, a video camera unit 4 offset
to one side of the median plane 2a within the housing 2, and a
video cassette recording and/or reproducing (VCR) unit generally
indicated at 3 and which is disposed in the hollow body 2 toward
the other side of the median plane 2a in longitudinally
overlapping relation to the video camera unit 4.
As shown particularly on Figs. 1 and 6, the side of the
body 2 which accommodates the video camera unit 4 is formed with
.a bulbous protrusion 4a extending along the lower portion of the
body 2 and forming a receptacle for a camera lens assembly 6
which has a power zooming capability and is a component of the
video camera unit 4. The camera lens assembly 6 has a lens
cylinder 8 extending from the forward end or mouth of the
receptacle 4a and carrying an objective lens 7 (Figs. 3 and 7).
Continuing with the general description of the unified
video camera and VCR 1, it will be seen that the VCR unit 3
includes a cassette compartment holder assembly 5 which, in its
loading position and as shown on Fig. 2, defines an upper side
wall portion 5a of the body 2 at the side of the latter remote
from the bulbous protrusion 4a. As hereinafter described in
detail, the cassette compartment holder assembly 5 is adapted to
receive a video cassette C (Figs. 7, 18D and 18E), for example,
AS10:2244.APP 13
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39-0100.2244
an 8-mm video tape cassette, and to eject the same through an
opening 11 (Figs. 5 and 18B) extending along the top and a side
of the body 2 at the same side of the longitudinal median plane
as the VCR unit 3. A lid 12 is pivoted on the top of the body 2
for closing the top portion of opening 11 and thereby covering
and protecting the cassette C in the cassette compartment holder
assembly 5 when the latter is disposed in a loading position, as
hereinafter described in detail.
A viewfinder assembly 9 is mounted on the body 2 at the
same side as the video camera unit 4 but is disposed above the
camera lens assembly 6 in the protrusion 4a.
A grip strap assembly 13 extends along the lower
portion of the body 2 at the side of the latter having the upper
side wall portion 5a and is attached, at its ends, to the body 2
so that an operator's hand can extend upwardly between the strap
assembly 13 and the adjacent side of the body 2, as indicated at
H, for cradling the body 2 in the palm of the hand when operating
the unified video camera and VCR 1.
A switch array 73 for controlling operation of the VCR
unit 3 is provided along the top of the body 2 adjacent the inner
longitudinal edge of the opening 11 (Fig. 4), that is, adjacent
the longitudinal edge of the lid 12 which is pivotally connected
with the body 2, as hereinafter described. The switches included
in the array 73 for controlling the operation of the VCR unit 3
include a power switch 73a, a series of tape transport control
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PATENT
39-0100.2244
buttons including a normal playback button 73b, a fast-forward
button 73c, a rewind button 73d, a stop button 73e and a pause
button 73f, and a recording switch 73g. Also provided on the top
of the body 2 adjacent the switch array 73 are a display 73h
which may include a counter indicator, a zero memory indicator, a
clock indicator and the like, a counter reset button 73i, a zero
memory button 73j and an edit search button 73k (Fig. 4).
As shown on Figs. 1, 3 and 6, a switch array 74 for
controlling the operations of the video camera unit 4 is provided
on the bulbous protrusion 4a of the body 2 and includes a manual
focus switch 74a, a white balance switch 74b, a shutter speed
adjusting switch 74c, a fader switch 74d, a back light switch 74e
and an auto lock switch 74f which is normally set to the left or
green auto lock position. Also provided on the protrusion 4a are
a superimpose button 74g and date and time buttons 74j which may
be actuated to display the date and time, respectively. Beneath
the protrusion 4a there are provided an earphone jack 74h and a
remote jack 74i at which reproduced audio sound is output. A
battery eject knob or button 75 is provided near the back-end of
the body 2 above the protrusion 4a and is actuable for releasing
a battery package 76 (Fig. 6) from the back-end of the body 2. A
receptacle 77 (Fig. 9) is provided at the bottom of the body 2
for attachment of the latter to a suitable tripod.
A built-in microphone assembly 70 is provided at the
front end of the body 2 for picking up audio information. In the
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39-0100.2244
illustrated embodiment, particularly as shown on Fig. 3, the
microphone assembly 70 includes a pair of omni-directional
microphones 70a and 70b which are arranged in opposition to each
other in the horizontal direction. Such arrangement of the
microphone assembly 70 ensures that the desired audio sounds will
be picked up while avoiding the recording of screams or other
background noise. Further, sounds reflected by the body 2, such
as, for example, motor noises, are not picked up by the
microphones 70a and 70b so that such motor noises are excluded
from the recorded sound. As shown particularly on Fig. 5, a
video signal input/output terminal 71 and an audio signal
.input/output terminal 72 are provided in the front end portion of
the body 2 at the side thereof which accommodates the VCR unit 3.
