Photography – With object illumination for exposure – Having flash built into camera
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-10-16
Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)
Photography
With object illumination for exposure
Having flash built into camera
C396S373000, C396S448000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304728
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a camera that has a flash that is moveable between a stored position in which the flash is disposed in a viewfinder air space that is defined between a pair of non-moveable viewfinder lenses and an operable position in which the flash is at least partially external to the viewfinder air space.
Because of the consumer appeal for cameras of a relatively small size, camera manufactures endeavor to decrease the size of cameras. This consumer appeal stems from a variety of factors, such as, the fact that smaller cameras are typically easier to transport. Furthermore, smaller cameras may in some instances be easier to operate and manipulate to focus on a subject.
By way of example, efforts to reduce the size of camera are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,002 ('002 patent) issued to Kwak. Kwak teaches a camera that has a flash unit, a conveyance means that supports the flash unit for movement between a storage position and an operative position. In the storage position the conveyance means rests in the viewfinder air space, and in the operative position the conveyance means is translated above the viewfinder air space.
As shown in Kwak, the camera lens and the camera viewfinder are both disposed within the conveyance means, so that when the conveyance moves the camera lens and the viewfinder moves with the conveyance means. Further, the conveyance means of Kwak must be sized so that when it moves the viewfinder is aligned with the viewfinder air space and the lens is aligned with the additional camera lenses that permit light to enter the camera to expose the film. One potential disadvantage of the camera taught by Kwak is that if the camera user does not move the conveyance means properly so as to align the camera lenses, the film may not be properly exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,253 (Swayze) teaches a camera that has a retractable optical viewfinder module that moves between a stored position and an operable position. In the stored position the viewfinder module rests within the space defined by the lenses of the IR module. In order to operate the camera the viewfinder module is withdrawn from this space.
The camera of this invention is an improved camera that permits the reduction in camera size by storing a moveable flash unit in a viewfinder air space that is defined by a pair of stationery viewfinder lenses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The camera of this invention includes a first viewfinder lens that is disposed in a front of the camera and a second viewfinder lens that is disposed in a back of the camera. The first and the second viewfinder lenses are rigidly mounted to the camera, so that they are not moveable. A viewfinder airspace may be defined between the first viewfinder lens, the second viewfinder lens, a top of the camera, and a pair of viewfinder air space sides and a viewfinder air space bottom. Disposed within the viewfinder air space is a moveable flash.
The flash is movable between an operable position and a stored position. In the stored position, the flash is stowed in the viewfinder air space between the first and the second viewfinder lenses. Because the flash is stored in the viewfinder air space, the flash may at least partially obstruct the view through the viewfinder lenses when it is in the stored position. As mentioned, the flash is movable to an operable position relative to the viewfinder lenses. In this operable position, at least a portion of the flash is disposed external to the viewfinder air space. Consequently, in the operable position, the camera user can look through the viewfinder lenses to focus on a subject, and the flash can be operated to provide light to illuminate the subject.
The camera of this invention further includes a picture taking lens, that is disposed in the front of the camera, and a lens cover. Preferably, the lens cover is moveable between a lens covered position and a lens uncovered position. In the lens covered position, the lens cover covers the picture taking lens to protect it from being scratched, damaged or becoming dirty. Conversely, in the lens uncovered position, the lens cover does not obstruct the path of light through the picture taking lens.
The camera of this invention may further include an actuator for moving the flash between the stored position and the operable position and the lens cover between the covered position and the uncovered position. In a preferred embodiment the actuator is moveable between the first position and a second position. When the actuator is in the first position the flash is in the stored position and the lens cover is in the covered position. Upon movement of the actuator to its second position, the lens cover moves to the uncovered position and the flash moves to the operable position.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the camera further includes an operating mechanism coupled to the actuator. This operating mechanism can be manipulated by a camera user, so that the camera user can move the lens cover between the uncovered position and the covered position and the flash between the stored position and the operable position.
In one embodiment of this invention, the operating mechanism comprises a tab and the actuator is defined in part by a rotatable ring. The tab is preferably coupled to the rotatable ring and the rotatable ring is coupled to the lens cover and the flash. Thus, a camera user can manipulate the tab to move the rotatable ring and thus move the lens cover and the flash.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the operating mechanism comprises a push button and the actuator comprises a spring. This spring preferably biases the flash in the operable position. The actuator preferably further includes a mechanism for holding the flash in the stored position against the biasing of the spring. The push button can be manipulated to release the flash so that the spring exerts a force to move the flash between the stored position and the operable position. Preferably the flash in this embodiment is coupled to the lens cover, so that movement of the flash from the stored position to the operable position causes the lens cover to move from the covered position to the uncovered position.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the actuator includes ribs extending along a periphery of a flash housing that houses the flash. The camera user can push the flash between the stored position and the operable position by pushing along the ribs on the side of the flash housing. In this embodiment, the flash is preferably coupled to the lens cover so that when the flash is moved from the stored position to the operable position, the lens cover is moved from the covered position to the uncovered position.
Other features of the invention are described below.
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Concord Camera Corp.
Perkey W. B.
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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