Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7253840?dq=645576
Timestamp: 2014-12-28 02:18:17
Document Index: 433435278

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n11', 'art.\n13', 'art.\n14', 'art 32', 'art 36', 'art 32', 'art 36', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 36', 'art 36']

Patent US7253840 - Cradle for digital camera - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsFree setting of the angle or direction of a camera is available while the camera is being inserted into a cradle. A cradle for a digital camera is provided, which is capable of confirming a display screen of the camera, changing the recording medium or battery, or mounting or demounting a communication...http://www.google.com/patents/US7253840?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7253840 - Cradle for digital cameraAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7253840 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/166,366Publication dateAug 7, 2007Filing dateJun 11, 2002Priority dateJun 11, 2001Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7719613, US20020186317, US20060268162Publication number10166366, 166366, US 7253840 B2, US 7253840B2, US-B2-7253840, US7253840 B2, US7253840B2InventorsYasunobu KayanumaOriginal AssigneeFujifilm CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (8), Referenced by (4), Classifications (13), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetCradle for digital cameraUS 7253840 B2Abstract Free setting of the angle or direction of a camera is available while the camera is being inserted into a cradle. A cradle for a digital camera is provided, which is capable of confirming a display screen of the camera, changing the recording medium or battery, or mounting or demounting a communication cable or the like while the camera is being mounted on the cradle without deteriorating the camera holding. The cradle has a structure such that a tripod screw hole is formed on the bottom surface of the cradle, thereby capable of fixing the cradle to a tripod while the digital camera is being inserted into the cradle. By making the height of rubber pads equal or higher than that of a tripod base, the cradle can be stably placed on a desk or the like. The cradle also has a structure that, among the walls holding the camera, a part of the walls that cover a liquid-crystal monitor of the camera, a media slot for a memory card, a terminal part including a power supply terminal or USB terminal is constituted by movable walls. The movable walls can be used as a simple tripod by employing a free stop structure or click stop structure.
a tripod screw hole into which a fixing male screw used in a tripod for a camera is capable of being screwed;
a wall part including a rear wall portion and left and right side wall portions,
wherein each of the left and right side wall portions includes an upper edge section adjacent to the rear wall portion having a height substantially equal to a height of the rear wall portion,
the upper edge section on one of the left and right side wall portions extending further forward than on the other of the left and right side wall portions,
the other of the left and right side wall portions including a vertical edge section extending vertically downward from a forward end of the upper edge section, and a lower edge section extending substantially in a forward direction toward a front of the cradle from a lower end of the vertical edge section, thereby forming a side cut away portion, the cut away portion exposing one or more terminals provided on a side surface of the camera.
2. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a camera mounting part on which a digital camera is mounted;
a second communication device which performs communication with an external device; and
3. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 2, further comprising
a locking device which fixes the digital camera to the cradle by a mechanical engaging device when the digital camera is mounted; and
a releasing device which releases the locking device.
4. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the external device is a personal computer.
5. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the second communications device allows the cradle and external device to be freely oriented with respect to each other.
6. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein a height of a leg part provided on a bottom surface of the cradle is equal to or higher than that of a tripod base which serves as a tripod fixing surface.
7. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a depression part formed on a rear side of a bottom portion of the cradle.
8. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cut-away part formed on a rear side of a bottom portion of the cradle, the cut-away part being disposed rearward of the tripod screw hole.
9. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising four compressible pads extending in a direction perpendicular to a bottom of the cradle, the pads being adapted to support the cradle when the cradle is placed on a flat surface.
10. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a camera mounting part having a surface that is substantially horizontal, the rear wall portion and the left and right side wall portions rising orthogonally from the camera mounting part.
11. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the right and left side wall portions includes:
a front corner section which is angled inward toward a front of the cradle.
12. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a front surface of the cradle extending downward from an exposed front edge of the camera mounting part.
13. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein the right and left side wall portions include:
front corner sections which angle inward toward each other in order to wrap around lower front corners of the camera mounted on the camera mounting part.
14. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 13, wherein no wall is provided along the front edge of the camera mounting part between front corner sections of the cradle.
15. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 13, when the digital camera is mounted on the camera mounting part, a portion of the camera between the front corner sections of the wall part is exposed.
16. A cradle for a digital camera, comprising:
a cut-away part formed on a bottom surface of the cradle;
a wall part adapted to support the camera, wherein a highest section of the wall part is disposed directly above the cut-away part,
wherein a height of the wall part is highest along a rear of the cradle and along rear sections of left and right side wall portions of the cradle, the height of the wall part being lower along forward sections of the left and right side wall portions adjacent to a front of the cradle, the forward sections being stepped down from the rear sections.
17. The cradle as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:
18. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 17, wherein the external device is a personal computer.
19. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 17, wherein the second communications device allows the cradle and external device to be freely oriented with respect to each other.
20. The cradle as set forth in claim 16, wherein a height of a leg part provided on a bottom surface of the cradle is equal to or higher than that of a tripod base which serves as a tripod fixing surface.
21. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, further comprising
22. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, wherein the cut-away part is disposed rearward of the tripod screw hole.
23. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, wherein the cut-away part includes at least three vertical wall part, and is open on the bottom portion and a rear portion of the cradle.
24. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, further comprising four compressible pads extending in a direction perpendicular to a bottom of the cradle, the pads being adapted to support the cradle when the cradle is placed on a flat surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and its object is to provide a cradle for a digital camera enabling to set up a camera with flexible attitude while the camera is being mounted on a cradle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinunder a preferred embodiment of a cradle for a digital camera according to the present invention will be described in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
Along the direction of an allow A from above in FIG. 1, the camera 10 is inserted into the camera mounting part 32 of the cradle 30, and then the camera connector 20 is connected to the cradle connector 34 in conjunction with the insertion operation, whereby both of them are electrically connected and the lower part of the camera 10 is held by the wall part 36. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the camera mounting part 32 has an upper surface that is substantially horizontal. The wall part 36 includes a rear wall portion 36R and left and right side wall portions 36S, rising vertically from rear and side edges of the camera mounting part 32. Each of the left and right wall portions 36S includes an upper edge section 36A adjacent to and having the same height as the rear wall portion 36R. However, the left and right side wall portions 36S are not symmetrical. As can be seen in FIGS 1 and 2. the upper edge section 36A on one of the left and right side wall portions 36S extends further in a forward direction than on the other of the left and right of the side wall portions 36S. As shown in FIG. 1. the other of the side wall portions 36S includes a vertical edge section 36V extending vertically downward from a forward end of the upper edge section 36A, and a lower edge section 36L extending substantially in a forward direction toward a front of the cradle 30 from a lower end of a respective vertical edge section 36V. The right and left side wall portions 36S also include front corner sections 36C which angle inward toward each other in order to wrap around lower front corners of the casing 11 of the camera when the camera 10 is mounted on the camera mounting part 32. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vertical edge section 36V and the lower edge section 36L on the right side of the cradle 30 form a side cut away portion 36CA. in order to expose an audio/video output (A/V output) terminal 22, digital (USB) terminal 23 and power supply input terminal 24 provided on the side surface of the camera 10. However, to enhance the holding for the camera 10, wall height of the portion (indicated by the reference numeral 36A in FIG. 2) that support the rear part of the camera 10 is made to be relatively high. Specifically, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the height of wall part 36 is highest (reference numeral 36A in FIG. 2) along a rear wall portion 36R of the cradle 30 and along upper sections 36A of both the left and right side wall portions 36S of the cradle 30. On the other hand, the height of the wall part 36 is lower along the lower edge section 36L on one side of the cradle and along the front corner sections 36C adjacent to a front of the cradle 30, in order to expose an audio/video output (A/V output) terminal 22, digital (USB) terminal 23 and power supply input terminal 24 provided on the side surface of the camera 10.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5281988 *Nov 23, 1992Jan 25, 1994Martin Stanley DUniversal remote control device for camerasUS5528285 *Apr 25, 1994Jun 18, 1996Casio Computer Co., Ltd.TV telephone system which sends and receives image data to another TV telephone system and having power supply and image display controlUS5815205 *Feb 21, 1996Sep 29, 1998Ricoh Company, Ltd.External communication interface for a digital cameraUS20020029087 *Jan 5, 2001Mar 7, 2002Douglas MayneSlim digital audio player and recorder with cradleUS20020071035 *Dec 7, 2000Jun 13, 2002Sobol Robert E.Digital camera docking stationUSD403338 *Jun 3, 1997Dec 29, 1998 Video microscopeJPH0644050A Title not availableJPH06351012A * Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7464215 *May 31, 2006Dec 9, 2008Canon Kabushiki KaishaCradle device, control method and computer program for controlling the attitude of an imaging deviceUS8113873Sep 22, 2009Feb 14, 2012Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Pivot assisted storage device unloading mechanismUS20130223003 *Jun 14, 2012Aug 29, 2013Jeffrey D. 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CarnevaliUniversal adaptor mount for a docking station* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification348/375, 348/E05.025International ClassificationH04N1/00, H04N5/225Cooperative ClassificationH04N2201/0049, H04N1/00204, H04N2101/00, H04N2201/0058, H04N2201/001, H04N5/2251, H04N2201/0056European ClassificationH04N1/00C3, H04N5/225CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 5, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Feb 26, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: FUJIFILM CORPORATION, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FUJIFILM HOLDINGS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:018934/0001Effective date: 20070130Owner name: FUJIFILM CORPORATION,JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FUJIFILM HOLDINGS CORPORATION;US-ASSIGNMENT DATABASE UPDATED:20100203;REEL/FRAME:18934/1Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FUJIFILM HOLDINGS CORPORATION;US-ASSIGNMENT DATABASE UPDATED:20100209;REEL/FRAME:18934/1Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS 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