Abstract:
A support device for cameras and like articles that comprises a base member ( 10 ), mounting means ( 11, 64 ) for support means ( 16 ) removably carried by the base member for mounting of a camera or like article thereon, and a plurality of support legs ( 32 ), which are detachably mountable to the base member ( 10 ) to project therefrom in a plurality of different selected orientations relative to the base member and to provide selected support functions. The support legs ( 32 ), when not performing the support function, may be housed in bores ( 38 ) in the base member ( 10 ).

Description:
[0001]    This patent is a U.S. national application of PCT international application no. PCT/IB99/01996, filed Dec. 13, 1999, which claims the right of priority to and benefit of the earlier filing date of Great Britain application serial no. 9827646.2, filed Dec. 17, 1998.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to support devices for portable apparatus such as cameras, microphones, telescopes, surveying equipment and the like.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Many devices are known for the mounting of cameras and like articles on flat surfaces, windows, railings, etc. However, the devices are generally bulky and complex and have limited mounting capabilities.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,864 describes a portable camera support comprising a bracket which is intended to provide a stable platform for a camera in window openings, for example of a motor vehicle. However, this bracket would not be appropriate for mounting a camera on a flat surface or on a curved surface such as a railing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,032 describes a portable camera support which utilizes a strap which passes around a railing or tree and which is intended to mount a camera firmly thereon.  
           [0007]    International Publication no. WO-A-98/39178 describes a pedestal for stable support of a variety of equipment, for example a camera, and which comprises two limbs which can be used to either stand the support on a surface e.g. a table, or hang the support from a vertical member, e.g. a vehicle window. It is however extremely bulky.  
           [0008]    Great Britain Patent No. 2,272,834 describes a camera support that is more versatile in terms of how it can be used, but it is relatively complex in terms of the large number of parts. It is essentially a tripod that is separable to offer greater possibilities for the support to be mounted elsewhere than on flat surfaces.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,945 is directed to a portable camera mounting apparatus having a hollow telescopic body structure for supporting a camera. The body structure includes, among other features, support legs that can be detachably mounted to the body structure. This device is limited to support articles on a substantially horizontal surface, such as a table, floor, or the ground.  
           [0010]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a support for cameras and like articles which is extremely versatile in terms of its mounting and supporting capabilities, yet which is extremely compact and composed of relatively few components.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    In accordance with the present invention there is provided a support device for cameras and like articles which comprises a base member, at least one mounting means for support means removably carried by the base member for mounting of a camera or like article thereon, and a plurality of support legs detachably mounted to the base member to project therefrom in a plurality of different selected orientations relative to the base member. The various orientations may be selected to establish a plurality of different selected support functions and orientations for the support device, whereby a support device that is versatile in use is obtained.  
           [0012]    Preferably the support legs are securable to the base member through screw-threaded members with the respective female members being formed in the base member, preferably threaded holes whose axes are orientated along a plurality of different directions, preferably in at least three orthogonal directions.  
           [0013]    The support legs when not performing the support function may be carried in bores in the base member in a non-functional position. The bores add rigidity to the base member and reduce the weight thereof. Preferably the legs are retained in the bores by being screwed into threaded portions of said bores. Preferably, four support legs are provided with the base member each being housed in a respective bore.  
           [0014]    The base member is preferably provided with a recess in its underside, and with slots there through, to enable the base member to be secured by tie means passed through the slots to an elongate supporting member, such as a rail, a pole, a post or the limb of a tree, which is positioned in the recess. The recess may have a substantially ‘V’ shaped or generally arcuate cross-section and its surface may be provided with a non-slip surface by, for example, being ribbed or knurled.  
