Camera hot shoe signal adapter and photographic system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of camera hot shoe signal adapter and photographic system, camera hot shoe signal adapter includes shell, the shell is formed with accommodating cavity in;Master control circuit board and USB connecting part;Hot shoe seat, set in the bottom of the shell, the hot shoe seat is equipped with the hot shoe plate that can cooperate with camera hot shoe groove, the hot shoe plate with the master control circuit board electric connection.This camera hot shoe signal adapter makes for the photographic accessory of mobile phone research and development also can be installed on camera by this signal adapter, and the transmission of signal or electric energy between camera and photographic accessory is realized, which expands the versatility of photographic accessory, greatly saves the use cost of user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of photography technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, cameras are widely used in professional shooting and formal live streaming scenarios due to their significant advantages in image quality and imaging effects. In these shooting processes, users typically need to use active photography accessories such as microphones and fill lights to ensure audio quality and lighting conditions. A large number of photography accessories designed for mobile phones are available on the market. These accessories generally feature a USB plug, which connects to the phone's USB port to achieve signal transmission or power supply. They are characterized by high versatility, ease of use, and affordability.

[0003] However, the aforementioned USB-interface photography accessories for mobile phones cannot be directly connected to the hot shoe interface of cameras. This means that users cannot reuse existing mobile phone photography accessories when using cameras and must purchase additional dedicated photography accessories that are compatible with camera hot shoe interfaces. This not only results in the idle waste of existing mobile phone photography accessories and reduces the overall versatility of photography accessories, but also significantly increases the user's cost and causes inconvenience. Therefore, there is room for improvement in this technological field. Utility Model Content

[0004] The technical problem solved by this disclosure is to provide a signal adapter that can connect a USB interface type photographic accessory to a camera adapter, and a photographic system having the signal adapter.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: a camera hot shoe signal adapter, which can be installed on the hot shoe slot of a camera, and includes:

[0006] An outer casing, wherein a receiving cavity is formed within the outer casing;

[0007] The main control circuit board and the USB connector are electrically connected and both are located in the accommodating cavity. The USB connector is used to mate with the USB plug of an external photography accessory. The housing is provided with a first through hole for the USB plug to be inserted and mate with the USB connector.

[0008] A hot shoe is located at the bottom of the housing. The hot shoe has a hot shoe plate that can mate with the camera hot shoe slot. The hot shoe plate has conductive terminals that are electrically connected to the main control circuit board and can contact and mate with the signal contacts in the camera hot shoe slot to realize the transmission of signals and / or current.

[0009] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter further includes: a locking member, movably disposed on the hot shoe mount, for locking the hot shoe mount to the camera hot shoe slot; and an unlocking mechanism, cooperating with the locking member, for driving the locking member to release the locking of the camera hot shoe slot.

[0010] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter has a mounting bracket inside the accommodating cavity, and the main control circuit board is fixed on the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is fixed above the hot shoe base, and the locking member abuts against the mounting bracket through a first spring. The first spring is used to drive the locking member downward and through the bottom surface of the hot shoe base so that the locking member remains locked to the camera hot shoe slot.

[0011] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter has a locking member with a cavity and an opening at the top. The first spring is inserted downward into the cavity through the opening, and the upper part of the first spring extends out of the opening and abuts against the mounting bracket.

[0012] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter includes a button and a second spring in its unlocking mechanism. The housing has a second through-hole communicating with the accommodating cavity. The button is fitted into the second through-hole, with its outer side extending through the second through-hole and its inner side abutting against the mounting bracket via the second spring. The button and the locking member have matching guide slopes. When the button is pressed inward, the locking member is driven upward through the guide slopes to release the lock on the camera hot shoe slot. After the pressure on the button is released, the second spring drives the button to move outward to reset, and the locking member moves downward to reset to the locked state under the action of the first spring.