The various components of the unified compact video
camera and VCR 1 according to an embodiment of this invention
will now be described in further detail. As shown on Fig. 10,
the lid 12 is mounted on the body 2 for pivotal movement about an
axis defined by aligned pins 12' which are disposed adjacent the
top of the body 2 having the switch array 73 thereon so as to be
near the median plane 2a (Fig. 4). A slotted link 14 depends
from the lid 12 (Figs. 11 and 12) and is engageable with a pin
(not shown) within the body 2 for limiting the pivoting movements
of the lid 12 between a closed position shown in full lines on
Fig. 7 and an open position which is approximately at right
angles to the closed position and is shown in dot-dash lines on
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PATENT
39-0100.2244
Fig. 7. In such opened position, the lid 12 leaves the opening
11 substantially unobstructed for easy access to the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5 so that a video tape cassette 10
can be easily manually inserted, or removed from such assembly 5.
The lid 12 is shown to have a downwardly angled edge portion 12a
extending along the margin of the lid remote from the pivot pins
12' (Fig. 12). A locking mechanism 15 is provided for holding
the lid 15 in its closed position and is shown to include a
locking slide 16 disposed against the inner surface of the angled
edge portion 12a of the lid and having an outwardly projecting
button 16a slidable along an elongated slot 12d formed in the
edge portion 12a of the lid adjacent the forward end thereof
(Figs. 5 and 11). A pair of spaced apart guide eyes 17a and 17b
are formed on the inner surface of the lid 12 and slidably
receive an elongated pin 16c extending in one direction from the
slide 16 and the shank of a locking claw 16b extending in the
opposite direction from the slide 16. A coil spring 18 is
provided on the extension 16c between the eye 17a and the
adjacent end portion of the slide 16 for urging the latter toward
the right, as viewed on Fig. 13, and thereby causing the locking
claw 16b to engage in a recess or keeper 2b formed in a surface
of the body 2 constituting the adjacent end of the opening 11.
When it is desired to release the locking mechanism 15, the
button 16a thereof is manually displaced in the direction of the
arrow 15a on Fig. 13 against the force of the spring 18 so as to
AS10:2244.APP 17
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PATENT
39-0100.2244
withdraw the locking claw 16b from the keeper 2b, and thereby to
permit the lid 12 to be angularly displaced or raised to its
opened position.
The locking claw 16b is preferably formed with a
tapered surface, so that, when a pressure is applied downwardly
to the upper surface 12c of the lid 12 situated in its opened
position for swinging the lid toward its closed position, the
tapered surface of the locking claw 16b rides against an edge of
the body 2 at the forward end of the opening 11 so as to shift
the slide 16 in the direction of the arrow 15b on Fig. 13 until
the lid 12 attains its closed position at which the locking claw
16b is free to again engage in the keeper 2b under the influence
of the spring 18. Thus, the locking mechanism 15 is returned to
its engaged or locking condition.
As generally shown on Fig. 3, the camera lens assembly
6 includes a zoom mechanism 100 for achieving its power zooming
capability, and such zoom mechanism 100 is controllable in
response to manual actuation of a zoom control switch assembly 20
which, in accordance with the present invention, is mounted on
the lid 12. More specifically, and as shown in detail on Figs.
10 and 11, the zoom control switch assembly 20 includes a "zoom-
in" button portion 20a and a "zoom-out" button portion 20b formed
integrally at an obtuse angle relative to each other and being
rockable about a central pivot axis in a recess 19 formed in the
upper surface 12c of the lid 12 adjacent the back end portion of
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the latter. The axis of pivoting of the buttons 20a and 20b may
be defined by a pivot pin 22 supported on bases 21 within the
recess 19 (Fig. 11). The buttons 20a and 20b have depending
projections 20c and 20d which, in response to depressing of the
button 20a or the button 20b, are operative to actuate "zoom-in"
and "zoom-out" switches 23 and 24, respectively. Such actuation
of the switch 23 causes the zoom mechanism 100 to shift the lens
cylinder 8 carrying the objective lens 7 in the forward direction
for achieving "zooming-in". On the other hand, actuation of the
switch 24 in response to depressing of the button 20b, causes
operation of the zoom mechanism 100 in the direction to shift the
lens cylinder 8 in the backward direction for achieving "zooming-
out".
The VCR unit 3 is shown on Figs. 3 and 5 to have a
mechanical chassis 30 substantially coinciding with the median
plane 2a within the hollow body 2, and on which there are mounted
a rotary head drum assembly 33, a vertically movable compartment
10 of the cassette compartment holder assembly 5 which carriers a
pair of rotary tape reel bases 31 and a cassette loading
mechanism (not shown). As earlier noted, the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5 has an outer wall portion 5a which,
in the loading position of the cassette compartment holder
assembly 5 (Fi.gs. 5 and 18A), forms the upper portion of the side
wall of the body 2 adjacent the grip strap assembly 13. The wall
5a is provided with a transparent window 35 (Fig. 5) through
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which one of the tape reel bases 31 can be observed for
determining whether or not a cassette C is installed in the VCR
unit 3.
