Collapsible prompting apparatus

摘要

The invention provides a prompting apparatus comprising a collapsible prompting box and a mounting and adjusting assembly. The prompting box includes two symmetrical opposite walls, a bottom frame, a bottom, a top frame and a cover, which jointly define a space for housing a two-way see-though mirror and the lens of the camera. The two symmetrical opposite walls can be folded inwardly when the mirror can be folded up to the top frame. The cover defines a space for a user to slide in a tablet device which runs a prompting software application. The pre-designed text is displayed on the tablet device's screen at a speed that the speaker feels comfortable to read. The mounting and adjusting assembly couples the prompting box with the camera. When the apparatus is not in use, the prompting box can be easily folded for carrying convenience.

主权项

1. A prompting apparatus for coupling with a camera for video recording which has an accessory adapter shoe on its top, comprising:
a rectangular housing with an open front defined by two symmetrical opposite side walls, a bottom frame, a flat bottom, a top frame, and a flexible rear wall with a round opening for positioning and aligning said camera's lens; a flat see-through mirror being placed in said housing with its upper edge being operably coupled to said top frame's rear edge, its lower edge being placed against said flat bottom such that said see-through mirror and said side walls and said rear wall forming a chamber where said lens is positioned and aligned behind said see-through mirror; a cover operably coupled to said top frame, said cover and said top frame defining a space for holding a tablet device with its screen facing down at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from said see-through mirror and in operation, image on said screen is reflected by said see-through mirror to a speaker's eyes seeing into said see-through mirror while light from said speaker passes through said see-through mirror into said lens; and a mounting and adjusting hardware assembly for coupling said housing with said camera through said accessory adapter shoe; wherein each of said two symmetrical opposite side walls comprising an upper portion and a lower portion being operably coupled with each other through a first hinging means, said upper portion being operably coupled with said top frame through a second hinging means, and said lower portion being operably coupled with said bottom frame through a third hinging means; wherein when said see-through mirror is folded up to said top frame, said two symmetrical opposite side walls can be folded inwardly such that said top frame and bottom frame be occluded; and wherein said hardware assembly comprising a vertical adjustment column which is secured to said cover's top, an elongate adjustment arm being operably coupled with said vertical adjustment column to a necessary vertical height and held in place by a fastening means, and an upright bracket with its bottom end being operatively coupled and secured to said accessory adapter shoe and with its top end being operatively coupled with said elongate adjustment arm for adjusting a horizontal distance from said vertical adjustment column to said upright bracket.