Camera cage

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera cage, comprising an arm assembly and a drive assembly. The arm assembly comprises a plurality of support arms connected in sequence, the plurality of support arms being able to enclose a receiving space, with two adjacent support arms being defined as a first support arm and a second support arm. The drive assembly comprises a movable member and a reset member, the movable member being circumferentially limited to the first support arm and the second support arm. The movable member can axially overcome the reset force of the reset member and move relative to the first support arm and the second support arm, thereby releasing the circumferential limit imposed by the movable member on the first support arm, allowing the first support arm to rotate relative to the second support arm. The reset member can release the reset force to drive the movable member to move axially and limit the movable member circumferentially to the first support arm. The circumferential direction is parallel to the rotational direction of the first support arm relative to the second support arm, and the axial direction is perpendicular to the circumferential direction. The present invention achieves an adjustable angle of the camera cage's extended mounting position, thereby assisting the camera in achieving challenging photography tasks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of photographic accessories, in particular to a camera rabbit cage. Background Art

[0002] Camera cages are used to house a camera, expanding its functionality and assisting with challenging shooting techniques. They are an ideal choice for photography enthusiasts. Traditional camera cages are rigid structures, and the angle of the camera or other photography accessories cannot be adjusted after being mounted on them. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a camera cage to solve the problem that the angle of a camera or other photographic expansion accessories cannot be adjusted after being installed on the camera cage, which limits the use of the camera cage.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides a camera rabbit cage, comprising:

[0006] An arm assembly comprising a plurality of supporting arms connected in sequence, wherein the plurality of supporting arms can enclose a receiving space for installing a camera, and two adjacent supporting arms are defined as a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm;

[0007] The driving assembly is arranged between the first support arm and the second support arm, and the driving assembly includes a movable part and a reset part, and the movable part is limited in the circumferential direction at the first support arm and the second support arm; the movable part can overcome the reset force of the reset part in the axial direction and move relative to the first support arm and the second support arm to release the circumferential limitation of the movable part on the first support arm, so that the first support arm can rotate relative to the second support arm; the reset part can release the reset force to drive the movable part to move in the axial direction and limit the movable part in the circumferential direction to the first support arm; wherein, the circumferential direction is parallel to the rotation direction of the first support arm relative to the second support arm, and the axial direction is perpendicular to the rotation direction of the first support arm relative to the second support arm.

[0008] In one embodiment, one of the first support arm and the movable part is provided with a slot, and the other is provided with a block, and at least one of the blocks and the slot is multiple in number and arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction; the block can be engaged with the slot to limit the movable part to the first support arm in the circumferential direction, thereby limiting the rotation of the first support arm.

[0009] In one embodiment, the second support arm is provided with a slide groove for accommodating the movable part, one of the movable part and the slide groove is provided with a guide groove extending along the axial direction, and the other is provided with a guide block extending along the axial direction, and the guide block is slidably provided in the guide groove.

[0010] In one embodiment, the reset member is located in the slide groove and is arranged between the movable member and the second support arm; the reset member includes an elastic member, and the reset force is an elastic force; or the reset member includes a magnetic member, and the reset force is a magnetic force.

[0011] In one embodiment, the camera cage further includes a threaded connector, which passes through the first support arm and the second support arm, and is threadedly connected to one of the first support arm and the second support arm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the threaded connection is connected to the other of the first support arm and the second support arm in a damping manner.

[0013] In one embodiment, the driving assembly further includes a driving member, the driving member is exposed outside the first support arm or the second support arm, the driving member is connected to the movable member, and the driving member can drive the movable member to move axially to overcome the reset force.

[0014] In one embodiment, the driving member includes a button and a spring sheet, the spring sheet is connected to the button, and a hook is provided at the end of the spring sheet away from the button; the first support arm is provided with a through hole, the radial dimension of the spring sheet is smaller than the radial dimension of the through hole, and the spring sheet can carry the hook through the through hole when radially deformed, and when the hook passes through the through hole, the rebound force of the spring sheet drives the hook to be axially limited at the end of the through hole; the button can drive the hook to move axially through the spring sheet to drive the movable member.