An eject button 36 is mounted at the top of the body 2
near the back end of the latter (Fig. 4) so as to be covered by
the lid 12 when the latter is in its closed position. Thus, the
eject button 36 is accessible for manual actuation only after the
lid 12 has been raised to its opened position, whereupon
actuation of the eject button 36 can be effective to vertically
upward displace the compartment 10 of the cassette compartment
holder assembly 5 from its loading position (Fig. 19) to a raised
position 10' corresponding to an intermediate position of the
cassette compartment holder assembly indicated in dot-dash lines
at 5' on Fig. 7, and in which a cassette holder 32 of the
assembly 5' projects upwardly out of the body 2. After the
compartment 10 has been shifted vertically upward to its raised
position indicated at 10' on Fig. 7 and also shown on Fig. 18C,
and 20A, the cassette holder 32 and the tape cassette C therein
are accessible and the holder 32 with a cassette therein can be
2.0 manually pulled outwardly to the position indicated at 32 " on
Figs. 7, 18D and 20B and which corresponds to the eject position
5 " of the cassette compartment holder assembly. In such eject
position 5 ", the tape cassette C can be readily removed from or
inserted into the holder 32 " . For returning the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5 to its loading position either with
AS10:2244.APP 20
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PATENT
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or without a tape cassette C in the holder 32, the wall portion
5a is simply pushed laterally inward, as on Fig. 18E, for
returning the assembly to its intermediate position indicated at
5' on Figs. 18C and 20A, whereupon the compartment 10 of the
cassette compartment holder assembly 5 is automatically returned
downwardly to its loading position by means of the cassette
loading mechanism as hereinafter described in detail with
reference to Figs. 19, 20A and 20B.
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the
cassette holder 32 is maintained approximately parallel with the
chassis 30 and with the base lOb of compartment 10 while being
.moved between the fully open or eject position 32 " on Fig. 20B
and the fully closed or loading position 32 on Fig. 19 through
the intermediate position 32' on Fig. 20A. For the purpose of
achieving such movement, each of the front and back ends of the
cassette holder 32 is mounted on the compartment 10 by means of a
respective link assembly 104. Each of the link assemblies 104
includes an elongated actuating lever 106 pivotally connected at
its upper end to a pivot pin 105 carried by a vertical flange l0a
directed outwardly from the base lOb of the compartment 10 near
the adjacent forward or back end of the cassette holder 32. As
particularly shown on Fig. 20B, each pivot pin 105 is positioned
near the outer edge of the respective flange l0a adjacent an
upper flange lOc of the compartment 10. Each link assembly 104
further includes a connecting lever 108 which is pivotally
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PATENT
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connected, intermediate its ends, to a pivot pin 107 carried by a
mid portion of the respective actuating lever 106.
The upper and lower end portions of each connecting
lever 108 are formed with respective elongated slots 109 and 110
extending therealong. Each slot 109 slidably receives a
connecting pin 111 which extends from an upper portion of the
adjacent end of the holder 32, while each slot 110 slidably
receives a pivot pin 112 which is carried by the lower portion of
the adjacent flange l0a of the compartment 10 near to the base
10b thereof. The lower end of the actuating lever 106 of each
link assembly 104 is pivotally connected, as by a pivot 113, to a
.lower portion of the cassette holder 32 at the adjacent side of
the latter. A torsion spring 114 is arranged around the pivot
107 connecting the levers 106 and 108 and acts, at its opposite
ends, against the levers 106 and 108 in the directions for urging
the lever 108 to turn in the counter-clockwise direction, as
viewed on Figs. 19, 20A and 20B, relative to the respective lever
106. Thus, the levers 106 and 108 of each link assembly 104 are
urged relative to each other by the respective torsion spring 114
to the angularly displaced positions shown on Fig. 20B. In order
to synchronize the movements of the link assemblies 104 at the
front and back ends of the compartment 10, each lever 106 has a
gear segment 115 turnable therewith about the respective pivot
113 relative to the lower portion of the cassette holder 32 and
meshing with a pinon 116 which is secured on an adjacent end
AS10:2244.APP 22
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portion of a shaft 117 suitably rotatably mounted in respect to
the holder 32. Further, the angular movements of the levers 106
of the link assemblies 104 relative to the holder 32 are equally
limited by a slot 118 formed in the lower end portion of each
lever 106 and receiving a pin 119 which projects fixedly from the
adjacent end of the holder 32. As shown on Figs. 19 and 20B, the
angular positions of the cassette holder 32 relative to the
levers 106 of the link assemblies 104 are limited, in the loading
position (Fig. 19) and in the eject position (Fig. 20B) of the
cassette compartment holer assembly 5 by the engagement of each
pin 119 with the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the
respective slot 118.
