Selective Or Adjustable Viewing Position Patents (Class 396/383)
  • Patent number: 11418715
    Abstract: A display control apparatus includes a first display internal to a viewfinder, a second display external to the viewfinder, an eye proximity detector, and an operation unit to switch a display on which a display target is displayed. The eye proximity detector detects, as a state, whether an eye is in proximity of the viewfinder. Where an obtained eye proximity detection state satisfies a first condition, a notification is displayed on a pre-switching display indicating that the display displaying the display target is to be switched. In response to a second condition being satisfied, the display of the display target is switched from the pre-switching display to a post-switching display. In a case where the obtained eye proximity detection state does not satisfy the first condition, the display target is switched to the post-switching display without displaying the notification on the pre-switching display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10631733
    Abstract: An optical probe includes a lens combination, an optical fiber assembly, and a cover. The lens combination includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens has a generally planar first lens surface defining an oval edge. The second lens has a generally planar second lens surface operatively coupled to the first lens surface. The second lens has four primary edges and at least two secondary edges connecting pairs of the primary edges. Each primary edge extends in substantially a straight line between two spaced-apart points at the oval edge of the first lens. The optical fiber and the lens combination are configured such that a light beam exiting the optical fiber enters the lens combination at an entering surface of the first lens, passes through the first lens and exits the first lens at the first lens surface. The cover circumferentially surrounds the optical fiber assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Go!Foton Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takeuchi, Akimitsu Sato
  • Patent number: 8503876
    Abstract: A camera viewfinder viewer accessory includes an elongated body portion having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis. A connector for mounting the body portion to a camera viewfinder is located on a side of the body portion and adjacent to the first end. The body portion longitudinal axis is generally parallel to the camera viewfinder in a mounted disposition. An end assembly is connected to the body portion second end and is rotatable about the body portion longitudinal axis. A viewer assembly is connected to a side of the end assembly and has a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the body portion longitudinal axis. The viewer assembly extends away from the end assembly and terminates at an eyepiece. The viewer accessory directs an image from the camera viewfinder into the viewer assembly, to be viewed through the eyepiece in any rotatable disposition of the end assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Hoodman Corporation
    Inventors: Louis J. Schmidt, Michael R. Schmidt, Robert P. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8477229
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture a subject image to generate image data, a first display unit configured to display the image data generated by the imaging unit and to be capable of taking a reference position and a position different from the reference position, a proximity sensor configured to sense proximity of an object to the first display unit, a position sensor configured to sense whether the first display unit is at the reference position, a second display unit configured to display the image data generated by the imaging unit, and a controller configured to perform control, when the position sensor senses that the first display unit is not at the reference position, to activate the proximity sensor, and to operate the first display unit when the proximity sensor senses proximity of an object, and to operate the second display unit when the proximity sensor does not sense proximity of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori Nakai
  • Patent number: 8159593
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a hinge unit that couples a display unit to an apparatus body rotatably around first and second rotational axes along different directions. When the display unit and the hinge unit are rotated together around the first rotation axis, the display unit is opened or closed with respect to the apparatus body. When the display unit is rotated with respect to the hinge unit, the display unit inverted or not inverted. A single detection object is provided in the hinge unit. An open/close detection sensor at a position deviated from the first rotation axis detects an open/close state of the display unit in accordance with a positional relationship relative to the detection object. An inversion detection sensor at a position deviated from the second rotation axis detects whether the display unit is inverted or not in accordance with a positional relationship relative to the detection object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Takahashi, Toshihide Hanajima
  • Patent number: 8111316
    Abstract: In a video camera, air outlet holes and air inlet holes are disposed in a panel-facing surface of a camera body. A duct is disposed inside the camera body and guides the air taken in through the air inlet holes to the air outlet holes. A first heat sink is so arranged as to extend from an image sensor into the duct, and the first heat sink releases the heat generated by the image sensor into the duct. A liquid crystal panel unit is movably disposed between a first position in which a first face of the liquid crystal panel unit including a display screen of a liquid crystal panel faces the panel-facing surface of the camera body and a second position in which a second face faces the panel-facing surface. When the liquid crystal panel unit is in the first position, the first face is so formed as to cover the air outlet holes and the air inlet holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventors: Yukio Sugimura, Shuichiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8023033
