Patent Publication Number: US-2018046064-A1

Title: Light diffuser and screen protector

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates to photographic light diffusers. Particularly, the present invention relates to a photographic light diffuser that can also be used to protect a camera display screen. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Most digital cameras include a display screen that is configured to display photos that are stored on the camera&#39;s memory card and also to display technical information about the camera and memory card, including shutter speed, f-stop, the amount of memory left, and other features. The display screen is usually a transparent material such as glass or rigid plastic resin that is vulnerable to breakage and to being scratched, particularly during transportation of the camera. For example, if a photographer carries the camera in a large bag with other equipment, such other equipment may scratch or crack the display screen. Display covers for camera display screens are generally known. However, such display covers often “snap to” a periphery of the display screen by a simple latch system on the display cover than engages a portion of the periphery of the screen. Because the coupling attachment of the display cover to the display screen may be relatively weak, such display covers can be accidently detached from the display screen during transport of the camera upon contact with accompanying equipment. 
     Additionally, many cameras also include both a built-in flash that is permanently secured to the camera body as well as a so-called “hotshoe assembly” configured to accommodate an external flash, usually being significantly larger than the built-in flash. The hotshoe assembly is typically a metal bracket located on top of a camera that contains electrical contacts for electrically connecting an external device to the camera. 
     Light produced by camera flashes may, in some situations, be too bright or direct, causing the subjects of the photograph to appear less natural or discolored. Accordingly, diffuse lighting accessories are commonly used to provide soft lighting effects in photographs. To achieve a diffuse lighting effect, light can be either directly or indirectly passed through a semi-transparent material, or it may be reflected off a material which will cause it to scatter somewhat. Such diffuse lighting is commonly produced by light sources which are remote from the camera. Typically, such light diffusers are provided by stationary screens, umbrellas, soft boxes, and the like. Such devices provide excellent lighting effects in fixed studio settings where there is no need to transport the lighting equipment including the diffusers from place to place. 
     Each particular shot to be lighted dictates the type and intensity of light needed to properly illuminate the subject. In some situations direct light from a light source without any alteration may be required. In other situations direct lighting may be too strong or cast overly distinct shadows, in which case a more diffuse light is desirable. In still other cases, an even more indirect diffuse light may be needed to create the proper lighting effect. It is important to have a certain amount of uniformity in the lighting used to illuminate the subject. This uniformity may be achieved using typical stationary diffusers provided that the equipment is of good quality and is employed in the proper fashion. 
     While the lighting equipment described above provides good lighting effects in a fixed studio setting, it can be inconvenient if not impossible to use such stationary lighting accessories outside of the photography studio. For shoots which require the photographer to be mobile, especially shoots where the photographer must capture action shots or cannot otherwise pose his subject, a small portable diffuser may be used which attaches directly to the camera itself. Such a light diffuser may be placed directly over a built-in camera to provide a semi-transparent barrier to clear light transmission. Known diffusers exist which are small and portable with the camera and flash itself, and these diffusers are used by photographers in shoots where it is impractical to employ fixed lighting equipment. However, known portable diffusers for use with on-camera flashes are less than ideal in terms of the quality of lighting produced. These diffusers tend to create hotspots and may also leave noticeable, undesirable shadows. 
     SUMMARY 
     A diffuser for a camera, the diffuser including a base configured to be accommodated on a hotshoe assembly of the camera; a body configured to cover a display screen of the camera and also configured to act as a light diffuser; and a bridge being directly coupled to and extending between the base and the body; wherein the diffuser can be oriented in a first orientation in the hotshoe assembly such that the body extends away from the camera to act as a light diffuser or in a second orientation in the hotshoe assembly such that the body covers a display screen of the camera. 
     In one embodiment, the body has a first surface that is planar and a second opposing surface that has at least one protrusion thereon, and further, in the second orientation the first surface of the body is configured to directly contact the display screen of the camera. Further, in one embodiment, the body is configured to entirely cover the display screen. 