           [0015]    These variations, modifications, and alterations of the various preferred embodiments and methods may be used either alone or in combination with one another as will become more readily apparent to those with skill in the art with reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures and drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one presently preferred embodiment of camera support in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the support device;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic view from one end of the support device shown in FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrow denoted by reference numeral II in FIG. 1, with the support legs removed;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the support device, taken from the other end and in the direction indicated by the arrow denoted by reference numeral III in FIG. 1, with the support legs removed;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 shows one of the support legs of the device; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a side view of the body member taken in the direction of arrow denoted by reference numeral V in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    According to the present invention, a support device is shown in the drawings that may be used with cameras or other optical equipment. The device has a base member  10  made from any suitable material such as engineering plastics material such as polyamide, acetal resin, thermoplastic polyester or a metal such as aluminum or die cast zinc. The base is shaped somewhat in the manner of a bridge, as can be seen most clearly from FIGS. 2 and 3. The base member  10  has a top portion  12  with end walls  13 ,  13   a  and side portions  15 ,  15   a . The top portion  12  is provided with a threaded hole  11  (FIG. 3) forming a mounting means for a like screw-threaded stud shaft of a removable support-and-tilt assembly  16  and which will be described in more detail hereinafter.  
         [0023]    The top portion  12  of the base member is provided with a pair of parallel slots  18  which extend in the longitudinal direction almost the full length of and through the thickness of the base member.  
         [0024]    One side portion  15   a  has an outwardly projecting integral lug  24  with a keyhole-shaped hole  26  there through. The lug  24  enables the support device to be hung by lug  24  from a wall fixing e.g. a screw, nail or pin.  
         [0025]    As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the underside  66  of the base member is provided with a substantially ‘V’ shaped or generally arcuate recess  29 . The recess  29  comprises two ribbed surfaces  28  inclined at about 120 degrees or arc to each other. The ribbed surfaces provide grip to enable the support device to be mounted on an elongate supporting member such as a rail, a pole, a post or the limb of a tree, as indicated in broken outline at  30  in FIG. 2. The support device would be fixed to the supporting member  30  by the use of a flexible strap or tie (not shown) which is threaded through the slots  18  in the base member and around the supporting member  30 . It will be appreciated that with this configuration, supporting members  30  of a wide variety of thicknesses can be accommodated and have the support device held stably or firmly thereto.  
         [0026]    An important feature of the invention is the provision of four support legs  32 , one of which is shown in FIG. 4. Each support leg  32  comprises an elongate stem with a threaded stub  34  at one end. Two resilient rings  36 , for example of rubber or plastics material, are recessed into the stem at spaced intervals along the length of the support leg so to provide a resilient surface which is slightly proud of the surface of the leg. The support legs  32  are normally housed within bores  38  formed in the base member  10 , when the support device is not in use. The bores  38  extend from one end wall  13  to the other end wall  13   a  through the main body of the base member. These bores  38  terminate at said other end of the base member, as shown in FIG. 3, in reduced diameter screw-threaded portions or holes  40 . When not in use, the support legs  32  are pushed into the bores  38  (FIG. 2) and have their threaded ends  34  screwed into the threaded holes  40 . The legs  32  may have any desired length but preferably leave only a short portion of the plain end of the support leg  32  projecting from the end of the base member. The non-threaded end portion of the legs  32  may be knurled to facilitate the screwing and unscrewing of the legs.  
         [0027]    The support legs  32  play a key role in the use of the support device. They have a number of different applications, depending upon need. Each corner of the base member  10  is provided with two screw-threaded holes  42  (FIGS. 2 and 3) adjacent to the bottom of the base member. Each of these screw-threaded holes  42  is dimensioned to receive a threaded stub end  34  of a support leg  32 . Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the support legs  32  can be screwed into the corners of the base member  10  to extend in four directions at right-angles to each other and thus provide a stable support for the support device, preventing it from tilting in any direction. Alternatively, if needed, the support legs  32  can be screwed into the holes  42  in opposite ends  13 ,  13   a , or in opposite sides  15 ,  15   a  of the base member in order to provide greater stability in one direction than in the normal direction. The individual support legs  32  can be used, as necessary, to meet the individual circumstances. Because the holes  42  are adjacent to the bottom of the base member, the support legs  32 , when screwed into place, have their undersides flush with the flat surface on which the base member is positioned. This prevents any wobbling of the unit.  