[0013] As described above, in the camera hot shoe signal adapter, the main control circuit board is fixedly mounted on top of the mounting bracket, and a slot is provided in the middle of the mounting bracket; the conductive terminals of the hot shoe plate are electrically connected to the main control circuit board through the slot.

[0014] As described above, in the camera hot shoe signal adapter, a platform is formed on one side of the hot shoe base that is lower than its top surface. A longitudinally penetrating channel is provided on the platform, and the locking member is slidably mounted in the channel. The mounting brackets are spaced apart and cover the upper part of the platform, thereby limiting the upper limit travel of the locking member. The locking member is provided with a laterally extending limiting arm. When the locking member descends to its limit travel, the limiting arm abuts against the upper edge of the channel to prevent the locking member from continuing to descend and disengaging from the channel.

[0015] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter has a first inclined surface at the outer end of the limiting arm of the locking member and a second inclined surface on the inner side of the button. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are slidably engaged to form the guide inclined surface.

[0016] As described above, the camera hot shoe signal adapter has a recessed area on the outer surface of its housing. The bottom of the recessed area forms a support surface, which is located below the USB connector and is used to support external photography accessories.

[0017] A photography system includes a camera with a hot shoe and a photography accessory with a USB plug. The photography system further includes a signal adapter as described in any of the preceding claims. The camera hot shoe signal adapter is locked to the hot shoe of the camera via its hot shoe mount. The USB plug of the photography accessory is inserted into the USB connector of the camera hot shoe signal adapter to achieve an electrical connection between the photography accessory and the camera.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are: the signal adapter of this application enables the compatibility and connection between mobile phone USB interface photography accessories and camera hot shoe, eliminating the need to purchase additional camera-specific accessories, reusing existing equipment, and helping to reduce user costs. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Some specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals designate the same or similar parts or components. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0020] In the attached image:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a first-view schematic diagram of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a second-view schematic diagram of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first explosion of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a second explosion diagram of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the hot shoe mount and locking component of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the signal adapter of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the signal adapter and photographic accessories of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the signal adapter and photographic accessories of this utility model.

[0029] The markings in the image are explained as follows:

[0030] 1. Outer shell; 101. First through hole; 102. Second through hole; 103. Support surface; 2. Hot shoe; 20. Platform; 21. Channel; 3. USB connector; 4. Hot shoe plate; 5. Main control circuit board; 6. Mounting bracket; 60. Slot; 7. Locking element; 70. Limiting arm; 71. First inclined surface; 72. Cavity; 8. First spring; 9. Button; 90. Second inclined surface; 10. Second spring; 11. Photography accessories. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model.

[0032] Based on the described embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure should be understood in their ordinary sense by those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains.

[0033] The terms “first,” “second,” and similar words used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “a,” “one,” or “the” do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including” or “contains” mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed after the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described object changes.

[0034] See appendix Figure 1-6The image shows a camera hot shoe signal adapter, which is used to achieve a stable connection and signal interaction between a mobile phone photography accessory 11 with a USB plug (such as a microphone, fill light, etc.) and a camera with a hot shoe slot. The signal adapter has a USB structure that connects to the mobile phone photography accessory 11 and a hot shoe structure that connects to the camera hot shoe slot.

[0035] Specifically, the structure of the camera hot shoe signal adapter includes:

[0036] The outer casing 1 has a receiving cavity formed therein;

[0037] The main control circuit board 5 and the USB connection part 3 (such as a Type-C interface) are electrically connected and both are located in the accommodating cavity. The USB connection part 3 is used to dock with the USB plug of the external photography accessory 11. The housing 1 is provided with a first through hole 101 for the USB plug to be inserted to dock with the USB connection part 3.

[0038] A hot shoe mount 2 is located at the bottom of the housing 1. The hot shoe mount 2 is provided with a hot shoe plate 4 that can cooperate with the camera hot shoe slot. The hot shoe plate 4 is provided with conductive terminals. The conductive terminals are electrically connected to the main control circuit board 5 and can contact and cooperate with the signal contacts in the camera hot shoe slot to realize the transmission of signals and / or current.

