Abstract:
A support, holding, and/or carrying apparatus, especially for a device that has an elongate and movable arm which serves as a support, holder, or carrier, wherein the arm includes a hose provided for receiving a gaseous or liquid medium, which hose, when it has received the medium under pressure, is elastically bendable, and provided at the ends of the hose are elements for connecting the element to another part of the carrying apparatus and/or to the device. The elements are flanges connected gas-tight to the ends of the hose; preferably at least one of the flanges is provided with a valve for filling the hose with the medium.

Description:
The present application is a 371 of international application PCT/IB2011/001130, filed May 25, 2011, which claims priority of DE 10 2010 022 077.9, filed May 31, 2010, the priority of these applications is hereby claimed and these applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a support, holding, and/or carrying apparatus, especially for a device that has an elongate and movable arm for a support, holder, or carrier. 
     Such apparatus are in known use for holding grinding, milling, and assembly machines, medical technology machines, lamps, and motion picture cameras in a working position. The arm is attached at its one end to an upright or suspension unit, and the device is movably held at the other end. Handling the device is made significantly easier since the weight of the device is carried by the arm and does not have to be held by muscular strength. 
     Additionally, stabilization systems for motion picture cameras, e.g., “Steadicams,” are known in which the arm holding the motion picture camera is attached to a harness that is to be arranged on the upper body of a person and the arm may be arranged in different working positions. The arm is made of elements connected to one another by joints, and these elements are held in each working position by springs that are adjusted to the weight of the motion picture camera. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The underlying object of the invention is to create an apparatus of the type cited in the foregoing that is lightweight. 
     This object is attained in accordance with the invention in that the arm includes a hose that has an elastic material and is provided for receiving a gaseous or liquid medium, which hose when filled with the medium under pressure is elastically bendable, and provided at the ends of the hose are means for connecting the hose to another part of the apparatus and/or to the device. 
     To use the arm, it is attached at one end to an upright, a suspension unit, a harness, or the like, and the other end is arranged or attached to the part and/or the device such that the arm is bent when it carries the part or the device. It then holds the aforesaid part or device movably and resiliently in a stable position. To this end the hose is filled with the medium with a pressure such that the hose is sufficiently stiff to hold the part or the device without buckling. The working position of the arm, especially the elevation at which the part or device is held, may be adjusted and adapted to the weight to be carried by regulating the pressure in the hose because the bendability of the hose is a function of the pressure applied. The weight of the apparatus is much lighter than that of an apparatus the arm of which is made of parts comprising a plurality of joints and solid bodies, especially when the hose is filled with a gas, e.g., air. Additionally, when the apparatus is not being used and the hose is not filled, the arm may be collapsed and stowed in a space-saving manner and is thus easier to transport. 
     The hose is usefully fashioned from an elastomer, e.g., rubber, and provided with a reinforcement that prevents the hose from buckling under the bending load. A bendable material that enhances the stiffness of the hose is usefully provided for reinforcement. 
     While it would be possible to place over the hose another flexible hose made of a stiffer material and to join the hoses to one another, e.g., by gluing them together, in one embodiment of the invention the reinforcement has fibers that are arranged on the hose and/or that are embedded in the elastic material of the hose. Bendable, high-strength fibers, preferably aramid fibers, are preferably used. 
     The fibers are usefully arranged at an angle between 5° and 85° to the longitudinal axis of the hose, advantageously at an angle between 15° and 75° to the longitudinal axis of the hose, and preferably at an angle between 25° and 65° to the longitudinal axis of the hose. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, at least two groups of parallel fibers are provided that run through and/or along the hose, possibly twisted into strands, with the fibers of the groups crossing one another. 
     If the hose is actuated by filling with a pressure, it expands radially and contracts axially. Since the bendability of the hose is a function of the circumference of the hose in addition to the pressure applied, the circumference of the hose may be changed, and thus the bendability of the hose may be adjusted, by increasing or decreasing the pressure. 
     In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid means for connecting to the ends of the hose are flanges that are connected gas-tight and are preferably provided with a coupling element. At least one of the flanges is provided with a valve, preferably a conventional valve for tubes for bicycle or car tires, for filling the hose with the medium. The hose may be filled, e.g., using a conventional air pump or with a pressure cylinder. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a carrying harness device, possibly a movable carrying harness device, on which the arm is mounted, and a coupling element that cooperates with the flange is preferably positioned on the carrying harness device. 
