Lens mount calibration mechanism for large format cameras

Abstract

This specification discloses systems, apparatus, and methods for precisely setting the depth and flatness of the focus flange of a camera lens. One embodiment includes a lens housing with at least one camera lens, a camera body with an imaging plane, and a lens mount that detachably connects the lens housing to the camera body via a coupling mechanism. At least one shim may be inserted between the lens mount and the camera body to adjust the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens in the lens housing relative to the imaging plane in the camera body. Each shim may have a body, the body having an opening extending from the edge of the body to the center of the body. The opening of each shim is configured to receive a coupling mechanism so that the pitch and yaw can be adjusted without completely removing the lens housing from the camera body.

Description

Background Art

[0001] (Background) A camera is a device used to capture and record real-world images in the form of photographs and / or videos. To capture and record such images, a camera generally includes a camera body and a camera lens. The camera lens allows light reflected from real-world objects to pass through and focuses the light onto an imaging plane within the camera body, where the imaging plane captures the focused light as an image. The image may then be used to generate a photograph or a frame of a high-quality video stream. The camera body may also include a processor that executes computer-readable instructions for controlling various operations of the camera, and memory storage for storing captured images. Some cameras may receive power from an external power source (for example, via a wired connection to a power outlet), while other cameras may receive power from an internal power source (for example, a built-in or detachable battery pack). Various components of cameras must be adjusted and / or improved over time to meet the constantly evolving demands for higher resolution photographs, higher quality videos, larger display screens, faster streaming speeds, and the like.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0002] (Brief Abstract) Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses, devices, methods, and / or computer program products for an external mechanism that accurately sets the depth and flatness of the focus flange of a lens mount system of a camera, and / or combinations and subcombinations thereof. The external mechanism is configured to calibrate the depth, pitch, and yaw of at least one camera lens relative to the imaging plane within the camera body.

[0003] In some embodiments, a system for precisely setting the focus flange depth and / or focus flange flatness of a camera lens includes, among other things, a lens housing having a distal end, at least one camera lens positioned within the lens housing, a camera body having a front surface and an imaging plane within the camera body, and a lens mount that detachably connects the distal end of the lens housing to the front surface of the camera body via at least one coupling mechanism. At least one shim is configured to adjust at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the at least one camera lens in the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body. Each shim includes, among other things, a body having at least one opening extending from the edge of the body to the center of the body. At least one opening is configured to receive at least one coupling mechanism.

[0004] In another embodiment, a device for precisely setting the focus flange depth and / or focus flange flatness of a camera lens includes, among other things, a body having an opening extending from the edge of the body to the center of the body. The opening is configured to receive a coupling mechanism that connects the distal end of the lens housing to the front surface of the camera body. The body is configured to create a gap between the camera body and the lens housing to adjust at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens positioned within the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body.

[0005] In yet another embodiment, a method for precisely setting the focus flange depth and / or focus flange flatness of a camera lens includes, among other things, partially loosening at least one coupling mechanism that attaches the lens mount to the front of the camera body, inserting several shims between the lens mount and the front of the camera body, and adjusting the number of shims inserted between the lens mount and the front of the camera body. The method partially loosens at least one coupling mechanism so that at least one coupling mechanism maintains contact with both the lens mount and the camera body while creating a gap between the camera body and the lens mount. The method inserts several shims such that the opening of at least one shim receives at least one coupling mechanism. The method adjusts the number of shims inserted between the lens mount and the front of the camera body to change at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens positioned within a lens housing that is detachably coupled to the camera body via the lens mount.

[0006] In some examples, the method involves adjusting the number of shims inserted along the y-axis of the camera body to adjust the pitch of the camera lens in the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body.

[0007] In some examples, the method adjusts the yaw of the camera lens in the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body by adjusting the number of shims inserted along the x-axis of the camera body.

[0008] The descriptions provided in the Summary section represent only examples of embodiments. Other embodiments of this disclosure may offer a variety of scopes different from those described in the Summary.

[0009] Further features and advantages, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the specific embodiments described herein are not intended to be limiting. Such embodiments are presented herein for illustrative purposes only. Further embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the teachings contained herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming part thereof illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the descriptions, illustrate the principles of the present disclosure to further enable those skilled in the art to create and use embodiments. Note that, in accordance with standard industry practice, features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for the sake of clarity in discussion.

