Patent Application
20080164392
The present application is related to the commonly owned application having Ser. No. 11/550,127 (the '127 application) filed on Oct. 17, 2006 entitled “Device Mount with Stabilizing Function.” The '127 application is incorporated in its entirety by reference in this application.
For game hunters the ability to record the hunt in an efficient manner is desired. Moreover, the ability to attach other devices such as cameras and other electronic devices to a weapon used in the hunt in a manner that does not impede the hunt is also desired. For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an attaching system that can attach a device such an electronic device to a weapon in an effective and un-intrusive manner.
The above-mentioned problems of current systems are addressed by embodiments of the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The following summaries are provided as way of examples and not by way of limitation. Moreover, the summaries may include more or less elements than are in the claims and are merely provided to give the reader a basic understanding of some of the elements of the present invention.
In one embodiment an attaching ring is provided. The attaching ring includes a weapon attaching portion, a retaining portion and an extended portion. The weapon attaching portion is configured to attach to a weapon. The retaining portion is configured to receive and hold a mounting rail. Moreover, the extended portion is coupled between the weapon attaching portion and the retaining portion. The extending portion has a select length to space the weapon attaching portion from the retaining portion a select distance.
In another embodiment, another attaching ring is provided, the attaching ring includes a main attaching portion and a second attaching portion. The main attaching portion has a first half circle near a first end and a receiving rail recess near a second end. The main attaching portion further has a first opening to the first half circle and a second opening to the receiving rail recess. The first opening being in an opposite direction than the second opening. The second opening to the receiving rail recess defined by first and second retaining ridges that are configured to retain a mounting rail resting within the receiving rail recess. The main attaching portion further has an extended portion that separates the first half circle from the second half circle by a select distance. The second attaching portion has a second half circle. The second half circle is configured to form a full circle with the first half circle of the main attaching portion when the second main attaching portion is coupled to the main attaching portion.
In yet another embodiment, an attaching system is provided. The attaching system includes an attaching ring, a mounting rail and a threaded attaching member. The attaching ring includes a weapon attaching portion, a retaining portion and an extending portion. The weapon attaching portion is configured to attach to a weapon. The retaining portion is configured to receive and hold a mounting rail. The retaining portion includes a retaining aperture. The extended portion is coupled between the weapon attaching portion and the retaining portion. The extending portion has a select length to space the weapon attaching portion from the retaining portion a select distance. The mounting rail is configured to be received in the retaining portion. The mounting rail has a threaded recess. The threaded attaching member is configured to pass through the retaining aperture of the retaining portion and to threadably engage the threaded recess of the mounting rail.
In still another embodiment, a method of aiming a camera on a device mount coupled to a weapon is provided. The method comprising aiming a weapon at a target. Adjusting the zoom of the camera attached to the weapon and pivoting the camera on the device mount to center the focus of the camera on the target.
The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the detailed description and the following figures in which:
In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout Figures and text.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents thereof.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a device mount system for mounting a device to a weapon. The device mount system includes a device mount (such as that disclosed in the '127 application that was herein incorporated by reference), a stabilizing tube and an attaching ring. Referring to
Referring to
The retaining portion 311 of the attaching ring 300 further includes an opening 311 to the receiving rail recess 314 and an aperture 316. As illustrated, the aperture 316 extends from a surface 313 of the retaining portion 311 to the receiving rail recess from an opposite direction than the opening 311 to the receiving rail recess 314. A threaded attaching member is placed through aperture 312 of the attaching ring 300 and threadably engaged with the threaded recess 208 of the stabilizing tube 200. This forces the first and second angled surfaces 210A and 210B of the mounting rail 206 against respective first and second receiving surfaces 309A and 309B in the receiving rail recess 314 of the attaching ring 300 to lock the stabilizing tube 200 to the attaching ring 300. As illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the device mount system 500 centers the weight of the device mount 100 about the connection of the attaching ring 300 to the mounting rail 414. This helps center the weight of the weapon in use as well as helps maintains a level of balance in a vertical direction while filming with a video camera attached to the device mount 100. To further the level of balance during filming, the camera 506 can be positioned in select locations in relation to the support plate 102 of the device mount. Further as illustrated in
Referring to
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
