Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5115265?ie=ISO-8859-1
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Patent US5115265 - Photographic camera with pivotable cover parts - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA photographic camera comprises a camera body having a pair of opposite ends and respective front openings for a taking ends and a viewfinder situated between the opposite ends, and a pair of cover parts normally substantially encasing the camera body. According to the invention, the camera body and...http://www.google.com/patents/US5115265?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5115265 - Photographic camera with pivotable cover partsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5115265 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/637,853Publication dateMay 19, 1992Filing dateJan 7, 1991Priority dateJan 7, 1991Fee statusLapsedPublication number07637853, 637853, US 5115265 A, US 5115265A, US-A-5115265, US5115265 A, US5115265AInventorsSamuel F. SwayzeOriginal AssigneeEastman Kodak CompanyExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (8), Referenced by (7), Classifications (5), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPhotographic camera with pivotable cover parts
US 5115265 AAbstract
A photographic camera comprises a camera body having a pair of opposite ends and respective front openings for a taking ends and a viewfinder situated between the opposite ends, and a pair of cover parts normally substantially encasing the camera body. According to the invention, the camera body and the cover parts are connected for pivotal movement of the cover parts relative to the camera body to a convering or closed position encasing the camera body and to a fixed open position removed from the front openings to uncover the taking lens and the viewfinder and to form respective enclosed spaces between the opposite ends and the cover parts to allow one to manually grasp the cover parts at separate locations extended from the opposite ends.
1. A photographic camera comprising a camera body having a pair of opposite ends and respective front openings for a taking lens and a viewfinder situated between said opposite ends, and a pair of cover parts normally substantially encasing said camera body, is characterized in that:mounting means connects said camera body and said cover parts for individual movement of the cover parts relative to the camera body to a covering position encasing the camera body and to a fixed open position removed from said front openings to uncover said taking lens and said viewfinder and to form respective enclosed spaces between said opposite ends and the cover parts to allow one to manually grasp the cover parts at separate locations directly across from the opposite ends. 2. A photographic camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes respective means connecting said cover parts pivotally to said camera body at opposite locations substantially above and below said front openings.
3. A photographic camera as recited in claim 2, wherein said locations at which said cover parts are connected pivotally to said camera body are situated diagonally of each other when the cover parts are in their fixed open position.
4. A photographic camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes respective means connecting said cover parts pivotally to said camera body at opposite locations situated diagonally of each other when the cover parts are in their fixed position.
5. A photographic camera comprising a camera body having a pair of opposite ends and respective front openings for a taking lens and a viewfinder situated between said opposite ends, and a pair of cover parts normally substantially encasing said camera body, is characterized in that:said camera body has a convex-shaped top and bottom longitudinally extending between said opposite ends; and mounting means connects said camera body and said cover parts at respective locations along said convex-shaped top and bottom for pivotal movement of the Cover parts relative to the camera body to a covering position encasing the camera body and to a fixed open position removed from said front openings to uncover said taking lens and said viewfinder and to form respective enclosed spaces between said convex-shaped top and bottom, said opposite ends and the cover parts to allow one to manually grasp the cover parts at separate locations extended from the camera body. Description
The invention relates generally to the field of photography and in particular to cameras.
Cameras are fragile pieces of equipment needing protection when they are carried about.
It is usual nowadays for a camera to have a cover part that is slidable relative to a body part between a closed position covering a taking lens and a viewfinder and a non-covering or open position removed from in front of the taking lens and the viewfinder. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,546, issued Dec. 14, 1982 and No. 4,601,562, issued Jul. 22, 1986. Generally, the cover part is connected to the body part for translation in opposite directions perpendicular to the optical axes of the lens and finder.
Another approach is for a camera to have a pair of cover parts that are pivotable relative to the body part between the closed position and the non-covering or open position. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,985, issued Sept. 17, 1974. In this instance, the cover parts are connected to the body part for pivoting about parallel axes transverse to the optical axes of the taking lens and the viewfinder.
According to the invention, a photographic camera comprising a camera body having a pair of opposite ends and respective front openings for a taking lens and a viewfinder situated between the opposite ends, and a pair of cover parts normally substantially encasing the camera body, is characterized in that:
mounting means connects the camera body and the cover parts for individual movement of the cover parts relative to the camera body to a covering position encasing the camera body and to a fixed open position removed from the front openings to uncover the taking lens and the viewfinder and to form respective enclosed spaces between the opposite ends and the cover parts to allow one to manually grasp the cover parts at separate locations directly across from the opposite ends.