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 illustrates a typical perspective view of a typical camera system, including a camera body and lens housing, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] [Figure 2] Figure 2 illustrates a typical block diagram of a computer system used within the camera body illustrated in Figure 1, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a camera body with a lens mount according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] [Figure 4] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a lens housing with the outer cover removed, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] [Figure 5] Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a camera body with the lens mount removed, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] [Figure 6A] Figure 6A illustrates a front view of a lens mount coupling mechanism with all fasteners removed, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B illustrates a perspective view of the coupling mechanism of the lens mount with all fasteners inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] [Figure 7] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate exemplary configurations of shims for adjusting the depth, pitch, and yaw of the lens housing relative to the camera body according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the camera system shown in FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded side view of the lens mount, the coupling mechanism, and the front face of the camera body according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of the lens mount with a sealing mechanism according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the front face of the camera body with a groove for receiving the sealing mechanism of the lens mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 12A] FIG. 12A illustrates a side view of the lens mount, the coupling mechanism, and the front face of the camera body when no shim is inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] [Figure 12B] FIG. 12B illustrates a side view of the lens mount, the coupling mechanism, and the front face of the camera body when a shim is inserted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows a flowchart illustrating a method for using shims to adjust the pitch and yaw of the lens housing relative to the camera body, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] In drawings, the same reference number generally refers to the same or similar element. Furthermore, the leftmost digit of the reference number generally identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.

[0027] Aspects of this disclosure are described in relation to the attached drawings.

[0028] (Detailed explanation) For a camera system, including the camera lens and camera body, to produce high-resolution images for photography and video, the camera lens must focus incident light onto the image plane or sensor within the camera body. This may require adjusting the flange depth, pitch (i.e., tilt along the y-axis), and yaw (i.e., tilt along the x-axis) of the camera lens mount after manufacturing. In most cameras where the camera lens is detachably mounted to the camera body, the flange distance (i.e., the distance along the z-axis between the camera lens and the image plane of the camera body) may be rotatably adjustable by the user. However, adjusting the pitch and yaw of the camera lens is generally inaccessible to the user after it is incorporated into the camera body and the camera is manufactured. Therefore, it requires specialized technicians, complicating the adjustment process, making it costly and inefficient. This is particularly problematic for large cameras, as even a slight misalignment of the camera lens can cause a significant misalignment of the light on the image plane of the camera body. Therefore, an external mechanism is needed to allow the user to accurately and efficiently adjust the focus of the camera lens relative to the image plane within the camera body after the camera is manufactured.

[0029] Embodiments described herein relate to camera systems having an external mechanism for precisely setting the focus flange depth and / or focus flange flatness of the camera lens mount system. Specifically, the external mechanism is configured to allow a user to calibrate the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens mount relative to the imaging plane within the camera body after the camera system has been manufactured. The camera system of this disclosure includes a lens housing having a distal end, at least one camera lens positioned within the lens housing, a camera body having a front surface and an imaging plane within the camera body, and a lens mount detachably coupling the distal end of the lens housing to the front surface of the camera body via at least one coupling mechanism. In some embodiments, at least one shim may be inserted between the lens mount and the camera body to adjust the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens in the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body. Thus, by varying the number of shims inserted along the x and y axes of the camera body, the depth, pitch, yaw, or a combination of depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens can be adjusted. For example, three shims may be inserted at different positions along the x and y axes of the camera body to simultaneously adjust the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens. Each shim may include a body with an opening extending from the edge of the body to the center of the body. The opening of each shim is configured to receive at least one coupling mechanism so that the depth, pitch, and yaw can be adjusted without completely removing the lens housing from the camera body. This allows the user to quickly and efficiently adjust the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens, thereby enabling the camera to focus accurately and produce high-resolution images without requiring complex technical knowledge or services from a specialist.

[0030] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a typical camera system 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the camera system 100 includes a camera body 105, a lens housing 110, and a power supply 115. The camera body 105 may include a handle 120 that allows a user to support, carry, or otherwise physically operate the camera system 100. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that in other embodiments of the present disclosure not exhaustively disclosed herein, other configurations and designs of the handle 120 may be used to support the camera system 100. In some embodiments, the power supply 115 may be detachably coupled to the camera body 105 and configured to supply sufficient voltage to power the operation of the camera body 105. For example, the power supply 115 may be a detachable battery pack that supplies DC voltage to the camera body 105. In another example, the power supply 115 may be a power outlet that supplies AC voltage via a plug and wiring that can be connected to the camera body 105. In other embodiments, the power supply 115 may be integrated into the camera body 105 and not removable by the user. For example, the power source 115 may be a disposable battery or a rechargeable battery located inside the camera body 105.

[0031] The lens housing 110 may mechanically support several camera lenses 125 positioned along the z-axis of the lens housing 110. Each camera lens 125 may be spaced a predetermined distance along the z-axis so that incident light 130 is ideally focused onto the imaging plane within the camera body 105. In some embodiments, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 may be a numerical value calculated to achieve the desired focus of the incident light 130 on the imaging plane. It should also be understood by those skilled in the art that in various embodiments of this disclosure, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 may be the same or different. Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the predetermined distance between each pair of lenses 125 may be manually or automatically adjustable. The lens housing 110 may further include an external cover (not separately listed) to protect the camera lenses 125 from the external environment (e.g., dust, weather, debris, etc.).

