Patent ID: 7624955

Claim:
A collapsible support stand for mounting a camera, the support stand comprising: a substantially planar base structured for mounting on a surface and having a height of no more than about 1 cm and orthogonal width and length dimensions of no more than about 8 cm, wherein the base includes a spherical ball socket and a hideaway storage slot extending from the socket, and wherein the base is structured to fit alongside a camera in a camera case with all appurtenances to the base contained and shielded by the base when in a folded and closed state to protect the camera; a mounting post including a spherical ball mounted in the socket of the base to provide the mounting post with three degrees of freedom of movement, including freedom for roll, pitch and yaw, wherein the mounting post can be collapsed into the hideaway storage slot of the base or projected from the base in an orientation orthogonal to its collapsed position, wherein the hideaway storage slot is sized and configured to contain and shield the mounting post without any portion of the mounting post projecting out of the base when the mounting post is in its collapsed position, wherein the base includes a clamping mechanism that can reduce the diameter of the socket so as to secure the mounting post with respect to each degree of freedom orientation for fixed mounting and support of a device on the threaded member, and wherein the clamping member is a threaded screw threaded through the base and across the slot so as to be able to narrow and expand the slot as the clamping member is rotated; and a threaded member integrally or removably attached at an end of the mounting post.