Waterproof protective housing for camera

A waterproof protective housing for a camera comprising an elastic pouch which is shaped and dimensioned to enclose the camera and has an opening for a taking lens of the camera, is characterized in that a pair of rigid outer and inner clamping parts are secured together parallel to one another to squeeze the elastic pouch between them at the opening to provide a watertight seal around the opening, and at least one of the outer and inner clamping parts is transparent and covers the opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in 
particular to a waterproof protective housing for a camera. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is known for a waterproof protective housing to be in the form of an 
elastic pouch which is shaped and dimensioned to enclose a camera. The 
pouch is transparent or it includes a fixed window within an opening for a 
taking lens of the camera. When the pouch includes a window, a watertight 
seal must be provided between the window and the opening. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Generally speaking, a waterproof protective housing for a camera comprising 
an elastic pouch which is shaped and dimensioned to enclose the camera and 
has an opening for a taking lens of the camera, is characterized in that: 
a pair of rigid outer and inner clamping parts are secured together 
parallel to one another to squeeze the elastic pouch between them at the 
opening to provide a watertight seal around the opening, and at least one 
of the outer and inner clamping parts is transparent and covers the 
opening. 
In a preferred embodiment, a waterproof protective housing for a camera 
comprising an elastic pouch which is shaped and dimensioned to enclose the 
camera and has an opening for a taking lens of the camera, is 
characterized in that: 
a pair of transparent rigid outer and inner lens covers are secured 
together parallel to one another to squeeze the elastic pouch between them 
at the opening to provide a watertight seal around the opening. 
In an alternative embodiment, a waterproof protective housing for a camera 
comprising an elastic pouch which is shaped and dimensioned to enclose the 
camera and has an opening for a taking lens of the camera, is 
characterized in that: 
a transparent rigid outer lens cover and a rigid inner frame are secured 
together parallel to one another to squeeze the elastic pouch between them 
at the opening to provide a watertight seal around the opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a waterproof 
protective housing for a camera. Because the features of a waterproof 
protective housing for a camera are generally known, the description which 
follows is directed in particular only to those elements forming part of 
or cooperating directly with the disclosed embodiment. It is to be 
understood, however, that other elements may take various forms known to a 
person of ordinary skill in the art. 
Preferred Embodiment FIGS. 1-3 
Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 show a preferred version of a 
waterproof protective housing 10 for a camera 12. 
The camera 12 is a known type that includes a manually depressible shutter 
release button 14, a taking lens 16, a flash emission lens 18, and a pair 
of optically aligned front and rear viewfinder lenses 20 and 22. See FIGS. 
1 and 2. 
A rectangular shaped pouch or bag 24 of the protective housing 10 is 
constructed of known neoprene rubber to be elastic, waterproof and shock 
absorbing. The pouch 24 has respective openings 26, 28 and 30 in a front 
wall 32 of the pouch for the taking lens 16, the front viewfinder lens 20 
and the flash emission lens 18 and a single opening 34 in a rear wall 36 
of the pouch for the rear viewfinder lens 22. A circle 38 is printed on a 
top wall 40 of the pouch 24 over the shutter release button 14 to provide 
a visible indication of the spot on the pouch to be manually depressed to 
in turn similarly depress the shutter release button. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the rear wall 36 of the pouch 24 has an ingress/egress 
slit 42 through which the camera 12 is inserted into the pouch and can be 
removed from the pouch. A pair of overlapping outer and inner longitudinal 
edge portions 44 and 46 of the rear wall 36 include a known adhesion 
substance for releasably holding the edge portions together to close the 
slit 42 and make it watertight. 
The openings 28 and 30 in the front wall 32 of the pouch 24 for the flash 
emission lens 18 and the front viewfinder lens 20 and the opening 34 in 
the rear wall 36 of the pouch for the rear viewfinder lens 22 have 
respective fixed windows 48, 50 and 52 which are constructed of known 
vinyl plastic to be flexible. 
As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of transparent outer and inner lens covers 54 
and 56 are constructed of known acrylic plastic to be rigid. The outer 
lens cover 54 has two identical threaded holes 58 and 60 that project from 
a rear face 62 of the outer lens cover only partway towards a front face 
64 of the outer lens cover. The inner lens cover 56 has similar threaded 
holes 66 and 68 that project from a rear face 70 of the inner lens cover 
to a front face 72 of the inner lens cover. Respective screw fasteners 74 
and 76 extend through the threaded holes 58, 66 and 60, 68 to secure the 
outer and inner lens covers 54 and 56 together parallel to one another to 
squeeze the pouch 24 between them at the opening 26 in the front wall 32 
of the pouch for the taking lens 16, in order to provide a watertight seal 
around the opening. Squeezing the pouch 24 as illustrated in FIG. 3 
provides an excellent seal. 
Alternative Embodiment FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 
The only difference between FIGS. 3 and 4 is that in FIG. 4, in place of 
the inner lens cover 56, there is provided an opaque frame or ring 78 
having a center opening 80 optically aligned with the taking lens 16. 
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. 
However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be 
effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from 
the scope of the invention. 
TS LIST 
10. waterproof protective housing 
12. camera 
14. shutter release button 
16. taking lens 
18. flash emission lens 
20. front viewfinder lens 
22. rear viewfinder lens 
24. pouch 
26. opening 
28. opening 
30. opening 
32. front wall 
34. opening 
36. rear wall 
38. circle 
40. top wall 
42. ingress/egress slit 
44. longitudinal edge portion 
46. longitudinal edge portion 
48. fixed window 
50. fixed window 
52. fixed window 
54. outer lens cover 
56. inner lens cover 
58. threaded hole 
60. threaded hole 
62. rear face 
64. front face 
66. threaded hole 
68. threaded hole 
70. rear face 
72. front face 
74. screw fastener 
76. screw fastener 
78. frame 
80. center opening