[0032] In some embodiments of the camera system 100, the lens housing 110 may be detachably coupled to the camera body 105. This scenario allows the user to swap one lens housing 110 containing a specific configuration of the camera lens 125 to achieve a particular focus for another lens housing 110 containing a different configuration of the camera lens 125 to achieve a different focus. In other embodiments of the camera system 100, the lens housing 110 may be attached to the camera body 105 during the manufacturing process of the camera system 100 so that the user cannot easily swap one lens housing 110 for another without disassembling the camera system 100. This scenario is more robust (i.e., there is no possibility of the user improperly connecting the lens housing 110 to the camera body 105, resulting in "looseness" in alignment), but may provide a camera system 100 with less flexibility in changing the desired focus of incident light 130 on the imaging plane.

[0033] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a typical computer system 200 used within the camera body 105 illustrated in Figure 1, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Various embodiments may be implemented using one or more well-known computer systems, such as the typical computer system 200 shown in Figure 2. For example, one or more computer systems 200 may be used to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein, as well as combinations and partial combinations thereof. The computer system 200 may be used to control various components of the camera system 100, including, but not limited to, various operations of components in the camera body 105 and components in the lens housing 110.

[0035] In some embodiments, a typical computer system 200 may include one or more processors 205, memory 210, power supply 215, one or more sensors 220, one or more network connections 225, one or more user interfaces 230, and one or more computer-readable media 235. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that other embodiments of the present disclosure may have more or fewer components than those listed herein. Each of these components may be coupled by a bus 202 that enables communication between various components of a typical computer system.

[0036] Bus 202 may be any known internal or external bus technology, including but not limited to ISA, EISA, PCI, PCI Express, NuBus, USB, Serial ATA, or FireWire®. Processor 205 (also called the central processing unit or CPU) may use any known processor technology, including but not limited to graphics processors (also called graphics processing units or GPUs) and multicore processors. In some embodiments, the GPU may be a processor with a dedicated electronic circuit design for handling mathematically intensive applications. The GPU may have a parallel structure that is efficient for parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as mathematically intensive data common to computer graphics applications, images, video, etc.

[0037] Memory 210 may include main or primary memory and one or more secondary memories. In some embodiments, primary memory may be volatile memory such as cache memory, random access memory (RAM), SDRAM, or ROM. Primary memory may include one or more levels of cache storing control logic (i.e., computer software) and / or data. In some embodiments, one or more secondary memories may be non-volatile memory such as a hard disk drive, optical disk, magnetic tape, floppy disk, or flash drive. One or more secondary memories may include a removable storage drive that can interact with removable storage units by reading from and / or writing to removable storage units. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the typical types of memory and devices listed herein are not exhaustive and that any other computer data storage devices may be used in other embodiments of this disclosure.

[0038] The power supply 215 may be a DC voltage (e.g., a battery pack) or an AC voltage (e.g., a wired power outlet), as previously mentioned. The sensor 220 may be any type of sensor that enables a typical computer system 200 to operate the camera body 105, including but not limited to image sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, etc. The network connection 225 may include a transmitter and receiver that enable a typical computer system 200 to form telecommunications with any combination of external devices, external networks, external entities, etc. For example, the network connection 225 may enable the computer system 200 to communicate with the Internet or other camera systems 100. In some embodiments, this communication may take place over a communication path that may be wired and / or wireless (or a combination thereof) and may include any combination of LAN, WAN, Internet, etc. Control logic and / or data may be transmitted to and from the computer system 200 over the communication path.

[0039] The user interface 230 allows the user to communicate with a typical computer system 200, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the user interface 230 may include an input device that allows the user to input control commands to the typical computer system 200, and a display device that allows the typical computer system 200 to communicate information and status of the operation of the camera body 105 to the user. For example, the input device may include, but is not limited to, any known input device technology that allows the user to manually provide input to the typical computer system 200, including a keyboard (including a virtual keyboard), a pointing device, a mouse, a trackball, and a touch-sensitive pad or display. The display device may include, but is not limited to, any known display technology, including a monitor and / or display device using liquid crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) technology. In some embodiments, the display device may be located on the camera body 105 so that the typical computer system 200 can output information to the user.

