ENHANCED CAMERA TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD

US 20110081143A1
Filed: 12/09/2010
Published: 04/07/2011
Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. For a camera having at least one engagement portion and carried by a user, a system for coupling with the engagement portion of the camera, the system comprising:

an elongated first strap having first and second portions, the first portion of the first strap sized to be positioned over a shoulder of the user and extend downward therefrom toward a hip of the user; and

a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler sized and shaped to engage with the engagement portion of the camera, and the second portion of the coupler sized and shaped to slidably engage with the second portion of the first strap and slide along a length of the second portion of the first strap.

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Abstract

An enhanced camera transport system and method includes a strap and coupler. The coupler is configured to engage with an attachment point on a camera otherwise reserved by engagement with a camera stand such as a tripod, monopod, or the like. Following general camera construction, the attachment point is found on the bottom of the camera. In some implementations, the coupler is slideably attached to the strap to assist with repositioning of the camera from a transport position to a picture taking position. Other implementations include an enclosure for storage of the camera while not being used.

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34 Claims

1. For a camera having at least one engagement portion and carried by a user, a system for coupling with the engagement portion of the camera, the system comprising:
- an elongated first strap having first and second portions, the first portion of the first strap sized to be positioned over a shoulder of the user and extend downward therefrom toward a hip of the user; and
  
  a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler sized and shaped to engage with the engagement portion of the camera, and the second portion of the coupler sized and shaped to slidably engage with the second portion of the first strap and slide along a length of the second portion of the first strap.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- - 2. The system of claim 1, further including:
    - an enclosure having an interior area with an aperture and an exterior; and
      
      wherein the first portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure, and the second portion of the first strap extends toward the aperture of the enclosure for positioning of the camera within the enclosure.
  - 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the enclosure inside the interior area of the enclosure.
  - 4. The system of claims 2, further including a shoulder strap with a first end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure and a second end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure, the second end portion of the shoulder strap attached closer to the aperture and the first end portion of the shoulder strap attached farther from the aperture.
  - 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the shoulder strap adjacent to the first end portion of the shoulder strap.
  - 6. The system of claims 2, wherein the enclosure further includes a covering to cover the aperture.
  - 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the coupler is rotatably couplable to the first portion of the coupler.
  - 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first strap is formed into a loop.
  - 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the loop is sized to extend around a human torso of the user, around the shoulder on one side of the user downward to and around the other side of the torso of the user.
  - 10. The system of claims 1, wherein the first portion of the coupler includes a second strap and a camera coupler engageable with the engagement portion of the camera.
  - 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the coupler includes a strap loop to slidably receive the second portion of the first strap therethrough.
  - 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the coupler includes an engagement loop and a hook, the hook shaped to engage the engagement loop.
  - 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the strap loop of the second portion of the coupler and the hook of the first portion of the coupler are rotatably engaged.
  - 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the hook of the first portion of the coupler includes a safety clasp.
  - 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the coupler includes a ball lock pin and the first portion of the coupler includes a ball lock socket, the ball lock pin being releasably couplable with the ball lock socket.
  - 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the coupler is releasably couplable with the first portion of the coupler.
  - 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the engagement portion of the camera is a stand socket, the first portion of the coupler is sized and shaped to engage with the stand socket of the camera.

18. A camera system comprising:
- a camera having at least one engagement portion;
  
  an elongated first strap having first and second portions, the first portion of the first strap sized to be positioned over a shoulder of the user and extend downward therefrom toward a hip of the user; and
  
  a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler sized and shaped to engage with the engagement portion of the camera, and the second portion of the coupler sized and shaped to slidably engage with the second portion of the first strap and slide along a length of the second portion of the first strap.
- View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- - 19. The camera system of claim 18, wherein the camera has a bottom and the engagement portion is located in the camera bottom and configured to threadably receive a threaded engagement portion of a camera stand.
  - 20. The camera system of claim 18, further including:
    - an enclosure having an interior area with an aperture and an exterior; and
      
      wherein the first portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure, and the second portion of the first strap extends toward the aperture of the enclosure for positioning of the camera within the enclosure.
  - 21. The camera system of claim 20, wherein the second portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the enclosure inside the interior area of the enclosure.
  - 22. The camera system of claims 20, further including a shoulder strap with a first end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure and a second end portion attached to the exterior of the enclosure, the second end portion of the shoulder strap attached closer to the aperture and the first end portion of the shoulder strap attached farther from the aperture.
  - 23. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the first portion of the first strap has a first end portion attached to the shoulder strap adjacent to the first end portion of the shoulder strap.
  - 24. The camera system of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the coupler is rotatably couplable to the first portion of the coupler.
  - 25. The camera system of claim 18, wherein the first strap is formed into a loop.
  - 26. The camera system of claim 18, wherein the engagement portion of the camera is a stand socket.
  - 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the stand socket is threaded and the first portion of the coupler is threaded to threadably engage with the stand socket.