As also shown on Figs. 19, 20A and 20B, the upper end
of each actuating lever 106 is formed with a fan-shaped portion
106a having an arcuate cam face 128 adapted to cooperate with a
detent assembly 130. The detent assembly 130 is shown to include
a housing 132 suitably fixed to the adjacent side flange l0a of
the compartment 10 and defining an axial bore 134 which opens, at
one end, toward the cam face 128. A compression spring 136 is
disposed within the bore 134 and resiliently urges a detent ball
138 to project from the open end of the bore 134 and into
resilient contact with the cam face 128. A radial projection 140
with slopping or tapered sides 142 and 144 extends from a mid-
portion of the cam face 128 so that engagement of the detent ball
138 against the slopping side 144 of the projection 140, as on
AS10:2244.APP 23
~t
PATENT
39-0100.2244
Fig. 20A, defines the angular position of the respective
actuating lever 106 for the intermediate position of the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5'. On the other hand, engagement of
the detent ball 138 with the other tapered side 142 of the
projection 140, as on Fig. 20B, serves to stabilize the cassette
compartment holder assembly in its eject position indicated at
5 " .
A locking lever 146 is mounted on one of the side
flanges l0a of the compartment 10 for pivoting about a pin 148.
A tension spring 152 is connected, at one end, to an end portion
150 of the locking lever, and the other end of the tension spring
152 is suitably anchored to the adjacent side flange l0a so that
the spring 152 urges the locking lever 146 to turn in the
counter-clockwise direction, as viewed on Figs. 19, 20A and 20B,
to its locked position shown on Figs. 20A and 20B. At the end of
the locking lever 146 remote from the end portion 150, there is
formed a locking hook 154 which is engageable, in the loading
position of the cassette compartment holder assembly 5 (Fig. 19)
with a locking roller 156 extending from an adjacent end of the
cassette holder 32. The locking hook 154 is formed with an
oblique edge 154a so that, as the cassette holder 32 is moved
laterally into the compartment 10 from the position shown on Fig.
20B through the position of Fig. 20A to the position of Fig. 19,
the locking roller 156 on the cassette holder 32 rides against
the oblique edge 154a of the locking hook arid thereby angularly
AS10:2244.APP 24
~a~~~~o
PATENT
39-0100.2244
displaces the locking lever 146 against the force of the spring
152, that is, in the clockwise direction as viewed on the
drawings. Of course, when the locking roller 156 attains the
position shown on Fig. 19, spring 152 can then return locking
lever 146 from its there-illustrated released position to the
locking position in which the hook 154 engages the locking roller
156 at the outer side of the latter, that is, at the side facing
away from the chassis 30.
The locking lever 146 is further shown to have a switch
actuating element 158 extending therefrom for operation of a
limit switch 160 mounted on the adjacent flange l0a of the
.compartment 10. The switch 160 is normally biased to its opened
condition and is changed-over to its closed condition in response
to actuation by the element 158 on the locking lever 146 when the
latter moves to its locking position for retaining the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5 at its loading position. Thus, the
limit switch 160 serves to detect the arrival of the cassette
holder 32 at its tape loading position shown on Fig. 19, and the
consequent closing of the switch 160 enables a tape loading
mechanism (not shown) to operate for withdrawing tape from a
cassette in the holder 32 and for wrapping the tape on the rotary
head drum 33,
In order to stabilize the position of the cassette
holder 32 when the cassette compartment holder assembly 5 is in
its loading position, a bearing arm 162 is mounted adjacent the
AS10:2244.APP 25
zom7oo
PATENT
39-0100.2244
locking lever 146 on a pivot pin 164 carried by the adjacent
flange l0a of the compartment 10. The arm 162 is angularly urged
about the pivot pin 164 in the counter-clockwise direction, as
viewed on Figs. 19 and 20A, by means of a torsion spring 168. A
flange 166 is provided at the free end of the arm 162 and is
engageable with an edge of the locking lever 146 so that the
position of the latter determines the limit of the angular
movement of the arm 162 by the torsion spring 168. Thus, when
the locking roller 156 rides over the oblique edge 154a of the
locking hook 154 during movement of the cassette holder 32 to its
loading position, the clockwise angular displacement of the
.locking lever 146 to the position shown on Fig. 19 is accompanied
by a corresponding angular displacement of the bearing arm 162 so
as to move its side edge 162a away from the locking roller 156
and thereby avoid interference with the final movement of the
cassette holder 32 to its loading position. However, when the
cassette holder 32 attains its loading position so that the
locking roller 156 has then moved past the locking hook 154,
tension spring 152 can return locking lever 146 in the counter-
clockwise direction to its locking position and, in response
thereto, bearing arm 162 can be similarly angularly displaced by
the torsion spring 168 for bringing its side edge 162a against
the locking roller 156. Accordingly, in the loading position of
the cassette holder 32, the locking roller 156 is securely
embraced at its opposite sides by the locking hook 154 of the
AS10:2244.APP 26
201700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
locking lever 146 and the side edge 162a of the biased bearing
arm 162 for stabilizing the cassette holder 32.
