Camera and suction cup apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11409188-B2
Application number	US-202117322305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	May 20, 2020
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A camera fixed by suction to a transparent member and configured to capture an image through the transparent member includes: a planar portion having an opening; an auxiliary member attached to a surface of the planar portion and including a hole formed therein, the hole communicating with the opening of the planar portion, the auxiliary member having a plate shape and being brought into contact with the transparent member; and a suction portion causing the auxiliary member to be attached by suction to the transparent member by forming a negative pressure in the opening of the planar portion, in which the auxiliary member is softer than a material of the planar portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camera fixed by suction to a transparent member and configured to capture an image through the transparent member, the camera comprising:
a planar portion having an opening;
an auxiliary member attached to a surface of the planar portion and including a hole formed therein, the hole communicating with the opening of the planar portion, the auxiliary member having a plate shape and being brought into contact with the transparent member; and
a suction portion causing the auxiliary member to be attached by suction to the transparent member by forming a negative pressure in the opening of the planar portion, wherein
the auxiliary member is softer than a material of the planar portion.

2. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the hole of the auxiliary member has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the opening of the planar portion.

3. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary member is formed of silicon having a hardness of 5 or greater and 20 or less.

4. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the planar portion is formed of silicon having a hardness of 50 or greater and 70 or less.

5. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the suction portion includes:
a movable portion that is movable in a normal direction of the planar portion; and
a coupler that extends from an edge of the movable portion toward the planar portion and couples between the movable portion and the planar portion.

6. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the coupler has a thickness of 0.5 mm or greater and 1 mm or less.

7. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the coupler has a bent shape.

8. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary member has a surface to which a sheet harder than the auxiliary member is attached, the surface being opposite to a surface of the auxiliary member to be brought into contact with the transparent member, the sheet having a hole communicating with the opening of the planar portion and formed in the sheet.

9. A suction cup apparatus fixed by suction to a planar member, the suction cup apparatus comprising:
a planar portion having an opening;
an auxiliary member attached to a surface of the planar portion and including a hole formed therein, the hole communicating with the opening of the planar portion, the auxiliary member having a plate shape and being brought into contact with the planar member; and
a suction portion causing the auxiliary member to be attached by suction to the planar member by forming a negative pressure in the opening of the planar portion, wherein
the auxiliary member is softer than a material of the planar portion.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsuda Junichi
• Hironaka Jumpei
• Kihara Takashi
• Nomiyama Yasuhiro
• Takeshige Ryota

Classifications

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title

• F16B47/006 Primary

  the suction cups being activated by the rotation of a cranked lever arm · CPC title

• F16B47/00

  Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives {(devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02)} · CPC title