Waterproof case for camera

• US 6,138,826 A
• Filed: 02/02/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanamori, Shino, Miyake, Michihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/240,706
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/316.2, 206/754, 206/755, 206/811
• US Class Current: 206/316.2
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/38 Camera cases, e.g. of ever-ready type
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/00 Flexible luggage; Handbags collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof

Abstract

A waterproof case for a camera comprises a case body, which contains the camera, and a lid, which is hinged to the case body and closes an opening of the case body watertightly. The hinge connecting the lid to the case body is provided with a friction member that holds the lid stationary at an arbitrary opening angle or at a predetermined opening angle regardless of the weight of the lid. The waterproof case is provided with a camera attachment member and a coil spring for moving the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position as the lid opens. It is therefore possible to easily exchange recording mediums, and replace and charge a battery in the camera without taking the camera out completely from the case body.

Claims

1. A waterproof case for a camera, such that said camera can be operated from within said waterproof case, said waterproof case comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being hinged to the case body; and

a lid holding mechanism which holds the lid open at either one of an arbitrary angle and a predetermined angle throughout a range of opening angles of the lid with respect to the opening of the case body.

2. A waterproof case for a camera, such that said camera can be operated from within said waterproof case, said waterproof case comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being movably attached to the case body; and

a camera moving mechanism which moves the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position automatically upon opening of the lid.

15. The waterproof case as defined in claim 2, wherein the camera moving mechanism comprises:

a camera attachment member arranged movably within the case body and provided with a camera attachment screw to be screwed into a tripod screw hole of the camera; and

a link mechanism provided between the camera attachment member and the lid.

3. A waterproof case for a camera, such that said camera can be operated from within said waterproof case, the waterproof case comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being hinged to the case body; and

a lid holding mechanism which holds the lid open at either one of an arbitrary angle and a predetermined angle with respect to the opening of the case body; and

a camera moving mechanism which moves the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position automatically upon opening of the lid.

17. The waterproof case as defined in claim 3, wherein the camera moving mechanism comprises:

a camera attachment member arranged movably within the case body and provided with a camera attachment screw to be screwed into a tripod screw hole of the camera; and

a link mechanism provided between the camera attachment member and the lid.

4. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera; and

an attachment part attached to the case body to face a taking lens of the camera contained in the case body, an accessory optical member being attached to and detached from the attachment part.

18. The waterproof case as defined in claim 4, wherein the accessory optical member is at least one of a wide conversion lens, a telephoto conversion lens, and a filter.

5. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera;

an accessory optical member attached to the case body to face a taking lens of the camera contained in the case body; and

a window member attached to the case body outside the accessory optical member to protect the accessory optical member.

19. The waterproof case as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory optical member is at least one of a wide conversion lens, a telephoto conversion lens, and a filter.

6. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera;

a first flash device arranged in the case body, the first flash device comprising a synchronizing device which synchronizes flashing of the first flash device with shooting of the camera contained in the case body, the first flash device flashing simultaneously with the shooting of the camera contained in the case body; and

a battery for supplying electric power to the first flash device, the battery being arranged in the case body;

wherein the case body has an opening;

wherein a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly is hinged to the case body; and

the case body comprises a camera receiving part for containing the camera and a battery receiving part for containing the battery, the battery receiving part being arranged opposite to a part at which the lid is hinged, across the camera receiving part.

20. The waterproof case as defined in claim 6, wherein the camera comprises a second flash device for emitting light of smaller quantity than the first flash device.

21. The waterproof case as defined in claim 6, wherein the first flash device further comprises a light quantity controlling device which controls a quantity of light emitted from the first flash device, the light quantity controlling device comprising a photodetector and stopping the first flash device from flashing when a quantity of light received by the photodetector reaches a predetermined quantity.

22. The waterproof case as defined in claim 6, wherein the camera contained in the case body comprises a second flash device for emitting light upon the shooting of the camera;

and

wherein the synchronizing device comprises a photodetector for sensing the light emitted from the second flash device, the synchronizing device activating the first flash device upon the sensing of the photodetector.

7. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being hinged to the case body; and

a lid holding mechanism which holds the lid open at either one of an arbitrary angle and a predetermined angle with respect to the opening of the case body;

wherein the lid holding mechanism comprises one of;

a click-stop mechanism for engaging on at least one rotational position of the lid;

a friction providing member which provides predetermined friction to rotation of the lid; and

a lock mechanism for locking the rotation of the lid on at least one rotational position of the lid.

8. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being movably attached to the case body; and

a camera moving mechanism which moves the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position upon opening of the lid;

wherein the camera moving mechanism comprises;

a camera attachment member arranged movably within the case body and provided with a camera attachment screw to be screwed into a tripod screw hole of the camera; and

a pressing member which presses the camera attachment member to protrude the camera from the opening of the case body.

14. The waterproof case as defined in claim 8, wherein the camera moving mechanism further comprises a stopper for temporarily stopping the camera attachment member at a position permitting exchange of recording mediums for the camera.

9. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being hinged to the case body; and

a lid holding mechanism which holds the lid open at either one of an arbitrary angle and a predetermined angle with respect to the opening of the case body; and

a camera moving mechanism which moves the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position upon opening of the lid;

wherein the lid holding mechanism comprises one of;

a click-stop mechanism for engaging on at least one rotational position of the lid;

a friction providing member which provides predetermined friction to rotation of the lid; and

a lock mechanism for locking the rotation of the lid on at least one rotational position of the lid.

10. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera, the case body having an opening;

a lid for closing the opening of the case body watertightly, the lid being hinged to the case body; and

a lid holding mechanism which holds the lid open at either one of an arbitrary angle and a predetermined angle with respect to the opening of the case body; and

a camera moving mechanism which moves the camera contained in the case body to a predetermined position upon opening of the lid;

wherein the camera moving mechanism comprises;

a camera attachment member arranged movably within the case body and provided with a camera attachment screw to be screwed into a tripod screw hole of the camera; and

a pressing member which presses the camera attachment member to protrude the camera from the opening of the case body.

16. The waterproof case as defined in claim 10, wherein the camera moving mechanism further comprises a stopper for temporarily stopping the camera attachment member at a position permitting exchange of recording mediums for the camera.

11. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera;

a first flash device arranged in the case body, the first flash device comprising a synchronizing device which synchronizes flashing of the first flash device with shooting of the camera contained in the case body; and

a battery for supplying electric power to the first flash device, the battery being arranged in the case body;

wherein the camera comprises a second flash device for emitting light of smaller quantity than the first flash device; and

wherein the second flash device emits light upon the shooting of the camera using the first flash device, a quantity of the light emitted from the second flash device when the camera is contained in the waterproof case being smaller than a quantity of light emitted from the second flash device when the camera is used separately from the waterproof case; and

wherein the synchronizing device comprises a photodetector for sensing the light emitted from the second flash device, the synchronizing device activating the first flash device upon the sensing of the photodetector.

12. A camera, comprising:

a determining device which determines whether the camera is contained in a separate case such that the camera can be operated from within the separate case;

a flash device which emits light upon shooting of the camera; and

a flash controlling device which controls the flash device such that a quantity of the light emitted from the flash device when the determining device determines that the camera is contained in the separate case is smaller than a quantity of light emitted from the flash device when the determining device determines that the camera is not contained in the separate case.

23. The camera as defined in claim 12, wherein the determining device comprises a detector detecting contact thereof with a predetermined member of the separate case.

13. A waterproof case for a camera, comprising:

a case body for containing the camera;

a first flash device arranged in the case body, the first flash device comprising a synchronizing device which synchronizes flashing of the first flash device with shooting of the camera contained in the case body, the first flash device flashing simultaneously with the shooting of the camera contained in the case body; and

a battery for supplying electric power to the first flash device, the battery being arranged in the case body;

wherein the first flash device further comprises a light quantity controlling device which controls a quantity of light emitted from the first flash device, the light quantity controlling device comprising a photodetector and stopping the first flash device from flashing when a quantity of light received by the photodetector reaches a predetermined quantity.