     While the carrying harness device may be, for example, an upright, a suspension unit, or a harness, as stated in the foregoing, in one refinement of the invention, the carrying harness device has a carrying harness hose that is to be positioned around the torso of a human body and is supported on the torso, at least in part, preferably like a belt on the hips, and inflated. 
     The carrying harness hose is usefully fashioned from a synthetic fiber fabric that is rubberized on the interior and that is preferably made of polyester. The carrying harness hose is very stiff when inflated at a pressure of 3 to 5 bar. If the carrying harness hose is not needed, it may be collapsed and stowed in a space-saving manner if the air is emptied from it. It is very lightweight. 
     Provided at the ends of the carrying harness hose are means for securing the carrying harness hose to the torso so that the carrying harness hose may be adjusted individually like a belt to a person. 
     Usefully arranged on the ends of the carrying harness hose are flanges that seal the carrying harness hose in a gas-tight manner, as well as means for tightening the carrying harness hose and a valve for filling the hose tube with gas. 
     The apparatus additionally usefully includes a mounting element that is moveable on the arm, to which mounting element the device or another part of the apparatus may be attached. 
     While it would be possible to provide the mounting element with a joint, preferably a resilient joint, especially a spherical joint, in one embodiment of the invention it has a suspension unit with at least one rocker. 
     If the apparatus is moved, irregular movements are compensated by the movement of the rocker, especially if damping is provided for the rocking movement, and the device, especially a motion picture camera, may be moved smoothly. 
     In one refinement of the invention, the suspension unit has two rockers, wherein a rocker suspension unit of one of the rockers is connected to the side of the other rocker that performs a rocking movement, and the directions in which the rockers move are essentially perpendicular to one another. Irregular movements in two spatial directions may be compensated. 
     The suspension unit usefully includes a rolling bearing, the outer ring of which is preferably connected to one of the rockers. 
     The suspension unit, which may also be employed in other apparatus independent of the apparatus described herein, is suitable especially for holding motion picture cameras because, when it is being used, it is possible to compensate walking and turning movements of a cameraman during filming. 
     In another embodiment, the mounting element has an elongate inflatable hose stand assembly that is provided at one end with a means for attaching the device, especially the motion picture camera, and at the other end with a means for holding a weight and thus may be used as a two-sided lever for a stabilization stand, known per se, for the stabilization system cited in the foregoing. 
     The hose stand assembly is arranged within an inner ring of the rolling bearing and is connected to the inner ring. 
     As described for the load-bearing arm and carrying harness hose, the aforesaid means are provided with flanges that are connected gas-tight to the ends of the hose stand assembly, and at least one of these flanges is provided with a valve for filling the hose stand assembly with the gas. The hose stand assembly is usefully fashioned from a synthetic fiber fabric that is rubberized on the interior and that is preferably made of polyester. The hose stand assembly has high stiffness when inflated at a pressure of 7 to 8 bar and is significantly lighter in weight than the known stabilization stands that are fashioned from solid bodies. If it is not needed, it may be collapsed and stowed in a space-saving manner if the air is emptied from it and the hose stand assembly is collapsed. 
     The described hose stand assembly may also advantageously be employed independent of the described apparatus for other purposes, especially for stabilization systems for motion picture cameras. 
     The invention shall be described in greater detail in the following using an exemplary embodiment and the enclosed drawings that relate to this exemplary embodiment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric depiction of the inventive apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a detail of the inventive apparatus according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another detail of the inventive apparatus according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another detail of the inventive apparatus according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric depiction of another inventive apparatus; 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric depiction of the apparatus according to  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is another depiction of the inventive apparatus according to  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric depiction of another inventive apparatus; and, 
         FIG. 9  is a detail of the inventive apparatus according to  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An inventive apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1  has a load-bearing arm  1  for holding a device and a carrying harness device  10  to be positioned around the torso of a person that can be connected to one another via a coupling part  11 . 
     The load-bearing arm  1  includes a hose  2 , the ends of which are sealed gas-tight with flanges  3 . As can be seen in particular from  FIG. 2 , the hose  2  is clamped to the flange  3  with clamping rings  30 . For filling the hose  2  with air, the flange  3  has a conventional valve  7  used for tubes for bicycle and car tires and a discharge valve  34 . Additionally provided is a cylindrical receiving part  31  for receiving a retaining pin  32  that has a threaded projection  33 . The retaining pin  32  may be arranged in the cylindrical receiving part  31  with a pin (not shown) that is guided through openings in the retaining pin  32  and in the receiving part and may thus be arranged in various positions. 
