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US 6,450,706 B1Granted
Camera crane
AssigneeChapman/Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.
InventorLeonard T. Chapman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera crane has a boom arm pivotably connected to a post assembly. A track section is pivotably attached to the front end of the boom arm, and is leveled via leveling rods. The boom arm has a joggled section to provide clearance for a camera operator. A camera frame carrying a camera is linearly moveable along the track section. Pivot joints provide for adjustable drag on pivoting movement, without backlash or slip/stick movement.
Claims31
A camera crane comprising:
- a post assembly;
- a boom arm pivotably connected to the post assembly;
- a counter weight platform connected to a second end of the boom arm at a second pivot joint;
- a track section arm attached to a first end of the boom arm at a first pivot joint;
- a leveling rod pivotably attached to the counter weight platform and to the track section arm;
- a track section attached to the track section arm;
- and
- a camera frame linearly movable along the track section, with the camera frame including a base plate for supporting a camera.
5 more elements
A camera crane comprising:
- a boom arm;
- a track section attached to a front end of the boom arm with the track section having track bearing rails having a convex radius of curvature R;
- a camera frame movable along the track bearing rails;
- and with the radius of curvature R selected to compensate for changing deflection of the boom arm as the camera frame is moved to different positions along the bearing rails, so that the lens of a camera supported by the camera frame remains substantially horizontal, regardless of the position of the camera frame on the bearing rails.
1 more element
A camera crane comprising:
- a first section and a second section;
- a pivot joint pivotably connecting the first section and the second section, with the pivot joint comprising:
- a tensioner on an axle, with the first section pivotably supported on the axle;
- an arm plate attached to and pivotable with the first section, the arm plate having an inner ring section around the axle;
- a flex plate between a first surface of the inner ring section of the arm plate and the tensioner;
- and
- a low friction ring between the flex plate and the first surface of the ring section of the arm plate.
4 more elements
A camera crane comprising:
- a boom arm;
- a camera platform on the boom arm;
- a vibration isolator on the camera platform, comprising:
- a frame;
- a plate supported by linear bearings on the frame;
- and
- a foam material between the frame and the plate, to dampen relative movement between the frame and the plate.
4 more elements
A camera crane comprising:
- a boom arm;
- a track section pivotably attached to the boom arm;
- a leveling system pivotably attached to the track section;
- and
- a camera frame linearly movable along the track section, with the camera frame including a plate for supporting a camera.
2 more elements
A method for moving a camera, comprising the steps of:
- placing the camera on a crane arm;
- balancing the crane arm;
- and
- moving the camera linearly along a track section of the crane arm with the crane arm remaining balanced without movement of any counterweights.
1 more element
A camera crane comprising:
- a post assembly;
- a boom arm pivotably supported on the post assembly, with the boom arm having a rear segment, and first, second, and third front segments, with the rear segment joined at a positive rise angle to third front segment, and with the second front segment joined to the third front segment at a run angle equal to the supplement of the rise angle, so that the second front segment extends in a direction parallel to the rear segment, and with the first front segment joined to the second front segment at a negative rise angle equal and opposite to the positive run angle, so that the second front segment is at a vertical height greater than or equal to the height of the other segments, when the boom arm is horizontal.
A camera crane comprising:
- a post assembly;
- a boom arm pivotably connected to the post assembly;
- a counter weight platform pivotably connected to a second end of the boom arm;
- a track section arm pivotably attached to a first end of the boom arm;
- a leveling rod pivotably attached to the counter weight platform and to the track section arm;
- a track section attached to the track section arm;
- a camera frame linearly movable along the track section, with the camera frame including a base plate for supporting a camera;
- and
- a hand grip joint pivotably attaching the base plate to the camera frame, to allow a tilt up/down movement of the base plate, for changing the elevation angle of a camera on the base plate.
6 more elements
A camera crane comprising:
- a boom arm;
- a track section attached to a front end of the boom arm with the track section having track bearing rails having a convex radius of curvature R of from 400 to 1200 inches;
- and
- a camera frame movable along the track bearing rails.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.