The operations of the cassette compartment holder
assembly 5 will now be described assuming that, to begin with,
the assembly 5 is in its loading position (Figs. 18A and 19) with
the lid 12 closed, and with a tape cassette being operatively
positioned within the holder 32 and the tape loading mechanism
(not shown) of the VCR unit having been operated to withdraw tape
from the cassette housing and to wrap the same about the rotary
head drum 33. When it is desired to remove the cassette from the
body 2, the lock mechanism 15 of the lid 12 is initially released
by displacing its button 16a in the direction of the arrow 170 on
Fig. 18A, so that the lid 12 is then free to be raised to its
opened position, as indicated by the arrow 171.
After the lid 12 is opened, as on Fig. 18B, the eject
button 36, which is thereby exposed or made accessible, is
actuated as indicated by the arrow 172. In response to such
actuation of the eject button 36, the tape loading mechanism (not
shown) of the VCR unit 3 is made operative to unload the tape,
that is, to unwrap the tape from about the rotary head drum and
to retract the unwrapped tape into the cassette housing,
whereupon, upward movement of the compartment 10 relative to the
chassis 30 is suitably initiated, as indicated by the arrow 173
on Fig. 18B. In the course of such upward movement of the
compartment 10 by the tape loading mechanism, a component of the
AS10:2244.APP 27
~al~7oo
PATENT
39-0100.2244
latter acts downwardly on the end portion 150 of the locking
lever 146 for angularly displacing the latter to its released
position shown on Fig. 19 and in which the locking hook 154 is
disengaged from the locking roller 156. Upon disengagement of
the locking hook 154 from the roller 156, the resilient force of
the torsion spring 114 associated with each of the link
assemblies 104 becomes effective to angularly displace the levers
106 and 108 relative to each other from the positions shown on
Fig. 19 toward the positions shown on Fig. 20B. However, in the
course of such relative angular displacements of the levers 106
and 108 by the respective torsion springs 114, the side 144 of
.projection 140 extending from the cam face 128 comes into
engagement with the detent ball 138, as on Fig. 20A, and thereby
arrests any further angular movement of the respective actuating
lever 106 about the pivot 105. Therefore, when the compartment
10 is raised to the position shown on Fig. 20A, at which it
extends above the top of the body 2, the cassette holder
indicated at 32' and the outer wall portion 5a are displaced to
some extent outwardly relative to the compartment 10, that is,
the cassette compartment holder assembly is then in its
intermediate position indicated at 5' on Fig. 18C and Fig. 20A.
In such intermediate position of the cassette
compartment holder assembly 5', the outer wall portion 5a which
then projects upwardly and outwardly relative to the body 2 can
be readily grasped and pulled outwardly in the direction of the
AS10:2244.APP 28
201700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
arrow 174 on Fig. 18C. Such outward pulling of the wall 5a, and
hence of the cassette holder 32 connected therewith, is effective
to drive the projection 140 on the cam surface 128 past the
' detent ball 138 so that the relative angular movements of the
levers 106 and 108 to the positions shown on Fig. 20B can be
completed under the influence of the outwardly directed pull
exerted on the wall portion 5a and the forces of the torsion
springs 114. Thus, the cassette holder is moved to its eject
position indicated at 32 " on Fig. 20B and at which it is
stabilized by the engagement of the detent ball 138 against the
side 142 of the projection 140. It will be apparent that, in
such eject position of the cassette holder 32 " , the open top of
the latter is spaced laterally outward from the top flange lOc of
the compartment 10 so that the latter does not interfere with the
removal or insertion of a cassette in the cassette holder 32 "
through the open top of the latter. For example, with the
cassette compartment holder assembly in its eject position
indicated at 5 " on Fig. 18D, and assuming that the cassette
holder 32 " has been previously emptied, a new cassette C can be
readily inserted downwardly in the direction of the arrow 175
into the cassette holder 32 " . After a cassette C has been thus
inserted in the cassette holder, the operator pushes inwardly
against the wall portion 5a, as indicated by the arrow 176 on
Fig. 18E and, in response to such manually applied force, the
levers 106 and 108 are angularly displaced relative to each other
AS10:2244.APP 29
X017700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
against the forces of the torsion springs 114 from the positions
shown on Fig. 20B to the positions shown on Fig. 19. In the
course of such relative angular displacements of the levers 106
and 108, the projection 140 on each cam surface 128 is forcibly
moved past the ball detent 138, and the locking roller 156 is
moved across the oblique edge 154a of the locking claw 154 and is
finally embraced between the locking claw 154 and the bearing arm
162 for stabilizing the cassette holder 32 relative to the
compartment 10 in the position shown on Fig. 19. Further, upon
the engagement of the locking claw 154 of the locking lever 146
with the locking roller 156, the switch actuating element 158
.extending from the lever 146 actuates the limit switch 160 and
thereby enables the tape loading mechanism for moving the
compartment l0 downwardly and restoring the cassette compartment
holder assembly 5 to its loading position at which the tape
loading mechanism withdraws tape from the cassette and wraps the
same on the rotary head drum.
