Mounting system for body mounted camera equipment and connector assemblies therefor

A connector assembly comprising

• a first connector including a cylindrical surface having grooves therein, the grooves each having an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion extending from the axial entry portion and an axial seating portion extending from the cylindrical portion and displaced circumferentially from the axial entry portion, the axial entry portion and the axial seating portion extending from the circumferential portion in opposite directions;
• a second connector axially engageable with the first connector and including radial pins aligned for engagement with the grooves;
• an angular interlock including axial sockets on one of the first and second connectors and axial pins on the other of the first and second connectors, the first connector and the second connector having a first engagement with the radial pins in the axial entry portion of the grooves and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly disengaged, a second engagement with the radial pins in the circumferential portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly disengaged and a third engagement with the radial pins in the axial seating portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly engaged;
• an axial lock including a locking element on one of the first and second connectors and a catch on the other of the first and second connectors.

A connector assembly comprising

• a first connector including a cylindrical surface having grooves therein, the grooves each having an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion extending from the axial entry portion and an axial seating portion extending from the cylindrical portion and displaced circumferentially from the axial entry portion, the axial entry portion and the axial seating portion extending from the circumferential portion in opposite directions;
• a second connector axially engageable with the first connector and including radial pins aligned for engagement with the grooves;
• an angular interlock including axial sockets on one of the first and second connectors and axial pins on the other of the first and second connectors, the first connector and the second connector having a first engagement with the radial pins in the axial entry portion of the grooves and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly disengaged, a second engagement with the radial pins in the circumferential portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly disengaged and a third engagement with the radial pins in the axial seating portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being angularly engaged;
• an axial lock including a locking element on one of the first and second connectors, and a catch on the other of the first and second connectors;
• the connector assembly having three angularly spaced axial pins and six axial sockets.

A connector assembly comprising

• a first connector including a first internal cylindrical surface having equiangularly spaced grooves therein and defining a first central passage therethrough, the grooves each having an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion extending from the axial entry portion and an axial seating portion extending from the cylindrical portion and displaced circumferentially from the axial entry portion, the axial entry portion and the axial seating portion extending from the circumferential portion in opposite directions;
• a second connector axially engageable with the first connector and including equiangularly spaced pins extending radially outwardly and aligned for engagement with the grooves, a second central passage therethrough and an insert extending axially from about the second central passage and closely fitting within the first central passage, the radial pins being on the insert;
• an angular interlock including at least two sets of three axial sockets on one of the first and second connectors and three axial pins on the other of the first and second connectors, each of the axial sockets and each of the axial pins including a conical mating surface, the first connector and the second connector having a first engagement with the radial pins in the axial entry portion of the grooves and the axial sockets and the axial pins being disengaged, a second engagement with the radial pins in the circumferential portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being disengaged and a third engagement with the radial pins in the axial seating portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being engaged;
• an axial lock including a locking element on one of the first and second connectors and a catch on the other of the first and second connectors.

A mounting system for body mounted camera equipment comprising

• a tube having an upper end, a lower end and a three-axis gimbal intermediate the upper and lower ends;
• a connector assembly mounted to one of the upper and lower ends of the tube and including a first connector having a cylindrical surface having grooves therein, the grooves each having an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion extending from the axial entry portion and an axial seating portion extending from the cylindrical portion and displaced circumferentially from the axial entry portion, the axial entry portion and the axial seating portion extending from the circumferential portion in opposite directions, a second connector axially engageable with the first connector and having radial pins aligned for engagement with the grooves, an angular interlock having a first engaging surface on the first connector and a second engaging surface on the second connector, the first connector and the second connector having a first engagement with the radial pins in the axial entry portion of the grooves and the first engaging surface and the second engaging surface being disengaged, a second engagement with the radial pins in the circumferential portion and the first engaging surface and the second engaging surface being disengaged and a third engagement with the radial pins in the axial seating portion and the first engaging surface and the second engaging surface being engaged, an axial lock including a locking element on one of the first and second connectors and a catch on the other of the first and second connectors.

A mounting system for body mounted camera equipment comprising

• a tube having an upper end, a lower end and a three-axis gimbal intermediate the upper and lower ends;
• a connector assembly mounted to one of the upper and lower ends of the tube and including a first connector having a first internal cylindrical surface having equiangularly spaced grooves therein and defining a first central passage therethrough, the grooves each having an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion extending from the axial entry portion and an axial seating portion extending from the cylindrical portion and displaced circumferentially from the axial entry portion, the axial entry portion and the axial seating portion extending from the circumferential portion in opposite directions, a second connector axially engageable with the first connector and having equiangularly spaced pins extending radially outwardly and aligned for engagement with the grooves, a second central passage therethrough and an insert extending axially from about the second central passage and closely fitting within the first central passage, the radial pins being on the insert, an angular interlock having at least two sets of three axial sockets on one of the first and second connectors and three axial pins on the other of the first and second connectors, each of the axial sockets and each of the axial pins including a conical mating surface, the first connector and the second connector having a first engagement with the radial pins in the axial entry portion of the grooves and the axial sockets and the axial pins being disengaged, a second engagement with the radial pins in the circumferential portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being disengaged and a third engagement with the radial pins in the axial seating portion and the axial sockets and the axial pins being engaged, an axial lock including a locking element on one of the first and second connectors and a catch on the other of the first and second connectors, the locking element being a locking ring having a first threaded surface and being rotatably mounted and axially slidably mounted on the one of the first and second connectors, the catch being a second threaded surface on the other of the first and second connectors and threadably engageable with the first threaded surface with the first and second connectors in the third engagement;
• a retainer axially fixed on the one of the first and second connectors with the locking ring mounted thereon, the locking ring being axially slidably mounted to against the retainer.