[0040] Computer-readable media 235, stored in memory 210, may contain instructions to the processor 205 for the operation of a typical computer system 200. In some embodiments, computer-readable media 235 may contain a variety of instructions 240-260. For example, computer-readable media 235 may contain a variety of instructions 240 for implementing an operating system (e.g., Mac OS®, Windows®, Linux®). The operating system may be multi-user, multi-processing, multi-tasking, multi-threading, real-time, etc. The operating system may perform basic tasks including, but not limited to, recognizing input from input devices of the user interface 230, sending output to display devices of the user interface 230, organizing files and directories on memory 210, controlling accessory devices connected to the camera body 105 which can be controlled directly or via an I / O controller (e.g., adjusting a predetermined distance between camera lenses 125 in a mounted lens housing 110), and managing traffic on the bus 202. In another example, the computer-readable medium 235 may also include a variety of instructions 245 for establishing and maintaining network connectivity (e.g., software for implementing communication protocols such as TCP / IP, HTTP, Ethernet®, and telephone). In yet another example, the computer-readable medium 235 may further include a variety of instructions 250 for performing power management based on information collected by the sensor 220 (e.g., entering a power-saving mode when the voltage from the power supply 215 falls below a threshold). In yet another example, the computer-readable medium 235 may further include a variety of instructions 260 for performing memory storage operations to store captured images in memory 210. The typical instructions described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive. As those skilled in the art will see, in other embodiments of this disclosure, various other types of instructions for different purposes may be included in the computer-readable medium 235.

[0041] A typical computer system 200 may also be, to give some non-limiting examples, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop workstation, a laptop or notebook computer, a netbook, a tablet, a smartphone, a smartwatch or other wearable, an appliance, part of the Internet of Things, and / or an embedded system, or any combination thereof.

[0042] A typical computer system 200 may be a client or server accessing or hosting any application and / or data via any delivery paradigm, including but not limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions, local or on-premises software ("on-premises" cloud-based solutions), "as a service" models (e.g., Content as a Service (CaaS), Digital Content as a Service (DCaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Management Software as a Service (MSaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Desktop as a Service (DaaS), Framework as a Service (FaaS), Backend as a Service (BaaS), Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), etc.), and / or hybrid models including any combination of the aforementioned examples or other service or delivery paradigms.

[0043] Any applicable data structures, file formats, and schemas within the computer system 200 may be derived from standards including, but not limited to, JavaScript® Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Yet Another Markup Language (YAML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User Interface Language (XUL), or any other functionally similar representations, either alone or in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formats, or schemas may be used exclusively or in combination with known or open standards.

[0044] According to some embodiments, a tangible non-temporary device or product comprising a tangible non-temporary computer-usable or computer-readable medium on which control logic (software) is stored may also be referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. Such control logic can, when executed by one or more data processing devices (such as a computer system 200), cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0045] Based on the teachings contained herein, methods for creating and using embodiments of this disclosure using data processing devices, computer systems, and / or computer architectures other than those shown in Figure 2 will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, embodiments may operate with software, hardware, and / or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

[0046] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate perspective views of a camera body 105 (see Figure 3) and a lens housing 110 (see Figure 4) detachably coupled to each other via a lens mount 320 (see Figure 3) to form the camera system 100 illustrated in Figure 1, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a camera body 105 with a lens mount 320 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the camera body 105 has a front surface 305 with an aperture 310. An imaging plane 315 is positioned within the camera body 105 parallel to the front surface 305 such that the imaging plane 315 is exposed to incident light 130 through the aperture 310. The imaging plane 315 may include a sensor 220 (e.g., an image sensor, a light sensor, a color sensor, etc.) configured to capture an image from the incident light 130 passing through the aperture 310. The lens mount 320 is coupled to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 via at least one coupling mechanism 325. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, four coupling mechanisms 325 are spaced at equal intervals around the outer circumference of the lens mount 320 and used to secure the lens mount 320 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105, each coupling mechanism 325 utilizing a fastener-screw configuration, which is described in more detail with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that other embodiments of the present disclosure may include more or fewer coupling mechanisms 325 for securing the lens mount 320 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. Furthermore, other embodiments of the present disclosure may utilize other fastening configurations, including but not limited to Velcro®, epoxy, staples, nails, rails and grooves, for securing the lens mount 320 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105.

[0048] Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a lens housing 110 with its outer cover removed, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the lens housing 110 has a distal end 405 configured to be detachably coupled to a lens mount 320, as illustrated in Figure 3. For example, both the lens mount 320 and the distal end 405 may be designed as rings of different sizes configured to receive each other. In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the ring of the distal end 405 may be smaller than the ring of the lens mount 320 so that the lens mount 320 receives the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110. Specifically, the inner circumference of the lens mount 320 (not separately enumerated) may have a threaded insert configured to receive and rotatably couple with a threaded screw on the outer circumference 410 of the distal end 405. The lens mount 320 and the distal end 405 may be designed in other shapes and sizes in various embodiments of the present disclosure, which are not exclusively disclosed herein, as should be understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the lens mount 320 and the distal end 405 may have different coupling mechanism designs, such as tab and recess configurations, ball and socket joints, and other types of mechanical connectors not comprehensively described herein.