     In one embodiment, the base includes a first plate, a second plate, and a block between the first and second plates, wherein a width of the first and second plates is greater than a width of the block. Outer longitudinal edges of the first and second plates may define first and second flanges, respectively. Further, the first and second flanges and a portion of the block define a channel being configured to accommodate the hotshoe assembly. 
     In one embodiment, the bridge is coupled to one longitudinal end of the base. Additionally, a longitudinal axis of the base may extend in a first direction and a longitudinal axis of the body and the bridge may extend in a second direction substantially perpendicularly to the first direction. As such, the diffuser may form an L-shape in cross-section. 
     In one embodiment, the bridge has a notch configured to accommodate a protrusion on the camera body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the diffuser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the diffuser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the diffuser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the diffuser of  FIG. 1  coupled to a camera in a first orientation in which the diffuser acts as a light diffuser. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the diffuser of  FIG. 1  coupled to a camera in a second orientation in which the diffuser acts a screen cover. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the diffuser and also illustrates how the diffuser of  FIG. 1  can be accommodated onto a camera hotshoe assembly in the second orientation. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of another embodiment of a diffuser according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention, as shown with respect to  FIGS. 1-6 , are generally directed to a portable light diffuser  10  that can also be used as a display screen cover. In other words, the light diffuser  10  can be moved between a first orientation in which the light diffuser can be mounted in front of or proximate to a flash to act as a light diffuser and a second orientation in which the light diffuser can be securely mounted to the camera to cover a display screen on a camera. 
     As will be described with reference to the drawings in more detail below, the light diffuser  10  is configured to be securely mounted to a hotshoe assembly  62  located on top of a camera  60  ( FIG. 7 ). As noted above, the hotshoe assembly  62  typically includes a metal bracket that contains electrical contacts to electrically connect an external flash to the camera. Usually, the metal bracket includes two opposing side walls  64  that extend away from the camera body to define an exterior portion of the hotshoe assembly, wherein a top portion  66  of each of the side walls is bent substantially perpendicularly from the rest of the side wall to extend towards the opposing sidewall. The side walls  64  configured in this orientation allow accommodation of a base of an external flash therein so that the external flash can be securely mounted to the camera and used therewith. As described in more detail below, the diffuser  10  is configured to be accommodated by this side wall configuration. 
     In one embodiment, the diffuser  10  comprises a material such as resin plastic from which the diffuser can be molded. The material may be rigid enough to be securely coupled to the hotshoe assembly  62 , but flexible enough so as to bend rather than snap into two pieces upon impact. Further, the material may be entirely transparent or partially transparent, or even mostly opaque if desired. Specifically, the diffuser  10  may comprise a translucent milky-white resin plastic, but is not limited thereto. As will be appreciated, the diffuser  10  is relatively simple to manufacture by being molded from a single mold to produce a single integral component. However, the diffuser  10  could also be made modularly as separate pieces and then connected together. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the diffuser  10  includes a base  20  configured to be directly coupled to a camera  60 , a body  40  configured to act as a light diffuser or a display screen cover depending on the orientation of the diffuser  10 , and a bridge  30  located between the base  20  and the body  40  to thereby connect the base and the body together. 
     In one embodiment, the base  20  is configured to be slidingly couplable to the hotshoe assembly  62  of the camera  60 . Particularly, the base  20  may be configured to be slidingly coupled to the hotshoe assembly such that the diffuser  10  can be coupled to the hotshoe assembly  62  facing in a first direction (i.e., facing forwards) or in a second direction (i.e., facing backwards). Further, the base  20  may be configured to be coupled to the hotshoe assembly  62  such that the body  40  extends upward or downward from the hotshoe assembly  62 . 