    Abstract: A viewfinder includes: a main unit to be detachably attached to a camera body; and a display unit including a display portion on which a picture to be imaged at the camera body side; wherein the display portion includes a supporting member, a display panel including a display surface, a first connecting mechanism configured to connect the main unit and the supporting member so as to rotate, and a second connecting mechanism configured to connect the supporting member and the display panel so as to swing between a laid state in which the display panel is laid on the supporting member and a standing state in which the display panel stands from the supporting member; wherein the first connecting mechanism is configured such that the supporting member can rotate within a range of at least not less than 180 degrees on the main unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Kirihara, Eiji Kaji
  • Patent number: 7978417
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eyepiece optical system that, albeit being of small size, works in favor of gaining an angle of field and optical performance, and an electronic view finder incorporating such an eyepiece optical system. Specifically, the invention is characterized by comprising, in order from an object side to an exit side thereof, a first lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, a second lens group that is a single lens that has negative refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, and a third lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power, wherein an object-side concave lens surface in the first lens group is an aspheric surface, an object-side concave lens surface in the second lens group is an aspheric surface, and an exit-side lens surface in the third lens group is an aspheric surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Akinori Nishio, Keitaro Yokohama, Daichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 7969658
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eyepiece optical system that, albeit being of small size, works in favor of gaining an angle of field and optical performance, and an electronic view finder incorporating such an eyepiece optical system. Specifically, the invention is characterized by comprising, in order from an object side to an exit side thereof, a first lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, a second lens group that is a single lens that has negative refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, and a third lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power, wherein an object-side concave lens surface in the first lens group is an aspheric surface, an object-side concave lens surface in the second lens group is an aspheric surface, and an exit-side lens surface in the third lens group is an aspheric surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Akinori Nishio, Keitaro Yokoyama, Daichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 7903964
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a grip portion, a camera portion, and a monitor portion for displaying an image captured by the camera portion. The camera portion has an imaging optical system and an imaging device for capturing the image of a subject guided by the imaging optical system. The grip portion has a grip casing resembling a flat plate. The casing has a width greater than its thickness and a length greater than the width. The camera portion is connected to a longitudinal end of the grip casing rotatably about a first axis extending along the width. The monitor portion is connected to the camera portion so as to be rotatable together with the camera portion about the first axis and is connected rotatably about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The imaging optical system of the camera portion has an optical axis located on the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Takagi
  • Patent number: 7885537
    Abstract: A remote viewfinder display device using an image capturing device including a sensor positioned at an existing camera's viewfinder in communication with a remote display device which shows the viewfinder image at an alternative location to allow a photographer to frame the photograph in the viewfinder when the viewfinder is in an inaccessible or inconvenient position. The display can also provide a larger image for easier viewing. The remote viewfinder display device eliminates the constraints of a near eye view finder and provides for the ability to frame pictures with the alternatively positioned viewable screen or display independent of the existing camera's limited viewfinder position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Mark L. Kuss
  • Patent number: 7711258
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit which captures image data of an object, a zoom image data generating unit which generates items of zoom image data having different zoom magnifications, a display control unit which displays through images on a display unit based on the items of the generated zoom image data, a selection unit which selects one of the zoom magnifications by selecting one of the through images displayed on the display unit, and a recording control unit which records image data corresponding to the selected zoom magnification in a storing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Yanagi
  • Publication number: 20100098403
    Abstract: An adjustable front-facing viewfinder for an image capture device is disclosed. The image capture device comprises: a lens; a front side, wherein the lens is positioned on the front side; and a viewfinder, wherein the viewfinder is disposed on the front side, wherein the viewfinder comprises of one or more tiles that indicates a field of vision of the image capture device, and wherein the viewfinder is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Silverlink International Ltd.
