Interlocked Television Camera and Electronic Viewfinder Combination

The present invention relates to television cameras, and more particularly to television cameras having an electronic viewfinder which is coupled to the camera but is independently movable with respect to the camera, for example to facilitate observation by a camera operator.

It has been found desirable to locate an electronic viewfinder or a monitor, monitoring the image "seen" by a television camera in such a position that it can be located independently of the alignment of the camera with respect to a subject. This permits the camera operator to follow the scene being picked up by the camera on the monitor screen, and to control the camera in accordance with directions, for example from the director of a play or the like, without necessarily physically following all movements of the camera. Electronic viewfinders or electronic monitors used with cameras frequently are horizontally rotatable as well as vertically pivotable with respect to the camera housing. Some cameras have an essentially flat top surface from which a power block extends, housing parts of the camera and, additionally, a widely visible "red-light" indicator, showing that the camera is ON. Movement of the viewfinder may cause damage to the power and particularly to the "red-light" indicator unless the movement of the viewfinder is so arranged that the viewfinder will be out of the way with respect to the tower and "red-light" indicator when being rotated with respect to the camera housing.

It is an object to interlock an electronic viewfinder or monitor with the camera housing which permits relatively large horizontal and vertical movement of the viewfinder while preventing damage to the camera construction, and particularly to a camera tower block, for example housing a "red-light" indicator.

Briefly, rotary movement of the electronic viewfinder is prevented unless the viewfinder is pivoted away from a rest position in which it is flat against the top surface of the camera housing into a working position where it is removed from the top surface of the housing and swung away from the tower block. The viewfinder is secured to the top side of the housing by a first attachment means which permits pivotable movement about a horizontal axis and, further, by a second attachment means which permits movement of the viewfinder about a vertical axis. The first and second attachment means are so interlocked that movement about the horizontal axis is not possible unless the viewfinder is moved about the horizontal axis away from its rest position against the top surface of the housing into working position removed from and pivoted away form the tower block, including the "red-light" indicator. In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, a strut is connected to a pivot arm controlling pivoting movement of the viewfinder upwardly from the top surface of the housing; upon such pivoting movement, the strut releases a locking element which locks the second attachment means in a position in which the viewfinder is in alignment with the camera, and hence can be fitted against the tower block. Conversely, movement of the viewfinder without pivoting the viewfinder about horizontal axis, forming the pivoting axis of the first detachment means, the viewfinder cannot be rotated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a television camera, shown only in fragmentary form, with an electronic viewfinder in form of a small monitor, attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view through a portion of the vertical pivoting arrangement, that is, to pivot the viewfinder about a horizontal axis; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the horizontal rotating arrangement, showing the interlock, with the viewfinder housing removed.

A television camera 1, shown only in fragmentary form, and which may be of any suitable contruction, is formed with a flat top surface 1a. An electronic viewfinder or monitor is located on the camera, movable between a rest or folded flat position against the camera top surface 1a and an extended or operating or working position. FIG. 1 shows the monitor in the extended or operating or working position. Electronic viewfinders or monitors include a small TV receiver, having operating knobs 3, located close to the screen 4 thereof. The top surface 1a of the camera carries a tower block 5 which has a signaling light or "red-light" indicator 6 located thereon.

The monitor, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is pivoted upwardly into the working or operating position, for ease of observation by a camera operator. When folded against the camera, the monitor 2 will be in a terminal or end position termed a "rest" position, in which the bottom side of the monitor 2 will be flat against or just about against the upper side 1a of the camera 1. The back side 2a of the monitor 2 will be in engagement with, or close to the tower 5. The monitor, as shown, usually is of essentially rectangular "block" construction. When folded flat against the top surface 1a of the camera, the monitor 2 and the tower 5 form an essentially uninterrupted smooth surface, for ease of transport and minimum opportunity for damage thereto.

The monitor 2 can be pivoted upwardly about a horizontal axis 7 by raising the monitor 2 and pivoting the pivot levers 8 upwardly. The pivot levers 8 are preferably secured to the monitor 2 to pass through or closely adjacent the center of gravity of the monitor 2. Handles 5 are provided to lock the monitor 2 in respective rest or operating conditions or, if desired, in intermediate positions. The handles 9 lock the monitor by frictional engagement, as will appear. When the monitor is in its operating or working position, as shown in FIG. 1, it can, additionally, be tilted about a horizontal axis passing through the center of button 9, to be clamped in a desired position by the control knob 11, as will appear. Upon pivoting the monitor 2 from the rest position into the working position, and reversely, a gear 21 (FIG. 2), and coupled to the button or handle 9, runs off against a rack or toothed segment 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

When the swing levers 8 are in a vertical position, so that the monitor is in its operating or working position, the monitor can be rotated about a vertical axis 13a (FIG. 3). For such rotation, a bearing ring 13 is located on the upper side of the TV camera 1. A base plate 14 is rotatable with respect to the bearing ring 12. The pivot levers 8 and the rack segment 12 are secured to the plate 14. The plate 14 is formed with lateral guide grooves 16, one at each side and parallel to the upper edges of the housing of the camera. A link lever 17, one on each side of the monitor 2, is located in the respective guide grooves 16. The link levers 17 are pivoted on the pivot links 8. A locking lever 18 is located on the base plate 14, in the region or close to the guide grooves 16. The function of the interlock arrangements, including the levers 17 and 18, will be explained below.

