The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 30, 1994
Stanley W Stephenson, Spencerport, NY (US);
Paul L Ruben, Penfield, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A play set for children that allows a child to take correctly framed, focused and illuminated photographs of dolls, action figures or the like, in a life-like play setting. A camera support frame receives a removable, standard camera and aims its lens, through a close-up diopter lens attached to the frame, at the play setting in proper focus. The play setting includes a wall support for a changeable backdrop and a stage for positioning the dolls or figures in front of the chosen backdrop. The frame for the camera is spaced a fixed distance from the wall and stage to set a depth of field to encompass the backdrop and the dolls and figures in the stage area. Illumination of the stage area including the dolls and figures and the backdrop is provided in several alternative ways. Glare off the backdrop and figures resulting if the camera's simple flash unit is used to directly illuminate the play setting is reduced by configuring the camera supporting frame to tilt the camera relative to the backdrop. In another embodiment, reflective baffles supported by the frame re-direct the light onto the play setting at an improved angle relative to the lens taking axis. In a preferred embodiment, the camera's flash is blocked by a frame supported baffle, and a sensor supported by the frame is operative on its firing to trigger a more optimally positioned remote flash unit to fire. The camera is removable and usable by the child in the normal fashion.