Folding hinge
AssigneeTiffen Acquisition, LLC
InventorsH. Orf, Jerry Holway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding hinge for camera stabilization equipment. The hinge includes support connectors having apertures through which cables may be passed to connect a camera with various auxiliary components. An indexing guide pivotally attaches the support connectors so the camera stabilization system can be folded and unfolded with little or no disruption of the cables pr system balance. Locking mechanisms secure the hinges to provide a desired angular relationship between support members connected by the hinge.
Claims12
A folding hinge for camera stabilization equipment comprising:
- a first support connector having one or more apertures therethrough;
- a second support connector having one or more apertures therethrough;
- an indexing guide having a first end connected to the first support connector and a second end connected to the second support connector, wherein the indexing guide pivotally connects the first support connector to the second support connector;
- the one or more first support connector apertures and the one or more second support connector apertures configured to allow one or more flexible components to pass through the first support connector one or more apertures and the second support connector one or more apertures;
- a locking collar releasably attached to the first support connector and second support connector and alignable with the support connectors to allow the one or more flexible components to pass through the locking collar, wherein the indexing guide is disposed within the locking collar when the locking collar is attached to both the first support connector and the second support connector.
A method of connecting camera equipment on a support system comprising:
- providing a hinge comprising a first support connector having one or more apertures therethrough;
- a second support connector having one or more apertures therethrough;
- an indexing guide having a first end connected to the first support connector and a second end connected to the second support connector, wherein the indexing guide pivotally connects the first support connector to the second support connector;
- the one or more first support connector apertures and the one or more second support connector apertures configured to allow one or more flexible components to pass through the first support connector one or more apertures and the second support connector one or more apertures;
- a locking collar releasably attached to the first support connector and second support connector and alignable with the support connectors to allow the one or more flexible components to pass through the locking collar, wherein the indexing guide is disposed within the locking collar when the locking collar is attached to both the first support connector and the second support connector;
- attaching a first support member to the first support connector;
- attaching a second support member to the second support connector;
- functionally connecting a camera to one or more auxiliary camera components by attaching a flexible cable to the camera, passing the flexible cable through one of the one or more first support connector apertures and one of the one or more second support connector apertures;
- attaching the flexible cable to at least one of the one or more auxiliary camera components;
- and
- connecting the locking collar to the first and second support connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.