[0049] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110 includes an aperture 415. When the lens housing 110 is detachably coupled to the camera body 105 via the lens mount 320, the aperture 310 on the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 aligns with the aperture 415 on the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110 so that incident light 130 travels through the camera lens 125 in the lens housing 110 and focuses onto the imaging plane 315 in the camera body 105. As shown in Figure 3, the lens mount 320 is configured to surround the aperture 310 and the imaging plane 315 so that when the lens housing 110 is detachably coupled to the camera body 105, the lens mount 320 creates a sealing environment for the incident light 130 so that ambient light from the environment does not affect the image captured by the imaging plane 315.

[0050] To obtain a high-resolution image, in some embodiments, it is preferable to focus the incident light 130 to the center of the imaging plane 305 within the camera body 105. Therefore, in some embodiments, the user may want to adjust the pitch (i.e., tilt along the y-axis) and yaw (i.e., tilt along the x-axis) of the lens housing 110 so that the camera lens 125 focuses the incident light 130 more effectively to the center of the imaging plane 305. This adjustment can be made after the manufacturing process of the camera system 100 is complete by inserting shims at various locations between the lens mount 320 and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. The shims are described in more detail below with reference to Figures 5 to 12.

[0051] Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the camera body 105 with the lens mount 320 removed, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. After the lens mount 320 is removed, Figure 5 shows the coupling mechanism 325 without any obstructions. Figures 6A and 6B illustrate enlarged views of the coupling mechanism 325 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, according to several embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 6A illustrates a front view of the coupling mechanism 325 with all fasteners removed, and Figure 6B illustrates a perspective view of the coupling mechanism 325 with all fasteners inserted.

[0052] Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6A, the coupling mechanism 325 includes an upper end hole 605 located at the upper end 610 of the coupling mechanism 325 and a lower end hole 615 located at the lower end 620 of the coupling mechanism 325. Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6B, the upper end hole 605 is configured to receive a first fastener 625, while the lower end hole 615 is configured to receive a second fastener 630. The first fastener 625 is configured to fasten the coupling mechanism 325 to the front surface 305 (see Figure 5) of the camera body 105, while the second fastener 630 is configured to fasten the coupling mechanism 325 to the lens mount 320 (see Figure 3). In some embodiments, the first fastener 625 and the second fastener 630 are screws. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of fasteners not exhaustively listed herein may be used in other embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, other configurations of the upper hole 605, the lower hole 615, the first fastener 625, and the second fastener 630 may be implemented in other embodiments. For example, in another embodiment, the first fastener 625 may fasten the coupling mechanism 325 to the lens mount 320, while the second fastener 630 may fasten the coupling mechanism 325 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105.

[0053] Shims may be used to adjust the pitch and yaw of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body 105, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 7A and 7B.

[0054] Figures 7A and 7B illustrate a typical configuration of the shim 700. Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7A, a typical shim 700 may include a body 705 with a center 710 and a lower edge 715. An opening 720 may extend from the center 710 of the body 705 to the lower edge 715 of the body 705. The opening 720 is configured to receive a second fastener 630 after the shim 700 has slid downward from the upper end 610 of the coupling mechanism 325 toward the lower end 620 of the coupling mechanism 325 (see Figures 6A and 6B). This allows the shim 700 to be inserted from the outside between the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 and the lens mount 320 to adjust the pitch and yaw without having to completely remove the lens mount 320 from the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. For example, the second fastener 630 that connects the lens mount 320 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 may be partially loosened to create enough clearance to insert the shim 700 without completely disengaging the lens mount 320 from the front surface 305 of the camera body 105.

[0055] In some embodiments, the opening 720 may be circular, such that the body 705 of a typical shim 700 is horseshoe-shaped. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the opening 720 may be designed as any other shape (e.g., a slit) that can receive the second fastener 630 during the insertion process described above. In some embodiments, the shim 700 may be inserted between the front 305 of the camera body 105 and the lens mount 320 to adjust pitch and yaw. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the shim 700 may be inserted between the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110 and the lens mount 320 to adjust pitch and yaw. Furthermore, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, a typical shim 700 may be made of various materials (e.g., brass, stainless steel, plastic) and have typical dimensions of 0.02 inches, 0.01 inches, 0.005 inches, 0.001 inches, and 0.0005 inches.

