Device for mounting and adjusting a video-phone and methods thereof

• US 5,934,640 A
• Filed: 02/06/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Barraclough, Keith, Martin, Bryan R., Hall, Tracy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOOD, KIMBERLY T
• Application Number:
  US08/796,909
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 248/923, 248/398, 248/349.1, 248/918, 248/922, 248/921, 348/373
• US Class Current: 248/371
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/126 for tilting and panning F16M11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base

Abstract

A device for mounting a structure, such as a video-phone, includes a base and a platform. The base has a first surface for resting on top of a display device, for example, a television monitor or computer monitor. The base also has an opposite, platform-supporting surface which includes a first central recess and a second recess, or track, surrounding the first recess. The first and second recesses are separated by a ridged portion. The platform includes a top surface for engaging or being integral with the video-phone. The bottom surface engages the base and is contoured to slidably communicate with the first and second recesses. This allows the platform and the video-phone to move in a complete circle with respect to the base and to pivot to allow adjustment in the vertical direction. The mounting device prevents adjustment by tilting in a horizontal direction, and therefore prevents the transmission of strangely angled images.

Claims

1. A video-phone supporting apparatus for allowing adjustment of a view of a video-phone, comprising:

a base including a first surface and an opposite, platform-supporting surface;

the platform-supporting surface including first and second recesses and a ridged portion;

the ridged portion separating the first recess from the second recess; and

a platform including opposing top and bottom surfaces, forward and back ends;

the bottom surface including a first rounded projection being contoured to slidably communicate within the first recess and including second and third rounded projections on opposite ends of the first rounded projection, the second and third rounded projections being shaped to slidably move within the second recess and the bottom surface configured to allow the platform to pivot with respect to the base by movement of the forward and back ends; and

the top surface being constructed to support a video-phone.

2. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the ridged portion at least partially circumscribes the first recess.

3. An apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein the second recess at least partially circumscribes the ridged portion.

4. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the first recess includes a spherically-shaped hollowed portion.

5. An apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein the ridged portion surrounds the spherically-shaped hollowed portion.

6. An apparatus, according to claim 5, wherein the second recess includes a circular track.

7. An apparatus, according to claim 6, wherein the circular track surrounds the ridged portion.

8. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the base is substantially rectangular, the first recess is substantially in a center of the rectangular base, and the second recess surrounds the first recess and intersects with at least two sides of the rectangular base.

9. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the first recess includes a spherically-shaped hollowed portion, and the second recess includes a circular track surrounding the spherically-shaped hollowed portion.

10. An apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein the first rounded projection rests within the spherically-shaped hollowed portion, and the second and third projections rest within the circular track.

13. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the second and third bulges are on opposite ends of the first bulge.

14. An apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third bulges include smooth, rounded surfaces.

11. An apparatus for mounting a video-phone on a top of a display device, the apparatus comprising:

a base including a resting surface adapted to rest upon the top of the display device, and a holding surface on an opposite side from the resting surface;

the holding surface including a track with inner and outer rims, and a hollowed portion in a region bordered by the inner rim and the inner rim including a ridge area; and

a platform including a video-phone mounting side and a base-engaging side;

the video-phone mounting side being configured and arranged to support the video-phone, and the base-engaging side including a plurality of contours adapted to slidably engage the track and the hollowed portion to permit the video-phone to swivel about and tilt along a first axis, while preventing tilting about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the plurality of contours includes a first bulge to slidably engage the hollowed portion, and second and third bulges to slidably engage the track.

12. An apparatus, according to claim 11, wherein the hollowed portion includes a substantially spherically-shaped portion, and the track is circular and completely surrounds the spherically-shaped portion.

15. A method for mounting a video-phone on a top of a display device, comprising the steps of:

providing a base having a resting surface and a video-phone holding surface;

the video-phone holding surface including a track and a central recess;

placing the base on the top of the television monitor so that the resting surface engages the top of the display device;

providing a video-phone including a nonmovable camera, and a base-engaging surface having a bulged portion and a pair of oppositely-arranged projections on opposing sides of the bulged portion, the bulged portion and the projections projecting toward the base;

moving the video-phone in the base with the projections aligned in the track and the bulged portion within the central recess.

16. A method, according to claim 15, further including:

adjusting the video-phone by sliding the projections in a circular path along the track to swivel the video-phone about a central axis.

17. A method, according to claim 15, further including:

adjusting the video-phone by tilting the projections along the track to tilt the video-phone about a central axis.