Cradle for digital camera

• US 7,253,840 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kayanuma, Yasunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henderson; Adam L.
• Application Number:
  US10/166,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 396/419, D16/202, D16/208, D16/214
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• 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 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0056 Using mechanical couplings, e.g. mating elements H04N2201/0049, H04N2201/0051, H04N2201/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like

Abstract

Free setting of the angle or direction of a camera is available while the camera is being inserted into a cradle. A cradle for a digital camera is provided, which is capable of confirming a display screen of the camera, changing the recording medium or battery, or mounting or demounting a communication cable or the like while the camera is being mounted on the cradle without deteriorating the camera holding. The cradle has a structure such that a tripod screw hole is formed on the bottom surface of the cradle, thereby capable of fixing the cradle to a tripod while the digital camera is being inserted into the cradle. By making the height of rubber pads equal or higher than that of a tripod base, the cradle can be stably placed on a desk or the like. The cradle also has a structure that, among the walls holding the camera, a part of the walls that cover a liquid-crystal monitor of the camera, a media slot for a memory card, a terminal part including a power supply terminal or USB terminal is constituted by movable walls. The movable walls can be used as a simple tripod by employing a free stop structure or click stop structure.

Claims

1. A cradle for a digital camera, comprising:

a tripod screw hole into which a fixing male screw used in a tripod for a camera is capable of being screwed;

a wall part including a rear wall portion and left and right side wall portions,

wherein each of the left and right side wall portions includes an upper edge section adjacent to the rear wall portion having a height substantially equal to a height of the rear wall portion,

the upper edge section on one of the left and right side wall portions extending further forward than on the other of the left and right side wall portions,

the other of the left and right side wall portions including a vertical edge section extending vertically downward from a forward end of the upper edge section, and a lower edge section extending substantially in a forward direction toward a front of the cradle from a lower end of the vertical edge section, thereby forming a side cut away portion, the cut away portion exposing one or more terminals provided on a side surface of the camera.

2. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a camera mounting part on which a digital camera is mounted;

a first communication device which performs communication with the digital camera mounted on the camera mounting part;

a second communication device which performs communication with an external device; and

a power supply terminal which supplies power to the digital camera mounted on the camera mounting part.

3. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 2, further comprising

a locking device which fixes the digital camera to the cradle by a mechanical engaging device when the digital camera is mounted;

and

a releasing device which releases the locking device.

4. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the external device is a personal computer.

5. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the second communications device allows the cradle and external device to be freely oriented with respect to each other.

6. The cradle as set forth in claim 1, wherein a height of a leg part provided on a bottom surface of the cradle is equal to or higher than that of a tripod base which serves as a tripod fixing surface.

7. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a depression part formed on a rear side of a bottom portion of the cradle.

8. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cut-away part formed on a rear side of a bottom portion of the cradle, the cut-away part being disposed rearward of the tripod screw hole.

9. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising four compressible pads extending in a direction perpendicular to a bottom of the cradle, the pads being adapted to support the cradle when the cradle is placed on a flat surface.

10. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a camera mounting part having a surface that is substantially horizontal, the rear wall portion and the left and right side wall portions rising orthogonally from the camera mounting part.

11. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the right and left side wall portions includes:

a front corner section which is angled inward toward a front of the cradle.

12. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a front surface of the cradle extending downward from an exposed front edge of the camera mounting part.

13. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein the right and left side wall portions include:

front corner sections which angle inward toward each other in order to wrap around lower front corners of the camera mounted on the camera mounting part.

14. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 13, wherein no wall is provided along the front edge of the camera mounting part between front corner sections of the cradle.

15. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 13, when the digital camera is mounted on the camera mounting part, a portion of the camera between the front corner sections of the wall part is exposed.

16. A cradle for a digital camera, comprising:

a tripod screw hole into which a fixing male screw used in a tripod for a camera is capable of being screwed;

a cut-away part formed on a bottom surface of the cradle;

a wall part adapted to support the camera, wherein a highest section of the wall part is disposed directly above the cut-away part,

wherein a height of the wall part is highest along a rear of the cradle and along rear sections of left and right side wall portions of the cradle, the height of the wall part being lower along forward sections of the left and right side wall portions adjacent to a front of the cradle, the forward sections being stepped down from the rear sections.

17. The cradle as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

a camera mounting part on which a digital camera is mounted;

a first communication device which performs communication with the digital camera mounted on the camera mounting part;

a second communication device which performs communication with an external device; and

a power supply terminal which supplies power to the digital camera mounted on the camera mounting part.

18. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 17, wherein the external device is a personal computer.

19. The cradle for a digital camera according to claim 17, wherein the second communications device allows the cradle and external device to be freely oriented with respect to each other.

20. The cradle as set forth in claim 16, wherein a height of a leg part provided on a bottom surface of the cradle is equal to or higher than that of a tripod base which serves as a tripod fixing surface.

21. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, further comprising

a locking device which fixes the digital camera to the cradle by a mechanical engaging device when the digital camera is mounted;

and

a releasing device which releases the locking device.

22. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, wherein the cut-away part is disposed rearward of the tripod screw hole.

23. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, wherein the cut-away part includes at least three vertical wall part, and is open on the bottom portion and a rear portion of the cradle.

24. The cradle for a digital camera as set forth in claim 16, further comprising four compressible pads extending in a direction perpendicular to a bottom of the cradle, the pads being adapted to support the cradle when the cradle is placed on a flat surface.