Camera positioning and mounting system with improved mouth adapter

• US 9,395,603 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth John Achenbach
• Original Assignee: Kenneth John Achenbach
• Inventors: Achenbach, Kenneth John
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zettl, Jennifer N
• Application Number:
  US14/491,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20150076184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 224/181, 220/913
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• 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: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories

Abstract

A mouth adapter configured to secure a portable camera comprising a first bite wing, a second bite wing, an air channel located between the first bite wing and the second bite wing, an adapter arm connecting the first bite wing and the second bite wing, and a camera mount coupled to the adapter. The bite wings may be elongated and comprise a bite surface made from an elastic polymer which may be configured to make contact with the teeth of a user as they bite onto the bite surface. In further preferred embodiments, the mouth adapter comprises a first balance ridge and second balance ridge protruding from the adapter arm proximate to the first and second bite wings with an air groove positioned between said the balance ridges. The air groove may be located within the adapter arm and proximate to intersection of the bite wings.

Claims

1. A mouth adapter configured to secure a portable camera to a mouth of a user, the mouth adapter comprising:

a. a first bite wing;

b. a second bite wing;

c. an air channel located between said first bite wing and said second bite wing;

d. an adapter arm having a first end, a curved neck, and a second end with said first end coupled to said first bite wing and to said second bite wing; and

e. a camera mount coupled to said second end of the adapter arm at a position below and spaced apart from the first and second bite wings so that the portable camera may be held in a position below the mouth of the user.

2. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first bite wing and second bite wing are elongated.

3. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first bite wing and second bite wing comprise a bite surface.

4. The mouth adapter according to claim 3, wherein the bite surface comprises a resilient material configured to form recessed cavities which align with protruding teeth of the user.

5. The mouth adapter according to claim 4, wherein the bite surface comprises an elastic polymer.

6. The mouth adapter according to claim 5, wherein the elastic polymer is over molded to a distal end of the first bite wing and a distal end of the second bite wing.

7. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter arm further comprises a first balance ridge and a second balance ridge protruding from the first end of the adapter arm at a position between the first and second bite wings and the curved neck.

8. The mouth adapter according to claim 7, further comprising an air groove between said first and second balance ridges.

9. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, further comprising an air groove formed within the first end of the adapter arm located proximate to intersection of said first and second bite wings.

10. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, wherein the neck comprises a first side neck surface and second side neck surface with said first side neck surface and said second side neck surfaces tapered to meet a neck front surface and a neck back surface.

11. The mouth adapter according to claim 1, wherein the camera mount comprises a first outer vertical prong, a second outer vertical prong, an inner vertical prong, and prong cavities located between said first and second outer vertical prongs and said inner vertical prong.

12. The mouth adapter according to claim 11, wherein the first outer vertical prong and second outer vertical prong each have a width greater than a width of the inner vertical prong.

13. A mouth adapter configured to secure a portable camera to a mouth of a user, the mouth adapter comprising:

a. a first bite wing;

b. a second bite wing;

c. an air channel located between said first bite wing and said second bite wing;

d. an adapter arm having a first end and a second end with said first end coupled to said first bite wing and to said second bite wing;

e. a camera mount coupled to the second end of the adapter arm;

f. a first balance ridge protruding from the first end of the adapter arm and a second balance ridge spaced apart from said first balance ridge also protruding from the first end of the adapter arm; and

g. an air groove positioned between said first balance ridge and said second balance ridge on the first end of the adapter arm.

14. The mouth adapter of claim 13, wherein the adapter arm comprises a neck positioned between said first and said second end.

15. The mouth adapter of claim 14, wherein the neck is non-linear.

16. The mouth adapter of claim 14, wherein the neck is curved.

17. The mouth adapter of claim 14, wherein the neck comprises a first side neck surface and a second side neck surface with the first and second side neck surfaces tapered to meet a neck front surface and a neck back surface.

18. The mouth adapter of claim 13, wherein the camera mount comprises a first outer vertical prong, a second outer vertical prong, an inner vertical prong, and prong cavities located between said first and second outer vertical prongs and said inner vertical prong.