[0056] Referring to Figure 7B, another typical configuration of the shim 700 may include a handle 725 attached to the upper edge 730 of the body 705. In various other embodiments of the present disclosure, the handle 725 may be molded as a knob or any other suitable shape for a user to conveniently handle and operate the shim 700. Once the shim 700 is inserted into place through the opening 720 that receives the second fastener 630 of the coupling mechanism 325, the handle 725 is configured to extend to the upper end 610 of the coupling mechanism 325 so that the handle 725 is accessible to the user after the lens mount 320 has been re-fastened to abut in close proximity with the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. In some embodiments, the shim 700 may be made of a flexible material so that the handle 725 can be bent at an angle relative to the body 705 of the shim 700 to facilitate user access.

[0057] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the typical configurations of the shim 700 shown in Figures 7A and 7B are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. In other embodiments, different configurations with different shapes and dimensions of the body 705, opening 720, and handle 725 may be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0058] When a typical shim 700 is inserted between the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 and the lens mount 320, the resulting gap may allow contaminants from the surrounding environment (e.g., dust, debris, weather, light, etc.) to enter the opening 310 of the front surface 305 of the camera body 105, thereby potentially affecting the image captured by the imaging plane 315 (see Figure 3). To prevent this problem, the lens mount 320 may include a sealing mechanism, which will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

[0059] Figure 8 illustrates a side view of the camera system 100 illustrated in Figure 1, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the embodiment of Figure 8 and as described above, the lens mount 320 detachably couples the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 via a coupling mechanism 325 (not shown). Figure 9 illustrates an exploded side view of the lens mount 320, the coupling mechanism 325, and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 (collectively, "900"). When a shim 700 is used to adjust the pitch and / or yaw of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body, the shim 700 may be inserted at a position 920 between the lens mount 320 and the coupling mechanism 325 such that the opening 710 of the shim 700 receives the second fastener 630 of the coupling mechanism 325 (see Figures 6A to 7B). The insertion of the shim 700 causes the lens mount 320 to be separated from the coupling mechanism 325 and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 by the width of the shim 700. Since the coupling mechanism 325 is positioned only at a few select points along the outer circumference of the lens mount 320 (see Figures 3 and 5), the inserted shim 700 creates a gap in the assembled camera system 100 between the lens mount 320 and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 at all locations along the outer circumference of the lens mount 320 that are not accompanied by the coupling mechanism 325. This gap potentially allows contaminants to enter the opening 310 of the front surface 305 of the camera body 105, which may adversely affect the image captured by the imaging plane 315 (see Figure 3). Therefore, a sealing mechanism 915 is required, as will be further described below with reference to Figures 10 and 11, and Figures 10 and 11 illustrate perspective views of the lens mount 320 with the sealing mechanism 915 (see Figure 10) and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 (see Figure 11) with a groove for receiving the sealing mechanism 915, respectively.

[0060] Referring to Figure 9, the lens mount 320 may include a first side surface 905 configured to abut against the distal end 405 of the lens housing 110 in the assembled camera system 100 (see also Figure 8), and a second side surface 910 configured to abut against the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. The second side surface 910 of the lens mount 320 may further include a sealing mechanism 915 protruding from the second side surface 910. Referring to Figure 10, in some embodiments, the sealing mechanism 915 may be a ring extending along the inner circumference of the lens mount 320 on the second side surface 910. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that in other embodiments of the disclosure not exhaustively described herein, the sealing mechanism 915 may have a different shape or be located in a different place on the second side surface 910 of the lens mount 320. Furthermore, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that in other embodiments of the disclosure, the sealing mechanism 915 may be made of a different material and have different dimensions. For example, in some embodiments, the sealing mechanism 915 may be a rubber gasket configured to prevent dust and light from contaminating the image captured by the camera system 100.

[0061] Referring to Figure 11, the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 may include a groove 1105 configured to receive a sealing mechanism 915. In some embodiments, the groove 1105 may be designed as a recess set in the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 and configured to receive the sealing mechanism 915. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the groove 1105 may be various mechanical configurations configured to receive the sealing mechanism 915 in other embodiments of this disclosure not exhaustively listed herein. The front surface 305 of the camera body 105 may also include a recess 1110 configured to receive a coupling mechanism 325. The groove 1105 and the recess 1110 cooperate to receive the sealing mechanism 915 and the coupling mechanism 325, respectively, so that the opening 310 remains sealed from potential environmental contaminants even after shims 700 are inserted to adjust pitch and / or yaw, and thus protect the image captured by the imaging plane 315.

[0062] In accordance with a typical embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 12A illustrates a side view of the component group 900 shown in Figure 9 when the shim 700 is not inserted in position 920, and Figure 12B illustrates a side view of the component group 900 shown in Figure 9 when the shim 700 is inserted in position 920. Referring to Figure 12A, when the shim 700 is not inserted in position 920 between the lens mount 320 and the coupling mechanism 325, the second side surface 910 of the lens mount 320 is in full contact with the front surface 305 of the camera body 105, and thus seals the opening 310 of the front surface 305 from potential environmental contaminants. In this scenario, the recess 1110 of the front surface 305 fully receives the coupling mechanism 325, and the groove 1105 of the front surface 305 fully receives the sealing mechanism 915 of the lens mount 320 (see Figures 10 and 11).

