Sensor-cleaning camera body cap system
OwnerWilliam J. Fritsch, Bruce L. Winkler +1inventors
InventorsWilliam J. Fritsch, Bruce L. Winkler, David Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for removing contaminants from the interior of a camera body. In one version, airflow is generated by an external air bulb. An airflow module attaches to a camera body cap and includes an air intake channel, an air intake filter, at least one sensor channel configured to direct filtered air into the camera interior, and at least one air output channel for discharging air. In another version, an air bulb is mounted to the camera body cap, and a filter frame is sealed to the bulb and the cap to form an air chamber. A cap intake channel and an air intake filter supply filtered air to the air chamber, and at least one sensor channel delivers air into the camera body when the bulb is depressed.
Claims18
A system for removing contaminants from an interior of a camera body, comprising:
- (a) a camera body cap configured to be removably attached to the camera body, the camera body cap having an aperture extending therethrough;
- (b) an airflow module coupled to the camera body cap, the airflow module cooperating with the aperture of the camera body cap to form an air intake path configured to receive airflow from an external air bulb and direct the airflow toward the interior of the camera body,
- the airflow module comprising:
- (i) an air intake channel configured to receive airflow from the external air bulb;
- (ii) an air intake filter positioned to remove contaminants from incoming air;
- and
- (iii) at least one sensor channel disposed downstream of the air intake filter and configured to deliver the filtered air into the interior of the camera body;
- and
- (c) at least one air output channel structurally associated with the airflow module and/or the camera body cap, and configured to allow air to exit from the interior of the camera body.
A system for removing contaminants from an interior of a camera body, comprising:
- (a) a camera body cap configured to be removably attached to the camera body, the camera body cap having an aperture extending therethrough and at least one cap intake channel extending therethrough;
- (b) a flexible bulb extending through the aperture of the camera body cap;
- (c) a filter frame coupled and sealed to the camera body cap and the air bulb, such that the camera body cap, the air bulb, and the filter frame together form an air chamber;
- (d) an air intake filter positioned between the at least one cap intake channel and the filter frame to remove contaminants from air drawn through the cap intake channel;
- and
- (e) at least one sensor channel extending through a base of the filter frame and configured to place the air chamber in fluid communication with the interior of the camera body;
- wherein depression of the air bulb generates airflow from the air chamber through the sensor channel into the interior of the camera body and expels air therefrom, and release of the air bulb draws air through the cap intake channel, the air intake filter, and the sensor channel into the air chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.