Camera-steadying device

Abstract

A portable camera steady device for use with a camera, having a retractable tensile member whose distal end can be stepped on by a user or hooked to her body or clothing. The device has a swivel mounting member providing two independent and generally perpendicular axes of rotation such that the tensile member extends tangentially from the reel and housing whether the camera is used in the landscape or portrait orientation. A switch is provided to control extension and retraction of the tensile member from a biased reel.

1 . A portable camera steady device for use with a camera, comprising:
 a housing;   a reel inside the housing,   a tensile member carried on the reel, the tensile member having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing having an opening through which the tensile member extends;   a swivel tab member connected to the distal end of the tensile member;   a swivel mounting member adapted to attach the device to the camera, the swivel mounting member providing two independent axes of rotation between the housing and the camera; and   a switch adapted to control rotation of the reel.   
     
     
         2 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is adapted to at least releasably lock the reel against rotation in one direction. 
     
     
         3 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is adapted to at least releasably lock the reel against rotation in any direction. 
     
     
         4 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the reel includes a spring coil biasing rotation of the reel in one direction. 
     
     
         5 . A device of  claim 4 , wherein the switch is adapted to at least releasably lock the reel against rotation as biased by the spring coil. 
     
     
         6 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the two independent axes of rotation are generally perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         7 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the swivel mounting member defines one of said independent axes of rotation. 
     
     
         8 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the swivel mounting member has a mounting screw defining one of said independent axes of rotation. 
     
     
         9 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has two opposing awls, the swivel mounting member extending between the two opposing arms. 
     
     
         10 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the swivel tab member is configured to adopt a deployed position outside of the housing and a stored position wherein at least a portion of the tab member is inside the housing. 
     
     
         11 . A device of  claim 1 , wherein the swivel tab member has a distal end having a hook member. 
     
     
         12 . A device of  claim 10 , wherein the tensile member extends tangentially from the reel through the opening in a linear path to the swivel tab member in the deployed position while the camera is used in a landscape orientation. 
     
     
         13 . A device of  claim 12 , wherein the camera and the device are in planar alignment. 
     
     
         14 . A device of  claim 10 , wherein the tensile member extends tangentially from the reel through the opening in a linear path to the swivel tab member in the deployed position while the camera is used in the portrait orientation. 
     
     
         15 . A device of  claim 14 , wherein the camera and the device are perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         16 . A portable camera steady device for use with a camera, comprising:
 a housing;   a reel inside the housing, the reel being adapted to rotate in an extension direction and a retraction direction, the reel including a spring coil biasing rotation of the reel in the retraction direction;   a tensile member carried on the reel, the tensile member having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing having an opening through which the tensile member extends;   a swivel tab member connected to the distal end of the tensile member, the swivel tab member adapted to assume a deployed position wherein the swivel tab member is outside of the housing and a stored position wherein a portion of the swivel tab member is inside the housing;   a swivel mounting member adapted to attach the device to the camera, the swivel mounting having a body that defines a first axis of rotation between the housing and the camera, the swivel mounting member having a mounting screw that defines a second axis of rotation between the housing and the camera, the two axes of rotation being independent of each other; and   a switch adapted to control rotation of the reel.   
     
     
         17 . A device of  claim 16 , wherein the switch is movable between a plurality of positions, including a locked position to releasably lock the reel against any rotation. 
     
     
         18 . A device of  claim 16 , wherein the positions include a release position to allow rotation of the reel in the extension and retraction directions. 
     
     
         19 . A device of  claim 16 , wherein the positions include an extend position to allow retraction rotation