As shown particularly on Figs. 5 and 17, at the side of
the body 2 which accommodates the VCR unit 3, the rear portion of
the body 2 is formed with an outwardly directed ear-like member
2b which, near its lower margin, is formed with a slot 2c through
which a strap 46 of the grip strap assembly 13 is threaded. The
forward portion of the strap 46 is threaded through a slotted ear
2d (Fig. 7) projecting laterally from the body 2 below the wall
portion 5a adjacent the forward end of the latter. A cushioning
AS10:2244.APP 30
~ui~~uo
PATENT
39-0100.2244
member or pad 13a is suitably secured around the strap 46 which
is spaced laterally outward from the underlying suitably
contoured surface 2e of the body 2 by the ears 2b and 2d to which
the ends of the strap 46 are secured. Thus, as shown
particularly on Fig. 9, a gap 13b is defined between the
cushioning member 13a of the strap assembly 13 and the underlying
contoured surface 2e of the body 2 for comfortably accommodating
the operator's hand H as shown on Fig. 2.
As shown particularly on Figs. 5 and 8, a start/stop
button assembly 45 is provided on the generally rearwardly facing
surface of the ear-like member 2b at the back end portion of the
.body 2 so as to be readily accessible to the thumb of the
operator's hand which extends upwardly between the strap assembly
13 and the underlying surface of the body 2 for cradling the
latter. As shown on Fig. 14, for the purpose of accommodating
the start/stop button assembly 45, the ear-like extension 2b is
formed with a circular recess 41 dimensioned to rotatably receive
a rotary member 42. A start/stop button 40 is molded of a
synthetic resin so as to have a cylindrical body 40a, a stem 40b
depending centrally fram the body 40a and a pair of latching
claws 40c which extend parallel to the stem 40b at diametrically
opposed locations on the cylindrical body 40a. The rotary member
42 is molded with a circular body 14a defining a recess 42'a
dimensioned to receive the body 40a of button 40. The body 42a
is further formed with a radial extension 42b, and an axially
AS10:2244.AFP 31
~ut~~oo
PATENT
39-0100.2244
directed central tubular extension 42c defining a central bore
42g which opens upwardly into the recess 42'a. The tubular
extension 42c has a latching projection 42f directed radially
from its lower end. Diametrically opposed openings 42d are
formed in the bottom of the recess 42'a of the body 42a for
receiving the latching claws 41c, and the rotary member 42 is
further formed with a pair of axially directed pins 42e extending
downwardly from the bottom surface of the body 42a at
diametrically opposed locations. In assembling the start/stop
button 40 and the rotary member 42, the stem 40b is extended
through a helical compression spring 43 and then inserted
downwardly in the bore 42g while the latching claws 40c are
directed downwardly through the openings 42d. It will be
appreciated that the spring 43 urges the button body 40a upwardly
to a raised position within the recess 42'a at which the claws
40c engage the under-surface of the rotary body 42a.
The tubular extension 42c with the latching projection
42f extends through a central opening 41b formed in the bottom
41a of the recess 41. A first pair of diametrically opposed,
arcuate slots 41c are formed in the bottom 41a of recess 41
between the central opening 41b and the outer periphery of the
recess 41. Another pair of rectangular openings 41d which are
also diametrically opposed are formed in the bottom 41a of recess
41 approximately midway between the arcuate slots 41c. A ring 44
of spring metal is situated around the tubular extension 42c
AS10:2244.APP 32
~~~7~QQ
PATENT
39-0100.2244
between the bottom of the body 42a and the bottom 41a of the
recess 41 and has a pair of diametrically opposed circular
openings 44a dimensioned for the passage of the pins 42e
therethrough so that the ring 44 is turnable with the rotary
member 42. The ring 44 of spring metal is further formed with a
pair of diametrically opposed, downwardly offset projections or
detents 44b positioned along the ring 44 approximately midway
between the openings 44a, and being engageable in the openings
41d formed in the bottom 41a of the recess 41.
