Protective Case for Electronic Camera/Camcorders for Air, Land and Underwater Use Employing Sun Blocking Shade of Display Screen

Abstract

A protective case for an electronic camera/camcorder including a sunblock shade, opaque and impervious to light, to close off the display screen of the camera/camcorder when viewed through a transparent back surface of the case.

Claims

1. In combination with a digital video electronic camera/camcorder enclosed within a case, the apparatus comprising: a transparent back surface of the case overlying a display screen of the camera/camcorder; and an opaque shade operable to adjustably close off and open said screen for viewing by a user thereof through said back surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said opaque shade is manually operable to adjustably close off and open said screen for viewing in accordance with conditions of ambient light shining on said transparent back surface of the case.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said opaque shade, when manually opened, is operable to block sunlight from falling onto the display screen on the digital video camera/camcorder.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said opaque shade is hinged to a back cover of the case in rotating upwardly from a vertical towards a horizontal position in blocking sunlight from falling onto the display screen of the protective case.

5. In a protective case enclosing a digital video electronic camera/camcorder, apparatus comprising: a transparent back cover on said protective case for viewing a display screen of said video camera/camcorder; a first hinge at a lower portion of said cover; a second hinge at an upper portion of said cover; a latch member rotatable upward about said first hinge for locking and unlocking said back cover in position for a viewing of said display screen; and a sunshade rotatable upwardly about said second hinge for blocking sunlight from shining on said display screen through said back cover.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, also including means at a top surface of said back cover for connecting individual ones of mount couplings and/or accessory couplings to said protective case.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, also including means at a bottom surface of said back cover for connecting individual one of mount couplings and/or accessory couplings to said protective case.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, also including first means at a top surface of said cover for connecting individual ones of mount couplings and/or accessory couplings to said protective case, and second means at a bottom surface of said back cover for connecting individual ones of mounting couplings and/or accessory couplings to said protective case.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings in which:

[0015] FIGS. 1a-1g are 7 views of a protective case for a digital video electronic camera/camcorder with a clear lens cover and lens cover frame as described in my concurrently filed Application (Non-Provisional Ser. No. ______ based on Provisional Serial No. 62/188,779)with FIG. 1a being a front elevation view of the protective waterproof case, FIG. 1b being a top plan view thereof, FIG. 1c being a bottom plan view thereof, FIG. 1d being a right side elevation view, FIG. 1e being a left side elevation view, FIG. 1f being a rear elevation view, and FIG. 1g being a rear perspective view of the protective waterproof case;

[0016] FIGS. 2a-2d and 3a-3d respectively illustrate various of single and dual lens covers and lens cover frames helpful in the operation of the protective waterproof case of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIGS. 4a-4g are 7 views respectively comparable to those of FIGS. 1a-1g for a protective waterproof case but with the dual lens covers and lens cover frames of my concurrently filed Non-Provisional Serial No. ______ Application based on the Ser. No. 62/188,789 Provisional Application;

[0018] FIGS. 5a-5g are 7 views respectively comparable to those of FIGS. 4a-4g but with the sunblocking shade of the present invention; and

[0019] FIGS. 6a-6d are helpful in an understanding of the operation of the sunblocking shade of this present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In accordance with my concurrently filed Non-Provisional Application Ser. No. ______ based on my Provisional Application Serial No. 62/188,779, the general difference between an air and land use protective waterproof case and one intended additionally for underwater and wet weather usage is the inclusion in the latter of an audio port to allow sound from an outside environment to reach the built-in microphone incorporated in the digital video electronic camera/camcorder. With this understanding, the 7 views of FIG. 1 herein together illustrate a protective waterproof case for these digital video cameras for air, land and underwater use. In these views, reference numerals 50 and 51 respectively identify a clear lens cover and a surrounding lens cover frame for the case 55, references numerals 52 and 54 represent pillar receptors to couple to various mounts and accessories for the case and for the digital video electronic camera/camcorder enclosed within, and reference numeral 56 represents a transparent back cover. Reference numeral 58 represents the latch member to lock and hold the back cover 56 closed, with its lip 62 bendable outward to allow the back cover 56 to be opened and closed. Reference numeral 64 represents the cup of an audio port for passing sound into the compartment which encloses the electronic camera/camcorder.

[0021] In accordance with that Non-Provisional application Ser. No. ______ based on the Ser. No. 62/188,779 Provisional Application, the audio port may be closed by inserting the plug of a sealing device into the cup for underwater use where sound input is not generally relevant in a recording, or opened by withdrawing the plug to allow desired sound pressure waves to penetrate for land and air use; in a second version described therein, the audio port cup itself included a waterproof acoustic membrane within, and spanned across the cup to allow the passage of sound to the electronic camera/camcorder microphone input (but not water) in the event the sealing device plug was forgotten to be inserted in advance of a water environment type usage.

