SUPPORT ROD FOR AN ACCESSORY COMPONENT OF A MOTION PICTURE CAMERA

Abstract

A support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera in a variable position along a longitudinal axis of the support rod has at least one outwardly open recess. The support rod has a set back contact region in the recess that is accessible from the outside for the electrical contacting of the accessory component.

Claims

1. A support rod (12) for holding an accessory component (26) relative to a motion picture camera (42) in a variable position along a longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12), wherein the support rod (12) has at least one outwardly open recess (14); and wherein the support rod (12) has a set back contact region (16) in the recess (14) that is accessible from the outside for the electrical contacting of the accessory component (26).

2. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) is formed by a solid rod, by a hollow tube or by a tube, the support rod (12) having an internal structure at which the recess (14) is formed.

3. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) has an at least substantially circular cross-section that is at least sectionally constant long the longitudinal axis (L).

4. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the recess (14) is elongate and extends along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12).

5. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the recess (14) is formed by a substantially T-shaped groove.

6. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) has two outwardly open recesses (14) at different peripheral sections; and wherein the support rod (12) has a set back contact region (16) in each of the two recesses (14) that is accessible from the outside for the electrical contacting of the accessory component (26).

7. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one contact board (18) at which the contact region (18) is formed is arranged in the recess (14).

8. A support rod in accordance with claim 7, wherein the recess (14) has at least one undercut (56) at least sectionally along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12), with the contact board (18) being captured between a base (52) of the recess and the undercut (56).

9. A support rod in accordance with claim 7, wherein the recess (14) is bounded along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) by side surfaces (19) that are inclined relative to the plane of extent of the contact board (18) and face outwardly.

10. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) is at least sectionally hollow beneath a base (52) of the recess (14).

11. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact region (16) comprises a plurality of mutually adjacent contact tracks (22) that extend along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) and are electrically insulated from one another.

12. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact region (16) is divided along the longitudinal axis (L) into a plurality of contact sections (24) that are electrically insulated from one another.

13. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) comprises a sensor system for detecting at least one of a presence, a position and an identification feature of an accessory component (26) held by the support rod (12).

14. A support rod in accordance with claim 13, wherein the sensor system has at least one sensor (66) that comprises at least one of a Hall sensor; a reed switch an electric contact switch; a mechanical contact switch; and a radio frequency receiver.

15. A support rod in accordance with claim 13, wherein the contact region (16) is divided along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) into a plurality of contact sections (24) that are electrically insulated from one another; and wherein the support rod (12) has at least one control circuit (64) that is configured to selectively activate at least one of the plurality of contact sections (24) for at least one of an electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and an electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26) in dependence on at least one of the detected presence, the detected position and the detected identification feature of the accessory component (26) held by the support rod (12).

16. A support rod in accordance with claim 12, wherein the support rod (12) has at least one electrical bus line that extends continuously along the plurality of contact sections (24) and that is configured to supply the plurality of contact sections (24) with electrical energy and/or to transmit electrical signals from and to the plurality of contact sections (24).

17. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) has at least one electrical interface (20) that is configured to connect the contact region (16) to at least one of an electrical energy source and an external communication device.

18. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact region (16) comprises a contact track (22) that extends along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12), with the contact track (22) forming a first electrical terminal for an electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for an electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26).

19. A support rod in accordance with claim 18, wherein the support rod (12) is electrically conductive, with the support rod (12) forming a second electrical terminal for the electrical supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for the electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26).

20. A support rod in accordance with claim 18, wherein the contact track (22) is divided along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) into a plurality of contact sections (24) that are electrically insulated from one another.

21. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact region (16) comprises at least one first contact track (22) and one second contact track (22) that extend along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12), with the second contact track (22) extending next to the first contact track (22) and with the first contact track (22) forming a first electrical terminal and the second contact track (22) forming a second electrical terminal for an electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for an electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26).

22. A support rod in accordance with claim 21, wherein at least one of the first contact track (22) and the second contact track (22) is divided along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) into a plurality of contact sections (24) that are electrically insulated from one another.

23. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) has a first recess (14) having a first contact region (16) at a first peripheral region of the support rod (12) and a second recess (14) having a second contact region (16) at a second peripheral region of the support rod (12), with the first contact region (16) forming a first electrical terminal and the second contact region (16) forming a second electrical terminal for an electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for an electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26).

24. A support rod in accordance with claim 23, wherein at least one of the first contact region (16) and the second contact region (16) is divided along the longitudinal axis (L) of the support rod (12) into a plurality of contact sections (24) that are electrically insulated from one another.