The pins 42e and the openings 42d of the rotary member
42 are positioned relative to each other so that, when the pins
.42e extend through the openings 44a of the ring 44 and the rotary
member 42 is positioned to engage the projections 44b of the ring
44 in the openings 41d at the bottom of the recess 41, the slots
42d through which the locking claws 40c extend are rotationally
offset relative to the arcuate slots 41c in the bottom of the
recess 41a. Thus, the claws 40c bear against the bottom 41a of
the recess 41 for blocking the downward movement of the
start/stop button 40. Such rotational position of the rotary
member 42 is hereinafter referred to as the "locking position",
which is established by turning the rotary member 42 until a
marking a thereon is in radial alignment with a marking b
provided on the surface of the body 2 adjacent the recess 41.
In order to establish an unlocked or "stand-by
position" of the rotary member 42, the latter is turned until the
AS10:2244.APP 33
~U17~00
PATENT
39-Oi00.2244
marking a thereon is radially aligned with a marking c also
provided on the body 2 adjacent the recess 41. In such "stand-by
position" of the rotary member 42, the openings 42d in the rotary
member 42 are registered with the arcuate slots 41c in the bottom
41a of the recess 41 so that the latching claws 40c can pass
downwardly through the slots 41c when the start/stop button 4o is
depressed to start or stop the recording of a video signal
obtained from the video camera unit 4. The starting and stopping
of the operation of the video camera unit in response to the
depressing of the start/stop button 40 are effected in a
conventional manner. It should be noted that, when the rotary
member 42 is in its "stand-by position" the radial extension 42b
is disposed to function as a rest for the operator's thumb.
As shown particularly on P'ig. 17, a lens cap 47 for
closing the open front end of the camera lens assembly 6 and
thereby protecting the lens 7 when the video camera unit 4 is not
in use, may be connected to the grip strap 46 at the forward end
of the latter by means of a flexible lanyard 47a or other
connection.
As shown on Fig. 6, the viewfinder 9 is mounted on the
body 2 for pivoting between a first orientation or position shown
in full lines on Fig. 6 and in which the viewfinder 9 is
accommodated substantially within a recess or depression 4b
extending along the body 2 above the protrusion 4a, and an
upwardly pivoted position, indicated in dot-dash lines at 9' on
AS10:2244.APP 34
2017700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
Fig. 6, and in which the viewfinder extends obliquely upward out
of the recess 4b. The range of pivotal movement of the
viewfinder 9 is desirably approximately 90°.
As shown particularly on Fig. 15, the viewfinder 9
includes a viewing screen assembly 50 comprised of upper and
lower, semi-cylindrical housing portions 50a and 50b which are
suitably secured to each other and contain a cathode-ray tube
(CRT) 51 having its screen exposed at a window 50d formed in an
end wall 50c of the viewing screen assembly 50. At the end of
the viewing screen assembly 50 remote from the end wall 50c,
there is provided a transverse extension 52 (Figs. 4 and 6) which
is rotably mounted within a receptacle 4c formed in the body 2
(Fig. 6) for permitting the described pivotal movement of the
viewfinder 9 through approximately 90° upwardly from the nested
position of the latter. The lower semi-cylindrical portion 50b
of the housing of the viewing screen assembly 50 has a recess 50e
(Fig. 6) therein for receiving a latching projection 4e
projecting from the bottom surface of the recess 4b. Engagement
of the latching projection 4e in the recess 50e is effective to
prevent inadvertent movement of the viewfinder 9 from its rest
position. An edit switch 53 which is to be operated in an edit
mode of the apparatus also extends from the body 2 within the
recess 4b so as to be hidden from view and protected by the
viewfinder 9 when the latter is within its rest position shown in
full lines on Fig. 6.
AS10:2244.APP 35
2017700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
Referring again to Fig. 15, it will be seen that the
viewfinder 9 further comprises an eye piece assembly 60 which
generally includes a cylindrical holder 61, an outer housing 62,
a lens 63 within a lens holder 64, a lens adjustment ring 65 and
an eye cap holder 66.
The holder 61 is shown to include a relatively larger
diameter cylindrical section 61a and a smaller diameter
cylindrical section 61e. The large diameter section 61a is
dimensioned to be slidable on the housing of viewing screen
assembly 50 and has 4 substantially L-shaped guide slots 61b
formed therein at regular intervals around the cylindrical
.section 61a. These guide slots 61b slidably receive respective
connecting pins 54 which project radially outward from the outer
surface of the viewing screen assembly 50 for positioning the eye
piece assembly 60 relative thereto. A pair of diametrically
opposed strips 61c formed with inwardly projections 61d (Fig. ls)
are offset radially outward from the large diameter section 61a
adjacent the end of the latter to which the small diameter
section 61e is connected. Thus, the engaging strips 61c are
spaced radially outward from the outer surface of the large
diameter section 61a so that the inwardly directed projections
61d on the strips 61c are engageable in cutouts 62a farmed in an
edge portion of the cylindrical cover 62 when the latter extends
axially over the large diameter section 61a of the finder holder
61 (Fig. 16).
