Vehicular camera mount

• US 5,835,808 A
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alton C. Bryan, Peter W. Parker
• Original Assignee: Alton C. Bryan, Peter W. Parker
• Inventors: Bryan, Alton C., Parker, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, EDDIE C H
• Application Number:
  US08/996,322
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/427, 396/428, 352/132, 352/243, 248/208
• US Class Current: 396/419
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicular camera mount is supported on the exterior of a vehicle door and includes a series of vacuum mounts adjacent the edge of the vehicle door. A horizontal beam comprising upper and lower horizontal supports connects the vacuum mounts. A vertical beam is mounted on the horizontal beam for horizontal adjustable movement and for vertical adjustable movement. A pair of clips stick into the window opening and connect to turnbuckles pulling the vertical beam toward the vehicle door. A pair of pads carried by the vertical beam abut the door and resist movement of the camera mount. A camera platform is carried by the vertical beam. The camera mount is sufficiently sturdy to hold a camera so steady that the only unintended movement of the camera is due to shaking or rocking of the vehicle. After being set up once to fit a particular vehicle, the camera mount can be taken off the door or installed on the door in less than two minutes.

Claims

1. A vehicular camera mount for supporting a camera on a door of a vehicle, comprising

a horizontal beam of a length to span a substantially part of the vehicle door and having at least one suction mount on each end of the beam adjacent an edge of the door;

a vertical beam and means mounting the vertical beam on the horizontal beam including means for adjusting the vertical beam in a horizontal direction along the horizontal beam;

an assembly for grasping the vehicle door including at least one L-shaped member for extending into a window opening provided by the door and an adjustable length tensioning device connecting the assembly and the vertical beam;

at least one pad carried by the vertical beam for abutting the door and resisting movement of the vertical beam toward the door in response to shortening the adjustable length tensioning device; and

a camera platform carried by the vertical beam having means for connection to a camera.

2. The vehicular camera mount of claim 1 wherein the means mounting the vertical beam on the horizontal beam including means for adjusting the vertical beam in a vertical direction.

3. The vehicular camera mount of claim 2 wherein the horizontal beam comprises upper and lower horizontal supports, each of the supports having a suction mount adjacent an end thereof.

4. The vehicular camera mount of claim 3 wherein the vertical beam comprises side-by-side vertical supports and wherein the mounting means comprises a connector at each intersection of the horizontal and vertical supports.

5. The vehicular camera mount of claim 4 wherein each of the connectors comprises a first support encircling member around the horizontal support, a second support encircling member around the vertical support, a first fastener for fixing the first support encircling member to the horizontal support and a second fastener for fixing the second support encircling member to the vertical support.

6. The vehicular camera mount of claim 4 wherein the suction support comprises a flexible pad for abutting the vehicle door and means for applying a vacuum between the pad and the vehicle door thereby releasably fixing the support to the door.

7. The vehicular camera mount of claim 4 wherein the upper and lower horizontal supports are individually vertically adjustable, relative to each other, on the side-by-side vertical supports.

8. The vehicular camera mount of claim 7 wherein the side-by-side vertical supports are individually horizontally adjustable, relative to each other, on the upper and lower horizontal supports.

9. The vehicular camera mount of claim 4 wherein the assembly for grasping the vehicle door comprises a horizontal bar, the first mentioned L-shaped member being connected to the horizontal bar adjacent a first end thereof, and further comprising a second L-shaped member adjacent a second end of the horizontal bar, the adjustable length tensioning device connecting the horizontal bar adjacent the first end and the vertical supports and further comprising a second adjustable length tensioning device connecting the horizontal bar adjacent the second end and the vertical supports.

10. The vehicular camera mount of claim 9 wherein the adjustable length tensioning device is a turnbuckle.

11. The vehicular camera mount of claim 9 further comprising a generally horizontal strut under the camera platform and connected to the side-by-side vertical supports, the pad being mounted on the horizontal strut adjacent a first of the vertical supports and further comprising a second pad mounted on the horizontal strut adjacent a second of the vertical supports, the pads comprising a resilient face for abutting the door.

12. The vehicular camera mount of claim 4 wherein the assembly for grasping the vehicle door comprises a pair of spaced vertical legs on the platform providing a series of vertically spaced connections, the first mentioned adjustable length tensioning device removably attached to one of the connections on a first of the legs, and a second adjustable length tensioning device removably attached to one of the connections on a second of the legs.