28. A method comprising:
- providing an elongated first strap having first and second portions, the first portion of the first strap sized to be positioned over a shoulder of a user and extend downward therefrom toward a hip of the user;
  
  positioning the first portion of the first strap over the shoulder of the user;
  
  providing a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler sized and shaped to engage with an engagement portion of a camera, and the second portion of the coupler sized and shaped to slidably engage with the second portion of the first strap and slide along the length of the second portion of the first strap;
  
  providing a camera having an engagement portion;
  
  attaching the first portion of the coupler to the engagement portion of the camera;
  
  sliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to a lowered transport position for the camera; and
  
  grabbing the camera with at least one hand of the user and sliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to a raised picture taking position for the camera.
- View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
- - 29. The method of claim 28, further including:
    - providing an enclosure sized to receive the camera therein;
      
      positioning the camera within the enclosure;
      
      reaching into the enclosure and grabbing the camera when within the enclosure with the at least one hand of the user;
      
      pulling the camera out of the enclosure; and
      
      thensliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to the raised picture taking position for the camera.
  - 30. The method of claim 29, further including:
    - positioning the enclosure behind a human torso of the user;
      
      reaching behind the human torso of the user and then reaching into the enclosure and grabbing the camera when within the enclosure; and
      
      pulling the camera out of the enclosure while the enclosure remains located behind the human torso of the user.

31. A method comprising:
- providing an elongated first strap having first and second portions, the first portion of the first strap sized to be positioned over a shoulder of a user and extend downward therefrom toward a hip of the user;
  
  positioning the first portion of the first strap over the shoulder of the user;
  
  providing a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler sized and shaped to engage with an engagement portion of a camera, and the second portion of the coupler sized and shaped to slidably engage with the second portion of the first strap and slide along the length of the second portion of the first strap;
  
  providing a camera having an engagement portion;
  
  attaching the first portion of the coupler to the engagement portion of the camera;
  
  sliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to a lowered transport position for the camera; and
  
  sliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to a raised picture taking position for the camera.
- View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
- - 32. The method of claim 31, further including:
    - providing an enclosure sized to receive the camera therein;
      
      positioning the camera within the enclosure;
      
      reaching into the enclosure and grabbing the camera when within the enclosure with the at least one hand of the user;
      
      pulling the camera out of the enclosure; and
      
      thensliding the second portion of the coupler along the second portion of the first strap, with the first portion of the coupler engaging the engagement portion of the camera and the second portion of the coupler slidably engaging the second portion of the first strap, to move the camera along the second portion of the first strap to the raised picture taking position for the camera.
  - 33. The method of claim 32, further including:
    - positioning the enclosure behind a human torso of the user;
      
      reaching behind the human torso of the user and then reaching into the enclosure and grabbing the camera when within the enclosure; and
      
      pulling the camera out of the enclosure while the enclosure remains located behind the human torso of the user.
  - 34. The method of claim 31, wherein providing a camera having an engagement portion comprises providing the camera with the attachment point at a bottom of the camera, and wherein the camera is moved along the second portion of the first strap to the lowered transport position for the camera with the camera hanging from the shoulder of the user for transport in a top-side down orientation, and wherein the camera is subsequently moved along the second portion of the first strap to the raised picture taking position for the camera with the camera held by the user for picture taking in a top-side up orientation.

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Current Assignee
Black Rapid Incorporated
Original Assignee
Black Rapid Incorporated
Inventors
Kope, Tyler R.M., Henry, Ronald D.

Granted Patent

US 8,047,729 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

396/423
CPC Class Codes

A45F 2200/0533   Cameras, e.g. reflex, digit...

A45F 5/00   Holders or carriers for han...

F16M 11/041   Allowing quick release of t...

G03B 17/566   Accessory clips, holders, s...

ENHANCED CAMERA TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD

First Claim

1 Assignment

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

30 Citations

34 Claims

Specification

Solutions

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ENHANCED CAMERA TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD

First Claim

1 Assignment

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Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

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Abstract

30 Citations

34 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links