One Time Use Harness System for Body Worn Smart Phone

Abstract

A disposable, one-time use, recyclable, smart phone harness for allowing handfree use of the smart phone's camera for live video streaming. The inventive device includes body having a rear projection for angling the top of smart phone away from a wearer's torso, a rubber strap for securing the smart phone to the inventive device, and an attached cord for securing the inventive device around the wearer's neck.

Claims

1. A harness system for a video enabled device, comprising: a flat body having a top and a bottom and a front and a back and a left end and a right end; and a projection from the back of said flat body near the top of said flat body; and a flexible cord having a fixed end and an adjustable end, wherein both ends of said flexible cord is attached near the top of said flat body; and a band or bands attached to the front of said flat body.

2. The harness system of claim 1, wherein the size and proportions of said body are within the range of the several most common video enabled smart phone devices.

3. The harness system of claim 1, wherein said projection is of such a length as to position the front of said flat body into a vertical orientation when said projection is positioned against a wearer's upper torso.

4. The harness system of claim 1, wherein said flat body and said projection are constructed of a single piece of flat material shaped into the said flat body and said projection.

5. The harness system of claim 1, wherein the junction of said flat body with said projection is of a flexible material and/or is creased, indented or perforated allowing said projection to be folded flat against the back of said flat body.

6. The harness system of claim 1, wherein the fixed end of said flexible cord is secured to said projection or to one of these positions on said flat body: to the top or left end or right end or front or back.

7. The harness system of claim 6, wherein a slot and/or hole and/or slots and/or holes is/are present in said flat body in a position different from the position where the fixed end of said flexible cord is secured.

8. The harness system of claim 7, wherein said slot and/or hole and/or slots and/or holes is/are sized for a friction fit when said flexible cord is inserted into said slot and/or hole and/or slots and/or holes.

9. The harness system of claim 8, wherein the adjustable end of said flexible cord is inserted into said slot and/or hole and/or slots and/or holes.

10. The harness system of claim 1, wherein said flexible cord is of a length sufficient to wrap around the neck of a large human wearer plus sufficient additional length to permit the wearer to adjust the elevation of a video enabled device attached to said flat body from approximately the bottom of the wearer's sternum to approximately the top of the wearer's sternum.

11. The harness system of claim 1, wherein said band or bands are elastic or rubber and are sized to securely grip one of the several most common video enabled smart phone devices.

12. The harness system of claim 1, wherein the materials of construction are recyclable with the exception of the band or bands.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention in an unfolded position, revealing its parts in full view.

[0018] FIG. 2 is three perspective views of the present invention in a folded position.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention with an attached exemplary smart phone and being worn by a user.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention with an attached exemplary smart phone and being worn by a user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] The present invention is a simple, low cost, light weight, easy to use, recyclable, one-time-use disposable harness for securing a smart phone or similar video streaming or recording device on a person's upper torso to enable hands free telepresence. Additionally, the harness is adaptable to a variety of shapes and sizes of smart phone devices, easy to use and adaptable to many shapes and sizes of human users. Hence, new users can master the device quickly with minimal instruction. Additionally, the device is designed to be light weight, small and economical for one-time-use and disposable, and constructed of environmentally sustainable and recycled and/or recyclable materials. Hence the device can be shipped to new users, used once, then disposed of. In one embodiment, the device would have an on-board power supply to ensure the on-site individual's smart phone has adequate battery life for the duration of the survey. With these features, the device enables property inspectors, appraisers, engineers and other person engaged in property surveys to conduct such surveys remotely via telepresence, with little concern for whether the harness gets returned or damaged.

[0022] The harness has a main structural body, made from a flat material, to which is attached a cord for securing the harness around the wearer's body, which can be best understood by referring to the figures herein.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a view of the harness (1) in an unfolded position, revealing its parts in full view. The structural body of harness (1) is made up of a single piece of flat material shaped into a rectangular main section with a projection (1a) extending from the top, and other features (1b-1h) described here: The projection, when folded and adhered or attached to the back of the body (1) supports the body of the harness away from the wearer's torso (not shown), thus positioning the body of the invention vertically, thus orienting an attached smart phone (not shown) to be forward facing with respect to the wearer. Perforations (1g), indentations or other means defining a fold line (1g) in the projection and supporting braces (1c and 1d). Tabs (1e and 1f) or similar means at the distant end of the supporting braces (1c and 1d) for attaching or adhering the distant end of the supporting braces to the back of the body. Slots (1h), holes or fasteners for securing the flexible cord (2) to the body. Slots (1i) are sized for friction fit of cord (2) such that the cord does not slide in the slot, until the wearer deliberately adjusts the cord by pulling on the cord, thus allowing the wearer (not shown) to adjust harness for comfort and a secure fit. The cord (2) attaches to the body of the harness and wraps around the wearer's neck and torso to secure the harness to the wearer. Attachment of cord 2 to body 1 is accomplished by any suitable means of securing a cord to a flat material, including but not limited to tying, sewing, gluing, stapling, and so on. Elastic bands (3), at each end of the structural body, secure the smart phone to the structural body of the harness.

[0024] In one embodiment, a flag (1b) extends from the body of the device to enable wording (for example, “NOTICE—Live Video Stream in Progress”), signage or symbols to be written on, drawn on, or afixed to the invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 is three perspective views of the harness in a folded position, revealing how the projection (1a) folds toward the back of the body (1) to allow the tabs (1e and 1f) to attach to the back of the body (1) to form the invention into a triangle. It is this triangular shape that supports the body of the harness away from the wearer's torso (see FIG. 4), thus positioning the body of the invention vertically, thus orienting the front of an attached smart phone (not shown) in a plane somewhat parallel to the front of the wearer (not shown). Knots (2a) or similar means secure the cord to the projection (1a).

[0026] Use of the harness can best be understood by referring to FIG. 3. To use the invention, the wearer secures their personal smart phone to the structural body of the harness by inserting the two ends of their smart phone under the two elastic bands (3), being careful to not block the front camera. The smart phone is positioned such that the back of the smart phone is against the harness body (1), and the smart phone's front camera faces out away from the harness body. The cord (2) is positioned around the wearer's neck. The wearer secures the cord comfortably on the torso by pulling on the cord (2b) as needed.

[0027] In one embodiment, a flag (1b) is extended from the body of the device to enable wording (for example, “NOTICE—Live Video Stream in Progress”), signage or symbols to be written, drawn or afixed to the device.

[0028] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equilvalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.