Patent ID: 7812882
Filing Date: 2010-10-12
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A camera, comprising: an image conducting unit configured to receive light waves reflected off an object and to conduct the light waves on to two or more image forming sensors, wherein the image conducting unit comprises a mirror assembly including two or more mirrors, each of the two or more mirrors operable to conduct at least a portion of the light waves to a unique one of two or more lenses of a lens assembly, the mirror assembly configured in an inverted pyramidal configuration; a shutter housing including a movable shutter housing cover and a shutter housing floor that, when disposed together in a closed position, completely enclose and protect the image conducting unit and the two or more lenses of the lens assembly and the two or more image forming sensors from damaging contact with objects distinct from the camera, wherein the shutter housing floor is connected to a bottom of the shutter housing and is configured to enclose the bottom of the shutter housing, and wherein the movable shutter housing cover, when disposed in the closed position, is connected to a top of the shutter housing and is configured to enclose the top of the shutter housing; a movable lens assembly floor coupled to a bottom of the image conducting unit with the two or more lenses of the lens assembly coupled to the lens assembly floor, each of the two or more lenses configured to conduct at least a portion of the light waves to a corresponding unique one of the two or more image forming sensors; a transparent secondary shutter housing within configured to surround the image conducting unit and the two or more lenses of the lens assembly and the two or more image forming sensors, the transparent secondary shutter housing configured to fit within the shutter housing including the movable shutter housing cover and the shutter housing floor when together in the closed position, and the transparent secondary shutter housing configured to conduct the received light waves to the image conducting unit and configured to protect the image conducting unit and the two or more lenses of the lens assembly and the two or more image forming sensors from damaging contact with the objects distinct from the camera when the shutter housing including the movable shutter housing cover and the shutter housing floor are positioned in an open position; and a positioning mechanism configured to position the image conducting unit via the movable lens assembly floor between the open position in which the image conducting unit is not occluded by the shutter housing from receiving light waves to the closed position in which the shutter housing occludes the image conducting unit from receiving light waves.