Adjustably mounted camera grip

• US 5,081,478 A
• Filed: 02/06/1991
• Issued: 01/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashida, Takayuki, Sasaki, Hidemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPYROU, CASSANDRA
• Application Number:
  US07/651,701
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 354/81, 354/82, 354/293, 354/294, 354/292, 354/288, 254/103, 74/498, 74/496, 74/491, 74/383, 352/243, 358/229, 248/434, 248/435, 248/187
• US Class Current: 396/425
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/563 Camera grips, handles means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

A camera grip which is removably mounted to the bottom portion of a camera. The camera grip includes a base block removably mounted to the camera bottom portion, an arm block rotatably mounted to the base block by means of a first shaft, a grip block rotatably mounted to the arm block by means of a second shaft spaced apart from the first shaft, and lock means for locking the arm and grip blocks at their predetermined rotational positions respectively. By changing the rotational positions to be locked by means of the lock means, the grip can be thinly or compactly stored in the camera bottom portion as well as the shape of the grip can be changed in such a manner that it can be used as an under grip, a carrying handle and a tripod.

Claims

1. A camera grip comprising:

a base block removably disposed in the bottom portion of a camera;

an arm block rotatably mounted to said base block by means of a first shaft;

a grip block means for holding said camera, said grip block means including a grip block which is rotatably mounted to said arm block by means of a second shaft spaced apart from said first shaft; and

lock means for locking said arm and grip blocks at predetermined positions of rotation, respectively.

2. A camera grip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lock means comprises:

first lock means for locking said base and arm blocks respectively at their rotational position for using said grip block as a grip or storing said grip block in said camera bottom portion and at their rotational position for using said grip block as a carrying handle or as tripod; and

,

second lock means for locking said arm and grip blocks respectively at their rotational position for storing said grip block in said camera bottom portion, at their rotational position for using said grip block as a grip, and at their rotational position for using said grip block as a carrying handle or as a tripod.

3. A camera grip as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said grip block includes a pair of right and left tripod legs which can be rotated freely.

4. In a camera grip which is disposed removably in the bottom portion of a camera, the improvement comprising:

a mount screw projecting out upwardly and threadedly engageable with said camera bottom portion; and

,

an operation knob for rotating said mount screw;

said mount screw and operation knob being connected with each other by means of a gear mechanism.

5. A camera grip as set forth in claim 4, wherein said gear mechanism comprises a first gear fixed coaxially with the shaft of rotation of said mount screw and a second gear fixed coaxially with the shaft of rotation of said operation knob and meshable with said first gear.

6. A camera grip as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first gear is an external gear having outwardly extending teeth and said second gear is an internal gear having inwardly extending teeth.

7. A camera grip as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first gear is an internal gear having inwardly extending teeth and said second gear is an external gear having outwardly extending teeth.

8. A camera grip as set forth in claim 4, wherein said gear mechanism comprises a first external gear fixed coaxially with the shaft of rotation of said mount screw, a second external gear fixed coaxially with the shaft of rotation of said operation knob, and an idle gear meshable with said first and second external gears respectively, said first and second external gears having teeth extending outwardly therefrom.