Abstract:
An adapter configured to be coupled to a light diffuser, the adapter including a base comprising a bottom wall having an opening and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom wall in a first direction, wherein the base is configured to accommodate a light diffuser; and a coupling portion extending from the base, the coupling portion having a protrusion extending therefrom in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the protrusion configured to couple the adapter to a light source assembly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an adapter for a light diffuser. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Light diffusing accessories are used in photography and videography to provide light-altering effects, such as softened lighting or colored lighting in photographs or videos. Often, such light diffusion or alteration is provided by stationary screens, umbrellas, soft boxes, and the like. While such devices provide sufficient lighting effects in fixed studio settings where the burden of transporting the lighting equipment from place to place is minimal, such lighting equipment is often large and cumbersome and therefore not easy to transport from place to place for photographers who travel with their equipment. 
         [0003]    To relieve the burden of packing and transporting large light-altering equipment to various sites, portable light diffusers which can be mounted directly to a camera flash are sometimes used. Portable light diffusers are significantly smaller than most large studio lighting equipment, yet can provide substantially the same effects. However, when a light source other than a standard camera flash is used, the light source assembly may not be configured to accommodate a portable light diffuser because such light sources are typically used with light diffusers that are not attached to the light source assembly. As such, there is a desire to be able to securely and effectively couple a light diffuser or other light-altering device to such a light source assembly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an adapter configured to accommodate a light diffuser and be coupled to light source assembly, particularly a light source assembly that is not typically directly coupled to a camera. Particularly, the adapter may be used to accommodate a light diffuser onto a studio light source assembly, wherein such studio light source assembly may use incandescent bulbs, LED bulbs, or other bulbs that can be easily replaced or switched out from the light source assembly. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, an adapter includes a base comprising a bottom wall having an opening and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom wall in a first direction, wherein the base is configured to accommodate a light diffuser; and a coupling portion extending from the base, the coupling portion having a protrusion extending therefrom in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the protrusion configured to couple the adapter to a light source assembly. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the base further comprises an arm extending in the second direction and configured to contact the light source assembly. The arm may have a concave surface configured to contact the light source assembly. Further, the arm may extend from a periphery of the opening of the base. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the base is substantially rectangular and at least one of the side walls may have a notch thereon. Further, in one embodiment, the adapter is configured to be coupled to the light source assembly by an interference fit and the adapter is configured to be coupled to the light source assembly while a light source is in the light source assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an adapter of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the adapter of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the adapter of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  accommodating a light source. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the adapter of  FIG. 1  accommodating a light source and coupled to a light source assembly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a lower side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the adapter of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In general, embodiments of the present invention provide an adapter configured to accommodate a light source therein and configured to be used in combination with a light diffuser, for example, a photographic or videographic light diffuser. The adapter allows a user to mount a diffuser onto a preexisting light source assembly which typically includes a light source and a support structure for the light source. Particularly, the adapter may be used where the light source assembly is not a standard camera flash attached to a camera, but rather a light source assembly that is typically used for studio lighting, i.e., a light source that is separate from or spaced by a significant distance from the camera. The adapter allows the diffuser to be securely mounted onto the light source assembly without any additional tools or equipment and is sized to be easily portable and lightweight for convenience. 
         [0016]    With reference now to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the adapter  10  generally includes a base  20  configured to accommodate a light diffuser  66  and a coupling portion  30  configured to couple the adapter to a light source assembly  60  ( FIG. 5 ). 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the adapter  10  is formed from plastics using an injection molding process. However, the adapter  10  may also be made from other molding and non-molding plastic forming processes, as well as from other relatively rigid materials, such as metal. Further, in one embodiment, the adapter  10  may be integral as a single piece, but in other embodiments, the adapter may be made in separate pieces that are coupled together. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the adapter  10  is configured to accommodate a photographic light diffuser  66  such as the portable light diffuser described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,719, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. By being configured to be used with a portable light diffuser, the adapter allows heavier and more cumbersome equipment, such as large umbrellas, to be eliminated or minimized. Although the adapter  10  is configured to be used with the exemplary portable light diffuser  66  as described in more detail below, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to be used with the described light diffuser, but rather can be used with various different diffusers or other light-altering components. 
         [0019]    The base  20  of the adapter  10  includes a bottom wall  22  and a plurality of side walls  24  extending from an edge of the bottom wall. In one embodiment, the base  20  is substantially rectangular in order to accommodate a light diffuser with a rectangular base. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the base  20  may have generally rounded corners to match rounded corners of the light diffuser base. However, it will be appreciated that a shape of the base  20  is not limited to being rectangular, but rather, can be provided in any appropriate shape to accommodate various diffusers depending on the shape of the diffuser base. 
