The present invention relates to a device for placing a personal electronic device or another camera enabled device to take pictures alone or with a group.
Many destinations and venues have popular photography sights. Many visitors to these sights generally like to photograph themselves with the sights in the background to commemorate their visit. Most individuals carry a mobile device with a camera feature and some may carry a camera when visiting such places. In fact, selfies have become emblematic of today’s high-tech, modern culture. Smartphones and tablets, which are almost always carried on a person, make it easier than ever to snap photos of oneself or of a group at any place that one sees fitting.
There are some quintessential selfie locations where visitors often like to capture a photo of themselves and/or the group they are with. However, it can be difficult to capture sufficient background, scenery, and/or items of interest in the photograph when attempting to take the photo themselves or even with a selfie stick. Often, the person interested in capturing a photograph at these selfie locations will request the help of a nearby person to take a photo with the background of interest. In some other quintessential selfie locations, a person may request a person working nearby, such as a security guard or a vendor, to stop their work and take a picture of the requestor with the background. However, these are not the most ideal means in many cases.
Thus, there exists a need to provide for a means to take photographs in the selfie locations that is convenient and allows for the camera enabled device to capture a satisfying image of the background of interest.
The invention described herein addresses the need for a device to provide an improved means of taking a selfie photograph or video at tourist sights. One or more non-limiting embodiments for a photography stand having a holder which is designed to hold a smartphone or other personal electronic device is described. The holder is configured to hold an electronic device in positions to take photos in a portrait (i.e., upright) or landscape mode (i.e., sideways). The photography stand also comprises of a post which has two ends. A platform, which includes the holder, is configured on a top end of the post. A base is configured on a bottom end of the post. The base is configured to place the photography stand on the ground at a location and maintain the stand in an upright position.
In an embodiment, the platform is rotatable and/or tiltable.
In alternative embodiments, the platform is stationary.
In other embodiments, the photography stand has a wheeled base so that the photography stand may be wheeled to its location and removed as desired by the owner.
In a further embodiment, the photography stand does not include a wheeled base.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference may be made to particular features of the invention. It may be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature may be disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
Where reference may be made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
“Exemplary” may be used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described in this document as “exemplary” may not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects.
Throughout the drawings, like reference characters are used to designate like elements. As used herein, the term “coupled” or “coupling” may indicate a connection. The connection may be a direct or an indirect connection between one or more items. Further, the term “set” as used herein may denote one or more of any items, so a “set of items” may indicate the presence of only one item or may indicate more items. Thus, the term “set” may be equivalent to “one or more” as used herein.
The invention described herein addresses the need for a device to provide an improved means of taking a selfie photograph or video at tourist sights. The invention as presently described is a photography stand for assisting users with taking pictures at a particular location. The photography stand is designed with the purpose of being placed (fixedly or wheeled) at specific venues or places of interest where individuals visit and take photographs of themselves (i.e., selfie) with a certain feature in the background. For example, an individual visiting the Dodger Stadium for a game may want to take a selfie with the Gold Glove award. The photography stand would be placed there by a stadium personnel and a holder on the stand would be specifically designed and constructed to allow either a portrait or landscape mode on the electronic device to catch an image of the feature when taking a selfie with the electronic device placed on a platform within the holder.
Referring now to the drawings and the following written description of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the detailed description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. This disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention.
The post 102 is an upright piece used to support the platform 120 and the holder 130. The post 102 has a length which provides a desired height for a camera enabled device to be placed on the platform 120 for taking photographs. The post 102 has a top end 102a and a bottom end 102b, wherein the platform 120 is positioned on the top end 102a and the base 110 is positioned on the bottom end 102b. The post 102 may have a select height between 24 inches to 48 inches. The post 102 may also be custom made and configured at a height requested by a customer for a particular tourist site. Alternatively, the post 102 may be adjustable in height, wherein the desired height may be secured by an individual desiring to take a self-photograph at a place where the photography stand 100 is placed with the particular background. For example, the post 102 may be made up of one or more nesting tubes with a base tube supported on the base 110 and the one or more nesting tubes able to slide within the base to be secured at a certain height.
The post 102 may be hollow or have a solid structure and have a cross sectional shape including, and not limited to, a square cross section, rectangular cross section, a circular cross section, a triangular cross section, a trapezoidal cross section, a polygonal cross section, and an oval cross section. The post 102 may be fabricated from any solid material that can withstand repeated use. The material may include plastics, metal (i.e., aluminum), or a composite.
As seen in
The top surface of the platform 120 includes a textured surface 122 which permits an electronic device to be placed securely on the platform 120 within the holder 130 and prevent slippage of the electronic device.
The platform 120 may be placed relatively perpendicular to the post 102, wherein the bottom surface of the platform 120 connects to the post 102. The platform 120 may be connected to the top end 102a of the post 102 with a fastener. In an alternative embodiment, the platform 120 is connected to the top end 102a of the post 102 by a fixture that permits the platform 120 to rotate at the top end 102a. Alternatively, the platform 120 may be integrally connected to the post 102 such as by welding or the post 102 and the platform 120 on the top end 102a may be constructed as one-piece. In the example shown in
The holder 230 shown in the non-limiting embodiment in
Referring back to
The base 110 may include one or more rollers 112. The one or more rollers 112 may be placed along any edge of the base or positioned on the base such as to provide the function of tilting the photography stand 100 and rolling. Having one or more rollers 112 provides the ease of moving the photography stand 100 to and between locations or moving it to a secure location when not in use (e.g., at night).
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of any means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The present invention, according to one or more embodiments described in the present description, may be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive of the present invention.
This application is a non-provisional application which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Application No. 63/299,361 filed on Jan. 13, 2022, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63299361 | Jan 2022 | US |