     Provided on the other side of the hose  2  is a blank flange (not shown) that is arranged in a connector  5  and that is attached to the hose  2  with clamping rings and that has an element with threaded bores for fastening it in the connector  5 . Openings are provided on the bottom of the connector  5 , and screws that are compatible with the threaded bores in the element of the blank flange are guided through them in order to screw the load-bearing arm  1  securely to the one side of the connector  5 . The connector  5  has an interior diameter that is approximately equal to the diameter of the hose  2  when the latter is filled with air under pressure, and it extends slightly on its upper open side. 
     The hose  2  is attached in the connector  5  and is securely borne there at its one end. 
     The hose  2  comprises a rubber unit  40  in which fibers are embedded that are made of a bendable, high-strength material, for instance aramid fibers. The fibers may be individually twisted to form strands  8 ,  9  in a fabric structure or may be randomly embedded in the rubber unit  40 . 
     As can be seen in particular from  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in one preferred embodiment two groups of strands  8 ,  9  run parallel in the rubber unit  40  and are arranged in the rubber unit  40  at a distance from one another. As is depicted in  FIG. 3  in a top view of a detail for the hose  2 , the strands  8 ,  9  in each group are guided parallel to one another in the hose  2  in a coil-like manner at an angle of 45° over a longitudinal axis of the hose  2 , the strands  8 ,  9  for each group being oriented in opposing directions relative to the longitudinal axis and crossing one another. As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , which depicts the cross-section of the hose  2 , the strands  8  of the one group and the strands  9  of the other group are arranged in the rubber unit  40  of the hose  2  at a distance from one another, the group of the strands  8  being disposed further inward radially than the group of strands  9 . When the fibers are oriented in this manner the hose  2  expands radially and contracts axially when it is acted upon with pressure. 
     The coupling element  11  depicted in  FIG. 1  has an adjustable and lockable spherical joint  50 , the ball of which is joined to the connector  5 . The position of the connector  5  may be adjusted relative to the carrying harness device by means of this spherical joint  50 . 
     One side of the spherical joint  50  that receives the ball is provided with a rod that is guided in a hollow cylinder  52  in a height-adjustable manner with a quick-release fastener  51 . The hollow cylinder  52  is connected via connectors  53  to a cylindrical ring  54  that is guided around a hose  12  of the carrying harness device  10  and that has a diameter that is somewhat smaller than the hose  12  in the carrying harness device  10 . 
     The hose  12  is a conventional fire hose tube that is fashioned from a synthetic fiber fabric made of polyester and rubberized on the interior. In order to impart a curved, belt-like shape to the hose  12 , it is divided by seams  13  into a plurality of cylindrical tube sections that are angled to one another. 
     Flanges  15 ,  16  are located at the ends of the hose  12  and connected gas-tight to the hose  12  via clamping rings  41 . The flange  15  is provided with a valve  14  for filling the hose  12  with air. The flange  16  has a discharge valve  19 . 
     Additionally, for securing the carrying harness device  10 , a strap  17  is provided on the flange  16  and a ratchet tensioning device  18  is provided on the flange  15 . 
     To use the inventive apparatus, the pressure in the hose  12  of the carrying harness device  10  is pumped up to 3.5 to 5 bar using an air pump, or the hose  12  is filled using a gas cylinder, whereupon it assumes the shape of a belt, as shown especially in  FIG. 5 . 
     When pumped up, the hose  12  assumes a form that is rigid overall but also still somewhat flexible and, as shown in  FIG. 5 , may be placed around the hips of a person. In order to fit the hose  12  to the person, the belt  17  is secured using the ratchet  18  such that the carrying unit is positioned stably on the torso of the person. 
     Since the interior diameter of the cylindrical ring  54  of the coupling part  11  is smaller than the exterior diameter of the hose  12  when the latter has been pumped up, the cylindrical ring  54  is seated securely on the hose  12 . 
     In order to use the hose  2  of the load-bearing arm for carrying or holding, it is filled with an air pressure of 6 to 8 bar and can carry a weight of up to 12 kg while bending without buckling. 
