Articulated Desktop Magnifier

• US 20160248948A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Scientific Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Freedom Scientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Conard, Todd, Stachowski, Breanna, Galewyrick, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/027 comprising magnifying means G02B27/023, G02B27/025, G02B27/04, G02B27/06 and G02B27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/04 having collapsible parts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/023 permitting adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/008 using visual presentation of the information for the partially sighted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a magnifier that is adapted to rest upon a table. The magnifier includes an articulated camera arm that permits an associated camera to be pointed in a number of different directions. This permits the camera to focus upon, and enlarge, both distant and nearby objects. The magnifier also includes pivotal support legs. The legs have a first locked position to support the magnifier upon a table and a second position wherein the legs are locked in position adjacent the housing of the magnifier. This permits the magnifier to be readily transportable and stowable to accommodate the needs of the user.

Claims

1. An articulated desktop magnifier that can be configured into a number of different orientations, the desktop magnifier comprising:

a housing having a lower extent, an upper extent, a front, and a back, a recess within the front, an access opening within the back, a communications port that is accessible via the access opening;

first and second support legs, each leg including proximal and distal ends with a curved intermediate extent therebetween, the proximal end of each leg being pivotally interconnected to the lower extent of the housing by way of a detent, the proximal end of each leg further including a lock button for selectively engaging and disengaging the detent, the first and second support legs having a first position wherein the legs are oriented to support the magnifier upon a surface and a second position wherein the legs are pivoted to be substantially aligned with the housing;

a curved camera arm having proximal and distant ends and front and back surfaces, a u-shaped opening in the proximal end of the camera arm, a slot formed in the distal end of the camera arm;

a hinge interconnecting the housing to the camera arm, the hinge having a first end that is rotatably interconnected to the upper extent of the housing about a substantially vertical axis, the second end of the hinge being pivotally connected within the u-shaped opening about a substantially horizontal axis, whereby the hinge permits the camera arm to both swivel and pivot with respect to the housing;

a camera housing with an internal high definition camera, the camera housing including a pivotal lens cover, the lens cover permitting the focal length of the camera to be selectively adjusted;

a remote control that is removably secured to the recess within the front of the housing, the remote control controlling the operation of the camera;

a joint interconnecting the camera housing to the distal end of the camera arm, the joint including first and second circular projections that are substantially perpendicular to one another, the first circular projection being pivotally received within the slot of the camera arm, the second circular projection being pivotally secured to the camera housing, whereby the joint permits the camera housing to pivot about two substantially perpendicular axes;

whereby the magnifier having both deployed and a collapsed configurations, in the deployed configuration the first and second support legs are in the first position and the camera arm and housing are angled with respect to each other, and in the collapsed configuration the legs are in the second position and the camera arm and housing are pivoted such that the front of the camera arm and the front of the housing are in facing relation to one another.

2. An articulated desktop magnifier that can be configured into a number of different orientations, the desktop magnifier comprising:

a housing having a lower extent and an upper extent;

first and second support legs, each leg including proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of each leg being pivotally interconnected to the lower extent of the housing, the first and second support legs having a first position wherein the legs are oriented to support the magnifier upon a surface and a second position wherein the legs are pivoted to be substantially aligned with the housing;

a camera arm having proximal and distant ends;

a hinge interconnecting the housing to the camera arm, the hinge having a first end that is rotatably interconnected to the upper extent of the housing, the second end of the hinge being pivotally connected to a proximal end of the camera arm;

a camera housing with an internal camera;

a joint interconnecting the camera housing to the distal end of the camera arm, whereby the joint permits the camera housing to pivot about two substantially perpendicular axes.

3. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the housing includes a recess and wherein a remote control is stored within the recess.

4. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the back of the housing includes an access opening to permit access to communications ports.

5. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the housing includes a window to allow wireless signals to be received by a controller within the housing.

6. The magnifier as described in claim 2 further comprising a detent for interconnecting the proximal end of each leg to the main housing.

7. The magnifier as described in claim 6 further comprising a lock button within each leg for selectively engaging and disengaging the detent.

8. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the hinge permits the camera arm to both swivel and pivot with respect to the housing.

9. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the first end of the hinge pivots about an axis.

10. The magnifier as described in claim 2 wherein the camera housing includes a pivotal lens cover, the lens cover permitting the focal length of the camera to be selectively adjusted.