Abstract:
A chest-mounted assembly for holding an article, the assembly comprising a chest plate, a plurality of indexing supports situated on the chest plate, an indexing bar pivotally connected to the chest plate by a pivot bar and supported by at least one of the plurality of indexing supports, and an article mount positioned on the indexing bar. A method for a user to adjust the height level of a hands-free supported article, the method comprising the steps of mounting a chest plate on the user, the chest plate having a pivot support and a plurality of indexing supports situated thereon, attaching the article to an article mount, the article mount being connected to the pivot support, positioning the article at a desired height with respect to the user, and selecting one of the indexing supports to thereby fix the article and the article mount at a desired height position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an article holder, and more specifically, to a chest-mounted hands-free article holder that quickly and easily adjusts the height of an article to a wearer&#39;s eye-level.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Handheld optical instruments such as spotting scopes, binoculars, cameras, and video cameras are important tools which are commonly used by hunters, bird watchers, astronomers, military personnel, spectators at sporting events and dramatic or musical productions, and many other people, including both amateurs and professionals. Such optical instruments greatly enhance the user&#39;s optical perception by providing magnified and brighter images of an activity or subject under study and depending upon the device, also allow the recordation of the subject onto a tangible medium.  
           [0005]    A significant problem in the use of such instruments is the difficulty of holding them still enough, aggravated by fatigue to a user&#39;s arms and hands in protracted usage. In addition to taxing one&#39;s arms, an unsteady recordation instrument will yield distorted images. Furthermore, at least one hand, if not both hands, are required to grasp and operate the optical instrument. Presently, it is not possible for a user to simultaneously and efficiently engage in other activities requiring the use of one or both hands while also using an optical instrument such as a spotting scope. For example, a hunter may wish to use a spotting scope to detect prey, while holding a rifle at the same time.  
           [0006]    To overcome these problems, various chest-mounted hands-free devices supporting a variety of instruments and articles have hereto been developed. These devices are meant to be worn against the user&#39;s body and are usually secured by some sort of strap. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,308 to Walters discloses a camera and binocular chest support frame able to adjust the height of such articles by a collapsible post, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,536 to Wong discloses a chest-mounted personal binocular support, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,576 to Easter discloses a chest-mounted front pack assembly having a tripod with a camera attached thereto.  
           [0007]    Although the aforementioned prior art can support various instruments and articles, the prior art has certain specific drawbacks. One such drawback is the limited adjustability that can be made to the chest-mounted hands-free device. This results in the article not being optimally positioned near the user&#39;s eyes, thereby requiring the user to uncomfortably strain to utilize the article. Similarly, limited adjustability prevents moving the article to an unobstructed position when the user is wearing the chest-mounted hands-free device yet is not utilizing the article attached thereon. Another drawback of the prior art involves the inability to quickly adjust the article from a use to a non-use position. Specifically, this drawback becomes a concern in activities where time is of the essence. One such relevant activity is hunting, where the user would want to quickly lower the spotting scope, while immediately thereafter raising, positioning, and firing the rifle. Finally, some of the prior art is of less than sturdy construction and is therefore not well-suited for use in rugged conditions.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, what is needed and has not heretofore been developed is a sturdy, yet not bulky, user chest-mounted hands-free article holder, configured to support a variety of articles whose height position relative to the user&#39;s eyes may be fully and quickly adjusted.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention provides, in the preferred embodiment, a chest-mounted hands-free article holder comprising a chest plate, a plurality of indexing supports situated on the chest plate, an indexing bar pivotally connected to the chest plate by a pivot bar and supported by at least one of the plurality of indexing supports, at least one pivot support for securing the pivot bar to the chest plate, and a torso and neck strap removably attached to the chest plate for securing the chest-mounted hands-free article holder to a user. The indexing bar comprises an article mount and a pivot joint situated near a first distal end of the indexing bar and a pin and a handle situated near a second distal end of the indexing bar. The pivot joint pivotally supports the pivot bar and the pin is supported by at least one of the plurality of indexing supports. The article mount removably supports a variety of articles, including, but not limited to a spotting scope, binoculars, a camera, and a video camera. Optionally, a pivotable universal screw mount may be attached to the article mount to support articles having a threadable connection. The handle is used to move the indexing bar between the plurality of indexing supports, thereby raising and lowering the article. Additionally, the at least one pivot support includes a plurality of height adjustment holes for adjustably positioning the pivot bar.  
