CAMERA MOUNTING

Abstract

An adjustable mount (2) for a camera, comprising a base (6) for mounting to an object in a fixed position and a body (4) that is removably connected to the base (6), the base (6) defining a horizontal plane for the adjustable mount (2), and wherein, when the body (4) is connected to the base (6) in use, the body (4) is rotatable about a vertical axis passing through the base (6) and a mounting portion (32) of the body (4) is pivotable away from the horizontal plane so as to enable adjustment of an orientation of a camera supported on the mounting portion (32).

Claims

1. An adjustable mount for a camera, the mount comprising a base for mounting to an object in a fixed position and a body that is removably connected to the base, the base defining a horizontal plane for the mount, and wherein, when the body is connected to the base in use, the body is rotatable about a vertical axis passing through the base and a mounting portion of the body is pivotable away from the horizontal plane so as to enable adjustment of an orientation of a camera supported on the mounting portion, wherein the body comprises an aperture to accommodate the mounting portion when the mounting portion is lowered to a position in the horizontal plane.

2. The adjustable mount of claim 1, wherein the body is removably connected to the base by an interlocking arrangement.

3. The adjustable mount of claim 2, wherein the interlocking arrangement allows for rotation of the body about a vertical axis passing through the base.

4. The adjustable mount of claim 2, further comprising means actuable to fix the interlocking arrangement and thereby disable rotation of the body.

5. The adjustable mount of claim 2, wherein the interlocking arrangement can be selectively released to enable disconnection of the body from the base.

6. The adjustable mount of claim 2, wherein the interlocking arrangement comprises a toothed disc on the base and a set of teeth on the body.

7. The adjustable mount of claim 2, wherein the interlocking arrangement further comprises a seal between the toothed disc and the set of teeth.

8. The adjustable mount of claim 6, wherein the aperture is arranged to accommodate the toothed disc when the body is connected to the base in use.

9. (canceled)

10. A mount body comprising an aperture arranged to provide a removable connection to a fixed base and a mounting portion for supporting a camera in use, the mounting portion being pivotable from a lowered position wherein the mounting portion is accommodated by the aperture when the mounting portion is in the lowered position.

11. The mount body of claim 10, wherein the mounting portion is pivotable from a lowered position in the horizontal plane of the body.

12. The mount body of claim 11, wherein the mounting portion is pivotable away from the lowered position by up to at least 90.

13. The mount body of claim 10, wherein the mounting portion has a hinged connection with the body.

14. The mount body of claim 10, further comprising means actuable to lock the mounting portion in a position.

15. The mount body of claim 10, wherein the mounting portion comprises a mounting interface for a camera mounting system.

16. The mount body of claim 15, wherein the mounting interface comprises one or more protruding T-bar features that mate with one or more corresponding apertures in a camera mounting system.

17. The mount body of claim 15, wherein the mounting interface comprises one or more portions formed of a compressible material.

18. The adjustable mount of claim 1, wherein the mount has a low profile comprising a height that is much less than a width and a depth in the horizontal plane.

19. The adjustable mount of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a flat or curved lower surface.

20. The adjustable mount of claim 1, further comprising one or more of: an adhesive mount, a strap mount, a chest mount, a tripod mount, a tripod adapter, a suction cup mount, a helmet mount, a board mount, a magnetic mount, a ball joint mount, a tongue and groove mount, a strap mount, a goggle mount, an arm mount, an articulated mount, a telescoping arm, and an adaptor for retrofitting to any other kind of mount.

21. The adjustable mount of claim 1, further comprising a camera with a mounting system that is supported on the mounting portion of the adjustable mount.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Various aspects of the teachings of the present invention, and arrangements embodying those teachings, will hereafter be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] FIGS. 1A to 10 provide a perspective view of a camera mount, comprising a mount body connected to a mount base, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] FIGS. 2A to 2C provide a perspective view of the mount body; and

[0025] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the mount body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] There is generally seen in FIGS. 1A to 1C a camera mount 2 comprising a mount body 4 removably connected to a mount base 6. It will be appreciated that one or more such mount bodies 4 may be interchanged for a given base 6. The mount base 6 may, for example, be fixed to an object such as a helmet by adhesive. Both the mount body 4 and mount base 6 are made of a hard plastics material.

[0027] In FIG. 1A it can be seen that the mount base 6 takes the form of a generally flat plate with a toothed disc 8 upstanding on its upper surface. The lower surface of the base 6 may be flat or slightly curved. The mount base 6 defines a horizontal plane for the mount 2, in other words, a plane from which the orientation of the camera on the mount 2 may be adjusted. The toothed disc 8 provides a dual function. Firstly, it forms a removable connection with the mount body 4. Secondly, it enables the mount body 4 to be controllably rotated about a vertical axis passing through the base 6. This is described in more detail below.

[0028] Turning to FIGS. 2A to 2C and FIG. 3, it can be seen that the mount body 4 comprises a U-shaped member 10 shaped to fit over the toothed disc 8 of the base 6. A rubber e.g. silicone insert 12, seen in FIG. 3, is seated inside the U-shaped member 10. When the mount body 4 is connected onto the base 6, the rubber insert 12 deforms to form a seal with the toothed disc 8. A slider 14 is mounted in the body 4 to close the U-shaped member 10 and form a circular aperture 16 that surrounds the toothed disc 8. The annular wall of the circular aperture 16 hooks under the disc 8. The slider 14 can be pushed back radially to enable the body 4 to hook over the disc 8.