25. A support rod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support rod (12) has a plurality of recesses (14) along its longitudinal axis (L), with the support rod (12) having a respective contact region (16) in each of the plurality of recesses (14), and with the respective contact region (16) comprising a contact track (22) or at least two contact tracks (22) extending next to one another.

26. A support system comprising at least two support rods (12) and one fastening device (44) for fastening the two support rods (12) to a motion picture camera (42), wherein at least one of the at least two support rods (12) is configured in accordance with claim 1.

27. A support system in accordance with claim 26, wherein a first one of the at least two support rods (12) is configured in accordance with claim 1 and a second one of the at least two support rods (12) is configured in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact region (16) of the first one of the at least two support rods (12) comprises a first contact track (22) that extends along the longitudinal axis (L) of the first support rod (12) and that forms a first electrical terminal for an electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for an electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26), and wherein the contact region (16) of the second one of the at least two support rods (12) comprises a contact track (22) that extends along the longitudinal axis (L) of the second support rod (12) and that forms a second electrical terminal for the electrical energy supply of the accessory component (26) and/or for the electrical signal transmission from or to the accessory component (26).

28. An accessory component (26) for a motion picture camera (42) having a fastening device (44) that is configured to fasten the accessory component (26) in a variable position along a longitudinal axis (L) of a support rod (12), and having an electrical current collector (34) that is configured to engage into a recess (14) of the support rod (12) to electrically contact a contact region (16) located in the recess (14).

Description

[0050] The invention will be explained only by way of example in the following with reference to the drawings. There are shown:

[0051] FIG. 1 a support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera (perspective view);

[0052] FIG. 2 the support rod of FIG. 1 and an accessory component that is not held by the support rod (frontal view);

[0053] FIG. 3 the support rod of FIG. 1 and the accessory component of FIG. 2 that is held by the support rod (perspective view);

[0054] FIG. 4 a motion picture camera having a fastening device, the support rod of FIG. 1, and an accessory component that is not held by the support rod (frontal view);

[0055] FIG. 5 the arrangement of FIG. 4, with the accessory component being held by the support rod;

[0056] FIG. 6 the arrangement of FIG. 5 in a side view;

[0057] FIG. 7 the arrangement of FIGS. 5 and 6 in a perspective view;

[0058] FIG. 8 a support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera without a contact board in a plan view (FIG. 8a) and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 8b);

[0059] FIG. 9 a further support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera without a contact board in a plan view (FIG. 9a) and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 9b);

[0060] FIG. 10 a further support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera without a contact board in a plan view (FIG. 10a) and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 10b);

[0061] FIG. 11 a further support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera without a contact board in a plan view (FIG. 11a) and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 11b);

[0062] FIG. 12 a further support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera without a contact board in a plan view (FIG. 12a) and in a cross-sectional view (FIG. 12b);

[0063] FIG. 13 plan views of four different contact boards (FIGS. 13a to 13d) for a support rod for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera; and

[0064] FIG. 14 a block diagram of an interconnection of a plurality of contact sections.

[0065] Parts that are the same and similar are provided with the same reference numerals in the Figures.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a support rod 12 for holding an accessory component relative to a motion picture camera in a variable position along a longitudinal axis L of the support rod 12, wherein the support rod 12 has an outwardly open recess 14, and wherein the support rod 12 has a set back contact region 16 in the recess 14 that is accessible from the outside for the electrical contacting of the accessory component as will be explained more exactly in the following.