FIG. 2 shows an axial section of the handles or knobs or levers 9 and 11, as well as the clamping and friction arrangement coupled thereto. The handle 9 can be used to eliminate friction formed by brake linings 20 against the gear 21 running on the rack segment 12. An engagement element 22 can be lifted by the handle 9 via a coupling 23 and inserted in a notch 24 formed in an end of the rack segment 12. This permits locking the monitor in working or operating condition, and thereby preventing possible shifting thereof.

The handle 11 permits clamping of the housing 25 of the monitor by brake linings 26 against the pivot levers 8. The handle 11, thus, permits clamping the housing 25 of the monitor in any selected tilted position. Changing tilt of the monitor 2 is schematically indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow 25a.

The swing lever 8 are securly connected to the bearing 8a. The ring 9a of the handle 9 is journalled axially and radially on the abutment 9b. The abutment 9b is securly screw-connected with the bearing 8a.

The central axis A is provided with an eccentrically located bolt 29 on the left side, which, upon rotation of the axis A releases the engagement element 22 of the pivot levers in the upper terminal position. The central axis A is interengagingly connected (square part 9c) with the cam disk 9d.

The ring 9a of the handle 9 is screw-connected with the cam disk 9d by screws 9e. Upon rotation of the handle 9, the engagement 22 is released and simultaneously the sleeve 23 is moved towards the left and thus the friction (clamping) of the gear 21 with the pivot element 8 is released and the monitor 2 can be moved vertically, since the gear 21 can roll off on the gear segment 12. The compression spring 30 as shown only removes axial play of the handle 9 with the cam disk 9d in quiescent position, so that these parts cannot rattle.

A return spring for the handle is hooked on the two pins 9f.

The cup spring 23a on the axially shiftable sleeve 23 provide the engagement pressure for the friction I. The engagement pressure can be adjusted with the nut 31.

The handle 11 is adjustable on the bearing 8a by a thread. A pressure disk 33, secured against rotation is pressed against the housing 25 thereby via a cup spring 32. A brake lining 26 is located on the inner and outer side of the housing 25 in order to increase friction. If the handle 11 is completely rotated towards the left (in direction of the end of the arrowed 1), the monitor housing (25) is securely pressed on the pivot lecvers 8 and tilting in vertical direction is no longer possible.

The interlock of the monitor housing 25 with the camera 1 is best seen by reference to FIG. 3 The illustration of FIG. 3 shows the position of the interlock elements when the monitor is in the rest position, that is, when the monitor would be folded back against the top surface 1a of the camera, that is, with its bottom surface parallel to the top surface 1a of the camera. Two Z-shaped or dog-legged interlock or safety levers 18 are provided, having rollers 27 attached thereto located at the intermediate offset of the levers 18--see FIG. 3. The rollers 27 fit into notches 28 of the outer surface of the bearing ring 13. When in this position, the end portions 18a of the levers are removed from the guide groove 16 and the links 17 can slide freely in the grooves 16 upon pivoting of the monitor 25 about the horizontal axis 7. Upon lowering or pivoting the monitor 2 downwardly, that is, moving the monitor 2 in vertical direction from the operating terminal position in the direction towards the rest terminal position, links 17 will slide in the groove 16 in the direction of the arrows a (FIG. 3). This sliding movement will, simultaneously, block movement of the levers 18 in the direction of the arrows b. Thus, rotary movement of the monitor about the vertical axis 13a is not possible already upon only slight movement of the monitor from its operating position towards the rest position.

Let it be assumed that the monitor 2 has been lifted, that is, pivoted to the operating position about axis 7. In this position, the monitor 2 can be readily rotated about the vertical axis 13a. Upon rotation of the monitor 2, which will cause rotation of the base plate 14 about the vertical axis 13a, rollers 27 will run out of the notches 28. Upon such movement, the levers 18 will be pivoted about vertical axes 18b, in the direction of the arrows b, which causes blocking of the grooves 16 and engagement of the offsets 18c of the levers 18 with the links 17, thus preventing lowering of the monitor about the axis 7 with the monitor rotated out of its position of alignment, as shown in FIG. 1.

Suitable springs, to maintain the levers 18 in the position shown in FIG. 3 have been omitted from the drawing for clarity; a small spiral spring, for example wrapped about a shaft concentric with the axes 18b would be sufficient; various other suitable arrangements may be used. Likewise, specific showing of transport threads in FIG. 2, to provide for axial movement of the respective elements, has been omitted since this is a matter of mere engineering design. The interlock arrangement formed by links 17 and levers 18 provides for reliable protection of projecting components, such as a tower block 5, from the top surface 1a of the TV camera 1. It is particularly arranged to prevent movement of a monitor or viewfinder 2 unless the monitor or viewfinder has been pivoted from a rest position flat against the top surface of the camera to an operating position. In addition, the viewfinder 2 is protected by the friction drives, built into the handle 9, and the knob 11 from dropping inadvertently from the operating or working position shown in FIG. 1 into the rest position, and thus jarring the camera 1. Engagement of the gear 21 with the rack segment 12, and frictional clamping of the gear by the brake lining 20, prevents any free dropping of the monitor 2 even if the interlock engagement 22, 24 has not reliably engaged.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the inventive concept.