Lighting apparatus for attachment to a camera's tripod mount and method of use

• US 20050243198A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brett James Pardikes
• Original Assignee: Brett James Pardikes
• Inventors: Pardikes, Brett James
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/370
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0514 Separate unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/056 Connection with camera, e.g. adapter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for use with a camera is described. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus comprises one or more light emitting diodes and one or more small batteries contained in a housing. A cylindrical piece extends from one side of the housing and is adapted to removeably secure the apparatus in a tripod mount on the camera. The apparatus is lightweight and compact and provides continuous illumination to a scene (opposed to the momentary illumination of a camera flash) to facilitate the recording of video.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus for use with a camera, the lighting apparatus comprising:

one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs);

a power source electrically coupled to the one or more LEDs;

a housing at least partially encasing the one or more LEDs, the housing having a first surface; and

a stud extending from the first surface, the stud being operatively coupled with the housing and adapted to be removeably received in a tripod mount of the camera.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stud is rotateably coupled to the housing.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stud is threaded, and wherein the threads are configured to correspond to corresponding threads on the tripod mount of the camera.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a thumbwheel, the thumbwheel being positioned between the first surface and the stud.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes (i) a second surface, the second surface being generally opposite the first surface, and (ii) a threaded cylindrical bore extending inwardly into the housing relative to the second surface, the threaded cylindrical bore being adapted to removeably receive a standard-sized threaded stud of tripod therein.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stud has an axis and the stud is integral with a cylindrical piece that extends between the first and second surfaces, the cylindrical piece includes a first end opposite the stud, a threaded cylindrical bore extends inwardly from the first end, and the threaded cylindrical bore has an axis substantially aligned with the axis of the stud.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a switch electrically coupled to the one or more LEDs and the power source.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the switch is adapted to switch the one or more LEDs to three or more settings including at least three of (i) off, (ii) a first brightness level, (iii) a second brightness level and (iv) infrared illumination.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more LEDs is an infrared LED.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a timer circuit, the timer circuit being adapted to interrupt the flow of electricity between the power source and the one or more LEDs after a predetermined period of time.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more button cell batteries.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board, the circuit board electrically coupling the power source and the one or more LEDs, and wherein one or more LEDs are surface mounted to the circuit board.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the total weight of the lighting apparatus is less than 2.5 ounces.

14. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adjustment mechanism intermediately coupling the stud and housing, the adjustment mechanism adapted to permit upwardly and downwardly tilting of the one or more LEDs relative to a lens of the camera when the lighting apparatus is attached to the camera.

15. A method of taking digital video using a digital still camera, the method comprising:

removeably attaching a lighting apparatus to the digital still camera, the lighting apparatus comprising one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and one or more batteries for powering the LEDs;

turning on the lighting apparatus to illuminate a scene generally in front of a lens of the camera;

putting the digital still camera into a video capture mode; and

recording digital video of the scene.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said attaching a lighting apparatus to the digital still camera further comprises attaching the lighting apparatus to the camera at a tripod mount of the digital still camera.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising removeably attaching the lighting apparatus to a camera tripod.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the digital still camera is incorporated into a wireless phone.

19. A lighting apparatus for use with a camera, the lighting apparatus comprising:

a light source;

one or more batteries;

a housing at least partially encasing the light source and the batteries, the housing having a first surface; and

a stud extending from the first surface, the stud being operatively coupled with the housing and adapted to be removeably received in a tripod mount of the camera.

20. The lighting apparatus of claim 19, wherein batteries have a total volume of no greater than two AAA cells.