[0029] It can be seen e.g. in FIG. 1A or FIG. 2C that the slider 14 carries teeth 18 to positively engage with the toothed disc 8 when the disc 8 is seated in the aperture 16. The slider 14 is mounted loosely within the U-shaped member 10 so that it can move radially and/or tangentially relative to the aperture 16, but against a spring 20 (see in FIG. 3) that limits its range of motion. This forms a two-way ratchet mechanism in which the mount body 4 can be rotated relative to the fixed base 6, the slider 14 shuttling back and forth as each tooth on the disc 8 passes the teeth 18. After each increment of rotation, the resilient bias of the spring 20 returns the slider 14 to a central position where the teeth 18 are positively engaged with the toothed ring 8 and the rotational position of the mount body 4 is stable. The slider 14 has enough freedom of movement that the teeth 18 can glide over those of the toothed disc 8 during rotation. A user can rotate the mount body 4 around the toothed disc 8 in either direction through a full 360 degrees. Of course, the ratchet mechanism could have a more limited angular range, e.g. if the disc 8 were not toothed around its full circumference, or if the disc 8 were replaced by a semi-circle or other shape.

[0030] The mount body 4 further comprises a cam lever 22 mounted on one side. As seen in FIG. 3, the cam lever 22 is mounted on the same axis as the slider 14 by a cam nut 24, pin 26 and stepped bolt 28. The stepped bolt 28 also carries the slider 14, spring 20 and a washer 21. It can be seen from FIG. 3 that a slider lock 30 is mounted between the spring 20 and the cam lever 22. When the cam lever 22 is pivoted towards the mount body 4, as seen in FIGS. 10 and 2A, it moves an over-centre cam so that the slider lock 30 is pushed to compress the spring 20 and prevent any movement of the slider 14. This locks the ratcheting mechanism so that the mount body 4 is held in its rotational position. In other words, rotation is locked through the stepped bolt 28 locking the slider 14. Even if a camera on the mount 2 were to be knocked, the mount body 4 would not be able to move. This also acts to lock the toothed connection between the mount body 4 and the base 6, so that the mount 2 is securely held together during use.

[0031] In order to provide the mount 2 with a pitching adjustment, in addition to the rotational adjustment described above, the mount body 4 further comprises a mounting interface plate 32 that is hinged on the tangential bolt 28. The mounting interface plate 32 includes two protruding T-bar features 34a, 34b on its upper surface. As is described in more detail in the Applicant's co-pending application(s), these T-bar features 34a, 34b may allow for connection to a camera mounting system. In addition, the mounting interface plate 32 includes two strips 36a, 36b of compressible material on its upper surface. These strips 36a, 36b help to ensure that a camera is mounted without vibration.

[0032] As is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting interface plate 32 can be pitched forwards and backwards between a raised position (FIG. 1B; FIG. 2C) and a lowered position (FIG. 10; FIG. 2B). With the cam lever 22 open, the mounting interface plate 32 is freely hinged to allow a user to adjust its angular position out of the horizontal plane of the mount body 4 on the base 6. Once the mounting interface plate 32 has a desired pitch, the cam lever 22 can be pivoted towards the mount body, as seen in FIG. 10 or FIG. 2A, to squeeze the hinge on the bolt 28 and lock the mounting interface plate 32 in position. This is assisted by an over-centre cam. FIGS. 2A to 2C show how the cam lever 22 may be released when it is desired to loosen the hinge and change the pitch of the mounting interface plate 32. The mounting interface plate 32 can be tilted from the horizontal plane through any angle up to 90, and even a little beyond 90 as allowed by the hinge arrangement in this embodiment. This facilitates access to the slider 14 when the mount 2 is open (see FIG. 2C).

[0033] In order to disconnect the mount body 4 from the base 6, as seen in FIG. 1A, the cam lever 22 must be pivoted open to unlock the slider 14. A user can then press the slider 14 to disengage the teeth 18 from the toothed disc 8. This allows the mount body 4 to be lifted away from the base 6. The mount body 4 could be interchanged for another while the base 6 stays fixed in the same position on an object such as a helmet.

[0034] It will be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the mount 2 has a very low profile while also providing a high degree of adjustability in the position of a camera connected to the mounting interface plate 32. This can be attributed to the way in which the toothed disc 8 is accommodated inside the aperture 16 formed in the mount body 4, so that both the base 6 and body 4 of the mount 2 occupy substantially the same horizontal plane. The toothed disc 8 not only provides a removable connection between the mount body 4 and base 6, but also provides the ratcheting mechanism that enables a user to adjust the rotational orientation of the mounting interface plate 32. The mounting interface plate 32 can then be pitched up out of the horizontal plane of the mount 2 as desired. When the mounting interface plate 32 is lowered into a position in the same horizontal plane as the mount 2 (FIG. 10; FIG. 2A), it is also accommodated inside the aperture 16 formed in the mount body 4. This makes the mount 2 very compact and ideally suited for use with a compact action camera that is to be mounted to an object such as a helmet during physical activity.