Removable camera lens cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845675-B2
Application number	US-201916541760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A camera is configured for use with a removable camera lens cover, which can be secured to or removed from the camera by a user without the use of a tool set. The mechanism which allows the lens cover to be secured to and removed from the camera includes a set of wires embedded into the lens cover and a set of wedges protruding from the lens wall of the camera. To secure the lens cover to the camera, the lens cover is placed onto the front of the camera and rotated until the wires align with corresponding wedges, securing the wires underneath the tapered surface of the wedges. To remove the lens cover from the camera, a force is applied outward and normal to the lens cover, causing the wires to flex outward and enabling the rotation and removal of the lens cover from the camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera system comprising:
a camera comprising:
a lens protruding from a front surface of the camera;
a lens wall surrounding the lens and comprising an outside surface;
protrusions protruding radially from the outside surface of the lens wall; and

a removable lens cover comprising:
a protective lens surface; and
flexible securing structures coupled to the protective lens surface;

wherein when the removable lens cover is secured to the camera, each of the flexible securing structures is aligned with and positioned underneath a corresponding one of the protrusions, and the flexible securing structures are positioned outward of the lens wall.

2. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the removable lens cover includes an outer wall with a top segment, a bottom segment, a left segment, and a right segment.

3. The camera system of claim 2 , wherein the protective lens surface and the flexible securing structures are affixed to the outer wall.

4. The camera system of claim 2 , wherein the outer wall surrounds the lens wall when the removable lens cover is secured to the camera.

5. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein the camera and the removable lens cover are configurable in a locked configuration in which removable lens cover is secured to the camera and prevented from rotating relative to the camera.

6. The camera system of claim 5 , wherein the camera and the removable lens cover are configurable in an unlocked configuration in which the removable lens cover is rotatable relative to the camera.

7. The camera system of claim 6 , wherein the camera system and the removable lens cover are changeable from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration by applying a threshold force to the removable lens cover normal to the front surface of the camera.

8. The camera system of claim 6 , wherein in the unlocked configuration, the removable lens cover is rotatable relative to the camera to move the flexible securing structures from underneath the protrusions.

9. The camera system of claim 5 , wherein the camera a plurality of grooves within the front surface of the camera, the removable lens cover includes notches protruding from a rear surface of the removable lens cover, and the notches are inserted in the grooves in the locked configuration to prevent the removable lens cover from rotating relative to the camera.

10. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein two planar segments of the removable lens cover are substantially parallel and substantially flush with two surfaces of the camera when the removable lens cover is in a locked configuration.

11. The camera system of claim 1 , wherein each of the flexible securing structures is one of a wire, rod, cylinder, pin, or dowel.

12. A camera system comprising:
a camera comprising a lens and first securing structures; and
a removable lens cover comprising:
a protective lens surface; and
second securing structures that are flexible;

wherein when the removable lens cover is in a locked configuration, each of the second securing structures is aligned with a corresponding different securing structure of the first securing structures, the removable lens cover is prevented from rotating relative to the camera and from being removed from the camera, and the removable lens cover is rotatable relative to the camera to be moved out of the locked configuration for removal therefrom when a threshold force is applied to the removable lens cover normal to the camera.

13. A removable lens cover of a camera system that includes the removable lens cover and a camera having a lens on a front surface thereof and a lens wall that surrounds the lens and has an outside surface with protrusions extending radially therefrom, the removable lens cover comprising:
a protective lens surface; and
flexible securing structures coupled to the protective lens surface;
wherein when the removable lens cover is secured to the camera, each of the flexible securing structures is aligned with and positioned underneath a corresponding one of the protrusions such that, and the flexible securing structures are positioned outward of the lens wall.

14. The removable lens cover of claim 13 , wherein the removable lens cover is substantially rectangular in shape and includes an outer wall with a top segment, a bottom segment, a left segment, and a right segment.

15. The removable lens cover of claim 14 , wherein the protective lens surface and the flexible securing structures are affixed to the outer wall.

16. The removable lens cover of claim 14 , wherein the outer wall surrounds the lens wall when the removable lens cover is secured to the camera.

17. The removable lens cover of claim 13 , wherein in an unlocked configuration with the camera, the removable lens cover is rotatable relative to the camera to move the flexible securing structures to not be underneath the protrusions.

18. The removable lens cover of claim 17 , wherein in a locked configuration with the camera, the removable lens cover is secured to the camera and prevented from rotating relative to the camera.

19. The removable lens cover of claim 18 , wherein the camera system and the removable lens cover is changeable from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration by applying a threshold force to the removable lens cover normal to the front surface of the camera.

20. The camera system of claim 13 , wherein each of the flexible securing structures is one of a wire, rod, cylinder, pin, or dowel.

Assignees

• Gopro Inc

Inventors

• Lim Way Chet
• Liu Andrew
• Mittan Margaret Birmingham
• Sobel Daniel Lee

Classifications

• G03B17/08

  Waterproof bodies or housings · CPC title

• G03B17/12

  with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets · CPC title

• G03B11/041

  Lens caps as separate accessory (accessories in general G03B17/56) · CPC title

• G03B17/55

  with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft · CPC title

• G03B11/06 Primary

  Lens caps for exposure making · CPC title