[0039] The outer casing 1 adopts a one-piece molded structure with an internal cavity. The bottom is sealed by a hot shoe 2 to accommodate internal components such as the main control circuit board 5 and the USB connector 3, providing protection and fixation. A first through hole 101 is provided on the outer casing 1 at the position corresponding to the USB connector 3. The diameter of the through hole is adapted to the USB plug of the external photography accessory 11 to ensure that the USB plug can be smoothly inserted and accurately align with the USB connector 3 in the cavity. At the same time, the edges of the through hole are rounded to avoid scratching the USB plug.

[0040] The main control circuit board 5 and the USB connector 3 are connected by conventional electrical methods such as soldering to transmit signals and power, and are both fixed in the housing cavity. The main control circuit board 5 is the core control component, used to realize signal protocol adaptation and power supply regulation between the camera and the photography accessory 11; the USB connector 3 is a standard USB interface structure, specifically designed to form a detachable electrical connection with the USB plug of the external photography accessory 11, ensuring the stability of signal transmission and power supply.

[0041] The hot shoe mount 2 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the housing 1, and its shape matches the camera's hot shoe groove, allowing it to be directly inserted into the camera's hot shoe groove. The hot shoe mount 2 is equipped with a metal hot shoe plate 4, which stably fits against the contact structure inside the camera's hot shoe groove. The hot shoe plate 4 is electrically connected to the main control circuit board 5 via a circuit connection structure, such as conductive terminals, to transmit the camera's power supply and control signals to the main control circuit board 5, while simultaneously feeding back the operating signals of the photographic accessory 11 to the camera.

[0042] In some embodiments, the camera hot shoe signal adapter further includes: a locking member 7, movably disposed on the hot shoe seat 2, for locking the hot shoe seat 2 to the camera hot shoe slot; and an unlocking mechanism, cooperating with the locking member 7, for driving the locking member 7 to release the locking of the camera hot shoe slot.

[0043] The locking element 7 is movably mounted on the hot shoe 2 and can move along a preset trajectory of the hot shoe 2. When the hot shoe 2 is inserted into the camera hot shoe slot, the locking element 7 can move on its own, for example, by extending downwards to engage with the corresponding locking structure inside the camera hot shoe slot, thereby stably locking the hot shoe 2 inside the camera hot shoe slot and preventing the signal adapter from loosening or falling off due to vibration, collision, etc. during shooting.

[0044] The unlocking mechanism is mounted on the housing 1 and works in conjunction with the locking element 7. When it is necessary to disassemble the signal adapter, the locking element 7 can be driven to move in the opposite direction by operating the unlocking mechanism, for example, by retracting upwards, thus releasing its locking engagement with the camera hot shoe. At this time, the signal adapter can be easily pulled out of the camera hot shoe, making the operation convenient and efficient.

[0045] In use, align the hot shoe 2 of the signal adapter with the hot shoe slot of the camera and insert it directly into the fitting position. The locking member 7, under the action of its own adaptive drive structure, will automatically lock with the hot shoe slot, thus securing the signal adapter to the camera. Pass the USB plug of the external mobile phone photography accessory 11 through the first through hole 101 of the housing 1 and insert it into the USB connector 3 in the receiving cavity to achieve the adapter connection between the photography accessory 11 and the camera.

[0046] The camera transmits the power supply voltage and control signals to the main control circuit board 5 through the hot shoe 4. After the main control circuit board 5 adapts and processes the signals and voltages, it transmits them to the photography accessory 11 through the USB connector 3 to drive the photography accessory 11 to work. At the same time, the working signals of the photography accessory 11, such as the audio signal of the microphone and the status signal of the fill light, are fed back to the main control circuit board 5 through the USB connector 3, and then transmitted to the camera through the hot shoe 4 to realize the two-way interaction.