    Inventor: Dennis Sones
  • Patent number: 7639942
    Abstract: The observation device includes: an optical unit on which an intermediate image of an object to be observed is formed; a display unit that displays an image of a subject to be photographed; and a display unit moving unit that causes the display unit to be inserted in and removed from an optical light path for observing the object without moving the optical unit. Also, the camera includes: a finder optical system and an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject. The finder optical system includes an eyepiece unit; a focal plane plate on which an intermediate image of an image of a photographic subject is formed; a display unit that emits light; and a display unit moving unit that causes the display unit to be inserted in and removed from a light path in a position closer to the eyepiece unit than the focal plane plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Okutani
  • Patent number: 7630626
    Abstract: A camera system includes a conventional single-lens reflex function. A camera head includes a finder support section which detachably supports an optical finder unit. When the optical finder unit is attached to the finder support section, the camera becomes a camera system having a single-lens reflex function. In the camera head, a half mirror is provided on the optical path of an image pickup lens. A subject reflected by the half mirror is formed on the side of a finder unit. A subject light passing through the half mirror is formed on an image pickup device. That is, the camera becomes a single-lens reflex camera in which the half mirror is used for a reflex plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Senba, Atsushi Misawa
  • Patent number: 7627242
    Abstract: The present invention is a new structure of reflecting mirror, which includes a hollow frame, a connecting arm, and a cover. In particular, a pivot base is configured on one side of the hollow frame, which is pivotally connected another pivot base on the cover side with a connecting arm for fixedness. While the frame is flipped with one side as a pivot, a user can watch and inspect images shown on the display from multiple angles and directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Inventor: Chia Chi Sun
  • Patent number: 7616884
    Abstract: In a viewfinder for a single lens reflex camera, in which a focused image of an object formed on a ground glass by a photographing lens is transmitted to an ocular optical system through a pentagonal prism or a pentagonal mirror and an information image displayed on an indication surface of an indication block is transmitted to the pentagonal prism or pentagonal mirror, through an indication prism, so that the object image and the information image are indicated in the finder view field of the ocular optical system, the indication surface of the indicator is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to an incident surface of the image-erecting optical member toward the incident surface, and an angle between the indication surface of the indicator and the incident surface of the image-erecting optical member is smaller than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hidefumi Kaneko, Tetsuo Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 7437067
    Abstract: A stand apparatus having the connector so as to correspond to a position of an electronic equipment being housed and comprises a connection inhibiter member to inhibit the connection if the position of the electronic equipment being housed and a turned state of the connector do not match with each other. Furthermore, electronic equipment, e.g., a camera, can be connected with the stand apparatus electrically either in the state of the equipment body facing up with the display apparatus of the camera being folded thereon, or in the state of the display apparatus being folded onto the back side of the equipment body with the display surface facing up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Naito
  • Publication number: 20080198255
    Abstract: A viewfinder includes: a main unit to be detachably attached to a camera body; and a display unit including a display portion on which a picture to be imaged at the camera body side; wherein the display portion includes a supporting member, a display panel including a display surface, a first connecting mechanism configured to connect the main unit and the supporting member so as to rotate, and a second connecting mechanism configured to connect the supporting member and the display panel so as to swing between a laid state in which the display panel is laid on the supporting member and a standing state in which the display panel stands from the supporting member; wherein the first connecting mechanism is configured such that the supporting member can rotate within a range of at least not less than 180 degrees on the main unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Kirihara, Eiji Kaji
  • Patent number: 7155118
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portable terminal, which can include a main body portion, a display portion provided with a display screen and coupled to an end portion of the main body portion to be folded or unfolded with respect to the main body portion. A camera device that can provide an image of an object to the display screen, which can serve as a camera viewfinder, and a cooperating mechanism that can control the camera device to change its sight line cooperatively to the movement of one of the main body portion and the display portion can be included in the portable terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Chang-Il Lee
  • Patent number: 6937280
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to properly output sounds in stereo at the time of reproducing of images in a video camera having a pivotal image display unit. The invention includes an image display unit which can pivot on an electronic device body and displays images, first and second sound output units, a detection unit for detecting pivoting operation of the image display unit, and a control means for controlling switching of sound signals output to the first and second sound output units upon pivoting operation of the image display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Kawai, Shigenobu Chichimatsu
  • Patent number: 6927797
    Abstract: A viewfinder for mounting on a camera having a video signal tap, such as a professional video camera, to extend forwardly and laterally of the camera. A pivotable member is connected to a support base for selectively pivoting about a laterally extending axis and being selectively locked in any angular position. A viewing module is releasably connected to the pivotable member to extend rearwardly along the side of the camera and has a CRT facing rearwardly with an eyepiece for viewing the CRT. The viewing module has controls for the CRT on an outwardly facing surface for manually adjusting the controls. Cooperating and releasable electrical connectors are provided between the pivot member and the viewing module for transmitting video signals and electrical power therebetween. An extension member, either of a fixed length or telescoping, may be installed between the pivot member and the viewing module and has the same electrical connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Panavision Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Gelbard
