Camera support

Claim 2

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, and extendible means attached to said elongated frame, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame and said extendible means being movable from a stored position to a ground engaging supporting position when said elongated frame is in the pointing position, said extendible means including a tripod with extendible legs, said tripod being pivotally attached to said elongated frame, and releaseable strap means cooperating with a hanger on said elongated frame for securing and supporting the tripod in the stored position.

Claim 3

A camera support as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strap means includes a shoulder strap, a shoulder pad, and a chest strap.

Claim 4

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, and extendible means attached to said elongated frame, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame and said extendible means being movable from a stored position to a a ground engaging supporting position when said elongated frame is in the pointing position, said extendible means including a unipod with an extendible leg, said unipod being pivotally attached to said elongated frame, and releasable strap means cooperating with a hanger on said elongated frame for securing and supporting the unipod in the stored position.

Claim 5

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, and extendible means attached to said elongated frame, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame and said extendible means being movable from a stored position to a a ground engaging supporting position when said elongated frame is in the pointing position, said extendible means including a unipod with an extendible leg, said unipod being pivotally attached to said elongated frame, and releasable strap means cooperating with a hanger on said elongated frame for securing and supporting the unipod in the stored position.

Claim 6

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said hinge means including a leg having apertures for receiving fasteners, said means for attaching including a camera deck permitting adjustable positioning of the hinge means relative thereto, and fasteners for securing the hinge means to the camera deck whereby the position of the camera relative to the elongated frame is adjustable.

Claim 7

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said hinge means including a leg having apertures for receiving fasteners, said means for attaching including a camera deck permitting adjustable positioning of the hinge means relative thereto, and fasteners for securing the hinge means to the camera deck whereby the position of the camera relative to the elongated frame is adjustable.

Claim 8

A camera support as set forth in claim 4 wherein said camera deck includes a plurality of apertures spaced to accommodate positioning of a camera in a position most comfortable for a user.

Claim 9

A camera support as set forth in claim 5 wherein said camera deck includes means for permitting adjustment of the camera deck relative the elongated frame, wherein said last named means and the plurality of apertures cooperate to permit adjustment of the camera relative to the elongated frame to thereby accommodate various sizes and shapes of cameras and thereby improve positioning of the camera relative to the camera support and balance of the camera support.

Claim 10

A camera support as set forth in claim 4 wherein plate means is disposed between said camera and said hinge means, and means for adjustable fastening of the plate means to the hinge means such that additional adjustment is provided for the positioning of the camera.

Claim 11

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said elongated frame including a first portion and a telescoping second portion, said hand grip being disposed at a distal end of said telescoping second portion, and means for securing the telescoping second portion relative to said first portion.

Claim 12

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said elongated frame including a first portion and a telescoping second portion, said hand grip being disposed at a distal end of said telescoping second portion, and means for securing the telescoping second portion relative to said first portion.

Claim 13

A camera support as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for securing includes a resilient detent.

Claim 14

A camera support as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first portion and said telescoping second portion are formed of square tube.

Claim 15

A camera support as set forth in claim 7 wherein said plate means is formed as part of said hinge means and said hinge means includes a plurality of apertures in spaced apart rows for receiving fasteners.

Claim 16

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said strap means including a shoulder strap and a shoulder pad having a guide strap, said shoulder engaging portion including an arcuate portion and recurved ends, said arcuate portion having a predetermined curvature and a predetermined length, said shoulder pad being secured to said shoulder engaging portion between the recurved ends, said strap means being generally fixed relative to the user while the shoulder engaging portion is free to slide relative to the pad during movement of the camera support between the suspended and pointing positions.

Claim 17

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, and strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, said means for attaching a camera including hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame, said strap means including a shoulder strap and a shoulder pad having a guide strap, said shoulder engaging portion including an arcuate portion and recurved ends, said arcuate portion having a predetermined curvature and a predetermined length, said shoulder pad being secured to said shoulder engaging portion between the recurved ends, said strap means being generally fixed relative to the user while the shoulder engaging portion is free to slide relative to the pad during movement of the camera support between the suspended and pointing positions.

Claim 18

A camera support as set forth in claim 12 wherein said strap means including a chest strap extending around the users chest to secure the position of the shoulder pad relative to the shoulder and said shoulder engaging portion includes strap guides for said shoulder strap.

Claim 19

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, and extendible means attached to said elongated frame, said means for attaching a camera including means hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame and said extendible means being movable from a stored position to a ground engaging supporting position when said elongated frame is in the pointing position, said elongated frame including a first portion and a telescoping second portion, said hand grip being disposed at a distal end of said telescoping second portion, and means for securing the telescoping second portion relative to said first portion.

Claim 20

A camera support comprising an elongated frame having a shoulder engaging portion at one end and a hand grip at a distal end, means for attaching a camera disposed on said elongated frame between said shoulder engaging portion and said distal end, strap means for securing the elongated frame relative to a user's shoulder while permitting movement of the elongated frame between a suspended at-rest position and a pointing ready to use position, and extendible means attached to said elongated frame, said means for attaching a camera including means hinge means for permitting pivotal movement of the camera wherein the camera can be pivoted about said hinge means to be selectively positioned relative to said elongated frame and said extendible means being movable from a stored position to a ground engaging supporting position when said elongated frame is in the pointing position, said elongated frame including a first portion and a telescoping second portion, said hand grip being disposed at a distal end of said telescoping second portion, and means for securing the telescoping second portion relative to said first portion.

Claim 21

A camera support as set forth in claim 14 wherein said strap means includes a shoulder strap and a shoulder pad having a strap guide, said shoulder engaging portion including an arcuate portion and recurved ends, said arcuate portion having a predetermined curvature and a predetermined length, said shoulder pad being secured to said shoulder engaging portion between the recurved ends, said strap means being generally fixed relative to the user while the shoulder engaging portion is free to slide relative to the pad during movement of the camera support between the suspended and pointing positions, said strap means including a chest strap extending around the users chest to secure the position of the shoulder pad relative to the shoulder.

Claim 22

A camera support as set forth in claim 15 wherein said shoulder engaging portion includes strap guides for said shoulder strap.

Claim 23

A camera support as set forth in claim 16 wherein said elongated frame includes a hanger for supporting said extendible means in the stored position and a releasable safety strap cooperating with said hanger for securing the extendible means relative to the hanger.

Claim 24

A camera support as set forth in claim 17 wherein a trigger release is disposed at the distal end of said elongated frame, a cable connects the trigger release and the camera whereby the camera can be actuated by said trigger release.