[0047] When disassembling the signal adapter, first operate the unlocking mechanism to release the locking state of the locking piece 7, and then simply pull it out. The photography accessory 11 can also be directly pulled out from the USB connector 3 without any additional tools, making the operation simple.

[0048] See appendix Figure 7-8 Furthermore, to achieve a stable connection between the photography accessory 11 and the camera, and to prevent damage to the USB connector 3 due to long-term load, a support structure can be provided on the signal adapter. Specifically, the outer shell 1 of the camera hot shoe signal adapter has a recessed area, and the bottom of the recessed area forms a support surface 103. The support surface 103 is located on the outer surface of the outer shell 1 and below the USB connector 3, for supporting the external photography accessory 11.

[0049] The support surface 103 is integrally formed on the outer side of the housing 1, specifically below the USB connector 3. When the USB plug of the external photography accessory 11 is inserted into the USB connector 3, the bottom surface of the photography accessory 11 fits precisely against the support surface 103. The support surface 103 counteracts the weight of the photography accessory 11, preventing the USB connector 3 from experiencing poor contact, interface damage, or the photography accessory 11 falling off due to long-term bearing of the accessory's weight, thus further improving connection stability.

[0050] In some embodiments, a mounting bracket 6 is provided inside the accommodating cavity, and the main control circuit board 5 is fixed on the mounting bracket 6.

[0051] The mounting bracket can be a one-piece injection molded structure, fixed in the accommodating cavity by means of clips or screws, achieving a stable connection with the outer shell 1 and preventing displacement due to vibration during use. The upper part of the mounting bracket has positioning posts for the main control circuit board 5, which support and fix the main control circuit board 5. The mounting bracket 6 provides an independent and stable support for the main control circuit board 5, ensuring stable electrical connection between the main control circuit board 5 and the USB connector 3 and hot shoe 4.

[0052] The mounting bracket 6 is fixed above the hot shoe 2. The locking member 7 abuts against the mounting bracket 6 via a first spring 8. The first spring 8 is used to drive the locking member 7 downward and through the bottom surface of the hot shoe 2 so that the locking member 7 remains locked to the camera hot shoe slot.

[0053] Mounting bracket 6 is fixed to the top of hot shoe 2 with screws, forming a rigid connection to ensure support stability. The first spring 8 is a compression spring, with its upper end abutting the bottom of mounting bracket 6 and its lower end adapted to the upper part of locking member 7. When the first spring 8 is in a compressed state, it applies a continuous downward elastic driving force to locking member 7, driving locking member 7 to move longitudinally downward along hot shoe 2, eventually passing through the bottom surface of hot shoe 2 and engaging with the locking structure in the camera hot shoe groove to maintain the locked state.

[0054] In some embodiments, the locking member 7 has a cavity 72, and the upper part of the cavity 72 has an opening; the first spring 8 is inserted downward into the cavity 72 through the opening, and the upper part of the first spring 8 extends out of the opening and abuts against the mounting bracket 6.

[0055] A cylindrical cavity 72 is formed at the upper part of the locking member 7. The axis of the cavity 72 is aligned with the longitudinal movement trajectory of the locking member 7. A circular opening is provided at the upper part of the cavity 72, and the inner diameter of the opening is adapted to the outer diameter of the first spring 8. The first spring 8 is inserted downward into the cavity 72 through the opening. The lower part of the spring is in contact with the inner wall of the cavity 72 to achieve radial positioning, and the bottom abuts against the bottom of the cavity to transmit the force to the locking member 7. The upper part extends out of the opening and abuts against the bottom surface of the mounting bracket 6 to maintain a pre-compressed state under force.

[0056] The cavity 72 provides radial limiting for the first spring 8, preventing the spring from shifting or tilting during extension and retraction, and ensuring the stability of the movement trajectory of the locking component 7. The first spring 8 is inserted into the cavity 72, making the structure more compact, saving storage space, and facilitating assembly without the need for additional positioning structures.

