Camera assembly having lens turret and independently movable rocker
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsAnthony DiRisio, Thomas S. Albrecht, Michael L. Wirt, Michael A. Litzenberger, Douglas H. Pearson, Joel S. Lawther
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camera assembly has a mount defining an optical axis. The mount has opposed first and second stops. A rocker pivots between the stops. An over-center mechanism biases the rocker toward the nearer stop. A lens turret has primary and secondary openings. The lens turret rotates with the rocker between a first configuration and a second configuration upon pivoting of the rocker between first and second positions. The rocker is movable in a direction parallel to the optical axis, independent of the lens turret in both configurations.
Claims27
A camera assembly comprising:
- a mount defining an optical axis, said mount having opposed first and second stops;
- a rocker pivoting between a first position abutting said first stop and a second position abutting said second stop;
- an over-center mechanism biasing said rocker toward a nearer one of said first and second positions;
- a lens turret having a primary opening and a secondary opening, said lens turret rotating with said rocker between a first configuration and a second configuration upon said pivoting of said rocker between said first and second positions, respectively, said optical axis intersecting said first opening when said lens turret is in said first configuration, said optical axis intersecting said second opening when said lens turret is in said second configuration, said rocker being movable independent of said lens turret in both said configurations.
A camera assembly comprising:
- a mount defining an optical axis, said mount having opposed first and second stops;
- a rocker moving between a first position abutting said first stop and a second position abutting said second stop;
- an over-center mechanism biasing said rocker toward a nearer one of said first and second positions;
- a lens turret having a primary opening and a secondary opening, said lens turret being switchable, by said moving of said rocker between said first and second positions, between a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively, said rocker being movable relative to said lens turret in both said configurations;
- a turret spring biasing said turret against said mount.
A method for switching lenses in a camera assembly comprising the steps of:
- pivoting a rocker, in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, between a first position abutting a first stop and a second position abutting a second stop;
- during said pivoting, biasing said rocker toward a nearer one of said first and second positions;
- switching a lens turret between a first configuration and a second configuration, with said rocker;
- biasing said lens turret into alignment with a plane perpendicular to said optical axis, said biasing of said lens turret being independent of said biasing of said rocker.
An apparatus for switching lenses comprising:
- means for pivoting a rocker, in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, between a first position abutting a first stop and a second position abutting a second stop;
- means for biasing said rocker, during said pivoting, toward a nearer one of said first and second positions;
- means for switching a lens turret between a first configuration and a second configuration, with said rocker;
- means for biasing said lens turret into alignment with a plane perpendicular to said optical axis, said means for biasing said turret being independent of said biasing of said rocker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.