           [0010]    The present invention also provides a method for the user to adjust the height level of a hands-free supported article. The method comprising the steps of mounting the chest plate on the user, the chest plate including the pivot support and a plurality of indexing supports situated thereon, attaching the article to the article mount, the article mount being connected to the pivot support, positioning the article at a desired height with respect to the user; and selecting one of the indexing supports to thereby fix the article and the article mount at a desired height position.  
           [0011]    The present invention may be used by a variety of people in varied settings, including, but not limited to hunters, bird watchers, astronomers, military personnel, spectators at sporting events and dramatic or musical productions, handicapped and disabled people, and many other people, including both amateurs and professionals.  
           [0012]    By employing many adjustable components such as the universal screw mount, the indexing supports, and the height adjustment holes, the present invention allows the article to be optimally positioned near the user&#39;s eyes, thereby maximizing comfort and minimizing any strain for the user. The present invention also allows the user to quickly move the article from a use to an unobstructed non-use position and vice versa. The sturdy construction of the present invention makes it well-suited for use in rugged conditions. The present invention may also be adapted to hold a book by attaching a shelf to the article mount.  
           [0013]    The foregoing and other features of the method and apparatus of the present invention will be further apparent from the description which follows. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hands-free article holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a front view of the hands-free article holder shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a side view of the hands-free article holder shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 a  is a perspective and side view of a first alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 b  is a perspective and side view of a second alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    For purposes of the description hereinafter, the spatial or directional terms, such as “above”, “below”, “lower”, “upper”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific apparatus illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, is simply an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.  
         [0020]    The component parts of the present invention may be constructed from materials including, but not limited to plastic, nylon, aluminum, steel, and wood, with the components being joined by various means, including, but not limited to tension engaging, hinging, socketing, wedging, welding, bolting, threaded engagement, and gluing.  
         [0021]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a hands-free article holder  10  according to the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the hands-free article holder  10  includes a chest plate  12  with indexing supports  14  and one or more pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b  attached thereon. The chest plate  12  may be of various dimensions, but is sufficient in size and shape to accommodate the components of the hands-free article holder  10  while allowing the chest plate  12  to rest against the chest of a user  18 . The chest plate  12  is preferably secured to the user&#39;s chest by adjustable straps, a torso strap  20  and a neck strap  22 , both of which are attached to the chest plate  12 . The torso strap  10  is of a sufficient length to encircle the torso of the user  18 . The neck strap  22  may be placed around the back of the neck of the user  18 . Alternatively, instead of a neck strap  22 , two shoulder straps may be routed over the shoulders of the user  18  and then connected to the torso strap  20  at the back of the user  18 . It is to be understood that the torso strap  20  and the neck strap  22  may be adjustable to accommodate various users.  
         [0022]    With reference to FIG. 1, the indexing supports  14  are preferably situated within a same vertical plane as the pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b  yet the indexing supports  14  are situated below the pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b . With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and with continuing reference to FIG. 1, the indexing supports  14  may include, but are not limited to holes, notched grooves, edges, or steps, either incorporated within the chest plate  12  or directly attached to the chest plate  12 . For example, in the preferred embodiment, the indexing supports  14  comprise indexing holes  24  situated within a hollow bar  26  that is directly attached to the chest plate  12 . These indexing holes  24  are incrementally spaced and in-line with each other.  
