U.S. patent application number 10/025300 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-19 for digital camera stand with indexed tilt feature.
This patent application is currently assigned to Intel Corporation (a Delaware corporation). Invention is credited to MacGregor, Mike G., Okuley, James M..
Application Number | 20030113110 10/025300 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21825209 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030113110 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Okuley, James M. ; et
al. |
June 19, 2003 |
DIGITAL CAMERA STAND WITH INDEXED TILT FEATURE
Abstract
A digital camera stand comprising a main body and a tilting body
received within a cavity formed within a top portion of the main
body and coupled to the main body along a pivot axis. The tilting
body includes indexed portions, preferably a parallel arrangement
of notches formed along the back portion of the tilting body,
adapted to engage with an indexer coupled to the main body to allow
indexed tilting of the tilting body relative to the main body as
the indexer is engaged with a selected one of the notches. One end
of a data connector is received through a shell of the tilting body
and presents a data connection adapted to couple with a
complementary connector on a base portion of the digital camera
maintained within a pocket of the tilting body.
Inventors: |
Okuley, James M.; (Portland,
OR) ; MacGregor, Mike G.; (Portland, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGER JOHNSON & McCOLLOM, P.C.
1030 S.W. Morrison Street
Portland
OR
97205
US
|
Assignee: |
Intel Corporation (a Delaware
corporation)
2200 Mission College Blvd. P.O. Box 5819
Santa Clara
CA
|
Family ID: |
21825209 |
Appl. No.: |
10/025300 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
396/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 2200/08 20130101;
F16M 2200/024 20130101; F16M 11/10 20130101; G06T 1/0007 20130101;
H04N 1/00204 20130101; H04N 2201/0058 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
396/428 |
International
Class: |
G03B 017/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A stand for a digital camera comprising: a main body having a
cavity formed within a top portion of the main body and a flat base
formed on an underside portion of the main body with an opening
between the underside portion and the cavity; a tilting body
received within the cavity so that a bottom portion of the tilting
body is exposed to the opening on the flat base portion, said
tilting body having an exterior wall with indexed portions formed
thereon and an interior wall forming a pocket adapted to receive a
base portion of a digital camera; an indexer coupled to the main
body and engaged with the indexed portions on the tilting body to
allow indexed tilting of the tilting body relative to the main
body; and a data connector received through the opening and into
the bottom portion of the tilting body, said data connector adapted
to couple with a complementary connector on the base portion of the
digital camera received within the pocket of the tilting body.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indexer includes a
mounting portion coupled to the main body and an engagement member
coupled to the mounting portion via a biasing means adapted to
maintain the engagement member in a fixed position relative to the
mounting portion.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, the indexer further including a pin
formed on the mounting portion adapted to be received within a
complementary aperture formed on the main body.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, the indexed portions including a
plurality of notches arranged in parallel along a back portion of
the tilting body, with the engagement member of the indexer being
adapted to engage with a selected one of the notches.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, the biasing means including a pair of
U-shaped members, each of the U-shaped members having first and
second ends resiliently biased a fixed distance from one another
with the first end fixed to the mounting portion of the indexer and
the second end fixed to the engagement member.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, the indexed portions including a
plurality of notches arranged in parallel along a back portion of
the tilting body, with the engagement member of the indexer being
adapted to engage with a selected one of the notches.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, the cavity of the main body being
shallower adjacent a front portion of the main body than the back
portion.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including means affixed to the
exterior wall of the tilting body for contacting the main body when
the tilting body is moved to an extreme tilting position to thereby
define a range of potential tilting positions between a maximum and
minimum angle.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tilting body is coupled to
the main body at a pair of coaxial pivot points.
