Modular photography backdrop system

• US 9,477,142 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everest Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Everest Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Baumgartner, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): MINTZ, RODNEY K
• Application Number:
  US14/826,500
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 1/02 Scenery; Curtains; Other decorations; Means for moving same fireproof curtains A62C2/10
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7416 with free upper edge, e.g. for use as office space dividers
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7433 with panels and support posts
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7461 Details of connection of sheet panels to frame or posts
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/526 with adaptations not otherwise provided for, for connecting, transport; for making impervious or hermetic, e.g. sealings

Abstract

A modular backdrop system and related methods of assembly and use for photography are described herein. The system includes a modular wall formed from a fixed frame and a plurality of removably attachable modules where: at least one module has a first height H1 and a first width W1, at least one module has a second height H2, different from the first height H1, and a second width W2 approximately equal to the first width W1, at least one module has a third height H3 approximately equal to the sum of H1 plus H2 and a third width W3 different from the second width H2, and at least one module has the first height H1 and the third width W3.

Claims

1. A modular backdrop system, comprising:

at least one modular wall, the at least one modular wall comprising;

a fixed frame providing upright wall portions and a header portion spanning between the upright wall portions; and

a plurality of removably attached modules that, when combined, fully fill in the fixed frame of the at least one modular wall between the upright portions and from the header portion to a floor,

wherein, when one or more of the plurality of removably attached modules is omitted from within the fixed frame, an opening is provided through the at least one modular wall that is sized and positioned to correspond with at least one of a full-sized doorway, a window, or a threshold through the modular backdrop system, and

wherein the plurality of removably attached modules include four different sizes comprising;

at least one first module having a first height H1 and a first width W1;

at least one second module having a second height H2, different from the first height H1, and the at least one second module having a second width W2 approximately equal to the first width W1;

at least one third module having a third height H3 approximately equal to the sum of H1 plus H2, and a third width W3 different from the second width H2; and

at least one fourth module having the first height H1 and the third width W3.

2. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one modular wall comprises a first modular wall and a second modular wall arranged at approximately a right angle with respect to one another.

3. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1, wherein H3 is equal to a height of the full-sized doorway and W1 is equal to a width of the full-sized doorway.

4. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1, wherein H3 is equal to a height of the full-sized doorway of about 82 inches tall and W1 is equal to a width of the full-sized doorway of about 36 inches wide.

5. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of removably attached modules are configured to allow a width of the opening to be selected in approximate one-foot increments.

6. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of removably modules comprise a set of modules consisting of modules of the four different sizes.

7. The modular backdrop system according to claim 6, wherein the set of modules comprises N first modules and N/2 second modules, wherein N is an even integer.

8. The modular backdrop system according to claim 7, wherein the set of modules comprises M third modules and M fourth modules, wherein M is an integer.

9. The modular backdrop system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of removably attached modules are connected together by releasable fasteners.

10. The modular backdrop system according to claim 9, wherein the releasable fasteners are not integrated as part of the plurality of removably attached modules.

11. The modular backdrop system according to claim 10, wherein the releasable fasteners are clamps.

12. A modular backdrop system, comprising:

at least one wall, comprising;

a first appearance provided by a set of removably attached modules, the first appearance being substantially continuous from a floor to a top of the at least one wall, and being substantially continuous from a first vertical side to a second vertical side of the at least one wall; and

a second appearance provided by omitting at least one of the removably attached modules from the combined set of removably attached modules;

wherein the set of removably attached modules has modules of four different sizes;

wherein the four different sizes comprise;

at least one first module having a first height H1 and a first width W1;

at least one second module having a second height H2, different from the first height H1, and the at least one second module having a second width W2 approximately equal to the first width W1;

at least one third module having a third height H3 approximately equal to the sum of H1 plus H2, and a third width W3 different from the second width H2; and

at least one fourth module having the first height H1 and the third width W3.

13. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein the set of removably attached modules comprises at least one first module having a first width, and at least one second module having a second width different from the first, wherein the at least one second module allows a width of an at least one opening defining the second appearance to be selected in approximate one-foot increments.

14. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein H3 is equal to the height of a full-sized doorway and W1 is equal to the width of the full-sized doorway.

15. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein the second appearance comprises at least one of a full-sized doorway of about 82 inches tall by about 36 inches wide, and a full-size window of at least 36 inches wide and at least 64 inches tall.

16. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one wall comprises a first wall and a second wall arranged at approximately a right angle with respect to one another, each of the first wall and the second wall comprising:

a fixed frame providing upright wall portions and a header portion spanning between the upright wall portions; and

the set of removably attached modules that, when combined, fully fill in the fixed frame of the modular backdrop system between the upright portions and from the header portion to the floor.

17. The modular backdrop system according to claim 16, wherein the first wall includes a first set of modules to fully enclose a first frame and the second wall includes a second set of modules to fully enclose a second frame, wherein the contents of the first set of modules and the second set of modules are different.

18. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein the set of removably attached modules comprises N first modules and N/2 second modules, wherein N is an even integer.

19. The modular backdrop system according to claim 18, wherein the set of removably attached modules comprises M third modules and M fourth modules, wherein M is an integer.

20. The modular backdrop system according to claim 12, wherein two or more modules of the set of removably attached modules are connected together by releasable fasteners.

21. The modular backdrop system according to claim 20, wherein the releasable fasteners are clamps.

22. A method of creating a backdrop, comprising:

assembling at least one modular wall by removably attaching a plurality of modules to a fixed frame and one another to create a first appearance provided by the plurality of modules, the first appearance being substantially continuous from a floor to a top of the at least one module wall, and being substantially continuous from a first vertical side to a second vertical side of the at least one modular wall, the plurality of modules include four different sizes comprising;

at least one first module having a first height H1 and a first width W1;

at least one second module having a second height H2, different from the first height H1, and the at least one second module having a second width W2 approximately equal to the first width W1;

at least one third module having a third height H3 approximately equal to the sum of H1 plus H2, and a third width W3 different from the second width H2; and

at least one fourth module having the first height H1 and the third width W3; and

adding at least one of a door frame and a window frame; and

creating a second appearance by omitting at least one of the plurality of modules from the assembled at least one modular wall.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising:

covering a face of the assembled at least one modular wall.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein removably attaching comprises joining adjacent modules of the plurality of modules with releasable fasteners.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the releasable fasteners are separate from the adjacent modules.