         [0028]    The support device of the present invention also permits the unit to be mounted stably on for example the window of a motor vehicle, or indeed on any generally upright plate-like member. As described above, the other end  13   a  of the base member  10 , shown in FIG. 3, is provided with a plurality of screw-threaded holes  40 , which are each dimensioned to receive the threaded stub end  34  of the support legs  32 . When screwed into place in these holes  40  and in holes  42 , the support legs may define a channel. Such a channel may for example receive the glass of a vehicle window, as indicated schematically at  46  in FIG. 3. As shown, two of the support legs would be positioned on one side of the glass and the other two on the other side, thereby holding the assembly stably on the glass. The resilient annular members  36  on each support leg  32  make contact with the surfaces of the glass and assist in holding the unit securely in place without wobbling.  
         [0029]    In addition to providing the threaded holes  40 ,  42  to receive the support legs  32 , the end wall  13 A of the base member can be provided with a slot  23 , as shown in FIG. 3, which extends substantially along the line of the glass indicated at  46  in FIG. 3. Such a slot could open into the slots  18  and thereby extend over a substantial part of the end-to-end dimensions of the base member, i.e. into the plane of the drawing as shown in FIG. 3. The base member  10  would then form a caliper type support and the slot  23  would then receive the window glass or the like, with the legs of the caliper lying each side of the glass and a bridge portion  49  straddling the edge of the window. The slots could be faced with a rubber or plastic material for protection purposes and to prevent vibration. The top portion  12  of the base member may be provided with a screw-threaded bore  19  (FIG. 1) which receives a thumb wheel type clamping screw (not shown) for clamping the body directly to the glass. The clamping screw may have a resilient tip where it engages the glass in order to minimize damage to the clamped surface. Additionally, the base member may be provided with further threaded holes  47  located in the side portions in the bridge portion  49  so that the legs  32  may be positioned to extend parallel to the edge of the window and prevent rocking of the support device in the plane of the glass.  
         [0030]    The support-and-tilt assembly  16  is particularly adapted for the mounting of a camera on the support device. A screw-threaded stub at the bottom of the unit extends from a generally cylindrical rod  48  that has a concentric annular collar  50 . The upper end of the collar  50  houses a ball from which a shaft  58  extends upwards, terminating in a threaded end  60  onto which is screwed a cap  62 . The ball joint that is thereby achieved enables a camera screwed onto the threaded end  60  to be adjusted in position.  
         [0031]    If further height is required for the support device, then the support-and-tilt assembly  16  can be unscrewed from the base member and an extension member can be fitted between the base member and the support-and-tilt assembly  16 . The base member  10  is also provided in said one end wall  13  with a further threaded hole  64  (FIG. 2) into which the support-and-tilt assembly can be fitted as an alternative position, particularly when the device is used as in FIG. 3 for mounting a camera on a window glass, or vertical support such as a rail, a pole, a post or the limb of a tree. Then, the support legs  32  extend downwards, over the glass, and the support-and-tilt assembly extends upwards, facilitating its use.  
         [0032]    In a further embodiment of the support device, the underside of the base member, indicated at  66  in FIGS. 2 and 3, is provided with threaded holes adjacent the corners (not shown) having axes normal to the holes  42  and dimensioned to receive the threaded ends  34  of the support legs  32 . This enables the device to be mounted on an object which is located between the support legs  32 , with the support-and-tilt assembly  16  set in the top surface  12  of the base member, as shown in the drawings. A plurality of spaced holes may be provided to accommodate different sizes of supporting member.  
         [0033]    In another variation a plurality of spaced screw-threaded holes for the legs  32  may be provided in the surface  28  of the recess  29 . These holes may be spaced apart irregularly and have axes inclined at different angles to the surface  28  allowing legs  32  to be screwed at various inclinations into the base member  10  at variable spaced locations so that the legs may act as clamps against smaller diameter articles or elongate supporting members  30 . The screw-threaded portions  34  of the legs  32  may have increased lengths to facilitate this function.  
         [0034]    The support device provides a compact unit which, when in a disassembled condition, with the legs housed in the bores  38 , can be carried in the pocket of the user, and which can be assembled to provide different constructions having different end uses.  
         [0035]    Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the instant invention. For example, although specific embodiments, modifications, variations, and examples have been described in detail, those with skill in the art will understand that such can be modified to incorporate various types of substitute and/or additional materials, components, elements, and relative arrangement thereof for compatibility with the wide variety of contemplated uses and equipment available and in use in the related industries. Accordingly, even though only few variations, modifications, and examples of the present invention are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.