     Accordingly, the base  20  comprises a substantially planar first plate  22  directly coupled to the bridge  30 . In one embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , the base  20  is coupled to the bridge  30  at or near one longitudinal end of the bridge such that the diffuser is substantially L-shaped. However, it will be appreciated that the bridge  30  may also be located closer to a center of the base  20  if desired. Further, the first plate  22  is couplable to the bridge  30  such that an angle between the bridge  30  and the first plate  22  is substantially  90  degrees. However, an angle between the bridge  30  and the base  20  is not limited to  90  degrees, but rather can be any angle that allows the base  20  to be coupled to the hotshoe assembly  62  while allowing the body  40  to act in its desired role as a light diffuser or a screen cover. 
     In one embodiment, a width of the first plate  22  is greater than a width of the bridge  30  such that opposing peripheral longitudinal edges of the first plate  22  form a first flange  24  extending along an entire length of both sides of the base  20 . As will be appreciated, the first flange  24  acts in cooperation with other portions of the base to secure the diffuser  10  within the hotshoe assembly as will be described in more detail below. 
     A block  26  is coupled to the first plate  22  and extends in a direction away from the bridge  30 . The block  26  is located between and directly contacts the first plate  22  and a second plate  28  located on an opposite side of the block  26 . As shown, for example, in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , a width of the second plate  28  is greater than a width of the bridge  30  such that opposing peripheral longitudinal edges of the second plate  28  form a second flange  32  extending along an entire length along both sides of the base  20 . 
     Accordingly, the first flange  24  and the second flange  32  along with a peripheral surface  34  of the block extending between the flanges define opposing channels  36  running along a longitudinal axis of the base  20 . The channels  36  are each configured to accommodate a respective bent upper portion  66  of one of the side walls  64  of the hotshoe assembly  62 . 
     While a particular length of the base  20  is not critical, in one embodiment, the length of the base  20  should be long enough such that when the diffuser  10  is used in a second orientation as a screen protector (described below), the base  20  can be securely accommodated onto the side walls  64  of the hotshoe assembly  62  when the body  40  covers the display screen  68 . In other words, the base  20  is long enough such that when the body  40  of the diffuser  10  covers the display screen  68  of the camera  60 , the base  20  extends a sufficient distance into the hotshoe assembly  62  to secure the diffuser to the camera while allowing the body  40  to remain flat against the display screen. In one embodiment, a length of the base  20  is substantially equal to a length of the hotshoe assembly  62 . 
     The bridge  30  is coupled between the base  20  and the body  40  of the diffuser  10 . Particularly, one longitudinal end of the bridge  30  is coupled to the first plate  22  of the base  20  and the other longitudinal end of the bridge  30  is coupled to a peripheral edge of the body  40 . As can be seen particularly in  FIG. 2 , a width of the bridge  30  is less than a width of the flanges  24 ,  32  of the base  20  as well as less than a width of the body  40 . 
     In one embodiment, with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the bridge  30  may have a structure to accommodate certain camera features and thereby be able to lie flat against a surface of the camera without interference from such features. For example, in one embodiment, the bridge  30  may include at least one notch  38  that is sized so as to prevent interference with a rotary button located adjacent the viewfinder and protruding from the camera body. It will be appreciated that the notch  38  could be omitted from the bridge  30  or that the bridge  30  may include more than one notch to accommodate particular camera features also protruding from the camera body. 
     In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the bridge  130  may be have parallel sides and may, for example, have a width thin enough to prevent interference with any camera body protrusions. Additionally, the bridge  130  may include a finger grip  132  which is a side wall that protrudes outwardly from the bridge away from the camera body. The finger grip  132  is dimensioned to allow a user to grasp the grip to allow easier removal of the diffuser from the hotshoe assembly  60 . As shown, a pair of finger grips  132  having an arc-shape are provided in lateral sides of the bridge  130 . However, it will be appreciated that a single grip (or more than two) may also be provided and that the grip may be centrally located on the bridge. 