[0015] In one embodiment, two adjacent support arms can rotate to switch the camera cage between a first state and a second state; in the first state, the length extension directions of the two adjacent support arms are perpendicular; in the second state, the length extension directions of any two support arms are parallel, and the two adjacent support arms overlap.

[0016] In one embodiment, the camera cage can also be switched to a third state. In the third state, any two of the support arms extend in the same direction.

[0017] In one embodiment, each support arm in the arm assembly is provided with a transition structure, and the transition structure is used to install a photographic expansion accessory.

[0018] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following advantages and positive effects:

[0019] The camera cage of the present invention allows a camera to be mounted within a storage space, thereby expanding the camera's functionality. Because the multiple support arms used to enclose the storage space are rotatable, the angle of the camera or other photographic expansion accessories mounted on the support arms can be adjusted to the optimal position based on usage requirements. Adjusting the support arm angle facilitates challenging camera photography tasks. Furthermore, the present invention utilizes an axially movable member to unlock and lock the support arms, making it more convenient than threaded pre-tightening methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a photographing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the camera cage in the photographing device shown is in a second state;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of the camera cage in the photographing device shown is in a third state;

[0024] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the camera cage in the photographing device shown is in another state;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the shooting equipment shown;

[0026] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at point A shown.

[0027] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0028] 100. Shooting equipment; 101. Adapter structure; 1. Camera cage; 10. Accommodation space; 11. Arm assembly; 111. Support arm; 111a. First support arm; 111b. Second support arm; 1111. Slot; 1112. Slide; 1113. Guide block; 1114. Mounting slot; 1115. Through hole; 12. Drive assembly; 121. Movable part; 1211. Block; 1212. Guide slot; 13. Threaded connector; 122. Reset part; 123. Drive part; 1231. Button; 1232. Spring piece; 1233. Hook; 2. Camera. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the descriptions and illustrations herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "installed," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] See also Figure 1 The present invention provides a photographic device 100 comprising a camera cage 1 and a camera 2. The camera cage 1 is used to house the camera 2, thereby expanding the functionality of the camera 2 and assisting the camera 2 in performing various challenging photographic operations. The expanded functionality of the camera cage 1 can be achieved by installing various photographic expansion accessories on the camera cage 1. Examples of these accessories include a support stand, a photographic light, a microphone, a fill light, and a flash.

[0033] The camera cage 1 includes an arm assembly 11 and a drive assembly 12. The arm assembly 11 includes a plurality of support arms 111 connected end to end, and the plurality of support arms 111 can enclose a receiving space 10 for installing the camera 2. The receiving space 10 is Figure 1 The illustrated side opening is a non-enclosed space. Of course, the receiving space 10 can also be a closed space with a circumferential closed loop. Figure 1 The number of support arms 111 is shown as three, but it is understood that in other embodiments, the number of support arms 111 may be more than three. For ease of understanding, the present invention defines two adjacent support arms 111 as a first support arm 111a and a second support arm 111b.

[0034] The two adjacent support arms 111 can rotate to switch the camera cage 1 between the first state and the second state. Figure 1 , the length extension directions of two adjacent support arms 111 are perpendicular, at this time Figure 1 The diagram shows three support arms 111 enclosing a receiving space 10 for mounting a camera 2. The camera 2 in the receiving space 10 is protected by the support arms 111, so that the support arms 111 around the camera 2 can be equipped with photography extension accessories that assist the camera 2 in shooting. Figure 1 The first state is shown as a frame-shaped structure formed by multiple support arms 111. However, the Z-shaped structure formed by three support arms 111 should also be understood as the camera cage 1 being in the first state. Figure 2 At this time, the length extension directions of any two support arms 111 are parallel, and the two adjacent support arms 111 are stacked on each other in a direction perpendicular to the length extension direction of the support arms 111. The stacked support arms 111 can greatly reduce the size of the camera cage 1, making it easier for users to store and carry.

