DIGITAL CAMERA DOCK

• US 20090219399A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Komiyama, Hiroshi, Kasahara, Toshihide, Kondo, Eiki, Kiuchi, Toyoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

Use of a custom insert is obviated when a digital camera is attached to a base (dock). Two movable pins are provided, in such a way that a connector is sandwiched between the movable pins, on a digital camera attachment surface of a base (dock) which provides a digital camera with a recharging function and a printing function. The movable pins fit to holes in a bottom of the digital camera to thus act as guides during the course of attachment of the digital camera. Alternatively, the attachment surface itself may be configured so as to be vertically movable, and the attachment surface may descend during attachment of the digital camera and the attachment surface may be latched in a lower position after attachment of the same.

Claims

1. A digital camera dock to which a digital camera is to be attached and which has a function of printing an image captured by the digital camera or recharging an internal battery of the digital camera, the dock comprising:

a connector for establishing an electrical connection with the digital camera;

movable pins which are formed in the vicinity of the connector and supported in an impelled manner so as to be vertically movable; and

an attachment surface to which the digital camera is to be attached and which has the connector and the movable pins, wherein

the movable pins project and are impelled upwardly in a stable state, fit to hole sections formed in a bottom of the digital camera during attachment of the digital camera, and move downwardly along with the digital camera to thus act as guides for regulating a relative position between the digital camera and the connector;

wherein the attachment surface is rotatable within a plane parallel to the attachment surface or tiltable with respect to the plane.