Vibration resistant equipment mount

• US 9,933,109 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dgm Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Dgm Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Moore, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millner, Monica E
• Application Number:
  US15/172,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20160356415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 2482051
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections

Abstract

A vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount. The positionable equipment mount including a platform mount, an equipment mount, a first and second pivot clamp, and one or more bars operably coupled to the first and second pivot clamp via ratcheting elbow mounts, wherein the internal bore of the first and second pivot clamps each have an interior circumferential surface characterized by teeth configured to mesh with splines on the respective shafts of the platform and equipment mounts to form ratcheting pivots.

Claims

1. A vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount for mounting a piece of equipment relative to a vehicle in a manner that maintains the position of the piece of equipment relative to the vehicle in a vibrating environment, the vibration resistant positionable equipment mount comprising:

a platform mount configured to be selectively coupled to a vehicle, the platform mount including a first splined shaft;

a first ratcheting pivot clamp operably coupled to the platform mount and pivotable about the first splined shaft, the first ratcheting pivot clamp including a plurality of teeth at least partially surrounding a first elbow pivot;

an equipment mount configured to be selectively coupled to the piece of equipment, the equipment mount including a second splined shaft;

a second ratcheting pivot clamp operably coupled to the equipment mount and pivotable about the second splined shaft, the second ratcheting pivot clamp including a plurality of teeth at least partially surrounding a second elbow pivot; and

one or more bars operably coupled to and extending between the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps and pivotable about the first and second elbow pivots,

wherein at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps is comprised of two portions biased apart by at least one spring positioned therebetween.

2. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of

the pivotable axis between the first ratcheting pivot clamp and the platform mount is substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis between the first ratcheting pivot clamp and the one or more bars, and

the pivotable axis between the second ratcheting pivot clamp and the equipment mount is substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis between the second ratcheting pivot clamp and the one or more bars.

3. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second splined shafts has a reverse taper, such that a distal end of the splined shaft has a larger diameter than a proximal end of the splined shaft.

4. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps defines an internal bore configured to receive the respective first or second splined shaft.

5. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 4, wherein the internal bore of at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps includes one or more distinct, spaced apart sets of teeth configured to mesh with splines of the respective first or second splined shaft.

6. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 5, wherein the teeth of the first or second ratcheting pivot clamp include convex, arcuate surfaces.

7. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the platform mount and the first ratcheting pivot clamp, and the equipment mount and the second ratcheting pivot clamp are in abutting contact with one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis.

8. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein the teeth at least partially surrounding at least one of the first and second elbow pivots include crowns that are at least partially truncated.

9. The vibration resistant, positionable equipment mount of claim 1, wherein one of the platform mount and first ratcheting pivot clamp, and the equipment mount and the second ratcheting clamp are locked in position relative to one another and the one or more bars by the tightening of a hand screw.

10. A positionable equipment mount for mounting a piece of equipment relative to a platform, the positionable equipment mount comprising:

a platform mount fixedly coupled to the platform, the platform mount including a splined shaft;

a first ratcheting pivot clamp having an internal bore sized to receive and operably coupled to the splined shaft of the platform mount;

a pair of bars operably coupled to the first ratcheting pivot clamp via a ratcheting elbow mount at a first end, and operably coupled to a second ratcheting pivot clamp via a ratcheting elbow mount at a second end;

the second ratcheting pivot clamp having an internal bore sized to receive and operably coupled to a splined shaft of an equipment mount;

the equipment mount fixedly coupled to the piece of equipment;

wherein the internal bore of the first and second pivot clamps each have an interior circumferential surface characterized by a plurality of teeth configured to mesh with the splines of the respective splined shafts of the platform and equipment mounts, thereby forming ratcheting pivots,

wherein at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps is comprised of two portions biased apart by at least one spring positioned therebetween.

11. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein at least one of

the pivotable axis of the ratcheting pivot between the first ratcheting pivot clamp and the platform mount is substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis of the ratcheting elbow between the first ratcheting pivot clamp and the one or more bars, and

the pivotable axis of the ratcheting pivot between the second ratcheting pivot clamp and the equipment mount is substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis of the ratcheting elbow between the second ratcheting pivot clamp and the one or more bars.

12. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein at least one of the splined shaft of the platform mount and the splined shaft of the equipment mount has a reverse taper, such that a distal end of the splined shaft has a larger diameter than a proximal end of the splined shaft.

13. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein the internal bore of at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps includes one or more distinct, spaced apart sets of teeth configured to mesh with splines of the respective splined shaft of the platform or equipment mount.

14. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein the teeth of the first or second ratcheting pivot clamp include convex, arcuate surfaces.

15. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein at least one of the platform mount and the first ratcheting pivot clamp, and the equipment mount and the second ratcheting pivot clamp are in abutting contact with one another along a plane substantially orthogonal to the pivotable axis of the ratcheting pivot.

16. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein a plurality of teeth at least partially surround the elbow mount between the pair of bars and at least one of the first and second ratcheting pivot clamps.

17. The positionable equipment mount of claim 16, wherein the teeth at least partially surrounding at least one of the first and second elbow pivots include crowns that are at least partially truncated.

18. The positionable equipment mount of claim 10, wherein one of the platform mount and first ratcheting pivot clamp, and the equipment mount and the second ratcheting clamp are locked in position relative to one another and pair of bars by the tightening of a hand screw.