[0035] Each support arm 111 in the arm assembly 11 is provided with an adapter structure 101, which is used to install photographic expansion accessories. The adapter structure 101 includes but is not limited to a mounting hole, a mounting shaft, a dovetail block, a dovetail groove, a quick release plate, etc. Figure 1 The adapter structure 101 includes at least a mounting hole. Each support arm 111 is provided with an adapter structure 101 to maximize the use of the space of the camera cage 1. If the integrity of the local appearance of the camera cage 1 is considered, the adapter structure 101 can be provided on some support arms 111 as needed.

[0036] refer to Figure 3The camera cage 1 can also be switched to a third state. In this state, the lengths of any two support arms 111 extend in the same direction. It should be emphasized that the same length extension direction is premised on the two arms being parallel. Furthermore, if they are parallel, they must also extend in the same direction. In the third state, the camera cage 1 generally assumes a linear, rod-like shape and can be used as a camera extension arm.

[0037] In by Figure 1 The first state shown switches directly to Figure 3 During the third state shown, the camera cage 1 can also be switched to another use state, refer to Figure 4 In this usage state, the length extension direction of at least two support arms 111 is the same, and at least another support arm 111 is perpendicular to the aforementioned at least two support arms 111. In this state, photographic accessories placed side by side with the camera 2 can be expanded.

[0038] The drive assembly 12 is disposed between two adjacent support arms 111. The drive assembly 12 is used to restrict the relative rotation of the two adjacent support arms 111, and the drive assembly 12 is also used to release the relative rotation of the two adjacent support arms 111. In other words, the drive assembly 12 is disposed between the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b, and is used to restrict and release the relative rotation of the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b.

[0039] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The driving assembly 12 includes a movable member 121 and a reset member 122. The movable member 121 is circumferentially limited to the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b, which means that the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b limited by the movable member 121 cannot rotate relative to each other along the circumferential direction. In one embodiment, Figure 5 and Figure 6 The diagram shows that the first support arm 111a is provided with a slot 1111, and the movable member 121 is provided with a block 1211. The block 1211 can be engaged with the slot 1111 to limit the movable member 121 to the first support arm 111a in the circumferential direction, thereby limiting the rotation of the first support arm 111a. It is understood that in other embodiments, the slot 1111 can be provided on the movable member 121, in which case the block 1211 will be correspondingly provided on the first support arm 111a. It should be noted that the "circumferential direction" described in this application refers to the rotation direction of the first support arm 111a relative to the second support arm 111b, and correspondingly, the "axial direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

[0040] The restoring member 122 is disposed between the movable member 121 and the second support arm 111b, or between the movable member 121 and the first support arm 111a. The movable member 121 can overcome the restoring force of the restoring member 122 in the axial direction and move relative to the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b, thereby releasing the circumferential restriction of the movable member 121 on the first support arm 111a and allowing the first support arm 111a to rotate relative to the second support arm 111b. Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the second support arm 111b being provided with a slide groove 1112 for accommodating the movable member 121. The reset member 122 is located within the slide groove 1112 and disposed between the movable member 121 and the second support arm 111b. The movable member 121 is provided with an axially extending guide groove 1212. The groove wall of the slide groove 1112 is provided with an axially extending guide block 1113. The guide block 1113 slides within the guide groove 1212, thereby constantly limiting the circumferential rotation of the second support arm 111b relative to the movable member 121. The guide block 1113 can also be provided within the movable member 121, in which case the guide groove 1212 is disposed within the slide groove 1112.

