Camera mounting assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016170290-A1
Application number	US-201615048404-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Nov 3, 2010
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A camera mounting assembly includes a base member or plate for holding a camera and a side member or plate. In an exemplary embodiment, lower slots on the base plate or side slots on the side plate are gripped by a vertical support's quick-release mechanism to mount the camera in a landscape or portrait orientation, respectively, the camera being generally centered and evenly balanced over the support in either case. The side member is detachably fastened to the base member, which modular construction permits separately timed purchase of the base member and side member as allowed by the user's budget and further permits breakdown of the assembly for ease of transport. The side member may be generally L-shaped with a lower arm length less than the side arm length, which also facilitates transport. Other components may be detachably added such as a hand grip facilitating freehand shooting with the camera.

First claim

1 . A camera mounting assembly for adjustably mounting a camera on a vertical support comprising:
(a) a base member having an upper portion configured to receive a lower surface of the camera and a lower portion, the lower portion being adapted for selective mounting on the vertical support such that the camera is positioned in a landscape orientation; (b) a side member detachably fastenable to the base member such that at least a portion of the side member extends along a side surface of the camera received by the base member, the side member forming an opposite pair of side slots adapted for selective engagement by a pair of jaws of an engagement mechanism such that the camera is adjustably mountable in a portrait orientation; (c) at least one of the base member and the side member including a pair of spaced apart elongate members extending within at least one of a portion of said base member and a portion of said side member to form an alignment mechanism for aligning the base member and the side member as the base member and the side member are being positioned for detachable fastening in a manner independent of either of said base member and said side member being attached to said camera; and (d) a fastening element structure including a side opening defined in said side member and a threaded base opening defined in said base member aligned with said side opening when said base member and said side member are fastened together configured to enable a rotatable member accessible from said side surface of said camera when said lower surface of said camera is supported by said base member where rotation of said rotatable member enables detachably interconnecting said side member to said base member when said camera is supported by said base member, said fastening element structure enables said rotatable member to extend through at least a portion of said side member into at least a portion of said base member when said base member is fastened to said side member and said fastening element structure enables said rotatable member to be removed from within said at least a portion of said base member when said side member is said detached from said base member, wherein said fastening element structure is separate from said alignment mechanism, said base member being free from extending along a substantial portion of said side surface of said camera when said camera is supported by said base member and said side member is detached from said base member.

2 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said alignment mechanism includes a projecting member configured to limit relative movement of said base member and said side member.

3 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein the projecting member comprises a guide pin.

4 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 3 wherein the side member has a marking to visually indicate where the side slots are to be selectively engaged to maintain the lens of the camera substantially centered over the vertical support.

5 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein the side member is generally L-shaped having a side arm and a lower arm and the base member and lower arm are substantially flush with each other when the base member and the side member are detachably fastened together.

6 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the side member includes a side arm and a lower arm in generally L-shaped arrangement, the side arm being aligned with the side surface of the camera when the lower surface of the camera is supported by the base member.

7 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 6 wherein the lower arm has a length shorter than the length of both the base member and the side arm.

8 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein the lower arm is integral with the side arm.

9 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 8 wherein said fastening element structure includes a first threaded said rotatable member accessible from said side surface of said camera when said lower surface of said camera is supported by said base member where rotation of said first rotatable member detachably interconnects said side member to said base member when said camera is supported by said base member.

10 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 9 wherein said fastening element structure includes a second threaded rotatable member accessible from said side surface of said camera when said lower surface of said camera is supported by said base member where rotation of said second rotatable member detachably interconnects said side member to said base member when said camera is supported by said base member.

11 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 10 wherein said opposite pair of side slots are dovetailed slots.

12 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 11 further comprising said base member defining a threaded hole through said upper portion of said base member.

13 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 12 wherein said side arm is substantially reduced in length relative to said lower arm.

14 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 13 further comprising said side member defining an indentation along one of said opposite pair of side slots.

15 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 14 wherein said side member defines a cutout to provide access to the side of said camera.

16 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 1 further comprising said vertical support.

17 . The camera mounting assembly of claim 1 further comprising said engagement mechanism.

18 . The camera mounting assembly of claim further comprising said camera and said rotatable member.

19 . A camera mounting assembly for adjustably mounting a camera on a vertical support comprising:
(a) a base member having an upper portion configured to receive a lower surface of the camera and a lower portion, the lower portion being adapted for selective mounting on the vertical support such that the camera is positioned in a landscape orientation; (b) a side member detachably fastenable to the base member such that at least a portion of the side member extends along a side surface of the camera received by the base member, the side member forming an opposite pair of side slots adapted for selective engagement by a pair of jaws of an engagement mechanism such that the camera is adjustably mountable in a portrait orientation; (c) at least one of the base member and the side member including a pair of spaced apart elongate members extending within at least one of a portion of said base member and a portion of said side member to form an alignment mechanism for aligning the base member and the side member as the base member and the side member are being positioned for detachable fastening in a manner independent of either of said base member and said side member being attached to said camera; and (d) a fastening element structure including a side opening defined in said side member and a threaded base opening defined in said base member aligned with said side opening when said base member and said side member are fastened together configured to enable a rotatable member where rotation of said rotatable member detachably interconnects said side member to said base member, said fastening element structure enables said rotatable member to extend through at least a portion of said side member into at least a portion of said base member when said base member is fastened to said side member and said fastening element structure enables said rotatable member to be removed from within said at least a portion of said base member when said sid

Assignees

• Really Right Stuff Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Sr Joseph M

Classifications

• G03B17/563

  Camera grips, handles (means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00) · CPC title

• F16M11/08

  around a vertical axis {, e.g. panoramic heads (F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title

• G03B17/56

  Accessories (carrying-cases A45C11/38) · CPC title

• H01G9/0425

  specially adapted for cathode · CPC title