Camera support assembly and actuator

• US 6,962,313 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wintron Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wintron Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Marks, Franklin J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US10/065,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 248/200, 248/129, 359/872, 359/876, 359/877, 348/148, 362/109
• US Class Current: 248/200
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/126 for tilting and panning F16M11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/42 with arrangement for propelling the support stands on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections

Abstract

A camera support and actuator including a Z-shape rod, a camera, an actuator and a skid plate. The Z-shape rod includes a handle section at a top, a camera support section at a bottom and a middle section between the handle and camera support sections. The handle and camera support sections being approximately parallel to a surface and the middle section extending upward from the camera support section to the handle section. The camera is mounted to the camera support section. The actuator is mounted on the handle section to cause movement of the camera. The actuator includes a shaft internal to the handle section of the Z-shaped rod and is connected to the camera by a cable to cause movement of the camera. The actuator includes a handle to allow the shaft to be push and pulled inside the handle section to control movement of the camera. The skid plate is attached to a bottom of the camera support section to support the camera support section above the surface and allow the camera support section to slide over the surface.

Claims

1. A camera support comprising:

a Z-shape rod having a handle section at a top, a camera support section at a bottom and a middle section between said handle and camera support sections, said handle and camera support sections being approximately parallel to a surface and said middle section extending upward from said camera support section to said handle section;

a camera mounted to said camera support section;

a skid plate attached to a bottom of said camera support section to support said camera support section above said surface and allow said camera support section to slide over said surface, said skid plate including a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface attached to said bottom of said camera support section, said bottom surface configured to be in direct contact with and slide over said surface; and

an actuator mounted on said handle section to cause movement of said camera.

2. The camera support of claim 1, wherein said Z-shaped rod is two pieces and separates along said middle section.

3. The camera support of claim 2, wherein said two pieces are configured to be assembled ill multiple positions in relation to each other.

4. The camera support of claim 1, wherein said skid plate is a round plate with an upright edge.

5. The camera support of claim 4, wherein there is a radiused transition between said round plate and said upright edge.

6. The camera support of claim 4, wherein there is a bell shaped upright edge emanating said round plate.

7. The camera support of claim 1, further including a caster wheel attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.

8. A camera support comprising:

a Z-shape rod having a handle section at a top, a camera support section at a bottom and a middle section between said handle and camera support sections, said handle and camera support sections being approximately parallel to a surface and said middle section extending upward from said camera support section to said handle section;

a camera mounted to said camera support section;

a skid plate attached to a bottom of said camera support section to support said camera support section above said surface and allow said camera support section to slide over said surface;

a support column between said camera support section and said skid plate; and

an actuator mounted on said camera section to cause movement of said camera.

9. The camera support of claim 8, wherein said support column is at a center of said skid plate;

and wherein said support column includes a U-shaped cutout to cradle camera support section.

10. The camera support of claim 9, wherein said camera support section is rotatably attached in said U-shaped cutout of said support column.

11. The camera support and actuator of claim 8, wherein said skid plate includes offset angled casters mounted to said skid plate to allow movement of said skid plate along said surface.

12. The camera support of claim 11, further including a caster wheel attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.

13. The camera support of claim 11, wherein said skid plate is in a shape of an inverted wing;

wherein said shape includes a middle section, two outside sections and two angle sections;

wherein said middle section is connected to said outside sections by said angled sections such that said middle section is lower than said outside sections;

wherein said offset angled casters are mounted to said outside sections; and

wherein said camera support section is connected to said middle section of said skid plate.

14. The camera support of claim 13, further including a caster which attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.

15. A camera support comprising:

a Z-shape rod having a handle section at a top, a camera support section at a bottom and a middle section between said handle and camera support sections, said handle and camera support sections being approximately parallel to a surface and said middle section extending upward from said camera support section to said handle section;

a camera mounted to said camera support section; and

an actuator mounted on said handle section to cause movement of said camera, said actuator is a shaft internal to said handle section of said Z-shaped rod and connected to said camera by a cable to cause movement of said camera; and

wherein said shaft includes a handle to allow said shaft to be push and pulled inside said handle section to control movement of said camera.

16. The camera support of claim 15, wherein said shaft includes a collar end and a cam end;

wherein said cam end is closest to said camera;

wherein said cam end includes a cam rotatably attached to said cam end;

wherein said cam has an outside diameter rotatably positioned offset from a center of an outside diameter of said shaft; and

wherein said outside diameters of said shaft and cam are size slightly smaller than an inside diameter of said handle section such that by twisting said shaft in said handle section, said cam remains in position due to frictional forces between said inside diameter of said handle section and said cam and in effect jams said shaft in a locked position with said handle section.

17. The camera support of claim 16, wherein said shaft is hollow to allow a camera cable to pass;

wherein said collar end includes a slot; and

further including a fastener to squeeze said collar end together at said slot to bold said camera cable in position.

18. The camera support of claim 17, further including a collar which is attached over said collar end to act as a handle and a fastener.

19. The camera support of claim 18, further including an adjustment handle on said collar end to allow quick release of pressure applied by said collar on said shaft.

20. The camera support of claim 15, further including a caster wheel attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.

21. A camera support comprising:

a Z-shape rod having a handle section at a top, a camera support section at a bottom and a middle section between said handle and camera support sections, said handle and camera support sections being approximately parallel to a surface and said middle section extending upward from said camera support section to said handle section;

a camera mounted to said camera support section;

an actuator mounted on said handle section to cause movement of said camera said actuator including a shaft internal to said handle section of said Z-shaped rod and connected to said camera by a cable to cause movement of said camera, and including a handle to allow said shaft to be push and pulled inside said handle section to control movement of said camera; and

a skid plate attached to a bottom of said camera support section to support said camera support section above said surface and allow said camera support section to slide over said surface.

22. The camera support of claim 21, wherein said skid plate is a round plate with an upright edge.

23. The camera a support of claim 21, wherein said skid plate is in a shape of an inverted wing;

wherein said shape includes a middle section, two outside sections end two angle sections;

wherein said middle section is connected to said outside sections by said angled sections such that said middle section is lower than said outside sections;

wherein said offset angled casters are mounted to said outside sections; and

wherein said camera support section is connected to said middle section of said skid plate.

24. The camera support of claim 23, further including a caster wheel attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.

25. The camera support of claim 21, wherein said shaft includes a collar end and a cam end;

wherein said cam end is closest to said camera;

wherein said cam end includes a cam rotatably attached to said cam end;

wherein said cam has an outside diameter rotatably positioned offset from a center of an outside diameter of said shaft;

wherein said outside diameter of said shaft and cam are size slightly smaller than an inside diameter of said handle section such that by twisting said shaft in said handle section, said cam remains in position due to frictional forces between said inside diameters of said handle section and said cam and in effect jams said shaft in a locked position with said handle section;

wherein said shaft is hollow to allow a camera cable to pass;

wherein said collar end includes a slot; and

including a collar to squeeze said collar end together at said slot to hold said camera cable in position.

26. The camera support of claim 21, further including a caster wheel attached to said camera support section near an intersection of said middle section and said camera support section, said wheel caster used to counteract forces applied to said intersection during movement.