Camera stand having an unlimited range of motion along an axis of rotation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625792-B2
Application number	US-201615167693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

This application discloses a camera including a holding element and a base assembly. The holding element further includes a camera portion for holding a camera sensor, an extended portion that extends from the camera portion, and a fastener structure coupled to an end of the extended portion. The base assembly further includes a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface, and a joint structure configured to mate with the fastener structure. The fastener structure and the joint structure are configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion and a second degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base. The movement of the receiving element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel, and the movement of the receiving element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a second direction of travel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera, comprising:
a holding element for physically holding a camera sensor, the holding element including:
a camera portion for holding the camera sensor;
an extended portion that extends from the camera portion, wherein the camera portion and the extended portion are formed from a piece of material; and
a fastener structure coupled to an end of the extended portion located opposite another end of the extended portion where the camera module is located; and

a base assembly for supporting the holding element, the base assembly including:
a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface; and
a joint structure configured to mate with the fastener structure;

wherein:
the fastener structure and the joint structure are configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base and a second degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base,
the movement of the holding element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and
the movement of the holding element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a second direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom.

2. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the first degree of freedom includes rotation of the holding element with respect to a first axis, and the first axis passes through the extended portion of the holding element and extends in the same direction as the extended portion of the holding element.

3. The camera of claim 2 , wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the first axis facilitates panning of the camera sensor.

4. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the second degree of freedom includes rotation of the holding element with respect to a second axis, and the second axis passes through the joint structure and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis.

5. The camera of claim 4 , wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the second axis facilitates tilting of the camera sensor.

6. The camera of claim 4 , wherein the holding element has a first nominal position when the extended portion of the holding element is adjusted to be perpendicular to a bottom surface of the base that is configured to rest against the supporting surface, and in accordance with the second direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom, the holding element is configured to be rotated up to 90 degrees with respect to the first nominal position to reach a second nominal position.

7. The camera of claim 6 , wherein in accordance with the second nominal position, the holding element and the camera sensor are configured to face substantially in parallel with and opposite to the bottom surface of the base.

8. A system, comprising:
a holding element for physically holding a module, the holding element including:
a module portion for holding the module;
an extended portion that extends from the module portion, wherein the module portion and the extended portion are formed from a piece of material; and
a fastener structure coupled to an end of the extended portion located opposite another end of the extended portion where the module is located; and

a base assembly for supporting the holding element, the base assembly including:
a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface; and
a joint structure configured to mate with the fastener structure;

wherein:
the fastener structure and the joint structure are configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base and a second degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base,
the movement of the holding element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and
the movement of the holding element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a second direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first degree of freedom includes rotation of the holding element with respect to a first axis, and the first axis passes through the extended portion of the holding element and extends in the same direction as the extended portion of the holding element.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the first axis facilitates panning of the module.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second degree of freedom includes rotation of the holding element with respect to a second axis, and the second axis passes through the joint structure and extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the second axis facilitates tilting of the module.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the module portion of the holding element includes a cutout opening that has a shape conforming to a contour of the camera sensor, and is configured to hold the camera sensor when the camera sensor is inserted within the cutout opening.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the range of the movement of the holding element at the second degree of freedom is symmetric with respect to a vertical axis that is substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the base, and includes two positions in which the holding element is configured to extend along a direction substantially parallel with a bottom surface of the base.

15. A camera assembly, comprising:
a holding element for physically holding a camera sensor, the holding element including:
the camera sensor that is integrated on the holding element;
a camera portion for holding the camera sensor;
an extended portion that extends from the camera portion, wherein the camera portion and the extended portion are formed from a piece of material; and
a fastener structure coupled to an end of the extended portion located opposite another end of the extended portion where the camera module is located; and

a base assembly for supporting the holding element, the base assembly including:
a base shaped to rest against a supporting surface; and
a joint structure configured to mate with the fastener structure;

wherein:
the fastener structure and the joint structure are configured to provide a first degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base and a second degree of freedom of motion of the holding element with respect to the base,
the movement of the holding element at the first degree of freedom is unlimited in a first direction of travel associated with the first degree of freedom, and
the movement of the holding element at the second degree of freedom is limited in a second direction of travel associated with the second degree of freedom.

16. The camera assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first degree of freedom includes rotation of the holding element with respect to a first axis, and the first axis passes through the extended portion of the holding element and extends in the same direction as the extended portion of the holding element, and wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the first axis facilitates panning of the camera sensor.

17. The camera assembly of claim 16 , wherein the rotation of the holding element with respect to the first axis facilitates panning of the camera sensor.

18. The camera assembly of claim 15 , wherein the camera portion of the holding element includes a cutout opening that h

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kilgore Adam Scott
• Mittleman Adam Duckworth

Classifications

• F16B1/00

  Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts · CPC title

• F16M13/027

  Ceiling supports · CPC title

• F16M11/242

  by spreading of the legs (F16M11/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03B17/561 Primary

  Support related camera accessories · CPC title

• F16M11/16

  Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof · CPC title