[0057] In some embodiments, the unlocking mechanism includes a button 9 and a second spring 10; the outer casing 1 has a second through hole 102 communicating with the accommodating cavity, the button 9 is assembled in the second through hole 102, the outer side of the button 9 extends through the second through hole 102, and the inner side abuts against the mounting bracket 6 through the second spring 10; the button 9 and the locking member 7 have a matching guide slope, when the button 9 is pressed inward, the locking member 7 is driven upward through the cooperation of the guide slope to release the lock on the camera hot shoe; after the pressing force on the button 9 is released, the second spring 10 drives the button 9 to move outward to reset, and the locking member 7 moves downward to reset to the locked state under the action of the first spring 8.

[0058] The unlocking mechanism includes a button 9 and a second spring 10. The second spring 10 is a compression spring. A second through hole 102 is provided on the outer shell 1 to connect to the accommodating cavity. The button 9 is adapted to be assembled in the second through hole 102. The outer end extends out of the surface of the outer shell 1 for easy pressing. The inner end abuts against the side of the mounting bracket 6 through the second spring 10.

[0059] When button 9 is pressed inward, button 9 compresses the second spring 10 and moves into the receiving cavity. The guide ramps of both springs slide relative to each other, converting the lateral pressing force of button 9 into the longitudinal upward driving force of locking member 7. This drives locking member 7 to overcome the elastic force of the first spring 8 and move upward, disengaging from the locking structure of the camera hot shoe, thus completing the unlocking process. After the pressing force is released, the second spring 10 releases its energy, driving button 9 to move outward and reset. Simultaneously, locking member 7 moves downward under the continuous driving force of the first spring 8, returning to the locked state that matches the camera hot shoe, awaiting the next assembly. In this embodiment, the unlocking operation is simple, requiring only a single press to release the lock. The dual springs work together to achieve automatic reset, and the strong structural linkage ensures reliable switching between locked and unlocked states.

[0060] In some embodiments, the main control circuit board 5 is fixedly mounted above the mounting bracket 6, and the mounting bracket 6 has a slot 60 in the middle. The conductive terminals of the hot shoe plate 4 are electrically connected to the main control circuit board 5 through the slot 60. The slot 60 forms a clearance channel 21 to facilitate the electrical connection between the hot shoe plate 4 and the main control circuit board 5. The conductive terminals of the hot shoe plate 4 are connected to the main control circuit board 5 through the slot 60, which shortens the signal transmission path, reduces interference, improves the reliability of the electrical connection, and makes the overall structure more compact.

[0061] In some embodiments, a platform 20 is formed on one side of the hot shoe 2, which is lower than its top surface. A longitudinally penetrating channel 21 is provided on the platform 20. The locking member 7 is slidably mounted in the channel 21. The mounting brackets 6 are spaced apart and cover the upper part of the platform 20, thereby limiting the upper limit stroke of the locking member 7. The locking member 7 is provided with a laterally extending limiting arm 70. When the locking member 7 descends to its limit stroke, the limiting arm 70 abuts against the upper edge of the channel 21 to prevent the locking member 7 from continuing to descend and disengaging from the channel 21.

[0062] The hot shoe mount 2 has a platform 20 lower than its top surface on the side near the button 9. A longitudinally penetrating channel 21 is formed on the platform 20, the shape of which is adapted to the locking member 7, providing precise sliding guidance for the locking member 7. The locking member 7 is slidably mounted within the channel 21, with a limiting arm 70 extending laterally from its sidewall above the sidewall of the channel 21. The outer diameter of the limiting arm 70 is larger than the aperture of the channel 21. Mounting brackets 6 are spaced apart and positioned above the platform 20, with a certain gap (e.g., 3-5 mm) between them and the top of the locking member 7 on the platform 20. When the locking member 7 reaches its upper limit position, its top abuts against the bottom surface of the mounting bracket 6, preventing excessive upward movement. When the locking member 7 descends to its limit stroke under the drive of the first spring 8, the limiting arm 70 abuts against the upper edge of the channel 21, preventing the locking member 7 from continuing to descend and disengaging from the channel 21.

