WATERPROOF HOUSING

• US 20090028535A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Funahashi, Koji, Watanabe, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

A waterproof housing is provided with an engaging member that can engage with rotary members provided respectively on a plurality of cameras. The rotary members can be rotated from the outside of the waterproof housing. Accordingly, the plurality of cameras can be stored and operated selectively in a single waterproof housing. For example, the engaging member can be configured in such a manner that a plurality of multiple recessed portions are provided concentrically so that each one of the plurality of rotary members can be fitted to any one of the recessed portion out of the multiple recessed portions.

Claims

1. A waterproof housing for a camera comprising:

a housing body that stores one of a plurality of cameras different from each other exchangeably; and

an engaging member rotatably provided in the housing body and engageable with first rotary members provided on the plurality of cameras respectively, the engaging member capable of rotating the first rotary member of the camera stored in the housing body;

wherein the engaging member has a recessed portion on its distal end for accommodating at least a part of the rotary members, the recessed portion being recessed in the direction of the rotation axis of the engaging member,

the recessed portion has a plurality of series of engaging teeth having shapes different from each other for engagement with rotary members of various shapes on the inner circumferential surface of the recessed portion.

2. The waterproof housing for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the engaging member is engageable with engaging grooves provided on exposed portions of the plurality of rotary members provided on the cameras respectively.

3. The waterproof housing for a camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating member connected to the engaging member and rotatable on the outside of the housing body.

4. The waterproof housing for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the engaging member engages with the rotary members so as to cover the exposed portions of the rotary members.

5. The waterproof housing for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the rotary member is a mode dial of the camera.

6. The waterproof housing for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the rotary member is a power switch of the camera.