Abstract:
A mounting assembly for facilitating the mounting components of a modular system involving a plurality of separate components that are required operationally to interrelate relative to each other when in use so that the relative setting of such components in vertical, horizontal and/or annular orientations with respect to the datum direction is facilitated. A main unit is adapted for mounting to a column support, the main unit being adapted for mounting said components by way of a connection arrangement enabling relative displacement and relative angular setting of the components relative to the base unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Technical Field 
   The present invention relates to modular systems for interrelating elements of a multi-component assembly mounting system such as camera utilization apparatus. 
   In particular the present invention relates to a modular support system for mounting various components associated with an assembly incorporating a camera, batteries, lights, and operator carrier means. 
   Thus, in particular, the present invention is concerned with the provision of a mounting system for camera equipment in which the camera and associated equipment, such as batteries, lights, etc., are mounted from a support, such as a column, that is intended to be carried by an operator, thereby allowing such operator to move, i.e., by walking, running etc., as may be required during the capture of a scene being filmed or photographed. 
   2. General Background 
   It is known to provide a modular system by means of which a camera assembly can be operationally associated with ancillary apparatus such as lighting units, electrical supply batteries, monitors and systems facilitating the orientation of the actual camera when required for and when in use. An exemplary system is disclosed in PCT International Publication WO 03/089835 A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
   In particular, a mounting system is provided for body mounted camera equipment that, during the use of the camera, the camera together with a number of associated accessories such as lights, and batteries for operating the camera and lights, are carried from a support column with the camera mounted to the upper end of the column. 
   The column itself is conventionally provided with a gimbals support means which can be supported by the user by way of a body harness. An exemplary body harness that can be used with the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,387, which is hereby incorporated by reference. With this arrangement, the user&#39;s hands are free to operate the controls of the camera and any associated equipment. 
   The known apparatus, whilst providing for an element of operational relative adjustability of the associated components, has been found inherently to involve certain short comings and constraints in component adjustability in practical use. 
   With the known component mounting systems the various components are essentially positionally fixed in such manner that it is not readily possible for a user of the equipment easily to make adjustments to settings when adjustment is desired during use. 
   This situation has been found to be a serious practical usage disadvantage in that it adversely limits the usefulness of the system whenever filming conditions require position adjustments to the various components mounted from the column. It will be appreciated that whilst filming, any undue delay in resetting the positioning and settings of components can be a significant operational disadvantage. 
   Bearing in mind the point that, as the system is being physically carried by an operator by way of the gimbals supporting system, it is generally necessary to set the various components relative to the support column, and thus the datum, so that any chance of the components impeding the handling of the system should be avoided so as to enhance the ease by which the equipment may be carried and used by an operator. 
   It is an object of the present invention to increase the adjustably of one or more components of a modular system of the kind above mentioned. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY 
   Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention, a mounting assembly is provided for mounting components of a modular system involving a plurality of separate components required operationally to interrelate relative to each other when in use, characterized by component mounting means adapted to facilitate the ease of setting of the components into required relative angular and positional settings with respect to each other. 
   According to a second aspect of the invention, a mounting assembly is provided for facilitating the mounting components of a modular system involving a plurality of separate components that are required operationally to interrelate relative to each other when in use, characterized in that the relative setting of such components in vertical, horizontal and/or annular orientations with respect to a datum direction is facilitated, and characterized by a main unit adapted for mounting to a support, the main unit being adapted for mounting said components by way of a connection arrangement enabling relative displacement and relative angular setting of said components relative to the base unit. 
   Additional aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of an embodiment illustrated in the drawings. The components in the Figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the Figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a part of the apparatus incorporating the concepts of the invention when in a first operational end position. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  when in a second operational end position. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2  when in an intermediate setting. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view of a further component of apparatus incorporating the concepts of the invention when in a first operational position. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of apparatus of  FIG. 4  incorporating the concepts of the invention when in a second operational position. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1–3 , and particularly to  FIG. 1 , a fragmentary part of a support column or post for a camera installation is indicated at  1 . A base unit  2  is mounted to the lower end of the post  1  by way of a manually operated locking ring  3 . 
   In practice, a camera (not shown) is mounted to the upper end of the post  1 , as shown, for example, in PCT International Publication WO 03/089835 A1. 
   A support bracket  4  is mounted to the column above the base unit  2  at any convenient position and orientation along the column  1 . As will be noted, this bracket  4  is axially displaceable lengthways of the column, and is lockable in any required position by a locking ring  5 . As will also be noted, the bracket  4  is provided with a component connection arrangement  6  for the mounting of a component or components (not shown), such as lights, microphone, etc. The bracket  4  can be extensible to permit lateral displacement of the component connection arrangement  6  with respect to the column  1 . 
   It is convenient to note that a gimbals unit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) is conventionally provided on the column or post to enable the column  1  to be carried by the user by way of a body harness that leaves the user&#39;s hands free for handling the components of the system. A suitable gimbals unit  20  is described below in connection with  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
   A downwards directed support bracket  7  is mounted to the underside  8  of the main base unit  2 . The longitudinal direction of the bracket  7  is set to be at 45 degrees below the plane of the base unit  2 . The bracket  7  can be pivoted around the longitudinal axis of column  1  by manual adjustment of base  2  relative to locking ring  3 . 
