Telescoping monopod apparatus for holding photographic instrument

• US 9,243,741 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Fortress, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Fortress, LLC
• Inventors: Chu, Kevin Hwading, Wang, Xiran, Chen, Yangyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/690,717
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/03 telescopic axially displaceable couplings F16D3/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• 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 13/06 also serviceable for other purposes, e.g. to be used as spade, chair, ski-stick
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/08 for use as a walking-cane
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/644 compensating for large deviations, e.g. maintaining a fixed line of sight while a vehicle on which the system is mounted changes course
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/168 Feature extraction; Face representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 : Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56

Abstract

A telescoping monopod apparatus that is configured to hold a photographic instrument. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a body that houses a control component and an electronic component. The body has a rotatable bottom end. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a plurality of shafts disposed in an interior of the body. The upper end is opposite of the rotatable bottom end. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a ball disposed on an uppermost shaft of the plurality of shafts. The telescoping monopod apparatus includes a spheroidal joint that is configured to receive the ball on a first end. The spheroidal joint is attached to a holder on a second end.

Claims

1. A telescoping monopod apparatus configured to hold a photographic instrument comprising:

a body housing a control component and an electronic component, the body having a first end and a second end;

a plurality of shafts disposed in an interior of the body from the second end of the body, the second end being opposite of the first end;

a connector disposed on an uppermost shaft of the plurality of shafts and configured to contact a holder;

a first support protruding from the holder and holding a first mirror; and

a second support protruding from the holder and holding a second mirror,

wherein the electronic component and the control component are configured to cause movement of the plurality of shafts, and

wherein the electronic component and the control component are configured to actuate at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror upon the photographic instrument detecting a feature of interest, upon receiving an instruction from the photographic instrument, or upon receiving an instruction from the telescoping monopod apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holder comprises a base, a side wall, and a holding claw,

the holding claw has a moveable portion operatively connected to a spring, and

each of the base and the side wall comprises a pad having a groove.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the connector comprises a ball and a spheroidal joint,

the spheroidal joint is a hole on a bottom face of the base, and

the ball is configured to pan, tilt, and rotate the holder.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ball comprises a position fixing knob configured to secure a position of the holder relative to the body.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a power switch, a control panel operatively connected to the control component and to the electronic component, and an adjustment knob.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the control panel comprises a plurality of icons configured to change a distance between the holder and the first end, and

the adjustment knob is configured to change a distance between the holder and the first end.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the first end is a rotatable end, and

the rotatable end comprises a crevasse configured to receive an insert of an electronic device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rotatable end, when turned in a clockwise direction relative to a center axis of the body, increases a distance between the holder and the rotatable end.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the holder comprises a base having an upper face and a bottom face, a first side wall, a second side wall,

a pad having a groove is disposed in the upper face, and

the first side wall and the second side wall are each operatively connected to a spring and are configured to move in a direction parallel to a length of the holder.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of gaps and a timer having a toggle configured to interlock with one of the plurality of gaps, each of the plurality of the gaps sets a predetermined delay time to the photographic instrument placed in the holder.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shafts are disposed concentric to one another and concentric to the body.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control component comprises a conveyor belt system having a conveyor motor driving the conveyor belt system, a conveyor belt operatively connected to the conveyor motor, and a conveyor belt holder,

the conveyor belt system is configured to change a distance between the holder and the first end, and

the conveyor belt holder is attached to an upper end of the uppermost shaft of the plurality of shafts.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control component comprises a gear system having a plurality of gears attached to the plurality of shafts and a motor driving the gear system, and

the plurality of gears engages one another and is configured to change a distance between the holder and the first end.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a center of the first mirror and a center of a lens of the photographic instrument is predetermined.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a center of a first mirror and a center of the second mirror is predetermined.

16. A telescoping monopod apparatus configured to hold a photographic instrument comprising:

a body housing a control component and an electronic component configured to actuate the telescoping monopod apparatus;

a plurality of shafts disposed in an interior of the body from an upper end of the body;

a ball disposed on an uppermost shaft of the plurality of shafts;

a spheroidal joint configured to receive the ball on a first end, the spheroidal joint is attached to a holder on a second end;

a first support protruding from the holder and holding a first mirror; and

a second support protruding from the holder and holding a second mirror,

wherein the electronic component and the control component are configured to actuate at least one of the first mirror and the second mirror upon detecting a feature of interest or upon receiving an instruction from the photographic instrument, and

wherein the electronic component and the control component are configured to cause movement of the plurality of shafts and movement of the ball.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a distance between the first support and the second support is predetermined.