         [0020]    The base  20  is generally configured to have dimensions to accommodate a light diffuser base such that the diffuser can be supported and held thereon by an interference fit. Further, the base  20  may be dimensioned such that the base does not substantially interfere with a light source  62  already located on a light source assembly  60 , as described in more detail below. Specifically, in one embodiment, the base  20  has a length from about 1.5 inches to about 5 inches, a width from about 1 inch to about 2.5 inches and a height of between about 0.5 inch and 2 inches, but it will be appreciated that the dimensions of the base  20  are not limited thereto. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the bottom wall  22  has an opening  26  that is configured to be aligned with and expose a light source electrical socket  62  on the light source assembly  60 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when the adapter  10  is coupled to the light source assembly  60 . Further, in one embodiment, the opening  26  is dimensioned to allow the adapter  10  to be inserted over a light source that is already electrically coupled to the socket  62  such that the light source does not have to be removed in order to accommodate the adapter. In one embodiment, the opening may have a diameter that is slightly less than a width of the base  20 . Specifically, the diameter may be between about 1 inch and 2.5 inches, but is not limited thereto. 
         [0022]    The coupling portion  30  extends from a side edge of the base  20  and is configured to couple the adapter  10  to the light source assembly  60  and support the adapter when the adapter is coupled to the light source assembly. In one embodiment, the coupling portion  30  includes a coupling arm  32  extending from the base  20  and a protrusion  38  extending from the coupling arm and configured to engage the light source assembly  60 . 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the coupling arm  32  has a proximate portion  34  contacting the base and a distal portion  36  distal to the base  20  from the proximate portion. Further, in one embodiment, the proximate portion has a gradually increasing thickness in a direction away from the base  20  and towards the distal portion  36  to support the coupling portion  30 . Additionally, in one embodiment, the distal portion  36  is generally planar and has a substantially constant thickness. 
         [0024]    The protrusion  38  extends from a surface of the distal portion in a direction opposite to a direction in which the base  20  extends from the coupling portion  36 . The protrusion  38  serves to couple the adapter  10  to the light source assembly  60 . Particularly, in one embodiment the protrusion  38  is a cylindrical rod configured to fit into an opening in the light source assembly  60  that typically accommodates a photographic umbrella base. The protrusion  38  can be coupled to the light source assembly  60  by an interference fit or by other coupling mechanisms as available or desired. In one embodiment, the protrusion  38  may have a diameter of between about 0.125 inches and about 1 inch and a length of between about 1 inch and 6 inches. However, as will be appreciated, the present invention is not limited to the specific dimensions listed herein. 
         [0025]    With reference particularly to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in use, the protrusion  38  is inserted into an opening in the light source assembly  60  to couple the adapter  10  to the light source assembly. Simultaneously, the base  20  can be oriented such that the opening  26  in the base exposes an electrical socket  62  for a light source  64  of the light source assembly. The light source can be any light source that can be accommodated into the light source assembly, for example, a flash bulb, an LED bulb, an incandescent bulb, or any other suitable light source. As noted above, the opening  26  in the base  20  can be sized larger than the socket  62  such that the adapter  10  can slide over a light source already coupled to the socket. Once the adapter is coupled to the light source assembly  60  and oriented such that the light source  64  extends through the opening  26  in the base  20 , the diffuser  66  can be coupled by an interference fit to the base  20  of the adapter  10 . Of course, it will be appreciated that the diffuser  66  could also be coupled to the base  20  before the adapter  10  is coupled to the light source assembly  60 . 
         [0026]    With reference now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , another embodiment of an adapter  70  is shown. Because some of the aspects of the adapter  70  are similar to the embodiments of the adapter  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , only the main differences will be discussed in detail. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a base  72  of the adapter  70  includes a pair of arms  74  extending from a portion of a periphery of an opening  76  of the base. The arms  74  are configured to extend around a portion of the light source assembly  60  to provide additional support to the base  72 , and particularly to prevent the base from moving or wobbling with respect to the light source assembly  60 . As shown, the arms  74  extend in the same direction as the protrusion  38  and have a concave surface which allows for greater surface area contact against a circular light source assembly  60 . As will be appreciated, however, the arms  74  can also be other configurations, such as planar, depending on the shape of the light source assembly. In one embodiment, a height of the arms  74  is substantially equal to a height of the protrusion  38 , but the height of the arms is not limited thereto. Additionally, in one embodiment, the arms  74  are integral as a single piece with the base  72 , but it will be appreciated that the arms could be made separately and attached to the base. 
         [0028]    With continued reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , at least one side wall  78  of the base  72  has a notch  80  thereon to provide additional support and resistance against bending or deformation. In one embodiment, the notch  80  is located on an upper edge of the side wall  78  and is semi-circular, but the location and shape of the notch are not limited thereto. Additionally, each side wall  78  of the base  72  could include the notch  80 . 
         [0029]    Although the adapter according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concept herein described, which may appear to those skilled in the art, will still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.