[0022] In accordance with the teachings of my concurrently filed Non-Provisional application Ser. No. ______ based on the Ser. No. 62/188,789 Provisional Application, a second clear lens cover 60 and a second surrounding lens cover frame 61 are employed, with the second clear lens cover 60 intended to be of a disposable material and/or of a lesser durability characteristic than that associated with the lens cover 50 and surrounding lens cover frame 51. Such second lens cover 60 and such second surrounding frame 61 are illustrated in the front elevation view of FIG. 3a, and with a plurality of clip or like fastener receptors 63 shown in the rear perspective view of FIG. 3b, the top plan view of FIG. 3c and the left side view of FIG. 3da right side view being a mirror image.

[0023] The clear lens cover 50 and the surrounding lens cover frame 51, on the other hand, are shown in the front perspective view of FIG. 2a, in which FIG. 2b is a front elevation view, FIG. 2c is a top plan view and FIG. 2d is a left side view, a right side view being a mirror image. To protect the more expensive clear lens cover 50, the second lens cover 60 and the second surrounding frame 61 of FIG. 3 can then be clipped to or snapped over the frame 51 and held in position, or incorporated as a slide that can be secured in position atop the clear lens cover 50 and frame 51. As therein described, the clear lens cover 50 is secured within the lens cover frame 51 by means of fasteners 57, with the frame 51 then being secured to the front surface of the protective case by prong fasteners 59. When damage to the cover-up second lens cover 60 follows, the second lens cover frame 61 merely has to be unclipped, unsnapped or slid upwardly, and replaced in a matter of seconds, for the continued taking of stills or videos in the photographic environment of concernthereby protecting the more costly clear lens cover 50. Such arrangement is believed to be particularly useful where the user of the digital video electronic camera/camcorder and protective case utilizes the equipment on a daily or weekly rental basis, and is generally not being as careful with the video system as would be a purchaser spending hundreds of dollars on the video system to begin with. With that invention, a service person at a rental distribution station could just use a screwdriver, for example, to pry off the second lens cover frame 61 and discard it with its disposable lens cover 60 if necessary and replacing them for a subsequent use.

[0024] FIGS. 4a-4g essentially repeat the views of FIGS. 1a-1g except as to replace the single clear lens cover and surrounding lens cover frame with the dual lens and frame arrangement of FIGS. 3a-3g.

[0025] In a third co-pending Non-Provisional Application of mine (Serial No. ______, based on Provisional application Ser. No. 62/188,800), the protective waterproof case was modified to include a light source for use in low light level illuminations, by employing an adaptor to secure to the pillar receptors serving as a mount for accessories to the protective case. Such On-Off light source is shown in the 7 views of FIG. 5 herein by the reference numeral 80, with the adaptor shown as 82. The other components of FIG. 5 views are indicated by the reference numerals employed in the views of FIGS. 1 and 4.

[0026] In accordance with the present invention, the protection carrier case further employs a sunblock shade, opaque and impervious to light, identified as 90 in the right and left side views of FIGS. 5d and 5ewith each of the views showing the sunblock shade 90 rotated closed about a hinge 73 in its quiescent state (a comparable hinge about which the back cover 56 can rotate, as in FIGS. 1d and 1e). Referring more particularly to FIG. 6, and understanding that FIG. 6a represents a rear elevation view of the protective case with the sunblock shade 90 rotated upwardly, that FIG. 6b represents a left side elevation view with the shade in its upward position, and that FIG. 6c represents a top plan side view with the shade up, the sunblock shade 90 is rotatable outwardly and upwardly along the hinge 73 as shown in the rear perspective view of FIG. 6dfrom the vertical to the horizontal. The cup for the audio port is shown at 64, the On-Off light source 80 is shown in FIGS. 6b and 6d and the adaptor for connecting a lanyard to the protective case to carry it about a user's neck in front of his/her body is shown at 82. The logo on the digital video camera screen continues to be shown at 33 in replicating the views of FIGS. 1 and 4. A second hinge about which the latch member 58 rotates in locking the back cover 56 is shown at 69 in FIGS. 5d, 5e, and 5g, and in FIGS. 6b and 6d.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, a top surface A of the sunblock shade 90 may be inscribed with instructions for the use of the controls of the protective case, with return address information if the case is lost or misplaced, or with any appropriate design or direction. Alternatively, the sunblock shade 90 may have an insert for the placement of any further information that might be desired.

[0028] As will be appreciated, howeverand whether for just an air and land use protective case, or for a waterproof or wet weather case use as well, the blocking of sun rays from otherwise interfering with the electronic camera/camcorder display screen will be readily apparent.

[0029] While there have been described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the appended claims for a true understanding of the invention.