Abstract:
An imaging system is provided. The imaging system comprises a stand, adapter, and imaging device that allows for a imaging device&#39;s housing bottom to be free of female threaded holes for attaching to the stand, by positioning the female threaded hole within an adapter which is exterior of the imaging device&#39;s housing. The adapter does not occupy precious imaging device housing interior real estate thereby allowing the housing to be extremely compact. The imaging device comprises a mating system that removably secures the adapter. The imaging device is therefore removably secured to the stand via the adapter.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of imaging devices and stands therefor, and, more specifically, to adapters for supporting projectors or recording devices on stands. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Imaging devices such as projectors or recording devices (e.g. still cameras and video cameras/recorders) have typically been mounted on stands such as tripods utilizing a male threaded bolt-type fastener and corresponding female threaded hole arrangement. The bolt-type fastener is usually positioned at a platform of the stand while the female threaded hole is usually positioned at the bottom of the imaging device. However, the positioning of the female threaded hole takes up valuable real estate within the housing of the imaging device. As a result, the housing must be made larger to accommodate the female threaded hole and associated parts supporting the female threaded hole. 
         [0003]    Thus, it is desirable to provide an system which is able to overcome the above disadvantages. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a need exists to provide an imaging system that comprises a stand, adapter and imaging device that allows for a imaging device&#39;s housing bottom to be free of female threaded holes for attaching to the stand, by positioning the female threaded hole within an adapter which is exterior of the imaging device&#39;s housing. The adapter does not occupy precious imaging device housing interior real estate thereby allowing the housing to be extremely compact. 
         [0005]    These and other advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the detailed description of the invention hereinbelow. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to an imaging system. The imaging system comprises a stand including a platform and an upwardly extending threaded male fastener provided at the platform. The imaging system also comprises an adapter comprising a main body, wherein the main body comprises a main body bottom and a main body top, and wherein the main body bottom includes a threaded hole that threadably mates with the male fastener of the stand. The adapter also comprises a flange provided at the main body top. The imaging system further comprises an imaging device comprising a housing including a housing bottom and a mating system that removably secures the adapter. The imaging device is removably secured to the stand via the adapter. The housing bottom and mating system are free of female threaded holes that threadably mate with the male fastener of the stand. A removable platform battery having a battery mating system provided at the battery bottom is also contemplated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    For the present invention to be clearly understood and readily practiced, the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of an imaging system that includes a projector, adapter, and stand, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective bottom view of the projector and the adapter shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein a mating system is provided at the bottom of the projector for removably securing the adapter, and wherein a process of inserting the adapter within the mating system is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the projector, adapter, and mating system shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein completed insertion of the adapter within the mating system is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, elevated and slightly different perspective view of the adapter and mating system shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the projector, adapter, and mating system shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged, elevated perspective bottom view of the adapter shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged, elevated perspective top view of the adapter shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a projector mounted on a platform battery, wherein the bottom of the platform battery includes thereat a battery mating system for removably securing an adapter, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective bottom view of the projector, platform battery, and battery mating system shown in  FIG. 8 , wherein completed insertion of the adapter within the battery mating system is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an elevated perspective top view of the platform battery shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is an elevated perspective bottom view of the platform battery shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention may have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements found in a typical imaging device and stand therefor. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements may be desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It is also to be understood that the drawings included herewith only provide diagrammatic representations of the presently preferred structures of the present invention and that structures falling within the scope of the present invention may include structures different than those shown in the drawings. Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures are provided with like reference designations. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of an imaging system  100  that includes a projector  80 , adapter  20 , and stand  10 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The stand  10  may be a tripod (as depicted in  FIG. 1 ) which is typically used in supporting imaging devices such as still cameras or video cameras/recorders. A stand having any number of legs may alternatively be employed. The stand could also be a mount with no legs. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective bottom view of the projector  80  and the adapter  20  shown in  FIG. 1 . A mating system  83  is provided at the bottom of the projector  80  for removably securing the adapter  20 . A process of inserting the adapter  20  within the mating system  83  is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The mating system is preferably made of plastic. Other materials such as metal can also be employed. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the projector  80 , adapter  20 , and mating system  83  shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein completed insertion of the adapter  20  within the mating system  83  is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A clip-on arrangement is thereby realized. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, elevated and slightly different perspective view of the adapter  20  and mating system  83  shown in  FIG. 3 . An elastic tongue  87  is preferably provided to abut the main body  21  of the adapter  20  while the adapter  20  is inserted within the mating system  83 . The mating system  83  also includes a slot system  84  that removably secures the flange  25  of the adapter  20  while the adapter  20  is inserted within the mating system  83 . The slot system preferable removably secures opposite edges of the flange  25 . However, any number of flange edges may alternatively be removably secured by the slot system  84 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the projector  80 , adapter  20 , and mating system  83  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged, elevated perspective bottom view of the adapter  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged, elevated perspective top view of the adapter  20  shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a projector  80  mounted on a platform battery  90 , wherein the bottom  90   b  of the platform battery  90  includes thereat a battery mating system  93  for removably securing an adapter  20 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is a perspective bottom view of the projector  80 , platform battery  90 , and battery mating system  93  shown in  FIG. 8 , wherein completed insertion of the adapter  20  within the battery mating system  93  is illustrated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]      FIG. 10  is an elevated perspective top view of the platform battery  90  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 11  is an elevated perspective bottom view of the platform battery  90  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0031]    The imaging system  100  comprises a stand  10  including a platform  11  and an upwardly extending threaded male fastener  12  provided at the platform  11 . The imaging system  100  also comprises an adapter  20  comprising a main body  21 , wherein the main body  21  comprises a main body bottom  21   b  and a main body top  21   t , and wherein the main body bottom  21   b  includes a female threaded hole  22  that threadably mates with the male fastener  12  of the stand  10 . The adapter  20  also comprises a flange  25  provided at the main body top  21   t . The imaging system  100  further comprises an imaging device  80  comprising a housing  81  including a housing bottom  81   b . The imaging device  80  also comprises a mating system  83  that removably secures the adapter  20 . The imaging device  80  is removably secured to the stand  10  via the adapter  20 . 
         [0032]    The mating system  83  is provided at the housing bottom  81   b . The housing bottom  81   b  and mating system  83  are free of female threaded holes that threadably mate with the male fastener  12  of the stand  10 . The mating system  83  includes a slot system  84  that removably secures the flange  25  of the adapter  20  while the adapter  20  is inserted within the mating system  83 . 
         [0033]    The mating system  83  includes an elastic tongue  87  that abuts the main body  21  of the adapter  20  while the adapter  20  is inserted within the mating system  83  and while the elastic tongue  87  is in an unstressed position. The mating system  83  includes an elastic tongue  87  that is in a stressed position during the insertion of the adapter  20  within the mating system  83  and during removal of the adapter  20  from the mating system  83 . The elastic tongue  87  and slot system  84  combination thus enables a snap-fit securement. 
         [0034]    The main body  21  may optionally be rotatable with respect to the flange  25  via a circular slidable interface  29 . Interface  29  may be located within any axial distance from the female threaded hole  22  and may extend cylindrically from the main body top  21   t  to the main body bottom  21   b . Interface  29  may comprise any low friction interface/material such as Teflon® or ball bearings. When the adapter is removably secured to the stand via the threaded arrangement (i.e. female threaded hole  22  and threaded male fastener  12 ), the female threaded hole  22  is stable while the interface  29  allows for the flange  25  to be rotatable with respect to the female threaded hole  22 , thereby allowing the imaging device  80  to rotate on the stand while being secured to the stand via the adapter  20 . 
         [0035]    The imaging device  80  may further comprise a removable platform battery  90  having a battery top  90   t  a battery bottom  90   b , and wherein the mating system is a battery mating system  93  which is provided at the battery bottom  90   b.    
         [0036]    Alternatively, the imaging device  80  may further comprise a removable platform battery  90  having a battery top  90   t  a battery bottom  90   b , and wherein a battery mating system  93  that removably secures the adapter is provided at the battery bottom  90   b . The battery top  90   t  preferably includes a recess  95 , wherein the mating system  83  provided at the housing bottom  81   b  resides at least partly within the recess  95  when the battery  90  is connected to the housing bottom  81   b.    
         [0037]    The battery mating system  93  preferably comprises the same structure and preferably provides the same function as that of the mating system  83  at the housing bottom  81   b . Either or both the battery mating system  93  (i.e. when employing a platform battery  90 ) or the mating system  83  at the housing bottom  81   b  may be employed. 
         [0038]    The imaging device  80  may be a projector or a recording device such as a still camera or video camera/recorder. 
         [0039]    The contemplated modifications and variations specifically mentioned above and below are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0040]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, although the threaded arrangement is described above as comprising a female threaded hole  22  and threaded male fastener  12  provided within the adapter  20  and at the platform  11  of the stand  10 , respectively, the female threaded hole  22  and threaded male fastener  12  arrangement may be reversed. In other words, the female threaded hole  22  may be provided at the platform  11  of the stand  10 , while the threaded male fastener  12  may be provided on the adapter. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed above, but it is intended to cover such modifications and variations as defined by the following claims.