[0041] As mentioned above, when the movable part 121 releases the restriction on the circumferential movement of the first support arm 111a, the reset part 122 accumulates a reset force. After the external force pulling the movable part 121 is removed, the reset part 122 can release the reset force to drive the movable part 121 to move axially and make the movable part 121 limit the first support arm 111a again in the circumferential direction. At this time, the first support arm 111a can no longer rotate in the circumferential direction. It should be noted that the reset part 122 may include an elastic part, such as a spring, an elastic rubber pad, etc., in which case the reset part 122 can be stretched to accumulate elastic force, or the reset part 122 can be compressed to accumulate elastic force. The reset part 122 may also include a magnetic part, in which case the reset force generated by the reset part 122 is a magnetic force.

[0042] In order to ensure that the first support arm 111a can be rotated to different angles and positioned relative to the second support arm 111b, the number of at least one of the blocks 1211 and the slots 1111 can be set to multiple and arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The number of blocks 1211 and the slots 1111 can be set as needed.

[0043] In one embodiment, the camera cage 1 further includes a threaded connector 13, which is passed through the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b, and the threaded connector 13 is threadedly connected to one of the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b, so that when the driving assembly 12 releases the circumferential rotation restriction, the first support arm 111a can rotate relative to the second support arm 111b to achieve a rotational connection. Figure 6The diagram illustrates a threaded connector 13 extending through the second support arm 111b and threadedly connected to the first support arm 111a. Alternatively, the threaded connector 13 may be provided through the first support arm 111a and threadedly connected to the second support arm 111b. Alternatively, the present invention may omit the threaded connector 13 and utilize a polished rod that is axially immovable relative to the first and second support arms 111a, 111b for positioning.

[0044] The threaded connector 13 can also be connected to the other of the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b in a damping manner. In this case, when the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b rotate relative to each other, the first support arm 111a and the second support arm 111b can be infinitely adjusted and positioned in the circumferential direction to prevent the user from intermittently stopping the rotation during the process of rotating the support arm 111, which may cause the support arm 111 to be unstable in positioning. This can have the following embodiments: when the threaded connector 13 is threadedly connected to the first support arm 111a, the threaded connector 13 is connected to the second support arm 111b in a damping manner. When the threaded connector 13 is threadedly connected to the second support arm 111b, the threaded connector 13 is connected to the first support arm 111a in a damping manner. It should be noted that a damping material can be provided between the threaded connector 13 and the support arm 111 to establish a damping connection.

[0045] In one embodiment, the drive assembly 12 further includes a drive member 123. The drive member 123 is exposed from the first support arm 111a or the second support arm 111b to facilitate the application of external force. The drive member 123 is connected to the movable member 121 and can drive the movable member 121 to move axially, overcoming the restoring force. In this embodiment, the drive member 123 is disposed through the first support arm 111a and connected to the movable member 121. The drive member 123 serves as a force source, enabling the drive member 123 to reciprocate axially, thereby enabling the movable member 121 to reciprocate axially.

[0046] The driving member 123 includes a button 1231 and a spring piece 1232. The spring piece 1232 is connected to the button 1231. A hook 1233 is provided at the end of the spring piece 1232 away from the button 1231. The first support arm 111a is provided with a through hole 1115. The radial dimension of the spring piece 1232 is smaller than the radial dimension of the through hole 1115. The spring piece 1232 can carry the hook 1233 through the through hole 1115 when it is radially deformed and bent. When the hook 1233 passes through the through hole 1115, the rebound force of the spring piece 1232 drives the hook 1233 to be axially limited at the end of the through hole 1115. The button 1231 can drive the hook 1233 to move axially through the spring piece 1232 to drive the movable member 121. The arrangement of the spring piece 1232 at the end of the button 1231 facilitates installation and prevents the button 1231 from being separated from the first support arm 111 a during use, thereby preventing the normal use of the camera cage 1 from being affected.

[0047] It should be noted that the above is only an example of a possible implementation method for the driving member 123 to drive the movable member 121 to move. In other embodiments, the driving member 123 can also be set as a knob, and the axial limit of the knob is located at the second support arm 111b. The knob can be threadedly connected to the movable member 121. By rotating the knob, the knob can drive the movable member 121 to move back and forth along the axial direction, thereby realizing and releasing the limit.

