Claims
- 1. A device for supporting a camera, the device comprising:
a neck configured to connect with the camera; a body having a body axis and being rotatably connected with the neck to pivot relative to the neck around a neck pivot axis which is generally perpendicular to the body axis; a left arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body around a left pivot axis, the left pivot axis being nonparallel to the neck pivot axis; and a right arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body around a right pivot axis, the right pivot axis being nonparallel to the neck pivot axis.
- 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the left pivot axis is nonparallel to the right pivot axis.
- 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the right pivot axis is generally perpendicular to the body axis.
- 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the left pivot axis is generally perpendicular to the body axis.
- 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the left pivot axis is spaced from the neck pivot axis by a left pivot angle and the right pivot axis is spaced from the neck pivot axis by a right pivot angle which is opposite from the left pivot angle.
- 6. The device of claim 5 wherein the right pivot angle and the left pivot angle are substantially equal in magnitude.
- 7. The device of claim 6 wherein the right pivot angle and the left pivot angle are about 20°-70° in magnitude.
- 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the left arm and right arm are movable relative to the body between a collapsed position and an extended position, the left and right arms being disposed adjacent the body in the collapsed position, the left and right arms being angularly spaced from the body axis of the body in the extended position.
- 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the body and the left and right arms are configured to contact a planar surface at three spaced contact locations, respectively, in the extended position to support the camera on the planar surface.
- 10. The device of claim 8 wherein the body and the left and right arms are configured to straddle an edge in the extended position to support the camera on the edge, the body being disposed on one side of the edge and the left and right arms being disposed on another side of the edge opposite from the body.
- 11. The device of claim 1 wherein the left and right arms each include a hooked distal end.
- 12. The device of claim 1 wherein the left arm and the right arm are pivotable relative to the body independently of one another.
- 13. A device for supporting a camera, the device comprising:
a neck configured to connect with the camera; a body having a body midplane and being rotatably connected with the neck to pivot relative to the neck around a neck pivot axis which is generally perpendicular to the body midplane; a left arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body; and a right arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body, the left arm and the right arm being independently movable to pivot separately relatively to the body.
- 14. The device of claim 13 wherein the left arm is pivotable relative to the body around a left pivot axis nonparallel to the neck pivot axis, and the right arm is pivotable relative to the body around a right pivot axis nonparallel to the neck pivot axis.
- 15. The device of claim 14 wherein the left pivot axis and the right pivot axis lie on a common plane which is generally perpendicular to the body midplane.
- 16. The device of claim 15 wherein the left pivot axis is spaced from the neck pivot axis by a left pivot angle and the right pivot axis is spaced from the neck pivot axis by a right pivot angle.
- 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the left pivot angle and the right pivot angle are substantially equal in magnitude and are spaced from the neck pivot axis in opposite directions.
- 18. A device for supporting a camera, the device comprising:
a body being configured to support the camera; a left arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body around a left pivot axis; and a right arm rotatably connected with the body to pivot relative to the body around a right pivot axis, the right pivot axis being nonparallel to the left pivot axis, wherein the left arm and right arm are movable relative to the body between a collapsed position and an extended position, the left and right arms being disposed adjacent to the body in the collapsed position, the left and right arms being angularly spaced from the body axis of the body in the extended position, wherein the body and the left and right arms are configured to contact a planar surface at three spaced contact locations, respectively, in the extended position to support the camera on the planar surface in a first disposition, and wherein the body and the left and right arms are configured to straddle an edge in the extended position to support the camera on the edge in a second disposition, the body being disposed on one side of the edge and the left and right arms being disposed on another side of the edge opposite from the body.
- 19. The device of claim 18 further comprising a neck configured to connect with the camera, wherein the body is rotatably connected with the neck to pivot relative to the neck around a neck pivot axis which is nonparallel to the left pivot axis and the right pivot axis.
- 20. The device of claim 19 wherein the neck pivot axis is generally perpendicular to a midplane of the body.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 29,127,147, filed Jul. 31, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29,119,498, filed Mar. 1, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
29127147 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
09778385 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Parent |
29119498 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
29127147 |
Jul 2000 |
US |