     The body  40  of the diffuser  10  extends away from the bridge  30  and the base  20 . As shown in the figures, the body  40  is substantially rectangular and is configured such that it can act as both a light diffuser and as a screen cover. In one embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the body  40  has at least one substantially planar surface  42  that is configured to be adjacent to and contact the display screen when the diffuser  10  is in the second orientation. Accordingly, the body  40  can cover the display screen  68  to thereby protect the screen. In one embodiment, the body  40  can be dimensioned such that edges of the body  40  substantially correspond to edges of the display screen. Accordingly, the body  40  can completely cover the display screen  68  without any of the screen being exposed. 
     In one embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , one surface  44  of the body  40 , for example, the surface opposite to the planar surface, may include one or more protrusions  46  thereon. As will be appreciated, the non-perpendicular angles created by the at least one protrusion  46  serve to further redirect and diffuse light generated by the flash to create an even softer appearance of light on a photograph. In one embodiment, the surface  44  of the body  40  includes a plurality of circular protrusions  46  spread substantially evenly throughout the surface  44 . However, the number, shape, size, and location of the protrusions  46  is not limited to those described herein. 
     Further, in one embodiment as shown in  FIG. 8 , a body  140  may have a peripheral edge  148  that is thicker than a remainder of the body such that the peripheral edge covers side edges of the screen as well as the planar face of the screen. In one embodiment, a thickness of the peripheral edge  148  is about 1.5 to 10 times thicker than a thickness of the remainder of the body  140 . Accordingly, the body  140  can even more effectively surround a screen that protrudes from the camera body and can also prevent the body  140  from being dislodged with respect to the screen due to the surrounding edges of the body abutting the screen. 
     The use of the diffuser  10  will now be described primarily with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . As will be appreciated, the diffuser is couplable to a camera in at least one of two orientations, a first orientation ( FIG. 5 ) in which the diffuser is used to diffuse light from a camera flash (“diffuser use”), and a second orientation ( FIG. 6 ) in which the diffuser is used as a screen cover and protector “screen cover use”. 
       FIG. 5  shows the diffuser  10  coupled to the hotshoe assembly  62  of the camera  60  in the first orientation. Particularly, in the first orientation the diffuser  10  can be slid, with the body  40  extending in a direction away from the camera  60 , onto the hotshoe assembly  62  such that the top portion  66  of the side walls  64  is accommodated in the opposing channels  36  of the base  20  of the diffuser  10 . Because the first and second flanges  24 ,  32  are relatively rigid, the base  20  of the diffuser  10  can thereby be secured to the hotshoe assembly  62  while the body  40  can be placed adjacent to or in front of the camera flash to diffuse light generated by the flash. Further, because the diffuser  10  is not directly coupled to the built-in camera flash, the built-in flash can be folded and stored as intended when it is not being used, even with the diffuser  10  attached to the camera  60 . 
     As will be appreciated, the built-in flash on some cameras is located on an end of a rotatable frame such that light from the flash is generally directed in the direction in which the flash is facing. For example, when the flash extends upward from the body at a 45 degree angle, light is directed away at a 45 degree angle as well. For these types of cameras, the diffuser  10  may be placed in front of the flash such that the flash rests against the diffuser and such that light from the flash can be directed upward off the ceiling when resting against the diffuser. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 6 , the diffuser  10  can be oriented in the second orientation such that when it is slid onto the hotshoe assembly, the body  40  of the diffuser extends downward onto the camera  60 , and particularly, wherein the body  40  covers the display screen of the camera. In one embodiment, the planar surface  42  of the body  40  directly contacts the screen to thereby cover and protect it. Because the diffuser  10  is anchored to the hotshoe assembly  62 , it is difficult to separate the diffuser from the camera (other than by deliberately sliding it out), thereby ensuring protection for the display screen. Particularly, it would be difficult for a piece of equipment being jostled around in an equipment bag to dislodge the diffuser  10  when it is covering the display screen  68 . 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the drawings.