Flexible lens mount system for rapid tilt photography
First Claim
1. A lens system comprising:
- a lens assembly having a lens support and a lens carried within a portion of the lens support;
a fitting mountable to a camera; and
a resiliently flexible body extending between the lens and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body relative to the camera, the body being configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera, and wherein the body has a rest position to which it at least approximately returns after being moved away from the rest position and released, the body having a tubular segment, the lens support and the lens are positioned within the tubular segment, the lens support having an end portion connected to a free end portion of the body that is spaced apart from the fitting, the lens being spaced radially inward from the tubular segment and out of engagement with the tubular segment and configured to allow the tubular segment to bend relative to the fitting without obscuring a view through the lens.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to photography, including both still photography and video photography. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a lens system that includes a lens, a fitting mountable to a camera, and a flexible body extending between the lens and the fitting. The fitting can be the sole support for the body relative to the camera. The body can be configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera. Another aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for adjusting focus of a camera using a lens assembly including manually moving a portion of a flexible body of the lens assembly to place a lens in one of at least two operative positions relative to the camera.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A lens system comprising:
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a lens assembly having a lens support and a lens carried within a portion of the lens support; a fitting mountable to a camera; and a resiliently flexible body extending between the lens and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body relative to the camera, the body being configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera, and wherein the body has a rest position to which it at least approximately returns after being moved away from the rest position and released, the body having a tubular segment, the lens support and the lens are positioned within the tubular segment, the lens support having an end portion connected to a free end portion of the body that is spaced apart from the fitting, the lens being spaced radially inward from the tubular segment and out of engagement with the tubular segment and configured to allow the tubular segment to bend relative to the fitting without obscuring a view through the lens. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A lens system comprising:
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a lens assembly having a substantially hollow lens support having a first end portion and a second end portion, a lens carried by the lens support and positioned adjacent to the second end portion of the lens support.; a fitting mountable to a camera; and a flexible body extending between the lens and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body relative to the camera, the body having a fixed end portion connected to the fitting and a free end portion spaced apart from the fixed end portion, the first end portion of the lens support being connected to the free end portion of the body, and the second end portion of the lens support and the lens being disposed within the flexible body, and being movable with the free end portion of the body relative to the fitting, whereby the lens within the body is angularly moveable relative fitting, the flexible body being configured to selectively retain any one of a plurality of discrete configurations, each one of which positions the lens differently relative to the fitting. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A lens system comprising:
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a lens; a fitting mountable to a camera; a flexible body extending between the lens and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body relative to the camera, the body being configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera, wherein the body includes a tubular segment bendable relative to the fitting and having an internal area; and a lens support carrying the lens, the lens being coupled to the body by the lens support, at least one portion of the lens support and the lens being contained within internal area of the tubular segment of the body and being movable relative to at least a portion of the tubular segment of the body, the lens support having an end portion connected to a free end portion of the body that is spaced apart from the fitting, the at least one portion of the tubular segment and the lens being spaced radially inward from the tubular segment and configured to allow the tubular segment to bend relative to the fitting without obscuring a view through the lens. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A lens system comprising:
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a lens assembly having a lens support and a lens carried by the lens support and positioned within an end portion of the lens support; a fitting mountable to a camera; and a flexible body extending between the lens assembly and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body relative to the camera, the body being configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera, the body having a tubular segment, the lens support and the lens are positioned with the tubular segment, the lens support having an end portion connected to a free end portion of the body that is spaced apart from the fitting, the lens being spaced radially inward from the tubular segment and out of engagement with the tubular segment to allow the tubular segment to bend relative to the fitting without obscuring a view through the lens. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A lens system comprising:
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a lens assembly having a lens support and a lens carried by the lens support and positioned within an end portion of the lens support; a fitting mountable to a camera; and a flexible body means extending between the lens and the fitting, the fitting being the sole support for the body means relative to the camera, the body means being configured to position the lens among at least two operative positions relative to the camera when the fitting is mounted to the camera, the body means having a hollow segment, the lens support and the lens are positioned with the hollow segment, the lens support having an end portion connected to a free end portion of the body that is spaced apart from the fitting, the lens being spaced radially inward from the tubular segment to allow the tubular segment to bend relative to the fitting without obscuring a view through the lens. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification