Adjustable handle, particularly for camera

• US 8,373,762 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAMAN SA
• Original Assignee: CAMAN SA
• Inventors: Cottagnoud, Camille
• Primary Examiner(s): VILLECCO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US12/706,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.2, 348/211.4, 348/211.7, 348/211.11, 348/373, 348/375, 348/376, 396/56, 396/58, 396/59, 396/300, 396/297, 396/419, 396/420, 396/424, 396/428, 396/425, 396/426, 345/161, 164/30
• US Class Current: 348/211.7
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a handle (1) for actuating a device such as a video camera. The handle includes indentations (3) for accommodating the fingers of the user. An adjustment system (5, 7, 8, 9, 11) enables the width (11, 12, 13, 14) of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of the user'"'"'s fingers.

Claims

1. Handle for actuating a device, including:

a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user,

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of said user'"'"'s fingers, the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing, and

at least one element capable of being actuated by one of the user'"'"'s fingers, the at least one element moves when the width of the indentations is adjusted,

wherein the handle is constituted at least partially of an elastically deformable material capable of reverting to its original shape after a deformation, said adjustment system enabling the compression of said material to be deformed or modified in order to modify said width of the indentations.

2. The handle of claim 1, said adjustment system being adapted for adaptation of said width of the indentations without disassembling or replacing parts.

3. The handle of claim 1, said adjustment system enabling a continuous adaptation of said width of the indentations.

4. The handle of claim 1, said elastically deformable material being on a silicon basis.

5. The handle of claim 1 having a deformable portion provided with said indentations and made at least partially of said elastically deformable material,

said adjustment system being arranged for adjusting the compression of said deformable portion.

6. The handle of claim 5, including a rigid portion designed to be held in the palm of the hand and allowing the handle to be connected to said device.

7. The handle of claim 1, wherein the at least one element capable of being actuated by one of the user'"'"'s fingers includes at least one haptic element, the at least one haptic element designed to be actuated by one of the fingers lodged in one of said indentations.

8. The handle of claim 7, having four distinct indentations for accommodating the index, the middle finger, the ring finger and the small finger, and several haptic elements designed to be actuated each by one of these fingers.

9. The handle of claim 7, having at least one haptic element designed to be actuated by the thumb.

10. The handle of claim 1, wherein the adjustment system maintains a selected width of the indentations.

11. The handle of claim 1, wherein the adjustment system includes a screw extending in the direction of the handle length.

12. The handle of claim 1, wherein the adjustment system includes a screw that changes the width of the indentations.

13. The handle of claim 12, wherein the adjustment system includes an adjustment wheel connected to the screw.

14. Handle for actuating a device, including:

a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user,

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of said user'"'"'s fingers, the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing, and

a rigid portion accommodating a cell or a battery for storing energy, an electronic circuit for interfacing with said device or a receiver, and a haptic element designed to be actuated by the thumb,

wherein the handle is constituted at least partially of an elastically deformable material capable of reverting to its original shape after a deformation, said adjustment system enabling the compression of said material to be deformed or modified in order to modify said width of the indentations, and

wherein said deformable portion being connected to said rigid portion by means of said adjustment system.

15. A system including:

a handle for actuating a device, and a receiver, the handle comprising

a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user, and

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of said user'"'"'s fingers, the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing;

at least one element capable of being actuated by one of the user'"'"'s fingers, the at least one element moves when the width of the indentations is adjusted; and

wherein the handle, is associated with said receiver, said receiver being intended to work with said device controlled by said handle.

16. The handle of claim 15, said receiver including an electronic circuit for receiving and converting command signals entered with said handle into control signals of said device or of another device.

17. The handle of claim 15, associated with said receiver over a wireless interface.

18. Handle for actuating a device, the handle comprising:

a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user,

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of said user'"'"'s fingers, the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing, and

at least one element capable of being actuated by one of the user'"'"'s fingers, the at least one element moves when the width of the indentations is adjusted,

wherein the handle is a pistol shape.

19. System including:

a handle for actuating a device, the handle comprising

a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user,

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of said indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of said user'"'"'s fingers, the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing, and

at least one element capable of being actuated by one of the user'"'"'s fingers, the at least one element moves when the width of the indentations is adjusted; and

a receiver connected to said handle over a cabled or wireless interface and provided with a cabled or wireless interface for controlling an external device according to the commands entered with said handle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said receiver can be reprogrammed.

21. The system of claim 20, including several receivers that can be associated to a same handle for controlling different devices over different types of interface.

22. Handle for actuating a device, comprising:

a deformable portion made at least partially of an elastically deformable material, the deformable portion includes a plurality of indentations for the fingers of a user;

an adjustment system enabling the width of at least a portion of the indentations to be modified in order to adapt it to the width of the user'"'"'s fingers the adjustment system including an element enabling the width of the indentations to be modified by screwing or unscrewing; and

a rigid portion designed to be held in the palm of the user'"'"'s hand and allowing the handle to be connected to the device, the rigid portion accommodating a cell or a battery for storing energy, an electronic circuit for interfacing with the device or a receiver, and a haptic element designed to be actuated by the thumb,

wherein the elastically deformable material is capable of reverting to its original shape after a deformation, said adjustment system enabling the compression of said material to be deformed or modified in order to modify said width of the indentations.