More specifically, the camera body has a convex-shaped top and bottom longitudinally extending between the opposite ends, and the mounting means connects the camera body and the cover parts at respective locations along the convex-shaped top and bottom for pivotal movement of the cover parts relative to the camera body to the covering position and to the fixed open position. In the fixed open position, the cover parts may be manually grasped at separate locations extended from the camera body.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a photographic camera with pivotable cover parts according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the photographic camera, shown with the cover parts in a closed or covering position; and
FIGS. 3 and 4 are front elevation views similar to FIG. 2, showing successive opening of the cover parts to an open or non-covering position.
The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a conventional 35 mm still-picture camera. Because the features of this type of camera are well known, the description which follows is directed in particular to elements forming part of or cooperating directly with the preferred embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that other elements not shown or described may take various forms known to persons of ordinary skill in the art.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, a 35 mm camera 1 is shown with twin cover parts 3 and 5.
The 35 mm camera 1 includes a camera body 6 having a convex-shaped top 7, a convex-shaped bottom 9, a pair of opposite ends 11 and 13, and respective front openings 15 and 17 for a taking lens 19 and a viewfinder 21.
First mounting means pivotally connecting the camera body 6 and the cover part 3 comprises a lug 23 projecting from the convex-shaped top 7 of the camera body, front and rear lobes 25 and 27 of the cover part, and a pivot Pin 29 coupling the two lobes and the lug. See FIGS. 1 and 2. Second mounting means pivotally connecting the camera body 6 and the cover part 5 comprises a lug 31 depending from the convex-shaped bottom 9 of the camera body, front and rear lobes 33 and 35 of the cover part, and a pivot pin 37 coupling the two lobes and the lug. As shown in FIG. 4, the first and second mounting means are disposed at respective locations diagonally of each other, substantially above and below the front openings 15 and 17 for the taking lens 19 and the viewfinder 21.
FIG. 2 shows the cover parts 3 and 5 in a normal closed or covering position substantially encasing the camera body 6.
Respective integral front handles 39 and 41 of the cover parts 3 and 5 allow one to readily grasp the covers parts to pivot them away from each other in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 to an open or non-covering position removed from the front openings 15 and 17 for the taking lens 19 and the viewfinder 21. Stop means comprising a pair of pins 43 and 45 that extend from the camera body 1 into respective elongate cavities 47 and 49 formed at the inside of the cover parts 3 and 5 operate to limit opening movement of the cover parts from the closed position to the open position. In the open position, respective enclosed spaces 51 and 53 are formed between the cover parts 3 and 5 and the opposite ends 11 and 13 of the camera body 1 to allow one to manually grasp the cover parts at separate locations extended from, i.e. directly across from, the opposite ends.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be effected within the ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cover parts 3 and 5 in their closed Position need not cover the camera body 1 in its entirety.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3380366 *Sep 2, 1965Apr 30, 1968Eastman Kodak CoCamera with a retractable hand gripUS3836985 *May 29, 1973Sep 17, 1974Balda Werke PhotographischeMiniature camera with front wall coverUS4075642 *Aug 8, 1975Feb 21, 1978Fritz NiggelohPhotographic implementUS4363546 *Sep 8, 1981Dec 14, 1982Olympus Optical Company Ltd.Apparatus for establishing routine shot distance of taking lens in camerasUS4451130 *Jun 4, 1982May 29, 1984W. Haking Enterprises LimitedDisc camera with handle grip coverUS4493542 *Aug 22, 1983Jan 15, 1985Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Photographic camera with handle gripUS4601562 *Nov 29, 1984Jul 22, 1986Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.CameraUS4980708 *Jan 16, 1990Dec 25, 1990Eastman Kodak CompanyPhotographic camera with handgrip* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5270761 *Jun 9, 1992Dec 14, 1993Eastman Kodak CompanyCamera assemblyUS5436686 *Jan 28, 1994Jul 25, 1995Eastman Kodak CompanyCompact camera with cover for handleUS5907721 *May 5, 1998May 25, 1999Eastman Kodak CompanyProtective housing for cameraUS7034884 *Mar 9, 2001Apr 25, 2006Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Image capturing apparatus with a lens barrier that is a portion of a body of the image capturing apparatusUS7633548 *Nov 16, 2005Dec 15, 2009Fujifilm CorporationImage capturing apparatus with a lens barrier that is a portion of a body of the image capturing apparatusUS8323929Apr 7, 2009Dec 4, 2012Becton, Dickinson And CompanyMethods for detecting nucleic acid sequence variationsUS20010020980 *Mar 9, 2001Sep 13, 2001Atsushi MisawaImage capturing apparatus with lens cover* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification396/424, 396/535International ClassificationG03B17/04Cooperative ClassificationG03B17/04European ClassificationG03B17/04Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 7, 1991ASAssignmentOwner name: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER, NY A CORP. OF NJFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SWAYZE, SAMUEL F.;REEL/FRAME:005571/0199Effective date: 19910102Sep 11, 1995FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Dec 14, 1999REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedMay 21, 2000LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesAug 1, 2000FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20000519RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services