[0048] A mounting groove 1114 is provided on the side of the first support arm 111a facing away from the second support arm 111b. The button 1231 is mounted in the mounting groove 1114. When the first support arm 111a cannot rotate, the button 1231 is exposed in the mounting groove 1114. The button 1231 can slide in the mounting groove 1114 and thus retract into the mounting groove 1114. The provision of the mounting groove 1114 can prevent part of the structure of the button 1231 from being excessively exposed, thereby affecting the aesthetics.

[0049] The camera cage 1 of the embodiment of the present invention can mount a camera 2 within a storage space 10, thereby expanding the functionality of the camera 2. Because the multiple support arms 111 used to enclose the storage space 10 are rotatable, the angle of the camera 2 or other photographic expansion accessories mounted on the support arms 111 can be adjusted to the optimal position at any time based on usage requirements. Adjusting the angle of the support arms 111 assists the camera 2 in performing challenging photography tasks. Furthermore, the present invention utilizes an axially movable member 121 to unlock and lock the rotation of the support arms 111, which is more user-friendly and convenient than traditional threaded pre-tightening methods, requiring only one click.

[0050] While the present invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the terms used are intended to be illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive. Since the present invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the invention, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited to any of the foregoing details, but should be interpreted broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the claims or their equivalents are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A camera rabbit cage, characterized in that: include: An arm assembly comprising a plurality of supporting arms connected in sequence, wherein the plurality of supporting arms can enclose a receiving space for installing a camera, and two adjacent supporting arms are defined as a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm; The cam is adapted to move the movable member in a direction of rotation relative to the first support arm and the second support arm so as to allow the movable member to move in a circumferential direction relative to the first support arm and the second support arm.

2. The camera cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the clamping blocks and the clamping slots is plural in number and arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction.

3. The camera cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second support arm is provided with a slide groove for accommodating the movable member. One of the movable member and the slide groove is provided with a guide groove extending along the axial direction, and the other is provided with a guide block extending along the axial direction. The guide block is slidably provided in the guide groove.

4. The camera cage according to claim 3, characterized in that: The reset member is located in the slide groove and is arranged between the movable member and the second support arm; the reset member includes an elastic member, and the reset force is an elastic force; or the reset member includes a magnetic member, and the reset force is a magnetic force.

5. The camera cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera cage further includes a threaded connector, which passes through the first support arm and the second support arm and is threadedly connected to one of the first support arm and the second support arm.

6. The camera cage according to claim 5, characterized in that: The threaded connection is dampingly connected to the other of the first support arm and the second support arm.

7. The camera cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly further includes a driving member, the driving member is exposed on the first support arm or the second support arm, the driving member is connected to the movable member, and the driving member can drive the movable member to move along the axial direction to overcome the reset force.

8. The camera cage according to claim 7, characterized in that: The driving member includes a button and a spring sheet, the spring sheet is connected to the button, and a hook is provided at the end of the spring sheet away from the button; the first support arm is provided with a through hole, the radial size of the spring sheet is smaller than the radial size of the through hole, the spring sheet can carry the hook through the through hole when radially deformed, and when the hook passes through the through hole, the rebound force of the spring sheet drives the hook to be axially limited at the end of the through hole; the button can drive the hook to move axially through the spring sheet to drive the movable member.

9. The camera cage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The two adjacent support arms can rotate to switch the camera cage between a first state and a second state; in the first state, the length extension directions of the two adjacent support arms are perpendicular; in the second state, the length extension directions of any two support arms are parallel, and the two adjacent support arms overlap.

10. The camera cage according to claim 9, characterized in that: The camera cage can also be switched to a third state. In the third state, any two of the support arms extend in the same direction.

11. The camera cage according to claim 10, characterized in that: Each of the support arms in the arm assembly is provided with a transfer structure, and the transfer structure is used for installing photographic expansion accessories.

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