         [0023]    One or more pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b  may also be incorporated within the chest plate  12  or be directly attached to the chest plate  12 . The present invention includes a first pivot support  16   a  and a second pivot support  16   b  able to pivotally support a pivot bar  28  therein. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot bar  28  is of a tube or rod-like construction having a modified V-shape. The pivot bar  28  comprises a first pivot arm  30   a  and a second pivot arm  30   b , with the free end of each pivot arm  30   a ,  30   b  preferably having a slightly bent portion  32   a ,  32   b . The intersection of the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  comprises a straight portion  34  that is relatively parallel to the bent portion  32   a ,  32   b  of each pivot arm  30   a ,  30   b . In relation to each other, the first and second pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b  are situated at a distance that is less than the distance between the free end of the first pivot arm  30   a  and the free end of the second pivot arm  30   b . Furthermore, the first and second pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b  each comprise incrementally spaced height adjustment holes  36 , with each height adjustment hole  36  of the first pivot support- 16   a  having a relatively parallel corresponding height adjustment hole  36  on the second pivot support  16   b . The diameter of each height adjustment hole  36  is larger than the diameter of the bent portion  32   a ,  32   b  of each pivot arm  30   a ,  30   b . The first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  may be squeezed together, thereby bringing the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  closer to each other within the same plane. The reduction in the distance between the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b , allows the bent portion  32   a  of the first pivot arm  30   a  to be inserted into a height adjustment hole  36  of the first pivot support  16   a  and the bent portion  32   b  of the second pivot arm  30   b  to be inserted into a corresponding height adjustment hole  36  of the second pivot support  16   b . Upon release of the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b , the pivot bar  28  is tensionally and pivotally attached to the first and second pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b . It is to be understood that the present invention may also operate by utilizing a single pivot support with a pivot bar comprised of a single pivot arm. Although this may achieve the same overall effect of having a pivotal connection, the tension and stability of the pivotal connection may not be as effective. Furthermore, it is to be understood that other pivot supports, including, but not limited to hinges, snaps, and sockets, may also be utilized to secure the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  to the chest plate and to provide a pivot motion.  
         [0024]    The hands-free article holder  10  further includes an indexing bar  38 . In the preferred embodiment, the indexing bar  38  comprises a pivot joint  40 , an article mount  42 , a pin  44 , and a handle  46 . The pivot joint  40  and the article mount  42  are situated near a first distal end  48   a  of the indexing bar  38 . The pin  44  and the handle  46  are situated near the second distal end  48   b  of the indexing bar  38 .  
         [0025]    The pivot joint  40  is preferably tubular in construction with an interior diameter large enough to pivotally accommodate the straight portion  34  of the pivot bar  28  therein. The straight portion  34  of the pivot bar  28  is journaled within the pivot joint  40 , thereby allowing the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  to pivot in relation to the first distal end  48   a  of the indexing bar  38 .  
         [0026]    The article mount  42  allows an article, such as a spotting scope  50  illustrated in FIG. 1, binoculars, a camera, or a video camera to be mounted thereon by various means, including, but not limited to clamping, screwing, and gluing. However, in the preferred embodiment, the article mount  42  may have a universal screw mount  52  attached thereon. Articles may be mounted upon a threaded base  54  of the universal screw mount  52  if these articles include a threaded connection. The universal screw mount  52  provides additional multi-directional pivotal movement to the mounted article  50 . By providing a threaded connection for each article  50 , the universal screw mount  52  allows the user  18  to quickly exchange one article  50  for another article  50 . Furthermore, the universal screw mount  52  may include an adjustment handle  47  that aids the user  18  in moving the mounted article  50  with precision.  
         [0027]    The pin  44  is smaller in diameter than the indexing holes  24  of the hollow bar  26 . Preferably, the pin  44  extends from or is affixed to the indexing bar  38  at an angle that allows the pin  44  to be inserted into any of the indexing holes  24 . Similar to the pin  44 , the handle  46  also extends from or is affixed to the indexing bar  38  at an angle. The handle  46  is long enough for the user  18  to firmly grasp the handle  46  and thereby move the indexing bar  38  in an up and down direction. It is to be understood that in an alternative embodiment, the second distal end  48   b  of the indexing bar  38  can be extended to serve the function of the pin  44 , thereby not requiring the pin  44 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  depict a first alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports  56  and a second alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports  58 , respectively. These alternative embodiments provide additional ways of supporting the pin  44 . For example, the first alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports  56  comprises a step-like structure  60 , whereas the second alternative embodiment of a plurality of indexing supports  58  comprises a slidable block  62  frictionally engaged between the chest plate  12  and a housing  64 . It is to be understood that there are additional ways of supporting the pin  44 , including, but not limited to, notched grooves and ratchet teeth.  
