Image capture device door mechanism
AssigneeConcord Camera Corp.
InventorsLothar Westerweck, Wilfred Bittner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door opening mechanism for an image capture device is provided which translates non-linear motion into a linear motion used to open or close the lens door. In one particular embodiment, rotary motion is translated to the linear up and down motion of the lens door. In another embodiment, the pendular motion of a door control grip is translated to the linear up and down motion of the lens door.
Claims27
A lens door mechanism for an image capture device, comprising:
- an image capture device housing including a lens opening therethrough;
- a lens door actuator including a handle portion accessible through said housing;
- a lens door located within said housing, said lens door including a lens door loop;
- a lever in communication with said lens door actuator at a first end, a second end of said lever including a lever finger, said lever finger being engaged with said loop;
- a pivot pin located within said housing, said pivot pin permitting said lever to pivot around a pivot point during actuation of said lens door actuator;
- and
- wherein rotational motion of said handle portion pivots said lever about said pivot point to move said lens door linearly.
A lens door mechanism for an image capture device, comprising:
- a grip accessible to the user;
- a pendular lever attached to said grip at a first end and pivotally fixed to the image capture device at a second end;
- a lens door lever attached to said pendular lever at a pivot point, said lens door lever including a lever finger;
- a lens door including a loop, said lever finger being engaged with said loop via a bend in one of said lever finger and said lens door;
- wherein rotational motion of said grip pivots said lens door lever around said pivot point to move said lens door linearly.
A method of capturing a nested release switch in an image capture device housing, comprising:
- (a) providing an image capture device housing including a cylindrical bearing shaft post extending from the upper surface thereof, said cylindrical bearing shaft including a release shaft opening and a key opening, therethrough;
- (b) mounting a release button spring to said image capture device housing around said cylindrical bearing shaft post, said spring including a spring body and a plurality of leaf spring legs extending upward from said spring body;
- (c) providing a release button including a shaft and a key portion extending from said shaft and a track located on the lower surface of the release button;
- (d) inserting said shaft of said release button into said release shaft opening while aligning said key portion with said key opening, after step (b);
- and
- (e) turning said release button after step (d) to connect the upper surface of said key portion with the inside surface of said housing and simultaneously trap the upper surface of one of said plurality of spring legs in said track to prevent further movement of said release button in the rotational direction, and wherein the upper surfaces of said plurality of spring legs contact the lower surface of said release button to normally bias said release button away from said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.