[0063] In the locked state, when the locking element 7 descends to its limit, the limiting arm 70 abuts against the upper edge of the channel 21, ensuring that the downward extension length of the locking element 7 is stable and precisely engaged with the camera hot shoe structure. In the unlocked state, pressing the button 9 drives the locking element 7 upward until it stops when it abuts against the mounting bracket 6 at the top. In the reset state, after the pressing force is released, the locking element 7 descends under the action of the first spring 8, and the limiting arm 70 abuts against the upper edge of the channel 21 again, returning to the stable locked position. In this embodiment, bidirectional travel limitation avoids excessive movement of the locking element 7, prevents structural damage, and extends service life; the precise cooperation between the channel 21 and the locking element 7 ensures stable movement trajectory and smooth unlocking and locking actions.

[0064] In some embodiments, the outer end of the limiting arm 70 of the locking member 7 is provided with a first inclined surface 71, and the inner side of the button 9 is provided with a second inclined surface 90. The first inclined surface 71 and the second inclined surface 90 are slidably engaged to form the guide inclined surface.

[0065] The locking member 7 has a first inclined surface 71 at its outer end of the limiting arm 70, and a second inclined surface 90 is provided on the inner side of the button 9 corresponding to the position of the first inclined surface 71. The two inclined surfaces have the same inclination angle and naturally fit together. When the button 9 is not pressed, the two inclined surfaces maintain slight contact. When the button 9 is pressed, the lateral force is transmitted through the contact point of the inclined surfaces, and the two inclined surfaces slide relative to each other, vertically decomposing the lateral pressing force into a longitudinal force that drives the locking member 7 to slide upward along the channel 21 until the upward travel limit is triggered. After the pressing force is released, the button 9 and the locking member 7 are reset under the action of the spring, and the two inclined surfaces return to their initial fit. Through the smooth inclined surface cooperation, the force transmission efficiency is high, and the unlocking press is less effort.

[0066] A photography system is provided, including a camera with a hot shoe and a photography accessory 11 with a USB plug. The photography system also includes a camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in any of the preceding claims. The camera hot shoe signal adapter is locked to the hot shoe of the camera via its hot shoe mount 2. The USB plug of the photography accessory 11 is inserted into the USB connection portion 3 of the camera hot shoe signal adapter to realize the electrical connection between the photography accessory 11 and the camera.

[0067] In this photography system, the hot shoe mount 2 of the camera hot shoe signal adapter is aligned with the camera hot shoe slot and inserted. The adapter's locking structure then locks the adapter in place. At this point, the adapter's hot shoe plate 4 is inserted into the camera hot shoe slot, achieving mechanical positioning and electrical contact. The USB plug of the photography accessory 11 is inserted into the USB connector 3 of the adapter, and the bottom surface of the photography accessory 11 is in contact with the adapter's support surface 103, completing mechanical support and electrical connection.

[0068] The camera establishes an electrical connection with the adapter's hot shoe plate 4 via the hot shoe slot, and the photography accessory 11 establishes an electrical connection with the adapter's USB connector 3 via the USB plug. The main control circuit board 5 of the adapter enables bidirectional electrical communication between the camera and the photography accessory 11. When the photography accessory 11 is a microphone or wireless audio receiver, the audio signal it collects or receives is transmitted to the adapter's main control circuit board 5 via the USB connector 3, and then transmitted to the camera via the hot shoe plate 4, achieving synchronous audio signal recording. When the photography accessory 11 is an LED fill light, the camera outputs power to the adapter via the hot shoe plate 4, and after voltage regulation by the main control circuit board 5, it powers the fill light via the USB connector 3.

