Handle control for lens zoom speed control

• US 6,707,501 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tom Mckay
• Original Assignee: Tom Mckay
• Inventors: McKay, Tom, Brower, Todd Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US09/588,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 348/357, 348/345, 348/240.1, 348/240.3, 348/211.6, 348/207.99, 358/906, 358/909.1, 396/76, 396/86, 396/72, 396/85, 396/87, 396/133, 396/137, 396/420, 396/422, 396/425, 396/421, 396/502, 359/696, 359/697, 359/823, 248/187.1, 248/177.1, 224/271, 224/272, 352/242, 352/243, 352/178
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/10 by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

The handle grip and electronic controls of a handle control for a lens zoom speed control are ergonomically designed to provide quick comfortable access to all of the control switches. While grasping the rubberized foam handle grip in the palm of the hand of the operator, a thumb engages and holds a push button or rocker switch to switch between the wide angle and telephoto mode. Simultaneously, an inner edge of the forefinger engages and rotates a speed control dial to increase or decrease the speed of lens zoom in the selected wide angle or telephoto mode as controlled by engagement of the thumb with the appropriate mode switch. Rotation of the speed control dial away from the operator (in a counterclockwise direction), causes an increased speed of zooms whereas rotation of the dial towards the operator (in a clockwise direction) decreases the speed of zoom (in the selected wide angle or telephoto mode).

Claims

1. A control system for a video recorder camera, said control system comprising:

a handle adapted to be held in a palm of an operator,

an actuator for selecting one of a wide angle mode and a telephoto mode of a video camera recorder, said switch being depressable by a thumb of a same hand of the operator holding said handle,

a speed control device for controlling zoom speed of a video recorder camera and for engagement by a forefinger of the same hand of the operator holding said handle, and

a control cable for connecting to the video recorder camera and for transmitting signals from said switch and said speed control device to the video recorder camera so that the operator can, by natural, comfortable movement of the thumb and the forefinger, control zoom speed in one of said wide angle and said telephoto mode of operation of the video camera recorder when the handle is held in the palm of the operator.

2. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator is one of two push buttons.

3. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a rocker switch being engageable with two switches.

4. A control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein a longitudinal axis of said rocker switch extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said handle.

5. A control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein a longitudinal axis of said rocker switch extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of said handle.

6. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of said speed control device extends at an angle in the range of 5°

-15°

with respect to a longitudinal axis of said handle so that the speed control device is comfortably accessible by the forefinger of the hand holding the handle.

7. A control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a clamping system for attaching the control system remote from a video recorder camera.

8. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is attached to a control circuit housing, said control cable extending from said control circuit housing.

9. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said speed control device is a potentiometer.