Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates to a system for a camera arm mount system. 
     Today, cameras are smaller, cheaper and produce better quality pictures than ever before. As a consequence more and more people carry cameras to capture moments while on vacation and in their daily lives. In some situations, such as during an important event or at a particular location, a user may wish to take many photos. However, the user may also need the use of his or her hands, forcing the user to store and remove the camera between uses. To alleviate this problem, a few solutions have been offered. One current solution includes attaching a rope loop to the camera, capable of sliding over a wrist. Another solution is to place a neckband on the camera to allow the camera to hang around the user&#39;s neck. Still another solution includes mounting a case to a belt buckle. 
     However, each solution mentioned above has problems associated with it. The rope loop often is too loose, and even when fitted snugly, still allows the camera to hang down, exposing it to damage, or requiring the user to hold the camera. The neckband also allows the camera to hang freely, exposing the camera to greater risk of damage, particularly if the user is in an active environment. A belt loop mounted case protects the camera, but can be bulky and requires extra time to take out the camera. 
     It would therefore be advantageous to implement a camera arm mount system. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system for mounting a camera to an arm is disclosed. Specifically, the system can comprise a bracket system capable of supporting a camera; and an arm mount, wherein the bracket system connects to the arm mount. The system can also comprise a hinge system that mounts bracket system to arm mount. The hinge system can comprise a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can connect to the bracket system, and the second portion can connect to the arm mount. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a camera arm mount system. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates arm mount. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates bracket system. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates camera fastener interacting with second frame bracket and first bracket, wherein second frame bracket is in a closed position. 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates hinge system in an open position. 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates a detailed view of open position clasping device. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a hinge system in a non-use position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein is a camera arm mount system. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any project), numerous design decisions must be made to achieve the designer&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the applicable art. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a camera arm mount system  100 . Camera arm mount system  100  can comprise an arm mount  101 , a bracket system  102 , and a hinge system  103 . In one embodiment, arm mount  101  can attach to an arm  104 . Bracket system  102  can support a camera  105 . Further, in one embodiment, hinge system  103  can connect bracket system  102  to arm mount  101 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates arm mount  101 . Arm mount  101  can comprise a non-use support  201  for camera  105 , and an armband  202 . In one embodiment, non-use support  201  and armband  202  are formed from substantially the same piece of material. In another embodiment, non-use support  201  and armband  202  can be two or more different pieces of material. In such embodiment, armband  202  can affix arm mount  101  to arm  104  in a number of ways. In one embodiment, armband  202  can comprise a first side  203  and a second side  204 . First side  203  can comprise a bottom portion  203   a  and a top portion  203   b . Second side  204  can comprise can comprise a bottom portion  204   a  and a top portion  204   b . Bottom portion  203   a  can comprise a set of one or more fasteners capable of mating with a set of one or more fasteners on a bottom side  204   a . Examples of mateable fasteners include, but are not limited to, watchstraps and buckles, buttons, and clasps. In one embodiment, the first and second side of armband  202  can be a single article capable of stretching over and around arm  105 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In one embodiment, armband  202  can comprise an elastic material. In another embodiment, an armband first side top portion  203   b  and an armband second side top portion  204   b  can connect to non-use support  201 . In such embodiment, top portions  203   b  and  204   b  can connect to opposite sides of non-use support  201 . In another configuration, the top portions  203   b  and  204   b  can be connected to form a single top portion. 
     Non-use support  201  can comprise a surface  205 . In one embodiment, surface  205  can be a curved surface, in the general shape of the curvature of arm  104 . In another embodiment, surface  201  can be substantially flat. In such embodiment, non-use support  201  can further comprise a subsurface  206 , existing below and attached to surface  205 . In one embodiment, top portions  203   b  and  204   b  can connect to surface  205 . In another embodiment, top portions  203   b  and  204   b  can connect to subsurface  206 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates bracket system  102 . The bracket system  102  can support camera  105 . Bracket system  102  can comprise a first bracket  301 , a second bracket  302 , and/or a camera fastener  303 . Camera fastener  303  can comprise a camera fastener head  303   a  and a camera fastener body  303   b . First bracket  301  can be substantially in the shape of an “L”, having a side portion  301   a  and a bottom portion  301   b . In one embodiment, side portion  301   a  can comprise two connected substantially planar walls, one wall substantially parallel with the back of camera  105 , and a second wall substantially parallel with a side of camera  105 , as is shown in  FIG. 3 . In another embodiment, side portion  301   a  can be curved or substantially in the shape of a “V”. In yet another embodiment, side portion  301   a  can be planar and substantially parallel with a side of camera  105 . 