[0067] A contact board 18 is arranged in the recess 14, with the contact region 16 being formed at the upper side of the contact board 18 accessible from the outside. Four contact tracks 22 extend in parallel with the longitudinal axis L on the upper side of the contact board 18 that are arranged adjacent to one another and that are divided into contact sections 24 in a regular pattern along the longitudinal axis L. Both the contact tracks 22 and the contact sections 24 are each electrically insulated from one another. Individual contact tracks 22 or contact sections 24 can, however, in particular be electrically connected to one another in the operating case or on a corresponding activation. The support rod 12 is provided at a front side with an electrical interface in the form of an electromechanical terminal prolongation 20, wherein the support rod 12 can be mechanically and electrically connected via the terminal prolongation 20 to a further support rod 12 or to a fastening device (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0068] The recess 14 extends with a constant cross-section in the longitudinal direction L, with the recess 14 having two lateral and oppositely disposed undercuts 56, whereby two lateral and likewise oppositely disposed grooves 58 are formed. As a result, the recess 14 can be called a T groove. The contact board 18 engages laterally into the grooves 58 so that the contact board 18 is captured in the recess 14. The contact board 18 only has to be pushed into the recess 14 to manufacture the support rod 12. The recess is bounded by side surfaces 19 along the longitudinal axis L that are inclined relative to the plane of extent of the contact board 18 and that face outwardly.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows the support rod 12 of FIG. 1 in a frontal view, in a view of the front side of the support rod 12, with the contact region accessible from the outside substantially facing downward. FIG. 2 further shows an accessory component 26 that is held by the support rod 12 and that should be installed at the support rod 12 for this purpose. The accessory component 26 has a clip 28 as the fastening device for this purpose, with a pivot arm 30 of the clip 28 being open in FIG. 2 to enable a reception of the support rod 12 in the clip 28. A current collector 34 that is electrically connected to the accessory component 26 by means of flexible lines 36 and 38 is fastened to the curved inner side of a section 35 of the clip 28 fixedly connected to the accessory component 26. The clip 28 further has a latching element 32 in the form of a T screw to secure the pivot arm 30 in a latched position after the support rod 12 is received in the clip 28. The accessory component 26 is by way of example an electric motor by which an adjustment ring of an objective of a motion picture camera can be electrically adjusted via a drive wheel 40 as will be explained more exactly in the following.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of FIG. 2 in a perspective view, with the accessory component 26 being installed at the support rod 12, i.e. the support rod 12 is sectionally peripherally received in the clip 28, with the pivot arm 30 being held in a latched position by the latching element 32 in which the accessory component 26 is fastened to the support rod 12 by a clamped fit. The accessory component 26 is installed at the support rod 12 such that the current collector 34 engages into the recess 14 of the support rod 12 and electrically contacts the contact region 16 located in the recess 14. The accessory component 26 can now be electrically supplied via the contact region 16.

[0071] As can likewise be recognized in FIG. 3, the pivot arm 30 is shaped in fork form, with the line 36 being led through the pivot arm 30. The pivot arm 30 can thus be pivoted independently of the line 36. Due to the continuous recess 14 in the longitudinal direction of the support rod 12, the accessory component 26 can be selectively installed in any desired position along the longitudinal axis L and can always be electrically supplied.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows, analog to the arrangement of FIG. 2, the support rod 12 and an accessory component 26 in a frontal view. Differing from FIG. 2, the support rod 12 is installed at a fastening device 44 that supports a motion picture camera 42 and is formed as a fastening bridge (a so-called bridge plate). The fastening device 44 is configured to hold two support rods 12 in parallel with one another. The fastening device 44 and the support rods 12 can here be parts of a support system of the motion picture camera 41.

[0073] The support rod 12 is installed at the fastening device 44 such that the contact region 16 of the recess 14 faces obliquely downward. The risk of unwanted contacting of the contact region 16 is hereby minimized.

[0074] In FIG. 5, the arrangement of FIG. 4 is shown in a state in which the accessory component 26 is now installed at the support rod 12 in an analog manner to FIG. 3. In the installed state, the accessory component 26 is rotationally effectively coupled via the drive wheel 40 to an adjustment ring 45 of an objective of the motion picture camera 42 (covered in FIG. 5; cf., however, the side view or perspective view in accordance with FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively. The accessory component 26 can be supplied with electrical energy and/or with signal data via the contact region 16 so that the accessory component 26 can automatically rotate the adjustment ring 45 into a desired position.

[0075] Exemplary embodiments of the support rod 12 are shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, with the respective contact board 18, that is to be arranged in the recess 14 in the embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 8 to 12, not being shown in FIGS. 8 to 12. A separate and/or releasable contact board 18 does not necessarily have to be provided, however. The contact region 16 can generally also be integrally formed at the support rod 12.

[0076] The support rod 12 is shown in a plan view with respect to the recess 14 in FIG. 8a. FIG. 8b shows a cross-sectional view of the support rod 12 along the section plane C-C entered in FIG. 8a. As results from FIG. 8b, the support rod 12 is a substantially solid rod.

[0077] The support rod 12 shown in FIG. 9a (plan view) and in FIG. 9b (cross-sectional view along the section plane A-A of FIG. 9a) differs from the support rod 12 shown in FIG. 8 in that a plurality of cut-outs 46 are provided that are distributed in the longitudinal direction in the region of the recess 14 and that can e.g. be manufactured by milling in a simple manner. The weight of the support rod 12 can hereby be reduced, with the stability of the support rod 12 being hardly reduced or only being slightly reduced due to webs 49 remaining between two adjacent cut-outs 46.

[0078] The support rod 12 of FIG. 10a (plan view) and FIG. 10b cross-sectional view along the section plane G-G of FIG. 10a) is characterized by a hollow space 48 that is substantially continuous in the longitudinal direction and that can e.g. be manufactured by an extrusion process and reduces the weight of the support rod 12 even further with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 9. An integral base 52 is provided between the recess 14 and the hollow space 48 through which in particular the mechanical stability of the support rod 12 is substantially maintained.

