Dual lens camera

Details Dual lens camera Dual lens camera

2000-01-11

2001-08-28

Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)

Photography

Having variable focal length of camera objective

Lens moves in or out of light path

C396S083000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06282377

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to a dual lens camera in which a manual selection can be made to change whichever one of at least two different focal length lenses is being used to take a picture to another one of the lenses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dual lens cameras in which a manual selection can be made to change whichever one of at least two different focal length lenses is being used to take a picture to another one of the lenses are well known.
For example, prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,721 issued Jan. 28, 1992 discloses a dual lens camera including a lens carrier with a shorter focal length lens and a longer focal length lens for alternatively positioning only one of the lenses at a picture-taking axis. The lens carrier is pivoted outward from a main body part an initial angular increment to position the shorter focal length lens at the picture-taking axis and an additional angular increment to remove the shorter focal length lens from the picture-taking axis and position the longer focal length lens at the picture-taking axis. Respective shutters and associated fixed apertures are provided on the lens carrier for the shorter and longer focal length lenses.
Another example, prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,864 issued Feb. 16, 1988 discloses a dual lens camera including a lens barrel with a shorter focal length lens and a longer focal length lens that is movable forward and rearward along the picture-taking axis. The longer focal length lens is pivotable to and from the picture-taking axis, and the shorter focal length lens remains at the picture-taking axis. When the lens barrel is moved forward, the longer focal length lens is pivoted to the picture-taking axis to be optically aligned with the shorter focal length lens. When the lens barrel is moved rearward, the longer focal length lens is pivoted from the picture-taking axis to leave only the shorter focal length lens at the picture-taking axis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A dual lens camera comprising a lens carrier with a shorter focal length lens and a longer focal length lens for alternatively positioning only one of the lenses at a picture-taking axis, is characterized in that:
a single aperture for each one of the lenses is movable forward and rearward along the picture taking axis; and
the lens carrier is movable forward and rearward along the picture-taking axis in unity with the aperture, and is movable relative to the aperture to position the shorter focal length lens at the picture-taking axis when the aperture is moved rearward along the picture-taking axis and to position the longer focal length lens at the picture-taking axis when the aperture is moved forward along the picture-taking axis.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 32959 (1989-06-01), Ohmura et al.
patent: 382735 (1888-05-01), Rust
patent: 4451129 (1984-05-01), Ikari et al.
patent: 4482228 (1984-11-01), Fujita
patent: 4725864 (1988-02-01), Ogawa et al.
patent: 5084721 (1992-01-01), Burnham

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