10. A digital camera stand comprising: a main body; a tilting body
coupled to the main body along a pivot axis; indexing means for
tilting said tilting body relative to said main body at a
predefined one of a plurality of angles along said pivot axis; and
data transfer means having a distal end adapted to be coupled to a
computer and a proximal end adjacent said tilting body for
electrically coupling to a digital camera.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tilting body includes a
pocket formed on a top side thereof and an aperture formed at the
bottom of the pocket through which is received the proximal end of
the data transfer means.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, the indexing means including an
engagement member coupled to the main body and adapted to engage
with a selected one of a plurality of notches arranged in parallel
along a back portion of the tilting body from a top portion thereof
to a bottom portion.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, said main body including a cavity
formed within a top portion thereof and adapted to receive the
tilting body therein, said pivot axis being located within the
cavity.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, further including means affixed to
an exterior wall of the tilting body for contacting the main body
when the tilting body is moved to an extreme tilting position to
thereby define a range of potential tilting positions between a
maximum and minimum angle.
15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indexing means includes
a mounting portion coupled to the main body and an engagement
member coupled to the mounting portion via a biasing means adapted
to maintain the engagement member in a fixed position relative to
the mounting portion.
16. The method of claim 15, the biasing means including a pair of
U-shaped members, each of the U-shaped members having first and
second ends resiliently biased a fixed distance from one another
with the first end fixed to the mounting portion of the indexer and
the second end fixed to the engagement member.
17. An indexer for use in a digital camera stand comprising: a
mounting portion; an engagement member; and a pair of U-shaped
members, each of the U-shaped members having first and second ends
resiliently biased a fixed distance from one another with the first
end fixed to the mounting portion of the indexer and the second end
fixed to the engagement member.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, the indexer further including a pin
formed on the mounting portion adapted to be received within a
complementary aperture formed on a body to which the indexer is to
be mounted.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to mounting devices and,
more particularly, to docking stations for digital movie and/or
still cameras.
[0002] Cameras that take video pictures for transmission in real
time over the Internet (often referred to as "web cams") are
becoming more popular as capable computer and Internet video
transmission systems have advanced. Most web cams are of the
integrated type with the camera portion integrated with its stand.
This makes the camera less useful as a tool that can be detached
from the computer, used, and then reattached for transfer and
transmission of the video or still images taken to another via
e-mail.
[0003] An important aspect of these web cams is that they be easily
adjustable so that the camera lens is pointed at the face of the
user. This is a non-trivial problem from a stability and
ease-of-use standpoint. While some camera stands exist in the art
for receiving a camera and then transmitting digital images to a
computer, these existing designs are seen as deficient.
[0004] Accordingly, the need remains for an improved design for a
digital camera stand that overcomes drawbacks that exist in the
prior art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become more readily apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that
proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a digital camera stand
constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a left side elevation view of the digital camera
stand of FIG. 1 engaged with a digital camera.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the digital camera stand
of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is top plan view of the digital camera stand of FIG.
1.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the digital camera stand of
the present invention from a left side thereof taken along line 5-5
in FIG. 3.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the digital camera stand of
the present invention from an underside thereof taken along line
6-6 in FIG. 5.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the digital camera stand of
the present invention from a back end thereof taken along line 7-7
in FIG. 5.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the pivot mount portion of the
digital camera stand of the present invention taken along line 8-8
in FIG. 7.
[0014] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pivot mount
portion of the digital camera stand shown in section in FIG. 8
constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
[0015] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the indexer used
in the digital camera stand of FIG. 1 and constructed according to
a first embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the indexer of
FIG. 10 from a reverse side.
[0017] FIG. 12 is a partial sectioned view of the indexer of FIG.
10.
[0018] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the indexer
according to a second embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 14 is a partial sectioned view of the indexer of FIG.
13.
[0020] FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 with the
digital camera stand pivoted to its maximum forward tilt
position.
[0021] FIG. 16 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 with the
digital camera stand pivoted to its maximum rearward tilt
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] A digital camera stand, as constructed according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention, is shown generally at 10 in
FIG. 1. Camera stand 10 includes a main body 12 and a tilting body
14 received within a cavity 16 formed within a top portion of the
main body. The cavity 16 includes a downwardly-extending rim with
the front portion 17 thereof lower than a back rim portion 19 so
that the cavity 16 is preferably shallower adjacent a front portion
of the main body than the back portion as shown in FIGS. 1-3.