  • Patent number: 6795650
    Abstract: An optical and electronic viewer of a camera has a body having entrance and exit openings and entrance and exit tunnels extending inward from respective openings. The body has a cross tunnel connecting the entrance and exit tunnels. An eyepiece is mounted at the exit opening and defines and eyepiece axis. An objective lens is mounted at the entrance opening and defines an objective axis. An electronic imager is disposed within the body, in optical alignment with the objective lens. A microdisplay is mounted in the exit tunnel interior to the eyepiece. First and second reflectors are disposed in the cross tunnel. The reflectors are aligned and are each movable, within the cross tunnel, between an optical-viewing position and a non-viewing position. The first reflector is aligned with the objective axis and the second reflector is aligned with the eyepiece axis in optical-viewing position. The reflectors are spaced from the axes and each other in non-viewing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Scott C. Cahall
  • Patent number: 6778775
    Abstract: The invention proposes a camera 1 furnished with a flat screen viewfinder 4 which comprises a specific fixing system. The fixing system essentially comprises a boom 5 for connecting the viewfinder 4 and the camera body 2. The boom 5 is connected on the one hand to the camera body 2 and on the other hand to the viewfinder 4 by fixing means 6 and 7 allowing fine-tuning and positional retention. According to one embodiment, the boom 5 extends towards the rear of the camera 1 so that a possible position of the viewfinder 4 lies in the extension of the lens 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 6549237
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having a display device mounted rotatable about an axis on a side of the image sensing apparatus for displaying a sensed image. When the display device is folded up by the side of the image sensing apparatus, a mirror reflects an image displayed on the display device toward a finder, so that the displayed image can be seen though the finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mutsumi Inuma, Mikihiro Fujimoto, Shuichi Idera, Kyoji Tamura, Toshiyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6480681
    Abstract: An adjustable viewfinder optical system for a shoulder-supported movie or video camera having interchangeable objective lenses. The system includes first and second lens groups aligned on an optical axis for receiving and relaying an image received from the objective lens of the camera to the viewer's eye. The first lens group is in a forwardly extending portion of the viewfinder that is pivotally joined to a rearwardly extending portion of the viewfinder containing the second lens group. The forwardly extending portion has a telescoping portion for varying the eye position of the viewer relative to the camera in the fore-and aft direction. The light is collimated between the first and second lens groups at the telescoping portion, whereby the image viewed in the viewfinder remains in focus and the same magnification throughout the telescoping adjustment movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Panavision, Inc.
    Inventor: Iain A. Neil
  • Patent number: 6253032
    Abstract: In a studio camera (SC), comprising an image pickup unit (PUU) for converting a scene into image signals, and a viewfinder (VF) for displaying the image signals on a viewfinder display (D), the viewfinder (VF) having a position adjustment mechanism (PAM) for allowing a camera operator (CO) to have an optimal view on the viewfinder display (D), the position adjustment mechanism (PAM) is automatically controlled so as to direct the viewfinder display (D) to the camera operator (CO).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Florus B. Van Den Herik
  • Patent number: 6141505
    Abstract: A device comprising a main body and a sub-body that is rotatably supported on a side surface of the main body, wherein a bearing is located on either the main body or the sub-body and a shaft that engages with said bearing is located on the other unit, the shaft having an extension that extends into the main body or the sub-body that has the bearing and a connecting area that is formed throughout the lengths of the shaft and the extension; there is a notch that is connected to the connecting area around the circumference of the extension; and a flexible printed circuit board is placed such that it runs through the connecting area inside the shaft, exits the notch of the extension along its circumference and wraps around the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Miyata, Yasuo Furuie
  • Patent number: 6104533
    Abstract: An optical viewfinder system comprising two optical elements, and a field stop or a reticle, to provide an image of a scene to a viewer, and further comprising a diffractive optical element to provide a clear, stationary image of the field stop or reticle to the viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Peter P. Clark, William T. Plummer
  • Patent number: 6078753
    Abstract: A camera having a viewfinder for viewing a subject to be photographed, and a flash unit for illuminating the subject which is supported for movement between an operative position in which the flash unit faces the subject and a storage position in which the flash unit does not face the subject, is characterized in that the viewfinder has an image-reflecting mirror that is arranged on the flash unit for movement with the flash unit to reflect an image of the subject when said flash unit is moved from the storage position to the operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Loretta E. Allen
  • Patent number: 5949504
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a camcorder is disclosed for maintaining an optimum viewing angle for an LCD display when the camcorder is tilted at an angle in the process of aiming the camcorder at a subject. A separate drive unit moves the LCD display with respect to the camcorder body. The amount the LCD display is moved by the drive unit is controlled based upon a sensed amount of movement of the image pickup device when the camcorder is pointed in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeong-Gweon Kim
  • Patent number: 5920426
    Abstract: A variable length telescoping viewfinder for cameras that provides a variably adjustable eye viewing distance relative to the camera without changing the focus or magnification of the scene being photographed throughout the telescoping movement of the viewfinder. The light rays of the real image supplied to the viewfinder directly or indirectly from the camera are passed through a field lens, Pechan prism, relay lens system forming collimated light rays from the fixed front module to the movable rear module wherein lens elements form an intermediate image that is viewed through an eyepiece lens group. The front module is weakly powered and of a substantial effective optical length because of the inclusion of the Pechan prism. The image forming lens group of the rear module is weakly powered whereby relative telescopic movement between the front and rear modules does not adversely affect the location, focus or magnification of the intermediate image throughout the range of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Panavision, Inc.
