Flexible lens mount system for rapid tilt photography

• US 7,800,680 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lensbaby, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lensbabies, LLC
• Inventors: Strong, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flohre; Jason A
• Application Number:
  US10/571,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 348/240.3, 348/667, 348/683, 359/817, 359/812, 359/808, 359/823, 359/372, 359/429, 359/648, 359/707, 359/704, 359/685, 359/683, 359/474, 359/815, 359/820, 359/827, 396/82, 396/145
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/04 collapsible, foldable or extensible, e.g. book type
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/045 Bellows
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/06 Swinging lens about normal to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

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.

Claims

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.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the lens support is a frustoconical member fixed to a portion of the body spaced apart from the fitting, the lens being moveable with the lens support as a unit relative to the fitting when the body moves relative to the rest position.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an f-stop carried by the body.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a focusing collar coupled to the body.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the fitting is mounted to a camera.

6. A lens system comprising:

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.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an f-stop carried by the body.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a focusing collar coupled to the body.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the fitting is removably mounted to a camera.

10. A lens system comprising:

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.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the lens support includes a tubular frustoconical lens support having a first part and second part, the first part being coupled to the body and at least one portion of the second part being received by the at least one portion of the body that is tubular, the lens being coupled to the second portion of the lens support.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the lens support includes a tubular frustoconical lens support having a first part and second part, at least one portion of the second part of the tubular frustoconical lens support having a smaller cross-sectional area than at least one portion of the first part of the tubular frustoconical lens support, the first part of the tubular frustoconical lens support being coupled to the body and at least one portion of the second part of the tubular frustoconical lens support being received by the at least one portion of the body that is tubular, the lens being coupled to the second portion of the of the tubular frustoconical lens support.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the fitting is mounted to a camera.

14. A lens system comprising:

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.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising an f-stop carried by the body.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising an f-stop being coupled to the body via the lens support.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising an f-stop carried by the body, the f-stop being at least one of a fixed f-stop, a replaceable f-stop, and an adjustable f-stop.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a focusing collar coupled to the body.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the lens includes a first lens, and wherein the system further comprises at least one second lens coupled to the body.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the body includes a tubular segment, and wherein the system further comprises a lens support, the lens being coupled to the body by the lens support, at least one portion of the lens support being received by the tubular segment of the body and being movable relative to at least a portion of the tubular segment.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the lens support is a tubular frustoconical lens support having a second end portion disposed within the tubular segment of the body, the second end portion and the lens being spaced apart from the tubular segment of the body, the lens being mounted in the second end portion of the lens support.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the body is coupable to at least one optical device.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the fitting is mounted to a camera.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the body has a rest position to which it tends to return after the body has been moved away from the rest position and released.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein when the lens is moved by a force to one of the at least two operative position, the body tends to retain the lens at least approximately in the one position after the force has been released.

26. A lens system comprising:

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.

27. The lens system of claim 26, further comprising a lens support means for coupling the lens to the body means.

28. The lens system of claim 26, further comprising an f-stop means for controlling an area of an aperture through which light passes, the f-stop means being carried by the body means.