[0023] As shown best in FIG. 5, main body 12 includes a flat base
18 formed on an underside portion with an opening 20 between the
underside portion and the cavity 16. Rubber pads 22a, 22b, 22c and
22d are attached to the flat base to prevent the main body from
sliding when placed on a tabletop.
[0024] The tilting body 14 is received within the cavity 16 so that
a bottom portion 24 of the tilting body is exposed to the opening
20 on the flat base portion 18. The tilting body 14 is formed by
the joining of two injection molded half pieces 25a, 25b as by
screws 27a, 27b, has an exterior wall 26 with indexed portions 28
formed thereon, and has an interior wall forming a pocket 30
adapted to receive a base portion of a digital camera 31 (FIG. 2).
The indexed portions 28 preferably include a plurality of notches,
such as notches 32, 34 and 35, arranged in parallel along a back
portion 36 of tilting body 14 from a top portion thereof to a
bottom portion.
[0025] The camera stand 10 is electronically coupled to a computer
(not shown) via data transfer means such as a standard Universal
Serial Bus (USB) cable 38. The cable 38 has a distal end (not
shown) adapted to be coupled to the computer, and a proximal end
that is received through an aperture 40 located through the back
portion of the main body 12. The proximal end includes a data
connector 42 that is received through the opening 20, exposing the
underside of the tilting body 14, and into the bottom portion of
the tilting body 14 through aperture 43, as shown best in FIGS. 4
and 5. Data connector 42 is adapted to couple with a complementary
connector located on a base portion of the digital camera received
within the pocket of the tilting body. It is understood by those
knowledgeable in the art that other data transmission means can be
used to transmit data between the camera stand and a computer and
that the invention is not intended to be limited to USB or even
physical cabling but that wireless transmitter/receiver means can
also be used.
[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates an underside view of the camera stand 10
in partial sectioned view.
[0027] Affixed to a front portion of tilting body 14 is a forward
tab 45 that extends out from the tilting body outer shell 26 and is
adapted to contact the forward rim 17 of main body 12 to define a
maximally rearward tilting angle when the indexer 64 (described
below) is engaged with the topmost notch 34 as shown best in FIG.
16. Affixed to a back portion of tilting body 14 is a pair of
backward-facing tabs 47a, 47b that contact the rearward rim 19 of
main body 12 to define a maximally forward tilting angle when the
indexer 64 is engaged with the bottommost notch 35 as shown best in
FIG. 15. Tabs 47a and 47b are spaced to allow the indexer to pass
between them as the camera stand is tilted (see, e.g., FIGS. 5, 6
and 15).
[0028] Turning next to FIG. 7, the tilting body 14 is pivotally
coupled to the main body 12 along a pivot axis 44 formed by a pair
of coaxial pins 46, 48 fixed to the exterior wall 26 of tilting
body 14. Referring to FIGS. 7-9, each pin 46 is received within a
pivot mount 50 formed by conjoining an upper mount portion 52 and a
lower mount portion 54. Upper mount portion 52 includes a
semicircular cutout 55a that mates with a complementary cutout 55b
on the lower mount portion 54 to form a circular aperture that
receives pin 46 therethrough. During construction of the camera
stand 10, the coaxial pins 46 are placed within apertures formed by
respective pivot mounts 50 and the lower mount portions 54 are
fastened to the upper mount portions 52 as by screws 56 and 58. To
prevent the lower mount portion 54 from being inserted upside-down,
the apertures that receive screws 56, 58 are countersunk to receive
the angled heads of the screws for a flush fit. A further pin 60
and pin receiving aperture 62 can be included on one side of the
pivot mount 50, thus making the mount asymmetric and less prone to
backward assembly during construction.
[0029] Attention is now directed to FIGS. 10-14 with a continued
discussion of the indexing features of the invention. The purpose
of the indexing feature is to tilt the tilting body 14 relative to
the main body 12 at a predefined one of a plurality of angles along
the pivot axis 44. This results in the pointing direction of a
digital camera 31, received within tilting body pocket 30, to be
changed in one dimension (up and down) to a selected one of a
limited number of directions to accommodate taller or shorter users
of the camera, or taller or shorter mounting heights.
[0030] An exploded view of the indexer 64, constructed according to
a first embodiment of the invention, is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11
and includes a mounting portion 66 coupled to a downwardly
extending anchor assembly 68 of the main body 12 via screws 70, 72.
A downwardly extending pin 71 on anchor assembly 68 is received
within a complementary aperture 73 formed within mounting portion
66 to ensure that the indexer 64 is not installed upside down (see
FIG. 12). An engagement member, shown by tab 74, is coupled to
mounting portion 66 via biasing means adapted to maintain the
engagement member in a fixed position relative to the mounting
portion. In a preferred embodiment, the biasing means includes a
pair of U-shaped members 76, 78 having first and second ends--such
as ends 80 and 82--resiliently biased a fixed distance from one
another with the first end 80 fixed to the mounting portion 66 of
the indexer 64 and the second end 82 fixed to the engagement member
74. The resulting assembly allows the engagement member to "click"
into engagement with a selected one of the notches 32 formed along
the back portion of the tilting body 14.
[0031] FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the
indexer assembly 64 where, instead of the pin 71, fixed to the
anchor assembly 68, being received within a complementary aperture
formed on the mounting portion 66 (as with the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 10-12), a pin 84 is located on the mounting portion 66 and is
received within a complementary aperture formed in the anchor
assembly to help prevent incorrect assembly of the indexer to the
main body 12.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 15, downward pressure applied by the user
to a front end of the tilting body 14 causes the tilting body to
pivot on axis 44, thereby causing the back end 36 to rise. Notch 32
is formed with an arcuate shape and are adapted to engage with the
complementary rounded outer surface of the engagement member 74
received within the notch. Upward pressure on the back end 36 of
tilting body 14 forces the engagement member 74 to be biased
backward out of the respective notch 32 by overcoming the position
maintenance forces exerted by the biasing means of indexer 64. As
the tilting body 14 rotates upward, the notch located immediately
below the respective notch 32 is rotated into engagement with
engagement member 74 so that the biasing forces exerted by the
now-compressed U-shaped members 82, 84 forces the engagement member
forward into engagement with the new notch. Continued downward
pressure on the front end front end of the tilting body 14 causes
the back end 36 to rise until the backward-facing tabs 47a, 47b
contact the back rim portion 19 of the main body cavity 16 and the
engagement tab 74 engages with the bottommost notch 35 so that the
tilting body 14 is in the maximally forward tilting position,
resulting in the digital camera 31 received within the mount to
face primarily downward.
[0033] In the alternative and referring to FIG. 16, the tilting
body 14 can be rotated in the opposite direction by applying
pressure on the back end of the body rather than the front so that
the forwardly facing tab 45 fixed to the front side of the tilting
body outer shell 26 contacts the front rim portion 17 of the main
body cavity 16 and the engagement tab 74 engages with the topmost
notch 34 so that the tilting body is in the maximally rearward
tilting position, resulting in the digital camera 31 received
within the mount to face primarily upward.
[0034] The user manipulation on the camera mount 10 results in
movement of the data cable insertion point 42 within the main body
cavity 16 and corresponding movement of the data cable 38 so that
it slides in and out of aperture 40 located at the back end of main
body 12, or bends the cable as shown in FIG. 15.
[0035] Having described and illustrated the principles of the
invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent
that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail
without departing from such principles. Accordingly, we claim all
modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of
the following claims.
* * * * *