[0063] On the other hand, referring to Figure 12B, when the shim 700 is inserted at position 920 between the lens mount 320 and the coupling mechanism 325, the second side surface 910 of the lens mount 320 is separated from the front surface 305 of the camera body 105 by the shim 700. In this scenario, the sealing mechanism 915 of the lens mount 320 is partially disengaged from the groove 1105 of the front surface 305, but maintains contact with the groove 1105. This allows the sealing mechanism 915 to seal the gap that would otherwise be created between the lens mount 320 and the front surface 305 of the camera body 105, thus preventing potential environmental contaminants from entering the opening 310 of the front surface 305. For the sealing mechanism 915 to effectively seal the gap created by the shim 700, the height of the sealing mechanism 915 must be greater than the collective depth of the shim 700 inserted at one point across the outer circumference of the lens mount 320. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the height of the sealing mechanism 915 may vary computationally in various embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the height of the sealing mechanism 915 may be constant or vary along the outer circumference of the lens mount 320. Variations of the mechanical design of the sealing mechanism 915 that will be understood by those skilled in the art are not exhaustively described herein without departing from the teachings.

[0064] Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method 1300 for using shims 700 to adjust the pitch and yaw of a lens housing 110 relative to a camera body 105, according to a typical embodiment of the present disclosure. In step 1305, method 1300 partially loosens at least one coupling mechanism 325 that attaches the lens mount 320 to the front surface 305 of the camera body 105. For example, as shown in a typical embodiment of Figure 12B, method 1300 may partially loosen the second fastener 630 of the coupling mechanism 325 so that the second side surface 910 of the lens mount 320 is spaced apart from the abutting front surface 305 of the camera body 105. After creating enough clearance to accommodate a desired number of shims 700, step 1310 of method 1300 inserts several shims 700 between the lens mount 320 and the camera body 105. Specifically, as described in relation to Figures 6A to 7B, each shim 700 may be inserted from the outside by sliding it downward from the upper end 610 to the lower end 620 of the coupling mechanism 325 until the opening 720 of the shim 700 receives the second fastener 630 of the coupling mechanism 325. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the number of shims 700 inserted by step 1310 of method 1300 may vary in various embodiments of this disclosure depending on the user's desired adjustment amount for pitch and / or yaw. In some embodiments, the user may use a resolution target chart to calibrate the optimal resolution in the x and y axes and insert a calculated number of shims 700 corresponding to the desired adjustment. Specific adjustments of the pitch versus yaw of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body 105 are described in further detail below.

[0065] In step 1315, method 1300 can adjust the pitch (i.e., inclination along the y-axis) of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body 105 by adjusting the number of shims 700 inserted along the y-axis of the lens mount 320. For example, as shown in embodiments of Figures 3 and 4, if the incident light 130 is focused to a point higher than the center of the imaging plane 315, the lens housing 110 may be positioned at an angle that is pushed down on the z-axis relative to the camera body 105. To adjust the pitch in this scenario, shims 700 may be inserted toward the lower end of the lens mount 320 so that the lens housing 110 is horizontal to the camera body 105 along the z-axis. Conversely, if the incident light 130 is focused to a point lower than the center of the imaging plane 315, the lens housing 110 may be positioned at an angle that is raised on the z-axis relative to the camera body 105, and shims 700 may be inserted toward the upper end of the lens mount 320 to adjust the pitch.

[0066] Similarly, in step 1320, method 1300 may adjust the yaw (i.e., tilt along the x-axis) of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body 105 by adjusting the number of shims 700 inserted along the x-axis of the lens mount 320. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that steps 1315 and 1320 may be performed individually or in combination. Performing step 1315 or step 1320 individually allows for adjustment of the pitch but not the yaw, and vice versa. By performing a combination of steps 1315 and 1320, method 1300 can adjust both the pitch and yaw combination of the camera system 100. This allows the user to freely adjust the alignment of the lens housing 110 relative to the camera body 105 360° in the xy plane until the incident light 130 is perfectly focused to the center of the imaging plane 315, thereby enabling the camera system 100 to produce higher resolution images for photographs and / or videos.

[0067] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that some of the operations of Method 1300 described above may be performed in a different order and / or may be changed, and that Method 1300 may include more operations not described herein for the sake of simplification.

[0068] This disclosure is described above using functional building blocks that illustrate the implementation of specified functions and their relationships. The boundaries of these functional building blocks are arbitrarily defined herein for the sake of clarity. Alternative boundaries may be defined, provided that the specified functions and their relationships are properly implemented.

