Object Holding Device

The present invention relates generally to an object holding device and more particularly a holding device which is mounted on a camera as a main object and which has a function holding a strobo as an accessory object.

Hitherto, various devices for attaching an accessory object, for example a strobo to a main object, for example a camera were devised and put to practical use.

However, an object holding device is not yet devised, which has a function of unfastening and fastening in one motion member for holding an accessory object as well as a function of fixing an accessory object to a main object, wherein a relative position of an accessory object to a main object can be easily adjusted.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an object holding device in which unfastening and fastening of holding member can be done in one motion, in the case of changing a relative position of an accessory object to a main object, height and direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the following discussion of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of an object holding device according to this invention, shown along with a camera and a strobo which are connected by means of the object holding device,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the object holding device,

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a holder taken in the direction of the arrow "A" of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of a disk taken in the direction of the arrow "B" of FIG. 2,

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views taken in the direction of the arrow along the circular line "C" of FIG. 3, and taken in the direction of the arrow long the circular line "D" of FIG. 4, showing a relation between a position of a holder and a position of a disk.

In the drawings, numeral 1 designates a camera as a main object. A bracket 2 is attached to the camera 1, and is equipped with joint box 3. Numeral 4 designates a strobo as an accessory object with a pillar-shaped grip 5. An annular clamping band 6 is put loosely on the pillar-shaped grip 5, and reinforcing plate 7 is locked on a part of inner-face of the annular clamping band 6. In the center of the reinforcing plate 7, screw-hole 8 is drilled. Numeral 9 designates a holder which comprises a box of the shape such as a truncated pyramid, the box having a closed top and an open base, an edge of the base having the curve 9a that comes into close contact with the surface of the grip 5, the top having a cylindrical hollow 10 with a bottom, a groove 11 for a stopper of an under-mentioned operating lever being made which links a part of a side face of the cylindrical hollow 10 with a peripheral face of the box. In the center of the bottom of the cylindrical hollow 10, a center-hole 12 is made through the bottom, and around the center-hole 12, a convex plane 13 an inclined plane 14, and a concave plane 13b are arranged in order of a convex plane 13a, an inclined plane 14, and a concave plane 13b. And a convex plane 23a, an inclined plane 24 a concave plane 23b are arranged so that they are symmetric with respect to the convex plane 13a, the inclined plane 14, and the concave plane 13b, respectively. (Refer to FIG. 3.) Numeral 15 designates a disk which is put rotatably in the cylindrical hollow 10. In the center of the disk 15, a center-hole 16 is made through the disk, and around the center-hole 16, a convex plane 17a, an inclined plane 18, and a concave plane 17b are arranged in the opposite direction to the direction of the arrangement of the convex plane 13a, the inclined plane 14, and the concave plane 13b. And a convex plane 27a, an inclined plane 28, and a concave plane 27b are arranged so that they are symmetric with respect to the convex plane 17a, the inclined plane 18, and the concave plane 17b. (Refer to FIG. 4.) Further, an end of an operating lever 19 is connected to the periphery of the disk 15. The handling end 20 of the operating lever 19 is protruded outward passing the groove 11. When the handling end 20 is moved up and down, the disk 15 is turned. Consequently, when the convex planes 17a and 27a are transferred from the position of the concave planes 13b and 23b to the position of the convex planes 13a and 23a passing the inclined planes 14 and 24, the position of the disk 15 is displaced in the direction of the axis. A headed connecting bolt 21 is inserted in both the center-hole 16 of the disk 15 and the bolt-hole 12 of the holder 9. An end of the headed connecting bolt 21 is screwed in a screw-hole 8 of the reinforcing plate 7, while a screw head 22 of the headed connecting bolt 21 is brought into contact with the disk 15. Accordingly, when the position of the disk 15 is displaced in the direction of the axis, the position of the reinforcing plate 7 is displaced through the bolt 21 so that the annular clamping band 6 is stretched. When one side of the operating lever 19 comes into contact with a stop face 11a, the convex planes 17a and 27 a should be opposite to the convex planes 13a and 23a. On the other hand, when the other side of the operating lever 19 comes into contact with a stop face 11b, the convex planes 17a and 27a should be opposite to the concave planes 13b and 23b. An end surface of the holder can be joined with an end surface of the joint box, wherein the known joining means can be optionally applied for joining. Therefore herein an explanation of the joining means is eliminated.

Subsequently, the operation of the holding device according to the invention is explained.

If operator moves the operating lever 19 until one side of the operating lever 19 comes into contact with a stop face 11a, the convex planes 17a and 27a being opposite to the convex planes 13a and 23a, the annular clamping band 6 will be stretched toward the holder 9 which is in contact with the grip 5. Consequently, the grip 5 is rigidly clamped by both of the annular clamping band 6 which is stretched toward the holder 9 and the holder 9, so that the strobo 4 is rigidly fixed to the camera 1, with desired height and direction of the strobo 4.

However, where operator want to change height and direction of the strobo 4, if he moves the operating lever 19, turning the disk 15, the convex planes 17a and 27a will be travelled, through the slopes 14a and 14b from a position in which the convex planes 17a and 27a is opposite to the convex planes 13a and 23a to a position in which the convex planes 17a and 27a is opposite to the concave planes 13b and 23b, and when the other side of the operating lever 19 comes into contact with a stop face 11b, the convex planes 17b and 27b is completely opposite to the concave planes 13a and 23a. Accordingly, the disk 15 is axially displaced, with the result that the reinforcing plate 7 is axially displaced. Consequently, the shape of the annular clamping band 6 is changed in such a manner that the annular clamping band 6 is loosened and separates from the grip 5. Accordingly, the strobo 4 becomes free of the camera 1, so that height and direction of the strobo can be altered. After altering height and direction of the strobo, if operator again moves the operating lever 19 until one side of the operating lever 19 comes into contact with the stop face 11a, the annular clamping band 6 is stretched toward the holder 9 which is in contact with the grip 5. Consequently, the grip is rigidly clamped by both of the annular clamping band 6 and the holder 9, so that the strobo 4 is rigidly fixed to the camera 1.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the grip exist on an accessory object. However, it goes without saying that a grip may exist on a main object, and that a main object and its accessory object is not defined to camera, and strobo and the like. In short, any sort of article will do, if pillar-shaped portion (a grip) exists on either a main object or an accessory object.

As described above, by means of an object holding device according to the present invention, unfastening and fastening of holding member can be done in one motion. Therefore height and direction an accessory can be easily and quickly.