Suspension system for supporting and conveying equipment, such as a camera
OwnerGarrett W. Browninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension system for supporting and conveying equipment, such as a camera assembly, includes at least three flexible members, spaced-apart mounting drums for extendably and retractably supporting the flexible members and an equipment support member including an inner section to which the equipment is attached and an outer section connected to the flexible members. The inner and outer sections of the equipment support member are rotatable relative to each other about at least two separate axis of rotation. Preferably the mounting drums for the flexible members are operated by a computer-controlled drive to permit an operator to selectively extend and/or retract one or more of the flexible members to achieve the desired movement of the supported equipment.
Claims67
A suspension system for supporting and conveying equipment, said system comprising:
- at least three elongate, flexible members;
- mounting means spaced-apart from each other for extendably and retractably supporting said flexible members;
- an equipment support member attached to each of the flexible members, wherein the equipment support member is adapted to be moved in three directions in response to movement of the flexible members;
- and
- means for operatively connecting said equipment with said equipment support member so that said equipment is in controllable isolation from angular movement of said equipment support member.
A suspension system for supporting and conveying a camera assembly above a given plane, the system comprising:
- at least three cables, each of which has two ends, one end of each cable being connected to a common member;
- spaced-apart, rotatable drums adapted to engage respectively the second ends of the cables for extendably and retractably mounting the cables;
- and
- an equipment support suspended from the common member to carry the camera assembly;
- wherein said equipment support is operatively associated with said common member so that said camera assembly is in controllable angular isolation from said common member.
In a suspension system for supporting equipment in three-dimensionally adjustable positions by means of at least three cables which are operatively connected to said equipment and which extend away from said equipment in different directions, the combination of:
- at least three elevated support means, one for each of said cables, spaced from said equipment and defining the corners of a three-dimensional space above the surface over which they are elevated;
- means for adjusting the lengths of the cables between the respective support means and the equipment in such relationships as to move said equipment in three directions to place the equipment in any desired position within said three-dimensional space;
- and
- means for providing controllable angular isolation of said equipment from the cables which support said equipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.