     In one embodiment, bottom portion  301   b  can be flat. In another embodiment, edges can be bent downward so as to form an upside down “U” shape. Still further, in another embodiment, bottom portion  301   b  edges can each be bent downward and inward, as shown in  FIG. 3 , to form a track for second bracket  302 . Bottom portion  301   b  can comprise an aperture  304 . In one embodiment, aperture  304  can extend along bottom portion  301   b , aperture  304  having a length much longer than its width, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Second bracket  302  can also be substantially in the shape of an “L”, having a side portion  302   a  and a bottom portion  302   b . In one embodiment, side portion  302   a  can be planar and substantially parallel with a second side of camera  105 . In another embodiment, side portion  302   a  can be curved or substantially in the shape of a “V”. Bottom portion  302   b  can comprise an aperture  305 . In one embodiment, aperture  304  can extend along the bottom portion  301   b , aperture  305  having a length much longer than its width, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Second bracket  302  can align with first bracket such that at least a portion of aperture  304  and aperture  305  overlap. In one embodiment, apertures  304  and  305  can each be a plurality of individual orifices, each large enough for only a portion of camera fastener  303  to pass through. In another embodiment, apertures  304  and  305  can each vary in width intermittently to form interval positions at which only a camera fastener  303  can pass. In one embodiment, bottom portion  302   b  can slide inside a track formed by bended edges of bottom portion  301   a . In another embodiment, camera  105  can be held in bracket system  102  by a combination of camera fastener  303 , side portion  301   a , and side portion  302   a . In one embodiment, where side portions  301   a  and  302   a  are substantially in the shape of a “V”, camera  105  is prohibited from rotating about the central axis of camera fastener  303  by the shapes of side portions  301   a  and  302   a.    
       FIG. 4  illustrates camera fastener  303  interacting with second frame bracket  302  and first bracket  301 , wherein second frame bracket  302  is in a closed position. Camera  105  can comprise a camera fastener receiver  401 . In one embodiment, camera fastener body  303   b  and camera fastener receiver  401  can be threaded, which is common to most cameras. As camera fastener body  303   b  is placed into camera receiver  401  through aperture  304  and aperture  305 , either by screwing or some other secure fashion known in the art, first bracket  301  and second bracket  302  can be pressed against each other. In one embodiment, the pressure created from securing the camera fastener  303  in camera fastener bracket  401  compresses first bracket  301  against second frame bracket  302  such that second frame bracket  302  can no longer move freely. In one embodiment, a washer can be placed between the camera fastener head  303   a  and bracket system  102 . Further, in one embodiment, at least a portion of each surface of frame bracket  301  and frame bracket  302  can have a high coefficient of friction where first bracket  301  and second frame bracket  302  touch, thereby creating grip. A high coefficient of friction can be achieved using a rough surface as opposed to a smooth surface, or a material such as rubber. In another embodiment, a washer can be placed between the camera fastener head  303   a  and frame brackets. In such embodiment, such washer can be made of an elastic or deformable material, such as rubber. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates hinge system  103  in an open position. Hinge system  103  comprises a first portion  501  and a second portion  502 . In one embodiment, hinge system first portion  501  can be structurally built into frame bracket system  103 , as shown in  FIG. 5A . In another embodiment, first portion  501  can be a separate component from hinge system  103 . In one embodiment, hinge system second portion  502  can be structurally built into arm mount  101 . In another embodiment, second portion  502  can be a separate component from arm mount  101 , as shown in  FIG. 5A . 
     The camera arm mount system  100  can comprise a non-use position clasping device  503 . Non-use position clasping device  503  can comprise a first portion  503   a  and a second portion  503   b . In one embodiment, the non-use position clasping device  503  can be one or more magnets. For example, first bracket  301  can be made of a ferromagnetic material. In such embodiment, non-use position clasping device  503  can comprise of one or more magnets attached to arm mount  101 . In another embodiment, at least a portion of arm mount  101  can be made of a ferromagnetic material. In such embodiment, non-use clasping device  503  can comprise of one or more magnets attached to first bracket  301 . In another embodiment, non-use position clasping device  503  can comprise of two sets of magnets, one set attached to first bracket  301  and the other set attached to arm mount  101 . In another embodiment, clasp device  503  can be a pair of hook-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro® strips) where first portion  503   a  is attached on first bracket  301  and second portion  503   b  is attached to arm mount  101 , as shown in  FIG. 5A . In another embodiment, arm mount  101  can comprise a latch that “catches” or receives frame bracket  101 . A person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many suitable types of non-use position clasping device  503 . 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates a detailed view of an open position clasping device  504 . To hold hinge system in an open position, a number of clasping devices can be used. In one embodiment open position clasping device  504  can be one or more magnets. For example, first bracket  301  can be made of a ferromagnetic material. In such an embodiment, open clasping device  504  can comprise of one or more magnets attached to arm mount  101 , as shown in  FIG. 5B . In another embodiment, at least a portion of arm mount  101  can be made of a ferromagnetic material. In such an embodiment, open clasping device  504  can comprise of one or more magnets attached to first bracket  301 . In another embodiment, open clasping device  504  can comprise of two sets of magnets, one set attached to first bracket  301  and the other set attached to arm mount  101 . In another embodiment, clasp device  504  can be a pair of hook-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro® strips), one strip attached on first bracket  301 , and the other strip attached to arm mount  101 . In another embodiment, arm mount  101  can comprise a latch that “catches” or receives frame bracket  101 . A person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are many suitable types of clasping devices  504 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a hinge system in a non-use position. Placing camera  105  in a non-use position can help prevent damage to camera when it is not being used. 
     Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”

Technology Category: 2