Video tape recorder with a monitor-equipped built-in camera

Patent 5442453 Issued on August 15, 1995. Estimated Expiration Date:

July 22, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 095415 filed on 07/22/1993

US Classes:

386/118, Housing or mounting348/333.06, Movable or rotatable unit348/374, For internal camera components348/375, For specified accessory348/376, Portable or hand-held358/906HAND-HELD CAMERA WITH RECORDER IN A SINGLE UNIT

Examiners

Primary: Chin, Tommy P.
Assistant: Truong, Khoi

Foreign Patent References

0203783 EP. 05/13/1986
0444584 EP. 02/13/1991
3918279 DE. 06/13/1989
61-71572 JP. 04/13/1986
61-150474 JP. 07/13/1986
0150474 JP. 07/13/1986
63-27169 JP. 02/13/1988
63-65981 JP. 04/13/1988
1018375 JP. 01/13/1989
1106581 JP. 04/13/1989
1289379 JP. 11/13/1989
4137866 JP. 05/13/1992

International Class

H04N 005/225

Foreign Application Priority Data

1992-07-30 JP

Abstract

A VTR with a monitor-equipped built-in camera includes a monitor/VTR portion and a camera portion. The monitor/VTR portion is integrally formed of a VTR portion holding a removable tape cassette and a monitor portion including a liquid crystal display device. A rotary mechanism attaches the camera portion to the monitor/VTR portion in a relatively rotatable manner. The monitor/VTR portion also includes an invertor for inverting a displayed image on the monitor. In the above configuration, the rotary mechanism includes a flexible connecting member for electrically connecting plural rotatable parts. The connecting member includes a coiling portion and first and second connecting portions. The coiling portion has a vortex structure and is disposed in a central portion of the rotary mechanism. The first and second connecting portions are extracted, respectively, from a starting end and a terminal end of the coiling portion, and extend parallel to a coiling central axis of the coiling portion. The first and second portions rotate relative to one another. Furthermore, a cutout portion may be provided in at least one of the first and second connecting portions of the connecting member to reduce stress when the one of the first and second connecting portions is bent.