    Inventor: Iain A. Neil
  • Patent number: 5893649
    Abstract: A camera-mounted VTR having a grip part for holding a main unit of the VTR at one side surface of the main unit of the VTR. A view finder is provided at the main unit of the VTR in such a way as it may be raised or inclined in respect to the main unit of the VTR and at the same time a recording button is arranged at a location hidden by the view finder when the main unit of the VTR is inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 5774754
    Abstract: A camera includes a photographic recording device which records an image of an object on a photosensitive recording medium; an image pick-up device which picks up an image of the object to generate an image signal; a display device which displays a monitor image based on the image signal generated by the image pick-up device; a photographing information setting device which sets photographing information for an image to be recorded on the photosensitive recording medium; and a display controller which controls the display device to display a monitor image in accordance with the set photographing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5767906
    Abstract: A viewfinder mounting for mounting a viewfinder on a camera body for adjustable movement in a common plane in two directions perpendicular to each other. This viewfinder mounting includes a first slide mechanism including first and second slide members coupled with each other for sliding movement relative to each other, and a second slide mechanism including third and fourth slide members coupled with each other for sliding movement relative to each other. A camera fixture is employed to connect the first slide member to the camera body, and a viewfinder fixture is also employed to connect the fourth slide member to the viewfinder. A holder connects the second and third slide members with each other to render the first and second slide members to lie perpendicular to each other. A slide lock mechanism is provided for releasably locking the viewfinder fixture and the camera fixture relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Toyofuku, Motoyoshi Sogabe
  • Patent number: 5765047
    Abstract: A lens camera having a viewfinder mechanism and an adjustable strobe light generating unit, wherein the zoom viewfinder mechanism has a disk cam to cause a lens group of a viewfinder optical system to move back and forth in an optical axis direction according to a difference of the distances in the radial direction from the rotation center of shafts of individual lenses of the lens group, the shafts fitting in grooves of the disk and driving the individual lenses of the lens group in order to perform variable power of a zoom viewfinder. Drive gears drive the disk cam and one of the drive gears is a helical gear which has a predetermined angle for a lead angle, the rotation center of the disk cam and the rotation axis direction of the one drive gear being positioned so as to intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Miyamoto, Isao Soshi, Minoru Kato, Junichi Omi
  • Patent number: 5678080
    Abstract: A compact viewfinder device suitable for use in a camera. The viewfinder device includes an image-forming optical system to form a subject image on an image-forming plane, and a fiber optical plate having a plane of incidence and an exit plane and which transmits the optical image which has entered the plane of incidence to the exit plane. The plane of incidence of the fiber optical plate is positioned on the image-forming plane of the image-forming optical system, and the fiber optical plate transmits the optical image which has entered the plane of incidence so that it is rotated around an exit axis of the exit plane. The fiber optical plate may also enlarge the optical image entering the plane of incidence so that an enlarged image is transmitted to the exit plane. Further, the exit plane of the fiber optical plate may be tilted with respect to the plane of incidence and perpendicular to the exit axis to allow ease of viewing the viewfinder image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Hidenori Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 5612755
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact motion picture film recording camera with a video adapter (16), an insertable cassette and a pivotable view lens, wherein a compact structure is achieved in spite of several functions in that a partially permeable reflecting beam splitter disposed in the view finder beam path reflects a view finder beam component into a view finder outlet on the front end (2) of the camera housing (1), a rearward-reversed eyepiece opening (12) of the viewing lens can be pivoted around the center axis (8) of the view finder outlet (7) between the right and left sides of the camera by means of a hinged lens arm (10) and an eyepiece support hinged thereon, and the video beam path (13) passed by the beam splitter is supplied through a grip base (15) of a camera grip to a video adapter (16) disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Arnold & Richter Cine Technik GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG
    Inventor: Eugen Bayerl
  • Patent number: 5570157
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus with an illumination device for illuminating an eyeball; a light-receiving device having a plurality of photoelectric changing elements for changing reflected light from the eyeball; a storage device for storing a plurality of Purkinje image candidates among the signals obtained by receiving light with said light-receiving device; a selection device for selecting suitable Purkinje image candidates as the Purkinje image from the plurality of Purkinje image candidates; and a detection device for detecting the state of the visual axis on the basis of the Purkinje image selected by the selection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Konishi