[0069] In summary, this camera hot shoe signal adapter has a hot shoe mount 2 and a USB connector 3, which allows the photography accessory 11 developed for mobile phones to be installed on the camera through this signal adapter, and realizes the transmission of signals or power between the camera and the photography accessory 11. This expands the versatility of the photography accessory 11, and at the same time, users do not need to purchase additional photography accessories 11 that are compatible with the camera hot shoe, which greatly saves users' usage costs.

[0070] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, this utility model can have various modifications, combinations, and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A camera hot shoe signal adapter, characterized in that, The camera hot shoe signal adapter can be installed on the camera's hot shoe slot, and includes: An outer casing, wherein a receiving cavity is formed within the outer casing; The main control circuit board and the USB connector are electrically connected and both are located in the accommodating cavity. The USB connector is used to mate with the USB plug of an external photography accessory. The housing is provided with a first through hole for the USB plug to be inserted and mate with the USB connector. A hot shoe is located at the bottom of the housing. The hot shoe has a hot shoe plate that can mate with the camera hot shoe slot. The hot shoe plate has conductive terminals that are electrically connected to the main control circuit board and can contact and mate with the signal contacts in the camera hot shoe slot to realize the transmission of signals and / or current.

2. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The camera hot shoe signal adapter also includes: A locking element is movably disposed on the hot shoe mount for locking the hot shoe mount into the camera hot shoe slot; An unlocking mechanism, in conjunction with the locking element, is used to drive the locking element to release the camera hot shoe.

3. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The accommodating cavity is provided with a mounting bracket, and the main control circuit board is fixed on the mounting bracket; The mounting bracket is fixed above the hot shoe base. The locking member abuts against the mounting bracket via a first spring. The first spring is used to drive the locking member downward and through the bottom surface of the hot shoe base, so that the locking member remains locked to the camera hot shoe slot.

4. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The locking member has a cavity, and the upper part of the cavity has an opening; The first spring is inserted downward into the cavity through the cavity opening, and the upper part of the first spring extends out of the cavity opening and abuts against the mounting bracket.

5. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The unlocking mechanism includes a button and a second spring; The outer casing is provided with a second through hole that connects to the accommodating cavity. The button is assembled in the second through hole. The outer side of the button extends out through the second through hole, and the inner side abuts against the mounting bracket through a second spring. The button and the locking member are provided with a matching guide slope. When the button is pressed inward, the locking member is driven upward through the cooperation of the guide slope to release the lock on the camera hot shoe. After the pressing force on the button is released, the second spring drives the button to move outward to reset, and the locking member moves downward to reset to the locked state under the action of the first spring.

6. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The main control circuit board is fixedly mounted on top of the mounting bracket, and a slot is provided in the middle of the mounting bracket; the conductive terminals of the hot shoe plate are electrically connected to the main control circuit board through the slot.

7. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 5, characterized in that: A platform lower than its top surface is formed on one side of the hot shoe, and a longitudinal through-channel is provided on the platform. The locking member is slidably assembled into the channel. The mounting brackets are spaced apart and cover the upper part of the platform, thereby limiting the upper limit of the locking member's travel. The locking member is provided with a laterally extending limiting arm. When the locking member descends to its limit, the limiting arm abuts against the upper edge of the channel to prevent the locking member from continuing to descend and leaving the channel.

8. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The locking member has a first inclined surface at the outer end of the limiting arm, and the button has a second inclined surface on its inner side. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are slidably engaged to form the guide inclined surface.

9. The camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The camera hot shoe signal adapter has a recessed area on its outer shell surface. The bottom of the recessed area forms a support surface, which is located below the USB connector and is used to support external photography accessories.

10. A photographic system comprising a camera with a hot shoe and a photographic accessory with a USB plug, characterized in that: The photographic system further includes a camera hot shoe signal adapter as described in any one of claims 1-9; The camera hot shoe signal adapter is locked to the camera's hot shoe slot via its hot shoe mount. The USB plug of the photography accessory is inserted into the USB connector of the camera hot shoe signal adapter to achieve electrical connection between the photography accessory and the camera.

Images