[0069] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments sufficiently illustrate the general nature of the disclosure so that others, by applying their knowledge within the scope of the art, can readily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments to various uses without departing from the general concepts of the disclosure or without excessive experimentation. Such adaptations and modifications are therefore intended to be within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teachings and guidance presented herein. It should be understood that the expressions or terms herein are for illustrative purposes only, and not limiting, so that they may be interpreted by those skilled in the art in light of the teachings and guidance herein.

[0070] The scope and breadth of this disclosure should not be limited by any of the typical embodiments described above, but should be defined solely by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0071] The claims of this application differ from the claims of the parent application or other related applications. Accordingly, the applicant withdraws any abandonment of claims made in the parent application or prior application in relation to this application. The examiner acknowledges that it may need to reconsider such previous abandonment and the cited documents it attempted to avoid. Furthermore, the examiner notes that the abandonment made in this application does not apply to or disadvantage the parent application.

Claims

1. A system for precisely setting the focus flange depth and focus flange flatness of a camera lens, wherein the system is A lens housing having a distal end, At least one camera lens positioned within the lens housing, A camera body, wherein the camera body has a front surface and an imaging plane within the camera body, A lens mount that detachably connects the distal end of the lens housing to the front surface of the camera body via at least one coupling mechanism, At least one shim configured to adjust at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the at least one camera lens in the lens housing with respect to the imaging plane in the camera body, wherein each shim comprises a body, the body having at least one opening extending from the edge of the body to the center of the body, and the at least one opening is configured to receive the at least one coupling mechanism, and A system equipped with these features.

2. The at least one coupling mechanism detachably attaches the lens mount to the camera body. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one shim is positioned at three or more points between the lens mount and the camera body to adjust the depth, pitch, and yaw of the at least one camera lens with respect to the imaging plane of the camera body.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the lens mount further comprises a screw-in insert configured to receive a screw-in screw at the distal end of the lens housing.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one coupling mechanism is a fastener / screw configuration.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the lens mount further comprises a sealing mechanism that extends into a groove on the front surface of the camera body.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the sealing mechanism is a gasket.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one shims further comprises a handle attached to the main body.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one shim is made of a thin, flexible material such that a stack of the at least one shim inserted between the lens mount and the camera body adjusts at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the at least one camera lens.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the bodies of the at least one shim is horseshoe-shaped.

10. A device for accurately setting the focus flange depth and focus flange flatness of a camera lens, wherein the device is It comprises a main body, and the main body has an opening that extends from the edge of the main body to the center of the main body. The aforementioned opening is configured to receive a coupling mechanism that connects the distal end of the lens housing to the front surface of the camera body. The device is configured such that the main body creates a gap between the camera body and the lens housing in order to adjust at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens positioned within the lens housing relative to the imaging plane within the camera body.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a handle attached to the main body.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the main body is made of a thin flexible material such that a laminate of devices inserted between the camera body and the lens housing adjusts at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the main body is horseshoe-shaped.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the coupling mechanism is a fastener / screw configuration.

15. A method for accurately setting the focus flange depth and focus flange flatness of a camera lens, wherein the method is: The method involves partially loosening at least one coupling mechanism that attaches the lens mount to the front of the camera body, thereby allowing the at least one coupling mechanism to maintain contact with both the lens mount and the camera body while creating a gap between them. Inserting several shims between the lens mount and the front surface of the camera body such that the opening of at least one shim receives the at least one coupling mechanism, The number of shims inserted between the lens mount and the front surface of the camera body is adjusted to change at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens positioned within the lens housing which is detachably coupled to the camera body via the lens mount. Methods that include...

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising partially loosening the at least one coupling mechanism that attaches the lens mount to the front surface of the camera body, such that the sealing mechanism is partially removed from the groove on the front surface of the camera body while maintaining contact with the groove, in order to prevent debris from entering the gap between the camera body and the lens mount.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sealing mechanism is coupled to the lens mount.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein inserting several shims between the lens mount and the front surface of the camera body further includes inserting at least one shim at three or more points between the lens mount and the camera body such that the opening of each of the at least one shim receives the at least one coupling mechanism.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising adjusting the number of shims inserted between the lens mount and the front surface of the camera body to change at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens, and adjusting the number of shims inserted along the y-axis of the camera body to adjust the pitch of the camera lens in the lens housing with respect to the imaging plane in the camera body.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising adjusting the number of shims inserted between the lens mount and the front surface of the camera body to change at least one of the depth, pitch, and yaw of the camera lens, and adjusting the number of shims inserted along the x-axis of the camera body to adjust the yaw of the camera lens in the lens housing with respect to the imaging plane in the camera body.

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