[0079] The support rod 12 of FIG. 11a (plan view) and FIG. 11b (cross-sectional view along the section plane B-B of FIG. 11) is a slit (hollow) tube. The mechanical stability of the support rod 12 can in this case be ensured by inserts 50 that are e.g. formed from plastic and that are inserted at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis L into the substantially continuous hollow space 48 of the support rod 12. The inserts 50 further serve as support layers for the contact board 18 (not shown in FIGS. 11a and 11b).

[0080] The support rod 12 of FIG. 12a (plan view) and FIG. 12 (cross-sectional view along the section plane J-J of FIG. 12a) corresponds to the support rod 12 of FIG. 8, with a further recess 14 additionally being provided. The two recesses 14 are arranged diametrically opposite and respectively serve for receiving a contact board 18. Alternatively, the respective contact regions 16 in the respective recess 14 are also integrally formed with the support rod 12. Contact regions 16 of different polarities can in particular be provided in the two recesses 14.

[0081] Four exemplary embodiments for the contact region 16 of the contact board 18 are shown in FIG. 13. Four contact tracks 22 that are in parallel in the longitudinal direction are each divided into contact sections 24 with respective identical patterns in the longitudinal direction. This corresponds to the case of the contact board of FIG. 1. Two contact tracks 22 are formed as continuous, i.e. not divided, in FIG. 13b. Two further contact tracks 22 are as a rule divided into contact sections 24. In the contact region 16 of FIG. 13c, deviating from that of FIG. 13b, three of the four contact tracks 27 are formed as continuous. All the contact tracks 22 are continuous in FIG. 13d. The contact regions 16 of FIGS. 13a to 13b do not have to be formed at the contact board 18. They can also be formed directly at the support rod 12, in particular integrally in the recess.

[0082] The position of an accessory component 26 installed at the support rod 12 can be determined by means of a sensor system, not shown, to release at least one contact track 22 or one contact section 24 that electrically contacts the current collector 34 of the accessory component 26 with the aid of a respective switching device, not shown. In this manner, the electric connection of the accessory component 26 can take fully automatically and particularly safely, with the risk of an electric short circuit being reduced to a minimum. A laborious connection of the accessory component via cables is no longer necessary.

[0083] For this purpose, the respective contact section 24 of a respective contact track 22 can, for example, be selectively switched electrically active (via respective vias of the contact board 18), wherein said switching devices and corresponding control lines as well as one or more supply lines can be provided for a constant potential supply and/or for a signal transmission (not visible in the plan view in accordance with FIGS. 13a to 13b) at the lower side of the contact region 16. Said sensor system can comprise a plurality of sensors (e.g. reed switches) that can likewise be arranged at the contact region 16 or at the contact board 18, with a respective sensor being able to be provided for a respective number of contact sections 24 in the longitudinal direction of the contact region 16 (e.g. one, two, three, or four contact sections 24). An associated control circuit (not shown) can also be provided at the contact region 16 or at another section of the support rod 12, for example in a central section or at a longitudinal end of the contact region 16, at the upper side or at the lower side to control said switching devices.

[0084] FIG. 14 illustrates a possible interconnection of such an arrangement in a block diagram. Four contact sections 24 are shown that are arranged behind one another, with further contact sections 24 or contact tracks 22 being able to be provided in parallel herewith. Each contact section 24 is connected to a respective switching device 62, with the switching devices 52 being controlled by a common control circuit 64. A sensor 66 is arranged between two respective adjacent contact sections 24. As soon as one of the sensors 66 detects the presence of an accessory component 26 (cf. FIGS. 2 to 7), the sensor 66 transmits a corresponding report signal to the control circuit 64. The control circuit 64 switches the two contact sections 24 adjacent the sensor 66 electrically active via the respective switching devices 62 in response to such a report signal to enable an energy supply of the accessory component 26 and/or a signal transmission from and/or to the accessory component 26 via said contact sections.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0085] 12 support rod [0086] 14 recess [0087] 16 contact region [0088] 18 contact board [0089] 19 side surface [0090] 20 terminal prolongation [0091] 22 contact track [0092] 24 contact section [0093] 26 accessory component [0094] 28 clip [0095] 30 pivot arm [0096] 32 latching element [0097] 34 current collector [0098] 35 section [0099] 36 line [0100] 38 line [0101] 40 drive wheel [0102] 42 motion picture camera [0103] 44 fastening device [0104] 45 adjustment ring [0105] 46 cut-out [0106] 48 hollow space [0107] 49 web [0108] 50 insert [0109] 52 base [0110] 56 undercut [0111] 58 groove [0112] 62 switching device [0113] 64 control circuit [0114] 66 sensor [0115] L longitudinal axis