         [0029]    Preferably, the indexing bar  38  and the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  are long enough so that when the pin  44  is inserted into any one of the indexing holes  24  and the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  are inserted into the first and second pivot supports  16   a ,  16   b , that the article  50  attached to the article mount  42  avoids contact with chest plate  12 . This configuration should occur regardless of which combination of indexing holes  24  and height adjustment holes  36  are utilized.  
         [0030]    The hands-free article holder  10  may be used by a variety of users in varied settings, including, but not limited to hunters, bird watchers, astronomers, military personnel, spectators at sporting events and dramatic or musical productions, handicapped and disabled people, and many other people, including both amateurs and professionals. For example, with reference to FIG. 1, the user  18 , a hunter, places the chest plate  12  against his chest. The user  18  then places and adjusts the neck strap  22  around his neck and secures and adjusts the torso strap  20  around his torso. The user  18  then selects the article  50  which he wants to have mounted to the hands-free article holder  10 . The user  18  may attach the article  50  either directly to the article mount  42  or to the universal screw mount  52  if the article  50  has a threaded connection. In this instance, the hands-free article holder  10  depicted in FIG. 1 illustrates a spotting scope  50  threadingly engaged to the threaded base  54  of the universal screw mount  52 . The user  18  then selects the appropriate height adjustment holes  36  based upon the height at which they want to have the spotting scope  50  positioned. Selecting the highest height adjustment hole  36  will allow the spotting scope  50  to be positioned at the greatest height in relation to the user  18 , whereas the lowest height adjustment hole  36  will provide the lowest height of the spotting scope  50  in relation to the user  18 . The user  18  then squeezes the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b  together and inserts the bent portion  32   a  of the first pivot arm  30   a  into the selected height adjustment hole  36  of the first pivot support  16   a  and the bent portion  32   b  of the second pivot arm  30   b  into the corresponding height adjustment hole  36  of the second pivot support  16   b . The user  18  then grasps the handle  46  and vertically moves the indexing bar  38  to a position that provides the user  18  with an optimal height at which he may comfortably see through the spotting scope  50 . The user  18  now inserts the pin  44  into a corresponding indexing hole  24 , securing the pin  44  therein, and allowing the spotting scope  50  to maintain the optimal height in relation to the user  18 .  
         [0031]    Fine adjustments may be made to the position of the spotting scope  50  by way of the adjustment handle  47  of the universal screw mount  52 . The universal screw mount  52  may have a ball and socket design, so as to provide a myriad of movements to the spotting scope  50 , including, but not limited to side-to-side, pan, and tilt. Additionally, the user  18  may use the adjustment handle  47  to move the spotting scope  50  with precision, so as to follow prey when the user  18  himself is required to maintain a relatively immobile position. At this point, the hands-free article holder  10  supports the spotting scope  50 , thus allowing the user  18  to simultaneously hold a rifle while utilizing the spotting scope  50 . If the user  18  wishes to position the rifle into a firing position, the user  18  simply grasps the handle  46  of the indexing bar  38  and outwardly pushes the handle  46  until the pin  44  is removed from the indexing hole  24 . The user  18  then moves the handle  46  downward to allow the spotting scope  50  to be lowered to an unobstructed position. The user  18  may then fully utilize the rifle, and thereafter is able to quickly position the spotting scope  50  to the exact optimal position as before, simply by grasping the handle  46  and inserting the pin  44  into the previously used indexing hole  24 . It is to be understood that use of the hands-free article holder  10  by a different user or use of a different article, may require that user to readjust the setting or position of the indexing bar  38 , the first and second pivot arms  30   a ,  30   b , and the universal screw mount  52 , so as to optimally position the article for that user.  
         [0032]    Furthermore, the present invention may also be adapted to hold a book by attaching a shelf to the article mount.  
         [0033]    The above invention has been described with reference to the preferred and alternative embodiments. Obvious modifications, combinations, and alterations will occur to others upon reading the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications, combinations, and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.