Underwater housing for photographic cameras

• US 4,097,878 A
• Filed: 01/06/1977
• Issued: 06/27/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alfons Cramer
• Original Assignee: Alfons Cramer
• Inventors: Cramer, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US05/757,176
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 354/64
• US Class Current: 396/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

An underwater housing for photographic cameras, comprising a camera housing portion, a closure portion detachably connected with the camera housing portion, actuation elements for operating the camera penetrating through the wall of the camera housing portion. One of the actuation elements comprises a pusher arrangement for releasing the camera shutter which incorporates a pressure pin and a seal formed of elastomeric material inserted into an opening in the wall of the camera housing portion. The seal is provided with a head, a ring flange and a plug elastically expansible in lengthwise direction. The plug and the ring flange extend so as to protrude concentrically with respect to one another from the underside of the head. A peripheral groove is formed at the outer surface of the ring flange into which protrudes the wall portion of the camera housing portion surrounding the opening. A blindhole bore extends from the upper side of the head into the plug, and in the blindhole bore there is held the pressure pin.

Claims

1. An underwater housing for a photographic camera, comprising:

a camera housing portion;

a closure portion detachably connected with the camera housing portion;

said camera housing portion having wall means;

actuation elements for operating the camera penetrating through the wall means of the camera housing portion;

one of the actuation elements comprising a presser arrangement for triggering a camera shutter;

said presser arrangement comprising a pressure pin and a seal formed of elastomeric material;

said camera housing portion having an opening receiving said seal;

said seal comprising a head, a substantially ring-shaped flange and a plug elastically expansible in lengthwise direction;

said plug and said ring-shaped flange extending substantially centrally with respect to one another and protruding from the underside of said head;

said ring-shaped flange having an outer surface containing a peripheral groove;

a wall portion of the camera housing portion surrounding said opening extending into the peripheral groove;

means providing a blindhole bore extending through the plug from the top of the head;

said pressure pin being held in the blindhole bore.

2. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said plug is constructed to provide a weakened portion;

said weakened portion subdividing the blindhole bore into a guide section and an end section;

said guide section being arranged at the side of the weakened portion directed towards said head;

said pressure pin being guided in the guide section and retained in the end section.

3. The underwater housing as defined in claim 2, wherein the weakened portion comprises a substantially ring-shaped groove.

4. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, wherein:

another of said actuation elements comprises a pivot mechanism for actuating a film transport mechanism of the camera;

said pivot mechanism comprising a pivotal arm, a rotatable shaft and a thrust pin;

said camera housing portion including a sleeve formed of one piece with said camera housing portion;

means for rotatably and lengthwise displaceably mounting the rotatable shaft in said sleeve such that an end portion of the rotatable shaft protrudes outwardly of the camera housing portion;

said pivotable arm being connected with said end portion of the rotatable shaft;

part of the rotatable shaft being located in said sleeve;

said thrust pin being connected with said part of the rotatable shaft located in said sleeve;

said sleeve having an opening;

said thrust pin extending through said opening of the sleeve into an internal compartment of the camera housing portion.

5. The underwater housing as defined in claim 4, wherein:

said rotatable shaft includes a peripheral groove;

a sealing ring located at an inner wall of the sleeve arranged in said peripheral groove;

the thrust pin being detachably connected with the rotatable shaft.

6. The underwater housing as defined in claim 5, wherein:

said thrust pin possesses a head portion connected therewith and formed of elastomeric material.

7. The underwater housing as defined in claim 6, wherein:

said thrust pin is threadably connected with rotatable shaft;

said head portion having a slot for manipulating the thrust pin by means of a tool.

8. The underwater housing as defined in claim 4, wherein:

said mounting means for said rotatable shaft comprises said sleeve having an opening in its wall which possesses a substantially Z-shaped configuration and includes three sections defining first, second and third sections;

said first section extending in the axial direction of the sleeve;

said second section and said third section each extending oppositely with respect to one another in the peripheral direction of the sleeve from a respective end of the first section.

9. The underwater housing as defined in claim 8, wherein:

said rotatable shaft is displaceable between two terminal positions in axial direction by means of the thrust pin extending through the first section;

the thrust pin in a first terminal position being pivotable in the second section and in a second terminal position being pivotable in the third section.

10. The underwater housing as defined in claim 9, wherein:

said thrust pin is pivotable in the second section from a rest position in which it extends approximately parallel to an end wall of the camera housing portion into a work position in which it encloses with such end wall an acute angle for actuating the film transport mechanism.

11. The underwater housing as defined in claim 10, wherein:

said thrust pin is pivotable in the third section from a position where it encloses an acute angle with said end wall of the camera housing portion into a further position where it extends approximately perpendicular to such end wall, and in which further position said thrust pin can be disconnected from the rotatable shaft.

12. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the closure portion comprises a cover.

13. The underwater housing as defined in claim 12, further including:

a pin protruding from the cover for supporting the camera.

14. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the closure portion comprises a flash bulb housing.

15. The underwater housing as defined in claim 14, further including:

rib means for guiding the camera arranged in the camera housing portion and the flash bulb portion.

16. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, further including:

plug connection means for interconnecting the closure portion and the camera housing portion with one another.

17. The underwater housing as defined in claim 16, wherein:

said plug connection means comprises a number of resilient tongues;

at least one tongue possessing a locking portion engaging with a counter element.

18. The underwater housing as defined in claim 17, wherein:

said tongues are connected with the closure portion and extend away therefrom into the camera housing portion.

19. The underwater housing as defined in claim 18, wherein:

each locking portion includes a protuberance formed at the tongue;

said protuberance extending into a recess provided at the camera housing portion.

20. The underwater housing as defined in claim 18, further including:

a sealing ring formed of elastomeric material arranged between the camera housing portion and the closure portion;

said closure portion possessing shoulder means at the base of the tongues;

said camera housing portion possessing a sealing surface;

the surface of the shoulder means enclosing an angle with the surface of the sealing surface;

said sealing ring being arranged between the shoulder means, the tongues and the sealing surface and being elastically deformed.

21. The underwater housing as defined in claim 17, wherein:

the tongues are connected with the camera housing portion and extend away therefrom into the closure portion.

22. The underwater housing as defined in claim 21, wherein:

each locking portion comprises a protuberance provided at the tongue;

said protuberance extending into a recess of the closure portion.

23. The underwater housing as defined in claim 21, further including:

a sealing ring formed of elastomeric material arranged between the camera housing portion and the closure portion;

said camera housing portion being provided with shoulder means at the base of the tongues;

the closure portion possessing a sealing surface;

the surface of the shoulder means enclosing together with the surface of the sealing surface an angle;

said sealing ring being arranged between the shoulder means, the tongues and the sealing surface and being elastically deformable.

24. The underwater housing as defined in claim 16, further including:

a sealing ring formed of elastomeric material arranged between the camera housing portion and the closure portion.

25. The underwater housing as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said camera housing portion and said closure portion are each formed of transparent plastic.

26. The underwater housing as defined in claim 25, wherein:

both the camera housing portion and the closure portion are formed of organic glass.

27. The underwater housing as defined in claim 26, wherein:

said organic glass is polymethacrylate.