   An arcuate slot  9  is provided at the free end of the bracket  7 . A generally L-shaped component mounting arrangement  10  is pivotally mounted by way of a pivot  11  to the bracket  7 . The mounting arrangement  10  is provided with a pin  12  that engages within the arcuate slot  9  on bracket  7  to define the limits of movement of the mounting arrangement  10  with respect to the bracket  7 . 
   The mounting arrangement  10  can conveniently be considered as having a first component support arm  13 , which is slidably mounted in a leg  10 A of the mounting arrangement  10 . A second component support arm  14  is slidably mounted in the leg  10 B of the mounting arrangement  10 . The second component support arm  14  thus extends at right angles to the support arm  13 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a component  15  is mounted to the arm  13 , and a component  16  is mounted to the arm  14 . In practice these components  15 ,  16  can be batteries, gyros or whatever other components are required to be mounted to the lower end of the column  1 . 
   As is shown in the  FIG. 1 , the mounting arrangement  10  is so positioned with respect to the bracket  7  that the pin  12  is positioned at an end  17  of the arcuate slot  9 . When the pin is so located, it will seem that the components  16  are positioned as shown with respect to the bracket/arm  7  and thus in a preset position with respect to the main base unit  2  and the column  1 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the positioning of the L-shaped mounting arrangement  10  relative to the bracket  7  when the pin  12  is abutting the other end  18  of the arcuate slot  9 . 
   The arcuate length of the slot  9  is such that displacement of the pin  12  from the slot end  17  to the slot end  18  rotates the L-shaped mounting arrangement  10  through 90 degrees of arc to the position shown in  FIG. 2 . In other words, the components  15  and  16  have been rotated (as shown by  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) clockwise through 90 degrees. 
   In practice, the pin  12  can include a finger operable locking member such as a knurled nut, wing nut or other convenient means by which the mounting arrangement  10  can be firmly locked in a required setting relative to the bracket  7 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the setting of the L-shaped mounting arrangement  10  and its associated components  15  and  16  when the pin  12  is at a mid-way position along the arcuate slot  9 . 
   In practice, the mounting connections between the components  15  and  16  and the L-shaped mounting arrangement  10  can be such as to also allow these components to be independently rotatable about the respective longitudinally axes of the associated arms  13  and  14 . 
   The legs  10 A and  10 B of the L-shaped mounting arrangement  10  also effectively provide guides by which the arms  13  and  14  can slide such as to enable the positions of the components  15  and  16  to be adjusted relative to the associated legs  10 A and  10 B to be closer to or more distance from the associated one of the legs  10 A and  10 B. It will be understood that means can be provided for locking the arms  13  and  14  in any selected position relative to the legs  10 A and  10 B, respectively. 
   As has been mentioned, the column  1  is generally supported when in use by means of a gimbals type support. One such gimbals type support  20  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In particular, these Figures illustrate a gimbals unit  20  associated with a camera installation whereby the camera can be maintained in a predetermined orientation with respect to the user. 
   As will be noted, the gimbals unit has a main body  21  that can be suitably knurled to provide a hand grip. The unit  20  is mountable to the column  1  so as to be longitudinally movable along the column  1  to any required position. The unit  20  is also selectively rotatable with respect to the column  1 . The unit  20  includes a locking ring  22  by means of which the gimbals unit  20  can be fixed at a required position on the column  1 . 
   The gimbals unit  20  incorporates a handle structure  23  that mounted from the upper part  23  of the unit  20 . This upper part  23  is rotatable about the column  1 . 
   The handle structure  23  is pivotally mounted to the upper part  23  by diametrically opposed pivot members  24  so as to be pivotable about an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the main body  21  and thus the column  1  surrounded by the main body  21 . 
   The handle structure  23  can be regarded as of a generally two section arrangement including a first section  25  pivoted to the upper part  23  and a second section  26  selectively attachable to the first section  25 . The attachment can be by any convenient means such as screwed thread as indicated at  27  or a firm push fit. The second section  26  can be conveniently coupled to a body-mounted support (not shown). 
     FIG. 4  illustrates the gimbals unit  20  when the two sections  25  and  26  are connected together.  FIG. 5  illustrates the gimbals unit  20  when the second section  26  has been disconnected from the first section  25 . 
   The gimbals unit  20  provides a triple axis adjustment facility. The combination of the arrangement of  FIGS. 1 to 3  together with that of  FIGS. 4 and 5  provides a combination that provides many degrees of freedom of relative movements available for the various component mounting positions. 
   In addition, the nature of the mountings, in practice, greatly facilitates the ease by which components can be mounted one relative to the other and interchanged whenever desired. 
   For example, with the above described apparatus the provision of, for example, removable battery rear battery mounts or gyros in conjunction with a pivot mounted mount is such that the balance of the base unit and the loads of the components attached thereto (i.e., batteries) when used as a part of apparatus known as a sled always remains the same throughout the range of tilt of the mounting bracket or the like. 
   While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “comprise” and “include” and variations such as “comprising” and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of an item or group of items, but not the exclusion of any other item or group items. Furthermore, although various indications have been given as to the scope of this invention, the invention is not limited to any one of these but may reside in two or more of these combined together. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the following claims and their equivalents.