Trigger actuated clamp for smart phone camera

A trigger actuated clamp device in combination with a monopod and a smart phone camera, the device comprising:

• a) a coupling coupled to the monopod;
• b) a joint with a longitudinal pivot axis attached to the coupling;
• c) the monopod, or the coupling and the joint, or both forming a substantially vertically oriented grip;
• d) a pair of telescoping jaws coupled to the joint and including a stationary jaw and a movable jaw slidable with respect to the stationary jaw;
• e) the stationary jaw having a proximal opening and a distal slot;
• f) the movable jaw having an arm extending through the proximal opening and into the stationary jaw;
• g) the pair of jaws having a pair of opposing fingers oriented parallel and spaced-apart from one another, and movable towards and away from one another, and an intervening platform disposed between the pair of fingers and oriented perpendicular thereto;
• h) a spring biasing the pair of fingers towards one another;
• i) a trigger attached to the arm of the movable jaw and extending therefrom out of the slot of the stationary jaw to oppose the grip and spaced-apart therefrom, the trigger biased away from the grip by the spring, the trigger being pullable towards the grip to displace the pair of jaws, and thus the pair of opposing fingers, away from one another;
• and
• j) the pair of fingers and the intervening platform having a concave channel formed therein;
• k) the pair of fingers and the intervening platform cupping a perimeter edge of the smart phone camera around at least a majority of the perimeter edge while exposing substantially all of a rear of the smart phone camera;
• l) the pair of fingers having at least two positions, including:
• i) a closed position in which the pair of fingers are spaced-apart from one another in a narrower distance;
• and
• i) an open position in which the pair of fingers are spaced-apart from one another in a wider distance;
• m) the pair of fingers and the pair of jaws forming a block C-shape to engage three contiguous lateral sides of the smart phone camera without obstructing longitudinal front or back of the smart phone camera;
• and
• n) the pair of jaws including a pair of L-shaped members with vertical fingers forming the pair of fingers, and telescoping horizontal arms, with a proximal end of the arm of the stationary jaw attached to the joint, and a proximal end of the arm of the movable jaw attached to the trigger.

A method for holding a smart phone camera, comprising:

• a) gripping a base of a clamp, or a monopod attached thereto, or both, the clamp including the base and a slider slidably coupled thereto and each having a finger extending therefrom in a spaced-apart relationship, and the base and slider, and thus the fingers, being biased together;
• b) pulling a trigger attached to the slider to displace the slider and the finger attached thereto away from the base and the finger attached thereto to separate the fingers and open the clamp;
• c) inserting the smart phone camera between the fingers;
• and
• d) releasing the trigger to allow the slider and the finger attached thereto to displace towards the base and the finger attached thereto to hold the smart phone camera between the fingers and to close the clamp.