Variable configuration apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising first and second components having respective first and second mechanical coupling elements that cooperate to allow relative movement of the first and second components, the first mechanical coupling element comprising a recess formed therein and the second mechanical coupling element comprising a projection adapted to be movably fitted in the recess,wherein the first mechanical coupling element comprises a first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second mechanical coupling element comprises a second conductive plate positioned on the projection, the first conductive plate having a first continuous surface extending diametrically across the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate having a second continuous surface extending diametrically across the second conductive plate, the first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second conductive plate positioned on the projection so that the first continuous surface is positioned substantially parallel to the second continuous surface when the projection is fitted in the recess,further wherein the second conductive plate is configured to wirelessly couple a signal from one of the first and second components to the other of the first and second components.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising first and second components having respective first and second mechanical coupling elements that cooperate to allow relative movement of the first and second components, the first mechanical coupling element comprising a recess formed therein and the second mechanical coupling element comprising a projection adapted to be movably fitted in the recess,
wherein the first mechanical coupling element comprises a first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second mechanical coupling element comprises a second conductive plate positioned on the projection, the first conductive plate having a first continuous surface extending diametrically across the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate having a second continuous surface extending diametrically across the second conductive plate, the first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second conductive plate positioned on the projection so that the first continuous surface is positioned substantially parallel to the second continuous surface when the projection is fitted in the recess, further wherein the second conductive plate is configured to wirelessly couple a signal from one of the first and second components to the other of the first and second components.
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17. A method of wirelessly coupling a signal in an apparatus having first and second components having respective first and second mechanical coupling elements that cooperate to allow relative movement of the first and second components, the first mechanical coupling element comprising a recess formed therein and the second mechanical coupling element comprising a projection adapted to be movably fitted in the recess, the first mechanical coupling element comprising a first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second mechanical coupling element comprising a second conductive plate positioned on the projection, the first conductive plate having a first continuous surface extending diametrically across the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate having a second continuous surface extending diametrically across the second conductive plate, the first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second conductive plate positioned on the projection so that the first continuous surface is positioned substantially parallel to the second continuous surface when the projection is fitted in the recess,
the method comprising wirelessly coupling the signal from the first component to the second component via the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate comprised in the first and second components.
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18. An apparatus comprising first and second components having respective first and second mechanical coupling elements that cooperate to allow relative movement of the first and second components, the first mechanical coupling element comprising a recess formed therein and the second mechanical coupling element comprising a projection adapted to be movably fitted in the recess,
wherein the first mechanical coupling element comprises signal coupling means having a first conductive device positioned in the recess and the second mechanical coupling element comprises signal coupling means having a second conductive device positioned on the projection, wherein the first conductive device comprises a first conductive plate having a first continuous surface extending diametrically across the first conductive plate, the second conductive device comprises a second conductive plate having a second continuous surface extending diametrically across the second conductive plate, the first conductive plate positioned in the recess and the second conductive plate positioned on the projection so that the first continuous surface is positioned substantially parallel to the second continuous surface when the projection is fitted in the recess, and further wherein the signal coupling means is configured to wirelessly couple a signal from one of the first and second components to the other of the first and second components.
Specification