US 7,841,786 B2 · Digital camera sensor cleaning and lense changing case

Abstract

Disclosed is a collapsible field deployable environmental enclosure device with internal electronic air scrubbing and static suppression electronics, high luminosity wide angle solid state lighting, magnifying optics, viewing ports, an expansion compartment, utility compartments, and sealed operator arm ports. This device was developed for the purpose of containing a Digital SLR (Single Lense Reflex) camera, a digital rangefinder camera, a digital medium format camera, or medium and large format digital camera backs. The stated equipment is contained within the invention as a prophylactic method of avoiding dust and particle contamination to the sensor and body cavity while in the process of exposing the internal body cavity and or the digital image sensor during the operations of either changing lenses, cleaning the image sensor, or other inspection and maintenance procedures. This invention may also be used for other particle sensitive equipment. The enclosure was also developed to facilitate photographing in rain conditions.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A collapsible field deployable double layered water resistant fabric case, the fabric case comprising a rectangular box shaped chamber comprising a rectangular base plate, two base walls extending upwardly from two opposing sides of the base plate, an upper panel extending between the two base walls in opposition to the base plate, a rear access port and an arm port in opposition to the rear access port, both the rear access port and the and the arm port extending upwardly from two other opposing sides of the base plate and connecting to the base plates and the upper panel, the base plate, the side walls, the upper panel, the rear access port and the arm port defining the chamber, the base plate, the side walls, the upper panel, the rear access port and the arm port all being foldably connected and having an erect position capable of encapsulating and protecting a digital camera and one or more lenses and a folded position for storage and transportation, and a balanced complimentary polarized ion generator and associated circuitry for the purpose of clearing the chamber of micro dust particles.

A collapsible field deployable double layered water resistant fabric case, the fabric case comprising a rectangular box shaped chamber comprising a rectangular base plate, two base walls extending upwardly from two opposing sides of the base plate, an upper panel extending between the two base walls in opposition to the base plate, a rear access port and an arm port in opposition to the rear access port, both the rear access port and the arm port extending upwardly from two other opposing sides of the base plate and connecting to the base plates and the upper panel, the base plate, the side walls, the upper panel, the rear access port and the arm port defining the chamber, the base plate, the side walls, the upper panel, the rear access port and the arm port all being foldably connected and having an erect position capable of encapsulating and protecting a digital camera and one or more lenses and a folded position for storage and transportation,

a balanced complimentary polarized Ion generator and associated circuitry for the purpose of clearing the chamber of micro dust particles by suppressing static electricity in the chamber,
an overhead two layered clear vinyl viewing port mounted in the upper panel, the overhead two layered clear vinyl viewing port including an interchangeable and removable acrylic planar Fresnel magnifying lens optimized to configured focal lengths sleeved within the overhead two layered clear vinyl viewing port,
an overhead high luminosity interchangeable wide viewing angle LED lamp assembly with discrete interconnect, the lamp assembly further including an interchangeable and reconfigurable current limiting resistor,
two elastic sealed tapered access arm ports, positioned in the rear access port and a base wall,
a concealed extension chamber extending the overall length of the main chamber for the purpose of accommodating telephoto lenses,
a clear plastic viewing window positioned in one of the base walls for composing images through either the viewfinder or LCD preview feature of the digital camera when utilizing the case as a protective cover when photographing in the rain,
a zippered panel opening at the arm port ,
one or more elastic and Velcro sealed utility pouches positioned on the side walls for the purpose of housing electronic subassemblies and cleaning accessories for easy access,
a threaded metal feed-through positioned in the base plate to bolt the underside of the base plate to a camera tripod thread and the upper side of the base plate to a camera, and
a DC plug interconnect system between all electronic subassemblies enabling convenient change out of batteries, lamp and transducer assemblies for alternate configurations, maintenance, and upgrades.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital camera sensor cleaning and lense changing case

Life of this patent

Digital camera sensor cleaning and lense changing case

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14