     A mounting element  19  may be attached via the retaining pin  32  to the load-bearing arm  1 , or a device, for instance a grinding, milling, or assembly machine, may be attached directly. At its one end the hose  2  is securely borne in the connector  5 . The hose  2  bends elastically under the load of the mounting element  19  or the device. The bottom part of the hose  2  is supported in the interior of a connector  5  in order to prevent it from buckling at the bottom. 
     The mounting element  19  or the device may be movably held in a comfortable position by the load-bearing arm  1  and maintained with minimum effort on the upper body of the person, the weight of the device and the apparatus being supported on the hips of the person. 
     The bending of the hose  2 , and thus the elevation at which the mounting element or the device is positioned in front of the upper body, may be adjusted by regulating the pressure in the hose  2 . 
     As can be seen in particular from  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of the apparatus additionally includes a stabilization stand  19  for a motion picture camera. The stabilization stand  19  has a suspension unit  20  that is connected to a hose stand assembly  23 . 
     The suspension unit  20  includes an essentially semi-circular U-shaped part  60  that in its center has an opening  61  for engaging the retaining pin  32 . Connected to the ends of the U-shaped part  60  via swivel joints  62 ,  63  are straight, downward hanging bars  64 ,  65  that are provided at their lower ends with swivel joints  66 ,  67 . With the swivel joints  62 ,  63 ,  66 ,  67 , the bars  64 ,  65  form a first rocker  21  that permits a rocking movement shown with the double arrow P. Connected to the swivel joints  66 ,  67  are quarter-circle shaped upwardly extending braces  68 ,  69  that are connected at their ends to one another and to swivel joints  71 ,  72 . Bars  73 ,  74  are suspended from the swivel joints  71 ,  72  and at their lower ends have a swivel joint  75 ,  76  that is connected to an outer ring  27  of a rolling bearing  26 . With the swivel joints  71 ,  72 ,  75 ,  76 , the bars  73 ,  74  form a second rocker  22  that permits a rocking movement shown with the double arrow Q. 
     A hose stand assembly  23  is connected to an inner ring  28  of the rolling bearing  22 . 
     Movements by the load-bearing arm  1  or carrying harness device  10  are largely compensated horizontally by the suspension unit  20  in that the hose stand assembly rocks in the suspension unit  20  in the directions of the double arrows P and Q. Additionally, swivel movements may be compensated in that the hose stand assembly  23  swivels in the rolling bearing  22  in one of the directions of the double arrow D. 
     It is particularly advantageous that the rocking movements may be damped in that the swivel joints  62 ,  63 ,  66 ,  67 ,  70 ,  71  are provided with a damping grease. This enables the motion picture camera to be guided in a particularly smooth manner when the apparatus is moved. 
     Like the carrying harness hose  12 , the hose stand assembly  23  is fashioned from a synthetic fiber fabric with a rubberized interior. Arranged at its upper end is a flange  24  that is connected gas-tight to the hose stand assembly and that has a plate to which the motion picture camera may be attached. Provided at the lower end of the hose stand assembly  23  is another flange  25  that is connected gas-tight to the hose and that is provided a bar for holding a counterweight and a valve for filling the hose  23  with air. 
     When the hose stand assembly  23  is filled with an air pressure of 7 to 8 bar it becomes so stiff and rigid that it can carry the weight of the motion picture camera if it is attached to the flange  24  and can act as a two-armed lever between the motion picture camera and the weight that is to be attached at the bottom of the hose stand assembly. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 7 , the load-bearing arm  1 , carrying harness device  10 , and stabilization stand  19  may be stored in a space-saving manner in a small space when the air is released from the hose  2 , the carrying harness hose  12 , and the hose stand assembly  23  and the hoses are collapsed. 
       FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  depict the inventive apparatus as a carrying means for a sander  70 . Arranged on the retaining pin  32  is a bent metal bar  71  from which the sander  70  is suspended. The bar  71  has an opening through which the threaded projection  33  of the retaining pin  32  is guided. The bar  71  is attached to the retaining pin  32  with a nut  72 . 
     The sander has a ring  73  through which is guided a chain  74  that is attached to the bar  71 . 
     The sander  70  is suspended from the apparatus and may be moved freely by hand in front of the upper body using the handles, the payload being largely borne by the load-bearing arm  1 .