AS10:2244.APP 36
201700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
The lens holder 64 carrying the lens 63 is
diametrically dimensioned so as to be rotatable within the
smaller diameter section 61e of the holder 61. The lens
adjustment ring 65 is diametrically dimensioned so as to be
ratable around the outer surface of the section 61e, and the ring
65 is shown to be provided with a pair of inwardly projecting
pins 65a extending radially therefrom. Such inwardly projecting
pins 65a can extend through T-shaped slots 61f formed in the
small diameter section 61e and each having a stem opening at the
free edge of the section 61e. The inwardly projecting pins 65a
are sufficiently long so that the inner ends thereof can slidably
engage in respective helically arranged grooves 64a formed in the
outer surface of the lens holder 64. The eye cap holder 66 is
dimensioned to fit over the free end portion of the smaller
diameter section 61e and has diametrically opposed openings 66a
positioned to be engaged by claws 61g extending outwardly from
the section 61e. The lens holder 64 is further formed, in its
outer surface, with a pair of axially extending grooves 64b which
receive axial guide projections 61h extending inwardly from the
inner surface of the section 61e of the holder 61. The
engagement of the projections 61h in the grooves 64b serves to
rotably couple the lens holder 64 and the finder holder 61 while
permitting relative axial displacements thereof. By reason of
the engagement of the pins 65a of the lens adjustment ring 65 in
the helical grooves 64a of the lens holder 64, a rotational force
AS10:2244.APP 37
217700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
exerted on the lens holder 64 through the lens adjustment ring 65
is converted into an axial thrust for shifting the lens holder
64, and hence the lens 63 therein, in the axial direction.
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the
focal distance of the lens 63 is selected so that the screen of
the CRT 51 can be brought into focus when viewed through the eye
piece assembly 60 only if the finder holder 61 is in an expanded
condition in which it is shifted away from the viewing screen
assembly 50. In other words, when the viewfinder 9 is in a
contracted condition with the finder holder 61 shifted toward the
viewing screen assembly 50, the lens 63 is maintained out of
focus in respect to the screen of the CRT 51.
The described viewfinder 9 embodying this invention is
constructed to be maintained in its contracted condition by
restricting movement of each of the connecting pins 54 along the
respective slot 61b in the axial expanding direction by means of
a projection 61b' resiliently projecting into the foot or
circumferencially extending end portion of each L-shaped slot
61b. On the other hand, the viewfinder 9 can be maintained in
its expanded condition by restricting the movement of each of the
connecting pins 54 along the respective slot 61b by means of a
projection 61b extending resiliently into each L-shaped slot 61b
near to the end of the axially directed portion thereof.
With the arrangement of the viewfinder 9 as described
above, the latter can be stored, when not in use, in its
AS10:2244.APP 38
~0~7700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
contracted condition so as to be wholly contained within the
recess 4b of the body 2, whereby to minimize the overall
dimensions of the unified video camera and VCR 1. In such stored
position, the lens 63 is not focused in respect to the screen of
the CTR 51. On the other hand, when operating the unified video
camera and VCR 1, the viewfinder 9 is manipulated to its expanded
condition so that an eye cap 67 (Fig. 16) mounted on the eye cap
holder 66 extends well beyond the camera body 2 for easy access
by the operator's eye. Furthermore, by reason of the pivotal
mounting of the viewfinder 9 on the body 2, the pivotal position
of the viewfinder 9 can be selected for convenient use thereof
when operating the unified video camera and VCR from an erect
position (Fig. 21A) or from a low or crouching position (Fig.
21B) .
As shown on Fig. 3, circuit boards generally indicated
at 200 are preferably separated into a group of circuit boards
202 for the video camera functions, and a group of circuit boards
204 for the VCR functions. Such arrangement or layout of the
circuit boards in two groups 202 and 204 makes it possible to
reduce the number of circuit elements and thereby assist in
minimizing the size of the unified video camera and VCR.
It will be further appreciated that, in the unified
video camera and VCR according to this invention, the mass and
size of the apparatus have been substantially reduced without
giving rise to difficulties in conveniently arranging the various
A~10:2244.APP 39
~U17700
PATENT
39-0100.2244
switches and buttons required for controlling the operations of
the video camera unit and the VCR unit.
Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has
been described in detail herein with reference to the
accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention
is not limited thereto, and that various changes and
modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art
without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as
defined in the appended claims.
AS10:2244.APP 40
