Cradle apparatus for camera

• US 7,167,207 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanamori, Shino, Kawaguchi, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MADDEN, GREGORY VINCENT
• Application Number:
  US10/153,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20020176020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/207.1, 348/372, 348/375, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/573, 396/425, 396/428, 396/301, 439374-381, 439/144, 361/686, 248/316.4
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

The cradle apparatus for a camera facilitates satisfactory engagement and disengagement of a camera connector, ready locking of a camera in a state in which connectors are connected, and minimization of the dustiness of the connector of the cradle is to be provided. The cradle apparatus is mainly configured of a cradle body, a box-shaped sliding member, which is slidable relatively to the cradle body and accommodates and fixes a digital camera, and a cradle connector disposed on a side of the cradle body. By sliding the sliding member in a direction orthogonal to the mounting direction of the camera after mounting the digital camera to the sliding member, a camera connector can be engaged with and disengaged from the cradle connector.

Claims

1. A cradle apparatus which electrically connects a camera with an external device, the cradle apparatus comprising:

a cradle body having a camera mount on which the camera is mounted;

a sliding member which holds the camera, the sliding member being disposed in the camera mount of the cradle body slidably in a sliding direction substantially orthogonal to a mounting direction of the camera; and

a cradle connector disposed in the cradle body to protrude in the sliding direction of the sliding member, the cradle connector being engaged with and disengaged from a camera connector provided on a face of the camera substantially orthogonal to the sliding direction of the sliding member when the sliding member holding the camera slides together with the camera within the cradle body.

2. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sliding member comprises a substantially box-shaped slider which holds the camera on its front, back, right and left faces.

3. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the sliding member comprises a pair of holders having holding faces that are substantially orthogonal to the sliding direction of the sliding member, the pair of holders holding the camera on its right and left faces; and

the camera mount holds front and back faces of the camera.

4. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the sliding member comprises an elastic member which is elastically deformed when the camera is mounted to hold the camera on its right and left faces.

5. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the sliding member is elastic and can be elastically deformed when the camera is mounted to hold the camera on its right and left faces.

6. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the sliding member comprises a pair of holders having holding faces that are substantially orthogonal to the sliding direction of the sliding member, the pair of holders holding the camera on its front and back faces; and

the camera mount holds right and left faces of the camera.

7. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the sliding member comprises an elastic member which is elastically deformed when the camera is mounted to hold the camera on its front and back faces.

8. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the sliding member is elastic and is elastically deformed when the camera is mounted to hold the camera on its front and back faces.

9. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sliding member comprises a non-slip friction member disposed inside thereof.

10. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a connector cover disposed on the cradle body movably back and forth between a position where the connector cover covers the cradle connector and a position where the connector cover exposes the cradle connector, the connector cover moving back and forth in synchronization with the sliding of the sliding member.

11. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sliding member comprises a connector cover which covers the cradle connector when the sliding member has slid to a position enabling the camera to be engaged and disengaged, the connector cover being unitedly formed on the sliding member.

12. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a charging unit which charges a battery in the camera via the cradle connector.

13. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a battery housing which, when the sliding member is slid so as to connect the camera connector to the cradle connector, is demarcated by the sliding member and the camera mount of the cradle body.

14. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a battery housing which, when the sliding member is slid so as to connect the camera connector to the cradle connector, is demarcated by the sliding member and the camera mount of the cradle body.

15. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cradle connector comprises communication terminals for two-way communication with the external device and power terminals for supplying power to the camera.

16. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the cradle connector further comprises audio/visual terminals for receiving audio/visual signals from the camera and outputting the audio/visual signals to the external device.

17. The cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera mount comprises a recess in the cradle body.

18. The cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera mount comprises a recess extending throughout a bottom face of the cradle body.

19. The cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cradle connector is disposed on a side face of the cradle body.

20. A cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera is inserted into the camera mount.

21. The cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a digital still camera.

22. The cradle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera is directly mounted onto the camera mount.

23. A cradle apparatus which electrically connects a camera with an external device, the cradle apparatus comprising:

a cradle body having a camera mount on which the camera is mounted;

a sliding member disposed in the cradle body slidably in a sliding direction substantially orthogonal to a mounting direction of the camera; and

a cradle connector disposed on the sliding member to protrude in the sliding direction of the sliding member to emerge and retract toward and away from the camera mount along with the sliding of the sliding member to be engaged with and disengaged from a camera connector of the camera mounted to the camera mount.

24. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the cradle connector comprises communication terminals for two-way communication with the external device and power terminals for supplying power to the camera.

25. The cradle apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein the cradle connector further comprises audio/visual terminals for receiving audio/visual signals from the camera and outputting the audio/visual signals to the external device.

26. A cradle apparatus which electrically connects a camera with an external device, the cradle apparatus comprising:

a cradle body having a camera mount on which the camera is mounted;

a sliding member which holds the camera, the sliding member being disposed in the camera mount of the cradle body slidably in a sliding direction substantially orthogonal to a mounting direction of the camera; and

a cradle connector disposed in the cradle body to protrude in the sliding direction of the sliding member, the cradle connector being engaged with and disengaged from a camera connector provided on the camera substantially orthogonal to the sliding direction of the sliding member when the sliding member holding the camera slides together with the camera within the cradle body.

27. The cradle apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the cradle connector is disposed on a side face of the cradle body.